Dear brothers and sisters,
At Easter we celebrate the victory of goodness and life over evil and death, the glorious exchange where Jesus takes our brokenness, sin and shame, and in return gives us new life. Paul writes:
Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions… it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2.4-5 & 8 (NIV)
I begin my pastoral letter and this email with those words because who we are, everything we have and all we are called to be and do begins there, with the good news of the life we have in Jesus that is the gift of God. The vision Paul presents in Ephesians is cosmic, as he invites us to see the truth and reality of what God is doing in Jesus. We must begin there, because it is what unites us: not institutions or worship styles or theology but the gift of God in Jesus Christ.
Next Steps
As I’ve said before, following on from the afternoon on sexuality and marriage on 4 March the Wardens, Readers and Clergy met to discuss what should come next. We had a good and positive meeting, acknowledging places where we agree and where we disagree, some of the personal challenges we feel and the wider difficulties of approaching this as a church family. Given all that, I felt the best next step would be for me to write a pastoral letter to the church, and they agreed.
My hope and prayer is that the letter:
- Continues in the spirit of grace with which Andy spoke on 4 March, and that has marked the conversations I’ve had with people since then.
- Places us firmly within the context of the gospel, especially – and not only because of the season – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Shares my heart and passion for ministry, pastoral care, evangelism and teaching, along with my wrestling in this challenging area.
- Details some of the next steps for us as a church family, the aim of which is deeper understanding through listening and conversation.
The letter is not about the theology of sexuality and marriage, but it is about the Church’ and what the gospel means for all Christians.
Call to Prayer
Before I share a link to the letter I would like to issue a call to prayer. We need God’s help and the power of his Spirit in all this, and I can’t think of a better passage to guide our prayers for the coming weeks than Ephesians 4.1-6. So please use these words as you pray:
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4.1-6 (NIV)
Pastoral Letter
You can download a copy of the letter here. It is ten pages long so you may find it easier to read a hard copy. We are making plenty of printed copies available at church, or you can ask for one to be posted to you.
Please read it carefully. Some of those I showed it to in advance suggested that I encourage you to read it through more than once. As it is long I have highlighted the key parts in bold which I hope is helpful.
If you would like to talk about any of this or the letter, please ask! I am happy to read and respond to emails, but I far prefer to have face-to-face conversations when it comes to complex questions like this one.
And please pray, as I said above. Please pray for the true unity that comes, not from being in the same institution but from being united in Jesus Christ:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2.19-22 (NIV)
Yours in him,
Revd Ben Green – Vicar