Bishop Gavin Collins gave his first presidential address to members of Diocesan Synod at the June meeting, reflecting on themes of unity, growth and joy as the diocese enters a period of transition.
What3Words
I don't know how many of you are users of the app What3Words. It doesn't seem to be as prevalent now as Google Maps seems to have swept all others before it as the go-to app to use for satnav directions. But as many of you will know, What3Words divides everywhere on the planet into a separate three-metre square box. And every square has been given a unique combination of three words. And that's the only reference, if you use the app, the only reference you need to find it for navigation or for delivery or e-commerce, for emergency services, and so on.
I was at my bishops' cell group a couple of months ago now, and one of the group was describing a difficult disciplinary situation that they were dealing with, and describing what they'd like to be able to do for the person concerned, if only the process had allowed them.
Immediately afterwards, we were all going to check in at the hotel where we were staying, and I noticed that the What3Words address for the Premier Inn seemed oddly appropriate. It was cuff, suspends, discloses.
As I was considering my presidential address for this morning at the start of this time of transition in leadership for our diocese, I found myself wondering:
What is the Church for? And in particular, what three words might I use to articulate my vision and my understanding of the Church and what we're for - what we're called to be, what we're called to do?
And before I unpack that, I just want to pause for a moment and invite you to consider what three words you might use to sum up your vision for the church, your sense of what the church is for, and your own aims and goals for the church and for your role and ministry in it, be that lay or ordained. What three words would they be?
Simpler, humbler, bolder - deeper
The National Church of England has for a few years now had three words that it's been using to articulate its sense of our calling: simpler, humbler, bolder. Which on one level I think is pretty good. But I must admit that the very first time I heard that catchphrase, simpler, humbler, bolder, I find myself instinctively adding a fourth word, and that's the word 'deeper'. Deeper.
That's been my Pavlovian reaction every time I've heard that phrase: I want to shout back 'and deeper!'.
Contemplative, compassionate, courageous
As a diocese, of course, we've got three words that we use to articulate and unpack our diocesan vision and calling:
That we might be a more Christ-like Church for the sake of God's world: contemplative, compassionate, and courageous.
And I think those are pretty good. And during this upcoming season of vacancy of our diocesan bishop, I very much expect and want us to hold on to and continue to share that common vision together:
- That we might indeed continue to be an ever more Christ-like Church for the sake of God's world, living that out particularly as we seek and commit ourselves to be ever more contemplative, looking to God.
- And taking seriously our desire to go deeper with him, ever more compassionate, sharing his love, often in ways that will be costly with those around us, and particularly with those that the world might regard as the last, the least, and the lost.
- And ever more courageous, counting the cost of doing that, facing it with realism, but resolving in God's strength, nevertheless, to step forward together on the path God sets out before us.
And you will each of you have your own equivalence of your what three words in your parish vision statements, and many of you also in your personal spirituality and your understanding or your articulation of your discipleship.
And I thought it might be helpful in this interim presidential address to share with you something of my sense of my calling as a bishop and of what motivates and shapes the way I seek to do ministry and to serve in the role that I'm in.
To catch and to cast
If I had to have a headline for my sense of calling, it would be that I seek to catch and to cast God's vision for the church and for the world around us, and then to encourage, enable, resource, back, provoke, challenge and pray for that vision to become ever more a reality in our churches, in our schools, in our chaplaincies, in our communities, in our world. And as I do that, my need and commitment is also to make sure that I stand firm in my faith and in my calling, even as I seek to lead and to serve you. And so the what three words that have underpinned my sense of calling, and of what it means to be a bishop ever since I first took up this role five years ago, have been unity, growth, and joy.
Unity
Firstly, unity. And for this, my key Bible passage is John chapter 17, a passage that of course we've been sitting with this year as our Dwelling in the Word passage, Jesus' great prayer for unity for all his followers, for all of the Church. Jesus prayed that we might be one. And unity is never simple, and it's often not easy. But it is at the very heart of my understanding of my calling as a bishop, and also of my deeply theological understanding of God's desire and intention for us is his church.
