Induction Service – Ministry is All That We Do Together – 27/1/24

Musical Prelude: ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ (played by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Dawson and Toby Morgan)

Opening Words: ‘Ministry Is All That We Do Together’ by Gordon McKeeman

Ministry is all that we do—together.

Ministry is that quality of being in community that affirms human dignity—
beckons forth hidden possibilities, invites us into deeper, more constant,
reverent relationships, and carries forward our heritage of hope and liberation.

Ministry is what we do together as we celebrate
triumphs of our human spirit,
miracles of birth and life,
wonders of devotion and sacrifice.

Ministry is what we do together—with one another—
in terror and torment—in grief, in misery and pain,
enabling us in the presence of death to say yes to life.

We who minister speak and live the best we know
with full knowledge that it is never quite enough…

And yet are reassured by lostness found,
fragments reunited, wounds healed, and joy shared.

Ministry is what we all do—together.

Words of Welcome and Introduction:

These opening words – famous words on ministry by Gordon McKeeman – set the tone for our service this afternoon. This will very much be a team effort – passing the mic from hand to hand – through congregation members, ministerial colleagues, eventually to our Minister, Jane, herself.

For anyone who doesn’t know me, my name is Patricia Brewerton, and on behalf of our congregation, Kensington Unitarians, I’m delighted to welcome you all to this very special occasion – our Induction Service – officially (and just a little bit belatedly) celebrating the start of this new ministry. Welcome to those of you joining us here in person at Essex Church in Kensington – it’s wonderful to see the church so full of friends old and new – and to those who are joining us via Zoom from far and wide.

This induction service is unusual in several ways – as many of you know, Jane, our ‘new’ minister, has already been here for 25 years – having first arrived at Essex Church at the turn of the century! And our congregation is unusual too – over the last few years we’ve become a hybrid congregation – with active and involved members and friends joining us from all over the country and also overseas. As we set out on this next chapter of our story, it’s both a time of change, and a time of continuity. So in the coming hour-and-a-quarter (or thereabouts) we’ll set out our vision of ministry – and our mission – what it is that this particular congregation is called to do, at this particular moment in time.

It seems appropriate at this point to share a message from Liz Slade, Chief Officer of our General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, sending blessings to our congregation on this special day. Liz writes: ‘As Chief Officer of the General Assembly I couldn’t be happier to see Jane Blackall take her role as Minister with Kensington Unitarians. In a time of great change in our world and in our Unitarian movement, we are lucky to have far-sighted, thoughtful leaders like Jane, who can hold the threads of what they have learnt from their deep connection with Unitarianism, and weave with them new shapes that meet the spiritual needs of the communities around us. As Essex Church holds the flame of our first ever Unitarian congregation, I feel proud and inspired to see it being tended in a way that honours that past and lights the way into our future.’

Chalice Lighting: ‘The Vision We Share’ by Jane Blackall

And so we’ll light our chalice flame now, as we do each time we gather. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which we are a part. I’m going to invite the chair of our congregation, Liz Tuckwell, to come up and light the flame.

We light this chalice as a reminder of the tradition that holds us,
and the values and aspirations we share as a community:

our commitment to the common good,
our search for truth and meaning,
our care for those who are suffering,
and our yearning for a better world that’s yet to be,
where all may know true freedom, justice, equality, and peace.

May this small flame be for us a sign of faith, hope, and liberating love.

Hymn 198 (purple): ‘We’ll Build a Land’

Let’s sing together now. Our first hymn is a favourite here at Essex Church, and a favourite of Jane’s, it’s number 198 in the purple book, ‘We’ll Build a Land’. This hymn speaks of our collective aspiration as a church – to help build a better world for all – to work for liberation, for justice, and for peace. The words will be up on screen if you’re joining from home. Stand or sit as you prefer, and sing up!

We’ll build a land where we bind up the broken.
We’ll build a land where the captives go free,
where the oil of gladness dissolves all mourning.
O, we’ll build a promised land that can be.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.

We’ll build a land where we bring the good tidings
to all the afflicted and all those who mourn.
And we’ll give them garlands instead of ashes.
O, we’ll build a land where peace is born.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.

We’ll be a land building up ancient cities,
raising up devastations of old;
restoring ruins of generations.
O, we’ll build a land of people so bold.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.

Come, build a land where the mantles of praises
resound from spirits once faint and once weak;
where like oaks of righteousness stand her people.
O, come build the land, my people we seek.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.

