This morning we said goodbye to Lisbet who has been our lovely parish priest for the past two years.

Lissa 50th Birthday (3)

I think that this picture of her as Pippi Longstocking at my 50th birthday party last year shows just one of the reasons we all like her and will miss her so much.

She has had to return to her native Sweden to be near her elderly mother who is not in the best of health, and now has the added sadness of having to give moral support to her children whose father (her ex-husband) died last week.

Being the fifth Sunday in the month it was the group service and it fell out that it was Swallow's turn. It has to be admitted that these services are no always very well attended, but today the church was full - every pew occupied - which was particularly nice as it was the first time we were using the new service booklets.

[These booklets have been a long time in the planning. We have been using the standard red Common Worship booklets in modern language ever since we stopped using ASB rite B, which itself superseded Series 2. In discussion it transpired that we were almost of a mind in Swallow from the youngest to the oldest in liking the new order, but missing the traditional language (just one dissenting voice on the latter point) so we now have Common Worship in traditional language with a few alternate prayers taken from the modern language version. Daddy and I gave these booklets in memory of Mummy who died eleven years ago this week and who loved the language of the BCP, but disliked the narrow attitude of some Prayer Book Society members and would, I believe, have thoroughly approved of this compromise.]

After the service we had a buffet at the back of the church with donations of food and drink from most of the people there. A wonderful array and something to suit everyone.

Then there was the exchange of presents. A cheque from the group, plus a picture of all the seven churches in the group (a very nice pen and ink drawing). We had also done a collection in Swallow from people - not necessarily church-goers - who have been her neighbours for the last two years and bought a beautiful lino print of the Lincolnshire Wolds by Geoff (Swallow's resident artist), some art materials (Lisbet is herself a very good amateur watercolourist) and a lovely photograph of the church by Paul, the parish treasurer. My contribution was a handmade card depicting her as a one woman Viking invasion now sadly waving goodbye.

And she gave us a watercolour she had painted of Swallow Church which we will hang above the old harmonium where everyone will be able to see it.

Tonight she drives up to Chester-le-Street to stay with some friends there prior to sailing from Newcastle tomorrow.