Read Bishop Sarah's full Presidential Address, given at Diocesan Synod on Saturday 8 November, below (or watch above).
This morning as I prepared to come,I could not find a pin to pin my poppy on with. And then, because I brought Katherine, I said to Katherine, I texted her and said, can you find a pin? Completely forgetting that she's just moved and there are just boxes everywhere. And she managed to find a safety pin so my poppy is there. But it reminded me, of course, of this weekend that we are about to keep, really. And I think there is something really poignant about us gathering as a Diocesan Synod in this season of All Saints and Remembrance, preparing in our different ways to keep Remembrance Sunday after our journey through All Saints and All Souls.
Growing up in South Wales, my older sister was given a really smart book of poetry to commemorate the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. For those who might remember, it was 1969. I really was too young to receive one, but I remember the book really vividly because we’d never really had one like that before. It had a green cover, hardback with the Welsh feathers, ‘Ich dien’- a German quote for a Welsh prince, embossed on the front. ‘Ich dien’ meaning I serve in German. And of course, poetry was a brave choice for Valley children. And on the front it had this phrase, it had this rosemary for remembrance. And always since 1969, I was four - there’s no secrets in the Church of England as a bishop. Since then I always associate the herb, rosemary with remembrance because of that cover - just imbibed it, didn't really think about it, and I thought it was really normal until I tried to use it in a remembrance all aged service, which is not to be repeated. It was 40 years before I learned where that phrase came from, and there will be some of you sitting there who know. I'm not going to ask you - I can see you looking smug already, but the phrase comes from Shakespeare. It comes from Ophelia's speech in Hamlet, where Ophelia, having lost her reason through the grief for her father, is wandering through the palace looking at the herbs, and says, “This rosemary, that's for remembrance.Pray you, love, remember.” And the reason I learned where that quote came from was because, I found this most beautiful book,‘Pray, Love, Remember’ by Michael Mayne, who was the Dean of Westminster Abbey. It's really beautiful. In it he described, a new memorial stone that was laid on the forecourt of Westminster Abbey that everyone can see outside the main stores in public view, just a short distance from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or the Unknown Warrior, and it's called the Innocent Victims’ Memorial. At the center in the circle, the biggest letters say ‘remember’. And above and below it says ‘All innocent victims of repression, violence and war.’ And circling it are the words from the Book of Lamentations about ruined Jerusalem.Is it nothing to you who pass by? And of course, that's a phrase that then came into the Christian tradition as we think of Jesus crucified outside the city walls, as well. I was very moved when I went to London not long after reading that and went and stood by it, and saw it, so both the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and saw that for the innocent victims as well. And there it is. Well, you can walk over it, or you can look at it, and some of you will have seen it. And if you haven't,then when you're next in London, if you're going at all,I just encourage you to go and look at that memorial to the innocent victims of oppression, violence and war.
There is something about these times that we live in, these times that we have been meeting as a synod, that this time of remembrance shows us what really matters. And I think this memorial for the innocent, nameless victims is something that we should hold before us this weekend as we meet. Because during these last years, the sense of the innocent, nameless victims of all the conflict in the world around us and within our own societies and communities have been very clear. From Ukraine to Sudan, Israel, Gaza, Southport, just the different places where those who had nothing to do with the politics or the circumstances are caught up, especially children. And so it is a time to remember and not to forget those who are nameless and I think to thank God for the journalists who help us to see and not forget, who help us to remember, who hold before us that which we do not wish to see. And many have paid with their lives as we know, especially in Gaza.
Remembrance is so important. I'm reminded of the miners’ memorial in the Cathedral, which makes visible the tremendous loss of life of men and boys down the pit and the cost of wealth, the cost of wealth generation,in many industries across our world. Remembering is our calling as Christians. Do this in remembrance of me. It is at the heart who is who we are. We remember the suffering death of Jesus in bread and wine, that death which makes possible the hope of the new creation. Revealed at Easter, a kingdom of justice and peace that we are called to long for and strive for. And to be remembered literally means to be put back together, to be joined back together, to be made part of a body again. The members made part of the body to be joined to belong.
