Call and Response: Being Led by God

Call and Response: Being Led by God 

Sermon for Choral Evensong at Girton College Chapel, Cambridge – Sunday 19^th January, 2020. 

Today's Bible readings: 1 Samuel 3:1-21; John 2:1-12. 

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our strength and redeemer. Amen. Please be seated. 

Good evening, everyone. It is a real privilege and a pleasure to be here today, opening this series of sermons preached by Alumni of Girton College Cambridge - in this, the College's 150th anniversary year. It is wonderful to be with you celebrating our heritage, our anniversary, and our future together today. I'm especially grateful to my former Chaplain, the Reverend Malcolm Guite, for so generously inviting me to preach today. 

Girton College is a place - indeed, a home - where, at first, I'd never have thought I'd be able to come. As some of you may know, my Father died in 1999, and my Mother died in 2008. Being orphaned by the age of thirteen, I'd also not been to school until that time. Less than ten years later, I graduated from Girton College with a 2:i in Theology; all set for my Master's at King's College London, my year of parish work in Croydon, my ordination training now at Westcott House here in Cambridge, and all with many, many friends. Girton - thank you. 

I love my friends. I'm incredibly lucky and grateful to have so many wonderful friends in my life. Friends here; friends who are not. Friends from all around the country; around the rest of Europe; and, indeed, across the whole world. 

I'm very interested in keeping up with what my friends are doing in life. I always like to keep in touch with them, and to meet up with them too for, say, a run; a walk; a meal out; a drink (or two); of just to enjoy some time in fellowship being busy doing nothing (because that's okay too). To take an example, I'm very grateful for all of my friends in Girton Choir - although when I was in Choir here I hope they enjoyed my company a little more than my puns! 

In my free time, I have a packed social life. One of my friends from King's College London remarked at "what a wild social life" I lead! I also love parties; these are just as great an opportunity to meet new friends as they are to see friends I've known for longer. I often think of others not as "friends and strangers," but "friends who I have met and friends who I haven't yet met." 

Now, there was one evening recently when I found myself very kindly invited to two different parties - in different parts of London - and, planning my evening to the minute, I found a way of attending both of them! At the second of these two parties, one of my friends from Cambridge described me as a bit of a party animal - and that I should write my ordination dissertation on "The theology of the sesh"! I'm actually doing my dissertation on something else, but I guess some of the content of my sermon today might act as a form of that dissertation. 

Jesus loves His friends - and, as we can see from today's Gospel reading, He also liked His parties. Calling people we'd expect to be His friends - and calling those we might not so soon expect. Yes, Jesus calls - and leads – and loves – all of us. Going so far as to serve the best wine last, when everyone at the party was already drunk - when most people would serve a less refined wine last, when the guests might not be able to appreciate its taste to the full. 

But Jesus goes even further than that. He - the Son of God - gives us His very self, on the Cross at Calvary - His very own Body and Blood, which we may receive any time we attend the Mass - and, all-lovingly, offers the gift of eternal life to all people, having been raised from the dead. Whether you are happy, sad, well, unwell, certain or uncertain about things, and regardless of any aspect of your identity. God's love knows no limits. 

What did you do when you last met up with friends? Perhaps you were studying together, sharing a meal, going to a society, party or other social occasion, or here singing in Choir in the Chapel. Our time with others is valuable, and God teaches us to love one another as well as loving Him – in times of joy, sorrow, thanksgiving, grief, celebration, and more. 

Are you okay? You are; good, that's great. Usually I am too. But are you really sure you're okay? Or are you putting on your best face, or playing "#InstaFine", as another friend of mine once said? Because that's okay too - and, I think, quite common. What even is being "okay," or - perhaps better put - being "normal?" There's no such definitive thing, I don't think – it is all relative. I'll be honest, my relationship with my mental health has been quite changeable at times. Maybe you might feel your own mental health has, too – and that's okay. 

