Church service to be broadcast

A SUNDAY service held at St Mary’s Church in Henley will be broadcast on national radio tomorrow (Saturday).

It was led by Father Jeremy Tayler, the rector, with music led by Sebastian Thomson and the organ played by Shean Bowers.

The service was recorded by the BBC and will be aired on Radio 4 to mark Henley Royal Regatta next week.

It included a talk by Debbie Bruwer, an Olympic rowing double silver medallist who now manages the Henley Debt Centre and is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Church in Greys Hill.

She talked about her faith and how it helped her when she was competing.

The hymns at the service included Light of the World, Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer and Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.

Readings were given by Jill Edwards, Carol Brook-Partridge and Robin Hartley and Sue Hockley led the intercessions. Fr Jeremy gave a sermon on the importance of water in the Bible.

Mr Thomson, the music director, said: “I contacted the BBC in September and asked them about the opportunity and we had the idea to make the service about the regatta. We had been practising over the last few months but did not want to over-rehearse it.

“It went very well and choir performed wonderfully.”

Fr Jeremy said: “It was a wonderful event and great to have the BBC record it.”