Hope springs eternal

It is most definitely spring, and with spring come signs of life and growth. The garden, after all, is full of them. Perhaps that explains why we've been getting many of the moderately established but unwanted trees at St Geoffrey's hacked back, before they can continue in their unwanted growth.

At Poppleton New there are also signs of life. Not just the increasingly frantic scurrying of students, some of whom have realised they actually have a degree to study for rather than simply a night-life and a low-paid job to support it, but that dissertations are due any week and with exams to follow, earlier this year than has been common. More surprisingly I have been delighted and surprised that my attempts to encourage and support the Christian Alliance have resulted not only in a chance to speak to a regular meeting but also to speak to the International meeting as part of their campus crusade (chainmail optional!). And, as an upshot of preparing for that meeting I received a phone call on what would otherwise have been my day off and would otherwise have gone to my answering machine. From the secretary of Bishop Nigel no less, the suffragan Bishop of Brambling, "Can the bishop see you at University tomorrow at x.45pm?"

I can't say the communication was a total surprise, but it was still a little off-putting. I'd better explain. A few weeks back a colleague of mine pointed out that a rather nice University Chaplaincy post was up for grabs. It was, in fact, a post I'd considered applying for a few months ago. The reason I hadn't applied in the end was that it came up at the same time as the exceedingly good Diocesan Conference at Goosewell, when I realised that I would really rather stay in this diocese and plucked up the courage to speak to Bishop Rex about whether there were any possibilities. I had, however, heard nothing, and so decided when the post was re-advertised (something which seems to be happening too much lately) that I should go for it, although not before emailing Bishop Rex to let him know and ask whether anything was happening about making Poppleton New a Full-Time post. Interestingly, or providentially it was timed quite well for a Diocesan Staff Meeting, but that might have nothing to do with it.

So there I was, put on the spot by Bishop Nigel's secretary. Twenty-four hours notice and trying desperately not to second-guess bishops, who after all can travel in four directions, and all of them oblique!

I'm most pleased to report that Bishop Nigel had providentially seen our beloved Vice-Chancellor the day before, and, over the course of a wide-ranging discussion had broached the prospects of Poppleton New actually putting come money into the work of the Chaplaincy in the light of all the work it was doing and had received an encouraging response. (This comment to be noted in the light of the current 0.5 provision of yours truly and the need for institutional "buy-in"). Hence my hope and now-made appointment with our dear leader... And also, of course, the reason for almost-optimism in the Vicarage...

You heard it hopefully here first, but, of course you don't know who I am, or who the Bishop described as a "natural chaplain", and as the Vicar of St Geoffrey's Argleton would say, "I couldn't possibly comment". (But maybe, just maybe, after 5 years of groundwork things might be pulling together).

Ethically Challenged

Rev Dr Alcine wonders whether it is ethical to consider that attending a PCC meeting with a heavy cold, and the subsequent effects it might have in streamlining the leadership of St Geoffrey's, might actually constitute a "good thing"?

Cyclical, cynical or something else

One of the features of the wider catholic tradition is the use of a Lectionary, a fixed cycle of readings in an attempt to ensure a balanced diet of scripture over a fixed period. It's three years in the case of the Revised Common Lectionary. This has been widely adopted, having spread far beyond its Roman Catholic roots, into Anglicanism and beyond. It allows the harassed preacher to escape from his or her hobby-horse subjects, but also allows the creation of a personal library of sermons, which every three years you can bring out, dust off, adopt, adapt, improve, or ignore.

It's invaluable, there's no doubt about it. But if I repeat a sermon from three years ago, virtually verbatim, to the same congregation, what does that say about me as the preacher, and us as the church?

It could say that I am lazy, uninspired, overworked, or all three.

But it could be because what I said then still applies now. I firmly believe that there are timeless truths to our faith, just as much there is the need for change and adaptation to fit the needs of the current time.

So if I preach the same sermon to pretty much the same congregation (making allowances for those who have moved in, or on, and including that endless churn of families who appear for a few weeks or months, get what they want and move on, hiding our numerical decline), what am I saying?

Am I being too harsh if I interpret that as saying that nothing has actually changed in the last three years? Could it be that the people who benefit most might actually be the transient ones, the sparrows coming in from the darkness for a few brief moments and then flying out?

Am I being too harsh a critic of myself? Of my congregation? Or am I, by posting this here, on my anonymous blog (and, maybe, to the safely-screened readership of my Facebook friends) actually colluding with such lack of change and failure of faith? My own, and that of others?

Bishop's Day for Clergy

Rev Dr Andreas Alcine, writes:

I was most pleasantly surprised by the Bishop's Day for Clergy yesterday. What could have been a rather stodgy day turned out to be very good indeed. I seem to have worried the powers-that-be, but in a good way. Over the lunch break I had two conversations, both apparently genuinely independent of one another. Firstly I had the Area Dean, who I only see infrequently, ask how I was, and gave the honest response rather than the "church" one. I was genuinely surprised to be asked "What would help? What can we do to help?" It feels like a long time since I felt there might be help. So much so that I had to admit I couldn't give an immediate answer, although the wicked thought about removing some of the more troublesome members of the PCC crossed my mind. I don't think the Diocesan Arsonist doubles as Diocesan Assassin..."

