Sunday 25th October was a very special day, full of emotions, when La Cote Church congregation and friends met to say “Goodbye” to Carolyn after 16 years
of living and worshipping with her.
The large church at Crassier began to fill up starting soon after 09:15 and was still filling up after 10:00 when the Service of Farewell and Thanksgiving started. More than 170 friends, colleagues and families filled the church as we started singing: ‘Let us build a house where love can dwell……All are welcome in this place’.
Carolyn said words of welcome and asked the children to come to the front of the church where she told them the story about the vine and explained how important it is that vines are connected to roots. The children then moved to the back of the church where the theme of The Vine was explained. There were activities on the same theme and the children, helped by carers and parents, produced a beautiful collage of vines and their fruits.
Meanwhile we were led through the service of Holy Communion. Carolyn spoke some more on the theme of “Jesus the True Vine”. In the Gospel reading Jesus says “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them will bear much fruit…..Abide in my love.”
After celebrating Holy Communion, and before the Dismissal, representatives from all the small groups at La Cote stood up and gave words of thanks for Carolyn’s guidance throughout the 16 years that she has been our wonderful chaplain. Carolyn was presented with a leaving gift of a Book of Memories where members of the congregation, past and present, had made contributions with words or photographs. These were collated and printed and bound to make the Book of Memories. This will be a walk down Memory Lane for Carolyn in years to come when she has a few spare moments from her new chaplaincy in Hathersage, Derbyshire in the UK.
Afterwards we celebrated in La Cote style with “cake & bubbly” before Carolyn said her farewells to people as they left for home.