In-Person Reading: ‘Anyone’s Ministry’ by Gordon McKeeman (read by John)

Ministry is… a quality of relationship between and among
human beings that beckons forth hidden possibilities;

…inviting people into deeper, more constant, more reverent
relationship with the world and with one another;

…carrying forward a long heritage of hope and liberation
that has dignified and informed the human venture over many centuries;

…being present with, to, and for others in their terrors and torments;
in their grief, misery and pain; knowing that those feelings are our feelings, too;

…celebrating the triumphs of the human spirit,
the miracles of birth and life, the wonders of devotion and sacrifice;

…witnessing to life-enhancing values; speaking truth to power;

…speaking for human dignity and equity, for compassion and aspiration;

…believing in life in the presence of death;

…struggling for human responsibility against principalities
and structures that ignore humaneness and become instruments of death.

It is all these and much, much more than all of them,
present in the wordless, the unspoken, the ineffable.

It is speaking and living the highest we know and living with
the knowledge that it is never as deep, or as wide or a high as we wish.

Whenever there is a meeting that summons us to our better selves, wherever
our lostness is found, our fragments are united, our wounds begin healing,
our spines stiffen and our muscles grow strong for the task, there is ministry.

In-Person Reading: ‘Shared Ministry’ by Robert W. Karnan (adapted) (read by Chloe)

This reading, by Unitarian Universalist minister Reverend Robert W. Karnan, reflects on his experience of ministry as a shared endeavour. He writes:

What makes my experience in the ministry so hopeful for me is that
I am not alone in this careful hearing of both pain and excitement.
This is not something reserved for only one ordained and robed.
It is something we all do for and with one another.

Ours is a shared ministry, a giving and receiving.
We tell one another our stories, our myths, our innermost thoughts
– and we seek to listen (if we can) with sensitivity and purpose and love.

We live lives. We do not live creeds or theologies or even values.
We are engaged with real events and people, and we are related, torn,
and isolated together. We are at odds and we are sometimes very close.

The spiritual centre of our lives comes out of the openness and honest engagement,
the courage and pain, and the love we experience with one another.
Sometimes that openness is searching and doubting, confused or serene,
ambivalent or empowered. But it is an openness nonetheless.

And out of it comes a vision of a world made new by the reality of our lives,
lived in the service of love and justice, of gentle goodness and forgiveness.

A minister seeks to live in the struggle of each and every one of us
as we seek to come to an understanding of who we are, where we are, how we are.

A minister seeks to help us raise up the vision of where we must go as a people,
and invites us if we need the invitation to join hands and hearts with one another to get there.

In-Person Prayer: ‘For Any Who Minister’ by Gordon McKeeman (adapted) (read by Daniel)

O Thou Vast Life in which our little lives dwell;
O Thou Spirit who art parent to our spirits;

We rejoice in one great truth:
That our little lives can be partners in great enterprises
That our little minds can contain great ideas
That our little hearts can engender great hopes
That our little spirits can conjure up great visions
That our greatness is not of size, but of purpose
That our strength is not of numbers, but of intent
That our importance is not of duration, but of direction.

In the quiet and confidence of our own hearts
We have committed ourselves to holy orders
To seek the holy in a world fragmented
To seek peace in a world discontented
To seek sanity in a world oft demented
To seek health in a world oft tormented.
In our hearts we need great courage, lest it desert us in peril.

In our minds are shining visions.
Let them not be tarnished by the smothering fog of the traffic
And the obscuring mists of nay-sayings, doubts, and fears.

In our souls is the unquenchable impulse toward the holy.
Let it ever remind us that the ministry is
About wholeness
About healing
About health.
Steel our wills to venture into dark, dismal, and dreadful places.

May we hear the call to minister to the grieving
The confused, the bewildered, the bruised
The ecstatic and the gloomy
The faithful and the faithless
To the youngest, the oldest, and all the in-betweens
To the noble, the ignoble,
And all the rest of us whose nobility is a sometime thing
To the forbidding, the boring, and the forbearing
To humans of every sort of condition.

We ministers (with or without portfolio or title) are seekers
After the holy wheresoever it is hidden
To beckon it forth that it may shine
With the ineffable splendour
Of human possibility and of human fulfilment.

Remind us, now and then, that such revelation is
Reward enough
Satisfaction enough
Paradise enough
Heaven enough.

And if, perchance, you are called “Reverend”
May you have the grace to smile, remembering that
You have been
Faithful to your calling
Persistent in your search for wholeness
And committed to compassion for all.

