An Invitation to Number 10

When Lucy and the team accepted a cryptic request to ‘host a VIP’ for an Easter visit back in April, none of us anticipated that we would be welcoming Sir Keir Starmer to St Andrew’s the following week.

Whatever your politics, it was an honour to be able to show the PM what our church stands for and what we do, together, as a church family.

What was even more unexpected was being ‘invited back’.

On Wednesday, Lucy, Kelly, Ben, Ian and I headed to London, with our passports, and found ourselves in a significant queue of luminaries, clerics, church groups and volunteers, plus the odd well-known face, on Whitehall for the Church Volunteers Reception at 10 Downing Street.

Once on the other side of security, we saw the big black door and miraculously, as we walked towards it, it opened for us.

All animal lovers will be pleased to know that we were greeted by Larry, the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, before walking up THE famous staircase, looking at photos of all those who have held the highest office in the land and admiring the most spectacular Christmas decorations.

The reception rooms were, much as you would expect, classy.

There were no name badges. Bishops, clerics, volunteers and MPs mingling as mulled wine and nibbles appeared on trays.

The welcome, given by Baroness Sherlock, was followed by an address from Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – and St Andrew’s was mentioned by name (very proud moment) and thanked.

Unexpectedly, the winner of The Great British Bake Off, Jasmine Mitchell, spoke movingly about her work in medicine, how food is the best medicine for our health, and how community and faith are food for the soul.

Talking with so many different people, with varied experiences and views, was fascinating and joyful.

And then the PM himself appeared, allowing Lucy the opportunity to give him a card,

which Elisabeth and St Andrew’s children put together for him, to mark his visit to us.

The lowlight and highlight for me?

I ‘pulled the leg’ of a lady standing behind me as the choir (led by Carrie and David Grant) prepared to sing. After the singing, I chatted to the same lady, only to discover that the butt of my joke was the relatively new Faith Minister. Sorry Chaps!

And my absolutely favourite moment? At the end of a little hymn singing, all those assembled joined together to sing White Christmas. As we sang, to my right I saw the Egyptian Coptic Bishop, leaning on his Crozier, singing heartily and swaying along. In that moment, we were truly united by and celebrating faith.

Michele Swales