Companions of St Aidan

Statue of St Aidan on Lindisfarne

I was at a meeting of Diocesan Synod which was devoted to a new initiative: Companions of St Aidan.

This is a project in formation. It was described by one person as 'missional order network' which I thought sounded accurate and unclear.

It is a new thing, modelled as a (loose) religious order.  It seeks to tie clergy and lay church members together in mutual support, and to encourage Companions to make a practical difference in their community.

The Synod looked at some of its key aspects:

1. Rule of Life
2. Prayer - a possible daily prayer and office of the Companions of St Aidan was distributed (not yet on the website). 
3. Mission networks 
4. Living the values - the document is half-hidden on this page - click on SARA for a pdf.

There is a lot to commend in this. I trust the motivations and the people behind it (though who they are wasn't very clear)

But there was no mention of governance.
This large omission leaves huge uncertainties:

• who will lead, administer and guide the Companions?  
• how is it to be funded?
• will it be a part of the Diocesan structures or an independent body (a charity, perhaps)? 
• will it be governed by trustees or by vote of all members, or through some other structure? 

Lindisfarne: St Aidan's base and ret

Rule or no Rule there will be significant challenges of governance from the very beginning.

For example:

• how will the Companions encompass the existing tensions and divisions in the Church of England?  

Will those who reject the priesthood of women automatically rule themselves out?

Will conservative evangelicals sit down happily with gay priests or with liberals who relate to scripture in fundamentally different ways?

Or will the Companions only appeal to those more-or-less of the same mind to begin with?

• how will contentious differences in the Rule of Life be resolved? 

The existing document has plenty of scope for disagreement. It states: "The way that one person expresses the Rule of Life in the place where they live might look quite different to the way someone else expresses it in theirs."

But there's a good chance at some point one person's expression of the Rule is likely to become another person's Step Too Far. How will such differences be adjudicated?

• is fundamental equality of members feasible? 

"In embracing a common Rule of Life there is recognition of a ‘level playing field’, where all members of the community are understood to be able to contribute and participate equally. 

This means that there can be no division, or difference in status, between ‘ordained’ and ‘lay’, and that the mission order should compliment (sic), rather than  emulate, a parish model of church. 

Indeed, the Companions of St Aidan might be best understood as a ‘lay’ community, of which some members may also be ‘ordained’." (Rule of Life, paragraph  breaks added)

Really?

The Church of England is hierarchical from its core to its fingertips. Look how it loves processions, how it clings to symbols of status.

It is hard to imagine that ordained clergy will speak and behave in ways which are egalitarian just because they join the Companions. They would have to shed years of presumption of leadership and authority. (And if clergy know how to set their status aside, what stops them now?)

At best, let egalitarianism be an aspiration. But failure to recognise and name differences in power - and the consequences which flow from it - directly (and cynically) will risk warping the whole project.

• how will membership of the Companions interact with considerations of employment? 

A relationship (or even the the suspicion of a relationship) between membership of the Companions (or failure to be a member) and an individual's job prospects could quickly become a worryingly insidious factor.

Companion membership will almost certainly be on an applicant's CV. Within the Diocese there will be a high probability that one or more interviewer may also be Companion. Can bias be avoided? Even in the most meticulous system it is very difficult to see how suspicion of bias can be avoided.

St Matthew - Lindisfarne Gospel 

Again, failure to face this issue cynically (and directly) risks hosting a potentially distorting element that could be almost impossible to address directly.

And, looking ahead, if the project becomes strong and popular:

• what will be the implications for clergy who choose not to join? 
• what will be the implications for synodical government? 

Prospects
I want to end this post positively. I want to think the Companions of St Aidan have the potential to explore new patterns of discipleship, drawing on the strengths of the old.

Or, at least, I would like to think that the Companions could be a space which is safe and secure enough for faithful exploration to take place.

Perhaps it can. At the moment I just don't have enough information even for an educated guess.

Maybe there is some prospect that the Companions could offer a new pattern of communication and relationships between clergy and laity in the Diocese. Or, at least, between those who choose to be members.

But for any of this to happen those currently responsible for sustaining the present patterns would have to allow, even endorse, the critique and potential demise of the system which nurtured, promoted and sustains them. Senior diocesan staff would have to run the risk of organizational suicide.

One key element of governance which is in the documentation argues against such radical prospects. It seems that new members will only be accepted after interview. Applicants "before signing up" will be asked to

"Participate in a brief introductory conversation either individually or in a locally based group" (Joining up)

This process, however relaxed it might be in practice, is a drama of control at entry into the project. Sadly it seems improbable that this beginning will open the door to a project capable of embodying an effective alternative to the current and failing system.