Take a break. It is okay to look after your mental health and wellbeing – for by looking after ourselves, we are more able to look after others. Here are just some ideas you might like if this rings true for you (and even if it doesn't). Read a book. Eat that treat – but also eat and drink healthily. Practise yoga. Go for a walk. Go for a run (it is relaxing, honestly!). Phone a friend or a family member. Go to Chapel or Church more often. Paint a picture. Take a picture. Sing or play music. Enjoy music. Enjoy life. And it's okay to let others help you in your wellbeing, too. 

It's okay to not be okay. And it's okay to be okay. Because we are all working towards our own definitions and destinies of being okay. Being called and being led by God, whether we consciously know it or not, to be the people - His children, who He so dearly loves - He wants us to be. 

God calls us all. How might we best respond? Let Him lead us. Be open to the Holy Spirit. God works in mysterious - and wonderful – ways. 

And I for one am incredibly lucky and grateful that God continually calls and leads me throughout my whole life, in good and in difficult times, and today as I journey towards the Anglican priesthood. This is such a remarkable journey, and I could not do this without the help of God, my friends, and my family. God works and leads us Himself - and through others. 

I think this can be said for many of us. Samuel is led by Eli, in our first reading; and Jesus is led by His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, in our second reading. Before I recognised my calling to ordination, God led me in the encouragement of the late Fr Francis Dobson OSB at Ampleforth, who with the assistance of God spotted my vocation a whole five years before I did. God made my life possible at a time it really didn't feel all that possible at times - by giving me the family, friends and support at and from a time of desperation in my life. And a few years on, God led me through Malcolm Guite the day he gave me this very magazine, the very same day back in December 2015 I first articulated my sense of being called to the priesthood to someone - to Malcolm, here present. And God leads me in my heart. God leads us all in our hearts. 

God leads me. God leads us. Sometimes I can really feel where and how God leads me - yet, at other times it is harder to discern. But God knows when we find it easy - and also, thankfully, when we do not. God calls us all, and God calls me - a work in progress, who tries his very best - and I pray that I may always respond by continuing in His ways as best as I can. I also greatly appreciate your prayers too. 

God has brought me here; to this place, to this point in my life, and will bring me to my destiny as He sees and knows it. My journey with God is so, so exciting. What is your journey with God like? Is it exciting? Peaceful? Pained? Joyful? Curious? A rollercoaster? Several, none, or all of these things? 

What is your journey with God like? Sometimes we may know; and sometimes we may not. But He always knows; He always loves us, and - if we let Him - He leads us. He has led all of us here; where is He leading us next? He calls us all, in all kinds of ways to all kinds of vocations, careers and journeys; let us therefore always respond by doing our best to love Him and our neighbours, and to let us be led by Him to our destinies, fulfilling our God-given vocations and callings with fitting responses. In the name of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Living in love, peace and harmony – led by our Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ

Living in love, peace and harmony – led by our Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ 

Sermon the 2^nd Sunday of Advent, 8^th December 2019, preached at St. John's Hills Road, Cambridge. 

Today's Bible readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12.     C.f. Matthew 11; John 1. 

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our strength and redeemer. Amen. Please be seated. 

I am an animal lover. My family in Oxfordshire has the most adorable little cat, called Nelson. (Actually, he's not so little really). I always love to see him (and my family) when I go on my travels in the vacation, and when I'm with Nelson I often get sidetracked from whatever I'm doing – by feeding him when he pretends not to have been fed, cuddling him, being followed around by him, supervising him when he decides to take a walk across my computer keyboard with the Word Processor open, or taking photos of him. He's doing rather well for a cat who's in his late teens – and he's certainly well loved by us all. 

