Clergy Notes — Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, November 17, 2024

This is the season of stewardship, when we are all challenged to make a prayerful and careful decision about our support for the work of the church. We need, as good disciples, to make a proportion of our time, talents and treasure available for the building of the Kingdom of God.

I have three reasons why I made St. James’ my spiritual home after my retirement from stipendiary ministry.

The first is that we have the right balance of worship and outreach. The beauty of our liturgy, with the excellent music, fine vestments and a great attention to detail, empowers us to respect and serve the homeless, hungry and marginalized. As the famous Anglo-Catholic Bishop Frank Weston said, “It is madness to think that you can adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament if you do not minister to Him in the poor and powerless.”

The second is that we have a number of opportunities to worship together outside of the Sunday mass. A low mass is celebrated every day (including Saturday) and whilst the clergy are never left alone, there is always plenty of space for new people to join in. And we have morning and evening prayer regularly via Zoom. Without leaving home, we can “tune in” to the never ceasing prayer offered in Heaven. There is also the service of Compline on Friday nights – but 9pm is past my bedtime!!

Thirdly, I love the enormous diversity of our congregation. And the fact that everybody whatever their appearance, race or social standing receives the same warm welcome. It is so poignant when I watch the numbers of men and women line up for Holy Communion. In God’s eyes, we are all the same – a sinner who is forgiven – and we all receive nothing more and nothing less than the Body and Blood of Christ.

All three are only made possible by the commitment of membership.

Fr. Neil G.

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Clergy Notes — Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, November 10, 2024

This coming Monday is Remembrance Day – a day when we honour those who have given their lives for the freedom of all who call this land their home. We do them a grave injustice if we ever take that freedom for granted.

With this in mind and in the wake of the election results in the USA – when the freedom of so many women, people of colour, and those in the LGBTQ2S+ community is at risk – I am compelled to express how deeply important I believe it is that we do not allow ourselves to become divided. This is not about partisanship; it isn’t even about politics. We needn’t agree on all the issues. It is, however, about human rights and being faithful to the Gospel of Christ. If we are lucky enough to feel unaffected, we need to be listening more closely to those of our friends and neighbours who are affected. What happens to one of us happens to all of us. That is what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

I know I am preaching to the choir. But, even those of us with good hearts and good intentions can become frozen in sadness and fear, convinced of our own helplessness. So what can we do in the face of seemingly overwhelming evil?

We do what Jesus modelled for us. We pray without ceasing. We listen generously. We weather storms and break bread together. We love one another. We refuse to resort to violence, even when we are being threatened. We speak up against corruption, and for those who are oppressed, even at the cost of our own comfort and privilege.

And we remember and proclaim that God has already broken the chains of evil and death. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not (and will not) overcome it.

Mother Amanda

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