Last weekend I had the joy of participating in a mission weekend in Tuffley. It involved the churches of St Barnabas and St George’s, alongside ecumenical partners across those communities, and it was joyous that the focus of the weekend had the child at the centre.
These mission weekends originally emerged from a national initiative urging bishops to encourage curates in evangelism and to be alongside them in events with an intentional evangelistic focus, prayerfully providing appropriate spaces for people to hear about Jesus Christ and to explore faith for the first time, as well as opportunities for existing faith to be deepened or rekindled.
Yet, this evangelistic calling is that of the whole Church, called ‘to declare the wonderful deeds of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light’. Those words are spoken by the bishop at the opening of every service of ordination, and the mission weekend was an opportunity for those ordained members of the planning group not only to grow in personal boldness in evangelism but also to grow as ordained leaders in their gifts and passion to enable the whole Church to confidently live out this shared baptismal calling ‘to witness to God’s love and to work for the coming of God’s kingdom’ (from the opening words of the ordination service).
I am thus delighted that last weekend’s mission is followed this coming Saturday by a celebration of lay ministry across the diocese: Saturday 19 September at 3pm in the cathedral. The annual service for readers, including the licensing of new readers, is being expanded to have a wider focus with the opportunity to celebrate people who share in ministry in many different ways – not only those who are licensed but all those who are commissioned for different ministries locally, and those who are not only living out their discipleship among the people and places of daily life but are also ministering in specific ways within worshipping communities and diverse local contexts.
Who are the people of different ages and backgrounds who share in ministry in your worshipping community? It may be people who are trained and developing in leading intercessions or participating in prayer ministry; It may be those who participate in ministry with children and young people; or those who have been identified and encouraged in their ministry of welcome or hospitality; and then there may be those people who are exercising ministry through music and in the leading of worship, or in initiatives around safeguarding or eco-church. I saw all of this being lived in Tuffley last weekend. Only you know in your context who is exercising their gifts in different distinct ministries for which they are being prepared, developed, supported and prayed for.
And in talking about local contexts, I am not only thinking of worshipping communities in parishes but also of chaplaincies, Sportily, different expressions of pioneering and so much more. The list is endless and the age and background of those involved is diverse. Let’s celebrate all this in the cathedral on Saturday with clergy and laity present together as the body of Christ.
It seems appropriate that during the service I will not only be licensing new readers but also Elli Wort in her lay leadership as our new diocesan Collaborative Ministry Lead for Lifelong Learning. Alongside Elli, I will also license Sarah Hayden who is ordained and is our Associate Discernment and Vocations Adviser. Both Sarah and Elli are part of the Collaborative Ministry team in the Department of Mission and Ministry, which is committed to valuing and supporting the ministry of all, enabling everyone to become the people God is calling them to be as members together in the Body of Christ. Their licensing alongside one another reflects our LIFE Together spotlight commitment to ‘develop diverse lay and ordained leaders’. In Tuffley last weekend, the collaborative ministry of lay and ordained leaders was beautifully visible.
As I draw to a close, I do want to emphasise that this service of celebration of lay ministry is for everyone, just as with services of ordination. It is an opportunity for every follower of Jesus Christ to offer ourselves afresh to the nurturing of our everyday discipleship – another of our LIFE Together commitments. And so, I return to those opening words of the ordination service:
‘God calls his people to follow Christ, and forms us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to declare the wonderful deeds of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.
The Church is the Body of Christ, the people of God and the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. In baptism the whole Church is summoned to witness to God’s love and to work for the coming of his kingdom. To serve this royal priesthood, God has given a variety of ministries…’
Please do come along on Saturday to celebrate and inhabit this truth.
With my thanks and prayers
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Thank you Bishop Rachel for your most inspiring letter. I have lived ecumenism since the roman catholic/anglican initiative in 1967. Most Sundays being a DD funder, I worship in my local Anglican Church Benefice then go on to an extempore roman catholic gathering (Quaker-like) in the Blaisdon village former primary school, now community hall. I have unfailingly supported the need of women clergy believing that woman priests can safe the church from extinction
I have met Jesus, It was in Lanzaroti Spain 2023. If we ever meet I will relate the amusing/amazing occasion. I love Gloucester Cathedral and visit it when possible. Please feel free to check me out on AI. Yours in Christ. Anthony J M Brady
Mission week sounds great. It would be encouraging to push more churches to work together to reach those on our doorsteps who need Jesus. We have such a vast addiction problem in this city. Keep those folk in our prayers, there, I’m sure, is much hope for them yet should they encounter the living Christ.