BISHOP’S LETTER

Laying down the Law

  Somehow, the whole subject of ecclesiastical law can make us feel uneasy. Didn’t Jesus speak about service which is perfect freedom – and didn’t St. Paul have some key things to say about how the Gospel of Grace has superseded the rule of law on matters of faith?

Yes they did, but neither Jesus nor Paul thereby set aside order, discipline and obedience as irrelevant to Christian discipleship.  Rather, they showed how in matters to do with living Christ-like lives then the law must be our servant and not our master.  It is by God’s grace that we are saved rather than by merely meeting legal requirements.  This is truly a gospel of liberation and we rejoice in it.  Yet the early Church quickly composed codes of behaviour and guides to virtuous living which clearly demonstrate that we live by discipline as well as by grace.

In those early days, the influence of Greek culture encouraged Christians to order their lives around key virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5 verses 22 – 23).  However, the Romans tended more towards law codes which spelt out in some detail what was and was not acceptable.  Ever since then, the Church has tried to formulate ecclesiastical law in such a way as to provide clear guidance and regulation as necessary, whilst also allowing the Christian virtues to find expression without being stifled by an overbearing legalism.

It is in that spirit that Derek Wellman has served us as Diocesan Registrar and Bishop’s Legal Adviser for close on 30th years.  At the Diocesan Synod in March, warm tribute was paid to Derek as he prepares to retire at the end of April.  He has been the epitome of law and grace combined in perfect measure and we are greatly in his debt.  I am delighted that he has accepted my invitation to be installed as a Lay Canon of Lincoln Cathedral.

Now we look forward to working with Caroline Mockford who has been appointed to succeed Derek in these roles, and I am sure she can count on your support and encouragement as she settles into her new responsibilities

New forms of Worship at St Helen’s

I’ve been struggling with this a bit over the past month. It’s not such an easy thing to get your head round, especially with the limitations of the church we’ve got.

However, the only sensible strategy seems to be to get some dates in the diary even though they might be a bit provisional for a week or two.

So:

June: probably the 1^st – Celebration of marriage and families with the opportunity for affirming marriage vows

July: probably 13^th – Pet service.

October: - Something to do with Harvest

November: Remembering the departed

May 10^th 2009 Rogation

Met by God

Many years ago I was involved in a parish project to get ordinary church people (i.e. not clergy) to share what they felt was at the core of their faith.

The result was a substantial booklet in which over 50 people, some members of the PCC, many not, tried to put their faith into words.

I recently came across the booklet again and was surprised at how a collection which is over a quarter of a century old, still had a freshness and felt authentic. Over the next few weeks I’ll print some extracts.

Big Ideas Come True

We have felt that the organ at Marshchapel was underpowered and very limited for such a big building. In the autumn a couple of people had the thought that we could do with one of the many unwanted organs from churches which are redundant or where the well off congregations are getting a new one.

After one disappointment, lots of work and a huge donation work has now started and the new instrument should soon be installed.

We’ve had great co-operation from the Archdeacon and the Diocesan Advisory Board. They even went as far as to get an emergency faculty for the work at the beginning of this week so that we could get the new organ out of its current home in time for builders to start there on schedule! Such an unusual thing that no one really knew how to go about it.

Met By God No 1

I saw a friend's new baby today  fragile as a flower, in a profound, careless sleep, relaxed and utterly safe.  A picture of love taken for granted; love and care demanded and given with neither fear nor doubt nor any need for loving back.  Every child's birthright, we would say. How could any of us have survived without love?  And even when grownup, how different is the feeling of being loved, liked, respected, wanted and needed from the loneliness of rejection, unkindness and indifference; and how hard it is to be loving towards others if you yourself feel cold inside.

Sometimes love springs up like a gift from nature; but then it may dry up, just as naturally, unless we pump energy into it; sometimes love is discouraged and love spurned, stops growing because we aren't loved back.  Love has many ways; there are as many kinds of love as there are people,  But is seems to be the experience of everyone that human life needs love, whatever form it may take. 

Most children 'in care' unlike the baby above, have not been loved, really loved, by those closest to them.  Not one of the ten children we fostered in our home could grow properly, because they could not take love for granted. Usually, the mother had not been loved enough to love, or keep on loving, her child.  Poverty or ignorance were only cloaks hiding the problem of being uncared for.   Each one of us is guilty sometimes of not caring enough, of not being generous in love, failing to nourish our relationship with children, partner, colleagues, parents, brothers in Christ; failing to confirm that we care, whatever the price of caring.   We know we do care; 'I do love you, really', as a child might say.  It means 'My love is weak, it has holes in it, but I love you the best I can. '

The other side of the picture is that honest, open love for someone can produce miraculous results.  A small child once rejected and despised can flourish and blossom in a secure, loving home; an ailing or plain young woman can be transformed in looks and confidence when she accepts that she has actually found someone to love her; a loving mother can find untold strength to care for and develop her weak, spastic child  when doctors have given up.  Lack of love can cause suffering beyond human comprehension and so can great love produce heavenly miracles.

The message of the Gospel of Christ is that everyone can love, even those who have suffered themselves from others' uncaringness.  The gift of infinite love is our Christian birthright, offered to us at Baptism; Jesus' birth brought to frail humanity the promise of God's love for everyone; His life showed us how to love God and one another; His death on the cross proved that we can rely on God's love to the end,  and the Resurrection  Jesus triumphing over death  gives us the perfect and continuing link to our loving Father in heaven.