David Bowie's death has been marked at St Luke's Eccleshill with a tribute to "Life on Mars?" at the beginning of the 11.15am church service last Sunday. The Rev'd John Hartley, the vicar, has written new words to the Bowie classic, comparing Life on Mars with the questions some people have about the setting foot in a church for the first time.
"Bowie was a great song-writer", says John, "and his song about a girl watching a film, wondering what she's there for ... it just begs to be translated into asking ‘what it's like to come to church?’ Is it like life on Mars? Or do you discover something far better?"
The family service congregation are well-used to hymn-texts written by their vicar: in 2002 John wrote a hymn to the tune of "Match of the Day" and hasn't stopped since. But different styles suit different congregations, and John says that his adaptation of David Bowie's song will not be inflicted on the congregation at the earlier traditional service.