Outline of comments, from Jim Booth, with regards to the Interim Priest role, made to St John’s congregations on Sunday morning, 28th February and Wednesday morning, 2nd March.
1 ‘I feel honoured and humbled to have been invited to take on the role of Interim Priest on the retirement of our Rector, Robin, later this year.
- The role is that of ‘Interim Priest’ – i.e. it is not that of replacement Rector. The role therefore will require me to: Make sure that things happen; that what needs to be done is done – it will not be to do it all myself; – Exercise a ministry of oversight, with the authority of our Bishop – and, therefore to be a first port of call; – To work with many others through this interim period of interregnum, building a team to work collaboratively.
- This period of interregnum will require of us all that we work together, but recognising that we are not alone. God, in His love, is with us in it and, therefore, we approach these coming months both hopefully and expectantly, knowing that we will be faced not only with challenges but also with new opportunities.
- In this season of Lent we journey with Christ to the cross and to the tomb of resurrection, the events which lie at the heart of our faith, events without which we have no faith to celebrate. Those events have at their heart the challenge to change, to be transformed, to be made new. In fact the Gospel, the journey of life itself, is all about change, about moving on into what lies ahead – journeying with God into His future for us. And for us that will be through this period of transition.
- We must recognise though that, for some, change is very difficult. We will need to listen to one another, to support one another through it, always recognising that God is with us in it and that the Holy Spirit is at work through the processes that will be followed.
- We must trust God and pray for His guidance, that His will be done for us as the community of His people here at St John’s.
- And we must also pray for Robin and Helen as they, too, journey into God’s future for them; as they move into a new stage in their life and ministry.
- May God bless us all as we move forward into His future for us.’
Jim Booth – March 2nd, 2016