Of the three churches in the Richmond Team Ministry, St. John the Divine is the one most closely identified with the Catholic tradition of the Church of England. Like most churches, the congregation is mixed and varied in its views. In general terms, however, the ethos of St. John’s can perhaps best be described as ‘Liberal Catholic.’ It has a fairly formal – though far from stuffy! – liturgical style. The Mass is central to the life of the St. John’s community, and is the principal act of worship on Sundays and in the week. Vestments, candles and incense, together with a strong musical tradition and some exquisite art work, add much to the experience of worship at St. John’s . The Lady Chapel is a particularly conducive environment for quiet reflection and prayer.
Members of the congregation play a significant role in the main Sunday morning service, as altar servers, sidespersons, readers, intercessors and choir members.
Although not at this stage formally associated with Affirming Catholicism, a number of people at St. John’s are members of the movement, attending diocesan group meetings and national conferences. Aff Caff, as it is affectionately known, affirms that:
- The Anglican Communion is holy, catholic, apostolic
- The riches of the Catholic tradition are needed throughout the Church to further the Christian mission
- Full inclusion of lay and ordained people in Church government, and of both men and women in the threefold ministry, reinforces the Catholic integrity of our vision.
The movement aims to promote theological thinking about the contemporary implications of our Catholic faith, and to further the spiritual growth of both lay people and clergy. It also regards ‘tradition’ as something which is fed not only from the past – Scripture, the creeds, the Book of Common Prayer, the Thirty Nine Articles, etc. – but also from the present and the future. In other words, tradition is not static or preserved in aspic, but is a dynamic force which constantly calls us to move on to discover where God’s Spirit is leading us.
This approach also takes the contemporary social and cultural context seriously, and seeks to engage with current issues in the church and in wider society. As a recent example of this, a large number of people signed up to the Inclusive Church website, set up in the wake of the Jeffrey John’s withdrawal from his appointment as Bishop of Reading.
St. John’s strives to preserve the best of the past while being open to the challenges and possibilities of the future. Whatever your background, you can be sure of a welcome from this friendly, accepting congregation and, if you wish, play an active part in its life.