Every ten years, since 1801, a national census has taken place. For centuries, governments around the world have used a census to obtain information from individuals that can be used as a reference point to gauge shifts and trends within a population. This information is a necessary tool, for both national and local governments, in helping to plan future services and facilities and to develop strategic policies that will benefit citizens. It is, for example, important to have a sense of the overall size of a population when it comes to questions of taxation and needs for housing. The census in 2021 showed a rise in population over the past decade for England and Wales of 6.3% with a population of 11.1 million over 65 and 10.4 million under the age of 15. The shift in demographics has implications for government, as we are all aware, in providing for ageing communities and the provision of more social care etc. In recent times the questions asked in a census have become more contentious, not least when asking about gender identity and religious affiliation. Where questions would in the past have been answered straightforwardly, the option ‘prefer not to answer’ is now a given. Suspicion about how data is used, and increasingly abused by some, and the need to protect personal information, a right now enshrined in law under GDPR, make for devising census questions a more sensitive business than ever before. What questions will be asked in 2031? How do you feel about filling in a government questionnaire knowing that it is a criminal offence not to do so? This act of compulsion is part of the Christmas story, even if historically factually incorrect. Mary and Joseph are forced to be counted. They must travel to Bethlehem because the Roman Emperor, Augustus, wants to maximise who needs to pay taxes. In this regard, Mary and Joseph are simply a number – a common experience when it comes to paying taxes. The problem with being reduced to being a number is the dehumanising effect this has on the soul. The prospect is dispiriting – left to being nothing more than being there to be utilised for someone else’s gain. Fortunately, this is only the beginning of the journey for the Holy Family and not the end. Gathered together in the stable, made warm by the generosity of a publican, surrounded by the transforming love of the birth of a baby – let all Heaven sing - Mary and Joseph know that, despite all their trials and tribulations, they matter to God. For God loved the world so much that he made Mary and Joseph know that they counted – so much more than a number. I pray that this Christmastide You too will know that you matter – know that You too are so much more than a number! God Bless Mark
Resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury It is with a heavy heart that I write the following lines. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, resigned this week as he put it with a long-felt and profound sense of shame’ about safeguarding failures within the Church of England, specifically ‘the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth’, a conspiracy of silence in which Justin Welby now acknowledges that he himself has colluded. I want to make the following points, and I do so within the context of two parameters. Firstly, the Gospel text Mark 13:1-8, set for the Second Sunday Before Advent (17th November), speaks of judgement and the need for very careful discernment. Jesus says to his disciples, “Many will come in my name and say, “I am he! And they will lead many astray.” And a few verses previous, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” The Judgement of God is both terrifying and profound. Secondly, this particular Sunday just happens to be Safeguarding Sunday when we in the Church are being asked to specifically reflect on the importance of our own safeguarding practices. We recognise that we are all vulnerable and that we, together, all share the responsibility for being vigilant. Ensuring that the culture within our congregations is wholesome and healthy is a priority – knowing that safeguarding against abuse of whatever kind is unacceptable and will not be tolerated and that, without question, anyone who is a victim of abuse knows that their voice will be heard and that we will act and respond appropriately. I want to be clear in saying that Justin Welby has not resigned, despite what his statement says, because of failures within safeguarding within the Church of England. He has resigned because he has been exposed of gross negligence in the managing of a specific case involving John Smyth, a sadistic paedophile, and with whom Justin Welby worked in the past. It is Justin Welby’s own silence and collusion that has led, rightly, to his resignation. Had he done what he should have done then tens of young boys would not have had their lives destroyed by sexual abuse. You have every right to be angry with Justin Welby. And I have to say that I, along with a good many other clergy, share in that anger. A number of Bishops, and indeed the Archbishop of York is one of them, have been quick to articulate how sad they are that Justin Welby’s career has ended this way and how still, they admire and are thankful for his ministry. I remain silent on this – at least for now. Now is not the time to deflect away