A Lively Bunch of Vicars!

Tonight I witnessed the induction and licensing of a new vicar and wife into the Romford parishes St. John's and St. James' of the Anglican Church. I was invited by my host Lyn Hunt to meet the new couple as 13^thFLOOR may work with them.

One of my friends leaned over and joked about it being a party for old men in dresses, as per tradition, the vicars, bishops and archbishops donned their finest for such and occasion – that is the traditional long black robes with the white frilly shirts beneath complete with black armbands to hold the frilled sleeves together (as worn before the invention of cufflinks). I was expecting the evening to hold little spunk but I was pleasantly surprised.

The sermon by the Archbishop of Barking was about our mission as the church to dig deep into the neighbourhoods God plant us in and effect change from within, rather than looking down on people as charity cases we are to take pity on. He also challenged the new parish couple to lead in this by example as well as in instruction. It was quite inspiring.

The traditional licensing, replete with giving of keys, promenades and numerous prayers and congregational responses, was uncharacteristically littered with humour and thoughtful asides. All in all it was a pleasant evening and these particular vicars were far from stuffy.