Chads News - 8th May 2025

 Dear Church Family,

As I write this 130 Cardinals are assembling in the Sistene Chapel for Conclave, it’s possible by the time you read it that white smoke will have billowed out of the specially installed chimney and the Roman Catholic church will have a new Pope.  On Sunday, with less pomp, fewer red robes and marginally less global media attention, we will assemble in St Chads for our Vision Sunday, which includes the election of our wardens and PCC.  The two events are significantly different, not least because as it currently stands, we have exactly the right number of nominations for the PCC and so we don’t anticipate going to a vote or producing any white smoke.  (We are delighted Ian is back at work after his hip operation, but I decided not to ask him to ‘install a special furnace and chimney for Sunday’ on his first week back!!)

Despite the differences of these two events, there is a link, which is our belief that the Holy Spirit directs and guides his people, and our role is to listen to him for that guidance with major decisions. I’ve recently been reading the book of Joshua, on the one occasion when they didn’t enquire of the Lord about a battle, they got beaten up and dispirited.  When it comes to apportioning the land to each tribe for centuries of land ownership, they researched, shared leadership authority and cast lots as a means for God to make the decision.   This month marks the 1700yr anniversary of the Council of Nicea agreeing the Creed. That decision has given a foundation of the core of our faith for billions of people over the past 1700 years. 

The bigger the decision, and the more people it impacts, the more significant it is that we consult the Holy Spirit and do so collectively.  This is why we have a PCC, it’s why the cardinals are locked inside the Sistene Chapel & papal residence until they can make a decision together.   How does this work? How can a group of people discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit together?

The first principle is humility, this doesn’t work by power games and dominant personalities.  As a church we seek to listen to one another, not impose our opinions over others.  The second is letting go of what we’re holding onto and being open to God guiding us and willing to listen to new ideas, including through the gift of prophecy. Through the Bible God surprises his people, His ways are not our ways.  That doesn’t mean God’s will is always surprising, sometimes we discern his will in the clearest most common-sense option, but we need to be open to surprises or changing our mind.  The fourth principle is ‘does it fit with God’s values?’  If the PCC decided to blow the 2026 budget on installing a VIP lounge at St Chads for a privileged few gold card church members to have champagne and prawn sandwiches between services, whilst serving water and no biscuits to the rest of the congregation, it could be argued that wasn’t a biblical approach to justice. 

As well as Joshua, I’ve been reading the book of Acts.  In Acts 15, the early church holds its first council, to decide whether new gentile believers should be circumcised (thankfully they decided no).  They listened to stories of God at work, different views and they looked at the Bible until they came to a unified agreement.  In their conclusion, they wrote “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us”.  Please pray for our PCC and our Ministry Leadership Team, that we will be united in humility, biblical values and unity in discerning what is good to the Holy Spirit in the life of St Chads. (& pray for the Cardinals too for the person God is calling to be Pope!)

 with love,

Richard.

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