Hymns and carols in worship and teaching, the Nicene Creed & the Incarnation

Reflections on the Nicene Creed, Hymns, Carols and the Incarnation 

By William Lyon Tupman. For a Catechesis class at St. Michael's Croydon, 21^st November 2018. 

Focus text: Nicene Creed; Come Thou Redeemer; A Great & Mighty Wonder; O Come All Ye Faithful. 

Hymns, carols, anthems, songs and other kinds of Christian music can help to enrich our worship of God; indeed, St. Augustine is widely believed to have once said "To sing is to pray twice." But hymns are also intended to help teach and remind us of some very important Christian doctrines, and in some cases as a response to some heretical strands of theology which conflict with more orthodox Christian doctrines. Let's now take a closer look at three Advent and Christmas carols, examining the theology they teach and what heresies they may be refuting - these carols being Come Thou Redeemer Of The Earth; A Great and Mighty Wonder; and O Come All Ye Faithful. It's best to now have have a copy of the Nicene Creed and the texts of these hymns ready at hand to see, and also access to an audio or visual recording, if possible. 

Come Thou Redeemer of the World was written by St Ambrose, who lived from 340-397 AD. He was an Archbishop of Milan, and was a staunch opponent of Arianism (the heresy which rejects Christ's divine attribute of pre-existence). He has also widely been regarded to be the Father of Western Hymnody; he was responsible for introducing metrical hymns into the liturgy. Perhaps his most famous hymn is the Te Deum – a hymn of praise to God, which has been set to countless musical settings in ancient and modern anthems and hymns. Here at St Michael's, we also pray the Te Deum during the Divine Office (Morning and Evening Prayer) on certain Feast Days and Solemnities. 

The hymn is very theologically sound. The Virgin Birth is emphasises all through from verses one to eight, and the heresy of Arianism is particularly countered in verses five and six, which clearly state that Jesus came from God the Father, is equal to Him, and goes back to Him. To reiterate the refute against Arianism, verse two sets the word "Begotten" on a melisma, for further emphasis - Christ is, as the Nicene Creed states, "Begotten, not made," and the text "the Word of God in flesh arrayed" is set to a descending melodic contour; would that is most appropriate for the Incarnation (using a musical technique called word-painting). Moreover, verse three reminds us of how Mary is the Mother of God, since God now dwells in her womb as His Temple - a title perhaps to clarify the often more frequently heard "Mother of Christ", and therefore emphasising how Christ is fully divine as well as fully human. The loud dynamics of verses six and eight, in addition, reflect and further emphasise some of the most important aspects of St. Ambrose's message - a nice, Credal summary. 

A Great and Mighty Wonder is a carol written by St. Germanus, who lived from 378-448 AD, set to music by the German composer Michael Praetorius, who lived from 1571-1621. This popular hymn, which is often performed at the annual carol service from King's College Cambridge, emphasises the nature of the Virgin birth of Jesus. 

The obedience of Mary is greatly contrasted with the disobedience of Eve, a theme initially bought into the spotlight by St. Ireneaus, Bishop of Lugdunum (now modern-day Lyon); this is particularly evident in verse one (“The Virgin bears the Infant, with virgin-honour pure!”). Moreover, the hymn alludes to both the First and Second Comings of Christ - first, how Christ comes in the flesh at Christmas, by His Incarnation (verse two), and how He will come again at the end of time (verse five) - all in the same hymn. This is highly relevant for our practice as Christians in Advent, a time in which we commemorate and celebrate the first coming of Christ, and also we prepare for and anticipate His second coming. 

O Come All Ye Faithful, is a Christmas carol usually attributed to the English hymn writer John Francis Wade (1711-1786). It is perhaps one of the most well-known and best-loved Christmas carols of all time; indeed, it is sung in Churches, Chapels, Cathedrals and in all kinds of settings every year, and is a perennial favourite. In addition, while it was written long after the heresy of Arianism first surfaced centuries ago, it is one of the most Credal carols we have today, as it sets to counter heresies as they resurfaced. 