Perhaps
Perhaps I am measuring the project against the wrong criteria, or haven't understood just what the vision for it really is.

And maybe, in God's grace, the Companions might model a communal, diverse, purposeful, open egalitarian and creative expression of Christian faith. Perhaps the CofE can give birth to its replacement. Perhaps it can bring up a child that will be at home in a new, post-Christian, post-everything world.  Perhaps; we'll just have to wait and see.

As the proverb is: we make our paths by walking.

Paul Bagshaw

New Bishop of Newcastle Announced

The Venerable Christine Elizabeth Hardman has been announced as the new Bishop of Newcastle.

Diocesan announcement ~ Wiki page ~ tributes from Southwark Diocese on her retirement as Archdeacon in November 2012 (pdf) ~ Thinking Anglicans ~

The press release says:

No 10 Downing Street has announced this morning that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Christine Hardman BSc(Econ), M.Th, formerly Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich and now Honorary Assistant Priest in the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie Southwark, for election as Bishop of Newcastle in succession to the Right Reverend Martin Wharton, BA, on his resignation on 30th November 2014. 

She says,

I don’t really have the words to express my excitement at coming to this vibrant, warm and proud part of the world.” 

From my own faith journey I know the key significance of warm, lively, welcoming church communities with worship that transforms us and sends us out into the world - bringing the depth of Christian hope to places where hope is thin on the ground. 

God cares about the world - not just about the Church. The rule of Christ is over the whole of our lives. That’s why it’s so important for Christians to engage and work with key partners for all that leads to the flourishing of communities. As Bishop of Newcastle I will take every opportunity to engage in the public square and especially to speak on behalf of those whose voices are not heard, 

It will be such a privilege to be your Bishop and to lead you on the next stage of the journey. In all of this I will be relying on God’s grace and your prayers.

The Right Reverend Frank White, Assistant Bishop of Newcastle, said, 

This is such a good moment to welcome Christine Hardman to be our new Bishop and I look forward with eager anticipation to serving alongside her. 

Her wide interests and experience and her desire to encounter and learn from the spirituality of this region offer us all real opportunities for growth. 

Christine's gift for the intelligent engagement of the good news of Jesus Christ with the challenges of our times dovetails wonderfully with the vision of this diocese.

Her CV 

The Venerable Christine Elizabeth Hardman, aged 64, holds a B.Sc (Econ) from the University of London and trained for ordination on the St Albans Ministerial Training Scheme. 

She later studied for a Master’s degree in Applied Theology from Westminster College, Oxford. 

She became a Deaconess in 1984 and was ordained Deacon in 1987, serving as Curate at St John the Baptist, Markyate Street in the Diocese of St Albans. 

She took up the role of Tutor and Course Director on the St Albans Ministerial Training Scheme from 1988-1996. During this period the Scheme merged with the Oxford Ministry Course and she became its Director of Mission Studies. 

Christine was ordained Priest in 1994 and became Vicar of Holy Trinity and Christ the King, Stevenage in 1996 and also Rural Dean of Stevenage in 1999. She served as Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich from 2001 to 2012. 

In 2012 Christine became Assistant Priest at Southwark Cathedral and received the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of St Albans where she has been acting Warden of Readers. She has a special interest in mission studies and the social implications of the Gospel. 

Christine has been a member of the General Synod since 1998, with one brief break, when she moved from St Albans to Southwark Diocese, and has served on many different committees including the Synod's Eucharistic Prayers Revision Committee, the Dioceses and Pastoral Measures Review Group and the Ethical Investment Advisory Group. Her major area of work on General Synod was the legislation to allow women to be bishops. 

She was Prolocutor of the Province of Canterbury in the last Synod 2010-2015 (which came to an end with the July session) and served on the Archbishop’s Council. 

She is married to Roger and they have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Immediately after graduation Christine worked as an articled clerk and with an estate agency. Her interests include making connections between the worlds of economics and Christian faith, being in the mountains, cycling (especially bike tours in other countries and cultures), theatre and cinema. For many years she enjoyed running, completing the London Marathon three times and the Newcastle-based Great North Run.
Dates have yet to be announced for her Consecration as a bishop and the inauguration of her ministry in the Diocese of Newcastle.

She has her own Wiki page

Je suis Charlie

St Nicholas' Cathedral holds an act of remembrance for the victims of the Paris atrocities.

4:00pm on Thursday 15th of January

Faith Leaders from across Newcastle will be gathering at St Nicholas Cathedral to pray for peace in these times of crisis.

