What a wonderful weekend we have to enjoy together.
On Sunday we’ll be gathering at St Swithun’s in a joint parish service to give thanks to God for two things:
Firstly, for the successful completion of the re-roofing project at St Swithun’s. A project that we thought would be one size, but which grew to be something much more – beautiful, complex, expensive and time-consuming – but one worth all the effort. It is most fitting that +David is among us for the last time at a parish church in this diocese, to re-dedicate St Swithun’s after its long closure.
As you know, our original estimate was a short 2-month church closure with work concentrated on the chancel roof and roof patching elsewhere as needed. Upon closer inspection the ravages of time had left the roof and tower in a perilous state so much so that a complete renovation of everything was urgently needed – a long-term investment the PCC were brave and willing to make.
Throughout, we have used the best materials available and deployed expert craftsmen who have meticulously cut and crafted wood using innovative and novel approaches, especially as no two tower angles were the same. In addition, the new roof has or we have used…
- Close to 30,000 new hand-made Tudor tiles.
- New hip tiles on all the ridges, all topped with copper strips to prevent roof moss.
- Over half a mile of weather-proofed red batons.
- Enough felt to cover close to two tennis courts.
- 12,000 – 15,000 nails and screws.
- State of the art, resin structural solution to stabilise and secure rotting beams.
- A moveable band-saw that cut and shaped the new oak timbers at the top tower level.
- New rainwater guttering for the tower with the discharge pipe flowing through the tower.
- 350 signed tiles on the westward facing slope of the tower inscribed with names of loved ones, with prominence given to the names of the fallen heroes from our war memorial.
- Three new crosses – two of stone and one of seasoned oak with chamfered edges.
The gifts of parishioners past and present has enabled this work to be successfully delivered, especially the Chisslands gift, given in 1722 which underwrote the majority of the costs of the car park and now the roof restoration – a reminder to us all that gifts given can benefit and bless work many, many years hence.
Secondly, we are delighted that the new Bishop of Truro is with us, who will lead, teach and guide us in one of his last services in this Diocese before his departure to Truro. +David has been here in Winchester for over 24 years, the last 11 of which as Bishop of Basingstoke. His contribution to the life and mission here has been immense. We give thanks to God for all that he and his wife, Helen, have faithfully given to us and others as part of their ministry over these years. We will miss them, but pray that they will bring their unique gifts to the people of Cornwall and be a great blessing in that part of the country.
We will be presenting them with a special gift from the Worthys – a gift we have commissioned and which we hope will find a place in their new home in Cornwall and beyond. Here’s a picture of it – thank you for your contributions to this gift which we were able to commission from the master carpenter who worked on the roofing project, using part of the old hexagonal cross and one of the replaced beams. I hope you’ll agree with me that it’s beautiful.
It is Mothering Sunday and many of you will join us whilst many others may well be away visiting mothers or families and remembering the special role in our lives of those who have mothered us, be they birth mothers or someone else. Wherever you are, may you know God’s presence and his peace.
Revd Paul