St Stephen's Bournemouth

An absolutely splendid day with the choirs of St John's and St Michael's, West Croydon joining the choir of St Stephen's for evensong, a scrumptious tea and a meditation about angels. The link between the 3 churches is that john Loughborough Pearson designed them all. We set off by coach at 9.30 a.m. and reached Bournemouth at 12.30 p.m. The weather was dull until the evening. The church is very fine but not as big as either of the Croydon buildings. Percy Whitlock played here and the organ is tucked away high above the choir. Christopher Moore was on great form at the organ. A beautiful Easter garden complete with the symbols of the Passion, a lovely Lady statue and a tasteful display about St Cecilia! The singing was splendid with the massed choirs enjoying Stanford in A, Bairstow's Blessed City, Howells Magnificat Coll Reg, Stanford in B flat Te Deum, Faire is the heaven of Harris, Let all mortal flesh by Bairstow, And I saw another angel by Stanford. There could perhaps have been more quiet singing? Nice to meet up with Edward Scott and Derek Dorey who had been at Winchester with the Guild of Church Musicians. Returned home at 10 p.m.
Meditating on the Te Deum - "Vouchsafe us O Lord this day to keep us this day without sin". "To Thee all angels cry aloud". We all have our own personal angel as Newman believed in "The Dream of Gerontius". If you don;t believe in angels, you have never crossed the road!