So disappointing after yesterday to wake up to overcast sky, blustery wind and intermittent showers from dawn to dusk. I walked to St John's and back to celebrate the Eucharist, however, without a soaking, but I had to dress in my waterproofs to go out after lunch. There were seventeen of us for the service. That's the most there's been on a Thursday since we restarted give weeks ago, perhaps the most for several years. It's to core of old faithfuls who are making the effort to come together for worship and a chance to say a quick hello to each other, as they don't have a Sunday service attend at the moment.
Sunday next the new West Cardiff Ministry Area is being inaugurated by Bishop June with an service at the 'Res' in the afternoon. She's also confirming candidates from our Parish (and maybe others) who were due to be confirmed last year, but couldn't due to a covid postponement. Monica, the organist at St John's, is being confirmed, having been raised a Baptist, and there's a class of about a dozen children too. I don't intend to go to either service. after celebrating Mass at St Catherine's on Sunday morning, I'll avoid further social gatherings. I'm due to have my pre-op pre-quarantine covid test on Monday. I'm not in the mood to take extra risks.
Apart from that, to be honest, I would in any case stay away. I don't see the point of Ministry Areas as an extra layer of organisation between the Deanery and Parishes. I see reason in reverting to the Deanery as a key organisational unit for mission, even for making it into one big team ministry - provided the area a Deanery serves makes sense to serve as a socially cohesive unit in which collaborative ministry can function.
In some places this can work, but in other places, some territorial revision is called for. Parish and Deanery boundaries are often ancient history on maps. Changing them legally is both time consuming and legally expensive unfortunately. I don't think that inventing a new structure is an answer. In a declining situation it seems un-natural. Rather let nature take its course.
Church communities die, new ones are born and some are even re-born with the passage of time. Is social engineering the life of the church really compatible with the Gospel? Only time will tell if this novelty proves worth the effort, and what the losses as well as gains will be as a result. My loyalty lies with the worshipping communities I am privileged to serve and to supporting their pastors. My days of grand plans motivating others to engage with change and worrying about the outcome are thankfully behind me.
After five weeks on sick leave Mthr Frances is re-starting part time, and having a lot of catch-up work to do as the local Ministry Area Leader. It'll be good to have her back, so that there is one permanent priest in the Parish, as Benedict leaves and Emma takes on a secondment to Fairwater until an appointment is made there. There's another upheaval about to happen to, as Fr Phelim over at St German's has announced his departure, to take on the role of full-time Area Dean in South West Birmingham. Twenty Parishes with a total population about the size of Cardiff.
It's another initiative in managing institutional decline, re-shaping the life of the church with fewer clergy, less resources and still shrinking support. There's not much sign that a pandemic has driven the population back into the waiting arms of Mother Church so far. If decline is turned around into growth, I believe it will be due to lay initiative and activity, not clerical. It may be necessary for much of the church's present structure to fall apart and die off before that can happen again freely.
I was much cheered a few days ago to have an email from Andy and Michelle Evans about the christening of their second child now that it's safer to do this than it has been for the past year. Fr Phelim has agreed to let me take this on, and asked me to celebrate Mass at St German's that morning beforehand. This will free him to get on with necessary preparations for moving to his new job at the end of summer. I am quietly hoping that I'll be asked to spend more time over there during the vacancy. I'd love that.
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