Commissioning of Ben Mizen as Diocesan Youth and Children's Work Adviser at St Thomas's Cathedral
Evensong - Tuesday 8th February
Readings: Deut 6:16 – end / Mt 5: 13-16
There are not many occasions when I really can say that the person being commissioned or licensed is a bargain, but Ben, you certainly are. It is not because today is Shrove Tuesday. It is rather because the Diocese is only paying half your salary – the other half coming from a special Church Commissioners Mission Fund. If ever you pick up a moan from some outer reaches of the diocese about how much all these (in fact all too few) special officers and advisers cost, just reply with a smile and say ‘I come cut-price’, and leave the fang-baring to me!
You come back home to Portsmouth with a wealth of experience, and I know a warm welcome, including from many who believe this appointment is long overdue. There is indeed a lot to be done. But perhaps you need to take care that the expectations may be unrealistic, or else focussed in one particular way of doing work with children and young people. There are some notably successful parishes, and others who have recently embarked on projects like ‘Youth Alpha’. Perhaps your best and most encouraging message will be to discourage the use of that judgemental term, ‘Non-Church People’, which I heard only the other day, and inwardly cringed. (There are some aspects of the Church of England that make me feel decidedly ‘Non-Church’, but that’s another story!) More significantly, you will find pockets of excellent work among small groups, where drawing folk together and encouraging them to share resources between parishes won’t be the end of the world, and may be the beginnings of a small local miracle. And, of course, there are questions about worship – where simple texts, good and evocative music, imaginative symbolism, and creative seating arrangements and – above all else – the minimum of words thrown at them from on high by supposed adults, may be what is called for.
Ben, you come here surrounded by prayer, and we look forward to hearing what you have to say, as well as what you are going to do. The KAIROS process has already highlighted the need to build up our work with Children and Young People all over the Diocese. Tonight’s readings, which we shall shortly hear, provide a magnificent back-drop to our celebration of your commissioning: the handing-on of Israel’s sacred history to the young by word of mouth, and the images of salt and light from the Sermon on the Mount. Help us to hand on our sacred story and help us to keep our message tasty and bright!
+ Kenneth Portsmouth