Putting Nelson within the context of the zoo seen in today's first reading therefore might seem like a somewhat horrific idea, which neither myself nor my family would entertain at face value. I couldn't possibly imagine putting him with a wolf, a leopard, a lion or even a cow. But, of course, that's not what the reading is getting at; Nelson is quite safe. Rather, it is a vision of peace, harmony and unity within diversity – and diversity in unity – that this reading points us towards. It might seem at best idealistic, and almost utopian; but this is something we ought to pray for and help foster, as we seek to bring about the Kingdom of God here on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Advent presents us with a perfect opportunity to think about these things. It is a time of repentance and expectation, as we prepare to greet Jesus Christ at His birth. Throughout the season of Advent, we remember those who prophesied and prepared the way for our Lord; on Advent Sunday, we remembered the Patriarchs, and over the next two weeks we will remember John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and their roles in preparing the way for the Messiah. On this, the Second Sunday of Advent, we particularly remember the Prophets. 

Advent also marks the start of the Church's new liturgical year. In this year's Lectionary, in our cycle of readings we will hear much from St. Matthew's Gospel throughout the year. St. Matthew was a Jewish Christian, who was particularly familiar with the teachings and prophecies of Judaism; one of his crucial aims was to remind the readers of his Gospel that Jesus is indeed the fulfilment of all of these prophecies. In our Gospel reading today, we meet John the Baptist and hear some of his testimony. Can we think of him as a Prophet? He actually denies being a Prophet in St. John's Gospel; but in Matthew, Jesus affirms John the Baptist as a Prophet. And functionally yes, he is indeed a Prophet; he was the immediate forerunner to Jesus, and points us directly towards Him. 

John the Baptist comes preaching a message of repentance; a call to repentance, in preparation for the coming of Christ. For many, Advent presents us with an opportunity for self-examination and fasting – in a similar way to Lent. Are we doing our best to love God? Are we doing our best to love our neighbours as ourselves, to help those less fortunate than ourselves, even when it might not be all that easy? And are we loving ourselves, as dearly beloved children of God? 

Sometimes, we are very successful in some or even all of these areas; other times, maybe less so. And it may come more naturally at some times than at others. But we are still called to - and God is infinitely understanding and patient with us, even if our understanding and patience is limited. For it is God who loved us first, and is the source of all love so that we might love ourselves and others, as well as loving God. How well do we welcome our neighbours? How might we do better? Wherever we may be in this, Christ Himself is before all things, and all things hold together in Him. 

We are of course not perfect; for only God is perfect. Yet, we are called to try as best we can. The Holy Spirit, which has resided within each and every one of us since our Baptism, leads and guides us; we just have to remain open to the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

We are called to live in peace, and to celebrate our diversity in unity - and our unity in diversity. John the Baptist's call is that of Jesus Christ, who universally calls all people to Himself – for all people are created in the image of God, and through Christ. It is a call of repentance, and a call to love. 

Let us again consider that seemingly unlikely zoo from our reading from the Prophet Isaiah. We are called to proclaim, practise and enact equality – one of our country's greatest values – and standing up for the weak and defenceless. We have much more in common than not; and how powerful we can be when we all come together, work together, flourish together, and live together as best we can. 

But I also recognise that – whatever our political beliefs are – it can sometimes seem almost impossible to imagine exactly what this utopian scene of peace, unity and universal celebration of diversity looks like. Many things are possible for us; yet, some things still prove impossible, even when we try our hardest. But who is it who leads all the animals in the Isaiaic zoo? And who is it who leads all of us today? 

It's the little child. 

It is this very little child who becomes Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, who comes into our world and leads us, who holds our unique, diverse, divided, united, pained, delighted communities together. Jesus, who is fully divine, now becomes fully human; and even when we cannot find a way to bring about this perfect peace and unity that we ought to strive for, we can rejoice in how nothing is impossible for God. 

Let us rejoice. Let us prepare to greet Him at His Nativity, and here today when we behold the very Lamb of God, as we meet with Him in the Eucharist. In the name of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Strong Foundations for Successful Performance

Strong Foundations for Successful Performance 

Bible readings: 1 Corinthians 12; Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49. 

Also consider: Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club's recent progress. 

