Features (June 2010)

A Bishop’s life – Synod presidential address
Learning Journeys begin with Lindisfarne
More new Deacons for the diocese
Occupation writ large in Hebron

A Bishop’s life – Synod presidential address

In his presidential address to the diocesan synod last month, Bishop Martin welcomed the news of Bishop Frank White’s move to Newcastle, and said that he understood the reasons behind Bishop Tom Wright’s decision to retire as Bishop of Durham. He then went on to reflect on his own experience of life as a Bishop in the Church of England.

I have been ordained now 38 years and a Bishop for the last 18 of them, first in Kingston, and since 1998 I have been privileged to serve as your Bishop here in Newcastle.

People used to say to me, admittedly in the early days, that “you look far too young to be a Bishop.” They don’t say that today! And when I remarked on it recently (somebody was talking about me and age and so on), I pointed out to them that I am older than Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and George W Bush and they replied that it didn’t seem so because I didn’t appear to be too “ground down” by the episcopate.

It was, I trust, clear that I enjoy my work, and so I do. It has been immensely rewarding, the variety is enormous, the sense of purpose great, and the depth of connection with people can be very profound. Not least in light of what Bishop Tom has come to see, I think the nature of Episcopal ministry demands and requires something of a generalist and I think that’s what I am. Preaching and teaching in different locations and on a huge variety of occasions is demanding, stimulating and sometimes pretty tiring. Speaking in the House of Lords one day, visiting a school for children with disabilities the next, chairing a university college governing body and later that day an open meeting at the city’s largest mosque, and interestingly being described by both Hindus and Muslims as “our Bishop” - well, that tests your ability to relate to all sorts of conditions, but it’s in a way which I thoroughly enjoy.

I believe that the demand upon a Bishop in all such situations is to represent God and represent the Church in such a way that the Christian faith is seen as both life-giving and credible. And that’s conveyed not simply by argument and presentation, but by a certain quality of life. If people don’t see the Bishop whom they meet living life in its fullness, then they’re unlikely to be convinced by whatever he says. And perhaps put at it simplest, I’ve had two related aims as your Bishop over the last 12 years. The first of these is to recover the language of love as the language of Christian faith in public discourse.

These days, sadly, many people don’t readily associate the language of love with the Church. Often it’s the reverse, and yet love is the language of the Gospel. Love God and your neighbour, God is love and those who live in love, live in God and God in them. There is a biblical language which is useable in contemporary secular culture to talk about God, but it’s got to be more than talk. So many people feel unloved in our society. Sometimes people feel unloved by the Church. Among them may be the clergy who feel unloved by society or by the Diocese, or sometimes even by their own congregations.

And ensuring that good care and pastoral ministry to the clergy and their families is loving and supportive seems to me to be an essential part of the Diocesan Bishop’s work - though he doesn’t have to do it all himself and, indeed, he can’t. And it’s taken a few years, happily now passed, but it’s taken a few years for us as a Diocese to stop regarding our clergy as tenants in our houses who aren’t to be trusted, but sometimes it has to be said too, that clergy haven’t done much to help themselves. And equally, placing value on churches and value on communities is part of loving them. A Diocesan Bishop who is partisan in churchmanship or dismissive of the parish system on the one hand, or specialist ministries on the other, will soon be perceived as unloving and his leadership will be ineffective.

My second aim is to try and give priority to the things that only a Diocesan Bishop can do. Creating a climate of credibility and engagement with wider society supports and serves the mission of the Church in the parishes. And sometimes only the Bishop can represent the Church in certain networks. Now, Bishops may have little power these days but we do have access to institutions, and we do still possess some influence, and the Bishop doing his job properly in this sphere may enable the mission of the clergy and people in the parishes to be more effective. It’s to do with creating a climate, a climate of being generous, of being open and of being engaged - engaging with social issues, with the issues that matter to people, and showing that the Church is able to contribute practically and imaginatively is an essential part of proclaiming the Gospel.

