- Buckingham Archdeaconry Archdeacon’s Charge

Buckingham Archdeaconry Archdeacon’s Charge - May 2009

Luke 5: 15 – 28

It is good to welcome you all here tonight at the formal beginning of another year in the life of the church in the Buckingham Archdeaconry.

I want to first of all thank you most sincerely – if you are churchwardens, for your willingness to serve; if you are clergy and other church officers for all your hard work; and if you are spouses for your support and forbearance!

I have already mentioned an array of information available tonight in the form of leaflets, CDs, booklets and visitation news. I do hope you find these useful, and a resource for the practical work in the parish. The Diocesan communications department and Bishop’s Staff, working with the Heads of Department want to offer good resources to enable, rather than hinder, the ministry of the local church. We are at an exciting juncture as we begin to work out as a diocese how we can prioritise our work to bring about a focus on the five key points in the Living Faith Vision:

· Shaping confident collaborative leadership

· Making disciples

· Making a difference in society

· Creating vibrant Christian Communities

· And sustaining the sacred centre.

This won’t, you will be pleased to hear, involve a lot of new work but will build on and support all the many many good things going on in parishes and churches throughout the diocese.

Which brings me back to tonight’s service and our readings. It’s sustaining the sacred centre which is key to everything we do and the theme I am going to address tonight.

We are living in extraordinary times, when the demands on us as individuals, families and churches are immense – with the economy, relationship difficulties, employment uncertainty, our church buildings, all causing us sleepless nights, and our days filled with meeting expectations, trying to do our best - probably for other people, rushing around sorting this out and that out, with very little time for much else. And if we are committed to and passionate about the church and its future as most of us in this church tonight most probably are, these stressed are multiplied.

How much do we envy those words: ‘ And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.’ ?

Life is so busy. And it’s not only busy, it’s fast. We work long hours and find ourselves having to hurry up to do it. There never seems to be enough hours in the day and everything and everyone is so demanding of our time.

Is it any wonder that we have difficulty finding time talking to God? Is it any wonder that any time spent contemplatively, reflectively, listening to God makes us feel guilty? We have so much to do, so much that HAS to be done. And so, God often gets pushed to the back of our life.

I heard a 21st Century parody of Psalm 23 the other day. It goes something like this:

The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.

It makes me lie down only when exhausted.

It leads me into deep depression.

It hounds my soul.
It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake.

Even though I run frantically from task to task, I will never get it all

done.

For my ideal is with me.

Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.

They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.

They anoint my head with migraines,

My in-basket overflows.

Surely fatigue and time pressure shall follow me

All the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration, Forever.

When I was a parish priest I used to really get frustrated attending diocesan events, clergy days and yes, visitations because it seemed like each time we met we were told the next twelve things we had to fit in before bedtime – remember this, try that, we expect the other, you know the kind of thing..

And as archdeacon I am well aware of all the expectations I have of you and your churches and how they should or ought to be met. Yet, I too am pulled up short: ‘And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.’

I chose the gospel reading for this year’s visitation because I think it is a good illustration of what I believe to be the most important aspect of our lives and ministries. Not the busyness and business, the next new answer to mission or the twenty steps to being a great churchwarden, but the real heart of the matter. Our relationship with God.

So after my encouragement last year to share our stories, my encouragement for the archdeaconry this year is that we nurture one another in that all important relationship with God.

The story of the paralysed man is well known to us all. He was ill, there was no hope of getting through the crowd so those who carried him lowered him from the roof down to Jesus to be healed. I can still remember a cut out I made at Sunday school with paper and string to replicate the action of lowering the man down. It’s easy to get caught up in the detail of a stretcher and some ropes and miss anything else.

Already, the word had spread about Jesus’ ministry. Often crowds pursued him and gathered around him. They come to hear his words of hope. Luke tells us they come to be cured and healed from illness and disease.

The first thing I would like us to note is that the man found Jesus. He, or his friends and family, had obviously got to hear about the miracle worker and had faith in what he could do. We don’t know how far they had come, or what kind of journey they had experienced, just that they found the redeemer they were looking for. One of the key observations about the details of the account was how desperate these men were to get to where Jesus was, so desperate in fact that they removed the roofing to reach him.

Where do you find Jesus ? That’s an important question for all of us to answer. On a Sunday morning in a busy church, when there are books to be given out, readings to be sorted, people asking all kinds of questions and the same awkward individuals hassling us it is probably difficult for us to get at Jesus, the real Jesus, to find him at all.

But, for our own spiritual wellbeing, we all need somehow to find Jesus somewhere. Unfortunately, by virtue of our calling we do not have the luxury of being just a member of the congregation anymore, so we need to seek Jesus out for ourselves. For churchwardens that is so important. Whether it be in a quiet corner of the church before people begin to arrive, or in the quieter service during the week, or even, dare I say it, in another church. It may be a particular time of the day, a favourite chair or the journey to work. Whatever you decide, it is necessary for you to nurture that faith within you, and meet with Jesus yourself.

