Moderator at St Paul's for Queen's Jubilee Service
I'm on the East Coast rail line heading for King's Cross . It is quite a scenic route. The views are stunning. Tomorrow will be a splendid day full of colour and pageantry. What a magnificent event to be celebrating. I'm really feeling quite privileged to be Moderator at this time.
Its only right that we should make a fuss over this Jubilee. Sixty years of service to the nation! Its a wonderful endorsement of the wisdom of years. It also has a knock on effect as people begin to realise that the Queen has done a remarkable job as our head of state over all these years. So many of the commentators seem to be surprised when they begin to realise that the Queen sees her role as head of state to have a spiritual calling attached to it. As a Christian monarch she believes she has been called by God to her office . Its an office of servanthood. I found the Archbishop of Canterbury's insight into the spiritual life of the Queen humbling and inspiring. Check out his blog.
I think there is a turning in the attitude of so many, towards older people. It used to be that when you reached a certain age society was ready to write you off. I don't detect that attitude, certainly not among young people today. With world leaders like Mandela and Tutu and the Queen making significant contributions to the world in their 80s, surely they have challenged stereotypes and made people begin to realise its not about age but its about having a cause to believe in. The picture of the godly monarch is certainly one that challenges and undermines the so called secular society.
It is this concept of calling and commitment and covenant, that the Queen embodies; and holds out to a generation that has been searching and longing for something that is constant and unchanging. For many, although they never quite saw it until now, the Queen has been the silent witness to the values they have been searching for all their lives. We need more people who will look at their life's work as a calling rather than a pay packet . Could it be that the future may begin to look more like the past, as people all over these islands begin to see the value of being committed to a cause, a community and a faith? And dare I say it a family of nations? The Commonwealth has been ignored by so many of our politicians and industrial leaders yet the Queen has sustained these relationships and it may well be the greatest legacy to the world of her whole life's work.
I'm convinced the greatest challenge facing 21st century Britain is the need for community. We are strangers longing to live in community. What better time in the Church calendar to talk about this than during the season of Trinity.
Talking about community leads me to think about communion. Now that will be the subject of my next post. I'm going to be seeking help and support this coming August to put on a fantastic U2Eucharist. So I need all my readers who are part of the community of saints to get involved. I'm planning a Communion Service on Inchcolm, the holy island that sits in the River Forth just off the shore from Queensferry. Its an amazing place that has been overlooked. Yet from it could flow blessings reconnecting with Iona, Lindisfarne and Abercorn. Its time to reconnect with the ancient wells of faith that run deep throughout these islands. Make sure you're on the Ferry for Inchcolm on Sunday 5 August 2012. Look out for my next post.
Posted By: Helmut On: 5 Jun 2012 At: 9:14am
Make the SRPS run a steam train from somewhere in Scotland (you name it) into Bo’ness, hop onto the Waverley, off to Incholm!