Called to Serve

On Sunday, 10th September 2017, Judith Blowey will be ordained Deacon in Exeter Cathedral.  On Saturday, 23rd September 2017, Sue Tucker will be ordained Priest at St Andrew’s, Plymouth. Ordinations are always very moving occasions as we gather to support people as they make their commitment to the ministry of service, word and sacrament.

The ordaining Bishop invokes the Holy Spirit, lays hands on each Ordinand, and then prays:-

Over the Deacons: “Through your Spirit, heavenly Father, give these your servants grace and power to fulfil their ministry. Make them faithful to serve and constant in advancing your gospel in the world.”

And over the Priests: “Through your Spirit, heavenly Father, given these your servants grace and power to proclaim the gospel of your salvation and minister the sacraments of the new covenant.”

It is an awesome responsibility to entrust to our deacons and priests. It is an awesome responsibility to be entrusted to a ministry of service. It is an awesome responsibility to be entrusted to administer the sacraments. The most effective clergy recognise constantly that they exercise that responsibility, not in their own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through them.

Those who begin their ordained ministry during September do so, I am sure, with a strong sense of call, with a sense of expectation, a sense of wanting to serve, feelings of joy and thanksgiving, and, I expect, with a healthy feeling of trepidation. That sense of call, that vocation, needs to be nurtured throughout ministry and it is important for us to realise that we all have a role in that nurturing – to help the deacon to be a deacon, and the priest to be a priest, rather than just doing the things that a priest or deacon does.

Please pray for Judith and Sue and for all those to be ordained at this time, and pray too that their vocation may remain as fresh throughout their ministry as it is on their ordination day.

With my love and prayers

Chris Hardwick

“The Way Ahead”

On the 14^th July over 150 people from our Church and community came to a buffet supper in the Town Hall in Tavistock to hear about the “The Way Ahead” and plans to celebrate the 700^th Anniversary of Tavistock Parish Church. Full details of forthcoming events will be published over the coming months. I want to take this opportunity to thank those who helped make this event possible: David Parkin for his organisation of the event, John Rea, James Teague and Katie Stevenson (from the Diocese of Exeter) for speaking at the event, and Sean Sweeney and the choir of St Eustachius’ Church, together with “Gin and Pimms” for their musical entertainment.  A huge thank you also to Cathy Sherlock, the Social Committee, and all the helpers who provided food and much needed help during the evening.  I have received many appreciative comments from those who came to the supper and thank everyone involved for making this Church/Community event possible.

Journeying with God

For many, August is a time for holidays.  For most of us, holidays are straight-forward and simple, but for some they have a deeper significance.   For some there is a need, almost an urge, to travel and to visit new places. Human beings are, by nature, wanderers and explorers. Our forebears were hunter-gatherers and not settled people.  In many cultures, there is a tradition of journeying – nations, tribes and groups “on the move”.  In the Bible there are lots of stories of people on the move.  The Exodus, where the people of Israel escaped from Egypt and, after a 40 year journey, entered the promised land, is perhaps the most well-known example from the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, the first disciples were literally followers of Jesus and they travelled with Jesus from place to place as he taught about the Kingdom of God.  They left their homes, their settled lives and their places of work as they responded to his call.  There is a tradition within the Christian faith of Christians being people who are on the move and on a journey – literally, followers of “The Way”.

The Christian faith has been spread by people who are prepared to travel, and the theme of life as a “journey”, or as a pilgrimage, is at the very heart of our faith.  It means that we are called to a life that is not settled, a life in which we are prepared to move on.  This is particularly true as we live in a time of significant change.

The idea of journeying is, of course, not simply about a physical journey, it is also about an internal journey which involves both the heart and the mind.  We know from our own experiences of life that often we travel huge distances inside ourselves because of experiences we have. These experiences can take us to a new understanding of what it is to be ourselves in relationship with God and with others.

The Christian life is a journey towards God, in the company of God, and in the company of each other.  It is a journey we are all to take and something which is beneficial for us all.  This month, if you are able to do so, set a little extra time aside for your journey with God.

With my love and prayers,

Chris Hardwick

“Neighbours from Hell”

“Neighbours from Hell” is the title of a popular television programme which reports on disputes between neighbours, some of which have been going on for many years, and all of which are the source of anger and resentment between the parties involved, and the cause of much pain and distress – why is such a programme so popular?

