Page 162 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

and ministers too. They were joint licensed by their individual Bishop and “Chairman of
District”, to officiate in buildings of either denomination.
This was not a new idea but had only been tried once before in our Diocese.

Initially there were mixed feelings but quite soon the individual congregations grew more
used to the fact that they had access to more services and the different outlook of the
Priest and Minister.
Inevitably the object was closure of some of the less used buildings on either side and this
was always looked on with sadness for those concerned.
The time had now come we felt, to celebrate our considerable progress and continued joint
goodwill.
It was time too, to tell the County community that despite considerable misgivings from
various quarters of Church and Chapel hierarchy, these mixed denomination groups can
really work.
As I have mentioned, the task they set us had been to share worship, share Vicars and
Ministers and share our houses of worship too.
I must digress a little to illustrate that it was not all sweetness and roses. There were one
or two times when we began to disagree. But it never lasted long.

Pictures, left Carrington Church a typical rural
Church locally called “Fen Chapels”.
Right , St Peter’s Church new Bolingbroke.

MIXED BLESSINGS
This illustration I feel I must give was the planning meeting for our very first anniversary
get together for the various Church and Chapel Congregations.
There were eight buildings and congregations involved including New Bolingbroke,
Carrington, Frithville, Sibsey and Sibsey Northlands, in all covering about 40 square miles.
Some were large some very small, but they all had their say.

I was Chairman for the planning meeting for our first celebration. The meeting was in
Frithville Chapel.
As referees, on my left I had the Anglican priest and on my right the Methodist Minister.
At the back of the Church Hall a slight disagreement had broken out about the possibility
of a raffle to raise money for the event.
While various members were airing their individual views on this subject, I turned to the
Methodist Minister and tongue in cheek asked if this was an opportune time to raise the
subject of a licensed bar?
This caused raised eyebrows and smirks of amusement from both members of the cloth
who agreed that we should leave that somewhat controversial subject until later.

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