On Shrove Tuesday evening, the Church Hall opposite St Mary's was full of parishioners in party mood to celebrate with Reg Saunders the fortieth anniversary of his admission as a Lay Reader (now known as Reader) in the Church of England.

It is difficult to comprehend what "forty years' service" means. St Mary's Church was completed in 1848 and Reg has been a Reader for more than a quarter of the time since then. Of course, the forty years haven't all been in Ewell; the early days were in the diocese of Portsmouth, when he was a schoolmaster at Churcher's College. But interestingly both Guildford and Portsmouth dioceses were part of the ancient diocese of Winchester until 1927.

The Hall was festive with displays of spring flowers decorated with light blue ribbons in honour of Reg as a Master of Arts of the University of Cambridge. After a Latin grace said jointly by the Vicar and Reg, we settled down to shepherd's pie and the trimmings, and wine, prepared and served by Valerie Smither and her band of willing helpers. The culinary highlight was, of course, the Shrove Tuesday pancakes but served specially not only with sugar and lemon but also with Grand Marnier or maple syrup (some of us had both to help us with the rigours of Lent to come!).

Bob then sang for his supper - a delightful composition about our hero and bidding us to "Reg-oice", followed by a suitably devotional number. The Vicar then spoke for us all in thanking Reg for all his work at St Mary's as the latest in a line of dedicated Readers. Reg replied and told us of a former colleague at Churcher's College who was even fonder of puns than Reg himself - and that is saying something! He also referred to our Reader-in-Training at St Mary's, Wendy Varney. As with sermons at St Mary's, both speeches were well-crafted and apposite, but Reg's was - as to be expected - slightly shorter!

Jean Parmiter, the Chairman of the Social Committee which organised the event, had devised an ingenious quiz which was won by Moira Tomb's table. There followed - as outward and visible signs of our respect, admiration and affection for Reg - the presentations to him. The first was a magnificent print of a locomotive at Dawlish on the South Devon coast, chosen for Reg because of his interest in trains. The second, unexpected by him, was a splendid portrait executed by Bob Hughes, whose musical and artistic talents contributed so much to the evening. The third was a cheque - toward another of Reg's interests - travel.

The evening closed with a champagne toast to Reg followed by a hearty and heartfelt "For he's a jolly good fellow". We went out into the darkness full of good cheer and well-being, and a final thought occurred. They say that in life timing is all; how fortunate that Reg's anniversary fell on Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, and not on Ash Wednesday.

from the Parish Office.
(Telephone: 020-8393-2643 or E-mail).