Engagement at all levels is vital. Sadly the reputation that we gain as a Church today is that we are not much more than a talking shop. That is certainly one of the greatest weaknesses of the Church at a national level. Hence it is all the more important to effect imaginative change at local parish, deanery and diocesan level. And hence my second aim - to give the parishes and clergy confidence without interference. Well, at least without too much interference, although the clergy might see it differently.

I am determined to keep our clergy numbers to our national allocation, although that gets the harder to do the more the parishes fail to meet their parish share. And even though we have kept year-on-year increases down to a particular level - but I don’t want to say more about that because what I mustn’t do in a presidential address is to be commenting on our agenda for later in the morning.

One of the biblical passages used in antiquity at the consecration of Bishops was Ezekiel 3,17 “I have made you a sentinel for the House of Israel”. This suggests a Bishop is a watchman, a sentinel, both watching over the flock and looking out into the world to see the movements of the Spirit there. We are an episcopally –led church, but not an episcopally-centred church, and for the Bishop the centre is on the circumference – that intersection between life and faith, between church and society, and between church and community. And so is every parish priest. But there is a difference, because a priest’s work is both private and it is public. A Bishop’s work is very private and very public, and I’ve had to learn that distinction and in some respects I think I am still learning it.

Now I have sometimes taken the risk of asking church people what they want from their Bishop. Just listen to one response. “I want to be able to catch a bit of his faith, a bit of his vision, his passion and I want to know that he is still wrestling at relating the things of eternity to the things of this world, so that faith is not only possible for him but for me too, and it’s a real option for living in today’s world. I want him to represent the Church in the public life of our nation and I want him to build bridges with the powers that be. As a clergyman I want him to affirm me in my role. I want him to believe in his clergy and show that he trusts them to handle difficult situations skillfully. I want him to be so relaxed and secure in his own role that he doesn’t want to take over everybody else’s. And I want to know that I can go to my Bishop and that he will listen. I don’t want him to pontificate in areas of ministry where he has less experience than others. We have no doctrine of infallibility in the Church of England. Perhaps I really want him to take everything seriously, except himself.”

Well only you, my sisters and brothers, will know how far or not I have succeeded in any of that. But what I do know is that any Bishop simply has to rely on his colleagues. It is impossible to do the job on one’s own. But let me give you one last word, and it’s a word from St Augustine and it’s as true today as it was all those centuries ago when it was written. St Augustine simply said this: “For you I am the Bishop, but with you I am a Christian”.

Synod went on to receive reports from the various diocesan task groups, many of which mounted “marketplace” style presentations and displays for Synod members. The meeting also received the diocesan accounts for 2009, click here to read them.

*Our picture shows Bishop Martin and Archdeacon Geoff Miller try out a Wii console at the youth team's Synod stall.

Learning Journeys begin with Lindisfarne

Faith & Life and Exploring Theology Today are two of the Developing Discipleship courses offered by Lindisfarne. These courses give participants the opportunity to journey together in their discipleship – all part of the lifelong process of spiritual formation, and an excellent basis for lay ministry.

Faith and Life groups meet locally and there is an emphasis on discussion and interaction. The course is for those who want their beliefs, church membership and daily life to mesh together better.

Running from September to June, sessions take place once a week during the evening and over two Saturdays, with a full month’s holiday at Christmas and Easter. If you think this might be for you give Alastair Macnaughton a ring on 0191 234 0371. At present groups are expected to take place in Alnmouth, the Ashington area, Hexham, and Newcastle but it would be great if we could form groups elsewhere in the region too.

Exploring Theology Today encourages a broad reflection on the Church’s spiritual life and on God’s mission in the world. An expert in the field leads the first part of each session and group discussion follows. Sessions include: Baptism and its theology, led by Archdeacon Peter Robinson; the Birth and the nature of Christ led by the Revd Alastair Macnaughton; and contributions from others, including Bishop Martin. Sessions are spread throughout the year and include a weekend at Shepherds Dene.

Some people will enjoy Exploring Theology Today without first completing Faith & Life. Others will prefer to do both at different stages, although the courses are not connected. Come and find out more about Exploring Theology Today on Monday 12 July, 7pm at Church House, even if you’re not sure you want to sign up at this stage.

