I am an ‘old boy’ of the same school as Henry Francis Lyte. It also spawned Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett but that’s for another day. I blame Henry – probably no good at rugger either – for the all-pervading ‘change and decay’ linkage. Apparently he provided a tune as well so he can’t be blamed for that inestimably dreary one which we always use.
Anyway, tomorrow sees us reaching our special Diocesan Synod at which [I hope] our Proposed Diocesan Policy will receive the authorisation of Synod. They say you should never change more than one thing at a time. Pity about that – because this is pretty comprehensive. But it needs to be and people have been very brave in the way in which they have shared in shaping it.
Makes me think about the ways in which the church successfully avoids change:
- tells you to do it ‘one bit at a time’ so you get utterly bogged down and tired out
- makes you so busy you haven’t got time to read the ‘Busy Priest’s Handbook’
- sends you to Achill or to Craggy Island so that you can think beautiful thoughts about change all on your own
- draws you into its soggy embrace by making you a Dean or a Bishop or something equally enervating
No doubt there are others ..