theWI Adderbury & District – OFWI Centennial Celebration – Christ Church Cathedral – Tuesday 15 September 2015

Dear Ladies –  those of us lucky enough to be at Oxford for OFWI Centennial Celebration Service at Christ Church Cathedral yesterday took part in an amazingly historic and memorable day for every WI member belonging to the Oxford Federation Women’s Institute.   We lucky Banner holders made our way to  Christ Church Meadows where we gathered loosely into a long drawn-out croccodile, chattering excitedly while we grappled with our poles and banners, and we were told we should be sent off in small portions of our number in due time.  Our friends meanwhile made their way into the quadrangle in front of the Cathedral to make their way inside at the appropriate time.  We were in the last portion to be sent on our way and we found our waiting band circling about the pathways intersecting the open space and it was all very jolly.  Finally, as we waited just outside the entrance, two panting ladies with banner held a’loft, made their way hurriedly into the arena and quickly joined the queue.  Ladies were madly taking photos all aware of the BBC cameraman before them.  Finally WI Ladies marshalling us into the Cathedral made it known we were off, the chatter diminished and we walked into the brilliantly lit entrance, raised banners dipped carefully under the inner entrance arch, as with eyes raised, we found ourselves scrutinised by a host of beaming faces, great applause and smiling eyes.  We slowly moved towards the high altar, to the Entrance Music “Chariots of Fire” by  Vangelis and played by Organist Clive Driskill-Smith, turning to our left just past the pulpit,  quickly catching a sighting of friends Diane, Gill, Maureen and Mary, before we too wheeled off to deposit our banner and take our seats, sitting just adjacent to  a bowl of beautifully gold-tipped stamend pure white lillies, whose intoxicating perfume assailed our senses throughout the entirety of the Service.

Now for the Cathedral Service to which we were welcomed by The Revd Canon Dr Edmund Newey, Sub Dean of Christ Church and here I give you the wording of the Programme for which I have sought permission of The Cathedral authorities, via Mrs. Eileen Head who is Cathedral Office Manager, to print in full our sung Hymns, as they hold copyright for their printing,  which they kindly gave and then I also approached Virginia at OFWI Headquarters for permission, who kindly sent me online details to enable proficient copy and paste handling for  this Reflection …..

 

Centennial Celebration at Christ Church Cathedral

Tuesday 15th September 2015

1.30 pm

Hosted by OXFORDSHIRE FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

Entrance Music

To accompany arrival of WI banners

‘Chariots of Fire’ – Vangelis

Organist – Clive Driskill-Smith

HYMN

Jerusalem

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon England’s mountains green?

And was the Holy Lamb of God

On England’s pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold

Bring me my arrows of desire!

Bring me my spear! O clouds unfold!

Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In England’s green and pleasant land.

Welcome

The Revd Canon Dr Edmund Newey

Sub Dean of Christ Church

 

HYMN

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,

And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,

And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth:

At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

 

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,

But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me;

I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;

They came with me and the dance went on:

Chorus

 

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame:

The holy people said it was a shame.

They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,

And they left me there on a cross to die:

Chorus

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;

It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.

They buried my body and they thought I’d gone;

But I am the dance, and I still go on:

Chorus

They cut me down and I leapt up high;

I am the life that’ll never, never die.

I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me:

I am the Lord of the dance, said he.

Chorus

Reading

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Revd Lisa Holmes

Soloist

Eloise Irving

‘I dreamed a dream’

Address

Ann Jones

Chair of Federation of Wales Committee

Soloist

Eloise Irving

‘Bridge over troubled water’

Address

Sir Hugo Brunner KCVO

HYMN

The World in Union

There’s a dream, I feel

So rare, so real

All the world in union

The world as one

Gathering together

One mind one heart

Every creed, every colour

Once joined, never apart

Searching for the best in me

I will find what I can be

If I win, lose or draw

There’s a winner in us all

We face high mountains

Must cross rough seas

We must take our place in history

And live with dignity

It’s the world in union

The world as one

As we climb to reach our destiny

A new age has begun

Just to be the best I can

Sets the goal for every man

If I win, lose or draw

It’s a victory for all

It’s the world in union

The world as one

As we climb to reach our destiny

A new age has begun.

Closing Address

Pauline Goddard

OFWI Federation Chairman

The Blessing

The Revd Canon Dr Edmund Newey

National Anthem

Chairman and Guests retire

Retiring Collection

Helen & Douglas House

http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/

Helen & Douglas House cares for terminally ill children, young adults

and their families through exceptional hospice care 

OFWI would like to thank the Dean and Chapter for the use of the

Cathedral today and the Friends of Christ Church Cathedral for

the beautiful flowers.

I do hope my photo gives some idea of the beauty of these wonderful Lillies

I hope my photo conveys some of the beauty of these wonderful Lillies

There will be an opportunity to take

photographs of WI banners in the Quadrangle

immediately after the Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now four of Mary’s photos to enjoy….

 

 

 

 

 

Ann Jones, Chair of Federation of Wales Committee spoke warmly of the close links between Wales and Oxford, forged at the beginning of  matters through founding personalities and she began her remarks in Welsh, which caught us all by great surprise.  Sir Hugo Brunner spoke of his Mother’s great involvement as Chair of the Oxfordshire Federation in 1941 and when in the same year she was also voted on to the National Executive.   Pauline Goddard, OFWI Federation Chairman who gave the Closing Address, spoke enthusiastically of the new technology which confronts all online users which, when used and mastered, keeps the WI moving forward with great gusto.

 

I sincerely hope I’ve captured the spirit of celebration, history and memorability of this wonderful Centenary Service at Oxford’s Christ Church Cathedral and painted a memory for all fellow members unable to be with us yesterday Tuesday, 15th September 2015 – for 100 years of WI Life and Times – 1915 – 2015.

 

Margaret Halstead