An emotional falter in the voice of the Rector as he closed yesterday’s service said it all: it was so good to be back together for worship in the St Paul’s church building after 16 weeks.
 What was already a very special occasion was enhanced by the music provided by three sisters. Eva Richards. Athena Richards, and our organist Caroline Barnes. Eva and Caroline had already become familiar to parishioners through their organ-cello duets, together but apart, at the end of our worship videos during lockdown. It was apt, on our re-opening day, that they were playing together in the church for the first time, joined by Athena on her viola.
  We hope everybody who was able to be in St Paul’s yesterday felt better for being there and that the procedures which have to be observed in accordance with government and central church guidelines did not detract unduly from the experience.
 Unfortunately for those of you at home who were expecting to join us remotely for the first service to be live-streamed from St Paul’s, there was the disappointment of the internet link crashing just as the service was about to start. You might have already had a chance to watch the recording here, but it had a few technical problems of its own, which we hope will be sorted by next week. Onwards and upwards …

Three sisters (from left) Athena and Eva Richards and Caroline Barnes, with the Rector, the Revd Gary Dowd, before the re-opening service