Amen and amen.

Hymn (on sheet): ‘The Harvest of Truth’

Let’s sing together now. Our next hymn is on your hymn sheets, ‘The Harvest of Truth’. It speaks of some of the guiding aspirations we might hold up in front of ourselves as we set out in ministry together. The words will also be up on screen. Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer.

O live each day and live it well –
All else is life but flung away:
Who lives a life of love can tell
Of true things truly done each day.

Be what thou seemest live thy creed;
Hold up to earth the torch divine;
Be what thou prayest to be made;
The thirst for righteousness be thine.

Fill up each hour with what will last;
Use well the moments as they go;
Into life’s soil thy seed is cast —
Thy deeds into a harvest grow.

Sow truth, if thou the true wouldst reap;
Who sows the false shall reap the vain;
Erect and sound thy conscience keep,
From hollow words and deeds refrain.

Sow love, and taste its fruitage pure;
Sow peace, and reap its harvest bright;
Sow sunbeams on the rock and moor,
And find a harvest-home of light.

Our Congregational Vision: What We Do Together (And Why)

JEANNENE: On this day when we celebrate our new ministry it seems appropriate to hear something of our congregational vision from members or our church community. Last autumn, Jane reached out to all members of our congregation, and invited them to contribute a sentence to a collective statement of our shared values and how we put them into action in the real world.

The invitation was to identify a particular value that we feel is important to our vision, and then to spell out what that means in practice: in the way we conduct ourselves; the choices we make as a community; how we use our time, energy, and resources; our priorities and commitments. We got a good number of responses back, and Jane added a few of her own, so that we’ve got about as many statements as we have signed-up members right now (that’s about fifty people). You might notice repetition, or contradictions, or things we’ve missed! We are human after all.

The result is something which is, perhaps, a snapshot of a moment in time. This year being the 250th anniversary of the first ever avowedly Unitarian service, in the Essex Street Chapel, we are especially aware of our special place in a long and proud tradition, and our responsibility to continue it. And we are also ready to embrace new ways of doing church, in order to face the challenges and meet the needs of the twenty-first century, and continue to serve generations yet to come.

So I’m going to hand over to five members of our congregation now – Alex and Charlotte joining us online – Patricia, Brian, and Juliet who are here in-person – and they will jointly read out this statement of our collective vision on behalf of the whole congregation. Alex, it’s over to you.

ONLINE – ALEX:

We know life can be hard to make sense of,
so we come together to share the search for meaning.

We value the opportunity to explore the meaning of spirituality,
so we come together to share our experience, doubts, and beliefs.

We value exploring all kinds of spirituality,
so we demonstrate this with the variety of services we provide.

We know the importance of the spiritual journey,
so we encourage each other to seek inspiration and truth in many sources.

We know regular spiritual practice helps us to live well,
so we meet each week for prayer and reflection.

We need help to find our way in life
so we connect with our ‘north star’, which some of us call ‘God’,
through prayer and regular worship, which help to guide us in our daily living.

We seek a deeper relationship with God,
so we gather for contemplative prayer
and reflection at our ‘Heart & Soul’ evenings.

We know that there are many ways to approach the divine,
so we are open to different forms of theological language and imagery,
when exploring ultimate things, and we practice ‘translation’ to seek understanding.

We seek wisdom from wherever it may be found,
so we pay attention to scientists and philosophers,
as well as drawing from the world’s faith traditions.

We are here to learn and grow,
so we offer encouragement and challenge,
for the sake of personal and collective transformation.

IN-PERSON – BRIAN:

We value kindness
so we are actively generous and considerate
to everyone, especially when it is hardest to do so.

We care about those who feel lonely or troubled,
so we reach out to offer company and comfort.

We value deep and personal connections with one another,
so we use sessions like ‘Heart & Soul’ to encourage participants
to share their joys and sorrows, their struggles and frustrations,
and their insights into the often-bewildering human condition.

We believe in ‘being real’ with each other
so we practice being honest about the reality of our lives
instead of always putting on a brave face and ‘keeping up appearances’.

We know the value of contact and communication
so we aspire to speak our truth with love.

We believe that learning to love each other’s differences binds us together
so we can be a force for good in the world.

We know that sometimes when people find our community they have been hurt
so we try to be a place of comfort for them where they will be accepted and start to grow again.

We know that everyone has different needs and preferences
so we remember the ‘platinum rule’ and we strive to
treat others as they would wish to be treated.

