stleonards

(courtesy of Graham Steer)

THE HENDEN / HENDON REUNION
Saturday, 16th September 2000
at 3pm in St Leonard's Parish Church, Streatham

******************************
A SHORT SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING
The Rector: Organist:
The Rev. Jeffry Wilcox Richard Semmens

INTROIT
Music: A Voluntary
by John James (died 1 745)

The Congregation please stand when the Clergy, Henden Committee, Speakers
and Persons in Costume process to the front of the church.
Please remain standing for the Rector's Welcome and Opening Prayer.

THE WELCOME
& OPENING PRAYER
The Rector

INTRODUCTION
John Henden of Taunton, Somerset

A READING
Psalm 100
CHARLES H. HENDEN
A Psalm to remind us of God's greatness to all generations of our family

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good: his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

A POEM

'Forefathers' by Edmund Blunden,
(1896-1974) who was born at Yalding in Kent,
and became Professor of English Poetry at Oxford
It is a reflection on the lives of our ancestors.
Read by PIPPA REVELL, grandaughter of
HAROLD & KATH HENDEN

-1-
Here they went with smock and crook,
Toiled in the sun, lolled in the shade,
Here they mudded out the brook
And here their hatchet cleared the glade:
Harvest-supper woke their wit,
Huntsman's moon their wooings lit.

-2-
From this church they led their brides,
From this church themselves were led
shoulder-high, on these waysides
Sat to take their beer and bread.
Names are gone - what men were
These their cottages declare.

-3-
Names are vanished,save the few
In the old brown Bible scrawled;
These were men of pith and thew
Whom the City never called;
Scarce could read or hold a quill,
built the barn, the forge, the mill.

-4-
On the green they watched their sons
Playing till too dark to see
As their fathers watched them once
While the bat and beetle flew
On the warm air webbed with dew.

-5-
Unrecorded, unrenowned
Men from whom my ways begin
Here I know you by your ground
But I knew you not within-
Allis mist, and there survives
Not a monent of our lives

-6-
Like the bee that now is blown
Honey-heavy on my hand,
From the toppling tansy-throne
In the green tempestuous land -
I'm in clover now, nor know
Who made honey long ago.

A HYMN
"Your hand,O God, has guided"
New words for this occasion by Graham Steer

THE CONGREGATION
PLEASE STAND

Your hand,O God,has guided
Our forebears,age to age
Where history is written
we see on every page.
Our Fathers long forgotten,
Our Mothers far in time,
shall praise with us in glory
the King of love divine.

When new worlds smiled and beckone
And loved ones left this land,
Their welfare You protected,
Their lives lay in Your hands.
We bless them for their courage
we look toYou in praise,
May we with them in glory
Rise up on Judgement Day

The wonders of each lifetime,
the dark days we have known,
the battles we fight daily,

to God are fully known.
Our Fathers fought those battles,
Our Mothers bore that pain,
and down the centuries they call,
and Faith in God proclaim.

*********************************************
FIRST SPEAKER
Mrs Margaret Lewis of Whitstable, Kent, professional genealogist

SECOND SPEAKER
Mr Harry Hendon of Saratoga, California, U.S.A.
******************************************************

HYMN
"Amazing Grace"
In Memory of Florance Hudnott
(1903-2000)
on whose memoirs Graham Steer based his research
THE CONGREGATION PLEASE STAND

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was blind, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come,
Tis grace that brought me safe this far
And grace will lead me home

When we've been there a thousand years,
Bright shining in as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.

A SHORT ADDRESS
Graham Steer of Streatham

PRAYERS
Read by family members

A THANKSGIVING FOR OUR ANCESTORS
FOR THE COMMUNITIES VISITED THIS WEEK
FOR OUR FAMILIES TODAY
FOR OURSELVES

A CLOSING PRAYER & BLESSING
The Rector

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Graham Steer

The large family photograph will be taken at this stage

EXIT OF THE CLERGY, SPEAKERS & COMMITTEE
They will be waiting to greet you as you leave the church

Music: To God be the Glory by Christopher Tabling (born 1964).

(END)

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