The full divinity and full humanity of our Lord is emphasised throughout this carol - and, together with the words of glorification and praise to God, the text of the Nicene Creed features prominently in this carol. This is most clearly evident in the words of verse two, which quotes the Creed verbatim with "God of God, Light of Light... Very God, begotten, not created." This again strongly reiterates the Divine attribute of pre-existence which Christ has, while at the same time also rejecting Arianism. Additionally, with fewer words to set to the music, the notes are held for longer; one could almost imagine the Creed being spelt out in block capital letters in this verse, especially with the melisma clearly emphasising "Very God". Furthermore, in the final verse (which is normally only sung on Christmas Day itself, unless the tense of some of the words are cleverly altered just as the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union do at their carol services!), Jesus is described as the "Word of the Father," set to a striking chord which draws much extra attention to the word it is set to. This clearly demonstrates a high Christological view of Jesus, that identifies Him as the "Word" of Genesis 1 and John 1. 

Hymns and carols, as these three examples demonstrate, are of course here to assist us in our worship and prayer to God – and to sing to Him the praise that is due. But they also reiterate vitally important Christian teachings and understandings, especially in order to maintain orthodoxy over heresy. 

So next time you're singing hymns or carols, perhaps ask yourself the following questions: 

→ Text: What is the message of this song? 

→ Music: How does the music express this message? 

→ Context: What was happening at the time; when and why was the text written? 

Pope Benedict XVI, the Incarnation & methods of Biblical study

Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI, the Incarnation & methods of Biblical study 

By William Lyon Tupman. For a Catechesis class at St. Michael's Croydon, 15^th November 2018.

Focus text: Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth (vol. 3). Bible passages: Mt. 1; Lk. 3; Gen. 1; Jn 1.

In our Catechesis sessions this term at St Michael's, we are studying the Incarnation - and alongside our study, as part of our pastoral assistants' formation programme, we are also studying the infancy narratives of Jesus Christ as written about by Pope Benedict XVI. Here are a few of my reflections on his methodology, as he writes on aspects of the Incarnation. 

Pope Benedict XVI highlights the importance of equally appreciating the authority of Scripture, tradition and reason in the formation and understanding of Christian doctrine. This is, to me, very important; we human beings are finite and limited, whereas God is infinite and eternal. Thus, our own analysis and understanding of the Bible may well be good, but we can never fully comprehend what God has not yet revealed to us. Yet, using the God-given gift of reason, together with the tradition of the Church as instituted by Christ Himself, we may have a good understanding of the message of the Gospel, as revealed to us by God through Christ Jesus. 

This concept is helpful when contemplating the infancy narratives of Jesus, which Pope Benedict XVI writes extensively about. The four Gospels do not tell us very much at all about Jesus's life as a baby and a child; indeed we see nothing in Mark or John, and only something in Matthew and Luke. Both Matthew 1 and Luke 3 offer genealogies - almost in the form of a family tree - leading to the birth of Jesus. Yet, upon reading and comparing these, some of the names and details differ. If one interprets the Scriptures literally in this instance, one is left with an uneasy conflict - with no easy explanation as to why there isn't a single and consistent record of Christ's genealogy in the Bible. 

But when Biblical interpretation is carried out together with the Church's tradition, by the discernment of our God-given reason, it is still possible to both authoritatively and confidently comprehend these genealogies, as well as other Biblical passages of all kinds and genres. Pope Benedict XVI recognises this, and also how, in this instance, the spiritual significance is more important than the literal accuracy of these genealogies, with regard to Jesus's earthly origins and lineage; His Heavenly heritage and pre-existence is of an infinitely greater degree of significance than His earthly lineage, along with the immediate Holy Family. Yet, while literal accuracy can sometimes be of secondary importance, it is certainly crucial in many other passages of Scripture - namely all the aspects of the life, teaching, passion, death and resurrection of Christ. 

In the light of Pope Benedict's writings and these theological understandings, can one believe the Incarnation literally happened as we see in the Bible? One may wonder how such a thing is biologically possible - but we can have full confidence that the Incarnation, and the Virgin Birth, happened. For God, all things are possible - He is omnipotent, or all-powerful. The Incarnation is a manifestation of the Holy Trinity - just as God the Father brought creation into being through His pre-existent Son by the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1, John 1), God the Father sends the Holy Spirit to Mary to make her conceive, to bear God the Son. 

Certainly, stories like this are perhaps overpowering in everyday terms; indeed, Mary herself seems perplexed at first when the Angel Gabriel announces good news to her. But Mary is contemplative, and her humble, free acceptance of the angelic message is crucial - as well as serving as an example and role model for our faith, her openness and response to God allows the Dear Christ to enter in to the world, to be in and with the world. She says yes, and then it happens; as Karl Barth writes, God intervenes, and reveals Himself in the Incarnation. 

