Willow Tree Open Space

Today's Canal - Grand Union Paddington Branch

We began Easter Day by taking the Underground back to Trafalgar Square so that we could join the congregation at St Martin's in the Fields for its main morning service. We were there in good time, just as well as the church was again full, although we gathered from comments at the end that it was an exceptional turn out.

The choir was the same as gave the concert last night and the music made a very positive contribution to the worship, supportive and not there just for its own sake.

Many of the congregation had been given rattles, whistles, drums - anything to make a noise which came into play during the introduction when, after the cry Jesus Christ is Risen, were used to make an extended and merry sound!

The sermon was given by Sam Wells, the vicar, which was a tour de force, extremely well written with strong literacy and philosophical allusions but all very accessible and an inspiring introduction to the meaning of Easter.

Overall, we felt that the church maintains an excellent balance and true to its aim to offer an inclusive welcome to all who come through its doors. Whilst it is a much larger operation than the average parish church, nevertheless it still felt a local community - distinct from the cathedral last week where it seemed as if most people came as individuals not as a living community. Even so, St Martin's has developed a very effective ministry expressed through quality worship and music.

Two personal connections for Mike: his sister went to St Martin's School for Girls in south London, strongly connected to the church where they had an annual expedition for the Founder's Service. Mike's mother taught for several years at Dick Shepherd school, one of the large comprehensives built in the 1950's and 1960's in the forefront of the comprehensive movement. (It was a sister to Tulse Hill comprehensive where Mike's father also taught when it opened and a comprehensive alternative to St Martin's School) Dick Shepherd was an iconic former vicar at St Martin's church. If only education had the same sense of mission and purpose today rather than being pressed, often reluctantly, to pursue narrow goals.

Searching the internet stimulated by these memories reveals that Ken Livingstone was one of the first pupils to enter Tulse Hill and must have been there at the time Mike's father was there. Sadly, both comprehensives have since closed and the sites sold for housing.

As soon as we returned to the boat we set off, but stopped a few minutes later to use the facilities at Little Venice. Unlike our visit here a month or so ago, the number of boats on the move was suddenly much greater.

The journey back towards Bulls Bridge is well familiar and we do not have much to report - at one stage it seemed that we might end up at Packet Boat tonight but by the time we arrived at our favourite mooring spot along this branch, Willow Tree Open Space, we called it a day, leaving us a couple of hours tomorrow.