The Archbishop of Canterbury

Sheffield Cathedral

4 July 2001

The cabin boy loved taking the early morning cup of tea to the great captain of the ocean going vessel. The ritual was always the same. The little boy would struggle up the steep steps to the navigation deck and would offer the cup. The captain would thank him, take an appreciative sip, put his cup down and taking up his binoculars would survey the ocean. Then taking out a scrap of paper from his pocket he would consider it carefully and then replace it in his pocket. The cabin boy was intrigued. What was there on that piece of paper that was so important?

One day he found out. The ritual followed as normal - the cup was presented, he was thanked, the ocean was surveyed and then came the moment as the scrap of paper was taken from the great captain's pocket. The captain gazed at it carefully and, at last, the cabin boy, by craning his neck, saw the message. It read: 'Starboard is right, port is left!'

Valedictory services are not occasions for saying the obvious but for stating what is important. Steven, Gerry, Ben, Andrew, Nicholas, Isaac, Vanessa, Paul, Suzette, Sandra, David and Kate: together with your families you are leaving the security of the training college for the unknown. For several years you have prayed and trained for this moment. Your families have shared in some of the sacrifices and they are not forgotten as you are set apart for mission in our Church. Let me share with all of you some principles of Christian navigation that will help you steer your way through the shoals of indifference and through the storms of crisis that will undoubtedly be part of your journey.

Mind you, the principles are clear enough from the gospel reading we heard just a moment ago. From it we learn three important things about our mission and our message.

First, it is an urgent work. The very verbs suggest that Jesus is urging his team to go out and get on with it. 'Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers ... Go on your way ... Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the way'. The instructions are not only urging that no time should be lost but also that the disciples should travel light - or we might put it another way: 'don't get cluttered up with so many things that you lose speed'.

And it was that sense of urgency that marked your great founder, Wilson Carlile, over one hundred years ago. He founded the Church Army not only to connect with the many ordinary people not being reached by the institutional church - but also because he believed that a person's eternal destiny rested on knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour. There are many outside the Church and, no doubt, a few within it who would be amazed that anyone believed that these days. But if you don't, if we don't, it is difficult to understand why anyone would want to do what you and I are doing. If Christianity is true, then it is the most important thing in all the world and demands our total commitment. I hope that sense of calling to a serious and urgent task will continue to mark your ministry in the future. If it does, I can promise you not only great satisfaction in all you do but deep fulfilment in the exercise of your ministry.

But Jesus underlines a second factor: It is a difficult work. The disciples will be like 'lambs in the midst of wolves'. This is an image which speaks of helplessness. At many points in their lives, God's servants are vulnerable, at the mercy of the world. In our own strength we can do little. All we can do is to rely on God's amazing grace and his presence which will always surprise us.

We are not given a detailed account of the message which the 72 disciples communicated. It seems as if both works and words were part of their preaching of the kingdom. They spoke of their Lord and of the peace he brings. They were given authority to heal and to forgive. And a few verses beyond the end of today's Gospel, we read that they came back later with joyful news of much accomplished. But it is clear from the passage that even then, in the presence of the incarnate Lord, it was difficult work.

So it is today. We live in a world of too little and too much. Sometimes the deprivation with which people live makes it difficult for us to reach them. Sometimes the relative plenty of their lives erects a different kind of barrier - both poverty and prosperity, busy-ness and emptiness, being marginalised and being highly mobile - all at times can have the effect of pushing the Church from the centre of living to the outskirts of life. It has made a good deal of Christian mission a daunting challenge: so tough a challenge that some lose hope; so difficult that some lose their vision - they become cynical, they go through the motions. And no one can blame them for losing heart - because without God's sustaining grace and without the gift of hope you and I might simply conclude it is ' just too difficult'.

So what is going to sustain you when the going gets tough?

My third observation is that Christ's work is joyful. The disciples returned from their mission with joy. Yes, it was difficult - but the signs they saw of God at work brought them joy, and that same joy will come our way too. You will find blessing in your work as you offer it to our Lord. Few things come costless in life and the same holds true in Christian ministry. The seed you sow in the lives of men and women and boys and girls will produce results of all kinds. You may look forward with expectancy!

But the thing that will keep you anchored is your own walk with God. Notice what happened when the disciples returned to their Lord. Jesus had sent them on a mission. They returned blessed. So much had happened that even the demons submitted to them. You would have thought that Jesus as a great teacher would have affirmed them, welcomed the news and greeted it with pleasure!

Not a bit of it! Jesus seems to ignore what they say and takes the opportunity to point out what should be truly celebrated. 'In YOUR name we conquered' they shouted. 'Ah!' said Jesus 'what really matters is where YOUR name is. If it is in my book of life- then rejoice indeed!'

What is he saying? That we have to keep returning to Jesus, again and again and again and again. Effective service lies not in the doing but in the being; not in proclamation alone but in proclamation and presence; in the constant living in the presence of the One who holds all things in his hands. Indeed, to neglect prayer and your walk with God is tantamount to not knowing that starboard is right and port is left.

So here in this great Cathedral, in this house of prayer, in this centre of mission, you are given your marching orders for an urgent mission which is very difficult yet infinitely rewarding. A mission which will demand everything from you but will also give you much joy. If you are faithful to this commission you will be like that great ocean faring captain who daily checks that he knows the basics; constantly going back to fundamentals. And when we constantly check our navigation by reference to Jesus Christ who sends us out into mission we can- and should - expect his blessing.