Bishop, a Noble Task
When returning to the Caribbean after years of study within his first charge this 25 year
old priest thought he knew it all. His sermons were well documented, his words were
prolific, his oratory was spell binding, he shined in his intellectual brilliance, he was very
bright. But one Sunday after mass a lady walked up to him as he was greeting at the door
of the church, Fr, said she, " You are a very bright young man, but what you said in there
today was the most interminable nonsense I have ever heard, you must preach from the
heart."
While extremely embarrassing, (it was said aloud) it was a wake up call to me, and from
that day I have never prepared a sermon by writing, I just did as I was told and to this day.
I continue to do so from the heart when doing the charge of preaching ministry.
The rift that continues in the Anglican faith (AF) today is that no one is willing to learn,
and in doing this it causes more harm to the body than spreading the word of God.
In my first years as bishop, I too thought that becoming bishop gave a license to be a
know- it- all, but the lessons of mistakes has given wisdom to me to know that in this very
serious walk one must listen and learn in order to be a leader, not of authority but of
wisdom.
There is a culture in politics that is sometimes very amusing. In a primary election
members of the same party berate and say ugly things at each other, when a winner
emerges from the crowed field, they are usually surrounded by all those who did not win
who then pledge their loyal support. Some say the church is politics, it is not, it is God's
guiding place here on this earth and we should not treat it like the political culture of our
times.
Too many bishops in the AF behave in this manner, they believed that after they are
consecrated they become the final authority, and in exercising some of their deeds they
hurt more that they help. All bishops will tell you that their consecration is of the Holy
Spirit, if this is true, then they must know that there is no place for the exercise of down
in the mud politics, bishops must work together in building consensus to develop churches
and use their new found "power" to be men of wisdom, not to be destructive.
This charge given to us is the representation of God, it must be used wisely to lead those
given to their charge. No bishop within any church can be an independent philosopher, he
must seek cooperation from other bishops, seek guidance from those that have traveled
the road before him and most important find the path of wisdom to listen and learn.
So too are those bishops who think their titles are the most important thing in their new
life. A title is just what it is, a title, the proof of the pudding (as my ole dad would say) is in
the eating, thus in securing the title of bishop it must not be used as a forum of know- it
-all or destructive behavior, antiquated signs of episcopacy and other trappings, that means
nothing, but a humble process of learning and understanding.
The ACW and this office have had our struggles with bishops who think that they are the
final authority, to do this is a mockery of the faith. We as bishop must find the path of
building and outreach. We must at times take off our suits and our very prestigious robes,
slap on a pair of jeans and go into neighborhoods, and touch those who are in need of
salvation and spiritual guidance.
General Douglas MaCarthur said in his farewell speech to congress back in 1964, old
soldiers never die, they just fade away. This to is true with bishops, they never die they
just fade away, but in doing so it should be their hope that as they fade away they have
left a legacy, that not only give credit to their work but have brought souls to the kingdom
of God.
I pray that as I continue this journey, I continue to remember the words of the Lady on
the doors of the church back in 1975, and that I will be worthy of this charge given and not
confuse myself into interminable nonsense.
When returning to the Caribbean after years of study within his first charge this 25 year
old priest thought he knew it all. His sermons were well documented, his words were
prolific, his oratory was spell binding, he shined in his intellectual brilliance, he was very
bright. But one Sunday after mass a lady walked up to him as he was greeting at the door
of the church, Fr, said she, " You are a very bright young man, but what you said in there
today was the most interminable nonsense I have ever heard, you must preach from the
heart."
While extremely embarrassing, (it was said aloud) it was a wake up call to me, and from
that day I have never prepared a sermon by writing, I just did as I was told and to this day.
I continue to do so from the heart when doing the charge of preaching ministry.
The rift that continues in the Anglican faith (AF) today is that no one is willing to learn,
and in doing this it causes more harm to the body than spreading the word of God.
In my first years as bishop, I too thought that becoming bishop gave a license to be a
know- it- all, but the lessons of mistakes has given wisdom to me to know that in this very
serious walk one must listen and learn in order to be a leader, not of authority but of
wisdom.
There is a culture in politics that is sometimes very amusing. In a primary election
members of the same party berate and say ugly things at each other, when a winner
emerges from the crowed field, they are usually surrounded by all those who did not win
who then pledge their loyal support. Some say the church is politics, it is not, it is God's
guiding place here on this earth and we should not treat it like the political culture of our
times.
Too many bishops in the AF behave in this manner, they believed that after they are
consecrated they become the final authority, and in exercising some of their deeds they
hurt more that they help. All bishops will tell you that their consecration is of the Holy
Spirit, if this is true, then they must know that there is no place for the exercise of down
in the mud politics, bishops must work together in building consensus to develop churches
and use their new found "power" to be men of wisdom, not to be destructive.
This charge given to us is the representation of God, it must be used wisely to lead those
given to their charge. No bishop within any church can be an independent philosopher, he
must seek cooperation from other bishops, seek guidance from those that have traveled
the road before him and most important find the path of wisdom to listen and learn.
So too are those bishops who think their titles are the most important thing in their new
life. A title is just what it is, a title, the proof of the pudding (as my ole dad would say) is in
the eating, thus in securing the title of bishop it must not be used as a forum of know- it
-all or destructive behavior, antiquated signs of episcopacy and other trappings, that means
nothing, but a humble process of learning and understanding.
The ACW and this office have had our struggles with bishops who think that they are the
final authority, to do this is a mockery of the faith. We as bishop must find the path of
building and outreach. We must at times take off our suits and our very prestigious robes,
slap on a pair of jeans and go into neighborhoods, and touch those who are in need of
salvation and spiritual guidance.
General Douglas MaCarthur said in his farewell speech to congress back in 1964, old
soldiers never die, they just fade away. This to is true with bishops, they never die they
just fade away, but in doing so it should be their hope that as they fade away they have
left a legacy, that not only give credit to their work but have brought souls to the kingdom
of God.
I pray that as I continue this journey, I continue to remember the words of the Lady on
the doors of the church back in 1975, and that I will be worthy of this charge given and not
confuse myself into interminable nonsense.