from such negligent behaviour and the devastation caused to so many young lives. Neither is it right to rush to speculation on who the next Archbishop of Canterbury might be. This too only detracts from the grievous harm that has been caused. What has been particularly galling for clergy in this whole debacle, and it is another reason why Justin Welby has lost all confidence from those of us who serve in the parishes, is the fact that some bishops, deans and priests have on several occasions abided by rules and regulations in relation to safeguarding protocols that Justin Welby himself has advocated with often brutal consequences for some exonerated of any wrongdoing. It would seem that he himself has not abided by the rules of his own making. Justin Welby has long voiced the message that there can be no conspiracy of silence in the face of abuse. Yet he has stayed disgracefully silent. I would not be surprised if, over these next weeks and months, we see a number of other resignations. This story is going to continue to dominate headlines for some time. This is all very painful for us and it makes the job of a parish priest and of all of us who faithfully worship God, love our Church, and do our very best to care for our neighbours, all the more difficult. Be reassured that across all of our Benefice Churches, we take safeguarding very, very seriously. We do not and will not collude with anyone who victimises vulnerable people. We want the best for everyone, and we want everyone to know that here in our midst you are safe, and you can flourish. It is at the very core of our ministry and mission. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been abused and victimised by John Smyth. Revd Mark Bailey Priest-in-Charge St Lawrence’s, Ardeley St Peter’s, Benington St John The Baptist, Cottered Holy Trinity, Throcking St Mary The Virgin, Walkern
I am writing to say Thank You to you for all your support in enabling the work of our five churches across the Benefice to flourish. As a grassroots organisation, our churches are entirely dependent upon local people to give of their time, energy and money to be able to function effectively. Without your support, very little ministry would take place within our communities. Whatever contribution you make be it volunteering to help keep the church clean, making cups of tea, reading at services, serving on a committee, making a regular financial contribution or helping with fund-raising, be assured that whatever you offer of yourself is not taken for granted. God calls us to live as disciples, helping out when and where we can. Thank You for your generosity in all that You share within the life of our churches as part of your own walk with God. Together we make a difference! One of the projects that we have managed to complete in the past six months is the introduction of strategy documents for all of our churches. These are known as Mission Action Plans. Each of our Church Councils has set itself three targets to aim for over the next year including the introduction of a Coffee Morning (Ardeley), continuing to revise Service Booklets (Benington), review Welcome Material at the church door (Cottered) and promote Churchyard Working Parties (Walkern). Importantly the documents reflect the values of our shared congregational life and affirm that we are “careful to support a culture within our churches that is appropriately boundaried and respectful of everyone.” These documents have been published on the St Albans diocesan website and can be viewed at https://resource.stalbansdiocese.org/maps/ At the time of writing, the restoration works at St Lawrence’s, Ardeley are almost complete. This has been a significant project during which much stonework has been replaced particularly around some of our stained-glass windows. The stained-glass windows have themselves been cleaned allowing for more light to enter into the building - the more vibrant colours enhancing our worship. A huge Thank You to the team at Herringbone Ltd and AuraVisions Stained Glass Windows Restorations whose master craftsmanship will be admired by generations to come. This work has been funded by a legacy very kindly left to the church by the late Janet Naylor. Janet’s gift is an example of how a legacy left to the local church in a will can make for a lasting impact on the life of a community, ensuring that the heritage of the parish church can continue to be there for future generations, to be used and to be enjoyed by everyone. If you would like to leave a legacy to your church but are not sure how to go about it, please do get in touch. It is always a privilege to be asked to officiate at a wedding and we are blessed to be able to offer some very beautiful venues in which to conduct such a sacred ceremony. (The above photograph is of our Sister Church of Holy Trinity, Throcking.) It is difficult to find the words with which to truly express the love that two people share as they reach that point in their journey together when they have decided to declare a lifelong commitment to each other. Standing together before God gives a profound sense of meaning that serves as a rock to hold onto in future years. Behind the scenes, weddings involve a whole myriad of people from organist, verger, flower arrangers and bell ringers. A very