Holy Trinity Church Maisons Laffitte and chaplain Revd Charlotte Sullivan welcomed the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell and his wife Rebecca on Sunday 26th March.

As Judy Allen Poggi from the congregation describes the service:

“All stops were pulled out (including those of the organ, also on its best behaviour) for this joyous event. From the very start, the energetic, highly charismatic and extremely communicative Archbishop of York set the tone by sitting and talking humbly with the children.

Preaching on Passion Sunday, the congregation were captivated as Archbishop Stephen talked about the cross representing Jesus’ outstretched arms symbolising his overwhelming love for us all as he embraces both our joys and our sorrows. The gospel reading, about the raising of Lazarus, reminded us that Jesus identifies with our own personal tragedies as humans and His weeping, both when he arrives in Jerusalem and in the garden of Gethsemane reflect our own pain when we shed tears for the terrible injustices of the world and for our own struggle to be reconciled to the will of God.

God’s all-embracing love is our guide, our compass, our anchor when he reaches out and walks with us in our hopes and our dreams and holds our hand when we despair and weep. The service ended in the knowledge that we were privileged to have shared this profoundly spiritual moment in the company of such an inspirational and magnetic modern-day evangelist.

We were all welcome at the Lord’s table, during the service and afterwards when a crowd of church angels laid on a spread worthy of a King (or an Archbishop). Fellowship, conviviality and warmth overflowed, typical of both Holy Trinity Maisons Laffitte’s reputation for hospitality and of our eminent guest who touched everyone by his word and his presence.”