A dream house's inner, invisible foundations are just as important as its outward, visible appearance; you cannot realistically have the latter without the former. 

These words might well describe the recent successes of my football club, Brighton and Hove Albion, and their current level of performance in the Premier League. Brighton, a club founded in 1901, were only narrowly saved from complete bankruptcy in 1997, and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time at the conclusion of the 2016-2017 season. Today, the Club enjoys great success, having recently beaten Everton and Tottenham Hotspur (apologies to any supporters of those clubs reading this!). 

Financial stability; financial instability. All kinds of team members – some staying for a short time, others for longer – and all working in their own fields. Different styles of leadership. All these variables have changed over the years with the Club, and for the greater good of the club; for example, the Club are now performing much better under our recently appointed Manager, Graham Potter – and yet his successes with the Club would not have been possible without his predecessor, Chris Hughton, who laid the foundations. 

I think this model is often seen in many other scenarios, such as in the Church – whether in our own communities or across the wider Church as a whole. As St. Paul suggests in his First Letter to the Corinthians, we all bring our own gifts to the Church – many different and sometimes unique gifts, but under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, and all for the same common goal. 

And whether we are considering our personal formation or the start of a new mission or project in our communities, we must take one step at a time – ensuring that, in order to achieve our goals that our foundations are not built on sand, but on rock. 

Care, Cambridge, the Church and I

Care, Cambridge, the Church and I

By Will Lyon Tupman (Girton 2014; Westcott 2019).

At thirteen years old, I was orphaned and had not been to school. It was almost impossible at that time to even imagine that, eleven years later, I would be a Cambridge graduate embarking on my journey towards ordination in the Church of England. How did this happen, and how crucial is Cambridge in my story?

Almost my whole life changed after the death of my parents; I started school and moved into foster care, where I lived for six years as my life gradually stabilised again. While I had initially thought even considering applying to Cambridge to be completely unrealistic, my foster carers encouraged me and sent me on an open day organised for people in foster care by the Cambridge Admissions Office. The team there frequently kept in touch with me throughout the application process, supporting and advising me along the way, while my school and foster carers helped to prepare me for my interviews and my exams.

I amazed myself, and made my offer to Cambridge to study the Theology and Religious Studies Tripos. I specialised mainly in Biblical papers, but I also studied numerous other papers including Christian doctrine, philosophy, ethics, and even New Testament Greek! In the spirit of St. Anselm's “faith seeking understanding,” this aided my understanding of the Christian faith – and my faith was also an aid to my studies. Having a greater understanding of my faith, through academic study, is helpful both for me and others around me, as I use my understanding and theology to help guide others in their Christian journey.

I loved my three years at Girton College; through Girton, and the wider University, I have made a great network of friends. College life suited me perfectly – and I especially enjoyed the countless Formals I attended! I was also very generously supported financially by my College and its Benefactors, by means of awarding me a bursary each year – boosted further for me, as I had been in foster care. I am very grateful for this, and for how Cambridge is continually working to ensure that the University is open and affordable to all.

With over seven hundred societies and clubs at Cambridge, it was easy to get involved with the extra-curricular life of Cambridge – both in College and the wider University. Photography and writing are two of my favourite hobbies, so I spent two years as a photojournalist for The Cambridge Student. In addition to attending a number of Churches and working with the Christian Union, I was a Chapel Warden and Choral Scholar at Girton. During my time in Choir we had three fantastic tours – to Portugal, Toronto, and Hong Kong and Macau; I feel especially lucky to have had these experiences. Evenings with Girton's poetry society were a real highlight – even if I was probably better at enjoying the poetry of others than writing my own! I am also a keen runner, and enjoyed representing both my College and the University competitively (especially at Varsity!), and in my third year I co-captained Girton's team to win the College League in both men's and women's categories – the first time Girton has won both competitions in the same year. I also helped to run the very same open days I had once attended during my time at Girton, as a former Care Leaver.

