In my school visits I am often asked what my favourite Bible story is. I have many! One that I particularly love, is the story of the lad and his lunch that we find in John’s Gospel. Who knew that having been packed off for the day with his mum’s picnic, that his small contribution could make such an impact? Five thousand people fed from just 5 loaves and two fish. We often spend time reflecting on how the miracle took place. Was this the power of Jesus’ blessing or did the boy’s offering inspire generosity in others?
As we begin our synod today, I want us to reflect on both the blessing of God and the generosity called for from each of us as we gather. If we believe God to be God then we recognise the abundance of the resources that he has within his power and his desire to share those so generously with us, as his children. That should give us a certain freedom from the anxiety of scarcity that our current society appears to wish upon us. And inspire us to be similarly generous to one another.
Today we shall be receiving the financial accounts of last year as well as seeking your support for the budget for the coming year. It is a moment to give thanks for the abundance of God’s goodness and to ensure that we steward the resources. He gives, well. I want to say a huge thank you to Matt Elliott and our diocesan finance team for their care and commitment to this task. They tirelessly give of their time in ways which show wisdom and grace, in seeking to find the balance between supporting and encouraging the mission and ministry that the diocese aspires to and ensuring that we do not squander precious resource.
The additional investment from the Church Commissioners has been a very welcome and specific gift to us. There are clear parameters to how we can spend it and we need to account for that with careful monitoring and evaluation. It allows us to have the opportunity to bring about some systemic change through our programme of Fit for Mission, all of which is a response to some of the issues that you identified as challenges within your parishes. The need for help in managing buildings which were not fit for purpose; growing the leadership within our worshipping communities to both reach out and to attend to some of the administrative tasks; the concerns we had for over-stretched clergy who often felt isolated; and churches that were struggling to find the money required to be ambitious in their plans.
We shall be hearing this morning about some of the exciting achievements and steps forward we have made as a result. It has not been an easy road, and I want to particularly ask your prayers for Richard Gedge who is recovering after surgery and continuing to receive treatment. Please hold him and the family in your love and care. In the meantime, Laura Jones and the team have been doing an amazing job of keeping us on track to continue the excellent progress we are making. Thank you, Laura! Learning from early examples such as Transform Wigan and the first cohorts of FfM, we are seeing green shoots as God’s Holy Spirit is at work. As Bishop Simon and I move round the diocese we can see the difference it makes, as clergy begin to see that no one is in ministry alone; we are noticing innovative outreach where new missional communities are being formed; and we see the pressure of too much falling upon too few being reduced, as folk share responsibilities of finance, buildings and importantly safeguarding.
Thank you for your engagement with the opportunities that have been offered. We know that mistakes have been made and not everything has worked, but that is the nature of undertaking such an ambitious programme of change. We need always to be aware of the whisper of the Spirit to guide us and help us adapt as we seek to make the best use of the resources we have, and to support one another in our desire to live and tell the story of Jesus.
Please take time to listen and appreciate the progress made. It can be all too easy to criticise and see the faults and failings, but I do believe that the signs of transformation are beginning to show and we need to hold our nerve as we build on learning and realise the hope to which God calls us. Our primary course is to focus on our four missional priorities – to introduce people to Jesus; to deepen our own discipleship; to develop leadership, each of us using our gifts both within and outside the Church; and making a difference in the world around us, building the kingdom of God which reflects his justice and mercy.
Today we are also looking at how we add our own contribution to the bounty which the national Church has given. For some time, we have recognised that the parish share system has not been as fair for some as for others. Our Common Fund, the money we all give to distribute within the diocese, provides ministry across our communities, ensuring that those of us who have more, give more; to support those of us who have less. We will be discussing the proposals being made by the working group, led by Archdeacon Miranda, who have spent many hours over the last year, listening to your thoughts and suggestions, your concerns and ideas. Thank you for all you have given! We have seen the film, had the opportunity to participate in webinars, read the papers, heard the answers to frequently asked questions, and now we must decide together.
It would be all too easy to put off the decision, to seek alternative approaches, and indeed a debate will be had today, and an amendment offered. I do want to underline however that a huge amount of thought and testing of these proposals has already been done with lots of ideas considered, and the group believe that this is the best way to proceed, to help us build resilience for the future and ensure that we can be as fair as possible to all. Deaneries will continue to be able to make local decisions together.
You will also see that we have a motion on our agenda from one of our deaneries. I am delighted to see us exercising our right to influence political change in our communities. Wigan are inviting us to support their desire to see all children provided with free school meals. This is something that we have seen children in our region asking for, using community organising to partner with others through Citizens UK. That rather resonates with the theme of the boy in John’s gospel. Lunch is not readily available for all when money is scarce and families are stretched. It is one of the reasons why we draw on the generosity of God and one another. This motion encourages us to bless our communities by working with others to bring about a change that will bless our children.
Sisters and brothers, how we engage in our debate and conversation today will be as important in demonstrating our generosity to one another as will be the outcomes themselves. The desire to hear each other with respect and to respond with care and hope, models something of how we have been seeking to shape our communal life together as a Church, as described in our ‘dwelling passage’ in Colossians 3:12-17.
This Sunday we will be holding in remembrance all those who have given themselves for the sake of others, for our freedom. As we meet today may we mirror something of that spirit, by re-membering the body of Christ through showing generosity to one another and receiving the blessing which God unstintingly gives.
We might wonder what would have happened if that lad on the hillside had not spoken up and offered the little, he had, as food for others. There are those here today who are new amongst us, others who may not have had opportunity to speak before, who may feel they have little to give, but each of us has a contribution to make. I hope and pray that we all may feel able to offer what we have today. As Jesus took the loaves and fish, blessed them, broke them and gave them, and all were fed; may we find ourselves blessed today, and not only satisfied ourselves, but notice too that there is more than enough for everyone, thanks to the abundance of God’s goodness.