Perhaps most importantly, this is the attitude we should always have when studying the Scriptures, and theology in general - to be open to the Spirit of God, and especially as we learn more about the life and Gospel of His Son - a balance which Pope Benedict XVI attains excellently. 

St. Athanasius, the Incarnation & the Trinity

Reflections on St Athanasius, the Incarnation and the Trinity 

By William Lyon Tupman. For a Catechesis class at St. Michael's Croydon, 7^th November 2018. 

Focus text: St. Athanasius, On The Incarnation. Bible passages used: Mark 1; Matthew 3; Luke 3. 

St. Gregory of Nazianzus highlights some of the most admirable qualities of St Athanasius, which we can all strive for; namely that he is accessible to all, slow to anger, quick in sympathy, pleasant in conversation and temper, effective in discourse and action, assiduous in devotions, helpful to all kinds of Christians of all ages and classes, a theologian with the speculative, a comforter of the afflicted, a staff to the elderly and a guide for the young. 

These are qualities which I aspire towards, both as a theologian and in my daily life. St. Athanasius is clearly an academic theologian, which all practising theologians of all religious and spiritual persuasions are. Yet, he is crucially also a very pastoral theologian. This is just as important - and, arguably, even more important - since one of our primary goals as Christian theologians is to further our faith's understanding, and to assist others in a similar way as best we can, as we journey onward together in the Christian faith and life. There are many other theologians who write both pastorally as well as academically – for example, Pope Benedict XVI, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, and Archbishop Rowan Williams. 

The Incarnation and the Trinity are, to me, two of the most significant Christian doctrines - and St. Athanasius writes and preaches about them both. Chiefly, by His incarnation, Jesus - who has always existed - becomes both fully human and fully divine (Philippians 2:5-11). Furthermore, St. Athanasius's belief that Christ is of one being with the Father - that is, homoousios - goes hand in hand with our modern-day understanding of the Trinity, in which the one God is revered as Father, Son and Holy Spirit - one God in three Persons, the blessed Trinity. 

Graham Greene, in his novel Monsignor Quixote, illustrates a helpful analogy of the Trinity within the context of his story, when a priest and a mayor enjoy three bottles of wine at a picnic. They have three different bottles, but they all contain the same wine within them. It is the same substance, with the same origin and property, that is manifest in the three different bodies. In a similar way, the same and one God is manifest in three Persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Superficially, the Trinity may not appear to be Biblical; indeed, the word "Trinity" is never seen in the canon of Scripture. However, the Trinity is heavily Biblical, and there are some powerful manifestations of the Trinity in the Bible. To exemplify, the Trinity is seen in the creation, in which the Father brings creation into being through the Son by his breath or Spirit (Genesis 1; John 1); and, later on, following the Incarnation, at the Baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove as His Father proclaims the Christ to be His Son (Mark 1; Matthew 3; Luke 3). Moreover, the whole of Christian life may itself reflect the nature of God as Trinity; by His incarnation, Jesus enables us to come to God the Father, by the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit – especially the gift of prayer. 

The Parable of the Prodigal Son: repentance & helping others

Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) 

By William Lyon Tupman. Reflections based on a Bible Study evening, St. George's Church, Lisbon. 

29th August, 2018. Bible passages used (NRSV): Luke 15:11-32 (see also Luke 10:25-37, 15:1-10). 

The Parable of the Prodigal son is a well-known, well-loved passage which displays some of the core values of Christianity, together with the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15:1-7 and the Parable of the Lost Coin in Luke 15:8-10. These passages can be a helpful and comforting reminder that wherever we are in our relationship and journey with God, God is always present. He is more ready to hear than we are to pray, and he loves us freely, infinitely and unconditionally.

Here is an account of, and some reflections on, Jesus's Parable of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke 15:11-32.

Luke 15:11: "Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’"

Free will is given to us by God, as a free gift; how we respond to this gift is our choice. In Luke 15:11-16, we see how the younger son chooses to live an extravagant lifestyle. For him, while this gave him a short time of enjoyment, he would later discover that such a lifestyle was unsustainable and he runs into problems. God probably would not intent for us to misuse our free will, but by the very nature of what free will is, God does not intervene; but He does not abandon the younger son.

In Luke 15:17-19, we see a radical change in character in the younger son. He is now truly and genuinely repentant, and makes a new commitment; but what might have caused this? There are several possibilities – his running out of money, his conscience, a revelation from God, (whether or not the younger son consciously recognises it), a combination of these factors, or something else we are not told. Whenever we might make a mistake, it may be any of these or other things which help to bring us back; God has many ways of bringing us back to Him.

