The Vicar writes………
Recently I attended with our church representatives the Deanery Synod, which at the start of the newly convened Synod was opened with a eucharist presided by Bishop Libby. After she gave a short talk about her experience of seeing the Spirit of God at work all over the diocese and sharing her pastoral concern for all the parishes in her care. Her prayer for all of us, as our overseer, is that we would be rooted in Christ, growing in Christ, and to be flourishing and fruitful.
As we are currently in that time of year when deacons and priests are ordained, that responsibility of pastoral oversight given to Peter on the beach by Jesus (John 21) comes into sharper focus and is a ministry in which we all share. Peter was tasked to care for ‘Jesus flock’, to tend them that their faith might grow, and to remain faithful to Christ. Growing in faith in Christ is not a solitary journey but one to be shared with others, and should be an ongoing experience. At times that growth may develop more quickly but on the whole it is a growth of a slow, steady nature that has to be nurtured and treated with loving care.
I have been so touched, and inspired in recent weeks to see godly love, faith and compassion at work in our own Christian community where people have a genuine empathy and concern for each other. Recently, on that wonderful trip to Mirfield where we took a good number of people to spend a day, many of us were touched by the sense of community both in the monks around us and in our own flock. There was time to pray, worship and eat together, and also to enjoy the silence, the beauty and simplicity of the church. And through this experience, and biblical teaching as a whole, comes the reminder that none of us are ever too old to grow, neither are we too old to consider what Jesus might be asking of us now, for each one of us is precious in his sight. How can we become even more deeply rooted than where we are presently that we may grow and bear fruit for the glory of God (John 15)?
May you all have a blessed Summer wherever you are.
Yours in His Service
Paul