On Thursday 9th November, 2023 at 11:30am a service of thanksgiving for the life of Emily Morgan was held at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street. Download Order of Service (pdf)
The Revd Canon Dr Alison Joyce delivered the opening:
A very warm welcome to St Bride’s, the Journalists’ Church, as we come together to honour the memory and to celebrate the life of Emily Morgan. Emily was an outstanding journalist and producer, and a reporter who earned the warmth and affection of her viewers naturally and effortlessly – and she was also a beautiful human being, in every respect, who above all else valued her roles as a wife, as a mum to her lovely girls, and as a friend.
It was a terrible shock to us all when her life was cut short so suddenly and tragically, and our sense of loss is profound. And yet, we also have so much for which to be thankful – because the world was greatly the richer for her presence within it – and all whose lives she touched were the richer for having known her.
Let us pray:
Loving God, our refuge and our strength, We are here to give thanks for the life of Emily, whom we love but see no longer, Though parted from us, she remains alive in our hearts and in our love. Hold her in your perfect and infinite care, Until the day comes when we, too, can find life, and peace and perfect joy with her, enfolded in your love and grace for all eternity. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Addresses
Alex Cherrie, Philip Sime, Patrick Russell and Sophie Alexander
Rachel Waldron
Readings
Chris Ship read Song of Solomon 2: 10-13
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
11 for lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.
Rob Kinnaird read The life that I have by Leo Marks
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours.
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause.
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.
Anne Lingley and Fenella Meyer read an extract from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Music
The choir & organist of St Bride’s performed the following anthems and songs:
Campfire (Day Four) from Seven Days Walking – Ludovico Einaudi Ave Maria – Franz Schubert Laudate Dominum – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart O nata lux – Thomas Tallis Wild horses – Mick Jagger/Keith Richards arr. Robert Jones This woman’s work – Kate Bush arr. Matthew Morley The heart asks pleasure first – Michael Nyman
Hymns
Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Love divine, all loves excelling
Lord of the Dance
