Two Toms, both alike in dignity
(In fair Angleterre, where we lay our scene),
From lowly parishoners to take one day a curacy,
To serve the church of England both are keen.
Thomas 1 I’ve known since time immemorial
A friend through all my life,
Thomas 2 has faced several foes with me
Not least the Manchester 10k strife.
Both boys fit priesthood hand in glove,
Swift to love and slow to rage,
They’ve a couple of years training to prove
Their academic rigor reading many a page
To theological college you’ll go my friend
So in the power of God we send (you)
(with thanks to Shakespeare for the rhyming skeleton of this sonnet 😉 )
Here is a picture of me with Thomas 1 when we were kids – we’re using
his little sister as the baby Jesus. Thomas 1 is caring and generous and thinks
very deeply. When we were teenagers we used to have competitions as to who
could put their tent up first at camp and we would spend hours on the telephone.
He is compassionate and practical – he’s going to be ace at this vicar-ing
thing.
Here is a picture of me with Thomas 2 on completion of the Manchester 10k a few years ago. Tom is in a lot of ways the complete opposite of me – he’s
an internal processor, he will eat bananas, and look - he’s so tall I’m sure he enjoys a different
atmosphere to me! You don’t have to dig very far to find in Tom 2 similar
traits to Tom 1– he is generous with his time, and kind, he has many good ideas that he
shares when I shut up long enough to let him get a word in. When I talk to Tom I feel heard and cared for, also optimum vicar material!
If either Thomas is half as good a priest as they are a friend, their
congregations are going to be spoilt rotten!
