On Shrove Tuesday, Bishop Rachel visited the parish church of St. Laurence, Stroud. The evening began with welcome refreshments and background live music. Once seated, we were introduced to the Bishop and there followed a question and answer session, where members of the audience put forward their questions. The atmosphere was very relaxed and as the evening unfolded we got a real insight into the work of the Bishop, learning more about her incredibly busy schedule from her work visiting a women’s’ prison in the Diocese to attending meetings at the House of Lords. We got a real sense that despite her esteemed title, Bishop Rachel is very down to earth and has a real connection with people of all backgrounds, working for the common good of all.
The evening ended with a short Compline service, with more live music from members of the Raga Babas, led by Simon Howell. The contemplative feel of the service, left us feeling ready to step into Lent and was a fitting end to the evening, and as we carried on with our week, we found ourselves returning in our minds to some of the discussion we had heard during the evening.