We value ethical conduct and integrity
so we will conduct our congregational business
and treat our workers in a way that embodies our values.

We know that we are human and we will surely make mistakes along the way,
so we strive to show generosity to each other when things go awry,
to recognise our own mis-steps, and seek repair and reconciliation.

IN-PERSON – PATRICIA:

We care about human suffering,
so we speak up and get involved in campaigns for social justice.

We’re concerned about the many threats to our environment
so we speak up and get involved in campaigns on these issues.

We know that the climate emergency threatens all life,
so we keep environmental issues as a central focus.

We want to be inclusive,
so we regularly ask, ‘who’s not here?’
and take constructive action to demonstrate our commitment to inclusion.

We believe in LGBTQ+ equality
so we proudly celebrate diversity and speak up for equal rights,
hosting inclusive events for all the queer community and supporting our trans siblings.

We care about racial justice
so we support anti-racist initiatives
and strive to include ever-more diverse voices in our worship and learning.

We believe in disability justice and inclusion
so we are working to make our activities ever-more accessible
to people with all manner of disabilities, neurodivergence, and health issues.

We value truth-telling and integrity above conformity and respectability,
so we are not afraid to stand up for our principles, and we will do the right thing,
even when it’s counter-cultural, or we’re in the minority (in keeping with our non-conformist tradition).

We believe in radical hospitality
so we aim to create a welcoming and non-judgmental space
in which we all find support for our spiritual journey, and a space where we can grow together.

We value diversity in all its forms,
so we make space for the different kinds of community building,
spiritual practice, and worship that work best for each of us.

IN-PERSON – JULIET:

We believe everybody has wisdom and insight to share,
so we encourage each other to make creative contributions according to their talents.

We value helping to create a better, more just world,
so we take whatever action we are able to, in order to make even a small difference.

We value people taking an active role in worship
so we encourage them to participate and contribute.

We know that it takes a lot of work to keep a congregation running,
so we each play our part in the life of the church as best we can,
offering our talents, sharing the load, and encouraging others.

We love using music, poetry and creativity
as a connection to the light and love within us all,
so we share this within our church activities.

We value the power of music as part of life
so we include it in our worship, in our hymns,
in our meditation and in our celebrations.

We realise we are lucky to have inherited resources,
including this beautiful building, which mean we can afford paid ministry,
so we do what we can to contribute to the wider movement and share our good fortune with others.

We value being part of a historic and worldwide religious tradition
so we cultivate connections with our wider Unitarian and Free Christian movement
and get involved in networks, meetings, and events, which keep us in touch with fellow Unitarians.

We know that the world is ever-changing
so we are open to changing the way we do things
in order to stay true to our purpose and carry out our mission in changing times.

We take our values seriously
so we live by them, amongst ourselves, and in the wider world.

ONLINE – CHARLOTTE:

We value a sense of community,
so we show up on a regular basis so we can be there for each other.

We want to be inclusive…
so we ask “who’s not here?”
and make our gatherings more accessible.

We value authentic sharing,
so we hold space for telling the truth about our joys and sorrows.

We know the importance of cultivating human connection
so we create space to regularly touch base with our true selves and
connect with our fellow human beings in a genuinely loving community.

We value being part of a community, the social connection,
the sense of belonging and being part of something bigger than ourselves,
so we show respect, kindness and support for one another.

We value each other,
so we create a nourishing community.

We are concerned about the world beyond our doors
so we care about supporting the community that we live in,
seeking what might be needed and helpful to others within our reach.

We value outreach to those with no bricks-and-mortar church of their own,
so we open our services to members who are geographically distant but spiritually nearby.

We value community connections on other days besides Sundays
so we get to know each other in all sorts of ways
and are consequentially spiritually and emotionally uplifted.

We know that sustaining community requires our presence and commitment,
so we show up for each other, and do what we can to help keep the show on the road,
in order to ensure that the church is still here in years to come, for us, and for future generations.

Words for Meditation: ‘Courageous and Meaningful Living’ by Rebecca Parker (read by Liz)

So that’s a snapshot of our congregational vision – what it is we do together here – and why.

We’re moving into a time of meditation now. I’m going to share a brief quote for contemplation, a few words from Rebecca Parker, which are printed on the front of your order of service (and for people joining from home you can find them along with the full service text on the church website). This quote was chosen by Jane as one which might say something about what it is we do together – or what we might aspire to do together – as we embark on this new era of ministry in changing, challenging, times. These words will take us into about three minutes of silence which will end with the sound of a bell. Then we’ll hear some music from our trio to continue the meditative mood.

