Royal Maundy Money honor for Church Army’s Gloria Richards
For service to community and the church
Gloria Richards
Gloria Richards has been committed to the Christian faith and serving the Lord from a young age. Gloria married a Church Army officer and faithfully supported him as they were posted around the country whilst being a devoted mother to three adopted children. She recently celebrated her 85th birthday and continues her support of the Church Army as a Mission Community member. Local people say, “Gloria’s greatest gift is that of prayer, her prayer life of intercession for others is regular, committed and expectant” and that her “faith shines through her actions and is infectious.” Age does not hold Gloria back, she continues to support the local church and in recent years, she has taken on many roles at Berinsfield Church helping to lead worship, assisting with the Messy Church group, providing pastoral support to baptism families, and facilitating a monthly prayer link with the ‘Burning Bush’ Project in the Diocese of Kimberly and Kuruman, a Mission Partner of the Diocese of Oxford.
Words by Diocese of Oxford.
🙏Give thanks for Gloria
“Dear God, we thank you for Gloria Richards and for her faithful service to Church Army over many decades. May she continue to inspire and bless others across the Diocese of Oxford and beyond. Amen.”
Maundy Money is a ceremonial distribution of specially minted coins by the British monarch to people in recognition of their service and contribution to the community and the church. The tradition dates back to at least 600 AD, and it is said to have originated from the practice of washing the feet of the poor, as Jesus did for his disciples at the Last Supper. The distribution of Maundy Money by the monarch was initially meant to provide financial support for the poor, and it was later extended to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to their community or the church.
Today, the ceremony takes place annually on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. During the ceremony, the monarch distributes small leather purses containing the Maundy coins to recipients. The purses are white and red, and they contain coins to the value of the monarch’s age in pence, along with a special £5 coin and a special 50p coin.
The number of recipients is equal to the monarch’s age, and they are chosen from all over the country. Maundy Money is a symbol of recognition and gratitude for the recipients’ service and dedication to their communities and the church, and it is a significant honor to receive it.
