Queen attends Scripture Union's 150th anniversary service
The Queen attended a special church service this afternoon marking the 150th anniversary of Scripture Union.
The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, preached at the service at St Mary's Islington, in north London, as crowds gathered outside to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty.
Wearing a pink coat with a red dress underneath, Her Majesty arrived to cheers from more than hundred onlookers outside St Mary's. She was greeted by the vicar Rev Simon Harvey, Scripture Union's national director Rev Tim Hastie-Smith and classical singer Katherine Jenkins before joining them and hundreds more for the hour-long service that included prayers from Baroness Floella Benjamin and a performance by the choir from St Mary's Primary School.
Hastie-Smith said: 'We were thrilled that Her Majesty The Queen chose to join us as we celebrated 150 years of sharing the good news and love of Jesus Christ with the children and young people of this nation. For so many young people, it is the faithful and gently inspiring witness of parents, grandparents and great-grandparents that testifies most powerfully to God's enduring love. Her Majesty embodies this witness, and just as she seeks to serve all people of this nation regardless of race or religion, so SU seeks to testify to the abiding presence of a life transforming loving God, whose love is for all, and is found freely in His world.'