St Martin's Newsletter Article: Sunday 15th July 2012

During the last fifty two years, St Martin’s has witnessed a lot of changes. 

St Martin’s was originally a daughter church to St Matthew’s, and its first ministers were curates from St Matthews.  In 1975 St Martin’s was granted its own incumbent, and in September 1977 St Martin’s became a district church, responsible for its own affairs, with a resident minister living in St Martin’s House. 

Another important milestone in the life of St Martin’s took place on the 13 December 1987 when a Team Ministry was inaugurated, consisting of St Matthew’s, St Martin’s and St Luke’s, with a Team Rector and two Team Vicars.  The team ministry was eventually disbanded in January 2011, and the new parish of Walsall St Martin was created.  In this morning’s service we are celebrating and marking this special event (albeit eighteen months late!), as the Archdeacon of Walsall, the Venerable Chris Sims installs me as Vicar of St Martin’s, and licences Phill as Associate Minister following the completion of his curacy. 

The installation and licensing that takes place in this service, reminds us that as Christians we are ALL called to ministry.   Through our baptism we have been called to serve God.  1 Peter 2:9 reads, “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 

We have been chosen by God as His very Own, and we have been called to represent Him to others, we are each called to play our part in the Body of Christ. So today lets all rededicate ourselves to the service of God and one another. 

Lord God, take my mind and think through it;

take my lips and speak through them;

take my heart and set it on fire with love

for you and for your people;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

God bless

Simon