Diocesan News
The Rt Revd Ken Clarke's Presidential Address to the Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh Diocesan Synod
KILMORE, ELPHIN & ARDAGH DIOCESAN SYNOD
Saturday 14th October 2006
Shannon Keys West Hotel, Rooskey, Co. Roscommon
Presidential Address by the Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh,
The Rt Revd Ken Clarke.
Distinguished Guests, Synod Members, new Synod members, Display Holders and all present?welcome to our Diocesan Synod 2006! Many Synod addresses have a particular theme and the theme I have chosen for this year is summed up in one key word?Development. We will look at political development, community development and Parish development. In this year?s address we will focus primarily on Parish development in the Diocese and on our call to be a welcoming and witnessing church.
Political Development?Northern Ireland:
Once again we are at a vitally important time in the history of Northern Ireland. Being a cross-border Diocese this has profound implications for members of our Diocese living on the northern side of the border but indeed has implications for the whole island. Will Northern Ireland people govern Northern Ireland? Will Direct Rule continue? Will devolved government be re-established and developed? What will be the future shape of political structures in this part of Ireland?
There is no doubt that considerable and significant progress has been made. The achievements must be recognized. It is very popular to criticize politicians but we would not be where we are without the actions of politicians. This very week our elected representatives in Northern Ireland continue to search for a way forward which is acceptable and achievable. They carry a heavy responsibility. So do we! We are all involved in this process. Our attitudes matter. Our views influence. At election time each vote counts.
What can we do?
Pray! The New Testament encourages us to pray for those in authority. As discussions and dialogue continue and as the 24th November draws nearer let us pray that a way forward will be found.
What is needed if we are to move forward and see significant developments?
Three things are needed: Clear thinking, courageous actions, and big-heartedness
Clear Thinking: Anyone who gives serious thought to our present society recognizes that we are in a completely new culture and context. Major acts of violence have subsided dramatically. Terrorist activity is nothing like it was several years ago. New political structures which are fair, and new relationships which are marked by cooperation and partnership in furthering a stable and prosperous Northern Ireland, are within our grasp. It is vital that all shades of opinion are heard and all sections of society are represented fairly.
Courageous Actions: We have all made mistakes in the past. Many of us have not understood or even attempted to understand the feelings, thoughts and experiences of ?the other side.? New political developments may be painful for many, not least for those who have suffered so tragically as a result of violence. When hurts are deep and the wounds still raw because of the loss of loved ones, the loss of limbs, the loss of one?s home or business, it can be very stretching to witness new political arrangements. However in every post-conflict situation in the world courageous actions are necessary if peace is to last, violence is to belong to the past and sustained stability achieved.
Big-Heartedness: The theological words for big-heartedness are grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus said, ?Blessed are the peacemakers.? Peace can only be grasped and enjoyed when the river of big-heartedness flows into hearts, lives, relationships and communities. Politically the big heartedness will be expressed in a determination to build, with all sections of the community, a new and different country.
Undergirding, and fundamental to, clear thinking, courageous actions and big-heartedness is trust. The rebuilding and establishment of a discerning trust is essential and a growing trust will facilitate future development.
Community Development?Hard Gospel
One of the most important developments in recent years in the Church of Ireland has been what we call the Hard Gospel initiative. As I understand it, the Hard Gospel initiative is about important and necessary developments within our own community and within the wider community. It covers beliefs and behaviour, values and attitudes, words and prejudices. It is about living with difference. It covers structures and systems, individuals and groups. Part of the vision is a new quality of relationships and careful consideration of our language. For example
Think about the kind of comments we make to others. Are they constructive, honest and visionary, or are they sectarian, selfish and small-minded?
Think about the structures and systems within our church. Are they fair and reflective of the composition of our church? Are they sometimes sectarian?
The Hard Gospel is not about forfeiting sincerely held convictions but the appropriate expression of our faith. I don?t wish to say any more about this at this stage because I have asked Mr Philip McKinley, a member of the Hard Gospel team, to address us.
Parish Development
Archbishop John Neill has described the Parish Development initiative as a ?bright light in the Church of Ireland.? Last month in September groups from 34 parishes throughout Ireland attended the first Church21 weekend in Dublin. 2 parishes from our own Diocese were represented and we trust they will find participation in the process helpful and fruitful.
Parish Development is thinking about all aspects of parish life. In this Synod address we will consider two?worship and witness. As we think of God?s call to be a worshipping and witnessing church and as we think of our own parish, here are some important and perhaps uncomfortable questions?.
Is our parish a cosy, self-focussed club or is it a radical and committed community of love, a Kingdom of God community serving the wider community? a Jesus-like family?
Is our worship on Sunday marked by welcome?
Is our worship understandable?
Are our pews open pews or do we defend them? How do we respond when someone else sits in ?our pew??
As a worshipping congregation are we faithful or frozen?
