Northern National Carol Service at Ripon Cathedral - 29th November 2017
My Federation, Rotherham and District chose to go to the Ripon Carol Service this year and so forty three of us went by coach.
Four of our ladies, Stef, Chris, Diana and Janet were going to be Stewards and were very excited to be involved in this TG occasion.
Ripon Cathedral is built on the earliest Saxon crypt in England, and is a wonderful building.
The Service started at 2pm with 700 members in the congregation, and after being greeted by the Reverend Canon Wendy Wilby, Jenny Rideout and Penny Ryan read a poem, written by TG member Ellen Jenkinson. During it, three characters who had been sitting amongst the congregation walked slowly down the aisle to the front. These were homeless, friendless and jobless and the members were urged to befriend or even just give a smile to everyone.
The rest of the service was traditional, with a solo and songs sung by the Yorkshire Decibelles, a local choir, who told us that they thought that our TG song, I am a small part of the world, summed up our fantastic organisation.
After the service, the members of the National Trustees Board said goodbye to the members at the main door.
Everyone that we spoke to said that this service, with the theme of loneliness and friendship had been brilliant and one of the best ever.
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