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The View

1 FEBRUARY 2021

EDITION 35

For mine eyes have seen your salvation

A reflection by Rt Rev Peter Hill

How did you handle the Christmas decorations at

home this year? Even though no-one could visit us, we

put ours out as usual. Over the years we have given

special place to our collection of stable scenes from

different cultures. Originally like most families we took

ours down at Epiphany on the 12th Day of Christmas.

In more recent years we have retained at least one

stable scene until Candlemas to remind us that Jesus is

the light of the world, of our lives and family.

But this year Ellen and I have decided to keep that one

stable scene on display at least through to Ash

Wednesday, or maybe even until the end of this third

lockdown. Why? Because one of the things that

Candlemas represents for us, particularly in its relation

to the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, as

described in Luke 2:22-40, is the need for Godly light

and wisdom. That scripture passage is shot through

with the Godly wisdom which all God’s people need

this year in what will be a tipping point for the mission

and ministry of our Church as we come through the

pandemic.

News for clergy, churchwardens, LLMs and lay chairs

News for Clergy, Churchwardens, LLMs and Lay Chairs

A young couple bring their new baby to church for the first time. They are met and welcomed; the baby is fussed over by two

old devout church folk. A special ceremony follows, something that happens all the time in our churches across the diocese

and the Church of England. Yet of course it was much more than that!

The leaders of the church of the day, the priests of the Temple were oblivious: just another couple, another first born son to

be presented. And isn’t that much the same today. Our world, even in this time of crisis does not fully recognise its creator

and saviour, and carries on oblivious, sometimes even inside God’s church! Yet as the Lord Jesus is presented in the Temple,

two wise and elderly prophets, Anna and Simeon, recognise this vulnerable baby as the Messiah, the one long promised by

God to save his people.

As Jesus is presented in the Temple, he is presented to us, his Body, the Church. And the familiar words of the prophet

Simeon echo down the centuries: ‘Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word. For mine eyes have seen

your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.’

(vs 29-32)

We need the Godly wisdom of Anna and Simeon to recognise the Lord Jesus in every circumstance and present him to the

people of this nation in word and action as the light of their world. As we move through and beyond the pandemic, the way

we minister and encourage the people of England to recognise Christ and commit to him, and the ways we work for social

justice, will be more significant to the future than ever.

How do we do that? With the same attitude as Anna and Simeon. They were open to God in their waiting and looking

forward to the future. Simeon looked forward ‘to the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was on him.’ v25, and Anna ‘to the

redemption of Jerusalem.’ v38. Like them we need to exercise the wisdom of waiting, the wisdom of expectation and of

offering lives afresh and continually to God out of thanksgiving and anticipation. Please pray with me for that Godly wisdom

for the journey. Our offering of ourselves should not be defined by the past, by failure or success, but by future need as

theirs was.

Candlemas and the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple brings the celebrations of Christmas and Epiphany to a

close. For us who worship and follow Jesus today, it is always a tipping point. We turn from the joy of Christmas to the

wilderness journey of Lent and the horror of the cross. From the wonder of the Incarnation to the agony and sacrifice of the

Passion. More than ever it is such a tipping point for us in this year of pandemic.

So how does the wisdom we need come? By the Godly openness, sacrifice and forward looking shown to us in this scripture

story of a young couple and two old wise people. But above all by a Christ child who ‘grew and became strong, filled with wisdom,

and the favour of God was upon him.’ (v.40).

Yet the wonder of it all, this mighty incarnation remains: for all the wisdom in the universe is met together in this Christ

child who lies oblivious at the heart of our story!

That is why we are retaining our stable scene at home through this lockdown.

News and information

Revd Rob Merchant appointed as new Dean of Mission, Ministry and Education

We are delighted to announce that Revd Rob Merchant has been appointed as the Diocese’s new Dean of Mission, Ministry and

Education.

Rob will be well known to many readers of the View and is currently the Director of St Mellitus, Chelmsford. He has worked

with many of our ordinands and lay

leaders in recent years.

He will start in his new role in April and

working with colleagues across the

diocese, will lead learning and

development programmes for ordinands,

clergy and lay leaders, the work of the

Diocese’s church schools, children’s

families and youth work and the project

to establish 101 new Christian

communities across Essex and East

London.