And Michael Mayne in his book says this: “To be remembered is our destiny.” To be remembered is our destiny. That is what every church on earth exists to do, to bring us into the kingdom. Damaged, dysfunctional people that we are. But remember us, recreate us as the body of Christ in the new creation that it has existed since that first Easter day because our destiny to be remembered into the body of Jesus Christ, all of humankind and our suffering world as well, that is the gift of Christ, the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who grants us peace, whose kingdom we long for. And on weekends like this, I think we see clearly why. Why we must long. There are moments like these when as Diocesan Synod, in the midst of our plans and our purposes, in the midst of our vision for growth, in our longing for new disciples, in our budgets and our anxieties, in our own internal strife and dismemberedness in our business, we must step back and remember the vastness of the healing and wholeness offered to our world in Jesus Christ, through the cross and the resurrection. And his remembering of us and our need of him, which is not for us to hold on to, but is the gift for the world that we are set within as well. And this solemn weekend is such a moment, a moment for us to pray, love and remember and glimpse again the heart of our destiny and our purposes as the people of God in the Church of England, set to serve the people of England in this day as well.
In this last week, I have licensed two new priests. Michael Eaton-Wells -Stanley, South Moor and Tanfield and Doug Hemming who is the Interim Priest in Charge at Monkwearmouth. And in the oaths and the declarations, we hear afresh the call for us as the Church of England, to proclaim afresh in each generation the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For us as Synod, for us on this weekend, for us as we think of that memorial to the innocent victims, so we think of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, as we think of a flag that’s on our poles, as we think of the story that is unfolding among us. So as people of faith, we must remember why we need to be that people of faith, and to share that gospel, and long for the kingdom in the place which we are set.
This is also the year anniversary of the Makin Review, and we remember afresh the deep harm caused by the abuse of John Smyth and the failure of the Church's response,the innocent victims and the survivors of abuse. In the progress report which was issued by the Church of England on 4th November, we learned that twenty-four of the recommendations have been accepted in full and three in part, and the lead bishop says this, “Our commitment is clear to create a church safe for all, where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and where survivors’ voices inform our decision.
We know this process will require humility, accountability and sustained action.” Here in our Diocese, and I hope here in Diocesan Synod we affirm that commitment. There is substantive work for us to take forward to implement the INEQE audit report's recommendations that will move us along that path. And I am so grateful yet again, for the dedication of our safeguarding team, led by Beth Miller with Wendy, and the work that takes place daily in our parishes, keeping especially the vulnerable safe, and the work of our local PSOs. The publishing of the Makin Review,re-broke and reshaped and is reshaping our church, and we continue to work through those implications.
A key part of the outcome of Makin was, of course, the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. And last month we heard that the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, will be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
Welcomed by many, clearly not by all. And she will be installed in Canterbury on the 25th of March, which, for those who are more Catholic, will remember is the feast of the Annunciation — the moment of the gift of Christ to us, made possible by Mary’s “Yes.” It is also the UN day for remembering the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, which also shapes our present as well as our future.
Bishop Sarah, in her acceptance address, said: “In every church you will encounter Jesus Christ and his teaching to love one another, our source and our standard, our source and our standard. This is both gift and responsibility. Jesus Christ is the life-changing hope that brings us together as church, even in our brokenness and messiness, and sends us out into the world to witness to that love.”
I pray for Bishop Sarah. It will be tough. Who would want to be the Archbishop of Canterbury? She feels deeply called. I'm really hopeful and thankful at her appointment, though it's not without complications within the Communion. Pray also for our own CNC process, our own interviews on the 9th and 10th of December for the next Bishop of Durham, and especially for our reps — for Mags Vaughan, Libby Wilkinson, Mark Miller, James Harrison, Val Barron, and Frances Stenlake — five of whom are here this morning.
The next Bishop of Durham has matters to attend to at home, we know that, but will also need to speak into the world, as I have sought to describe this morning, and will also need to support Archbishops Stephen and Bishop Sarah when she becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Bishop of Durham has a role within that.
We will have our 24 hours of prayer again, and that will be publicised. The Episcopal vacancy has run for so long it feels almost normal. But it isn’t. A diocese should not run on one bishop. Pray for that bishop for Durham — the one Durham needs for the next season, for what lies ahead. Not for the past, but for the future.
