We celebrated the 1000th birthday of our patron during October 2005. Festivities began with a visit to Westminster Abbey, which claims St. Edward as its founder, for Evensong with the choir of the Abbey and of neighbouring Westminster Cathedral. The preacher was Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, paying a flying visit from Rome, where he was attending the Synod of Bishops. In his sermon he made an impassioned plea for an end to pragmatism in public life, and for the restoration of spiritual vision. He ended,

"I am delighted to be here, among you to give thanks for this holy king, and for what he represents: wise and peaceable government, compassion for the poor, justice for the oppressed, openness to the wisdom and the word of God, an openness to all humanity. Here at the shrine of St Edward we ask God's blessing on our country and on all its people, we ask that it may be a place where all its citizens, whatever their origins or their beliefs, can live together in dignity and safety, where hatreds are defused by love, where the truth is spoken and heard, where the stranger, the widow and the orphan are received with open hand and heart, where our rulers seek wisdom, and our people peace".

Back in Milton Keynes, younger parishioners continued the celebrations with medieval birthday parties, featuring jousting and similar contemporary entertainments.

Highlight of the centenary celebrations was a visit from Bishop Peter who presided at Evening Prayer, to which local Ministers and their congregations had been invited.