Hold the front page

To be honest I'm not a regular subscriber to the Church Times for a variety of reasons which I won't bore you with now, however,  this morning's front page made me feel as depressed as a Brazilian football fan at about 9:29 pm last Tuesday.

I'm not sure who decided to run with this picture but as someone who has a role in fostering vocations in the Church of England I fear the front page has made my job even harder. What message does the picture convey? Ministry in the C of E is for white, middle aged people who like to bounce like Tigger while managing to look slightly awkward about it? Strange, because in the Diocese of Chelmsford two weekends ago we held three ordination services at Chelmsford Cathedral with 32 people being deaconed. Something of the diversity of the diocese was represented in age, ethnicity and gender amongst both candidates and congregations, though we've still a long way to go. Don't get me wrong, God calls white, middle aged people to ministry and I'm one of them, though I was ordained in my mid-twenties, but they aren't the only people he calls. It is said that a picture paints a thousand words and unfortunately most of the words that came into my mind when I saw this front page are unpublishable.

Anyway, if you feel you are hearing even an echo of a whisper that God may be calling you to ministry, to use +Stephen Cottrell's phrase, why not have a chat with your local minister or check out Call Waiting.

I love my job

The last month has been fairly manic but in the midst of it all have been several reminders of what I love about my job. A couple of weeks ago we celebrated our diocesan lay education and training programmes in Chelmsford Cathedral; it was a great occasion with a real sense of joy. Last weekend we held our Reader selection conference and met some gifted, faithful candidates offering to train to serve in this important lay ministry of preaching and teaching. It was particularly encouraging to see the diversity of candidates in age and background.

Then yesterday at St. Paul’s Cathedral staff and students of St. Mellitus College gathered together for our Graduation and Valedictory Eucharist. We said goodbye to recently ordained deacons and the Chelmsford Readers who were licensed last autumn. This cohort of students is the first group to study together from the two constituent parts of the college; North Thames Ministerial Training Course and St. Paul’s Theological Centre. It has been so encouraging to see the way the students have integrated, studied, worshipped and grown together in formation for ministry. They have modelled SMC’s commitment to generous orthodoxy.

The students graduated from Middlesex University, St. Mellitus College’s validating body; the ordinands receiving their BA in Contextual Theology and the Readers a Dip He in Ministry. The awards were presented by Dr Claude Pehrson on behalf of the university’s Dean. Claude is a good friend to SMC having been involved in the validation of our various programmes and we wish him well as he retires this summer.

During the Eucharist the students presented the college with a banner they had commissioned, a creative working of the St. Mellitus College logo. Each of the students was also presented with a certificate by Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, Dean of SMC, and myself as Director of Lay Ministry Studies. I was particularly proud of our Reader students, four of whom had received distinctions in the Dip HE. Following the service and some photographs at the West door of the cathedral we headed off to St Bride’s Institute for some lunch.

Other highlights of the last month have included chairing a diocesan working party on authorising local preachers; preparing and planning to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible in 2011 and several visits to deanery chapters to talk about SHAPE, part of our diocesan vocations initiative. There’s a fair amount of routine in my role with lots happening on a cyclical pattern, but at the heart of it all is the opportunity to support and resource Christians and churches in their ministry and mission and that is a real privilege.

Rambo priests

The Roman Catholic Brooklyn Archdiocese has made a video inviting men to consider joining the priesthood as part of the Year of the Priest. The video is well made with stirring music reminiscent of the opening scene of some great action adventure film. The call to priesthood is presented as a challenge and concludes with the caption: ‘Accept the challenge of priesthood and enjoy the rewards for life’. I don’t have any problem with presenting the call to ministry, any ministry in the service of God, as a challenge and perhaps we have underplayed that aspect of vocation. Yet, I found myself unable to identify with just about every aspect of the video in its presentation of ordained ministry as male and celibate; no surprise there as I am an ordained, married, father of two who is an Anglican!

Resources for exploring vocations in the Diocese of Chelmsford can be found here and here.

from pitch to punditry to pulpit - Gavin Peacock

Excellent interview with former Chelsea midfielder and football pundit Gavin Peacock in The Times. Gavin talks to Tony Cascarino about his imminent move to Calgary in Canada where he will study for a Masters in Divinity in preparation for ordination. I knew of Peacock's faith from the book that he co-wrote with Alan Comfort (Middlesborough & Leyton Orient player and now a vicar in the Chelmsford Diocese) Never Walk Alone. In the interview Peacock talks about his faith, being a Christian and a professional footballer, his emerging sense of calling to ordination and the future.

''Over my football career and life as a Christian, I've always spoken at different things - youth events, dinners, in churches. Over the last eight months, I've actually been preaching in churches. When I do that, I'm happy, it feels right. I enjoy it but, at the same time, I have to do it. I feel compelled to do it. It's twofold. I not only enjoy it and it makes me feel good and it completes me, it's that I have to do it. It's a conviction I have. It's different from doing something just because you enjoy it.''

I've always respected Peacock's footballing insights and will miss his contributions to Football Focus and Match Of The Day 2; though since the BBC have lost the Premiership coverage for next season there wouldn't have been much for him to do. Another interesting interview with Peacock was published by The Church Times in November 2007. Please pray for Gavin and his family as they move to Canada and as he embarks on his ordination training.

Becket

Spent an enjoyable couple of hours with my wife and a glass of wine watching Becket (Paramount 1964) a few days ago. The film follows the relationship between Henry II played by Peter O’Toole and Thomas Becket played by Richard Burton. Based on the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh and with a strong supporting cast, I thought the two central performances were excellent. I had seen the film some thirty years ago; though the only scene I remembered was Henry and Becket jumping out of a young woman’s bedroom window! Well I was a teenager at the time. I also studied T. S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral while at university and so have had an ongoing interest in the story.

The turning point in the film is Henry’s decision to make Becket, his close friend and confidant, Archbishop of Canterbury in order to solve the problem of the Church’s challenge to his authority. Becket pleads with Henry not to make him Archbishop but the King refuses to listen. From that moment Becket’s allegiance turns from King to God and there is a very powerful scene in which Becket, acknowledging his unworthiness, prays for God’s wisdom and equipping for the task he has been given. Becket devotes his life to the work of the church even though it brings him into direct conflict with the King and the relationship deteriorates to the point where Henry cries out ‘Can no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?’ Four knights take up the challenge, head of to Canterbury and murder Becket. The film ends as it begins with Henry before Becket’s tomb doing penance for the murder of his friend and declaring him a saint.

Having seen the film I’ve found myself reflecting on several themes including: the nature of friendship, the impact of vocation on a person’s life and loyalties and just how good an actor Richard Burton was without even trying.