SAYING THANKS AND LOOKING FORWARD
Retired clergy represent a huge unsung workforce supporting many of our clergy in their parishes across this new diocese and over the next couple of weeks the Bishop of Wakefield and the new Bishop of Huddersfield will meet those in their Episcopal Areas to say thanks and to look to the future together.
There are almost 90 retired clergy in the Huddersfield Episcopal Area and 39 in the Wakefield area and range in age from their 50s through to 93 years old.
The Revd Christine Shedd, former Warden of Readers and retired vicar of Low Moor and Oakenshaw in the old diocese of Bradford, recently moved into the Huddersfield area and has been tasked to look at ways to offer pastoral support and build a network for retired clergy there.
She said: “We had our first get together last Autumn and we all agreed we wanted the chance to meet our new bishop, hear what he had to say and begin to get to know each other better.”
And the burning issue for most of the retired clergy was how the new bishop saw their roles in the future and how they could best fit in with this new diocese as it developed and grew.
Christine, who now worships at Kirkheaton Church and lives in that parish, said: “The traditional role for those active retired clergy has been to support their local church and fill in when needed.
“And that still exists, but with the increase in self supporting ministers, there is a lot of overlap in roles and we need a way to better work together.
“There is a huge wealth of expertise and wisdom amongst the retired clergy – not just here in the Huddersfield Area, but across the new diocese - and we want a way to be able to share that with everyone. We want to be used,” she added.
The Bishop of Huddersfield, the Rt Revd Jonathan Gibb said: “We owe a real debt of gratitude to the retired clergy in our Diocese, both for their former ministries and also for the enormous contribution they continue to make to the life of our churches.
"Throughout my years as a parish priest, I have benefited greatly from the wisdom and commitment of retired colleagues.
"I look forward very much to exploring with the retired clergy how we can work together to support the ministry of local clergy and parishes in our Area.”
The Huddersfield retired clergy group met in Kirkheaton Church on Tues May 19 for a light lunch followed by a talk by Bishop Jonathan and a question and answer session. Plans already in the pipeline include a newsletter and creating a skills and resources list to share.
The Retired clergy from the Wakefield Area will meet for an informal get together ext Thursday (May 28) at Kinsley. It has been organised by retired vicar, Stuart Millington from Wrenthorpe and Bishop Tony. It will be followed by lunch at Pontefract house with the Bishop and his wife, Sue on July 14.
Said Bishop Tony: “Many of our parishes depend on the support they receive from retired clergy with Sunday services and help with occasional offices.
This is a real and valuable ministry and we want to celebrate and say thank you to all the retired clergy for all that they do.”
Retired clergy can contact Christine in Huddersfield Area on c.shedd@btinternet.com
and Stuart In Wakefield on stumillington@btinternet.com
The cartoon appeared on a Church Pension Group (Episcopal Church) calendar. The cartoonist is The Rev. Jay Sidebotham who serves as rector of Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, Illinois. Before hearing a call to ordained ministry, he worked in New York in the fields of animation, illustration and advertising.