A Service for Brianna

14 Mar 2023

Sixteen candles for Brianna. One for each year of her short life.

Brianna Ghey, Rest in Peace

Most, if not all, of you will have heard of the untimely and horrible murder of 16 year old Brianna Ghey on 11th February in the Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington. A member of the Transgender community, her passing will be deeply missed.

Members of our congregation attended a vigil a week later in the Old Market Place in Golden Square, Warrington, a most moving and sombre remembrance in poems and music with a very moving showing of many hundreds of lights of mobile phones.

The next day during our Sunday Service, Jean Clements lit three candles for Brianna, representing Faith, Hope and Love ... and invited the congtrgation to come and light their own candles in memory and condolence.

Jean’s words were not prepared, they were imprompu, from the heart. I asked her later to give me some words:

We light these candles in memory of Brianna. Three candles, not only representing Faith, Hope and Love,
but also Past, Present and Future.

Faith in the past,
A past that can teach us how to hope for the future. A present which is marred by grief and despair but can bring a future that brings love,

a future that can bring acceptance and freedom. A future that can teach us how to love each other with open minds and hearts.
A future that we can have faith in.