We've also had news in this last week of who’s going to be the next Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham. It was announced on the 3rd of November, and it's going to be Michael Butterworth, who will become the Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham on the retirement of Susan Snowden, who's now a dame, on the 1st of April. There’s a lovely description of Mike online — a background in the military, but also a career in the commercial sector, living near Barnard Castle with family. Some of you will know Michael as well. Pray for him as he prepares to take on what is a really significant civic role within County Durham.
I have some more to say, but what I want to do, because that part has felt quite solemn, is to hold a minute of quiet as we hold those threads of the innocent victims of war and conflict, the sense of the Makin Review and how it’s remaking us, of Bishop Sarah, of Michael Butterworth, of the Bishop of Durham — of those strands that are shaping us. And all God's people said Amen.
I wanted to finish on a note of encouragement. Very simply, touching on some of the things that we've touched on as a synod many times, simply to remind you: since we've met, we've had the summer gathering of the clergy conference at the Radisson Blu. We managed to do that through the generosity of Lord Crewe and Libby’s vision of going somewhere nice. It was a really special time — 127 clergy from across the diocese and the chaplaincies gathered, and it was lovely to see the sense of heart there is within the clergy.
We know there have been significant strides on clergy wellbeing, which has been a concern of this synod on many occasions. We note the restoration of the pension back to the 2011 setting, and the stipend increase, which will make a huge difference for so many people. We note that with thanksgiving, even while recognising that it is still a struggle for many people — not only clergy — within our communities in the North East. But we are really grateful and thankful for that, and for those moments of joining together.
I also wanted to say about the Lay Ministry service, which was a really special moment for me within the Cathedral, where we had 17 lay people who took on new ministries within the church. We had four LLMs, one lay pastoral minister, one lay chaplain, one lay minister of the Word, and seven lay children’s chaplains. It was such a special occasion. And we must always practice the discipline of remembering that when we speak of “clergy and lay,” or “lay and clergy,” it is together that we serve Christ. To see that encouragement among the rising up of vocations among the lay has been really important.
Since we last met, we've also had the appointment of the Archdeacon of Sunderland — Katherine — who’s probably still unpacking her boxes! It’s also been a really good past four months for appointments in the diocese. Many of you will know that we’ve been underspent on our stipends budget, and the first half of this year was quite disappointing. The work was done, but there wasn’t much fruit. But since September, we really have had a special time.
Since then, we’ve had Nigel Sinclair licensed at Egglescliffe St John, Emma Harte-Waters at St Herbert’s Darlington after a seven-year vacancy, James Scott at Whickham and Swalwell, Doug Hemming as Interim Priest in Charge at Monkwearmouth, Michael Eaton-Wells at Stanley, South Moor and Tanfield, John Estelle’s licensing ahead at Belmont and Pittington, Hannah Richardson’s licensing ahead at Dunstan, Nick Green’s licensing ahead at Christchurch, Stockton, and of course Katherine as well. We’ve also had Steve Edge going to Birtley and Lamesley, Lisa Burke to Christchurch New Seaham, and Craig Shaw as Associate Priest at Holy Trinity, Darlington. We are interviewing soon for the priest in charge and rural mission lead in Upper Weardale.
It’s been so encouraging to have that many appointments in such a short space of time. I would also acknowledge the work of HR, of Libby’s team, of everyone — to have that many appointments in such a short time has been exhausting, but such a joy. Some are coming from outside the diocese, and extra funding from transformation initiatives has helped us do new things as we look to the future.
I also want to thank the Associate Archdeacons — Paul Neville, Paul Arnold, and Katherine — who were such a help after Bob left and we were down to two Archdeacons. Now we’re again down to two as Archdeacon Rick is on sabbatical. But again, the way people are pulling together to manage this is inspiring.
So there is so much to encourage and give thanks for — including all those people in all those churches I’ve mentioned, who’ve been working away during vacancies, which can be exhausting. The faithfulness of our churchwardens, our lay ministers, and our retired clergy who’ve enabled the life of the church during those vacancies is to be celebrated — and I do that now.
So even though this morning I felt the need to speak about remembrance and the call of God to us, I want to end on a note of thanksgiving for the provision that Christ has given us. And I want to end with the words of Meister Eckhart, the medieval mystic, who wrote:
“If the only prayer you say in your whole life is thank you, that would suffice.”
If the only prayer you say in your whole life is thank you, that would suffice. And so I finish with my thankfulness to God for you, for this diocese, for our people, and for God’s provision for us.
Thank you.