FROM THE VICAR

Dear Friends

In our internet age where everything is on-line and accessible we still have to provide passwords and other bits of memorable information in order to access bank accounts and other secure sites. The important thing is to remember them otherwise we are stumped! I'd better not say too much about my own memorable information but it does have something to do with my ordination and I'm always reminded of that every September when St Matthew's Day is celebrated on the 21st of the month. This year I'm celebrating my thirty-fifth anniversary which is pretty significant. The other day I was reflecting a little on how things have changed and how expectations have altered together with models of ministry. But more than anything else I am so very grateful for the way in which the Church has nurtured and sustained me and for the huge privilege of being a parish priest. The Church is a wonderful family which provides so richly for us in many different ways. That is something I always try to emphasise whenever we conduct a baptism or officiate on the happy occasion of a marriage or in a time of deep sadness and loss at a funeral. Not only is there nothing in life or death that can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ - as Paul so memorably wrote in his letter to the Romans - but as members of the church we are deeply committed to one another. We are members together of the Body of Christ. Of course, all of us are aware that families can be places of tension and crisis. At its best the family provides its members with space and freedom to grow and it's sometimes sad when there is a painful separation. Then we need to remember that although 'growing-up' is often about independence - about encouraging one another in confidence, it is also important to sense that we belong, to realise the importance of co-operation and of the need to listen to and support one another - in short that we learn the value of mutual dependence.   

In reading some of the summaries of the recent Lambeth Conference it's good to be able to focus on many positive things that have emerged from the gathering of bishops representing the richness and variety of the Anglican Church in every part of the world. Our prayers that the Conference would provide an environment of trust, friendship and respect seem to have been answered. Bishop Michael has been playing quite a significant role in heading up a group responsible for reflecting on the Conference. Those reflections have been published in the last few days and I thought it would be good to share this particular extract with you:-

Our time together has indeed demonstrated to us the breadth and richness of the Communion. It has been a privilege to be here together, to represent our dioceses and to grow in respect and affection for one another. With the many differences among us we have found ourselves profoundly connected with one another and committed to God’s mission. Many of us have experienced a real depth of fellowship in our Bible Study Groups and have been moved, sometimes to tears, by the stories our brothers and sisters have told us about the life of their churches, their communities and their own witness. For many bishops, especially those for whom this has been their first Lambeth Conference, they have understood for the first time what a precious thing it is to be an Anglican. There has been a wonderful spirit of dialogue and we want that to continue beyond the Conference by every means possible - “the indaba must go on,” as one group expressed it. For many of us have discovered more fully why we need one another and the joy of being committed to one another. At a time when many in our global society are seeking just the sort of international community that we already have, we would be foolish to let such a gift fall apart.

There is much in that 'reflection' that gives us cause for hope and confidence. It does not deny that problems remain but it suggests that the best way of tackling these problems is by remaining together rather than by drifting apart.

At a local level we have much to share with each other and much to learn from one another. The Church family at St Mary's is wonderfully diverse and my hope and prayer is that it continues to be a place of welcome to all, where differences can be respected, where we can honour one another but above all, where we can celebrate the joy of being part of the family of God, striving to model and shape our lives in the way of Jesus Christ and rejoicing in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit as we journey on together in the Christian way.

With love and prayers

Michael

* In the quoted reflection there is a reference to 'Indaba'. This is a South African word used to describe a gathering of the senior men in a tribe for the purpose of making decisions and agreeing on corporate actions.