This act of remembrance will include the lighting of candles and the saying of prayers for all those affected by the atrocities in Paris.

People from all faiths and none are invited to this brief gathering.

Christmas Lunch at Shepherd's Dene

We like our food at St Hilda's.  No sooner was one Christmas meal digested than we were off for another, this time at Shepherd's Dene,

We'd made our choice of menu some time ago and, of course, I couldn't remember.

But Ann Brown, who organised the trip, had it all down to a fine art: when we got on the bus she gave us all a note of what we'd ordered along with a quiz and a raffle ticket.

I had pate, turkey and crumble and all were excellent.

I managed a few quiz questions, but mostly I sat and relaxed after a large lunch.

Shepherd's Dene is the Newcastle Diocese retreat house. Its 2015 programme is here (.pdf) or see their events page

The staff were pleasant and efficient, the setting was delightful, and a very good time was had by all.

Paul Bagshaw

Public meeting in preparation for a new Bishop

PUBLIC MEETING: 

All are welcome to meet

• Caroline Boddington (Appointments Secretary of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York) and 
• Edward Chaplin (Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary) 

to ask questions about the process of appointing the next Bishop of Newcastle and to express views about the needs of the Church, the Diocese and the region they serve.

The two Appointments Secretaries will be answering questions and listening carefully to views expressed as the process of identifying the next Bishop of Newcastle continues.

Date: Wednesday 14 January 2015

Time: 7.00pm (in order to avoid rush hour on the A1 and around Newcastle)

Venue: Newcastle Falcons Gold South Suite (First Floor), Brunton Road, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 8AF.

Looking for a new Bishop

From the Diocese of Newcastle website

Vacancy in See Committee

Helping to find the twelfth Bishop of Newcastle

The Vacancy in See Committee is charged with writing a Statement of Need which will be used to help to find the next Bishop of Newcastle. To help to inform the Committee with its work a survey has been created and this provides you with an opportunity to highlight the qualities and skills you would expect to find in the next Bishop of Newcastle.

Use this link to complete the survey: www.surveymonkey.com/s/newbishop

The survey will be closed at midnight on Sunday 7th December 2014.

Some information about the Survey

There are five sections to the survey:

1. Spirituality, Theology and Faith
2. People Skills
3. Leadership
4. A Voice for the North
5. A Practical Bishop

The survey is anonymous but participants are asked to complete some general information about themselves (eg age range, gender, rural/suburban/urban location) before the completed survey can be submitted. The data collected through the survey will be used to help to inform the Committee's work. Please note, the Committee will not enter into communication or dialogue about the questions it has posed and data collected through the survey will be stored securely and deleted after the Committee has completed its work.

The Committee would like to thank all participants for their contributions to the survey and for taking the time to respond to this survey.

The survey will be closed at midnight on Sunday 7th December 2014.

Bishop Martin's retirment

After 17 years as Bishop of this diocese, Martin Wharton retires at the end of this month. Following his farewell service in Newcastle Cathedral he  gave the City of Newcastle a blessing from Cathedral Square. (Photos from the service.)

Tributes have been given in a number of places, amongst them:

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, in General Synod 

The Journal

from the Chronicle

The Chronicle 

National Wind Watch In 2013 he told The Journal that it was his Christian duty to speak out against turbines, which he felt were turning the rural North East into a “disfigured industrial landscape”. This led to his largest postbag ever from people on both sides of the debate.

Brief Biography (the Journal)

Bishop Martin was born in 1944 in Ulverston in what was then Lancashire, and after attending the local grammar school went to Van Mildert College, Durham, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, politics and sociology in 1969. 

He then went to Linacre College, Oxford, where he received a bachelor’s degree in theology and a Master of Arts in 1971. A year later he became a curate in Birmingham, before moving to a church in Croydon. Between 1977 and 1983 he was Director of Pastoral Studies at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford, and between 1983 and 1992 he was the Director of Ministry and Training in the Diocese of Bradford and a residentiary canon of Bradford Cathedral. 

In 1992, he became area Bishop of Kingston-upon-Thames until he was appointed the 11th Bishop of Newcastle in 1997.

Bishop Martin in the House of Lords (BBC)

New Bishop
Now the search is beginning for a new bishop - though it may well be over a year before anyone  is appointed. Newcastle is the third Diocese (after Gloucester and Oxford) which will be able to choose a woman diocesan bishop.

The public is being consulted on what qualities they would look for in a bishop.

However the process itself is conducted in conditions of utmost secrecy (Wikipedia).  We wait and pray.