Bishop Richard’s Weekly video Message – Transcript 22.05.2025

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Bishop's Weekly Video Message #247 – 22.05.2025

Video for May 22nd, 2025

Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s video.

As we draw to the end of the end of the Easter season, there are rumours of life, to quote the title of David Runcorn’s excellent meditation on the Easter appearances.  I was with a group of clergy who I have licenced over the last four years this morning.  Remarkably, I have licenced nearly half of our incumbents in the five years I’ve been here.  We shared around the room areas that were encouraging and particular challenges they faced.  It was life giving to hear that the list of encouragements was much longer than the challenges.  All reported a growing number of people simply turning up at church, spiritually curious, often younger than our current demographic.  This didn’t emerge from a strategic decision, they are simply testament to the activity of the Holy Spirit.  I confirmed three younger people like this at the cathedral last Sunday.  Sadly, we have got so used to a narrative of decline that such news tends to be explained away rather than rejoiced over. However, when you hear the same thing from multiple sources (and its apparently much more obvious in London and other big cities), you need to take up and take notice.

One of Rowan William’s many great contributions to the life of the church was his definition of mission. He described it as spotting what God was doing and joining in.  So, what might the Holy Spirit be saying to us in the midst of these green shoots. Gardeners will know that plants are much more vulnerable when they are small. We will do all we can to protect them from predation, nurturing their growth and giving them water and food. What might these spiritual enquirers encounter when they come to our worship or other gatherings? Will they find a warm welcome and flexibility of approach?  Will we be prepared to set aside our preferences on when we worship and how we worship; answer questions; make our gatherings safe places for people to explore and ask questions? Will we have cultivated our own spiritual lives so (albeit imperfectly) we are obeying Jesus’ command to love one another as he has loved us?

The second encouraging conversation this morning was with Simon Lockett, a priest in Abbeydore Deanery who is leading pilgrimages around the Golden Valley alongside his parochial responsibilities. Not only are the pilgrims making a substantial five figure contribution to the host parishes, but people are coming to faith.  The Golden Valley route is bookended by Arthur’s Stone above Dorstone which many think was the model for the great table on which Aslan was killed in the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. At the other end is the setting of an epic poem by the Welsh Christian poet David Jones.  The Gospel is retold as part of the landscape. Indeed, that whole part of Herefordshire is the heartland of St. Dubricius or Dryffig or Devereux depending on whether you are English, Celtic, or Norman French,  who bought Christianity to life in this part of the world in the turbulent times between the fall of Rome and Anglo-Saxon England.  This rich landscape with a deep spiritual history is speaking to pilgrims of deeper realities and of the God who created it.

And finally, some encouragement from our day of prayer last week.  I’m so grateful for the many parishes who gathered together through the day and hosted me as I went around the diocese. But a particular thank you to Lisa Harper the Vicar of Apedale, who led her congregation in 24 hours of prayer and walked around the benefice. She locked herself in one of the churches overnight and led prayers on the hour through the night on zoom!  I quote, “I received via social media around 40 prayer requests and on the walk got to chat to gardeners, farmers, a postman and dog walkers who again asked for prayer. I’m absolutely whacked but also buzzing with joy”. Easter should be about buzzing with joy.  Stories like this I hope encourage us.  The Holy Spirit is at work.  Prayer connects us into the great work of God and seems to channel his love and grace. Let’s follow Archbishop Rowan’s advice: see what the Spirit is doing and join in.

+Richard