This is a copy of the LAST talk I gave at Emmanuel Church, Billericay at my farewell service on Sunday 26 November 2023. The Bible Reading was Philippians 1:1-11. My last service can be viewed on Emmanuel’s YouTube channel here
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness … it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going straight to heaven, we were all going directly to the other place …
Those opening words from: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, could so easily describe my experience as the Team Rector (or Area Manager of the Anglican churches) here in the Billericay & Little Burstead Team Ministry. It’s been a time of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, successes and failures – but that’s life, isn’t it? And being in ministry is no different.
This afternoon I want to briefly share three things with you from Philippians 1:1-11: My Thankfulness, My Heart and My Prayer. I hope you will forgive me if many of my thoughts are directed towards Emmanuel.
- My Thankfulness vs1-6
I’m thankful to all of you for your friendship, support, generosity of spirit, prayers and your willingness to take risks. There are many other reasons I’m thankful and these opening verses illustrate a few of them. Like Paul:
1a. I am thankful for the members of Emmanuel, vs1a: “To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi (Billericay!) …” I am thankful for each person who walks through our doors, those who watch online and those who identify Emmanuel as their church. Each one of you, from the oldest to the youngest, adds something special to our church family.
And for those of you who may have a latent faith or a faith which has yet to be explored, be sure to pick up a Why Jesus booklet when you leave. It will explain much better than I ever could why trusting in Jesus is the best thing you could ever do with your life and there’s no better time to start than today!
1b. I am thankful for the leaders at Emmanuel, vs1: “To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi (Billericay!) … together with the overseers and deacons.” Paul praised the leaders for their faithfulness. We have some amazing leaders at Emmanuel and in the team churches. Godly people who possess servant hearts who have your best interests at heart.
1c. I am thankful for the ministry of Emmanuel, vs3-5: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
I am far from a one man show! I’m thankful for members of the Leadership Team, for our churchwarden, DCC and PCC and those who lead and preach at our services. Those who clean; take care of the building; work on the grounds; who are involved in Sunday School and Messy Church and Uniformed Groups; who play in the Worship Band; or work in the office.
Those who welcome; who serve on prayer ministry; who visit; make calls; text; write letters; serve coffee; invite others; pray for others; pray with others; share the good news of Jesus in ‘thought word and deed’ and many others I’m sure to have failed to mention. And even though you may not get much recognition: God sees everything!
Whatever you do, it doesn’t go unnoticed, whether through the ministry of this church in our community, or the wider impact of our Mission Focus Sundays, countless lives have been touched.
We have been partners together in the ministry of this church, parish and Churches Together for that I am thankful!! I’m conscious that many of you here belong to churches and organisations which serve Billericay in many amazing ways, bringing joy and hope and comfort into people’s lives. It’s been a pleasure to work with you for the common good of the community, so I thank for you for all you do, too and can I encourage all of you to ‘keep on keeping on!’
1d. I am thankful for all that is to come, vs6: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Paul says that God began a great work in the individual lives of those believers. He also began a great work in the ministry of Emmanuel when it opened in June 1992. I’m thankful to have been part of the life of this church in the last 15+ years. I’ve been in post at Emmanuel for the 18th, 21st, 25th and 30th anniversaries of this incredible building. That must be a record for any priest/pastor in any church in the UK. 
And whether you have been here since the beginning, for years or even for a few weeks or months, it is God who has begun a great work in you and will bring it to completion.
- My Heart vs7-8
Paul explains how the church at Philippi had a special place in his heart: “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
I echo Paul’s sentiment. Emmanuel and the town of Billericay does, and always will, have a special place in my heart. We have made friendships that will last a lifetime. Our family inherited a whole new family. You have watched Ben and Annabel grow and you have welcomed Beth – and Dylan!
We have been through so much together. I have been with you during some difficult times in your lives and you have been with me through some difficult times in mine. We have rejoiced together as your children and grandchildren were born. We have cried and grieved together as you have said your final goodbyes to loved ones no longer with us.
