Sunday, 09 January 2021 ~ 14.00

Dear Church Family,

We ask you to pray for Michael’s Licensing which will be held on Saturday 9th January at 14.00 hours. We hope and pray that the modest service, with only essential participants and without a congregation, can be followed by a celebration in the summer.

The service will be live-streamed and recorded. You can join us online at 14.00 hours on Saturday by clicking here. The service recording will remain online for some weeks. Please also find attached below the Order of Service so that you can be with us in prayer.

An institution is the form by which the bishop, as chief pastor in his diocese, shares the cure of souls with a priest who has been newly appointed as the chaplain or priest-in-charge of a recognized chaplaincy or congregation of the diocese. In this case Revd Sam van Leer, Acting Archdeachon will represent the Bishop.

As you know this licensing coincides with this challenging period of national and international lockdown. After much prayerful deliberation, including with the Diocese, it has been decided because of Covid 19 Michael’s licensing will be a short, sober service. Only those who have an official role in the Licensing have been invited to join in person. The absence of the congregation, the representatives of the various churches and institutions that would normally attend and particularly of Michael’s Dutch and English family and friends are felt very keenly. In the present circumstances we consider that this is the safest and most responsible way forward.

However we still need your help please! Whilst you cannot attend in person, we are asking you to pray together with the whole church community this Saturday at 14.00 hours. We are excited at Michael’s arrival. We believe it is vital to greet this new chapter with prayer and that the life and special ministry of this church will go on.

As we pray for the church at this time, please remember Michael’s family and friends, particularly his wife Janet van der Linden who will be at the service, and their children Willeke (in Delft) and Pieter (in Bristol) and Michael’s mother (in Haarlem). You might like to know that Michael has a sister, Jo, who is also ordained. Four years ago, in a possible national first, they were both made Honorary Canons of St Albans at the same service!

Please accept our apologies that we cannot invite you to come in person on 9th January. As soon as we can, we will hold a joyful, celebration with the Bishop present to mark the beginning of a new chapter in the life of this much loved church.

Blessings,
Thérèse O’Connor and Jeanne Tubbergen
Wardens