Chapel Visitors - Julian Brazier, M.P.

Date: Thursday 26 March 2009

In recent weeks Senior School Chapel services have welcomed a wide range of visiting speakers, and last Friday - apologies for the late news item! - we were lucky enough to be joined by our local Canterbury Conservative M.P., Mr Julian Brazier. Mr Brazier has been a friend of St Edmund's for a decade or so, and two of his children were members of the Junior School, one in Choir House. This was a real benefit for the Choristers who, on Wednesday mornings, enjoyed Kate Brazier's wonderful breakfasts, on cook's day off!

Mr Brazier spoke to the congregation about his academic background in Maths and the Sciences, and how that tallied with his deep-seated Christian faith. He also talked about the problems of being a practising Christian in the world of party politics, and how Christianity transcends political conviction, whether you be Tory, New Labourite, or Liberal Democrat. He concluded by wishing the St Edmund's fraternity good luck in their chosen careers, and wondered if any would follow him down the corridors of Westminster.

It was a real pleasure to welcome him back to the School. I wonder how he is getting on with his long-planned historical novel, set in the American Civil War era? Perhaps Commons and constituency time has prevented him from pursuing other ambitions?

Photograph: Ed Benson, U6