IT WAS Trinity Sunday in the parish of Coley,
Wakefield diocese, when father, son, and grandson
all preached on the Trinity: the Revd John Allison on the Father;
Canon James Allison (whose parish it is) on the Son; and Ben
Allison, who has just been accepted at Cranmer Hall, Durham, on the
Holy Spirit. For the sake of the congregation, Mr Allison says,
they were all very brief.
But their coming together had yet more symbolism, in view of the
uniting of the three Yorkshire dioceses into one diocese of Leeds,
after a debate in the General Synod in which Canon Allison made his
maiden speech.
The Revd John Allison, who will be 80 this year, and was
ordained only ten years ago, after many years as a Reader, is
retired, in Bradford diocese; Canon Allison is in Wakefield
diocese; and Ben Allison is currently in Ripon & Leeds. Soon,
the Allison trinity will also be united.