So what’s the difference between a good shepherd and a bad shepherd? It’s not a trick question or the opening line of a bad joke. Throughout the Bible a good shepherd is said to ‘gather’ the sheep and a bad shepherd to ‘scatter’ them. It’s an insight I reflect on every time I pick up my pastoral staff and set off on my travels - as I’m blessedly able to do once more - to institute, confirm, preside or preach. It reminds me of the importance of drawing people together in the purposes of God, with the Greek word ecclesia (normally translated ‘church’) having a sense of gathering at its core. And while churches across the diocese have proved extraordinarily inventive in finding new ways to gather in a world of lockdowns and social distancing - demonstrating just how many good shepherds there are in our parishes, both lay and ordained - how good to have the Archbishop’s visit to enable us to come together in person once more, the faithful, the fringe and the far-off together. It’s an ambitious endeavour, but, in the words of the mighty Moses, may ‘the Lord open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on our land in season and to bless all the work of our hands’.Bishop Andrew
Born and raised in Ghana, Nicholas Lebey (see photo) moved to the UK 14 years ago, working as a Pioneer Evangelist with young people in Bradford and South East London. Today, he brings this experience and passion with him as serves as Deacon in the Diocese of Southwark. In 2013, Nicholas came to Thamesmead, Woolwich, and planted a church with young people who had no former connection with church.He launched a Friday night youth club, a Tuesday night gathering, a Youth Alpha course and from this, a youth congregation that would meet on a Sunday evening.Nicholas also worked with secondary schools and a youth charity on the estate in Abbey Wood, running football and lunch clubs.Focused on getting young people off the streets and into a place where they could belong, connect with friends, and build relationships, Nicholas was able to mentor them, with Christian teaching.“As relationships deepened, we began to see a community emerge. It came from the young people themselves” explains Nicholas. “I have always had a passion for that sense of journeying with young people, helping them find faith, grow in it, and become followers of Jesus.“I have a strong belief that we don’t do things for people, we do it with them” he continued. Describing an earlier time of his life, Nicholas said: “I was brought up in a very remote village in Ghana. I grew up with my grandmother for the first 12 years of my life."My parents were not around. I remember there was a missionary who came to our village and planted a church.”Today, looking ahead to the future, Nicholas is enthusiastic to be in “a place that is outward looking in mission and enriching people in the community.” “I want to be a part of a church that has a bias towards young people and those on the margins.”
The Bishops of the Church of England are backing calls for the leaders of the world’s richest countries to halt the “hoarding” of COVID-19 vaccines while billions of people around the world have yet to be jabbed.Members of the College of Bishops, which is meeting in Oxford, voted unanimously to endorse a statement by two Anglican Communion bodies which demands an emergency meeting of the G7 to commit to vaccine equity.It warns that potentially millions of vaccines stockpiled by wealthy countries could go to waste after passing their effective “use by” date rather than be shared with those in urgent need.Earlier this year G7 leaders meeting in Cornwall promised to donate more than one billion doses of vaccine but it is estimated that less than 15 per cent of these have so far materialised.World leaders, who are attending the UN General Assembly in New York this week, are expected to decide tomorrow whether to call an emergency G7 meeting to address the issue.Following the vote at the College of Bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has written to the UN Secretary General António Guterres in support of the call.The statement, drawn up by the Anglican Health and Community Network and the Anglican Alliance notes that the vast majority of doses administered so far have been in high-and upper-middle income countries - while across Africa vaccination coverage is estimated at just two per cent.“Even as booster jabs are given and over-12s vaccinated, rich nations are still on track to amass an excess of one billion vaccines by the end of the year,” the statement warns.“This excess will only increase in 2022 as global vaccine manufacturing increases. Rich nations must not hoard the surpluses amassed – but must share.“The lives and health of millions around the world are at risk, alongside the threat of new variants emerging globally.”It concludes: “We are one human family. “We can and must work together to end this pandemic, leaving no one behind.”The Bishop of Hertford, Michael Beasley (see photo), who is an epidemiologist and a Co-Convenor of the Anglican Health & Community Network, brought the statement to the College of Bishops to ask for their support.He said: “Our archbishops and bishops have spoken unanimously to add their voices to calls for the G7 countries urgently to meet to address the issues of rich nations’ hoarding and wastage of vaccines.“We ask the G7 leaders to find ways to recognise that we are one world and to share vaccines so that no one will be left behind.”
The new declaration from representatives of religious communities across the United Kingdom calls for people to be “advocates for justice” ahead of the Glasgow summit.Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, and lead Bishop on the Environment for the Church of England, signed the letter alongside leaders of every major Christian denomination and representatives from Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities. The declaration states: “We remind governments of their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights to protect the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity. “We call upon them to take the urgent action needed to avert the loss, damage, and forced migration threatened by climate change.”Adding: “Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations. “To offer hope in the world we need to have confidence that those in power understand the vital role they have to play at the Glasgow COP26.”The new multi-faith declaration builds on the 2015 Lambeth Declaration and this month’s statement signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Pope, and the Ecumenical Patriarch.The three Christian leaders warned of the urgency of environmental sustainability, its impact on poverty, and the importance of global cooperation ahead of COP26.Bishop Graham said: “As a world community we need to come together and keep the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees. “Glasgow is a ‘Kairos’ moment for the future of this planet. That’s why the voices of faith communities are so important. “We are drawing on the wells of wisdom within our traditions to encourage the leaders of the world to take the bold, prophetic, steps we all need to take.”The Glasgow Declaration pledges a response to the challenge set by the climate emergency through being “advocates for justice by calling on governments, businesses and others who exercise power and influence to put into effect the Paris agreement; to make the transition to a just and green economy a priority; and to commit to science-based targets that are aligned with a healthy, resilient, zero-emissions future.”It comes just 40 days before the beginning of COP26 when leaders are set to agree emission reducing plans to avert a rise in global temperatures of more than 1.5 degrees. The publication of the declaration coincides with the end of both the Scottish Government Climate Week and Stop Climate Chaos Fringe Week, as well as the beginning of the Climate Coalition’s Great Big Green Week.
