A Service of prayer and reflection was held at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral on the Eve of the Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It was an ecumenical service arranged by Aberdeen Churches Together. Led by Bishop Anne, Bible readings from Rev Gary Smith (Crown St Baptist) and Pastor Joe Ochei (Jesus House Holburn St), intercessions from Cn Terry and Rev Jenny Holden (St John’s SEC).
We were blessed to be joined by a choir from Jesus House who led us in our hymns and sang the moving ‘Song of Farewell’ by Ernest Sands that includes the chorus:
‘May the choir of angels,
Come to greet you,
May they speed you to paradise.
May the Lord enfold you
In His mercy.
May you find eternal life.’
Other elements of the service included a reading of the poem ‘Lochnagar’ by Makar Kathleen Jamie:
The alder boughs hang heavy, Red weighs the rowan-trees That line the well-loved path which climbs To Lochnagar from Dee And knows at last the open hill, Those ancient wind-honed heights Where deer stand shy and sky-lined, Then vanish from living sight, Where grief is ice, and history Is distant roiling skies, Where weather chases weather Across the lands she strived To serve, and served supremely well, Till the call came from afar: Back to the country kept in her heart, the Dee, and Lochnagar.
The Makar gives permission for republishing this poem to not for profit media.
