On Sunday evening 19th April, St Stephen’s Church was filled with music, prayer, and

overflowing joy as we gathered for a beautiful service of Choral Evensong with the

Presentation of the Cross of St Piran to Caroline Stone. Led beautifully by James, our

Reader, with the choir of St Mary Magdalene lifting our voices heavenward, and Josh

leading us at the organ with style and aplomb, the service carried a rich sense of both

reverence and celebration.

We were delighted to welcome Bishop David, together with Helen his wife, and it was

a joy to be joined by visiting clergy and friends from across the deanery. Some clergy

robed for the occasion, and the church was filled with colour and dignity, with everyone

looking splendid in their finest.

At the heart of the service, Bishop David presented the Cross of St Piran to Caroline

Stone, a deeply fitting recognition of her faithful and generous service. The citation,

read by Sarah Vinson, Lay Chair of Trigg Major Deanery, spoke of a ministry woven

through the life of St Winwaloe Church and the wider benefice and deanery. Caroline

is someone who simply gets on with what needs to be done, faithfully, generously, and

often unseen. During the interregnum, when things could so easily have unravelled,

she became, in the words of her citation, “the glue that held everything together.” And

perhaps most of all, “Caroline brings considerable empathy and understanding.” As

Priest-in-Charge, I am deeply grateful for the kind and unwaveringly generous support

Caroline has given me as I have settled into my ministry here. Caroline knows the

realities of our small rural churches and carries that knowledge with wisdom and care,

shaping the way she leads, listens, and serves. Alongside all of this, she continues to

grow in her calling and is now in her final year of Reader training.

In his sermon, Bishop David, drawing on the words of the prophet Haggai, reminded

us: “I am with you, says the Lord... do not fear... take courage.”

Words that spoke deeply into the life and witness we were celebrating.

It was also a joy to honour Eve Gabriel, herself a longstanding recipient of the Cross

of St Piran, whose long and faithful service continues to bless the life of the church.

Together with her husband John, she has given so much to St Stephen’s and to the

wider community in Launceston, in ways both seen and unseen, and we marked this

with deep appreciation, presenting her with flowers as a sign of our thanks. Eve has

walked a path of great strength and courage, and her steadfast commitment has been

a quiet but powerful witness among us. In particular, her tireless work over many years

in organising and sustaining the two Saturday Sales, raising significant funds for the

church, has been a remarkable gift. As those commitments have recently had to be

reduced to one Saturday Sale, we recognise not only all that has been given, but

something of what it has cost.

We also give heartfelt thanks to all who have volunteered and supported the sales

over the years, working so hard to make them happen each month. Your generosity of

time and effort has made a lasting difference, and is deeply valued.

Following the service, we gathered for some extra-special refreshments, which was a

chance to meet up with old friends and make some new ones. A celebratory cake iced

with “Congratulations Caroline” marked the occasion, and in a moment of shared joy,

we sang a hearty rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Bishop David, whose birthday had

fallen just days before.

In Caroline’s life and ministry, we see something of what it means to follow the Lord

Jesus Christ: hers is a life of faithful, generous service, reflecting His love in the life of

the Church and the world. It was an evening that brought people together from across

the deanery, and a reminder of the life we share. It was a truly special evening, one

we will look back on and remember fondly.