The son's father appears to have chosen to freely forgive his younger son before the latter apologises to him, in Luke 15:20-24. So, did the younger son even need to repent? If the father in the parable represents God the Father, then yes. God is omniscient; that is, He is all-knowing, and He knows immediately when one repents of their sins. This is a beautiful example of how joyful God is when we truly turn to Him - again and again - and when we use our God-given free will correctly (even when we don't get it right first time)!

The father has rolled out the red carpet for his repentant – and forgiven – younger son. But his older son has always been faithful, and expresses his jealousy in Luke 15:25-30; how fair is this for the older son, and is he justified to feel like this? Perhaps so; it is a natural human reaction, and having always been faithful he wishes to receive his due reward too. But perhaps he has missed the point as to how significant his brother's return was, given the progress he has made from times before; a point illustrated further by Jesus in Luke 15:7, when he concludes the Parable of the Lost Sheep by proclaiming “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” This is also the message of the father in Luke 15:31-32; he reassures his older son that he will still be rewarded, and also how great the scale of the change in his younger son is; this should be recognised by his older brother.

Who are the characters, and who do they represent? In Jesus's parable here, the father represents God, and the two sons represent two different possible responses to God's free invitation to us. But the characters could also represent anyone; are you, or have you been like the father, or one or both of the two sons? Do you know anyone who you can help; perhaps especially someone who is in spiritual need? A friend, or a family member? Sometimes there are many ways in which we can help people in need; yet at other times, there are fewer ways. Sometimes the ways in which we can help are obvious; other times, they are less so.

Often the most important thing, in all kinds of circumstances, is being there for someone. Listening, being as understanding as possible of them and their potential needs, and offering any advice we can. While some things may well be impossible for people, Jesus reminds us in Matthew 19:26 that for God “all things are possible.”; thanks be to God.

When we sin, God is always ready for us to come back to Him; always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and He loves us freely, infinitely and unconditionally. Thanks be to God!

Our journey in life: listening to God's Call

Our journey in life: listening to God's Call

By William Lyon Tupman. Preached at the Sunday Eucharist at St. Paul´s Estoril and St. George´s Lisbon, Portugal. 

15th July, 2018. Bible readings: Amos 7:7-15, Psalm 85:8-13, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29. 

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. 

We are all on a journey; as individuals in our daily lives, as families, as friends, as our Church gathered here today, as well as the wider Christian Church, and beyond. Here I am; this is where I am, on my journey at the moment, here on placement as I explore what my vocation is, or what my vocations are, in the Church. It is a real pleasure for me to be here, to meet you, and to have this opportunity to serve God and serve you in this way; thank you all. Fr. Philip, who is the curate at the Church I´ll be serving at from September for a year (St. Michael´s Church in Croydon, South London), is being ordained priest today -  a significant milestone in his journey in faith and in life. Many of my friends from university are preparing for the next stage in their lives - whether that´s continuing on to the next academic year of their studies, or graduating and moving on to a career, further training or study, or taking some time to relax and maybe also travel. Many of you will have been on journeys which have taken you to several different parts of the world; and what a variety of different careers, lifestyles and stories everyone here today will be able to tell! 

Our journeys in life have many features and characteristics - quite like a long road trip. Our life-long road trip, comprising of several different sections. Sometimes the journey is easy, and the road is free-flowing; other times, it is not, with unforeseen circumstances causing a delay or other hindrance in our journey. Sometimes we may be progressing along our way for ages before the next resting point or landmark; other times our next chapter may be just around the corner. Sometimes the route is obvious, and well signposted; other times it is less so. Most of the time, we´ll probably be able to follow our planned route; but, even when we think we have everything planned out, occasionally we might need to take a diversion, and the new route may well be unfamiliar and unknown. Or, some might be on a journey where they have no idea at all where they are going; perhaps with ideas, yet perhaps also totally unsure, and wondering what to do when a fork in the road meets us. 

But still moving. We are all moving. We are all travelling. And we are all making progress. 

Sometimes you might come to a signpost along the way that directs you in a particular way. It may or may not give you a choice. Some may say "Dual Carriageway ahead," or maybe even "Motorway ahead." "Next destination 300km to go," followed by a gentle reminder that there´s "No stopping" even if you want to. These may be fine for most drivers - if you´re experienced and comfortable with what you´re doing. But if you´re new to the road - starting a radically new chapter in your life - they may be a little daunting. 

