Thursday 5 June 2025
A Night of Chapel Centenary Celebration
This week’s Chapel Update looks ahead to our highly anticipated Chapel Centenary Dinner, on Thursday 26 June (the last Thursday of Term 2). This is a wonderful opportunity for keen supporters of the Chapel to get together for an evening of music, stories and celebration. On the back of our Centenary Anzac Service and Exhibition, members of our community are invited to come and enjoy an evening that begins by re-living the glory of The Hallelujah Chorus.
Whether you sang it with LCM Saunders or not, there is scope for anyone who wishes, to get along to a rehearsal led by Choral Conductor Steven Rapana, at 5pm in the Chapel to refresh your memories of the Hallelujah Chorus. Then at 6pm sharp, a short service in the Chapel will precede some stunning pieces from our talented organ scholars, before the The Chapel Choir and ‘all-comers’ sing The Hallelujah Chorus together. Just after 6pm, guests will make their way across to the College Dining Room, before I interview a panel of three Old Collegians from different eras of the College, who will be sharing some humorous and some moving stories about their experience of Chapel life. Dessert and anecdotes will then be shared before the evening finishes at 9pm.
If you would like to come along for an evening of music, stories and celebration then you can purchase tickets at the modest price of $45 pp here.
Restoration
Speaking of celebrating the Chapel, I am pleased to report that we have had several constituents in, who have been showing their care for the Chapel. Mr Greg Smith (pictured) an experienced antique-collector and conservationist was in the Chapel over the last few weeks making sure that the Rolls of Honour have been looking their absolute best. Some of you, having had a closer look, may have noticed some discolouration due to the wear and tear of time, as well as the residue of cleaning products that have been used previously on them.
Mr Smith graciously volunteered several hours, with the permission of our Property Manager, Mrs Cara McCarthy - ensuring that these bronze plaques that carry the names of our precious Old Collegians are now looking their best.
Alongside that, this past week we were pleased to welcome back to the College a guild of four King’s ‘mothers’ who were responsible for all the Chapel kneelers. Pictured here, Helen Lawford, Anna-May Brown, Diane Hurdley and Nancy Greensmith told stories over morning tea about their experience across five years, 1989-1994 of gathering in various homes, every Thursday to create four hundred of these beautiful kneelers, with a team of around twenty needle-workers. Their story will feature more fulsomely in an upcoming Courier magazine.
And finally…
If you are still considering the opportunity to be baptised, then do please let us know. On June 22 at 7pm in the Lady Chapel we will be holding a small baptismal service for any interested students wishing to take this ‘next step’ in their journey of Christian faith. If that is you, then please contact me - either by dropping into C03 or sending through an email. I would be delighted to help with the preparation for this important sacrament.
Peace and grace,
Rev Gareth Walters