special Thank You however must go to Shirley Fowler who tirelessly cares for Holy Trinity Church at Throcking. Our resident bat population in the church requires a very special devotion to duty! Thank You too to James Smyth who spends many hours voluntarily tending the churchyard. Work with our two church schools at Ardeley and Benington continues. We now have an established pattern of each year group visiting their local church for teaching sessions be it RE, art or history-related. These workshops are well received by both children and staff. It has been good to be able to extend this work in the past six months to Walkern Primary School. Walkern Primary is not a church school however the relationship between the School and St Mary’s Church is a close one and it is hoped that offering the same teaching sessions to those who attend Walkern Primary will become an established part of our shared life together. Congratulations to Mrs Tyler and the team at Benington Church of England Primary School on continuing to be graded ‘Good’ by OFSTED. “The school’s leaders, governors and staff are determined to ‘inspire care, respect and trust for all’. They are relentless in their ambition to provide an exceptional quality of education and experiences for all pupils.” June saw the national commemorations for D-Day. In Cottered Church an outstanding exhibition was put together exploring the impact of the war on Cottered Village and on the lives of residents and their families. Thank You to Jenny Thomson and Janis Hall who spent many hours researching and to Simon Cassia and others who helped mount the displays. Subsequent to the exhibition several folks have begun to share further stories of how the war impacted them and their families not least on those who were evacuated as children. The exhibition proved to be a powerful and profound experience for all. The Friends of Cottered Church D-Day cream teas were more than a treat too! Sunday, the 30th of June saw the coming together of members of all of the churches to worship in St Peter’s, Benington. It was a joyful celebration for the patronal festival with music groups from St Lawrence’s, Ardeley St Mary’s, Walkern, the Benefice Choir and, Year 5-6 children from Benington School all taking an active part. The church was beautifully decorated with fabulous floral displays for the festival weekend. A huge Thank You to Beverley Harlow for co-ordinating the music and, to Dorothy Tulloch and the flower arrangers for a magnificent extravaganza of flowers. God Bless, Mark Follow our Churches on Facebook for the latest news and details of events!
The Revd Writes… Not everyone enjoys the right to vote in a general election. Those who live in totalitarian states, ruled by autocratic leaders, often dream of the privilege of being able to be involved in a democratic process. For such a cause thousands of people protest the world over and more than a few end up sacrificing their lives. It reminds us who live in the United Kingdom that the freedom to vote is a freedom not to be taken for granted. No political process is perfect and our own is found wanting at times. Cynicism that whatever the outcome of an election will result in little or no change, can be dispiriting. This is not helped by candidates who resort to bad-mouthing their opponents in an attempt to catch a cheap headline, often in the hopes of holding on to a closely contested seat. Such poor behaviour only confuses and mystifies an electorate who must then work doubly hard to disentangle claims denigrating an individual’s character from party policy. Good debate puts before the people clear options about what different political parties stand for and articulates a strategy for the future. It is on this basis that people express their voting preference. To serve as a Member of Parliament is always an honour and brings with it significant responsibilities. Those who vote place into the hands of those duly elected the task of forming a government and running the country. We entrust the future of our jobs, our homes, and our families into their care. We equally entrust to them our hopes and fears, anxieties and dreams on the understanding that they will do their best to serve the common good. To want to be an MP is to know from the outset that this is a vocation. A vocation to serve. MPs of course are human beings and being human means that they sometimes fail. There may be cause for concern in personal relationships and the ability to work successfully with colleagues. As in all areas of life, relationships can and do break down resulting in serious consequences. At other times poor judgement in a policy area may result in failure. MPs are not superhuman. It is a tough and stressful job as recent studies of MPs’ well-being and work-life balance have brought to light. Yet it is a worthwhile profession, and our country cannot function without them. This month a new parliament will be convened. There will be many new MPs taking their seats for the very first time. It is our privilege to have elected them to be there. We pray they will serve with humility and safeguard the trust we have placed in them. ‘Lord God of truth, grant to our King and his government, and all members of parliament the guidance of your Spirit and the comfort of your grace.’ God Bless Mark