Are we working towards excellence in ministry, reverence in worship and relevance in all we are and do?
Are we an open family of God who love God and love our neighbour or are we an exclusive club for an elitist few?
I am thrilled to see in our Diocese examples in parishes of selfless service and an eagerness to grow. Like others I listen to, I am concerned when there appears to be a misunderstanding of our calling and little vision for Christ?s vision. Sometimes this is because of hurt, mistrust, fear, disappointment and it is important to listen and understand the fears. Patience is necessary. However we must never forget that we are all called to a life of development. Being a disciple of Christ is a calling to grow in character and community. Clear thinking, courageous actions and big-heartedness are not just ingredients of political development. They are inherent in our calling to be disciples of Jesus. They are to be marks of our parish life.
In the new Ireland, of which we are all a part, it is crucial that we are a welcoming church. Ireland will never be the same again and many people from other countries and cultures are here to stay. The Bible encourages us to welcome the stranger. How welcome are new people in our parishes? How welcome are those who have come from other parts of the world? How welcome are the lonely, isolated, elderly, the disillusioned and the discouraged, the downhearted and the depressed, the difficult and the diffident, the searching and the seeking, the angry and the anxious? People never forget a warm welcome, a sensitive greeting and genuine friendship. Such qualities in Christ attracted others to Him. Such qualities in His church will do the same.
A Witnessing Church
We are called not just to be a welcoming church but a witnessing church. Our welcome is a part of our witness. Our witness is to be sensitive but not intrusive. It is the Holy Spirit who intrudes and invades our lives. We are not called to be nosy and intrusive.
There are some who are uncomfortable with any talk of mission evangelism and outreach in and through the Church today. These dimensions of church life are seen as outdated and unnecessary. It is claimed that, universally, we must affirm people in their own particular beliefs lifestyle and behaviour but what does this mean? It is implied or expressed that a genuinely welcoming church in the 21st Century will disregard traditional doctrine and teaching.
In response I make the following 5 points?
1. Our God is a missionary God who loves the whole world. He invites and he invades. We have not been informed that He no longer loves the whole world! He still does and always will! We too are called to love all. Through His people He moves and works. His people are to be salt and light in the world.
2. ?We have a Gospel to proclaim? are words we often sing. They make sense because they are true. The lost are still to be found, the fallen still need forgiveness. The Gospel is more than good advice, it is still good news. There is still is a recognizable faith which the New Testament describes as ?the faith once delivered to the saints.?
3. Thirdly, decisive discipleship means distinctive behaviour. When Jesus said ?Follow me? He meant precisely that. The Gospel is about becoming more like Jesus in our character and calling. The stealer no longer steals, the criminal turns away from his crime, the selfish become selfless, the loveless become loving, and the opponents of Christ become friends and servants of Christ. Distinctive behaviour expressed in personal and community transformation are the fruits of the Gospel and the greatest visual aids to the reality of the living Christ.
4. Fourthly, the presence of a welcome does not mean the absence of discernment. In our call to be welcoming we are called to be discerning and always to be like Jesus, wise and winsome. The one described as ?the friend of sinners? has also said ?Go and sin no more.? He has told us to keep His commandments and abide in His love.
5. Fifthly, Jesus is full of grace and truth. Grace is not grace if it disregards truth. Truth is not truth if it dispenses with grace. Following in the footsteps of Jesus is to walk in dangerous and difficult territory. It is to obey His words and do His works. It is to love truth and live grace. At times we will be misunderstood. At times we will be in line with our culture and at other times we will be counter culture. Always we will be cross centred in our living, cross focussed in our thinking and cross following in our calling. Christ?s call has not changed. ?Take up your cross and follow me? is at the heart of vocation. A denial of self and an embracing of Christ will result in a costly discipleship, a radical obedience and an awesome humility.
In all our discussions and in all our debates in our parishes and in this Diocese, these 5 principles are priority. Indeed in all our debates discussions and decision-making in the wider Anglican Communion these same principles are priority. If we ignore or diminish them we fail Christ, harm the Church and mislead the world. The Church?s mission has not changed. What we refer to as Christ?s last commission is still a first priority for Christ?s church. We are both a worshipping and a witnessing church.
Reflections on Development:
I recognize that for some people any kind of development or change is difficult. We love the familiar. But sometimes we can hide in it or behind it. We can become so comfortable we forget our calling. We want a Christ-less faith, a cross-less Christ and a comfortable Christianity. We want the worship and witness of our parish just to stay exactly the same as it always was. Any suggestion of any development, or anything different, is met with suspicion, caution and sometimes resistance. Society moves on but we stay the same and so become irrelevant in our community.
