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Church News

Vicar goes viral after shaming fuel company for leaving church building 3 weeks without heating

by Alex Collett

Rev Gillian Barrow-Jones from St George the Martyr Church, was left furious after calling the oil company numerous times so that the heating could be supplied, but they failed to turn up.

Feeling frustrated Rev Gillian took to Facebook with a sign listing all the people who were left chilly in her services, as a result. 

The sign read: "Funeral Family: Cold
"Sunday Worshippers: Cold
"Town Band Rehearsal: Cold
"Ash Wednesday Penitents: Cold
"Bishop of Buckingham: Cold"

The post went viral and just two days later the oil company turned up. 

Rev Gillian spoke to Premier: "On Sunday, the 20th of February, we just run out of oil. 

"Basically every morning at eight o'clock in the morning, I'd start ringing because I knew I'd be on hold for between ten and 20 minutes before somebody answered the phone.

"After they promised six times that they would deliver it, they didn't and never gave a real reason for why they didn't deliver. 

"We were freezing cold.

"We had three cold Sunday worship services, an Ash Wednesday service, a cold funeral, the town band, were freezing cold.

"I moved the third rehearsal to my other church so that they could get some warmth, if you play a brass instrument, it's like hugging an ice block, playing in the cold. 

"I'd send emails and phone but there was nothing else I could do, with our supplier to get the oil into the building."
Feeling fed up, Rev Gillian then put a plea out on Facebook: "I said 'can you all share it' and see if we can get the oil and then did.

"They shared it almost 200 times it got shared by various people by their friends as well. 

"Then 38,000 people saw it and 'Better fuels' came out and gave us a top up and, and our original supplier, Watson's did come out and fill us up as well with another 500 litres as well. 

"So the church was warm on the Sunday, and then it was able to put out a lovely photograph of us all having a great time at our special service."
 

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