The Pilot, 1973
July seems to have been a month of meetings - the Deanery and Diocesan Synods ending their current 3 - year terms, the quarterly meeting of the Counsellors on Foreign Relations in London, and the parish meetings of our Church and Area Church Councils. At times one wonders whether the Church is doing so much talking that it has no time left to get on with the job. Undoubtedly there is a real temptation to let endless nervous debate take the place of prayerful thought and action, but a glance at the account of the first Council of the Church in Jerusalem shows that there was a good deal of vigorous debate followed by a decision which was so based on prayer that it was possible for the authors of the decision to preface it with the words; “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.”
He would be a brave council chairman who felt able to preface a contemporary resolution with these words! And yet, if the Church is the entire body of Christ, (and not just the Bishop and his clergy as one clerical speaker at Diocesan Synod tried to tell us), then the whole Church must have a hand in decision making. Perhaps the truth is that we face a dual temptation – on the one hand to shy away from discussion in committee and council so as to avoid necessary conflict, on the other to talk endlessly so as to avoid real action. Only if decision making is based on genuine prayer for guidance and a willingness to follow that guidance, can we be reasonably certain that what we decide is also the will of the Holy Spirit.
These priorities were admirably chosen, in my view, in the clergy course to which some of us from Jersey were recently summoned by the Bishop, at Old Alresford Place - with its memories of the Sumner family and their Jersey Le Couteur, connections. The first day was a Quiet Day, with addresses on some background thoughts concerning Ministry - which was the topic of the meeting. Under the guidance of Fr Wheeldon of the Anglican Community of the Resurrection we were able to stand back for a while and look at some of our presuppositions, and, at least as far as I was concerned - have them changed.
The following two days were spent in lectures and discussions on the Ministry of the Church in today’s world, and our thoughts were inevitablv focussed on the acute shortage of clergy which threatens the Church in the very near future.
Whilst 600 ordinations were at one time essential to keep pace with death and retirement, we are now ordaining some 300 men annually. In this discussion one was very much conscious of the small number of men who are being ordained from the Church in Jersey these days; it is far cry from the days when every Rectory in the Island was filled with a native Jerseyman.
The answer to this is not only to be found in the clergy doing their best to encourage vocations in young men in their parishes, but in Christian parents regarding the priesthood as a desirable vocation for their sons. So often men these days are ordained despite their parents’ opposition, and not because of their parents’ encouragement.
For all these reasons one is all the more happy to welcome to the parish next month Terry Hampton, a young man who grew' up in the Island and who found his vocation under the inspiration of Canon Edward Richardson and the Christian community at St. Ouen’s. Terry’s institution will now take place a week later, on Tuesday September 11 at 8 pm., and the Area Church Harvest celebrations will be on the following Sunday, September 16.
As one whose home parish was St Mark’s it was with mixed feelings that one read of Geoffrey Baker’s impending departure, sad because he will be leaving a parish which has so obviously flourished under his dynamic and energetic leadership, but glad that he will be entering the vital field of education where his gifts are much needed and will be used to the full, as well as because of the knowledge that he will be remaining one of the island team of clergy. We offer a warm welcome to Geoffrey’s successor, The Rev W. N. Hall who will further enrich the fellowship of the island’s parochial clergy.
The St Aubin’s Guild Garden fete was a successful and happy occasion, and we are particularly indebted to the ladies who did so much to make it so. May I also express my deep gratitude to the anonymous donor of £500 to the St Aubin’s Church Benefice Fund - St Aubin’s is not a wealthy church and gifts of this kind are an immense help to us in raising the necessary stipend for the new vicar.
ST AUBIN’S GUILD. The Guild’s very successful Garden Party held recently to help augment the Stipend Fund realised £342 after expenses had been deducted.
The Ladies’ Committee at their Meeting to finalise the arrangements decided to make up the amount to £400 from their funds, and this amount accordingly has been handed over to the Churchwardens.
We should like to thank everyone who worked so hard and also those who so generously gave donations which were much appreciated. Lastly many thanks to Miss Le Riche for bringing some of her pupils to give a charming dancing display.
MICHAEL HALLIWELL
HOLY BAPTISM. June 10, Tracey Le Marquand.
HOLY MATRIMONY. June 2, Stephen Ian Romeril to Christine Mary Sharp; June 30, Keith George Hopkins to Ann Jouan; Pierre Joseph Burtscher to Virginia Margaret Colbeck-Welch.
BURIALS. June 5, Hubert Thomas Le Feuvre, 60; June 15, Sybil Harman Coudray, 86; Yves Marie Graviou, 49; June 19, Frances Graham Pearce, 82.
For all these reasons one is all the more happy to welcome to the parish next month Terry Hampton, a young man who grew' up in the Island and who found his vocation under the inspiration of Canon Edward Richardson and the Christian community at St. Ouen’s. Terry’s institution will now take place a week later, on Tuesday September 11 at 8 pm., and the Area Church Harvest celebrations will be on the following Sunday, September 16.
As one whose home parish was St Mark’s it was with mixed feelings that one read of Geoffrey Baker’s impending departure, sad because he will be leaving a parish which has so obviously flourished under his dynamic and energetic leadership, but glad that he will be entering the vital field of education where his gifts are much needed and will be used to the full, as well as because of the knowledge that he will be remaining one of the island team of clergy. We offer a warm welcome to Geoffrey’s successor, The Rev W. N. Hall who will further enrich the fellowship of the island’s parochial clergy.
The St Aubin’s Guild Garden fete was a successful and happy occasion, and we are particularly indebted to the ladies who did so much to make it so. May I also express my deep gratitude to the anonymous donor of £500 to the St Aubin’s Church Benefice Fund - St Aubin’s is not a wealthy church and gifts of this kind are an immense help to us in raising the necessary stipend for the new vicar.
ST AUBIN’S GUILD. The Guild’s very successful Garden Party held recently to help augment the Stipend Fund realised £342 after expenses had been deducted.
The Ladies’ Committee at their Meeting to finalise the arrangements decided to make up the amount to £400 from their funds, and this amount accordingly has been handed over to the Churchwardens.
We should like to thank everyone who worked so hard and also those who so generously gave donations which were much appreciated. Lastly many thanks to Miss Le Riche for bringing some of her pupils to give a charming dancing display.
MICHAEL HALLIWELL
HOLY BAPTISM. June 10, Tracey Le Marquand.
HOLY MATRIMONY. June 2, Stephen Ian Romeril to Christine Mary Sharp; June 30, Keith George Hopkins to Ann Jouan; Pierre Joseph Burtscher to Virginia Margaret Colbeck-Welch.
BURIALS. June 5, Hubert Thomas Le Feuvre, 60; June 15, Sybil Harman Coudray, 86; Yves Marie Graviou, 49; June 19, Frances Graham Pearce, 82.
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