But of my conviction that therefore we must never and can never be satisfied or complacent, or sit easily when we have fractures and divisions, and impaired fellowship and trusts in our church, whether that's between our different denominations, or even more tragically, when it's between us within this part of the body that we call the Church of England and the Diocese of Oxford. My first word, my first commitment is to seek to work to build and enable unity. And I would like to encourage and challenge each of you, please, to join me in that.
Growth
And then my second word is growth. Growth. The church is a living organic organism. And any living organism, if it's healthy, will experience growth. I remember from my O Level biology lessons - and the fact that they were O Levels rather than GCSEs shows you something of how long ago they were - but I remember that growth is one of the seven key signs of whether an organism is alive or not, not just if it's healthy, but if it indeed if it's alive or not. If it's not growing, then it's dead, biologically speaking. And I would say that that's also true spiritually speaking as well.
And my key verse for this word would be Matthew 16:18, where Jesus simply states, simply promises, I will build my church, and that nothing, not even the very gates of hell, will be able to prevent or frustrate that. I will build my church, says Jesus.
What do I mean by growth in the church?
Well, I think that it's at least three things; growth in depth, growth in impact, and growth in numbers.
Growth in depth as people come to faith and go deeper in their in our walk with God.
Growth in impact, as we act ever more effectively, making an increasing difference in the society and in the world around us. Living out our calling to be salt and light. Salt that helps stop rot, salt that adds flavour and distinctiveness, a taste of godliness to those we interrelate with. Salt that's when it's scattered helps to melt things that are frozen. And salt that can help cause a heart attack. And while I wouldn't want to go that far, I do yearn for us as the church to be so impactful in our effect on the society around us. That we do indeed cause a shock and make people sit up and take notice far more than is often the case.
So growth in depth, growth in impact, and then growth also in numbers. I do want and expect and pray for the church to grow numerically, whether that's in the number of people who are part of our worshiping congregations and our activities, or growth in our finances, or growth in any other of the numerical matrices that we can use.
Growth in numbers is important, and I'm not afraid or ashamed to say as much, and to commit myself to working hard to help us achieve that. But I do deliberately put growth in numbers as number three in my list of areas where I pray for God to give growth, as I think I'd want to keep growth in our spiritual depth and growth in our impact as we serve those around us in the top two slots in that list.
Joy
And then finally, I want to add my third word, joy. Probably the verse in the Bible that I come back to more than any other is Jesus' summary of his mission in John 10:10:
I have come that you may have life and have it to the full. Have it in abundance. Have life that is overflowing.
I don't know about you, but as I go around the diocese and visit clergy and churches and deanery synods and chapters, then joy, let alone abundance and overflowing life, wouldn't necessarily be the words that most readily often come to mind. I see many churches and many Christians who are faithfully, committedly, and sacrificially worshipping, working, and serving. But the context is often one of struggle, difficulty, frustration and challenge. A lack of resources and of people to help with the task. A lack of response often from the communities we're seeking to reach and to impact and serve. A lack often of much visible response or sense of fruit or progress.
Perseverance, yes, and often faithfully, determinedly, doggedly, dare I say stubbornly so, and praise God for that faithful perseverance from so many in so many ways across our diocese. But joy, not so much often. And I think that's a shame. And I think that goes against the desire and the intention of our life giving, life creating, life enjoying God. Our Father in heaven, who as Jesus said, delights, get that word, delights to give good gifts to us, his children.
And so joy would be the third of my personal what three words. A desire and a commitment to do all I can do to bring joy, to live joy, to share joy, and to encourage and enable joy across our diocese.
A prayer as we go out
So that's something of my understanding, my conviction and my sense of calling as I seek to serve as a bishop, to commit myself to work for unity, growth, and joy in the church. I invite you to join me in that as we continue to work together and seek to be a more Christ-like Church, contemplative, compassionate, and courageous for the sake of God's world.
And so as we go on in our particular parishes, chaplaincies and schools, my prayer is simply that we might have eyes to see where God is leading us, and then as we follow in the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we indeed increase in unity. May we expect and see growth in depth, impact, and in numbers, and may we overflow in joy in our lives and in our churches, in all that we are and in all that we do. And as Saint Paul ended his first letter to the Thessalonians:
The one who calls us is faithful, and he will do it. Amen.