After three fantastic years at Girton, I graduated with my BA and then spent two very exciting years in London. My time at Cambridge had perfectly prepared me to study my Master's in Biblical Studies at King's College London, a year which I also thoroughly enjoyed. After completing my Master's, I spent a year working as a Pastoral Assistant at St. Michael's Church in Croydon, a placement which has given me many invaluable experiences – both in the Church, and in the wider community. I have worked as a hospital chaplain, a refugee volunteer, and a College Chaplain at Croydon College – a diverse school, where I have also founded a Chess Club.

What does the future hold for me? It was during my time at Cambridge that I began discerning with the Church of England to see whether I have a vocation to ordained ministry. This initially began with a conversation with my College Chaplain, the Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite; he was not at all surprised that I was feeling called by God in this way, and he encouraged me to pursue this further. I have continued this journey of exploration since then.

Following the Bishop's formal recommendation for me to train for ordination, I will be returning to Cambridge to spend two years of study, training, formation and placements at Westcott House, an Anglican theological college and a member of the Cambridge Theological Federation. Words can hardly describe how excited I am about this, and my whole future – something which Cambridge has been instrumental in helping to guarantee.

Nothing is impossible; everything is possible. Realise your potential; achieve your goals.

Poem: London, Lindisfarne, Learning, Living & Loving

Poem: London, Lindisfarne, Learning, Living & Loving 

By Will Lyon Tupman. Written during a retreat at Lindisfarne with King's Chaplaincy, summer 2019. 

^{A poem reflecting on my time at King's, my studies, my retreat, what I love about London, & my hopes & dreams for the future.} 

^{Composed by writing a set of one-line reflective sentences, before rearranging them into a new order.} 

I've loved studying Theology at King's and Girton. 

And photographing a place as beautiful as Lindisfarne has been thrilling; 

I love to run in lots of London Parks – Richmond, Wimbledon, Ally Pally. 

Go to the Ice Bar in Mayfair; it's very cool! 

Eating with one another has been wonderful. 

An afternoon tea with cake at Paul, please. 

Have a G&T at The Duck with Aleksandra and Sophia; 

And I've lost count of the different types of Mead I've tasted! 

Come to Evensong and Eucharist at King's Chapel! 

The heartbeat of Mass, Morning & Evening Prayer. 

Praying for peace around the world – just like at Lindisfarne. 

Writing sermons with the aid of Theology is always fun! 

Theology aids my faith; faith aids my theology. 

I love using my theology to help others explore faith. 

I wonder what I'll study next, at Westcott House! 

I hope to meet lots of new people in my ministry. 

I hope to minister God's Grace in many different places. 

I hope to be there for those in need – especially if others aren't. 

I hope to always keep learning; discerning; being formed. 

I hope to be exactly the Priest God is calling me to be. 

I hope to always be a good Christian, friend, family member; me. 

Loving God, loving our neighbours, and God's love for us all

Loving God, loving our neighbours, and God's love for us all

Sermon for the 15^th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 14^th July 2019 – preached at St. Michael's Croydon.

Bible readings: Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37, C.f. Genesis 1, Deuteronomy 30:19; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 3:28; Kierkegaard, King & Peasant Girl.

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our strength and redeemer. Amen. Please be seated. 

Imagine that you're a member of the Royal Family. You're studying at university, or college. It's been the end of a busy day of lectures, and you're off to the pub with some friends to relax. You also happen to be single, and – completely by surprise – that special someone captures your heart. You're Royalty; surely if they're single too, you could easily make them fall in love with you! But you don't want to risk it being a forced, one-way relationship. You want the other person to genuinely, freely express their love for you too, just as you express it to them. 

This is a modernised version of the analogy of the King and the Peasant Girl, by the 19^th Century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. His analogy might help us in understanding how God asks us to respond to His love for us; He wants us to freely choose to genuinely love Him and our neighbours, rather than to force us. 