Some signs are such that we do not need to particularly worry about them. In England we have these somewhat hilarious signs which read "Plant crossing the road" - I assume this refers to tractors moving from one field to another, because I must say I´ve not yet seen trees uprooting themselves and walking across the road! Other signs are more helpful, like a roadworks sign in advance of a set of traffic light; even if it looks like a person having an argument with their faulty umbrella. 

But if we deliberately ignore important signposts along the way, we could be headed for trouble. There´s suddenly a speed restriction in place on that motorway, and your lane has been unexpectedly closed just ahead; you´ll need to change lanes. Another road has just been closed due to roadworks, and you´ll have to take a detour. And there is a traffic light, which is lit red. It would be ridiculous to ignore signs like these; and I think we would all follow these signs and signals whenever we see them.

These signs are often in the form of commands. Some examples of these in the Bible are the Ten Commandments received by Moses and the people in Exodus, and Jesus´s command to us to love one another in St. John´s Gospel. As we saw in our first reading today from Amos 7, the people did not listen to God, and deliberately ignored His important commandments - and were punished by means of exile. 

Some signs are obvious; as are many in life. But many other signs are less obvious, and we have to look more carefully. We have to listen more carefully; that´s certainly something I´ve found at times. I attended a Benedictine school, which was attached to a monastery where the monks follow the Rule of St. Benedict. St. Benedict, who is revered as a patron Saint of Europe, began his Rule book with this crucial word: "Listen." 

Psalm 85 today reminds us of the importance of this. If we listen to God, and if we seek His ways, He can inspire us, by the grace and direction of His Holy Spirit, and He will give us reward. God asks that we listen to Him and follow Him, as best as we can; He does not expect perfection. We are not perfect; I`m certainly not perfect, although of course we can strive to live as well as we possibly can, with the help of God. For us, some things may be impossible; but nothing is impossible with God. Psalm 85 also reminds us that we have forgiveness, and that our sins are pardoned; this is something that is opened to all of us, by the works of Jesus Christ, and is manifest in us in many ways - from the moment of our Baptism onwards, and especially every time we receive Christ - who is always present, at all times and in all places, and especially when we meet Him in the Eucharist. We may always receive His direction by being open to the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He always increases what is good, and this is something He will continually bring about in us. 

We all know that we are on a journey, together and as ourselves; and so do many others. But do others know exactly what kind of journey they are on? Maybe. At the end of our reading from Amos, we have a commission to prophecy. Yes, this is a historical text, intended for the audience and recipients at the time; but it is also a call and commission for us today, since God´s word is eternal. We can both give and receive help to and from each other, since God is at work in us. I am a keen runner, and yesterday I took part with Fr Frank and Jim in my first Hash run in the countryside nearby; and we all finished the course by helping each other, navigating the course and the directions laid out for us. We followed the signs; we appreciated them; and we helped each other. 

So, we try our best to listen to God, and to how He is directing us in our journeys in life. But does God listen to us, when we pray? Indeed, He does; because He knows us. In our reading from St. Paul´s Epistle to the Ephesians today, we learn how Jesus Himself chose us. Just as Psalm 139 details how God knew us as He knit us together in our mothers´ wombs, Jesus has always known us - and still does - and always will. And that´s very reassuring! He knows us throughout our whole journeys, and even when we do not know where we are headed on our journeys, He does; again, this can be very reassuring. We are adopted as His very children from the moment of Baptism, into His life, death and resurrection - and, as a result, our inheritance - our salvation - is indeed ours. This is a free gift from God to all; a relationship with Him. 

God has a plan. He is omniscient; that is, He is all-knowing. This is especially reassuring, especially when we remember how we don´t know everything. All we need to do is listen to Him on our journey in life. 

So, let us freely accept God’s free invitation, and to look for opportunities to love and serve Him and our neighbours, empowered through having faith in Him. Let us always abide by this, and encourage our siblings in Christ to do the same. In the name of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

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

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

By William Lyon Tupman. Speech at the ELAC Virtual School Graduation Ceremony, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton. 

Suggested Bible readings: Matthew 19:26, Luke 1:37. 

I'm delighted to be here with you today to bring to you my message and story, as we celebrate all of our great achievements. 

First, I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to you all, for what you have done; we are all here today to celebrate our own and each other's achievements, and – especially considering what some of us have been through – these are hugely significant. 