I have baptized many of your children and many of you! I have officiated at your weddings and funerals. We have worshipped together; we have prayed together; we have wept together, and we have laughed together. We’ve supported each other through the challenges of COVID and lockdown and much, much more.
- My Prayer vs9-11
I want you to know that I pray for you regularly and will continue to do so as I hope you will add Paula and I to your missionary list and invite us back in a few years to speak on a Mission Focus Sunday!
3a. I pray you will be focused, vs9: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” Paul’s desire was that they would keep on growing in love and knowledge and wisdom. I pray the same for you.
- I pray your love for one another will increase!
- I pray your love those struggling to cope with life will increase!
- I pray your love for love for Jesus will increase!
- I also pray your knowledge of God’s word will increase!
- I also pray your wisdom will increase too!
3b. I pray you will be faithful, vs10: “So that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. We take God’s word seriously here at Emmanuel. It could be said to be one of our strengths. And you have endured 100’s of hours listening to my ramblings in the form of sermons – though many of you have said you’ve appreciated this part of my ministry!
I pray that each one of you will be faithful to what God is calling you to be. I pray that you would do what God is calling you to do! I pray that you will be faithful – especially in the challenging world in which we live. It’s not easy standing up for the Christian faith in today’s increasing secular society.
3c. I pray you will be fruitful, vs11: “Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.” Paul prayed that the Philippian believers would be filled with the fruits of God produced by knowing Jesus. However, the results of our ministry and service are never immediate and are often not visible, but they never wasted:
- You may never see the impact of your prayers.
- You may never see the growth in the faith of those in the small group you lead.
- You may never see the fruit of the seed that was planted in the lives of those children in Sunday school or Messy Church.
- You may never know how thankful a family were of the donation you gave to the foodbank.
- You may never see the result of that gift you gave to overseas mission.
- You may never know what that visit, text, DM call or letter means to those you reached out to.
- You may never realise the blessing you are to others.
I’m only just beginning to find out. People have been very generous in the things they have said to me in recent months. I’ve been rather moved at times. It’s almost like listening to eulogies at my funeral! Totally humbling.
Conclusion
When my predecessor left in 2007 many people said: “We’ll never get anyone like Elwin.” And you didn’t! I know it took to time for some of you to warm to me (and me to you) with my Northern humour and regional accent! I’m sure my successor will be totally different to me – and that is the joy of the diversity of gifts, character and personality people bring to the life of the church.
A new Team Rector will bring new vision, new skills and new insights to Emmanuel, and the parish, in ways which I would never be able to do. Be sure to support him/her in the way you’ve supported me.
And what does the future hold for you as a church and a community and, indeed, for Paula and me, Ben & Beth and Annabel?
I don’t know but, what I do know, out of my life’s experience, is the promise of God’s faithfulness to us day-by-day.
And Finally …
I’ll close with a couple of verses have been close to me all my life (which will be Emmanuel’s text for 2024 – I’m not going to let you forget me easily!) Psalm 37:4-5:
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.
THANK YOU To those who attended my farewell service on Sunday 26 November. We were overwhelmed at the number of people present from both church and community. As the president of the Billericay Roundtable said on social media: “There was a lot of love in the room for that Northern bloke!” And so there was.
THANK YOU For your kind and humbling words and gifts – especially the financial gift which will go towards Dylan’s airfare! We loved the photo album – if you missed the deadline, please send us a photo of you and / or your family.
THANK YOU To everyone who worked behind the scenes to make it such a special and memorable occasion, especially those who served refreshments – you put in a mammoth shift. And thank you for your patience in queuing up to say your goodbye’s.
Billericay will always be a very special place for us and our family and we leave with our hearts full of love and thankfulness.
A lot of people have been asking abut Paula’s plans – she recently started a new job as Senior Lecturer Practitioner Community Nursing at Anglia Ruskin University which will be taught online with the occasional face-to-face, but she will fly back to the UK to do this.
See you in Cyprus!
Be safe and be blessed.
revPACman 