ODDI WRTH YR ESGOB...
FROM THE BISHOP...
Bishop John writes his Ad Clerum to the clergy of the Diocese every month. You can read the text on this page.
Links
The Lambeth Conference official website
The Anglican Communion official website
The Culham Institute website
Contact
E-mail Bishop John
Archive
DECEMBER 2007
Dear Friends,
Innumerable nativity plays have been worked around the theme of visitors to the stable – not only shepherds, kings and angels but animals of every variety and people of every description (I recall one which even featured a spaceman, because the ‘shepherd’ refused to wear anything but his space suit). An imaginative use of scripture might prompt us to ask about our own attitude to visitors – whom do we welcome and what do we expect people to see when they arrive?
The Lambeth Conference hospitality initiative is something we are now fully engaged with as a diocese and is a chance to respond to the ‘who’ and ‘what’ questions in a very practical way. The initiative offers the opportunity for overseas bishops and spouses to spend a long weekend in the diocese before the start of the conference next July and to experience something of our worship, life and culture. In consultation with the Anglican communion office, eight invitations have been sent and we have so far received four replies – from Kansas, Recife (Brazil), Riverina (Australia) and North Mbale (Uganda). While the first three have accepted our invitation, Bishop Daniel of North Mbale has, in a very courteous letter, declined explaining that the Church of Uganda bishops have decided not to attend Lambeth because the American bishops who consecrated bishop Gene Robinson would be present. Bishop Daniel has, however, indicated his wish to visit the diocese this coming January when he and his wife Perpetua are in Canterbury for a New Bishops’ course; we now look forward to welcoming them here in the new year.
The question for us now is, what do we want our visitors to see? I suspect that in an attempt to show the best face of Anglicanism in Wales we shall be tempted to become over-protective and show only the shiny new and tell only the success stories. But that is only part of any picture. What we learn from the Christmas story is a revolution in God’s disclosure of himself; we witness the vulnerability of the Christ-child, the fragility of human existence and the high risk of loving. Being misused, misrepresented and misunderstood are some inevitable consequences of risky love and risky ministry. In Advent, we welcome the God who comes into our world in all its raw reality, a God who allows himself to be known and touched by us and who calls us to a hospitality characterised by trust. This is what we are called to mirror in the life of the church.
As we think about these matters, I invite you to suggest features of ministry and mission you would like to share, and want others to see - what has worked, what has been risked, what has failed despite our best efforts? The Lambeth hospitality initiative will be helped by some information from the parishes and I attach to this ad clerum a letter from Bill Rowell with a questionnaire your parishes are asked to complete. With thanks in advance for this.
The Anglican Communion will be the subject of next year’s Hellins lecture in 2008 and will be given by Canon Gregory Cameron on Tuesday, 17th June, at St Asaph (Dean’s library or cathedral). Gregory, as some may recall, was chaplain to Archbishop Rowan in Monmouth, and is now deputy secretary general at the Anglican Communion office.
The Diocesan World Mission service is on Saturday, 8th March, at the cathedral. As it occurs in Fair Trade fortnight, the festival will bring together the themes of world mission and world development.
The Culham Institute offers The clergy and religious education website to advise on curriculum, talks to children, leading RE lessons, and much else besides.
I am pleased to announce the following appointments:
Robert Rowland to be Honorary Canon of St Asaph Cathedral
Sue Huyton, Cursal Canon
Bill Rowell Cursal Canon
Gary Windon, vicar in the Radliffe team ministry, diocese of Manchester, to be community minister in Rhostyllen and chaplain at Nightingale House (the Wrexham hospice). Esclusham (Rhostyllen) is now part of the Wrexham benefice.
Congratulations to Gary and Helen Owen and family on the birth of their new daughter Hannah Catrin.
Clergy safety is a matter of matter of concern to us all and a separate letter with advice is to be forwarded shortly.
Have a good and adventurous Advent.