| It is inevitable that at the numbers of stipendiary
clergy fall, as will happen at an accelerating rate over
the next 10 years, the nature of church life and the
responsibilities for who does what will change. As the
only stipendiary priest in this parish for the last 4
years I have focussed my main energies on three matters.
Firstly, fulfilling my obligations under Canon Law; that
is ensuring the statutory services are conducted on
Sundays and Holy Days, arranging and conducting baptisms,
weddings and funerals, preparing candidates for
confirmation, providing some opportunity for learning and
being available to those who wish to consult with me.
Secondly, it is right that any parish priest uses the
opportunities that come his way for working for the
kingdom of God in and with others in the local community;
and so I try to use the opportunities that come through
the civic heritage of All Saints, through being Chaplain
to the Mayor of Maidstone and through community groups
such as multi agency practitioner meetings and Tovil
Parish Council. Thirdly, there is work connected with our
parish schools and with Maidstone Grammar School with
which All Saints has strong historic links.
Beyond this is a vast array of useful activity that the
church can engage in in our parish but for which I have
little time. It is so good, then, that not only do
Priscilla Doe and Elizabeth Bussmann have so much to
contribute both the core work but also to the wider work
but that so many others take initiatives and do good and
helpful things. Just to mention a few; there is the
monthly work group, those who assist with the community
side of St Philip's, those who help All Saints to be well
used especially by schools and musicians. I hope that in
the years ahead this work and new initiatives will
continue to form part of the work of our parish.
Until the new school is built and St Stephen's
congregation working with the new growing local community
in Tovil is more developed and established, I am
reluctant to propose significant changes to the present
pattern of our services at either All Saints or St
Philip's. I am sure that in a few years time it will be
right to review our present patterns, especially if we
have to take on responsibility for another parish or two.
It is also inevitable that there are members of our
congregations who would like certain things changed. We
are all different, we have different perceptions and
different tastes. What is important, though, is that we
live well with any disagreements that there may be among
us. For people new to the town, of whom there will be a
growing number over the next few years, to come to a
church and find tensions and an adversarial atmosphere in
some quarters is profoundly off putting and uncongenial.
A generous congregation who live graciously with
differences is attractive, enriching and a place
newcomers will feel welcome.
In 2005 and over the next few years, I would particularly
ask all who belong to our congregations to extend a
sensitive and warm welcome to newcomers while seeking
God's grace to develop that gracious generosity that is
the fruit of true and deep worship and service. May
God bless and guide us all in the years ahead.
Christopher Morgan – Jones
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