More new Deacons for the diocese

June Barras

I am due to be ordained deacon as an ordained local minister in Warkworth and Acklington. As a child I lived both on Tyneside and in Northumberland. After training as a teacher, I married fellow North-easterner, Brian. We have two sons (David and Peter), and three grandchildren. Brian’s career took us down to the Midlands where we lived for a number of years. Once the boys were old enough, I returned to work as a youth worker and then as an FE lecturer teaching English and working with people with learning difficulties.

I trained as a Reader in Leicester Diocese, being licensed in 1998. Following Brian’s retirement we have been able to return to Northumberland, and have set up home and garden in Acklington. I am actively involved in village life, love interacting with all sorts of people, and as a non-driver, I’m a champion for local public transport.

Phil Medley

I am really excited about coming to Newcastle and serving the people of Walker. I am originally from Bradford in Yorkshire. I studied theology at St John's College Durham before training to be a teacher. I then moved to London where I worked as a youth worker, a secondary school teacher and then as a Pastoral Assistant in Westminster. I've been really privileged to work in different areas and experience different types of churches in my life. God provides such wonderful diversity and colour to his world and every region provides something wonderful and offers a fresh perspective on God.

I've seen God work in my own life and the lives of others in amazing ways. He has lifted me out of the bad times and helped my family enormously. So when I responded to the calling to serve him as a minister, it was because I really wanted to share God's message of hope to people and serve them in any way I could. I am looking forward to getting to know Newcastle more, to rekindle my love of Newcastle Brown Ale (in moderation), to visit St James' Park and to see the amazing things God is already doing in this city.

Rosie Stacy

My journey towards ordination has been very much connected to Upper Coquetdale, where I have lived for the past eight years. Here I was brought into contact with the church as a worshipping community through being invited to sing in the ‘Christmas, Easter and Harvest choir’ at Alwinton. From my long since lapsed Methodist roots I was called back into the Christian faith. Having a woman vicar, and one who had been a shepherd, was also significant: it reminded me of the sayings of Jesus when he talked of acceptance back into the fold, and his commissioning of the disciples to lead the sheep. However, I was taken completely by surprise by a calling to priesthood. I had no doubts though that this call was to serve in Upper Coquetdale, the place that had drawn me in. It was later that I came across the work of Schillebeeckx, and was so excited when I read the case he made for local ministry. As in the days of the early church I needed to check out my calling with those in the Christian and wider community, starting with friends, work colleagues, congregation members, and the vicar; then the PCC and with our Churches Together Council, through which we have an ecumenical Local Ministry Group.

While I have been training through NEITE and now Lindisfarne I have withdrawn from many of the community and church activities that I was involved in. One of these is the Bereavement Visiting Service, which is a Churches Together/ GP surgery venture. I have been a bereavement visitor and jointly led the training of volunteers (who are from all the church denominations and none). Being a visitor is to be alongside the bereaved person and I have no doubt that doing this work is witness to the servanthood of Christ. I have also been in a group which has planned and arranged ‘Alternative Worship’ services. Just as Jesus worked with people wherever they were, these aim to draw in those who are not necessarily churchgoers.

A third interest is in Ministry to Visitors: a group of us has produced welcome leaflets, and up the valley we offer free coffee and tea in our churches, which are always open. Walkers and other visitors love the peaceful atmosphere, and the welcome they experience is one way in which we are sharing the gospel.

I work two days a week as Senior Tutor for Student Support and Guidance in the Medical School at Newcastle University. This involves listening to problems and concerns that students bring and guiding them through the complexities of the clinical training programme. When not there and not writing essays for the ordination training, I tend to be either in the garden or making music. Graham, my husband, and I have plenty to keep us busy with a wood, our own water supply and keeping rabbits away from the vegetables! Graham and I sing together, and he now leads the church choir and has introduced the ‘village band’ to accompany the singers. I sing in Werca’s Folk, which is a women’s choir. I am also a keen circle dancer, and hope at some stage to explore the role of dance in liturgy.