I'm twenty-three years old, and used to be in foster care from the ages of thirteen to eighteen, and then also staying put for an additional year with my foster family. I'm now a Master's student at university, and I'm currently on the road to becoming a vicar in the Church of England. 

My message to you is this: nothing is impossible, and everything is possible. Realise your potential, and achieve your goals. 

My Father passed on very shortly after my fourth birthday, in 1999, and this was one of the reasons why my Mother decided to educate me at home. I lived at home with my Mother, until she passed on in 2008 when I was thirteen. I then moved in with my Godparents, and later that year I moved into foster care, and I also started school. 

While I have always been a Christian, it was at this time that I realised my absolute dependence on God, and became a more fully practising Christian. 

So, there was a lot of change in my life, in a very short space of time. In the space of just a few months, I'd been orphaned, I'd started school, and I'd moved homes twice. To help me come to terms with, and to understand, everything that had happened, I had five years of counselling, and my social workers were also particularly helpful at this time. I'd say I relied quite heavily on the first three years of my counselling; the latter two years were still very helpful of course, but by that point I'd processed and worked through a lot; I'd become much happier, and therefore the remaining counselling sessions became more of a safety net. 

I had a lot of fun at school; I discovered one of my favourite hobbies (cross country running), I made lots of friends, I learned how to play the flute, I continued singing in choirs, and it is also where I discovered my love of academic study. It was also the first time someone – the late Fr. Francis Dobson OSB, monk of Ampleforth Abbey and College, York – told me I may have a vocation to ordained ministry – and he continually encouraged me in my journey until his passing a few months ago. 

My teachers were all extremely helpful and encouraging in helping me to prepare for university. By this time, I had also moved to live with a different foster family, who were instrumental in encouraging me in aiming high and applying to some universities I'd never have even thought of applying to. At first, I had never even thought of applying to Cambridge University, but my foster family and teachers all said I should. 

And so I did. And, as a result, I studied my BA Degree in Theology and Religious Studies, at Girton College Cambridge, from 2014-2017. I absolutely loved it; I met lots of new friends, I worked in the Chapel, I sung in the Chapel Choir, I served two terms on the Freshers' Committee, I ran for the University's cross country team, I captained the College's cross country team, I wrote a few essays, I went to lots of parties, and I even became involved in a bit of student politics! 

During my time at Cambridge, I began my Discernment Process with the Church of England, and my College Chaplain (Fr Malcolm Guite), vocations advisor (Fr Geoff Dumbreck) and my Diocesan Director of Ordinands (Rev'd Anna Matthews) all helped me embark on my vocational search within the Church – and still do so today. 

I also filmed a short documentary for Fixers UK, a charity which works to make young peoples' voices heard on a variety of topics, and crucially therefore raising awareness. Filming in Cambridge, they interviewed me as I told my story and set out my message of encouragement to everyone who is in foster care or adoption, as well as foster carers, adoptive parents and members of staff in local authorities across the country. The story was aired on ITV News Anglia in April 2017; if you'd like to see it, here is a link to the feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiLaNXr2ELY 

I enjoyed my time at university so much, I decided that I'd like to study further, and that's where I'm now at today. I'm studying for a Masters in Biblical Studies and Theology, at King's College London, where I'm having a great time. I've also met many wonderful new friends, and I've joined more societies – political, athletic, and ThinkMental, which is an organisation which campaigns for and raises awareness for mental health. I'm very shortly about to submit my dissertation, which is a thesis on the ordination of women to the priesthood in the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, ecumenism, and Biblical interpretations and ideas relating to the subjects. It's very interesting, and I'm hugely enjoying it! 

Next year, I will be a Lay Pastoral Assistant at St. Michael's Church, Croydon, Greater London. The journey I am now on with the Church is indeed a very exciting one, and I will be also serving my next parish placement in Portugal at St. George's Church, Lisbon, and St. Paul's Church, Estoril, for a fortnight. 

Finally, I would like to thank all my wonderful friends, my family, my foster families, the Church, all the team at North Yorkshire County Council, my teachers, lecturers and everyone else for helping make and develop me into the person I am today. Even at times when I thought such things were impossible for me to attain, it was the continuous support, encouragement and help I received along the way which helped make these things possible, and I love my happy, blessed life. I am so grateful, and I really hope that this shows that nothing is impossible, and everything is possible. 

Nothing is impossible; everything is possible. Realise your potential; achieve your goals. Good luck to you all, and God Bless.