Schools' Thanksgiving in York Minster

brought with him two students, Andrew Clark and Chris Rudd (who sang to her own guitar accompaniment), and Mr. John Shannon, one of our Governors and Chairman of the York Civic Trust; as well as the Dean of York, who presided at the Family Communion on June 4th.

It is so easy to overlook our debt to the "regulars" who help loyally week after week; the Wind Band, the faithful choir who have turned up in such good numbers at the Family Communion; David Grice, Peter Nash and David Mountain, who have played the organ at our voluntary evening services; the servers and our two Chapel Monitors of the year, Richard Hornby before Christmas and Richard Sharpe afterwards.

And I would like to add my personal appreciation of the splendid example of the succeeding Heads of School, Robin Walker and David Grice.

Week after week the flowers are beautifully arranged by a large number of ladies who have been brought in by Mrs. Nix. We greatly appreciate what she and they are doing. In this connection our thanks are due to David Livingston (this year's winner of the Frank Pick Prize) for designing and Mr. Dawson for making two most attractive metal flower stands whose height can be adjusted.

Last, but by no means least, I must thank Ronnie and Maisie Allenby and Bill Brown, their assistant, for all their hard work in cleaning and tidying the Chapel each week.

What a number of people are involved behind the scene!

As part of the Thanksgiving Celebration for the restoration of York Minster, the schools of the City were invited to take part in a special Service on Thursday, May 11th, 1972.

St. Peter's provided a Prayer of Thanksgiving, mainly composed by the IIIrd Forms, and this led into the climax of the Service, the singing of the great Old Hundredth Psalm.

1st Voice:

The Minster stands high above us, dwarfing the City of York. Mastering devastating storms, it has stood throughout the centuries. Unscathed by war, it still stands in overwhelming beauty.

2nd Voice:

We pray today, here in this living monument to the life of our Lo and give thanks for the skills of the workmen who built and renovated it, the technology that went towards restoring it, the kindness of the people who have given to the appeal, the various departments, bodies and organisations which have hel in the restoration, the fact that it had survived so long before restoration was need and finally we thank you, Lord, for the Restoration itself. 16

rd Voice:

Let us make reply: We thank you, Lord, (Pause)

For the renovators . who have so gloriously revived the majesty of the Minster:

We thank you, Lord th Voice:

For the carvers who devoted their lives to their art, performing intricate details on even the most concealed works:

We thank you, Lord 1st Voice:

For the stonemasons who have shaped the stones to perfection and placed each in its proper place in the house of God:

We thank you, Lord 2nd Voice:

For the clergy and laymen who have given devoted service in this great building in each generation :

We thank you, Lord 3rd Voice:

For the choirs and congregations who have filled this house with rejoicing echoes down the centuries:

We thank you, Lord 4th Voice:

For the glaziers who have thronged the windows with saints and kings, with men and beasts, in a blaze of colours:

We thank you, Lord 1st Voice:

For the engravers who have patiently carved each detail, each letter on the monuments that surround us:

We thank you, Lord 2nd Voice:

For the men of vision who saw the Minster in their minds' eye and who made it real:

We thank you, Lord All four Voices:

And we all thank you for the gift of sight by which we can enjoy shape and colour and the gift of hearing by which we can enjoy music and song.

And we join our voices together to sing your praise: All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, Come ye before him, and rejoice.