A Future Not Our Own : My last day as Churchwarden!

Today is my last day as Churchwarden of the parish of Christ Church Southgate. It has been a wonderful experience! My time as warden has seen two different Diocesan Bishops, three Suffragan Bishops, two Archdeacons and two parish priests and now it’s time for me to move on! 

The office of Churchwarden is an ancient one, with many curious and quirky laws associated with it, including the right to apprehend those who are causing disturbances within the grounds of the church (I couldn’t apprehend myself so never enacted that particular responsibility!) During the interregnum I was one of the “sequestrators” which meant I had to ensure that the Eucharist was celebrated at least once every Sunday and on Principal Feasts - a task that would have been impossible without Reverend Hazel, who is used to getting me out of a pickle in more ways than one!

Wardens are also legally responsible for the church building and all the contents - but perhaps the most important of all the duties for me - even more important than acting as the Bishop’s representative in selecting our new vicar - was the duty to represent the needs of the lay people of the parish to the clergy. Technically wardens are elected not only by those on the church electoral roll but anyone who lives within the boundary of the parish. This means, like the incumbent to whom the bishop grants “cure of souls” in a parish, that wardens need to think just as much about those who live here but don’t come to church as those who do. That responsibility has not been out of my mind since being elected five years ago. Each person brings different skills and a different focus to this varied role - whoever it is will do a brilliant job and keep Fr Chrichton on his toes!

It was quite a surprise when Fr Peter asked me if I would consider standing as Churchwarden. It didn’t seem that long ago that I had first written to him saying we had moved into the area and asking if, as a gay man, I would be welcome here. You may (or may not) be surprised at the level of homophobia that is present even on the streets of leafy and liberal Southgate. I was so fortunate to find that my local parish church was such an inclusive and embracing place - and remains so.

When I realised how many former wardens were still involved at the church and how many others were helping and supporting our community, I wondered what on earth I could bring to the role. 

I realised that one thing I could do is to help tell everyone about all the wonderful things that go on in the church - what a faithful, prayerful, charitable, friendly, welcoming, creative, joyful and hopeful community this is. This has developed into what Fr Chrichton has called a “Digital Ministry” and involved time as “the face of the Church of England on Twitter” during the week of Corpus Christi last year. By sharing what we do here with the world we have formed so many wonderful new links with other local groups and organisations and attracted visitors from far and wide. It has been a great pleasure to get to know you all. I am a firm believer in the idea - from one of the Desert Fathers - that the closer we come to know each other, the closer we are to God. Something we continue to do.

I especially want to thank John Marriott who was warden with me for all but this past year - and also Reverend Hazel. We had so much fun during the interregnum which was exhausting, but gave us so many opportunities to try out new things and meet new people. I am grateful to everyone who humoured me and got stuck in. We definitely put Christ Church Southgate on the map. Thank you to Clare Boulton for her hard work as Warden (and Treasurer!) for the past year. Two house moves in that time have meant I haven’t been nearly as helpful as I could have been.

There have been far too many wonderful times to list - some very special and memorable services - our 400th Anniversary in 2015 was a particular highlight in so many ways, but more intimate services have also stuck in the mind - for instance standing alongside a man who had come alone from overseas to be present while Reverend Hazel interred the ashes of his mother. Of course we are known for having fun too and the lunches and BBQs, the dances, the concerts and pancake parties were all joyous! 

I will come back to Southgate now and then but will be handing over the things I do gradually over the next few months. Now I have moved into Central London there are other places that are calling me and I have recently joined the PCC of St Stephen Walbrook in the City of London.



Like Christ Church Southgate the church is an architectural gem decorated with beautiful works of art - Christopher Wren’s local parish church on which he lavished most of his time and used it to trial new ideas. The church has the first classical dome to be built in England and was a prototype for St Paul’s. The altar is a sculpture by Henry Moore - which caused controversy and upset when it was installed by Lord Palumbo but is a strong theological statement of inclusivity and connectedness. Around the altar are bright coloured kneelers by the artist Patrick Heron. The church was the birthplace of the Samaritans and is home of the London Internet Church, a fascinating global ministry. Few people - if any - live in the parish boundary, so the congregation is of working people and I am looking forward to being able to help out more at our “Start:Stop” services, which take place in the early morning and provide space for prayer and reflection for people on the way to work. I am also hoping to organise a prayer event as part of Thy Kingdom Come week next month, linking the global ministry of the London Internet Church with our City Church. You are all most welcome to visit. Recently we licensed a new parish priest - and I wrote these prayers to welcome visitors to the church.

I’m also going to be able to devote more time to supporting Reverend Jonathan Evens and the team from HeartEdge - a fantastic ecumenical network of churches founded by St Martin in the Fields that exists to share knowledge and expertise. I am glad that Christ Church Southgate will be joining HeartEdge. I am also glad to be spending more time with Henry and I am so thankful for all his support during my time as warden - and sorry for all the hours I have spent at church while he is waiting at home having cooked an amazing meal or waiting to go out somewhere for the evening!

There are so many things I feel I have yet to finish here in Southgate - so much work  put into things which will not bear fruit for some years! I was introduced to this wonderful prayer, that is attributed to Oscar Romero, but was never spoken by him, which has helped with this anxiety. You might have read recently that Oscar Romero is to be made a saint. He was the Archbishop of San Salvador who spoke out against poverty and injustice. He was shot in March 1970 while he was celebrating Mass. He is an inspiration to all who seek to serve those at the margins and on the edge of society.

My grandparents were married in St George’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Southwark in June 1944 (they were actually married in the convent next door, as you can see from the picture, because the cathedral had been all but destroyed by a bomb blast)



Inside the cathedral there stands a beautiful cross designed by an artist from El Salvador that is dedicated to Oscar Romero. It is wonderful to visit the chapel and say this prayer, which I will be saying again today as I leave the church for the last time as warden.

See you next week at the May Day Fair!

A Future Not Our Own

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, 

it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime

only a tiny fraction

of the magnificent enterprise

that is God's work.

Nothing we do is complete,

which is another way of saying

that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No programme

accomplishes the Church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives

includes everything.

That is what we are about.

We plant a seed that will one day grow.

We water seeds already planted,

knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations

that will need further development.

We provide yeast that produces effects

far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything,

and there is a sense of liberation

in realising that.

This enables us to do something,

and to do it very well.

It may be incomplete,

but it is a beginning,

a step along the way,

an opportunity for the Lord's grace

to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,

but that is the difference

between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders,

ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.