Here I am at my best in a graveyard on a Sunday morning looking at tombstones. I had read about the non-conformists’ cemetery. Bun hill Field, but I was surprised to find it opposite my chosen church on Sunday morning.
There are over 120,000 people buried here. Not sure if there are any family members. Mostly these non-conformist last were further east.
And after just having studied some of the metaphysical poets, here I find the graves of Willian Blake, John Bunyan and Daniel Defoe.
But I didn’t come for graves. I came for Sunday worship at Wesley’s Chapel, the Methodist home church of the Wesley’s, John and Charles – who were Anglicans there whole lives. The Methodists broke away from the Church of England after the Wesleys’ time, and are now in discussions about reuniting.
One of my tutors at Oxford lives here as his wife, Revd Dr Jennifer Smith is the Superintendent Minister. She celebrated communion at the 9.45am service in the Chapel’s chapel.
Whilst the organist for this service was away, we sang unaccompanied, but the chapel is home to Charles Wesley’s organ.
The main church was being prepared for the 11am service and we were given a rousing organ recital by the organist whose name is Elvis (seriously).
The flags, which I was not too fussed about, are said to represent the nationalities of all the congregants.
Father M 