Thank you to everyone who helped make the Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit to Hartshorne a great success. The children from Hartshorne Primary School were marvellous; they didn’t seem at all phased by the increased number of people wandering round watching what they were doing during the afternoon.
Archbishop Justin drew the Experience Creation event to a close with a wonderful plenary session in which the children felt relaxed enough to answer his thoughtful questions and reflect on what they had experienced. Then it was time to move outside to the far corner of the churchyard where invited guests were gathered for the tree planting ceremony. The archbishop led a short service including prayers (for which we were encouraged to keep our eyes open so that we could see the beauty of God’s Creation) and a Bible reading from Jeremiah 17:8 read by Bishop Alastair. The oak tree was planted, with guests taking turns to place a trowel full of soil in the hole. The children were then helped by Archbishop Justin to hang prayers on the tree. A photo session took place then it was back to the church for refreshments accompanied by the ringing of the church bells.
Unfortunately by this time the Archbishop was running late so had to move on to his next scheduled engagement .
Inside the church everyone else gathered for afternoon tea, the café area in the north aisle providing a welcoming venue. Guests were able to chat and relax over a cup of tea and cake; they made appreciative comments and by the end not a crumb of cake was left. Members of the church all played a part in serving teas and clearing up; many taking a turn with the mammoth task of washing up.
Thank you for making this a memorable occasion!
For more photos visit the Derby Diocese website