I will finish where I started 10 years ago when first appointed to the Northampton Circuit with that well known passage from Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:44-48) in which Jesus turns the whole (Roman) understanding of society and order on its head.

The disciples are arguing amongst themselves about which of them would be the greatest.

And rather than admonishing the disciples, Jesus does what he often does and gives them an object lesson more powerful than any words.

Taking a child gives him the place of honour beside him and says: ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.’

To ‘welcome’ someone would be to extend the honour of hospitality to them, to regard them as guests. But you would only welcome, in that sense someone whose social status was the same or greater than yours and certainly not a child, who might be the one who washes your dusty feet as you arrive at your hosts’ house!

In this one simple action Jesus turns the social pyramid of the day upside down and upsets the conventions that led the disciples to argue about who was the greatest in the first place.

Of course it is not just an object lesson about children, it tells of God’s priorities towards the weakest and most vulnerable, however it provides me with an opportunity to say thank you to all those who work with children and young people and those I have had the privilege of supporting during the last ten years:

Toddler groups; Archway Trust; Junior Churches; Kings Kids/tots/teens; University Chaplaincy; Young Leaders Scheme; Messy Churches; Uniformed organisations and apologies if I have missed any!

All these groups connect in significant ways with children and young people who have little or no church connection and through them we see the story of God’s love at work through the leadership and the enthusiasm of the children and young people themselves.

My prayer as I ‘sit down’ (Retire) is that the Circuit continues to hold Jesus’ object lesson as part of a mission focus which puts people first and considers the least amongst us as the greatest.

Thank you so much for the very generous retirement gift and the cards and many kind words and good wishes.

Every Blessing, Deacon Richard Beckett