Welcome Speech by the Rev’d Canon Mark Long
Your Royal Highness, the Princess Royal
Your Grace, Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the
Anglican Church of Southern Africa
Your Excellencies, High Commissioners and Ambassadors
Members of the Cathedral Chapter
Ladies and Gentlemen
I bid you all welcome on behalf of the Diocesan Bishop of
Pretoria, the Right Rev’d Dr Johannes Seoka, to this Cathedral of St Alban the
Martyr and to the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria, and especially to this
Thanksgiving Service to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Bishop Seoka is representing Hope Africa, our Anglican
Church of Southern Africa’s social development programme, at a meeting in
Windhoek, Namibia, evaluating the effectiveness of the Campaign against Human
Trafficking in the region, and so is sadly not able to be part of today’s
celebrations.
Your Royal Highness, it is a great privilege and pleasure to
have you present in our midst as we mark this great celebration in the context
of Southern Africa, the African Continent and the Commonwealth. It struck me
last night, Ma’am, as you spoke at the Royal Garden Party, that Her majesty The
Queen has sought, since the beginning of her reign, to hold to the principle of
servant leadership, and in this she is a powerful example to us all, and
especially to those of us who grapple with leadership in the context of
democracy in the African environment. We humbly request, Ma’am, that you assure
Her Majesty The Queen of our love and prayers for her.
Your Grace, it is good to have you in our midst again, and
we look forward to your expression of God’s word to us today.
Worship is always the richer for good music, and I welcome
the Choir of this Cathedral, and the Choirs of two of our top Government
Schools, Pretoria Boys High School and Pretoria Girls High School, with us
today.
I encourage us to draw, now, on the life-giving presence of
God’s Holy Spirit as we participate in this time of worship and reflection, as
we give thanks to God for Her Majesty The Queen’s continued faithful service
and long reign.
Please remain standing as we sing the hymn “Praise my Soul
the King of Heaven”.
