We publish Bishop Bev's Chrism Sermon here
You can also listen to the audio here
Friends,
I have so very much been looking forward to celebrating this Chrism Eucharist with you. Last year I was denied this privilege due to Covid.
I want to thank you all for your collegiality, for your faith, your faithfulness and for your leadership in what has been among the 4 most difficult years in recent times. The way you have risen to the challenges of a world pandemic, an economic and fuel crisis, the uncertainties caused by the war in Ukraine, the rise of refugees and the various and significant challenges facing the church, has been both extraordinary and outstanding.
I want to thank you for the way you have adapted to new styles of ministry to meet the needs of today and the way you have responded to the needs of the very poorest among whom we serve. Thank you for the weekly feeding of the thousands; for helping to lift people out of debt; for your work with people with addictions; your work with the police, councillors, schools and other agencies – for the Clear Hold Build initiative to rescue and regenerate communities seriously affected by gun and organised crime; for your advocacy for those who would otherwise have nobody to advocate for them; for your work in prisons, hospitals, hospices, schools and colleges and in all places within our communities.
You’ve led the people of these parts in their grieving for a much loved monarch, and you’ll now lead the nation as it celebrates the coronation of the king.
All this and I haven’t yet got to the pastoral provision for your people; your leading in worship and prayer; your introducing people to Jesus, deepening discipleship and developing Christian leaders.
Fit for Mission is causing excitement and fear in equal measure as we further adapt to a fast changing world – and where we are seeing FFM implemented, we are seeing new people coming to faith, people returning to church, people being discipled, new leaders being developed and new congregations. We’re seeing children and young people responding to the Gospel – the trend is being bucked.
Dear friends, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon you’ and it is in the strength of the Lord, that so much is being done across this diocese, in His name. You are transforming lives and communities, ‘making the bigger difference with more people knowing Jesus and more justice in the world’.
If you’ve been feeling tired, then it’s hardly surprising. For the ‘harvest is plentiful but the labourers, few’. The work is never done! 94% of the UK are not Christian – if that’s not an incentive to proclaim the Gospel, I don’t know what is!
In your service of the Lord, please guard your own wellbeing. Hold fast to the disciplines of private prayer, reading the Bible, studying the scriptures, taking time for quiet reflection, making retreats and taking your agreed time off. And let nothing, especially fatigue, steal your spirit of thankfulness and joy that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I’m very pleased to announce the appointment of the Revd Martin Thorpe as the Bishop’s Officer for Clergy Wellbeing. Clergy wellbeing has been a concern of Martin’s for many years, and he will now take on this responsibility alongside his parish ministry. He’ll be meeting with you in chapters and at other times to encourage the implementation of the Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing and to listen to you and any concerns you may have about wellbeing.
During the administration of the Sacrament there will be prayer with the laying on of hands and anointing for anyone who would like to receive this sacred ministry.
In our Gospel reading, we encounter Jesus at the formal start of his earthly ministry. He’s fired up by the Spirit – his anointing; he’s tested his calling and he’s been tested, and here he is in the Synagogue, declaring that he is the Anointed of God, the Davidic Messiah. It’s a bold message, that is too difficult for his audience.
He’s taken up to a high place and risks being thrown off the mountain. Only his time had not come! He had to enable people to identify the King of kings in their midst. He had to proclaim the Kingdom of God that his presence ushered in. He had to reorientate the people back to God. He had yet to forgive the sinner, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, feed the thousands, walk on water, still the storm and raise the dead to life. By these deeds, He would reveal the face of God and the hand of God.
Yet, still, He would be rejected, reviled and despised!
His death would be brought about, not by an offended rabble throwing him off the mountain like some scapegoat. His death would be brought about under the condemnation of the chief priest and religious leaders of the Holy People; and under the imperious hand of Caesar and under condemnation by God, God’s self! For the wages of sin was/is death. Such is the Saviour’s love for the world, that God in Jesus the Anointed, takes upon himself, the condemnation of the world.
And what does Love ask for in return?
Well, there are many things that are asked for: Jesus asks that we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner ….. we are told to go out and proclaim the Gospel of Christ and to baptise and make disciples …. We are told to love one another, as Christ himself loves us! But the consistent prayer we hear, which is reinforced by His words with such strength of the One who is under condemnation and about to plummet the depths of hell, is for the unity of his people. Jesus says to the Father, ‘I haven’t lost one of those whom you gave me!’ The inference is that Jesus had to work for the holding together of his people. Our inclination, when things are troubling, or difficult, or painful, is to walk away … to break unity, to break comm-union.
Thank you, to each and every one of you who has responded to my call to pray for the unity of the church this Lent; and for those of you who have actively worked for unity. Please continue to pray for and work for the unity of the church – or we shall splinter!
As we now move to the Re-affirmation of our promises to God, let’s take a moment to reflect upon our own particular calling. Let’s think back to our first ‘yes’ to God. Does God daily animate our ministry, or have we become so self-assured so that we know what we’re doing and don’t need to trouble Him!
As we renew our vows before God and one another, may God pour out afresh His anointing Spirit upon us. May we lay down the stuff that is weighing us down or eclipsing the Son of Righteousness; that we may take up afresh the Cross of Christ, and raise high the name that is above all names – even Jesus the Christ, our Lord and God. Amen.