Thank You for the Last Ten Years!

Dear all,

Thank you so much to both Select Vestries, who on your behalf, very kindly presented me with a beautiful Japanese Acer (and the bag of relevant compost!) at the united family service in St Thomas’ Church yesterday, to mark my ten years (tonight – 27th October!) as Rector of Booterstown and Carysfort with Mount Merrion.

It is hard to believe that it is ten years since my institution as rector of these parishes, in St Philip and St James’ Church on a wild, wet and windy night; it feels like I have been here for five, maybe, six years… definitely not ten!

I wondered what on earth was going on yesterday when I announced the final hymn and the organist did not play; and then Denis Beare came up the aisle to say a few words followed a little later by Ken Wilson and a tree!

Thank you to Denis Beare for his very kind words as he recalled how he, Vi Wilson and the late much-loved William Burgess and the late dear Sue McDonnell, interviewed me and decided to nominate me to the Archbishop to be appointed rector here.

Thank you to those who were the ones who engineered this… Uta Raab, and various people like Ken and Vi Wilson and Vi Hoffman who went purchasing the tree, and others…

I am very touched by your kindness and that you marked my first decade with you in this way.

I love working with the people of these parishes; all of us as a team together (and I know I speak for Suzanne and Uta as well, in saying that). For 193 years and 140 years respectively, St Philip and St James’ Church and St Thomas’ Church have been places of worship, welcome, care and support, and I hope and pray that we continue to build on all that has been, so that what is ahead is even more enriching and vibrant.

With many, many thanks for the lovely gift and card, but especially for the last ten years.

Gillian x