In our readings today, we are reminded of the importance of loving God and our neighbours. These are two of the greatest commandments God gives to us, and we are commissioned to always carry this mission out as best as we can. But let's briefly consider just why we are asked to do this? God is omnipotent – that is, He is all-powerful, and could therefore easily force us to – and He would probably do a better job of it than we sometimes do. Yet, God gives us many gifts – including those of free will, reason and conscience. These are some of the properties which define us as human beings, who are all created in God's own image – and it is by these gifts that God wants us to choose to genuinely love Him and our neighbours. God's infinite love for us comes from Him – our love for God and our neighbours must come from us. So, how might we do this most effectively? 

In our first reading today, we are reminded of the importance of obeying God and His commandments. Elsewhere in Deuteronomy, we read that it is our calling to “choose life;” it really is in our hands, to respond to God's love for us by expressing love ourselves. It is our duty – our joy – our responsibility – to use our free will as best as we can. Thinking back to the Book of Exodus, remember the Ten Commandments – these collectively instruct us to love God and our neighbours. 

Jesus very helpfully affirms these in today's Gospel reading, when the instruction to love God and our neighbours is recalled by the lawyer with whom our Lord is speaking. This a well-known and well-loved parable of Jesus; even before studying Theology at university, this has always been one of Jesus's parables that has particularly struck me. 

Who is the neighbour? Well, it seems obvious from today's Gospel passage, and it's not the person we would have expected. Samaritans and Jews did not normally speak to each other, and yet it is the Samaritan who comes to the fallen man's help. Note how those we might expect to help just pass by. Was this because of embarrassment? Or not knowing what to do? Perhaps being set in their ways, they just would not associate with someone they assumed had been stricken down because of his sin, or maybe they were just too preoccupied with what they were on their way to do. 

St. Luke himself, as far as we know, was not himself Jewish. He was a Gentile Christian; a Christian who was not of Jewish heritage, rather than someone like St. Matthew who, having originally being Jewish, converted to Christianity. And this parable of Jesus, as recorded by Luke, breaks down the barriers between peoples of different religions and nations. Let us consider the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians – that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” 

St. Paul in our second reading today reminds all of us that we are all God's children. Christ is the first and the last; He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is supreme to all – for He is fully divine as well as fully human. And yet, as we read in the creation accounts of the Book of Genesis with today's Epistle, all people are created in the image of God and through Christ. All people – you, me, those who come to our Church regularly, those who do not, and indeed all adults, children, babies both born and unborn – all people. Life itself, together with what is in it, is a gift from God to us; this is the sanctity of all human life, and – seeing God in all people – it is so important to always serve those around us, just as it is to serve God. 

What a huge task, you might be thinking – but you're probably already doing it, on an everyday basis – even when you're not conscious of it! In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul describes how the one and same Holy Spirit dwells within us, and moves us in a whole variety of different ways. We are all gifted in different ways, and are called to serve God and His people in all kinds of different ways. 

A nurse. A doctor. A teacher. A priest. A chaplain. A farmer. A professional driver. A politician. A foster carer. An adoptive parent. A gardener. A musician. You. These are just some of the many ways in which God calls us to serve Him and His people; we all have our distinctive God-given vocations and callings in life. 

How good are we at this? Sometimes we're very successful in loving God and our neighbours; and sometimes maybe less so. Sometimes, it may come naturally; other times less so. But we are still called to. And God is infinitely understanding and patient with us – even if our understanding and patience is limited. It is God who loved us first, and is the source of all love so that we might love others, as well as loving God. How well do we welcome our neighbours? How might we do better? Wherever we may be in this, Christ Himself is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 

I've certainly felt very welcome here at St. Michael's, and at our chaplaincies at Croydon College, Croydon University Hospital and at the refugee centre, where I have ministered once a week alongside being here over the past academic year. I have felt welcomed, encouraged, and fully supported throughout, and I feel both ready and excited to be embarking on the next steps in my journey towards fulfilling my calling to ordination, as I prepare to start at theological College from this September for the next two years. So thank you all, and I will of course be back to visit! 

