What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Another day, another new ministry now begins

    I was at the installation of a new rector at St John’s, Shaughnessy the other night. It was an extraordinary event – the arrival of a new priest to minister in a place which has been greatly fought over. It is one of the congregations where significant numbers of people left the Anglican Communion rather than remain in a diocese where there was the possibility of same-sex couples having their relationships blessed in some churches. There were subsequent legal cases over the property which I’ll never know enough about to understand in their entirety, suffice to say that the legal process determined that the property was held in trust by the diocese for Anglicans to minister and worship in this place. In other words, those leaving could not take the building with them.

    In this way, that church became a symbol of the inability of some Anglicans to contain their disagreements within the bonds of affection which had previously held them together.

    A page has now turned and a new ministry there has begun. People turned out the other night to pray for those engaged in building up the congregation again. The Diocese of New Westminster is moving on. These troubles have not been without great cost for all involved. Yet new beginnings are being made.

    I have to say that the liturgy of induction is considerably improved by timing the closing procession just at the moment when the garden sprinkler system turns on. The delighted squeals and giggles from the clergy as they were baptised with garden hoses should be part of every service marking a new ministry.

    I go to many installation and induction services. Very often they can seem very much alike. One becomes aware that our ability to chose hymnody for such occasions is limited by the paucity of the repertoire of many a congregation. However, I found myself hearing and singing the gradual hymn at St John’s Shaughnessy more prayerfully and attentively than usual.

    Be still, for the power of the Lord
    Is moving in this place.
    He comes to cleanse and heal
    To minister his grace.
    No work too hard for him.
    In faith receive from him.
    Be still for the power of the Lord
    Is moving in this place.

    And I say, Amen.

    , ,

5 responses to “Sermon preached on 14 March 2010”

  1. David | Dah•veed Avatar
    David | Dah•veed

    It is always interesting to me to travel the world from the comfort of my home on Sundays and get a feel for how different of our honored clergy approach a shared topic as we have the same readings in our Anglican worship. (Not forgetting that other flavors of Christians are also using those same readings as well.)

    Father Tobias Haller has a much different angle to this story in the form of poetry on his blog; The Elder Son and the Father’s Repentance

    Regarding Bishop David as you current ordinary, is that a canonical device of SEC, it seems different from how it is handled in TEC and so here in Mexico. When there is no diocesan bishop the Diocesan Standing Committee is then the ecclesiastical authority in a diocese and they can choose to “hire” a bishop for episcopal functions in the interim period until a new diocesan is elected and enthroned. The hired gun is often a neighboring diocesan, a resident or neighboring suffragan or assistant or they may even pull someone from retirement for a short period.

    I was happy, that as with you Father Kelvin, I had no trouble at all understanding +David’s accent! I see also that you have managed to repair that lean to your pulpit.

    When +David defined prodigal as extravagant waste I was immediately reminded of the writings of one of my favorite bishops, the blessed +John Shelby Spong at whose feet I studies one summer at Vancouver School of Theology. He often states, “God, who is the Source of Love, calls us to love wastefully.” God’s love for us is in the measure of extravagant waste and God calls us to love one another just as wastefully. As did the father in the parable.

    I cannot recall who of the Master Painters, but I know of a painting of the return of this Prodigal Son where the haste with which the father rushed to greet his son is represented in the fact that he is out in the road hugging his son in his fine clothes, but he is wearing mismatched shoes. I have experienced just such love and concern from my own Papá as I have seen him responding to emergencies in the middle of the night in our wee village and glancing down to see that he is wearing one shoe and a bedroom slipper!

    Pardon my rambles today, this simple sermon sparked many thoughts.

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      During an Episcopal Vacancy, it seems to be becoming common for someone to be appointed to be Bishops’ Commissary for the vacancy. This gives them delegated authority for administrative functions. The Ordinary, in such circumstances is usually the Primus though I think that the Priumus (or perhaps the Episcopal Synod) can nominate someone else to look after an Episcopal Vacancy.

      Reply
  2. ryan Avatar
    ryan

    Ooh, what’s a Priumus? (and yes, I googled – unsuccessfully – before asking!)

    Reply
  3. David | Dah•veed Avatar
    David | Dah•veed

    A Priumus is a typo. Nothing more.

    Reply
  4. ryan Avatar
    ryan

    Thanks! I did (genuinely) wonder if it was something different (like a collegiate group who make primus-like decisions in an empty see?) because of the “Primus though I think that the primus” (as opposed to Primus/s/he phrasing). Feel a bit D’Oh now.

    Reply

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