Mitres, bells, maps, keys and power cuts ......

Married now to a seasoned am dram thespian, I was nervous beforehand but, Elizabeth had to admit that she was impressed.

Like the Beatles in Hamburg the CofE can sure 'Mak Show'.

The service of Licensing and Installation at Snods Edge on Sunday, whilst not Rock and Roll, combined high drama, a great sermon, a lot of emotion, excellent singing, appropriate symbolism and a power cut.

Of course being at the edge of wind, weather, ice storms and snow, people were prepared and the service ended with light generated by torches, although the kids were alright because they were the first to light the Bishop's path with their 'phones.

The bunfight by candlelight was so cosy and warm and the conversation flowed so much that a united cry of disappointment rose as a single voice when the lights flickered back into life.

So here I am on Tuesday of week one of a new, post retirement job.

All my secular jobs began with a meeting.

The Church does things differently, ceremony, symbolism and all.

But now the meetings begin.

Because I approached the Archdeacon in the summer of 2018, having read of the vacancy on the Diocesan web-site, I had to all intents and purposes become a member of the congregation following our first visit to suss the place out.

We were quickly welcomed and invited along to sample the world famous teas. The parish put the teas on every Sunday throughout the Summer. After the Teas came the Arts Festival where we were sussed out ourselves as a retired Vicar and his wife and encouraged, no told, to get our application in.

The off we flew to Sicily only to be pursued by an email invitation from the Archdeacon inviting us to interview.

And now here we are.

This is a parish where the the past three incumbents have been 'House for Duty'. Tim Atkins I knew when I was Social Responsibility Officer in the Diocese from 1978 through to 1987, so I knew of the Parish but never suspected that part of the purpose God would work out for me would be to encourage me into serving my last job(?) here.

It is an intriguing place, the Electoral Roll has a 109 names with almost 100% of those names living outwith the parish, which has only around 250 houses.

On the first Sunday of the Month the Ministry team organise, plan and lead the worship, most of the activities in the Village Hall, which is the Church Hall, are organised and run by members of the Congregation.

There is here a real spirit of what Ivan Illich called conviviality.

In his Book Tools for Conviviality, Illich, a Priest, described the need to develop new instruments for the reconquest of practical knowledge by the average citizen.

Clearly the link with a professionalised priesthood practising their priest craft in ways that deskill congregations is clear.

In the Church, both currently and in the future, a new partnership needs to be created in which the Ministry of the People of God is exercised by the people of God.

The parish of Snods Edge has thrived during a two year vacancy because the outgoing clergy have all spent time offering prayerful preparations for the ministry of the people to be fulfilled and fulfilling.

I know, from my time in America, that the definition of Parish need not be entirely geographically defined and that the value of the gathered congregation is that it allows and enables people to come together and grow in friendship as they experience and value a shared friendship in the Gospel.

As the Mission Statement states:




With God’s help, we aim to be a worshipping, growing,

Christian community, serving God and others

with Jesus Christ
as our example and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Whilst it is a long way from completion, if it has even started, the journey for the Church of England, from a Priest in each of its 16000 Churches to one Priest ministering to all 16000 Churches is simply neither practical or desirable.

But a future where ministry is shared and where the Gospel is proclaimed in word, worship, service and conviviality is one to aim for. 

Which is why I was able to answer the Bishop's Question about being called to this ministry as clearly as the words provided: 

 'I do'.

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