The Parish of Upper Coquetdale is some 200 square miles, with 11 churches, six of them Church of England congregations, and five others representing three other denominations. It will be an enormous privilege to serve there as part of the clergy team in my community.

Occupation writ large in Hebron

by Patricia Devlin

Think wartime films of occupied France and you will capture something of the atmosphere of central Hebron. Even after a month here it was quite a shocking experience during my two day visit to our team in Hebron.

The Oslo Accord of 1995 divided the West Bank into 3 zones: Area A - Wholly under Palestinian control (this includes most of the Palestinian cities), Area B - Joint control, Palestinian civil administration, Joint Palestinian/Israeli ‘security’, Area C -Wholly under Israeli military control ( this includes many Palestinian rural communities – more of this another time).

Unlike other Palestinian cities, Hebron is divided into H1 under Palestinian control and H2 under Israeli military control. H2 includes much of the city centre and old city as well as the mosque and synagogue housing the tombs of the patriarchs. The reason for this is that in Hebron the Israeli settlements are in the centre of the city.

As you approach the city centre the road forks. The left fork leads into the old city and the right fork leads to a pedestrian military checkpoint with metal detectors, and if you pass though successfully, you find yourself in the infamous Shuhada street. This was once the main shopping street of the Palestinian city, but now it’s like a ghost town. If you are a Palestinian (or even an international during the time I was there) you are only allowed to walk the first 200yds of the street before being halted by another military post, just before the Jewish school and central settlement. This is precisely where the Palestinian girls must climb the stairs to the Cordoba school and for the Hebron team one of their main tasks is watching the girls safely in and out of the school, because in the past they have had to run the gauntlet of stone-throwing settlers as they came down the stairs from school.

On the day I was there, the school had an open day and the contrast between the normal excitement of the pupils as each class lined up to perform their part of the show was a testimony to the Palestinian determination to continue with as normal a life a life as possible despite the abnormal context of their lives.

From the school we were able to walk by the houses on the hillside below the Tal Rumeida settlement and we saw how the settlers had cut through the trunks of the vines growing in the gardens and heard of their violence even towards the children living in those houses. Descending from the hillside we entered the Old City where some of the walkways have overhead wire mesh to prevent the settlers tipping their waste onto the Palestinian traders and customers below.

In the Old City we met Nahla at her handicraft stall. She is the aunt of two boys who were arrested after the disturbances when Netanyahu announced that the site of the tombs of the patriarchs would become a Jewish heritage sight. Nahla’s sister Leyla had sent the boys to buy bread, but they were detained accused of stone-throwing and the 15-year old had now been in prison in Tulkarem in the north of the country for some weeks. That morning they had heard that he was to be released, but only after falsely admitting to stone-throwing, and the 15-year- old would have to find his way from Tulkarem right down to Hebron with only 15 shekels in his pocket. We hoped our team in Tulkarem would be able to help.

We continued on our way through the Old City until we reached the military checkpoint and turnstile leading to the Mosque and Synagogue housing the tombs of the patriarchs. Having passed through the turnstile we had to go through an airport style checking system before entering the Mosque. The underground tombs were actually sealed up by the crusaders before they left, so what you see is something like giant tabernacles erected on the ground above the tombs. Abraham’s tomb can be seen both from the mosque and the synagogue. We moved on to the synagogue, where a young Israeli told us: “It’s better that they can’t come here and we can’t go there, that way we don’t fight – not that I want to fight and I don’t think those other guys want to fight either – it’s the big guys that want to fight!”

The next day we returned with a watching brief, as over 800 Palestinians made their way through the elaborate security checks to Friday prayers in the mosque. Identity papers were taken from about 15 young Palestinian men and they had to wait after prayers until the Israeli military were ready to return their papers to them . Later we took tea with a Palestinian shopkeeper, whose premises are just opposite the mosque and synagogue. He told us the Israelis had offered him large sums of money for his property, because they want exclusive occupancy of this important area, but so far like many Palestinians he has quietly resisted.

I was sent by Quaker Peace and Social Witness to participate in the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). The views contained herein are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the sending organization or the WCC.