The Vicar's April Message

Nothing ever the same again

April brings us to Resurrection again. Archbishop Michael Ramsay used to say that the Resurrection of Christ brought a fault line in history. It started the beginning of the End. Our thoughts are filled with earth quakes, sunamis and a general alarm about our national and world situation. And our society largely thinks of Resurrection talk as “pie in the sky when you die”.  Clergy lead funerals in the crematorium well aware of those present who may appreciate the tribute – the sense that Uncle Stephen was an OK person – but are bewildered and bored by talk of Christian Hope. All the more important that we have confidence that death brings that amazing final standing before God, alone, curious, expecting to be well received as well as accountable for the person and relationships that were ours to nurture.

The New Testament offers two different pictures of the “final judgement”. One (the least spoken of) describes each one of us as we die, facing the test of what we have made of the materials given to us in this life. The other (much more often mentioned) describes those who have died, waiting together until the End when at the general Resurrection Christ comes to bring the whole world to its completion. We today have all the extra information – about the age of the universe and its likely natural end, the tiny period in which humanity will occupy this planet and an enormous amount of sheer “not knowing” about all these things.

So we are reliant not on information but on transformation. The test of Christian faith is whether or not it works. Is that fault line in history of which Michael Ramsey spoke, to be witnessed in the life of communities of the Resurrection (churches) that carry the collective responsibility for showing the world what life “in the Risen Christ” can be.

Human being fully alive

Church is not secondary to real, personal faith. Being or doing church together is the earliest Christian invitation to be Risen with Christ and to turn the world upside down. when we let ourselves be soaked in prayer, worship, scripture, Christian thought and common life, we are equipped to show the world a different way of seeing and living.

One of the key elements in what we attempt in church life today is to let everyone be as mature as possible. Although Jesus calls us to believe “as little children”, we discourage one another from hanging on to a childish faith or way of relating. All the work of Christian learning and the way we share in worship – rather than observing it or coming occasionally when we’re not otherwise occupied – is to help us become more receptive and vulnerable to the way of Jesus he called “losing your life in order to find it”. Mature church communities nurture that attentiveness to being vulnerable with one another. It means that clergy, Readers and wardens lead and encourage through persuasion, example and gentle encouragement. It means that in a spirit of courtesy and listening all may have a voice. But the days of top down power and bullying ways of always believing we are right cannot serve God’s kingdom in an age characterized by exploration, questioning and travelling together.

Year of Pilgrimage

Which all leads us back to the theme of our centenary Year soon to begin with the10 Eucharist on May 1^st when Bishop Martin will be with us and Bishop Frank at 7.30pm on May 4^th for the MenZone Eucharist opened to the men of the Diocese – all men in our congregation are asked to support this. On May 1^st at 10am the newly elected PCC will be commissioned. As representatives – not delegates – of the congregation, they will guide us as we consider various practical ways of going on journeys – St Cuthbert’s Way, Santiago de Compostela – and continuing to develop our church building to enlarge the ways in which we can be church together and for the whole parish and open our wallets far enough to make this a joy for us all rather than a burden for the few.

Whatever external troubles you are facing, may you know Resurrection life rising up from a deeper place to give you healing and joy.

Your parish priest

 Robin