John Wittaker has just started transitioning into his new role as Archdeacon of Gloucester, with a formal start in September. He shares this message for the week, as he starts to learn about the people and places of the Diocese of Gloucester.
“Some are made of brick, others of timber, glass, mud, canvas or even ice. Buildings straddle the length and breadth of the world. People are born in them, sleep in them, eat in them, live and love in them, die in them.
“Amongst all the many different buildings some of the most beautiful, the most awe inspiring and the most profound are, of cause, our churches. Not least the churches nestled in the hamlets, villages, towns and cities of Gloucestershire.
“Whether Medieval, Norman, Anglo Saxon, Victorian, or modern (to name a few eras!) one thing which gives our church buildings a common identity is the sacramental character bedded into their physicalness and the communities that are based within them.
“Jesus did not mention buildings in the two sacraments he gave, neither did the Church as we expanded the list to seven. But if the heart of sacramental identity is physical things which express spiritual truth, or icons leading the eye and heart to the Glory of God, then whilst it is beyond our pay grade to expand the sacrament list to eight, we can surely say that our buildings have a sacramental tone or character. Their presence in every community in Gloucester provides a tangible physical reminder of the presence of God in our world and supports a community of men, women and children who in prayer, sacramental worship, fellowship and service live out being the ‘Body of Christ’ in the world today.
“Our church buildings are used well and in a huge variety of different ways. Worship, culture, service, community life, exercise and education to name but a few. However questions remain for us to ponder on. What can we do to more clearly recognise our churches as the pearl of great price? How can we develop our buildings to let them more fully express their potential gift to our communities? Who do we partner with to open our doors and welcome all our community in? Having received these buildings through the grace of God and the generosity of our forebears, how do we make sure we are the best possible stewards of this immense resource entrusted to us?
“In my interview for the role of Archdeacon of Gloucester, I was asked to present on: ‘Responding to the Fragility and Promise of Church Buildings.’ I acknowledged the fragilities but concluded with a great sense of hope and excitement about the promise of our buildings. My prayer for leveraging up our use of buildings and embedding sustainability into that process has begun. I look forward to joining you all in September when our prayers shall come together as we explore how better to use this great gift God has given us – church buildings throughout our Diocese of Gloucester.”
God Bless,
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