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This is a text-only version of an article first published on Monday, 21 September 2015. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
ST Andrew's Church in Chinnor was packed as the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson, joined the congregation for a celebration of the Queen's 63 year reign. As Lord Lieutenant, Tim is the official representative of the Queen for Oxfordshire.
He explained to the gathered crowd that he is responsible for attending events that the Queen would like to be at, but can't because of her understandably busy diary.
He is one of 98 Lord Lieutenants in the country.
After a short address he used his ceremonial sword to cut a special cake.
Above, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson, with the Revd Maggie Thorne, cutting a celebratory cake with his ceremonial sword during a party at St Andrew's, Chinnor, and below, people enjoying the celebrations.
Jo Duckles Throughout the afternoon cake was served in the church.
There was a raffle, bubbly, tea and coffee and children were encouraged to put their hand prints, in blue and red, onto a white sheet of paper to create a huge piece of art work. A short message from Bishop Colin, who couldn't be a the event, was read out.
It stated: "In thinking about our Queen I am always struck by her humility, her generosity and her total commitment to serving the people of this country, the Commonwealth and the wider world, all supported and strengthened by her own deep Christian faith."St Andrew's was just one church in the Diocese to commemorate the moment when the Queen became the longest serving monarch.
Below are some photographs of the celebrations.
Three generations ring bells: Chris, Gale & Bruce Burnell at St Mary's Church Greenham Celebrating the Queen as the longest reigning monarch.
Geoff Fletcher/Newbury Weekly News.
Maurice Cousins.
Inside St Mary's Aylesbury.
Photograph: Maurice Cousins.
Villagers enjoy cake and a raffle in Chinnor.
Jo Duckles
The Queen arrives to hand out Maundy money during her most recent visit to Oxford's Christ Church Cathedral over Easter 2013.
Photo
Left, from left - Cllr Jenny Bloom (Chairman, Aylesbury Vale District Council); Cllr Allison Harrison (the Mayor of Aylesbury); Mr Bill Chapple (Chairman, Bucks County Council); the Revd Doug Zimmerman (Rector of St Mary's, Aylesbury); the Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson (the Bishop of Buckingham); Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher (the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire) and Georgia James (Lord Lieutenant's Cadet), at a service organised by Buckinghamshire County Council with the District and Town Councils.
Maurice Cousins