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Staines minister retires after 27 years
Members and friends of Staines Congregational Church gave their minister Stan Short and wife Claire a big send off as he retired after 27 years at the place of worship.
Stan and Claire met at the church as teenagers in the early 1960s and were married there in 1967, before leaving to serve in the London City Mission for 15 years. They returned in 1982 when Stan initially served as assistant minister, before taking on the role of church minister.
And on Saturday (March 7), there was an afternoon of celebration with cake, shared memories and stories.
At their final service on Sunday morning (March 8) there were cakes and balloons, but also prayer as the leadership wished for a fruitful retirement for the pair, who plan to spend their time closer to their two daughters and young grandchildren in Bedfordshire.
Church press officer Ian Santry says the congregation will miss Stan's vibrant presence and added: "He had a really unpredictable style and a very outgoing personality - you never knew what he was going to do next. In services he quite often pulled out an impromptu Elvis impersonation.
"He'll leave a big void and we haven't got anyone else for the role yet, although there are a couple of contenders in the pipeline. He'll be missed."
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