Number crunching

I’ve been settling into my new role in the parish and musing about the various official bits and pieces of communication I have received. The Guidelines for Residents in diocesan houses makes sense, though I’m still waiting for someone to come and sort out the lack of hot water for a bath, having reported the problem a week ago. There’s the legal stuff like assigned fees and the Statement of Particulars as part of Common Tenure (see Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Regulations 2009).

However, the piece of paper that really caught my eye was the details of Parish Share for 2011 from the Diocesan Office. The sheet sets out a breakdown of how much the parish has given so far this year and the balance left to contribute and it was enclosed with a letter of welcome. On the back is a breakdown by parish of the deanery Parish Share for the last 5 years. Now I don’t have a problem with this in itself, I think that the Parish Share is important in enabling the mission and ministry of the parishes and the diocese. What I do have a problem with is the fact that this is the only published measured assessment of a parish’s contribution sent to me as I embarked on my ministry. The message it communicated to me was that this was what the diocese really cared about when it came to measuring the effectiveness of my ministry or the work of the local church. I know that is not the case but that is how it felt.

Why no figures about the number of baptisms, confirmations, regular worshippers, vocations to various licensed and authorised ministry, weddings, funerals, pastoral visits, discipleship programmes, home groups, children’s and youth ministries, missionary support, outreach activities, community engagement events and the hundred and one other things that the local church is about? Now I know what most of these figures are because they were clearly set out in the parish profile that I received during the appointment process. But these figures aren’t published or discussed in the detail or with the same scrutiny as the amount of money a church gives to the diocese. So what does that say about where our values and priorities are?

Rob Bell comes clean!

'...I believe it's best to only discuss books you've actually read.'

Couldn’t agree more Rob and the rest of what you’ve said sounds good to me as well.

There's a brief account of a discussion some of us had in a pub about Rob's book Love Wins here.

h/t James Ogley

Anglican Patrimony

The Diocese of Chelmsford debated the issue of Women Bishops on Saturday and voted in favour of the following motion:

"That this Synod approve the proposals embodied in the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure and in draft Amending Canon No. 30."

A following motion calling for more provisions for those unable on theological grounds to accept the ministry of women bishops was rejected.

I wasn’t able to attend the debate, however, I have read the Bishop of Chelmsford’s presidential address to synod. +Stephen’s theme is Anglican Patrimony and it is well worth reading through to the end. His concluding remarks are particularly pertinent not just to this debate but for others facing the Church of England at the moment.

But before the debate begins properly, let me finish by mentioning something even more important than this. Whatever the outcome of today’s debate and of the debate in General Synod next year, we will almost certainly be left without complete agreement, though make no mistake about it, complete agreement and consensus is what I am praying for. Therefore the question for each of us as we go home today is this: what shall I do with my disagreement? How we answer this question is of fundamental spiritual significance, because it demands of us two things: great love of our neighbour, a Christ like love that is willing to go the second mile; and also great trust. Do I trust that those with whom I disagree are still my brothers and sisters in Christ who in faithfully reading the same scriptures as me and inhabiting the same Anglican patrimony, have reached, in conscience, different conclusions? If I can see Christ in them and honour the decisions our synods come to, then there will be hope not just for the Church of England, but for the world. For our world is more divided and fearful and confused than ever; and it might be that in our day God is calling us to show, by the way we handle our disagreements, the love of Christ who is, says the letter to the Ephesians, “Our peace”. In his flesh he is breaking down the barriers between us (Ephesians 2. 14). May this be so today: for our church and for our world.

To which I can only add Amen.

John Richardson has posted his own reflection on the Chelmsford vote and the wider issues raised here. I don't agree with John's position but he represents a view that should be heard as part of the debate.

Ascension

We saw his light break through the cloud of glory
Whilst we were rooted still in time and place
As earth became a part of Heaven’s story
And heaven opened to his human face.
We saw him go and yet we were not parted
He took us with him to the heart of things
The heart that broke for all the broken-hearted
Is whole and Heaven-centred now, and sings,
Sings in the strength that rises out of weakness,
Sings through the clouds that veil him from our sight,
Whilst we our selves become his clouds of witness
And sing the waning darkness into light,
His light in us, and ours in him concealed,
Which all creation waits to see revealed .

With thanks to Malcolm Guite for permission to post his Ascension Day Sonet. You can hear Malcolm read the poem here and there is also a brief explanation of the inspiration behind the composition. I particularly found this comment interesting:

For you have died, says St. Paul, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. In the ascension Christ’s glory is at once revealed and concealed, and so is ours.

Maggi Dawn's post on Ascension Day is also well worth a read.

FIFA uncovered

Much has been said and written about FIFA, world football’s governing body, and the re-election of their indefatigable leader Sepp Blatter. There is a distinct stench of corruption around the organisation and several executive members are being investigated by FIFA’s Ethics Committee. Blatter has managed to sail through the accusations and revelations, refusing to acknowledge the depth of the scandals or any culpability on his part. In large measure the supine members of FIFA have paid due deference to Blatter and all but a handful have supported his coronation.

There is an excellent comment piece by Duncan White contrasting Blatter with Manchester United legend Paul Scholes who retired from football this week. Henry Winter has also offered some advice for the English F.A. who led a lamentable last ditch effort to prevent Blatter’s coronation from going ahead. Marina Hyde has done a great job in reminding us of the favourable tax status enjoyed by FIFA.

I make just two comments about the English F.A.’s late conversion to the cause of fair play and anti-corruption. Firstly, they all kept their mouths firmly closed while England still had a chance of successfully bidding for the World Cup, with the Prime Minister and a future king travelling across the globe to pay homage in Blatter’s court. It should be remembered how the F.A. complained when BBC’s Panorama ran a documentary exposing bribery in FIFA for fear of it scuppering England’s chances of bagging the prize.

Secondly, just look at some of the characters the English F.A. have been happy to countenance running English football clubs. There is a fit and proper test applied by the F.A. but it seems to be nothing more than a brief check on whether prospective owners have the money or the ability to organise a leveraged buy out. The F.A. has gone through a steady stream of Chairman whose main quality is an ability mess up anything they turn their hands to, from the farce that was the construction of the new Wembley Stadium to the cack handed attempt to block Blatter’s enthronement.

The badge on the England football shirt is Three Lions. If you look closely in the background you might just see a few donkeys and I am not referring to Tony Adams.

A while back I blogged about a possible campaign to have a World Cup held in Antarctica in 2026. I am pleased to report there is further evidence to support the idea that FIFA is contemplating such a move and here’s the story.

Be sure your sins…

Bramble, our recalcitrant black Lab with a taste for the chickens, had never encountered a cat flap until we moved to our new Rectory. He knows all about them now!

Visitation

I meant to post these photographs yesterday in celebration of the Visit of Mary to Elizabeth.



The sculpture is from the Church of the Visitation at Ein Karem. The courtyard wall is covered with the words of The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56) in 42 different languages.



The pictures were taken during my sabbatical in 2008.

Doug Chaplin has posted an interesting comment about Joseph in Luke’s infancy narrative.