Ordination: Return to my sending diocese

Yesterday was one of those amazingly wonderful days where the celebration and joy in seeing one of our church family ordained was tinged with the sadness of having left such a wonderful building as St Alban's and then thenI was blessed again as I met old friends and realised just how small the wonderful world of Church is.

St Alban's Abbey basking in the sunlight welcomes me home

The sun was shining and the Abbey worked hard to resemble the Sutherland print hanging in my study as we arrived. The splendour and awe-inspiring sight causing that alway involuntary intake of breath. This was going to be a day to savour.

Walking in to the building and up to the Library (more later) I happened to see a couple of the St Francis' faithful with David (AKA the ordinand):

There was an air of uruffled preparedness that only seems to exist in such settings as these; that calm that tells you that somewhere below us (in the basement) the webbed feet that propel such services would have been flapping madly. 

Meanwhile upstairs there was an ordered and professional calm as the clergy robed, the scene much like that before any big game:

Those who seek silence and a moments contemplation before the kick-off,

Those who have to dress in the right order so that all is mentally and spiritually in the right place,

Those who, having got into their kit, feel the need to chat or kick their studs against the wall, and of course,

Those who Maradona-like put on their kit and stretch, kick the walls and make a hubbub with their studs before crossing themselves as they run our (sorry, process) onto the pitch (err, I mean Abbey).

Then we were off - into the service which, as ever, featured the splendid choir doing wonderful things with old musical notes that had lingered in that place to bring forth a splendid Sanctus and Benedictus - The Litany (always a joy) and then a sublime sermon from Angela Tilby set the scene for Lichfield escapee, Bishop Alan Smith, to do the deed and like a magician pulling rabbits from a hat, present us with twelve brand new and shiny deacons!

Hallelujah for those who offer themselves to the Church in its service and praise to the Lord for each one of us who fulfils whatever calling it is that we have as believers. This was a time to celebrate new ministries begun and to give thanks for the ministry of the whole church (for we are one - we are family - we work to the one, same, calling).

And then it was over and as I processed out the congregation cheered and clapped (they tend to do that a lot) and I realised the exit of the gladiators was occurring somewhere behind me (phew - getting paranoid there for a moment).

Then it was time for photographs and laughter and relief that it was all over with no deacons harmed in the making of the film. St Francis' had given the Church it's first offering in terms of ordained ministry and we could smile and get off to the party.

And so we were done and after a time of mixing with friends and families (and meeting some I knew from days long gone) we set off for david's new church, a setting somewhat different from the UPA he left:

I'm sure the sun won't always shine there and the skies may not always be blue - but I trust and pray that David, Catherine and the children will find their new home to be a place of blessing and growth, happiness and joy.

And a message to the faithful of Chorleywood - take care of them for they are extremely special people :-)

ps. One of the deepest moments of joy I found in this service was to be in the company of a man whose life and ministry, cutting comments and insightful observation I treasured and valued greatly in my time in the diocese. Thank you Revd Michael Sansom for the many you have guided as DDO and for the many that you still mentor and care for.

Daily Office - Mar 2

Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, Missionary, 672

Psalm 3
Lord, how many are my adversaries;
many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say to my soul, ‘There is no help for you in your God.’
But you, Lord, are a shield about me;
you are my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
When I cry aloud to the Lord, he will answer me from his holy hill;
I lie down and sleep and rise again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not be afraid of hordes of the peoples that have set themselves against me all around.
Rise up, O Lord, and deliver me, O my God,
for you strike all my enemies on the cheek and break the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the Lord: may your blessing be upon your people.

Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies triumph over me.
Let none who look to you be put to shame, but let the treacherous be shamed and frustrated.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation;
for you have I hoped all the day long.
Remember, Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions,
but think on me in your goodness, O Lord, according to your steadfast love.
Gracious and upright is the Lord;
therefore shall he teach sinners in the way.
He will guide the humble in doing right and teach his way to the lowly.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For your name’s sake, O Lord, be merciful to my sin, for it is great.
Who are those who fear the Lord? Them will he teach in the way that they should choose.
Their soul shall dwell at ease and their offspring shall inherit the land.
The hidden purpose of the Lord is for those who fear him and he will show them his covenant.
My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and brought very low.
The sorrows of my heart have increased;
O bring me out of my distress.
Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin.
Look upon my enemies, for they are many and they bear a violent hatred against me.
O keep my soul and deliver me;
let me not be put to shame, for I have put my trust in you.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for my hope has been in you.
Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Gather up your bundle from the ground, O you who live under siege!
For thus says the Lord:
I am going to fling away the inhabitants of the land at this time,
and I will bring distress on them, so that they shall feel it.

Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is severe. But I said,
‘Truly this is my punishment, and I must bear it.’

My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken;
my children have gone from me, and they are no more;
there is no one to spread my tent again, and to set up my curtains.
For the shepherds are stupid, and do not inquire of the Lord;
therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming - a great commotion from the land of the north to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a lair of jackals.
I know, O Lord, that the way of human beings is not in their control, that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps.

Correct me, O Lord, but in just measure; not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.

John 7.25-36
Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying,
‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.’

Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple,
‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’

Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying,
‘When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said,
‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’

The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and, “Where I am, you cannot come”?’

The Collect
Almighty God,
from the first fruits of the English nation who turned to Christ,
you called your servant Chad to be an evangelist and bishop of his own people:
give us grace so to follow his peaceable nature,
      humble spirit and prayerful life,
that we may truly commend to others the faith which we ourselves profess;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(Apologies for not having posted the office yesterday - this was due to technical problems!)