Heartfelt tribute to Liverpool’s triumphs

Aug 28 2007 by David Charters, Liverpool Daily Post

At the core of today’s 800th aniversary celebrations is a religious service written by a Liverpudlian who has a pride in the city’s past and faith in our future. David Charters reports

PERHAPS it was just a quirk of the light that morning, but as the nervous sun crept through the stained glass windows, the brown eyes of the quiet patriot, sitting in his church by the river, seemed to shine with emotion.

And then, in a voice rising with pride, he began to sing the hymn which he has written for the city he loves and knows so well.

Yes, the Good Lord gave this man many fine qualities. These have helped him to be a wonderful father, a loving husband, a fine teacher and a loyal friend, whose generosity of spirit is known to hundreds of people here.

But, above all, he was blessed with passion and an instinctive understanding of how it should be expressed.

Today, that passion will be heard at the official service in the Parish Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas down on the Pier Head, commemorating 800 years of Liverpool’s history.

Peter Kennerley has arranged the event, called Towards the Light, choosing all the hymns, prayers and their running order. Central to that work is his centenary hymn, written to a melody by his friend Noel Rawsthorne, organist emeritus at the city’s Anglican Cathedral.

“Faith drew the eager hearts to labour in this place; through danger and through dark supported by God’s grace. We sing the praise of those who saw the way, building the world in which we live today.”

These powerful sentiments open the hymn, reaching from the Mersey shores to distant lands, wherever our people have settled.

Although modest in manner, Peter is a devout Christian and a true patriot, whose devotion to Liverpool is keen and sure, but never glooped in sentimentality.

Right and wrong are found everywhere and from time to time Liverpool has been stained by shame, like every city. We are not an easy people, but, on this day of celebrations, it is good to remember what this once-small port has offered to the world.

We should cherish our musicians, doctors, engineers, actors, architects, theologians, scientists, entertainers, writers, industrialists; our bravery and our charity, all those who have honoured the city. Today is for them.

Of course, among their number is Peter, though he would not say so himself. Such praise comes better from the mouths of others.

But he is delighted to have been invited by Steven Brookes, Rector of Liverpool, to organise the service, which also includes the hymn he wrote for the 25th anniversary of the Mersey River Festival two years ago.

Peter was born in Conway Street, Birkenhead, then a thriving community similar in style and mood to Liverpool’s Scotland Road.

He was the first child born to Gladys and her husband Sam Kennerley, a plumber. When Peter was one, the family crossed the Mersey and settled in Ashbourne Road, Aigburth Vale, Liverpool. He was educated at St Michael-in-the-Hamlet School and then Liverpool Institute, before studying English at Liverpool University, where he gained his BA and a distinction in his post-graduate teaching certificate. He taught English at Calday Grange Grammar School, Wirral, for four years and then took a lecturing post at the IM Marsh College, now part of the John Moores University, in Mossley Hill.

There he met and married Hilary Southern, who was studying physical education and biology. Peter became principal lecturer and head of English and drama.

He was awarded the MBE for services to education in 1986 and the Eleanor Farjeon Award for distinguished service to children’s books in 1977 – in recognition of the book shop he had set up at the Calday school, an example that would be followed across the country.

In 1989, Peter left the college and was appointed the first education officer at Liverpool Cathedral, retiring in 2003.

But he remains busy as chairman of the governors at St Margaret of Antioch School. on Princes Road, Toxteth, and as vice-chairman of the governors at Redcourt St Anselm’s School, Birkenhead.

Even more important than that, however, his daughter Rachel, 34, also a teacher, made him a grandfather a few weeks ago with the birth of her daughter Charlotte. Peter’s younger daughter, Elizabeth, 31, is a Master of Philosophy.

A few days ago, Peter was in the church to discuss the service, which will give his name a high place in Liverpool’s history.

Among the dignitaries will be the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead, representing the Queen; the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Professor Philip Love; the Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool; the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Paul Clark and his wife Hilary; politicians, and other VIPs – the “Chain Gang” as Peter calls them, a twinkle playing on his spectacles.

But the soul of our city is the eternal river. “To begin with, I thought, let’s be terribly clever and have some very ancient music,” Peter says. “Then I thought that’s not going to work. It is not going to go down very well in 2007. So I concentrated on the story of the river which is so dramatic, from that quiet, shining place, moving through industry and the like. It says something to me which is central to Christian faith.

“A river, which to begin with is clean and fresh and lovely and sparkling, gets a bit debased and nasty and yet it flows on. That is Liverpool’s history. We know about all the desperate things which have happened. Yet the river flows. The love of God is present.

“I have called the service Towards the Light because we haven’t arrived. We are going on. We have reached 800, but we are going to go on and on. Hopefully, as human kind, we are moving towards the light, not the darkness.

“Dropping in an image very early on for me is the way to build a service.”

So it will open with his Mersey Hymn to the stirring tune of Finlandia, by Sibelius. “The river rises high in lonely hills, bright as the dawn so shining, fresh and free . . .

“Spirit of God upon the waters move,

Pouring for all your never-ending love.

Wash clean our sins who break your law;

Spirit of healing, hov’ring like a dove.

Let storm clouds fade and roaring winds be still;

Through rays of sunshine pour on us your love.”

The Reverend Brookes will then greet the congregation with a reading from Corinthians: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that therein is . . .”

The Lord Mayor will read a translation of the original Charter (the Letters Patent), before continuing with words written by Peter: “With faith, hope and love in this ancient parish church we gather to remember our past, to celebrate our present and to dedicate our future.

“We place eight centenary candles on the altar as the bells ring out across the city.”

The congregation will sing the hymn Thy Hand, O God Has Guided. Peter has also written a piece called A Darker Past, touching on the shameful, squalid and unhappy episodes from which Liverpool has risen, leading to the singing of You’ll Never Walk Alone – that anthem of faith, which, on this occasion, will be sung for the whole city.

After darkness comes light and that message is found in stirring music.

Dame Lorna will read another passage from Corinthians: “If I speak in the tongues of man and of angels, but have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal . . . ”

Names of prominent Liverpudlians from the fields of engineering, architecture, medicine, public welfare, philanthropy and religion will be read. The Centenary Hymn will be sung before the sermon from Rev Brookes, followed by prayers, including a beautiful interpretation of St Patrick’s Breastplate, and the hymn, O Praise Ye The Lord.

The 50-minute service will end with the National Anthem and the Liverpool Blessing given by the Bishop.

“God bless Liverpool and make her people strong in faith, steadfast in hope, and generous in love.”

The organ will be played by Derek Sadler, of St Nicholas, and there will be brass fanfares from the Liverpool Youth Orchestra.

“When the Rector first asked me to prepare something for the 25th River Festival service two years ago, I thought he meant me to find a nice image for the cover,” says Peter. “But he wanted me to write the entire service.

“To have written this 800th anniversary service is a great honour, but it is also terrifying. For what may feel right to me at my desk at home, has to be right in the church.”

So the patriot steps from the church and looks again at the river, bringer of life, as the sun rolls over the water. This is his city. He arrived here on the ferry in a pram, pushed by his mother. Now he sings its praises.

* PEOPLE are asked to take their seats in the Parish Church at 9.40am for the service which starts at 10am. The church can hold about 400 people. Those who are unable to attend the service can hear it repeated on Radio Merseyside on Sunday, at 8.30am.

davidcharters@dailypost.co.uk