There are some statistics that sadden me, one of these is that a good many churchwardens stop attending church once they give up being church warden. This of course could be for a number of reasons, but is largely because such people have become so caught up in the practical tasks of the role, the spiritual relationship with God has become so dry that it is hard to reignite. What has the church done to such people I ask?

God longs for a relationship with each one of us, and as Jesus himself made time to be with his Father, so we will be sustained in our work and in our busyness by spending time with Him too.

An author Erma Bombeck once wrote a book entitled ‘ The Grass is always Greener over the Septic Tank’ . As well as a very thought provoking title in the book she talks about what happened to the suburban housewife. If not careful, without finding meaning outside of housework, being a wife and raising children, a woman could possibly fade into the background of her family’s life losing all semblance of existence. She writes, “Before long, you become like another part of the house - like the electric blender. Your children come home from school, look you straight in the eye, and ask you if anyone is home.”

I believe the same could be true with us in our churches if we do not consider our relationship with God. I see people operating at this relentless pace. Never a dull moment; never a reflective moment either. Frightened, I ask myself, “Where does the still, small voice of God fit into our hectic lives? When do we allow God to lead and guide, correct and affirm?”

And if this seldom or never happens, how can we lead truly authentic Christian lives?

So let’s each make a commitment to find Jesus, understand that this is something that God desires of us and commit ourselves to make this a reality. A million things will creep in to try to steal away our time with God so we have to make this a priority. Set aside a time and place. Jesus seemed to do this regularly. It doesn’t matter when. Just do it and pray expectantly, read the Bible with anticipation. Think about how you are going to apply what you read. Meditate on what your read, dwell on it and think about what it means to you. Share yourself completely with God, He is the one who knows you better than you know yourself. If you are hurting, tell God. If you are filled with joy, doubt, fear or worry, share that with God too.

Once there were two streams standing at the foot of a mountain. On top of the mountain was a great lake and in front of it, a great desert. Both streams wanted to water the desert, and one day they began to deliberate about how to go about it. “I think that to be successful, we must find a way to climb the mountain and get attached to the lake,” said one stream.”
“What a waste of time!” the other stream retorted. “You’ll never make it. And besides, look at all this parched land just crying out for water. I’m going on.”
So the second stream flowed out into the desert. As the sun got hotter and hotter and the land dryer and dryer, the stream got smaller and smaller. Eventually it faded because it had no resources.
In the meantime, the first stream was struggling up the mountain. It was a long, arduous climb, but finally the stream joined the lake and asked, “Will you help me to go out and water the desert?” “I will,” was the answer. So together lake and stream flowed down the mountain and into the desert, making the dry land rich and fertile.

Prayer helps us to do what the stream did. With prayer, life and ministry are constantly watered. Without it we are all dried up.

Which leads me nicely on to my second point, from the gospel reading. The needy man relied on his friends and together they reached Jesus. I am really pleased that clergy come with wardens and others to these visitations. In some dioceses it is a three line whip, in Buckinghamshire we’re a bit more flexible!

The relationship between clergy and wardens is key – to maintain our buildings and worship pattern yes, to share mission and vision, yes, but in this time of increasing busyness and stress the relationship is vital to help each one of us find Jesus.

I have already mentioned the need for us all, and particularly churchwardens, to have our time with God, and I ask that clergy help facilitate that happening; either by sharing the work out more, explaining to members of the congregation that wardens do not have to be on duty at every service every week, or by giving churchwardens the opportunities and encouragement to have quiet days, to take a Sunday off here and there and to have a well deserved rest every so often.

Clergy too need looking after. The Society of Mary and Martha are an organisation based in the West Country. Their ministry is primarily to offer a place of retreat and refreshment to clergy away from the stresses and strains of ministry. In 2002 the Society brought out an important report based upon their experience, which made suggestions for how clergy could be more supported by dioceses and how parish life could be made a bit easier. A Bishop’s Adviser in Pastoral Care and Counselling is quoted in the report saying:

‘The underlying stresses that are peculiar to clergy stem from the fact that we are currently trying to work a number of different models of ministry. Most stipendiary clergy at least are in parish ministry at a time when this model is sometimes so stretched as to be no longer realistic. Yet expectations of the ‘Vicar’ are often still very high and unrealistic. Clergy are still operating a very informal style of ministry, accessible at home in the way no other professionals now are, with often fuzzy boundaries: codes of conduct etc and the penalties of getting it wrong have never been higher. We are isolated in our model of working in a way which was unthinkable 50 years ago when doctors had their surgeries in their front rooms…There are additional stresses from how people view us and the services we offer. Clergy are having to balance a traditional sense that we offer Christian ministry to people, with the more consumer led view where people expect what they want on their terms.’

