“We must make sure people know we’re here if they need us and have the opportunity to get to know us...” Q: Where do you see yourself in five years? A: I’ll still be here! In the Church of England, once you have charge of a parish you can stay until you’re 70. The normal retirement age is now 68 (it used to be 65). However, 70 is the maximum age you can lead a Church – and of course, there’s still plenty you can help with when you’re drawing your pension! One of the problems with putting up the retirement age is that the Church will lose out on all the retired people who volunteer to help and support the Church. Q: What does a typical day involve for you? A: It’s difficult to think of a typical day but generally I start off on the computer dealing with messages and letters. Morning Prayer begins at 8.30am, and most days I don’t finish before 10pm. Running the Church is effectively like running a small business with a turnover of nearly £250,000 a year. A large part of my time is spent with the bereaved and preparing for funerals. Quite a lot of time is spent organising and preparing for services – I spend about five hours a week writing sermons. I spend time supporting colleagues, and then there are the volunteers who run the café or the shop or help with services or arrange the flowers – I need to keep in touch with all these people. I’m also involved in a number of nonChurch activities. I’m a Governor of Whitefriars School, a Trustee of the Purfleet Trust (which helps people who are homeless in the area), I’m Chair of Burkett Homes, the Alms Houses in Queen Street, and Chair of EAST, which is a charity providing social care for people affected by HIV and AIDS throughout Norfolk. All these things might come in a day’s work and sometimes it’s a challenge to fit everything in! Q: What do you like to do in your spare time? A: When I have any spare time, my main interest is music and theatre, so I often go to London to the opera, ballet, theatre or musical shows. I used to play the organ – but I’m out of practice now and my hands are a bit stiff with arthritis. Once a month we have a concert here in the Vicarage – it’s mainly a gathering of friends who like to make music, and people that want to listen. I usually participate in some way.
KLmagazine June 2011
Q: When did your interest in flower arranging start? A: I first did flower arranging a long time ago, and I remember going to a demonstration as a teenager. At St Margaret’s they let me do them once or twice a year. I really enjoy it – it’s creative and completely different from what I normally do. Q: Is your love of travel leisure-based or is it encouraged by your work? A: I really enjoy travelling – my main adventure was when I took a sabbatical around 10 years ago. I went to Ghana for two months to work with a missionary with the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. I chose Ghana because there were many Ghanaians in my previous congregation, and they gave me plenty of contacts so I had the chance to travel all over ther country. I established a link with a Church in the northwest of Ghana in a place called Wa – a small congregation, which my parish continues to support. When I came to King’s Lynn I discovered St Margaret’s had supported a parish right in the northeast of Ghana – in a place called Yelwoko – so when I had another sabbatical I went back to Ghana, travelling on buses, staying with old friends and making new ones. I’ve also been to South Africa a few times, where I have friends from my previous
parish – I like visiting hot countries as I don’t really like the cold weather! Q: Tell me something about yourself that would surprise us. A: I like doing practical things – I’ve done a bit of organ building in the past and I’ve made a number of different instruments including the Racket, which I made from a kit. Q: What inspires you? A: A number of people have inspired me, including the Vicar I had as a teenager who was a very inspiring preacher, and my University Chaplain, who became a Bishop. Some books have been particularly inspiring – it’s difficult to narrow it down but obviously the Bible has inspired me the most. Q: In what way do you think the Church encourages new members to join the congregation? A: I hope we respond to people on their own terms. I hope we’re friendly and that our services aren’t too intimidating – we try to make it easy for people to know what’s going on and to join in. Many people come to Church following bereavement and find caring people and a place where they can remember those who have died. Then perhaps they can begin to see some kind of meaning in their experience. Q: With diminishing congregations, over the years, should the Church be more actively involved in spreading the word? A: I think we must make sure people know we’re here if they need us and have the opportunity to get to know us. The points of contact are often weddings, baptisms and funerals, but also other kinds of social contacts and functions where people meet. All ways of making relationships are important. Sometimes people come into church and talk about the architecture but the conversation changes to their faith. Each person comes with their point of view and the important thing is to respond to them on their own terms and to provide opportunities for them to seek God in their own way – St Margaret’s is open every day all day to encourage people to visit. Q: What’s it like to be a minister in King’s Lynn? A: It’s so varied – one time I’m with someone in a flat in North Lynn, another with the Mayor. It’s such an amazing town – the variety and wealth of history and culture here is wonderful. KL 55