There’s an additional invitation. As you hear these words about what a congregation might be – what it might enable for its members – and what difference it might make to the wider world –
you are invited to respond to these words on the star that’s in your order of service (there’s a pen under each chair) or, if you’re at home, you can write something in the chat box). Reflect on your own hopes, dreams, aspirations for this church (or any other community of practice you’re part of) – jot something down, perhaps during the musical interlude, or at some point later in the service – and we’ll invite you to put your responses up on the wall in the hall after the service for all to see.

So let’s each do what we need to do to get comfortable – maybe put your feet flat on the floor to ground yourself – close your eyes. And see what these words evoke in you. Rebecca Parker writes:

‘Congregations can be “communities of resistance”
– countercultural habitations in which people learn ways
to survive and thrive that can resist and sometimes even transform
an unjust dominant culture… an embodied experience of covenant and commitment…
which ground life in shared rituals that nourish and strengthen people spiritually, emotionally,
psychologically and intellectually, providing a deep foundation for courageous and meaningful living.’

(short pause) So let’s take those inspiring words into a few minutes of shared silence now.

Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell

Musical Interlude: ‘After Sunrise’ (Abby, Georgia and Toby)

In-Person Reading: ‘On Priesthood/For a Leader’ by John O’Donohue (adapted) (read by Sheena)

Sheena to say just a few words of introduction.

May the blessings released through your hands
Cause windows to open in darkened minds.

May the sufferings your calling brings
Be but winter before the spring.

May the companionship of your doubt
Restore what your beliefs leave out.

May the secret hungers of your heart
Harvest from emptiness its sacred fruit.

May your solitude be a voyage
Into the wilderness and wonder of God.

May your words have the prophetic edge
To enable the heart to hear itself.

May the silence where your calling dwells
Foster your freedom in all you do and feel.

May you find words full of divine warmth
To clothe the dying in the language of dawn.

May the slow light of communion
Be a sure shelter around your future.

May you treasure the gifts of the mind
Through reading and creative thinking
So that you continue as a servant of the frontier
Where the new will draw its enrichment from the old,
And may you never become a functionary.

May you know the wisdom of deep listening,
The healing of wholesome words,
The encouragement of the appreciative gaze,
The decorum of held dignity,
The springtime edge of the bleak question.

May you have a mind that loves frontiers
So that you can evoke the bright fields
That lie beyond the view of the regular eye.

May you have good friends
To mirror your blind spots.

And may leadership be for you
A true adventure of growth.

Hymn 181 (Purple): ‘Wake, Now, My Senses’ to alternate tune, ‘Slane’

Let’s sing again. Our next hymn is a classic for occasions like these: ‘Wake, Now, My Senses’. Let’s sing again. Our next hymn is a classic for occasions like these: ‘Wake, Now, My Senses’. It speaks of all those values which might guide us: love, care, compassion, conscience, truth, justice, reason. We’re going to sing it to the traditional tune, Slane, rather than the one that’s printed in the book (so don’t get confused if you read music).

Wake, now, my senses, and hear the earth call;
feel the deep power of being in all;
keep with the web of creation your vow,
giving, receiving as love shows us how.

Wake, now, my reason, reach out to the new;
join with each pilgrim who quests for the true;
honour the beauty and wisdom of time;
suffer thy limit, and praise the sublime.

Wake, now, compassion, give heed to the cry;
voices of suffering fill the wide sky;
take as your neighbour both stranger and friend,
praying and striving their hardship to end.

Wake, now, my conscience, with justice thy guide;
join with all people whose rights are denied;
take not for granted a privileged place;
God’s love embraces the whole human race.

Wake, now, my vision of ministry clear;
brighten my pathway with radiance here;
mingle my calling with all who would share;
work toward a planet transformed by our care.

Charge to the Minister and Congregation

Lizzie: Induction Services traditionally include what is called a ‘Charge to the Minister’ and a ‘Charge to the Congregation’. Two ministers are invited to preach short sermons – one directed at the minister and one at the congregation – sharing wisdom and encouragement for each as they embark on the new ministry together. In keeping with the rest of this service, we’re doing something slightly different, in that the ‘Charge to the Minster’ and ‘Charge to the Congregation’ you’re about to hear have been created collaboratively, to reflect this notion of ministry being all that we do together.

