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The Dean of Guernsey, The Very Reverend Tim Barker, has spoken of his awareness “of the sheer enormity of the change” as he read the prayer for the sovereign on Friday morning.
Speaking to Express, the Dean said the emotional reaction to the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was “exactly” what he expected “in so far as one can anticipate this”.
“But if I may speak very personally, [Friday] morning I went over to the church to say morning prayer, and as I was saying the prayer for the sovereign - which seemed very appropriate - I found myself praying for our sovereign lord King Charles, and after so many years of praying for our sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth II, it was actually quite hard to say those words.”
“So, yes, it’s going to be strange actually trying to sing God save The King. I was looking at the procurer and thinking, ‘that’s the first time I’ve seen a Kings Counsel’.
“She was part our national identity, and part of our island identity here in Guernsey.”
Pictured: The Dean speaking after a special meeting of the States on Friday afternoon.
Church services will go ahead across the Bailiwick today, but an official date and location for the island’s Thanksgiving Service is yet to be confirmed.
Dean Barker expects that service to “probably” be at Town Church, and “probably towards the end of the week or next weekend”.
He added: “That will be an opportunity for the island community to come together to remember Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to pray for King Charles, and we’ll use the shape of the national order of service which the Archbishop of Canterbury issued”.
“But I think we’ll try and give it a Guernsey flavour and make it something that does speak of Guernsey.”
A remarkable, powerful and personal address by His Majesty the King this evening. Two other significant moments for me: praying for ‘our Sovereign Lord, King Charles’ for the first time this morning, and hearing ‘God save the King’ at the end of the service @StPaulsLondon pic.twitter.com/Zg5Fre6I2j
— Tim Barker (@TimBarker10) September 9, 2022
Pictured: The Dean again reflected on the strangeness of events following King Charles' first address to the world.
When asked how people can manage their grief, the Dean said: “People will do it in many different ways, it is a very personal matter to cope with grief and I guess depending on our age and the way in which we’ve had encounters with Her Majesty.
“The 10 parish churches have got a book of condolence and the official photograph of Her Majesty, and the churches will be open pretty much all day for the next week or so.
“People are invited to go in to sign the book, to write a message of whatever they want to say, and those books will be brought together in the island at the end of the time of mourning. The church is there for people to be quiet and to use them as they wish.”
“Everyone’s going to react, but however we react it’s okay. If people need to talk there are plenty of people around in the churches and agencies who are there to be listening ears for those who find the whole experience overwhelming.”
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