Calling the changes
On 16th May Robert Perry was elected President of the Truro Diocesan Guild after Owen Borlase completed his three year term.
Thanks to Owen for the leadership and support he has given over the past three years and our best wishes to Robert and he starts his term of office. Robert has served as our Guild Secretary for many years and has held other positions, so he brings a wealth of experience. Every person who has held the office of President over the years has brought their particular skills.
Since Robert began to ring at Carbis Bay there have been many changes in the way the Guild operates. Inevitably we have faced challenges – raising funds for bell restoration and outreach to attract and instruct new ringers, for example; these and more have required both adaptation and innovation. However, our main aims have remained the same as we still want to support both Method and Call Change ringers; the latter having a large following in Cornwall.
Over the years and throughout its history the Church has also needed to change, although its fundamental beliefs remain the same. The Church of England is no exception. Some of these changes have been gradual, others have been urgent, such as Safeguarding, which we are still trying to improve. Our liturgy has changed although we still have the Book of Common Prayer. If we keep changing we can lose stability. If we always stay the same we can become stagnant.
In the familiar Hymn “Abide with me” we have the words “change and decay in all around I see”. However, change can also be an opportunity for renewal.
Whatever we ring, Call Changes or Method, we usually start and end in rounds (hopefully). The way we arrive there may be simple or complicated. Whilst we call for church unity we can also celebrate our diversity. We aim at the same destination but may take different paths. We fail sometimes (like we fail some peal attempts) but we try again knowing the God in which we believe and trust is the same yesterday, today and for ever.
Malcolm Bowers