And as if that wasn't enough I then had NewBish sidle up. It appears that the Interesting Opportunity Up North, that didn't come up trumps, had asked for references before the interview, rather than after, and as FriendBish was in unavailable, that he had picked up the notes and provided. I was further stunned by his indications that it might be possible to uncouple the two 0.5 posts, being able to keep the 0.5 Chaplaincy at Poppleton New, and leaving St Geoffrey's to their death wish and me to do something else. This definitely bears further investigation, thought and prayer. The possibility had never crossed my mind. Obviously I want to go FT Chaplaincy, but retaining the current post while while working in a Team/Assistant position, would be an improvement over the present. There are still lots of questions to be asked, and plenty of hurdles, and the whole thing might be a flash in the pan, but nevertheless I am much cheered by this.

The actual "official" day was good too, although I'm not too sure how useful the discussion groups were of themselves. More often than not they reveal more about ourselves, weaknesses and prejudices than provide helpful material for others, and I speak as the worst offender! However NewBish's ruminations on Jesus' teaching on Alms-giving, Prayer and Fasting can best be described as 'considered, gently-provocative and thought-provoking' (such as the observation not only that Jesus considers alms-giving and fasting as core values when we might not so readily do so, and noting that alms-giving, however, we interpret that, has nothing to do with maintaining either the cost of ministry covered by the Parish Share, nor the fabric, and therefore falls into an entirely separate category from the giving we do on a Sunday, except with the relation to the outward giving of the church as moderated through the PCC).

I could write more, but sadly the other business of the day and weekend needs attention, and won't do itself!

Rhetorical Question

If I really dislike this part of the job so much, why do I keep doing it?

Possible answer factors include, faithfulness (however unwilling), family, and lack of clear alternative (including the truth of possible homelessness!).

Needed saying. :(

Starting them young...

Most pleased to see that St Geoffrey's Church of England Voluntary Aided School is paying proper attention to the minutiae of theological discussions, not just with regards to iconoclasts and iconodules, but also the difference between homoousious (Jesus as being homooúsios with "God the Father" — that is, they are of the "same substance" and are equally God) and homoiousios (similar in substance with God the Father, but not equally God).

And all this in year 3! Most impressive!

At least, that's how I interpret studying "images of Jesus and how different people believe him to be."

PCC see sense, "divine intervention a definite possibility."

In shock news from St Geoffrey's a source who wishes to remain anonymous disclosed that the decades-old tradition of Car Boot Sales wasn't worth the effort of the declining number of folks who "wanted (their) Bank Holidays back".

Speaking upon guarantees of anonymity the vicar said "This is clearly a case of divine intervention, getting them to see the obvious in less than 10 years."

Maybe of even greater importance is the apparent manifestation of multiple Were-Lemmings faced with the approach of the next Annual Parochial Church Meeting. "Once one member of the council decided to go, now it appears many more are also jumping." The long-term implications of this phenomenon are far from clear. Rev'd Dr Andreas Alcine was heard to say it will either "Kill or cure" - while trying to hide what one parishioner described as "an evil smirk." Reports of cartwheels in the street and cries of "Chaplaincy here we come" have been strenuously denied by sources close to the Vicarage.

Spectacles for Christmas, or Seeing Things Afresh

Following last night's Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Geoffrey's here are the words to the carol that resulted in half the choir walking out in a huff!

Once in Judah's least known city
Stood a boarding house with back-door shed,
Where an almost single-parent mother
Tried to find her new-born son a bed.
Mary's mum and dad went wild
When they heard their daughter had a child.

He brought into earth a sense of heaven,
Lord of none and yet the Lord of all;
And his shelter always was unstable
For his mission was beyond recall.
With the poor, with those least holy,
Christ the king was pleased to live so lowly.

Can he be our youth and childhood's pattern
When we know not how he daily grew?
Was he always, little, weak and helpless,
Did he share our joys and problems too?
In our laughter, fun and daftness
Does the Lord of love suspect our gladness?

Not in that uncharted stable
With the village gossips standing by,
But in heaven we shall see him -
Which may not be up above the sky -
If in love for friend and stranger,
We embrace the contents of the manger.

Thanks to John L Bell for the corrective vision it provides.

Services for tomorrow

Urgent news: the Rev Dr Alcine is currently suffering from 'flu.

The 8am service at St Geoffrey's is cancelled (please direct your wheelchair satnavs to St Myra's where Bertha is presiding).

The 10am service at St. Geoffrey's will be led by the churchwardens. Look for the liturgical dance in the middle of Mattins!

Don't forget at 6.30pm the alternative service at Fulkridge Chapel (bring your earplugs) as DJ Spiritual rocks da house of God, man.