I am sure like me you have days which are etched in the memory. One such day for me is Saturday 1st July 1995 when I was ordained a deacon in Salisbury Cathedral. My family had travelled down from York-shire for the service in a mini bus with a poster in the window which read “We are with Glenn and so is God!”. It was a most marvellous occasion and there were well over 1,000 people in the cathedral along with 12 of us being ordained. Before the service we had gathered in the Bishop’s chapel and sat around in a circle for us swear two particular oaths. The registrar was present to make sure everything was done according to Canon law and to make sure each of us actually swore the two allegiances – one to the Bishop and one to Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs and successors.

The Oath of Allegiance was introduced in the 1580s at a period of national crisis, when there was a succession of political plots to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. Some clergy in the Church of England were involved in these schemes therefore this Oath was introduced to prevent clergy from undermining the crown and also the Church – can you believe it!

Looking back to that afternoon in July 1995, I never had any qualms about swearing allegiance to our Queen. She has shown over the past 70 years of public life her clear sense of vocation to serve ‘with her whole heart’ and in doing so has served God and all the people with humility and good character. For Christians this is fully seen in the kingship of Jesus who came not to be served but to serve.

As a nation will shall be celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over four days from Thursday 2nd June until Sunday 5th June when there are various national events taking place as well as several across the village of Stanley. At St Peter’s we shall be holding a special service of thanksgiving at 10am on Sunday 5th June to which you are most warmly invited. In the meantime as we approach the Queen’s Platinum celebration I leave you with this prayer for your own personal devotions.

Gracious God, we give you thanks for the reign of your servant Elizabeth our Queen, and for the example of loving and faithful service which she has shown among us. Help us to follow her example of dedication and to commit our lives to you and to one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rev Glenn Coggins, Vicar of the United Benefice of Stanley, Outwood and Wrenthorpe and Alverthorpe.