Jane invited colleagues who she’d worked and studied alongside to contribute and twelve responded: Reverends Michael Allured, Elizabeth Birtles, Stephanie Bisby, Daniel Costley, Kate Dean, Robin Hanford, Linda Hart, Bob Janis, Lindy Latham, Maud Robinson, Sarah Tinker, and me! Elizabeth Harley. Michael, Stephanie, Rory, and I – as fellow members of the ministers’ covenant group that Jane has been part of since she started ministry training – we will share these words on behalf of our ministerial colleagues, who are all at different stages in their journey (some just starting out in ministry, some retired, and some in between). You may notice some recurring themes – hard-won wisdom from their many years’ combined experience – and perhaps things we wish we (and our congregations) had been told, and taken heed of, when starting out in ministry.

Michael: It is my great pleasure to deliver this collaborative Charge to the Congregation: Some thoughts for members of this church, Kensington Unitarians, to remember and to take to heart, wisdom about ministry which will stand you in good stead for the years to come.

Stephanie: Ministry is all that we do together. We should not overstate the role of the Minister-with-a-Capital-M, the person we pay to do to the work, the person we call, the person the world looks to as our representative. The Minister cannot operate without the support of the Congregation, nor can they carry the entire burden of the ministry. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, everyone has different gifts, and many ministries, not just one, are needed for a Church to thrive. And yet we should not underestimate the importance, either, of having one person whose influence shapes the direction of a congregation and draws its many threads together, encouraging what is needed in the congregation to grow and develop and take its best form. Ministry is all that we do together, and we do it better when Ministry in all its forms is valued, appreciated and celebrated.

Michael: You, this congregation of diverse individuals assembled at Essex Church (and in increasingly diverse ways) as Kensington Unitarians, are called to function as one community, united in heart and soul. In recognising the need for leadership, you have reached out for learned Ministry and have invited The Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall to fulfil that role. In return, you must fulfil your role: In recognising that ministry is never the task of one person alone, you are called to support Jane in her Ministry and work for your congregation’s future. In recognising that ours is a free religious faith, you are called to the responsibility to act with honesty and integrity, to speak your mind in truth and love at appropriate times and places. Your minister is a human being with human frailties. May you be kindly with any admonishment and generous in your encouragement.

Stephanie: May you always ask yourselves and each other ‘Whose am I?’ as a partner to ‘Who am I?’ Ours is an enabling faith if we travel the road in partnership to weather life’s storms. The promise of our faith well lived is not being worn down by weariness in our aloneness. Rather it is receiving sustenance and strength from our mutual encouragement to travel onwards as we endeavour to build beloved community together. May this be your shared work, your common mission, where one’s better selves have a chance to survive. There is a question you might find it helpful to ask yourselves frequently – be it hourly or daily or weekly or monthly or annually – ask yourselves inwardly – ‘What matters now?’ And sometimes you may have to wait a while for clarity to emerge in response to that question.

Michael: You will be tempted, at times, to demand perfection of Jane in her Ministry; there will be occasions where you feel she has let you down. These are then moments of true fragility and humanity. Jane, your Minister, will be perfect in her imperfections. It is for you to recognise the imperfections within yourself that make you perfect too. Do not tut, or sigh, or shake your head. Instead respond as you would wish to be responded to, and take heart from the love Jane truly brings to this place.

Stephanie: Remember that your minister is a breakable human being, as well as a resilient and creative pastor. Remember and honour all the ministry that Jane does, on your behalf, outside of the congregational setting: Heart and Soul, Summer School and many other things. And remind her to take time to minister to her own soul, mind and body.

Michael: We live in troubled and troubling times. Humanity faces such serious challenges in the unknown that lies ahead and change seems very necessary now – in all aspects of society – including religious communities such as ours. As a congregation you may find yourselves grieving the old times. Sadness is so understandable in times of change, for something is lost and will not be retrieved. Yet something new beckons us all, something at present unknown and uncertain, yet filled with possibility. There is no map or blueprint for the path that lies ahead. But with love and compassion in our hearts as our guides, this congregation of Kensington Unitarians, along with Jane as your new minister, will find your way to create beloved community: a community which welcomes all who seek connection – connection with one another and with that which holds us all.

Stephanie: To create a Beloved Community; every voice here is cherished and heard. Do use your voice to lift up everyone, including your Minister! Perhaps by sharing the little things (out loud) that bring you joy about their ministry and ‘smiling your encouragement’ during a service. The role of a minister, your minister, is complex and demanding, needing the support and encouragement of the whole community. There is much teamwork needed in creating a healthy, welcoming congregation – you all have a part to play.

