We celebrated Pentecost in our usual joyful musical way, with hymns sung heartily by the choir and congregation, and an excellent rendition of César Franck’s “Panis Angelicus” from the choir. As a token of our respect to Her Majesty the Queen on the Platinum Jubilee, we stood at the end of the service to listen to Britten’s moving version of “God save the Queen” on CD. As our Chaplin Tom was on holiday, respresenting Canada at the Normandy Landings commemorations, we were pleased to welcome the Rev Keith Bretel, a former Chaplain, to lead our service and make us think with one of his surprising sermons!

We then went to a beautiful area of the sea-front in St Raphaël, where we set up camp for our picnic, again celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee with a toast and singing the National Anthem, to the holidaymakers’ surprise. The local snack bar did a great trade, and we all feel this is the perfect new venue for our Pentecost and Harvest Picnics in future.