The Dean of Mission, Ministry and

Education role became vacant last year

when Rev Canon Dr Roger Matthews

became interim CEO and Diocesan

Secretary. Rev Andy Griffiths has been

interim Director of Mission and Ministry

during this period and has done fantastic

work for which we are hugely grateful. Andy

will return to his previous role as Head of the Training Team and Bradwell Area CMD Advisor when Rob joins us in April and

Roger will be retiring later this year when a new CEO and Diocesan Secretary is appointed.

Please join us in praying for Rob and wishing him well. For further information about the appointment and to read quotes from

Bishop Guli, Bishop Peter and Rob himself, please click here.

Launch Webinar, Monday 8 February, 1pm

The Bishop’s Annual Appeal for 2021 builds on last year’s Lent Appeal to support the work of the Five Talents

Microfinance Charity in our link diocese of Marsabit, Kenya.

To find out how you can get involved in the appeal and support it within your own parish, please join us at our launch

webinar on Monday 8 February at 1pm.

The webinar will include interviews with Revd Elema and Bishop Qampicha from Marsabit and a representative from

Five Talents.

To register, please click here.

The Bradwell Area Vocations day will take place by Zoom this year on Saturday 27 February between 10am and 2pm.

For further information and to register, please click here.

Join on Zoom. Meeting ID: 820 6465 9725, Password: Vocation

This year our Barking Area Vocations Day is

going to be a little different. Come and join us

on Zoom for an informal chat about vocations.

• Bishop Peter will be giving a keynote

address

• There will be brief presentations on lay

and ordained ministries.

• Testimonies from people who are

training for both lay and ordained

ministries

• Lots of time for questions and

discussion

Details of our forthcoming stewardship and giving webinars are set out below:

The Parish Giving Scheme, Thursday 4 February, 7.30pm

In this webinar we’ll explain how the Parish Giving Scheme can help you to encourage and enable giving in your parish.

We’ll be joined by Richard Jones who is the Lead Parish Giving Adviser for the Diocese of Hereford. Richard will explain how

the scheme works and how you can get started. There will also be an opportunity for discussion and questions.

Register here.

Stewardship Resources Webinar, Thursday 11 February, 7.30pm

In this webinar we will highlight the key resources that are available for parishes to support stewardship and giving. Register

here.

Marketplace, Tuesday 23 February, 7.30pm

This webinar will signpost some of the commercial opportunities that are available to parishes to help generate additional

income. Register here.

Diocesan and Parish Finance, 16 March, 7.30pm

Join Interim Chief Operations Officer, Maureen Cole and our new Finance Director, Michaela Southworth for an overview of

diocesan and parish finance. Register here.

Recordings of our first two Generous God, Generous Disciples webinars can now be watched here.

Generous God, Generous Disciples Lent Bible Studies Throughout Lent, we’ll be hosting a series of bible studies on the theme of stewardship and giving as part of Christian

discipleship. For further information, please click here.

Online Church Webinar- Digital

Evangelism, Tuesday 2 February,

7pm

Our next Online Church webinar takes

place tomorrow evening when we will

be joined by Ali Johnson from Cliff

College who will talk about the

opportunities for evangelism in online

spaces.

Register here.

Children’s Youth and Families Ministry, Upcoming Events

Celebrating Easter at Home

Sign up online here.

Easter Retreat

Sign up online here.

Manna Training Plan

Click to book

Good News – University Chaplaincy During the Pandemic

The pandemic has impacted

many of those who work and

study at universities and

colleges across Essex and East

London. Our chaplaincy team

have been supporting those

who are suffering from

loneliness, anxiety, financial

worries and other concerns.

“We have a beautiful campus

at Essex,” says Rev Dr Sara

Batts-Neale, Chaplain to the

University of Essex Colchester

Campus. “So I’ve been taking

students for walks with my

dog. That’s been a great way

to get outside, away from a

screen, and to offer a listening

ear.” Online meetings and

email support have been

integral to chaplains’ ministries to students and staff but many are finding the latest lockdown especially difficult.

Revd Jackie Thornton is chaplain at Anglia Ruskin’s Chelmsford campus and is launching a wellbeing support group in

partnership with the charity Kintsugi Hope and Chelmsford Cathedral. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of taking broken

pottery and mending it with golden glue, making a feature of the cracks. Jackie says, “I’m looking forward to

connecting with staff on a deeper level and supporting mental health and wellbeing. We all have broken parts but

when we are honest with our humanity and need for one another, we can find beauty in our brokenness.”

Please pray for our universities and colleges at this time. Particularly for:

• Staff who are exhausted and stressed

• Teams supporting students’ wellbeing & providing practical advice

• The mental health & wellbeing of students