Articles - From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

July is going to be a very special month in the life of our church. Diane Flynn has been with us now for almost a year and in that time we have really appreciated her being amongst us and the ministry she has been exercising. On July 3rd Diane will be ordained priest (details below). This is a moment of great significance in Diane's life, the culmination of years of preparation and an even longer sense of calling by God. It is also the start of a new phase in her journey of Christian discipleship and ministry in which she will seek to model her life more closely on Jesus. It will be an occasion of great joy for her and her family, as well as for all of us who have come to know her here. Please remember Diane in your prayers over this period, as well as Keith, Jess and Issy.

Having said all this, ordination is not merely a personal event. It is also a reminder to us that as baptised Christians we have all been called by God into his service. We never know what he will call us to do next, who he will call us to serve, or even where he will ask us to go. That is the glory and excitement of the journey we are on. However, we can know that our calling involves modelling our lives on Jesus, but not our own and in our own strength. God calls us to live life Christ's way but with his constant help and empowering.

The ordination also reminds the church community that together we have a shared calling. This is to model our life together on Jesus, making his love and truth of Christ real among ourselves, and making it known in the communities in our parishes. To do this as a church involves each of us playing our part and using the gifts God has given. We too are on a journey, a journey together, a journey with God.

Some have asked whether Diane will now be moving on. The good news is that she still has three more years of her curacy to serve. So we look forward to sharing together in ministry with her for a long time yet!

With my prayers and good wishes
David

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