April has been a busy month at St Andrew’s Church in Stratton.

St Andrew’s recognised Holy Week before Easter with a service of the Last Supper and The Watch on Maundy Thursday at 7.30 pm and on Holy Saturday they had the Festival of Light with the Easter Liturgy.

A plain wooden cross was erected near the entrance to the church on Maundy Thursday. On Good Friday it carried a Crown of Thorns with a purple drape and then for Easter Sunday these were replaced by a smaller cross of spring flowers which stayed in place for two weeks.

The Diocesan flag flew from the tower in celebration all over Easter but was replaced at 2.30pm on Friday, April 9 by the Union Jack flying at half mast in recognition of the death of Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh earlier in the day.

The Union Flag was raised to full mast to stay in place to celebrate the Queen’s birthday on April 21st and St George’s Day on the 23rd.

St Andrew’s in April has returned to a Sunday service in church at 9.30 am and a Wednesday Said Mass at 10.30am. The church remains open on these days for private prayer but is otherwise closed due to COVID restrictions still being observed.