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Sunday Driving


Yesterday was a lightish sort of day as far as commitments go. I dedicated a new window in the magnificent St. Martin's church in Duntroon, attended a picnic afterwards and then sat in the congregation as four young men were ordained to the diaconate in Christchurch Cathedral. One of the new deacons was Jolyon White, who was once the youth worker in St. John's Roslyn and now works in the Diocese of Christchurch making sure that none of them forget about social action. Jolyon's effect on St. John's was enormous. He encouraged and taught and charmed the parish into a deeper commitment to ecological and social issues than anyone in the parish, prior to his arrival, including me, thought possible. He has a good theological degree, but more importantly, an instinct for making theological concepts practicable, and even more importantly, several sure fire ways of helping others to believe that this life changing stuff can be achieved. Yesterday's ordination marks a powerful, strategic step for Jolyon, but it marks an even more powerfully strategic step for the church when somebody so potentially revolutionary is recognised and set aside to lead.

Yes.

All in all it was an easy and invigorating day, except that it did involve about 9 hours driving and reinforced the fact that in increasing my effectiveness as a bishop, the wisest investment our diocese has made to date (after of course, the salary for my PA, Debbie ) has been in a really good car.

My Subaru Forester 2.0D has a common rail diesel engine and a six speed manual gearbox. It is, as are all cars with this configuration, somewhat light on horsepower but very heavy on torque. That is, while it might not beat the boy racers away from the lights and is somewhat easy to stall,  it is very gutsy on the hills and when passing milk tankers. It has a low centre of gravity and if I am prepared to work the gearbox, can be made to twinkletoe its way around corners very nimbly indeed. For a big car (five adults and their luggage in reasonable comfort) it is amazingly frugal, returning 6.6 l/100km over the 35,000km I have travelled in it this year. Most importantly, I can sit in it for 3 or 4 hours and climb out at the other end with no undue fatigue; which meant that when I got home at midnight yesterday, the driving wasn't a factor in my weariness, not even a little bit.

So today I eased the Forester out of the garage,  washed off the insects that had got too close to the windscreen and were as a result considerably short of breath and puttered down to the bay to sit for a bit and look at the seagulls and  think about  the goodness of God. Jolyon a Deacon. The Holy Spirit sure does khave his act together. I'm glad I was able to nip up to Christchurch  in style and comfort to see it.
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Comments

NIE said…
YESSS! So glad you were able to witness Jolyon's ordination. Right from the moment he gave his first 'sermon' at St J's we sensed and hoped that the day would come when God would use this voice. He already has, I know, but this step further into the church is great progress for all who accept we need a 'shake-up'.
I too thank the Holy Spirit for Jolyon's exceptional gifts.
13 December 2010 at 16:25
Peter Carrell said…
It was inspiring to see you in the congregation on Sunday!

I appreciate your praise for the virtues of your Subaru, but don't you really need a helicopter?
14 December 2010 at 07:49
Kelvin Wright said…
You buy it, I'll fly it.
14 December 2010 at 07:53
N said…
Oh, and thanks for the Michael Leunig thoughts - that covers the idea fairly succinctly and completely. Now for the hard bit ...
14 December 2010 at 07:54
Anonymous said…
Awesome article. Thank you Kelvin!

It's great to hear the ordination went so well.

This ordination is encouraging news, helping the church to move forward, in Christ.

And glad to hear that Subaru could now become the official car of the Anglican Church! :)

Yours in humour,
and with thanks,

Julian.
14 December 2010 at 15:36
Anonymous said…
I hope Jolyon can live up to your expectations and praise. "Even the kind acts of the wicked are cruel." Predictable that he will fail and fall - he would have been better off without your "help". Sad eh?.

There was a Frenchman who ate light bulbs and then he ate a whole small airplane. Maybe you can be the first to eat a Subaru! It will give you something to do and keep you out of mischief.
27 December 2010 at 07:16
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