The Right Reverend Saju Muthalaly, Bishop of Loughborough, presided at a confirmation service at St Peter’s, Higham on the Hill on the Sunday of the Coronation Weekend.
Eleanor, who was confirmed into the Church of England during the service, said: “For most of my life I have been aware of God’s presence, both in times of desperation and elation, but the force of this has ebbed and flowed.”
“I love to be outside running, this is when I often feel closest to God, being surrounded by the beauty that he has created. For so long, this awareness was enough. Coming to church services was enough. People would ask if I’d ever considered confirmation, my answer was, “not yet.” I was waiting for the moment when I was ready, when it felt right for me.
“That time came to me last autumn, when sitting in this church one Sunday, as a beam of sunlight filtered through the stained-glass window, I was suddenly filled with the certainty that I wanted to take the next step; affirm my faith through confirmation and to share Communion with the rest of the congregation. I feel blessed that I now have the opportunity to take my faith to the next level.”
St Peter’s was a fitting place for Bishop Saju to spend part of the Coronation weekend as born and raised in the rectory was Geoffrey Francis Fisher, 99th Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Fisher presided at the funeral of George VI, the wedding and coronation service of Queen Elizabeth II, and christened King Charles III. Geoffrey Fisher’s, father, grandfather and his older brother all served as vicar of St Peter’s, Higham-on-the-Hill.
Bishop Martyn also led a baptism and confirmation service at the end of April at All Saints, Belgrave. Bishop Martyn conducted four baptisms and confirmed fifteen people into the church.