The Bishop's Message
It was never going to be a normal weekend. To begin with the sea had got mixed up with the sky and as if to correct the mistake, it was falling back on the land. Fortunately Bangor University stands at the top of a hill.
We had enough Bishops to play a game of chess, but we (Barbara and Ernest) quickly discovered that this was to be no game. Stamina as well as dedication were clearly required. In the short space available it is not possible to give more than a flavour of what happened. For all sorts of reasons it seemed best to concentrate on what Bishop Peter said, not least because he asked Parishes to discuss his criteria for a growing Church. Will the Parochial Church Council get around to doing it?
Bishop Michael considers the situation facing the Church today is very similar to that faced by the early church. It was a minority church in a multi cultured world, in the presence of forces which were beyond its control. Today we are surrounded by a multitude of faiths, many of which challenge our values. We are also in the grip of global forces, such as the global market over which even governments seem to have little control.
At the same time the Church is once again seeking to rediscover its Celtic roots. The Celtic Church came before the Roman state arrived with its emphasis on organisation and therefore rules and discipline. We are now exploring that earlier tradition, which is much less 'Churchy' and puts our relationship with God in a much more central position. This should make us much more joyful in our worship and much less like moral policemen. We were reminded that our Lord exercised his ministry through personal relationships and did not proclaim his salvation from the rooftops. He did not for example march up to Pilate and confront him.
Bishop Peter's list of criteria for a growing church follows.
B. & E.