An important theme in the teachings of Jesus is that of forgiveness and mercy. These are basic attitudes that every Christian must put into practice. Apart from the command to love one another there is no greater obligation placed on a Christian. But, in some of the circumstances of everyday living, forgiveness is more often talked about than put into practice. It is difficult to forgive. It is demanding, and it can take a great deal out of us. Within families and among neighbours incidents can get blown up out of all proportion; we can become so embittered by injuries and wrong-doings that we may find it impossible to forgive … by our own strength alone.

Jesus teaches us to put all our human affairs into a proper perspective and to put our trust in him. In the light of eternity and the shortness of our life span, harbouring anger and resentment is pointless. What comes over clearly in the Gospel is that our ability to forgive others is a measure of the depth of our Christianity. The forgiveness that we offer makes it possible for us to receive God’s forgiveness and to pray in a meaningful way “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

In the actual circumstances of daily living we are rarely put to the test of forgiveness in matters that are truly painful or emotionally crippling. But, aware of the loving forgiveness of God and his generous mercy shown to all who turn to him, when those times do occur we must be ready to place the situations we face into God’s hands in trust, for, if we are to be true channels of God’s love, then Jesus’s teaching and example must be the standard by which we measure our lives and shape our own conduct.

Heavenly Father,

look with compassion on our failings,

deliver us from hardness of heart

and grant that we may always be ready to forgive injuries

and heal divisions

in the strength of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 With my love and prayers

Chris Hardwick

Tavistock Parish Church – “The Way Ahead”

Plans are being made to hold a buffet supper at the Town Hall in Tavistock on Friday 14^th July at 6.30 pm to celebrate the life of St Eustachius’ Church and to look at how we can continue to develop our work in the town and the wider community in the years ahead. The event is called “The Way Ahead” and will be an opportunity to look at our future together, our financial situation, our plans to celebrate our 700^th Anniversary during 2018, and our hopes and aspirations beyond that. The evening will include entertainment and guest speakers.

There are many ways in which we invest our time, energy and resources to witness to our community. Steeped in history, St Eustachius’ Church provides a peaceful, sacred space for all who live in the community, the surrounding areas, and to visitors. It is a major focal point for the town, and a place where many people can, and do, go to find a quiet place in a world which, from time to time, may seem a place of confusion or anxiety. We all benefit from having a beautiful and well-kept Church at the heart of Tavistock.

St Eustachius’ Church is not only a place of for worship, prayer, pastoral care and heritage, but also a centre of musical excellence, and a venue for concerts and other events. Tavistock Church hosts everything from choral and orchestral concerts, to the Tavistock Music and Arts Festival, and the highly successful annual Friends’ Christmas Tree Festival, to highlight only a few events which take place during the year. More recently the Tavistock Heritage Festival and the Tavistock Passion have been wonderful events which have drawn many people to the Town.

Please come and enjoy the evening with us. For catering purposes the evening is ticketed. You are welcome to apply for a ticket at The Parish Office, 5A Plymouth Road, Tavistock or telephone on 01822 616673. You will be welcome. Please do come.

With my love and prayers

Christopher Hardwick     

Vicar

Risen, Ascended, and Glorified

The commissioning and sending out of the apostles, and the promise to them of the gift of the Holy Spirit, are Jesus’s words to those who follow him: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  Then, St Luke describes Jesus’s Ascension as a physical event.  It is comparable to the Ascension of Elijah (2 Kings 2:9).  Elisha witnesses the Ascension of his master, Elijah, having been promised a double share of his master’s spirit. Similarly, the disciples look on as Jesus is taken and they receive the Holy Spirit from him at Pentecost.

The Book of Acts forms a kind of bridge between the Gospels and Epistles. It describes the way in which the Christian message spreads from the rural Palestinian world of Jesus to the largely urban world of Paul later in epistles, and then throughout the Roman Empire. Whereas the Gospels focus on Jesus, the Book of Acts may be said to focus on people talking about Jesus.

This spreading of the Good News about Jesus is possible because of the Ascension of Jesus and the subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit to his followers. His followers are inspired by the Spirit of God to spread Good News about the Son of God: “And you will be my witnesses”. And they were amazing witnesses, witnessing “to the ends of the earth” and passing the task and privilege of sharing the faith on to those who came after them.

We, in our term, are all called to be witnesses. Let us recall the words of the Service of Confirmation: “Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them” and: “Let their delight be in the fear of the Lord” … “God has called you by name and made you his own”. As the first disciples were called and then sent out, so are we. Called by name, and called for a purpose. Called not only to be people who talk about Jesus, but also called to be people who live lives that point to Jesus.

With my love and prayers this Ascensiontide,

Chris Hardwick