Diamond Jubilee 2012: 60 years of service ‘endured faithfully, calmly and generously’

THE Archbishop of Canterbury praised the Queen for dedicating herself to the service of her nation and Commonwealth, in a Jubilee thanksgiving sermon at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Rowan Williams told a congregation of leading figures from the UK and overseas that the Queen’s decision to devote her life to others has “endured faithfully, calmly and generously” during her 60-year reign.

He said the Jubilee year could be a spur to the nation to follow the example set by the Queen of selflessly helping those around us.

The Queen is head of the Church of England and has deeply-held Christian beliefs. The archbishop told the congregation: “Dedication to the service of a community involves … an absolute purge of selfish goals, but it is also the opening of a door into shared riches.

“In all her public engagements, our Queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others; she has responded with just the generosity St Paul speaks of in showing honour to countless local communities and individuals of every background and class and race.

“She has made her ‘public’ happy and all the signs are that she is herself happy, fulfilled and at home in these encounters.

“To declare a lifelong dedication is to take a huge risk, to embark on a costly venture. But it is also to respond to the promise of a vision that brings joy.”