On the evening of Sunday 6th October 2013 the usual evening congregation was swelled by many other worshippers from both the United Reformed Church and the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul for a united service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for the work of the Gospel in Bishops Hull and an opportunity to say farewell to Rev Michael and Christine Whitfield.

The service was led jointly by Michael and the Rev Phil Hughes, the vicar of Bishop’s Hull. It included two hymns that had been written or adapted by Michael during his ministry in Taunton.

With Michael retiring this month, he and Christine were presented with farewell gifts from the Parish Church, including a bouquet of flowers.

Before this, Michael explained that the URC was ceasing to hold evening worship in the Parish Church at the end of the month after collaboration going back 8 years, since the URC left its own chapel in Bishop’s Hull, and more. He offered the Parish Church items that had been regularly used during this time – a lectern, a cross, a communion cloth, copies of Rejoice and Sing and of the Bible – in the hope and expectation that they would prove useful to the church. The Rev Phil Hughes accepted these with thanks on behalf of the Parish Church.