The Gospel of us

When I was a student in St Mike's forty-five years ago the down-turn in vocations and church membership was already noticeable, and made some of us think about what needed to be done by us, as people called into ministry, to continue the offering of service to God and others in the face of the decline and implosion of the institutional church which backed us. I was all for non-stipendiary ministry, but the path which unfolded didn't me in that direction, until I retired after forty years as a full timer. 

What we thought might happen after ten years is now happening noticeably, and the Church in Wales is going through a major adjustment to its organisation as a result. Those coming into College to train are aware of this, so uncertainty about the future is a key contributor to low morale. But then this has always been a feature of College life in Spring Term, along with epidemics of 'flu and tummy bugs. It helps to realise this and focus resolve on enduring in as disciplined a way as possible. Or go down.

It was my turn to officiate at Morning Prayer and give an address in College chapel  today. I compared the testing experience of training in community with the desert and exile experiences of the People of God, maybe comparable with contemporary idea of pressure and discomfort in an army 'boot camp'. It's preparation for coping with the struggles and disappointments of ministry 'in the wild',  doing without the consolations of success and acclaim - as these cannot be relied upon.

I drafted, re-drafted and edited this several times over the past few weeks, and it was still too long when I delivered it. Did I make myself clear? I wondered. It seemed to speak to a handful of people, apart from that there was no feedback, but then it was intended to remind everyone how much we need to look back in hard times to when we were called to a life of faith and service, and see this period of training as equipment for the unique challenges facing the church today.

I chaired our Tutors meeting after breakfast, and then in the afternoon the College gathered in the Old Library for a showing of Michael Sheen's Passion Play, set in Port Talbot, called 'The Gospel of us'. It was arranged by my tutor group, including drinks and popcorn. I felt very proud of them, and so grateful for Phil's organisation and technical skills. The film, involving thousands of people as well as actors drawn from the locality was shot live on location over the Easter weekend two years ago. It's a powerful piece of theatre, interpreting the meaning of the life and death of a Christ like figure in the context of a community torn apart by a motorway and losing its identity. At the end almost everyone left in complete silence.

There was meant to be discussion about it over supper and afterwards, but I wonder how much there was. I didn't stay as I had to return home and then get out for my Chi Gung class. I was late again, but so grateful for the time I had. That was quite a demanding day.