Au Revoir!

I had the task (a pleasant one! And a privilege) many years ago, of giving a ‘farewell sermon’ for one of my colleagues at St Chad’s. Several of us ‘learned our trade’ there – our high aspirations and theological training hadn’t really equipped us for ‘servant’ ministry! Reality did kick in very soon!!

We became movers-in- chief of heavy objects as we carried paschal candles round the church, filled fonts with buckets of water...emptied bins…..fancy ideas about what it meant to be ordained went out of the window. And rightly so, because ordained ministry is about enabling...humble, sacrificial service. Now I know that not everyone agrees with me but I think this is ‘Jesus’ ministry. He washed people’s feet………. ...and he developed collaborative ministry! In my view this is the only way church grows. It is an ‘every member’ ministry because everything helps and everyone has a gift or talent to offer.

But this is a farewell day….the end of my 25 years with a Common Tenure Licence.

I hope that this is not the last time I will see you all- in short, I have good reason- very many good reasons to hold you all in great affection. I will no doubt miss these churches, their busyness and activity... (although one acknowledges that at my age 60 hours a week is a bit much!) but I will miss you greatly.

But, the church is a pilgrim community and pilgrims must travel on for time to time. May God bless all of you in your journey of faith and thank you for allowing me to travel with you for the last 12 years.

Yours, Elizabeth