God the Word Himself, is very near to us – and is here with us – in our mouths and in our hearts. And through His great love for us, He invites us all to share in glory with Him – both in the future, and also here and now as we prepare to meet Christ in the Eucharist. Let us always respond to this great love He has for us, by loving Him and our neighbours as best we can. And we are not alone in this; God is always here with us. Let us give thanks for His presence with us now, and in all our lives. In the name of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Equality and unity in diversity: Refugees are welcome here

Equality and unity in diversity: Refugees are welcome here 

For the Refugee Week Celebration Event, Croydon College. Bible passages: Matthew 2; John 13. 

It is Refugee Week, a time when we celebrate the great contribution refugees make to our society, as members of our society - here in our College, in Croydon and Coulsdon, in the rest of London, and in many other places. Refugees give so much to us all – for instance, socially, culturally, and by means of the many skills they bring. We should - and must - always welcome them. To any refugees reading this: thank you. 

Refugees have often had some of the roughest journeys in their lives imaginable. Actually, sometimes we cannot imagine what they have experienced in their journeys, and the choices they have had to make - or the choices they have not had. Do you risk your life by travelling hundreds or even thousands of miles to a new place? Or do you risk your life by staying in your original country, where it is not safe, stable or secure? 

Refugees not only often find themselves in a new culture and place, and often having to learn a largely new language - but often they have to recover from loss in some of the most extreme ways. This might be a loss of possessions; a loss of homes; the loss of loved ones; and more. It is our duty to be here for them, to welcome and to help them as best we can; whether practically, pastorally, or otherwise, as they find and rebuild their lives here with us. 

I'm not a refugee, but I can certainly identify with one or two examples of loss which many refugees have experienced. My parents had both died by the time I was thirteen, and I then left my old home and moved into foster care for a few years. A new place; a new home. 

During much of this time, my life took the journey of an emotional rollercoaster, before it's stabilization - and I'm certainly very grateful to all those who have helped me along the way. 

In a similar way, we ought to help those less fortunate than ourselves - especially refugees. We have a duty to raise awareness of the needs of refugees to others; especially in this day and age, when refugees are often given a bad press. The current rise of hard-right politics amongst some in this country can pose potential danger to some of our refugees, and certainly to one of our country's very greatest values, which we cherish – equality. 

'We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.' These were the words of the late Jo Cox MP, which she spoke in her maiden speech in the House of Commons following her election as Labour's MP for Batley and Spen, West Yorkshire. Her time was tragically and brutally cut short just over three years ago, by someone who violently objected to her vision of equality. 

Following this, each year the Jo Cox Foundation hosts the Great Get Together weekend - a get together, a lunch, a tea party, a street parade, a sports day - where we all, as a community, are invited to meet together. Here in London, there are many such events this-coming weekend where we will remember Jo Cox, and come together with one another - meeting in her spirit and example of fellowship and love of one another. How can you as individuals welcome your neighbours? How can we all collectively welcome our neighbours? There are many, many ways that we can help others to flourish with us. 

At these events and in Refugee Week, we celebrate our diversity in unity - and our unity in diversity. Let us proclaim, practise and enact equality. We have much more in common than not; and how powerful we can be when we all come together, work together, flourish together, and live together as best we can. To any refugees reading this now - and to everyone else too - you are so welcome. Thank you. 

I'm one of the College Chaplains here at Croydon College - known by some as the Chess Chaplain, as I've been running the College's Chess Club this year! I've really enjoyed spending this year with you - thank you all. After the summer holidays, I'll begin my training for ordination to the priesthood in the Church of England, at Westcott House, Cambridge. All of us on the Chaplaincy team here at Croydon College are very happy to talk with students and staff - from all faiths and none - and you can usually find us here in the Common Room on most lunchtimes. 

In Matthew 2, we read of how Jesus and His family were once themselves refugees; let us love one another, following the example of God's love for us.