Some of us recently attended the inauguration of the new Vicar of St Mary The Blessed Virgin, Addington, Deborah Forman. Ably assisted by Revd Barbara Gentilella and other members of the Parish, Debbie has embraced us all. Croydon Sea Cadets experienced their first service given by Debbie at the recent Sea Sunday service where she recited some poetry, including Sea Fever by J Masefield. Many of us admired her personal choice of stole depicting fish. It is not always the big actions of a person that have impact, often it is the culmination of little actions showing forethought and attention to detail that makes one feel the keenness of another. We look forward to getting to know Debbie more in the future.
"Sea Fever" by J Masefield:
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And when the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the all of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
