100 - not out...

Last Sunday’s reading in church made reference to Anna, the prophetess who, along with Simeon, greeted the baby Jesus at his Presentation in The Temple.  The author felt Anna’s age merited a mention and tells us she was 84. 

That would have been impressive, apart from the fact that we had just presented one of our morning congregation with a basket of flowers to celebrate her 100^th birthday – so, 84 suddenly seemed less worthy of a mention for poor Anna!

Our wonderful centenarian at AFC (to be joined by another come May!) was born in a year that saw George V unveil the newly built cenotaph in London and the formation of the League of Nations, the forerunner of The United Nations. All of this in a year that began the ‘Roaring Twenties’!

It was a joy to celebrate last Sunday and we marked it with a cake after service with everyone singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in the coffee hall.

My friend told me she had received a card from The Queen, and then with a glint in her eye, went on to say she had placed the card from the church next to the one from Her Majesty.  I was so touched by that.  It says a lot about the place of faith and pilgrimage in the life of our wonderful one-hundred-year-old member.

That conversation reminded me of another I had, in a different pastorate, with a lady of senior years.  She was ill and I was at her bedside.  She told me to look above the headboard and pointed to a faded card stuck to the wall.  ‘That’s my church membership certificate from 1937’, she said.  Once again I was touched that such a card had been given so prominent and meaningful a place.

I think both these inspiring saints, who have the wisdom of the years about their judgements, teach us that ‘belonging’ to a community such as the church keeps you young.  Knowing we are not alone, that we walk with fellow pilgrims, well – it helps us to keep going as we value the companionship of each other along the way.