This morning at Trinity the service was taken by an army chaplain. A chaplain is a minister who does not serve in a church but in a workplace, hospital, or even town centre.

The idea of a Town Centre Chaplaincy is being explored by these two men (Colin Pattenden from Ock Street Baptist Church and Richard Bittleston from Trinity), and some willing volunteers.
The window behind them is a very well known feature at Trinity Church. It is based on a window of the seven virtues at New College in Oxford. At Trinity there are only five virtues: Mercy, Faith, Charity, Hope, Justice. Below it says ‘To the Glory of God, and in loving memory of their parents – This window is dedicated by the children of John Creemer and Elizabeth Clarke – 1906.

The source of a lot of the Love in Abingdon this Valentine’s Day was Centre Stage – now housed in Coxeters.

Love had spilled out throughout Coxeters. Here it is at the Lunchbox.

And here it is in Abode Interiors.

It did not end there.

Love is at Smiths the Chemist

and love is the Finishing Touch.

As the River Thames overspills its banks…

Things look quite different.

This coot swims across a footpath we normally walk along.

The red sign at Abingdon Lock warns ‘Caution Strong Steam‘. An aeroplane is coming over very low.

There are two boats moored on the reach between Abingdon Bridge and Abingdon Lock: Marnie II is still OK…

but B&B on Thames, Abingdon (aka Norah g) is in trouble.

As the comments from yesterday’s post say: the level of the River Ock has stabilised, and is receding further upstream.

This picture by John is what he calls the ‘Ock Mini Dam.’

The environment agency have a notice in this week’s Abingdon Herald announcing the demolition of St. Helens Mill footbridge. So unless anybody can come up with convincing environmental grounds why it should stay, it could be gone by the end of March.

This second dam is where the River Ock meets the Drayton Road. No plans to demolish this.

(For more Flood Pictures: see Gulliver’s Travels, or NB The Green Man in the local blogs list.)