SS. Peter and Paul 2014
Just as there is an open season for grouse and pheasants and ducks and deer, so there is an open season for ordinations. Deacons and priests are being ordained this weekend and next around the feast of the 2 great martyr apostles, SS. Peter and Paul.
Yesterday Gary and I went for a bit of sport in this open season. In the morning we attended Bristol Cathedral to support Ness Whiffin and Linda Sullivan who were both on placements here as part of their ministry formation; they were among 6 deacons ordained there, and the priests will be ordained today. After a picnic lunch outside the cathedral we headed for Salisbury Cathedral where Alison Morley was ordained priest. She had also been here for a placement as she transitioned from ministry in the Methodist church to ministry in the CofE. She was one of 11 to be priested.
Next Saturday, of course, Gary will be ordained a priest in Gloucester – one of 12, along with 2 others from this deanery, and the following day a similar number of deacons, including a new deacon coming to this deanery.
The Bishop of Salisbury yesterday reminded us – quite rightly that across England there will be 1000 ordinations at this time. This is an extraordinary phenomenon at a time when we hear only of a shrinking church. We should surely be a confident church, as this number of ordinations must be unique in the countries of old Europe that claim they are Christian.
I am delighted also that this parish will be sending Katie Richardson to train for ordination, and we have just heard from Robert Church that he has passed his Bishops' selection process and he too will begin training in September.
All of this should surely rejoice our hearts, encourage us, and give us a true confidence in the future of ministry and mission in England through our national church. I am greatly heartened personally.
However, the numbers of priests and deacons cannot be and should not be the metric for confidence in Christ and in the future mission of the church.
Before any bishop can ordain a deacon or priest he must seek the support from the whole body of the church, people just like you – the baptized people of God.
He says, 'Brothers and sisters, you have heard how great is the charge that these ordinands are ready to undertake, and you have heard their declarations. Is it now your will that they should be ordained?
All: It is.
Will you continually pray for them?
All: We will.
Will you uphold and encourage them in their ministry.
All: We will.
You see, ministry belongs not to those who are ordained, but to everyone who is baptised into the death and resurrection of Christ. Through the whole church Christ calls people to particular ministries in order that they in turn minister to and activate the church. This is the action of Christ as he witnesses to the world as the only great High Priest.
Throughout the life of the church there is so much to encourage us – for so many people of the church minister to the church and to the world. This is what the church is sent out to do – Go in peace to love and serve the world.
And so it is you, the whole people of God, the community of faith, that are the reason for the greatest encouragement as you witness your faith in your homes, in your workplace, in your charity work, and in your service to the community, and in acts of genuine mercy and compassion to each other.
This is true witnessing to Christ. The Greek work for this witnessing is well known to you, because it is a word that we hear often in church and on the news. The word is martyros. When the scriptures speak of witness they use this word 'martyr'.
The only real joy that we can hope for among so many new priests and deacons is that they will be authentic witnesses for Christ. We can ordain ten times a thousand and it will make no difference unless they are genuine 'martyrs' of the faith - not dead people from the past as we usually think martyrs are, but living, lively, dynamic witnesses of the present.
But also, my friends, on this great feast of the Roman martyrs of Peter and Paul, we have Christian brothers and sisters in parts of the ancient near East who are witnessing to Christ with their lives. In the ancient Chaldean Church which inhabits what we now call Iraq, Christians are being crucified, just like their Lord, and then beheaded. In the primitive Christian churches of Syria who still worship in Aramaic, the language of our Lord, Christians are being forced to flee their lands, priests and bishops are being abducted and shot.
In Sudan Meriam Ibrahim, a pregnant woman who was brought up a Christian and who married a Christian man, was sentenced to death but first was to receive lashings with a whip because of the local interpretation of Islam said that a Christian marriage had no legality, and so she was no more than an adultress. Thank God, under international pressure she has been released and is now taking refuge in the US Embassy.
Christians everywhere are called to witness to Christ. All those new deacons and priests will only find their real voice and power if they witness to Christ. You, the church, the community of faith, will only be genuine when you are witnessing to Christ as together we serve the needs of the world.
This is indeed a great day – Peter and Paul. This is indeed a great day – all those new deacons and priests. This is indeed a great day – the whole church being called to witness in so many ministries to the weak and poor in the world.
Pray for those who will die on our behalf today for their witness to the same Lord and Saviour. One of the great ordination hymns, often sung at Pentecost should bring us to our knees as we try to imagine what these words might mean for fellow Christians, tears running down their cheeks, as they sing the ancient Veni Creator
Anoint and cheer our soiled face
with the abundance of thy grace;
keep far our foes, give peace at home;
where thou art guide no ill can come.