File Note / Aide Memoire

Link September edition

Mission across our communities

On the evening of Thursday 30 June a small celebration (complete with champagne, for which many thanks to the Gillingham Deanery) took place in the Riverside Country Park on the Medway Estuary. It marked the end of my introductory visits to the 17 deaneries of our diocese. For me these have been invaluable in helping me to create a mental map of the diocese, its parishes, chaplaincies, communities, schools and other institutions. I have also met most of the clergy one-to-one and any who missed out will be covered soon. I am hugely grateful to the Rural and Area Deans for putting together my programme in each place.

Those visits and other contacts over my early months have in the main been very encouraging: there is much effective and lively Christian presence and mission across our communities. Inevitably there are also questions and issues as well, and I continue to dwell on those as I seek to discern strategic purpose and direction for us within the diocese.

However, I also have a few lighter responses to my visits, arising out of things people have said: clearly there are some interesting impressions around about whom or what bishops may be or do. So....  No, you don’t have to refer to me as ‘Your Grace’ – that’s mainly for archbishops (as well as dukes and duchesses); ‘Bishop’ or ‘Bishop James’ is usually fine.  When I visit a church or parish, I’m actually not a visitor! That’s because the spiritual care of the all the people is my responsibility anyway - which of course I share with the vicar or rector. In a sense all our churches are, therefore, my ‘home’ church so you don’t need to worry about extravagant welcomes – though a gentle one is always appreciated.  No, I don’t live in the Cathedral! Though there is a real sense in which it is a focal point for the Bishop’s ministry, the Cathedral is safely in the care of the Dean and Chapter. Indeed the Cathedral Statutes even limit the number of times I am able to preach there – so, if I’m in your parish I haven’t had to arrange cover!  More seriously, I do see it as part of my role to be as widely present across the diocese as I can be. So, though my title may be ‘Bishop of Rochester’, I am just as much bishop of Penge, Chatham, Hadlow, Erith or Edenbridge – or anywhere else in the diocese.  And finally, I don’t travel in a great entourage: quite often my Chaplain, Alan Vousden, will be with me but that’s all – so one parking place is quite enough! And when you next meet me, it won’t matter if you’ve forgotten all of that – but it will be good to see you.

With my prayers and good wishes,

+James