Michael: You are very fortunate to have an extraordinary minister. Jane will fail utterly at being James Martineau, or God, or the projection of your parents, or Sarah Tinker. With your help, and the grace of the divine mystery, she will be amazingly successful at being the Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall. And she’ll bring out the extraordinary in you too, dear ones. So do this ministry together. Trust each other. Offer grace extravagantly. Keep faith with the process and with each other. Share your vision, your time and energy, and your whole self. When – not if – something goes off the rails, listen harder, love more, forgive abundantly and start again.

Lizzie: And I am delighted to offer this Charge to the Minister: Some things for Jane to remember, and to take to heart, which will stand her in good stead for the years to come.

Lizzie: It is an honour to be a Minister. You have been chosen by these people to offer your love and support, as well as your many skills, as you build this community of caring and understanding together. You are called to bring courage and comfort to your community. While caring for others, may you remember to care for your own soul and body. Try to remind yourself of the importance of being present in each moment as you minister to souls in pain and sorrow; as you minister with souls in joy and activity. Be present with your own soul, in both your anxiety and exhaustion, and in your joy and laughter; and listen to your own needs, as you listen to the needs of others.

Rory: You are called to contribute to the continually developing praxis of our religious tradition, to innovate and respond as circumstances demand while being ever mindful of our heritage. You are called to boldly and ethically lead your congregation into the future while ever being a source of insight and guidance, kindling precious moments of beloved community that will one day be embodied the world over. In the joys and sorrows of your congregation, you are called to be present with them in solidarity, offering a vision of liberation that is both prophetic and pastoral. May you be inspired by the revolutionary example of Jesus as you seek to live out your true calling, despite the world’s harshness, so that others may see in your presence that of the Divine Spirit that dwells within us all.

Lizzie: You will be tempted, at times, to demand perfection of yourself in your Ministry; there will be occasions where you feel you have let the congregation and yourself down. These are then moments of true fragility and humanity – reflecting the sometimes weary exasperations of the everyday, and the frustrations of all who strive to rise above yet find that ledge forever out of reach. Remember we are each perfect in our imperfections. Take heart that you are part of Creation, as are all around you. It is through your love of all Creation, not your unreachable perfection, that you might inspire, nourish and comfort those to whom you Minister.

Rory: Allow your congregation to be imperfect too – as individuals and as a whole community. For we all have feet of clay. And yet keep striving and aiming high. Keep speaking out with the prophetic voice that religious leaders the world over have found to express humanity’s divine potential. Aim high. And expect things to go wrong. Those blundering moments in congregational life are gifts from God – to keep us on our toes and keep us laughing, and crying, alongside our community. Your role as minister comes with a cast iron guarantee – that our best laid plans are designed to make God smile. But that doesn’t mean we stop planning – because our world needs all the positive planning it can get. And my goodness, God needs more to smile about.

Lizzie: There is so much that goes into Ministry that isn’t visible to the community as a whole; please know that we appreciate everything you do. We are your most enthusiastic champions, waving pom-poms and cake. When you are doubting yourself and your ministry, remember that there is a community of colleagues, lay and ministerial, who hold you in respect and love. Trust yourself as we trust you.

Rory: Ministry is so wonderfully multifarious, so awfully complicated, so utterly bizarre, that I’ve found it easiest to oversimplify it to a simple sentence: ministry is being spiritual in public. To be fully ourselves, in the presence of another, and in the service of another, is a truly sacred act. In order to be spiritual in public – and not just fake it artfully – we need to be spiritual in private, so don’t skimp on the jigsaw puzzles, thrilling bike races, or time in the garden, dear Jane. But then go out there and fulfil your only ministerial responsibility: to allow the fullness of yourself to serve the beloved, or just whatever lucky soul happens to be in the way that day.

(pause)

Lizzie: On behalf of all our ministerial colleagues we offer blessings on you, Jane, and on your congregation here at Essex Church as you officially embark on this new ministry together!

Responsive Prayer for this Ministry: (Jane)

Thanks Lizzie – and thanks to all who have contributed to today’s proceedings – and everyone who has played a part in any way, down the years, in bringing us to this moment. It’s been a long road.