In last year’s Articles of Enquiry we asked whether wardens ever had a discussion with clergy about their time off , retreats and training. Only half of church wardens discussed time off with their clergy, and under half discussed a retreat and continuing professional development. Interestingly though, in the Ministry Reviews that I have undertaken this year and received feedback from churchwardens on, almost all commented on how hard their clergy worked and how they were concerned about their parish priest not having time for themselves.

So clergy and wardens you need to look after one another. Together those friends brought their friend, the paralysed man to Jesus. At this time of increasing stress, when hopefully people will look to the church for support, those doing the supporting need one another.

One autumn a young woman, called Linda, was travelling alone along the mountain highway in Canada; she did not know that in that area which is rutted and rugged that

you don’t travel alone and you don’t travel in a rundown Honda Civic, but nevertheless she set off where only four-wheel drivers normally venture. The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 a.m. wakeup call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the receptionist looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early morning fog shrouding the mountain-tops, she understood.

Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. “Where are you heading?” one of the truckers asked. She replied. “In that little Civic? No way! This pass is DANGEROUS in weather like this.” “Well, I’m determined to try” was Linda’s gutsy, if not very uninformed response.”

“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested. Linda drew

back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!” “Not like THAT!” the truckers

chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. In that way, we’ll

get you through the mountains.”

All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the

mountains.

That story reminds me of what this church is supposed to be like. Caught in the fog of our dangerous passage through life, we need to be “hugged”. With fellow Christians who know the way and can safely lead ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we, too, can pass safely.

I am not suggesting a PCC meeting is taken up discussing clergy needs, although a PCC discussion on the demands made on clergy today may not be a bad idea. What I would like is mutual support of one another within parishes, an awareness of when a priest hasn’t taken a day off for a while because of parish commitments, the encouragement and perhaps the finance to be able to go on retreat, perhaps some help with administration if there is no current prevision, or respect for an additional Sunday off or a reading or quiet day.

Something that I am really pleased is how new clergy are being welcomed into parishes across the archdeaconry. New clergy often mention the warm welcome, the groceries waiting for them – it makes a real difference to the beginning of a new ministry, but also the beginning of a good caring relationship. Thank you wardens for the part you are playing in this. We have different gifts but need each other. Let’s share with one another not just the business of church life, but the spiritual needs we all have too.

In the gospel reading the structures around the situation did not matter, they could be removed. What mattered was the relationship. Nothing was going to get in the way of the friends bringing the paralysed man to Jesus – don’t worry, it’s only upstairs and there’s a roof in the way – no problem. They knew that what mattered was the man in need getting to Jesus who could meet his need. When that happened there was transformation – the man was healed, his sins forgiven, people saw and believed and probably all those around were never the same again. We read ‘Amazement seized all of them, and they were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today’.

I included the verses at the end of the reading because they cover also the transformation in the life of Matthew, or Levi, sitting at his tax booth. Jesus called and he got up, left everything and followed him.

We need to find Jesus, we need others to help us find him because that relationship is more important than anything else.

I have just finished reading a short booklet on the life of Thomas Merton. Merton died in 1968 at the age of 53. He was a Trappist monk who spent a great deal of time in prayer and writing, and his writings have been enjoyed by and challenged many people ever since.

Merton once recounted a conversation he had with a Tibetan lama (a monk and not an animal!) who was faced with the decision of whether or not to leave his home and monastery in Tibet in order to save his life. The lama sought advice from an abbot who lived nearby, asking, ‘What shall we do?’ The abbot’s response was ‘From now on, brother, everyone stands on his own feet.’ Merton went on to say that ‘this is an extremely important monastic statement,..,,to the effect that we cannot rely on structures. The time for relying on structures has disappeared. They are good and they should help us and we should do the best we can with them. But they may be taken away and if everything is taken away, what do we do next?’

The faith of the paralysed man, the faith of his friends and the faith of Matthew was in Jesus, Jesus’ faith was in his Father. The structures that they were used to, the constraints of a life bounded by sickness or service to the Roman forces of occupation were suddenly gone and a new life needed to be discovered.

Many of us have given our lives to the church, and cannot conceive of it – whether ‘it’ be the building or the institution – not being there, but what really counts is that relationship with God. The church may weaken – where would we be? It may change – would we cope? The buildings we love may disappear – have we life within ourselves?

It is our living faith which will convince people that there is a God, more than anything else. It is our hope in Christ which will offer people a new future. It is our inner joy and peace which will steady the world. It is not the activity, the busyness, the lack of time, all the things that get in the way with which I began.

So as we recommit ourselves to God’s service in the Church, let us recommit ourselves also to our own relationships with God. Let us find Jesus amidst all the pressures and in friendship and support walk with one another on our spiritual journey. So we have a living faith, with a sustained sacred centre right in the middle for all to see.

Let us remember those words: ‘And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.’

Venerable Karen Gorham

Archdeaconry News