Team Rector’s Letter June 2019
As I write this in early May, our new Team Vicar has just moved into his new home in Bexley Village. The Reverend Edward Barlow comes to us from the Diocese of London where he has been serving in the Parish of St Michael and All Angels in Bedford Park, near Chiswick. (I have to say that Edward’s arrival to join the Bexley Team brings the average age of the clergy down considerably.) With a background as a Secondary School teacher, he is married, with a young son. As you read this in early June, it will be at the time of Edward’s licensing to the Bexley Team by the Bishop, at 7.30pm on 4 June, in St John’s Bexley.
Those of us who have been through the experience of moving house, will know that it is an exciting and stressful time. For clergy moving into a new parish, there is the double stress of beginning a new ‘job’ as well. Settling into their new home and community is done very much in the public eye.
Moving house is probably most stressful because we need to try and keep track of so many things, not least those many possessions we all have. We realise that the things we treasure – from our favourite mug to the album of photographs that granny gave us have to be located and kept safe. And we also need to take the opportunity of NOT taking with us the thing that we won’t need in the new place.
And then there are practical questions like... “will the sofa fit into our new living room?” “where shall we keep the ironing board?” “How shall we sort out the internet connection?” There is the task of finding a new doctor, a new dentist, garage, schools for the children... and in our new community finding new friendship groups and working out how we can keep spending quality time with ‘old friends’.
As I have been thinking of these things, I have also been reflecting on the ways in which people move on from this earthly life and come to that time of parting from all that has been familiar, and passing into eternity.
Christians believe that God is with us through all the changes of our earthly life. It is one of the privileges of church ministers to be with people and families at the end of life and to conduct funeral services and internment of ashes. I am glad that at those times I can say with complete confidence that God is with us in every change and chance of life and continues to be with us into death, as we commit all that the person has been in this life, into the safekeeping of God.
Reverend Ren Harding (Team Rector)
contact me at Joydens Wood Vicarage,
6 Tile Kiln Lane, Joydens Wood, Bexley, DA5 2BB
01322-528923 renharding@hotmail.co.uk