And as we begin to move towards the conclusion of today’s service I invite you to join in a time of prayer for this ministry – it’s a prayer of commitment – a prayer of intention – for the years to come. There is a responsive part to this prayer, which is printed on the back of your hymn sheet, so you might want to have that handy, and the words will come up on screen at the appropriate moment.

But for now let’s each do what we need to do to get into the right state of body and mind to pray together. Maybe there’s a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. You might close your eyes. Let’s settle into this moment – be fully present, in this sacred time and space, and on this special day – connected with ourselves, with each other, and with that which lies within us and beyond us.

Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,
we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,
as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom
to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.
Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the
silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)

On this special day we have much to be thankful for.

We give thanks for this congregation’s Unitarian forebears:
for the long line of Ministers who have served this church
since Theophilus Lindsey founded the Essex Street Chapel 250 years ago –
spiritual leaders who have steered this community across the generations
and offered their prophetic witness to the times in which they lived.

We give thanks for all those trustees and committee members – and all the volunteers –
who have done so much hard and often unnoticed work behind the scenes
to keep the show on the road through hard times and good –
through their wise and faithful stewardship we have inherited
the resources we need to help us meet the challenges of the present day.

And we give thanks for this present moment – for the joy of gathering together –
with members, friends, colleagues, and supporters from near and far –
to affirm and celebrate this new chapter in the life of our church,
to draw courage and inspiration from our companions on the journey,
and to pledge our hearts and hands to our shared ministry and mission.

In that spirit I invite you to join, if you wish, with the responsive prayer of commitment.

Spirit of Life, God of All Love, we ask for your blessing
on this congregation and our shared ministry and mission.
Help us to flourish and thrive; empower us to fulfil our calling.

May this be a community of spiritual commitment;
somewhere we go to reconnect with what matters most in life.
Encourage us to seek your daily guidance; inspire us to pray all ways.

May this be a community of care and compassion;
a safer, softer, kinder space; a holy house of sanctuary.
Grant us the spirit of generosity in our listening and speaking.

May this be a community of authentic connection and realness
where we can show up as our true selves and share our stories.
Help us open our hearts to each other; reveal our common humanity.

May this be a community of learning, growth, and transformation;
in which we are encouraged to use and develop our own unique gifts.
Guide us toward new horizons; call us onward to greater heights and depths.

May this be a community of resistance and liberation;
a church where we speak and act for equality and justice.
Awaken in us the insight, strength, and courage to serve the greater good.

Spirit of Life, God of All Love, we commit ourselves to this shared ministry.
Bless the work of our hearts, minds, and hands in the years to come. Amen.

Hymn 200 (purple): ‘What Does the Lord Require?’

Time for our last hymn – it’s number 200 in your purple books – ‘What Does the Lord Require?’ A question that I hope we’ll keep front and centre in our minds in the years to come – and if the language doesn’t quite work for you – what does God, or Love, or Justice require of us in each moment? That’s a question for all of us to keep coming back to. The words will be on screen. Sing up!

What does the Lord require
for praise and offering?
What sacrifice desire,
or tribute bid us bring?
But only this: true justice do,
love mercy too, and walk with God.

True justice always means
defending of the poor,
the righting of the wrong,
reforming ancient law.
This is the path, true justice do,
love mercy too, and walk with God.

Love mercy and be kind,
befriend, forgive, always,
and welcome all who come
to sing with us in praise:
and in this way, true justice do,
love mercy too, and walk with God.

Yes, humbly walk that way,
free from all pompous pride,
in quiet simplicity,
God always at our side:
thus evermore, true justice do,
love mercy too, and walk with God.

Closing Words: ‘Our Light Shines On’

The service is drawing towards a close but I just want to say thank you to everyone for being here today – whether you’re in-person or online – thanks especially to everyone who’s played any part in making this such a special occasion (our readers, musicians, tech hosts, greeters, tea-makers, cake-bakers, arrangers of chairs and of flowers, those who put the bunting up, and so much more). We’ve got a vast quantity of cake so please do hang around for tea and have a good catch-up with friends old and new. And we have some takeaway boxes so please do take cake for the journey.

So… to our closing words and closing music.

We are about to extinguish our chalice flame –
but its light will shine on – burning within each
and every one of us as faith, and hope, and liberating love.

So in the days, months, and years to come may we
always be guided by the light of this inner beacon –
reminding us of the community we have found here,
and recalling us to our highest aspirations – and what we can be – together.

And may that be so, for the greater good of all. Amen.

Closing Music: ‘Blue Boat Home’ (Abby, Georgia and Toby)

27th January 2024