I must admit - it was part of the
plan. With a two-month double issue of this Parish Magazine there didn’t seem
too much urgency in getting this issue to press. And I wasn’t quite sure what
we’d be including anyway! Meanwhile we have had plenty to keep us occupied in
the parish, culminating in the wonderful Confirmation Service which we hosted
last night (as I write). This is the third time we’ve welcomed Bishop Mark, the
Bishop of Jarrow - and the third time he’s arrived in torrential rain. Later he
tweeted that perhaps the Bishop of Durham should come next time in the hope
that it will break the episcopal connection with extreme weather - but I
reminded him that when he held that office Bishop Tom Wright had merely brought
the hottest conditions of the year instead.
Nevertheless it was a great occasion.
We started the service a bit late - in part because with 28 candidates for
Confirmation the Bishop had to sign a lot of paperwork and presentation books
beforehand. For which we were grateful - all our candidates received
episcopally-signed cards together with prayer books which we hope will nourish
them spiritually.
I was delighted that we were asked to
be the host parish. Apart from anything else we do this sort of thing rather
well in terms of organisation, liturgy and welcome - I’m glad to say that the
Bishop told me that! But I’m pleased also because it gives us the chance to have
a great act of witness in our midst: people of varying ages ready to stand up
and say what they believe as they come to Baptism (for two of them) and
Confirmation. It’s a reminder to the rest of us of our calling. Jesus chooses us - what are we going to
do about it? Jesus is living in our midst
- as the Bishop reminded us - so what are we going to do about it?
There’s no doubt that we do a lot of doing. Read about it in this issue! -
and quite likely you’ve been part of it in one way or another. So now I’m
hoping that things will slow down a little - or at least that we’ll have a
change of pace and approach. For me it means less preparation, planning and
policy-making (more of this another time) - and a move into a season of lots of
Baptisms and Marriages. That’ll be fun! Hopefully there’ll be a little time for
reading and reflection too - and maybe even some attention given to a now
hugely-overgrown garden.
I hope other people will be able to
change pace too. There’s so much to be thankful in the hard work, brilliantly
executed, by so many. Thanks to you all - and for your support and
encouragement!
Martin
Jackson