Just think of some of the changes in the lifetime of some members of our Synod. Think of our homes. Compare our homes to the homes of our grandparents. The tilly lamps have gone as the nightly source of light in our homes. Think of travel. We now travel to church by car, not on feet or horseback. Think of farming. Farming methods have changed. I have never yet seen anyone milking by hand in the Diocese but I have seen a lot of milking machines. I haven?t seen anyone ploughing with the hand-held plough behind a horse but I have seen a lot of tractors. Why then should we welcome and absorb development in every area of life except the parish? Are we caught in a time warp? I can assure you that change for the sake of change is quite unacceptable. But change and development for the sake of the Kingdom of God is a different matter. This is our calling. The Christian life and the Kingdom of God are about growth and life. Life is about development. Development is about moving on, growing up and reaching out. It is about serving the purposes of God in this generation. It is about Christ?s priorities becoming our priorities. It is about listening to the doubts of the doubter today, addressing the questions of the questioners today, and speaking in today?s language in a way people understand. Like the father in the story of the prodigal son it is about going out and giving a welcome, taking initiative, being willing to make the first move. It is about being willing to develop, and sometimes leave the familiar, in order to be Christ?s welcoming hands to the lost and the least, the stranger and the estranged, the people whom Christ loves.
The sub-title of our diocesan Forward initiative is ?Growing Healthy Parishes.? If we are to move along the road of being, and living as God?s people in Ireland today both North and South then we follow in the footsteps of Jesus who stepped out, reached out and was stretched out on the cross. The way of the Cross is the way forward. That is painful but it is also the greatest privilege we can ever have!
Members of Synod, may we be totally committed to clear thinking, courageous actions and big-heartedness and may we encourage one another in the kind of developments which bring joy to God?s heart, life to the God?s church and hope to God?s world.
Personnel:
Before referring to personnel within the Diocese I know that all of us from this Synod wish to send warmest greetings to the Archbishop of Armagh and Lady Eames. This is our last Diocesan Synod before the retirement of our Primate at the end of this year. Archbishop Eames has given wise, firm, and fair leadership during his 20 years as Primate and 31 years as a Bishop in the Church of Ireland. The Diocese of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh say a very sincere thank you and pray that he and Lady Eames will have a long healthy and happy retirement.
This is the first Diocesan Synod which has met for many many years without one very familiar face?the face and presence of Canon Robin Richey. What does one say about Canon Robin? So much has been said and so much will be said. He was one of the clergy team in this Diocese for decades. He knew the Diocese of Kilmore as well as anybody could. When Canon Richey died in August of this year we lost a dedicated servant of his parish and this Diocese who gave not just his time and energy but his whole life. To Kathleen we say thank you for all that you gave as a couple and as we express our sympathy we assure you of our prayers.
Archdeacon Tommy Bond was also a much loved Rector and Archdeacon in our Diocese. His friendly face humble spirit and faithful service will not be forgotten. To Rosemary and all the family we extend our sympathy and also assure you of our prayers.
During the past year Jimmy Scott died. Over the years amongst other responsibilities Jimmy was a member of his Select Vestry, Diocesan Council, this Synod and General Synod. Jimmy will be missed.
I ask members of Synod to please stand for a few moments of silence as we remember Robin, Tommy and Jimmy and others we know who have died in this past year.
At the end of July Canon Jim Sides retired. Canon Sides and Margaret have given faithful service in Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh. We wish them a long and very happy retirement and we pray that Jim makes a full recovery after his heart surgery.
It is with sadness that we have received notice of Cyril McElhinney?s retirement as Diocesan Secretary of Elphin and Ardagh. All in Elphin and Ardagh know the quality and efficiency of Cyril?s work. He and Maud Cunningham have been a wonderful secretariat in our Diocese and no-one knows the hours they have worked so willingly and cheerfully. Thank you Cyril for your vision and energy. Thank you for your constant helpfulness. We trust that you will have more time to give your Rector your attention love and loyalty! Maud, don?t think of following Cyril?s example!
We also thank David Meikle for his service to our Diocese. David has served in many different areas of our Diocesan life and not least as one of our Readers. Without his vision and commitment the wonderful development of our church site in Carrick-on-Shannon would not have happened. God bless you as you move to Scotland.
During the past year the Revd?s Glen West, Mark Watson and Noel Regan moved to parishes in our neighbouring Diocese of Clogher. We are glad to help our neighbour but all of them are missed. We thank all of them for their service in Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh. Early in 2007 we will welcome the Rev. Steve Clark and his wife Hilary to the Belturbert Group of Parishes. In June Mrs Bobbie Moore was made deacon and we are delighted to have her as one of the clergy team in our Diocese.
Finally, it is a privilege and an honour to serve you as Bishop of this Diocese. Helen and I enjoy visiting the various parts of this large Diocese covering such a beautiful part of Ireland. Together as a Diocesan team, and as we desire to move ?Forward,? may this next year be a year of seeking to grow healthy parishes and being committed to the kind of development which honours God and builds community.
God bless our Synod today!
For further information please contact:
The Diocesan Communications Officer,
Revd Arthur Barrett on (m) +353 (0)86-6076630