Good Day My Friends,
I greet you with joy in my heart because tomorrow is a big day for me personally, and a significant one for our lovely Chaplaincy. The Archdeacon will be here to renew my Licence, and that is an affirmation both of my Ministry, and our shared endeavours to build the Kingdom in this place.
It was originally booked for today, but that clashed the Diocesan Safeguarding Training it is necessary for me to complete, so we have moved it to tomorrow. Remembrance Day.
The service, at La Fustera will begin with the observance of the two minutes silence, and that roots us firmly into the global community of people who will be responding in the same way.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
we will remember them
We will remember them
As you know covid restrictions mean that the church will not be packed, but those who are there will represent the whole Chaplaincy, and they will speak on behalf of us all when they respond to the questions asked of them. The Chaplaincy Wardens taking the lead
Chaplaincy Wardens : (To the archdeacon)
Reverend Father in God, as Representatives of the people of God in The Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca, we have been glad to share with the bishop in the choice of
Fr Marcus to be our pastor and priest. On their behalf, we now ask you to institute him.
President: I am happy to do so.
The president addresses the Congregation
To serve and lead Christ’s people in their worship, mission and ministry is a privilege and a joy. It is also a great responsibility. Fr Marcus has already been selected and approved for this office, but before he is admitted, both you and he must affirm your allegiance to Christ and your commitment to each other.
Will you accept Fr Marcus as your pastor?
We will.
Will you pray with and for him, will you be attentive to the Word of God, regular in public worship and in private prayer and faithful in receiving Holy Communion?
We will.
Will you uphold Fr Marcus in his ministry?
We will.
Will you endeavour so to live and work that others may be led to honour Christ and find their place at his table?
We will.
Will you actively seek the unity of all Christian people so that the world may believe?
We will.
The president addresses the priest
Fr Marcus, you have heard the commitment of the people of Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca. Will you for your part accept the responsibility Christ lays on you today to work with me and all your fellow priests as servant and shepherd?
I will.
Will you proclaim the word of the Lord, call your hearers to repentance; in Christ’s name absolve, and declare the forgiveness of sins? Will you baptise and prepare the baptised for confirmation?
I will.
Will you preside at the celebration of the Holy Communion, lead your people in prayer and worship, intercede for them, and teach and encourage by word and example? Will you minister to the sick and prepare the dying for their death?
I will.
Will you set the Good Shepherd always before yourself as the pattern of your calling, caring for the people committed to your charge and joining them in a common witness to the world?
I will.
I then have to declare my Christian faith, make my Declaration of Assent, swear my Oath of
Allegiance to the Queen, and Oath of Canonical obedience.
All very impressive stuff, and it continues with a celebration of our shared ministry.
I hope that all of us can see in this a real desire for us to be committed to working together for the furtherance of the Gospel in this place. We know that this has been a hard year for us along with everybody else, and folk are tired, and we need something to lift our spirits, and something to look forward to. I think tomorrow will be a pivotal day for us. We can begin to look forward to the future with some confidence. There are the green shoots of a vaccine being spoken about in the news today, we are all recommitting ourselves to doing what we can to encourage growth in our churches, and we have our Chaplaincy 50th Anniversary planned for next year along with the 40th Anniversary of my priesting.
It may be that we still have some tough months to get through. It will be the case that Christmas is very different this year, and we may well be separated from our loved ones, and that will be hard. But we have one another, and that is a Blessing.
So, pray for me that I may continue to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and I will pray for you, that God will us all with his grace, and we will continue to thrive as the Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca for years to come.
As ever,
Fr Marcus