Looking Back on Fifty Years of Ministry
Reverend Stanley Howarth
(From the September 2024 Parish Magazine)
Looking back over fifty years of ministry as a priest.
When I was ordained priest in 1974 my bishop, archdeacon, rural dean and incumbent were all men and modern language services were just being introduced in the form of Series 3; the only Ordination Service then used was that of the Book of Common Prayer. As I celebrate the Golden Jubilee of my priesthood my bishop, archdeacon, (acting) rural dean and incumbent are all women and modern language services prevail and I wonder if any of the ordination services held this year used the BCP order of services. Much has changed but as I look back I am thankful for God’s grace and mercy to have been able to exercise priestly ministry in the Church of England.
Priestly ministry takes many forms both public and private. I cannot share the private – that would be to betray confidences that will go with me to the grave, but I have been invited by your editor to share some of the highlights (and otherwise!) of public ministry.
Hatches, Matches and Despatches – aka Baptisms, Wedding and Funerals.
I have not kept a count of how many “Occasional Offices” I have conducted over the years but baptisms and funerals will each be a four figure sum and weddings will be a few hundred. Of course every service is special for those involved. Baptisms can be chaotic especially if there are several at one service – the most I have ever taken at one service was eight. At Middlewich (a one CofE church town of about 15000 people) there were often twelve baptisms month. Over the years I have had babies pull my glasses off or grab the microphone I was using. One bishop I served under reminded his clergy that we believe in a generous God so we should not be sparing with the water used in baptism, and I am not.
Weddings can differ greatly. I have conducted a wedding with just five people present (the couple, their two witnesses and myself) to one with over 200 guests. Usually everything goes well but occasionally there are mishaps. The latest a bride has been was 40 minutes in Skipton: the local farmers were holding a protest by driving many tractors through the town at snail’s pace. It was also during my curacy at Skipton that I once took three weddings on the same day. I have been asked if I have taken the wedding of a famous person. No I haven’t.
But there was one wedding at St Wulfram’s Grantham that became infamous; there I was conducting wedding where a young man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and disturbing a clerk in holy orders during the conduct of divine worship; he was not a guest at the wedding but had entered the church from a local pub.
I have conducted funeral services in several churches and crematoriums. The hardest funerals have been those where the deceased was about the same age as me, especially in my younger days. I have taken the funeral of one centenarian and several infants. I once took five funerals in day (at Grantham Crematorium in the 1980s) when the seven CofE clergy in town did “duty” on a rota basis. As with Baptisms and Weddings every funeral is special. Some are particularly sad; one that stands out for me was in Grantham with just the undertaker and myself: the deceased was described as “unknown male about 35” – his body had been found in the River Trent and despite the best efforts all he was not identified.
Earlier this year I was asked by a Finedonian how many times I had presided at a service of Holy Communion. It will be over 5000. The first time was on October 1st 1974, two days after my priestly ordination. It was special. So, I hope, was the last time I presided, and indeed all the occasions in-between. Whether it be a Eucharist with just two people present or some hundreds it is a privilege to break bread and share wine with people seeking the grace of God in the Holy Communion.
I have been wonderfully supported in my ministry by bishops, archdeacons and fellow parish clergy but most especially by parishioners, churchwardens, PCC members and ordinary worshippers in the pew. I also have to thank my family, my late parents who were there at the beginning of my ministry, my wife Kathryn who has been by my side through good times and less good times, and our daughters Amy and Ellie, and more recently son-in-law Nick and grandchildren Leo and Molly.
Since I retired from stipendiary ministry in 2012, we have made our spiritual home in Finedon; so thank you parishioners and congregation at St Mary’s for being current church family. Over 50 years it has been a joy to share in the spiritual journeys of so many. There have been times when I have caused upset and hurt – for these I seek forgiveness.
In 50 years there have been many changes but one constant: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. To God be the glory!
