There is some truth in that - indeed there is the prospect of serious cuts in clergy numbers arising from a growing diocesan deficit - but there is much more to a day of prayer and fasting that that.
It is much more about seeking God's will and blessing, and humbling ourselves before him. It is about, Bishop Christopher told us this morning, 'turning from our sins as a diocese, repenting as a diocese, believing the Gospel as a diocese.'
As he spoke I thought of the great city of Nineveh, and then the great city of London in which we live. Our city desperately needs to hear God's message of judgment, repentance, grace and forgiveness (as did Nineveh). It also needs a church that is prepared faithfully to proclaim the message God has given.
And that is worth praying for.
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteHope Bermondsey is treating you well.
I think part of the difficulty with the fasting day, apart from getting the message out about it, which was problematic for various reasons, is that to me, fasting (when I have done it)is indeed about penitence, humility and self-discipline.
And this doesn't to me connect that much with thinking and meditating about the growth strategy of the diocese, except in as much we may be feeling penitent about the job cuts (?!?)
I feel that that is one reason why it didn't connect with people as perhaps it had been hoped to do.
The other things were the timing and the communication difficulties...
Robert Stanier
It didn't feel like a natural