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5 July 2005

On Saturday 2 July Lambeth Palace Garden was the scene for a colourful and vibrant celebration of the Centenary of Southwark Diocese.

The day began with contributions from schools around the Diocese who danced and sang for the crowds who filled the Garden. The Bishops from Southwark’s link Dioceses in Zimbabwe and their wives were also welcomed to the celebrations.

The Celebratory Eucharist followed at which the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Dr Tom Butler, presided. The choir from churches around the Diocese filled a ‘grand stand’ as they led the congregation in hymns old and new.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend Dr Rowan Williams, in his sermon spoke of the G8 meeting and the Church’s role in helping to bring about an end to poverty. He referred to Southwark Diocese’s role in the 1960s of helping to ask the question ‘How does the church live as if the Kingdom was real’, and of the importance of the Diocese’s links with Zimbabwe at this crucial time for the country.

[Full text of the Archbishop's sermon]

The offertory procession was like a carnival parade as school children and adults entered with balloons, coloured wigs, banners and papier mache figures.

There were communion stations all around the Garden as the thousands present came to receive the bread and the wine.

Then the Area Bishops of Southwark Diocese presented the Bishops of their Zimbabwean link Dioceses with a Pectoral cross and Bishop Tom presented their wives with hanging crosses as mementos of the occasion.

Bishop Sebastian then responded on behalf of the Bishops from Zimbabwe and urging the people of Southwark to pray more and more for the people of Zimbabwe at this time.

Day moved into evening with an event for the Youth of the Diocese. Young people from youth groups and churches throughout Southwark gathered to listen to bands culminating in a lively set from Christian rock band ‘Kato’.

On Sunday 3 July, the actual anniversary of the Church of St Mary and St Saviour Overie becoming a Cathedral, there were more celebrations with a series of events throughout the day hosted by the Cathedral. At the morning Eucharist Bishop Tom presided and the Dean of Southwark, The Very Rev Colin Slee preached. Between the morning and afternoon services there were activities in and around the Cathedral and Borough Market with comedians and jugglers and all sorts of entertainment.

The morning and afternoon services were relayed to people outside on large screens. Bishop Tom preached at the afternoon service saying he had been asked for a thought for the century and quoting from the sermon given by the then Bishop of London at the inauguration of the Diocese. In it he said that, ‘nothing has been too old for it to touch in the past, nothing too new for it to welcome in the future’. Bishop Tom spoke of the history of the Cathedral and the Diocese in relation to this and of the many challenges that had been faced and would continue to be faced.

During the service Timothy West and Prunella Scales read from the events of the inauguration of the Cathedral and the Greater Choir sang the winning Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis from the Centenary Music Competition by Stephen Tanner.

The events of the day concluded with a Solemn Eucharist.

Ends.

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468