Article for "Spotlight" Christ Church's monthly magazine - June 2006, during the interregnum

Last summer Jo and I spent a week in Norfolk. I got it into my head that I would like to visit some of the round tower churches, they are scattered throughout Norfolk, with some in Suffolk also. It was a very interesting time wandering around the different buildings during the week, looking for evidence of the congregation and the worship at the church. Some were quite sad, 'moth-balled' churches with the buildings and grounds protected, but no active worshippers. We looked at the gravestones for 'Fisher' as well, as we suspect my family may be from the area originally. I wonder what those people thought the future of their church would be? Some of the churches had, very obviously, a large and active congregation. At one there was a notice on the door, which was locked unfortunately, that said the bishop had just agreed to them continuing without a vicar for the next five years. It started me thinking, back in the summer before I had started training, how a church could operate without a vicar for that long. One suggestion I have heard is that there is a very strong Reader, who leads the congregation vicar-like, so that the model is unchanged. A more exciting idea is that the congregation are involved and take responsibility for all the various aspects of the life of the church as their gifts allow. God, we believe, will provide all their needs (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:27-29), so there will be a unique mix of gifted people, all working together, and all the requirements will be met.

This church is in my thoughts for two reasons. The first is common to us all. – Christ Church does not have a vicar, Paul has moved on, and the new person is only just confirmed. It means that a lot of things that we used to rely on are now having to be done by others. I have been very pleased, and give thanks and praise to God, for the number of people who have been willing to take on new (or old) things, and 'help out' in the gap. We've even managed a church weekend away. Of course, all of the things that people are doing is not really just 'helping out',– it's really exercising your God given gifts, for the good of the church (1 Peter 4:10). The other reason is unique to me, in my first year of Reader training. I am in the process of preparing the Ministry assignment. We have to consider what it means to be a Reader, what effect it has on our Ministry, and how that might change in the future. One of the assigned books is "“Bridging the Gap" - it means between the clergy and the people (laity), and it is a very interesting book, but that's not where I see Christ Church. "The Ministry Team Handbook"” takes things much further, and talks about Ministry Leadership Teams, a model for church much more like the one we have - with Cogs having responsibility for each of their specific areas. Reading Don's article in April reminded me of some of the things we used to do. As a new Christian I didn't know that what was happening was in any way unusual but, looking back and getting a wider exposure to some other churches, I think it was quite remarkable. It didn't always work of course -– I remember Peter Sandberg asking my girl friend (Josephine Leaver) and I to lead prayers and us both making a complete mess of it because we weren't properly prepared. I remember a CYFA service that Graeme Knibbs and the team put together, that was barely halfway through by 8pm! The evening congregation was very tolerant, and we didn't keep anyone until 9:30. We were forgiven and invited back to have another go! These things happened over 20 years ago, and I'm still learning about my gifts and my Ministry, and I expect you are too. (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6)