Yesterday, Bishop Glyn was delighted to take part, together with crowds of other bishops, priests and lay people in celebration of Mass together with the Commissioning of Dr Colin Podmore as the new Director of Forward in Faith. The church of S Alban the Martyr, Holborn was full to bursting with members of Forward in Faith as well as many of Dr Podmore’s friends and former colleagues from his 25 year of service to the Church of England though his work at Church House, Westminster, his latest post being Clerk to the General Synod. On his leaving Dr Rowan Williams, who was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, commented: “Church House really will not be the same without you, and as you take up your new responsibilities […] you can be assured that you will go with great affection and gratitude not only from your colleagues in the National Church Institutions but from the House of Bishops, the Synod and the Church of England as a whole.”
The Chairman of Forward in Faith, The Right Revd Jonathan Baker, preached an excellent sermon setting the pursuit of unity at the heart of the work of Forward in Faith: “…, under our new Director, [we] will continue to speak the truth in love about those issues which exercise us, because of their impact, as we see it, on the unity and apostolicity of the Church: we ask to be heard with an equal love; we further ask that, difficult as our message is for some – including some whose presence we are so delighted by here this evening – we are judged by the best motives and intentions which can be construed from our understanding of the common faith which unites us all in Christ and which we are all called together to proclaim.” Bishop Jonathan, who has recently been appointed Bishop of Fulham, concluded with an appeal to officers and members of Forward in Faith, which he said was now beginning a new phase in its young life: “Let us never give anyone the excuse to suggest that we are simply another churchy pressure group. If that is how we present ourselves, then the world will take no notice of us and our brothers and sisters in Christ will not listen. At every turn, we must abide in love.”
After the joy filled celebration Bishop Glyn said, “It’s been a particular pleasure for me to have worked closely with Colin for a number of years now. It is true to say that he has served the Church of England with great distinction. I look forward to the continuing pleasure and privilege of working closely with dear Colin. Along with everyone else I am sure that he will serve us with the same distinction he has served hitherto. I look forward to many more years of being supported and helped by Colin.”
The Bishop of Fulham’s sermon can be found here.
A further report of the celebration can be found here.
Some photos of the Mass can be found here.