JUBILEE REFLECTIONS Earlier this year I celebrated the jubilee of my ordination to
the priesthood. It was a great occasion which I was able to share with Moira, my wife who is also an ordained priest, some
of my friends and colleagues and members of St James' congregation. The main event was a Jubilee Mass in the cathedral
by kind permission of the Provost, to whom grateful thanks are offered.
Since that event a number of people have asked
me to reflect on the ministry which began 51 years ago (the first year of ordained ministry is served as a deacon, not a priest).
I was ordained in Derby Cathedral on Michaelmas Day (29th Sept. 1960/61) and served my ‘title' as a curate at St
Mary's, Ilkeston, which is an industrial town between Nottingham and Derby. It was a great experience and a number of
lasting friendships were forged. I was the third member of a clergy team and we worked hard but had lots of fun. The church
congregation was large and active, with a big choir (all male of course in those days), a sizeable Sunday school with its
own ‘superintendent', two youth groups which the newest curate (me) was given to run. In addition to the parish
church we had two ‘mission stations' in the more down town area. Although the church looked active compared to what
happens in churches today, there were even then signs of numerical decline. The upkeep of the buildings took all our financial
resources and indeed all our energies, both physical and spiritual.
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Looking back to those times the people who guided our church life: bishops, archdeacons, administrators
etc all thought we could just go on for ever. There was no need to change anything, just tinker with the services a bit and
adjust the system here and there and all would be well. That was at the beginning of the 60's, by the end of 60's
a very different pattern was emerging. People no longer were coming to church out of habit, or because mother or father said
so. Young people were staying away listening to The Beatles on their little record players or going down to the disco and
staying up late on Saturday night. Sunday was for resting, getting up late and perhaps venturing to whatever shops were open.
The pattern of people's life style was changing rapidly. In the ‘church' we witnessed these things but didn't
do anything about our ‘church life-style'.
Eventually we realized that perhaps our worship needed livening
up and perhaps our religious clothes were not suitable for a mobile age (ever tried to ride a bike wearing a cassock?). All
sorts of things had to change if we were to engage with the world around us. In the next three decades some change did happen
- new liturgies, new translations of the bible, more vibrant music in some churches. Fewer and fewer priests meant that lay
people had to do many of the things that previously only the clergy did, and of course eventually in 1994 women were ordained.
But the changes took a long time to gain acceptance and really by then we had lost a whole generation.
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Now there are very many people who have never been inside a church and certainly, apart from Songs of
Praise on the television, never hear or know some of the newer and more acceptable church music - and certainly they are not
familiar with any kind of liturgy. I know all this because when you arrange a funeral or wedding today - apart from "Abide
with Me" or Psalm 23 to Crimond (for funerals) and "All things Bright and Beautiful" (for the very occasional
wedding) the choice of music is decided by whatever tape the people concerned happen to like. It is an indicator of just how
much the church has drifted away from where many people are today. I would even go on to say that the church really has to
think hard about Sunday itself as the main day for its worship.
So in 50 years of ministry I have much to reflect upon,
not in a negative way but hopefully in my own small way I can begin to see a different church life-style emerging. I think
the House Church movement is one way of meeting people where they are. Long winded theological sermons don't cut much
ice today, so why do we persist with them? The liturgy comes alive around a kitchen table, where saying short meaningful prayers
can be shared by all. Priest and people sit down together to read together a short piece of scripture. We can work out together
what it means to us today. We make deep and meaningful relationships and go to each other for help and comfort when in trouble.
There are other ways of being ‘church'. The Holy Spirit is still leading us, if only we open our eyes and ears to
see and look.
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