Ezekiel 18: 25-28; Philippians 2: 1-11; Matthew 21: 28–32
Father Trevor Buxton’s last Sunday before retirement
Jesus asked , ‘Which of the two did the will of his father?’
They answered the first. Matthew 21:31
Well, dear Father Trevor, today we come to your last Sunday at St. Martin’s as our parish priest and vicar before your retirement at the end of the month.
After which you will be in communion with the Church of England’s Pension Board, with those of us who are already retired!
Please forgive me if my sermon this morning is something of a eulogy as we give thanks for your ministry where you have faithfully laboured in the Lord’s vineyard for the past fifteen years.
As many of us will remember, your ministry began here on St. Martin’s Day in the year 2011 when Bishop John Hind, Bishop of Chichester, presided at the Mass for your Institution and Induction as Vicar of this Parish of St. Martin’s with St. Wilfrid and St. Alban, marking a new beginning for the parish.
Here also 27 years before that on 1st July 1984 , you were ordained as a priest in the Church of God by Bishop Eric Kemp. Your ordination marked the beginning of your service in the Diocese of Chichester. The greater part of this you have served in the City of Brighton and Hove, beginning at All Saints Hove where you serve your title.
These beginnings brought to mind a line from T.S. Eliot ‘s poem ‘The Four Quartets: ‘In my beginning is my end.’
Inevitably some feelings of sadness today therefore tinge our deep gratitude to you for your long and active ministry of 42 years as a parish priest.
To quote the letter to the Hebrews, ‘time would fail me to tell’ of all you have done particularly here at St. Martin’s in the church and in our primary school over these past 15 years.
Apart from the care you have taken over the liturgies for the major Solemnities and festivals, you have also encouraged the young in their faith, ensuring the school’s place in the worship of the parish. This we recognise as contributing to St. Martin’s school being ranked as one of the best schools in the Diocese with much credit going to the staff.
Your initiative also has ensured that the catholic tradition of the Church here in Brighton has been maintained in the Wagner Group of churches. This includes annual pilgrimages to Walsingham, and encouraging the clergy and people to attend each other’s patronal festivals, also the Walsingham cell here in Brighton, and hosting Chapter meetings of SSC [The Society of the Holy Cross] over these past years.
Then among the many events that come to my mind over the 13 years I have had the privilege of serving with you here, several stand out for me:
First in June 2019 I celebrated the Golden Anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. St. Martin’s kindly hosted many friends past and present and, as so often on other grand occasions in the diocese, you were master of ceremonies of the liturgy, ensuring that everything happened as it should .
The following March of 2020 the COVID pandemic struck with a devastating effect on the whole society.
The churches and schools were ordered to be closed. The website, however, made it possible for you to broadcast a weekly sermon throughout that Lent and Easter from St. Martin’s. Your message brought hope and encouragement to the faithful during that dreadful dark period.
Because of COVID, Dan and Louise’s marriage had to be postponed for two years until the May of 2022. The celebration of their Nuptial Mass here at St. Martin’s was therefore another very special day of joy for all who attended.
Finally I cannot end this short litany of events, without also mentioning last year 2025, when in May we celebrated the 150thanniversary of the Dedication of St. Martin’s Church.
This important occasion you decided should be marked in a true St. Martin’s fashion with a grand banquet at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in Brighton on 29th June 2025 with our friend Sir Peter Field as our guest of honour.
I know that you will say that none of these events and celebrations could have happened without the support, commitment and hard work of many in this church community, nevertheless you were the prime mover and organiser with Ange in getting things done.
We are particularly sad today that Ange can’t be here with us this morning; as many of us know she’s in hospital having an extended period of treatment. She is inevitably very disappointed not to be here for your last Sunday.
Our thoughts and prayers go to her and Pete at this time. Also to Doreen Woolvan, who is recovering from a knee replacement.
In today’s gospel the Lord tells us a short parable of a father calling his two sons to go and work in his vineyard. The first refuses, but then later he has a change of mind and in obedience goes to work in the father’s vineyard.
The second says ‘yes’ he will go, but doesn’t. Jesus then asks, ‘Which of the two did the will of his father?’ And the chief priests and elders to whom he is speaking answer, ‘The first.’
The point of Jesus’ parable is to show how necessary repentance is for an effective faith. The original Greek word for ‘repentance’ means to have a change of mind and heart – a turning away from sin and turning towards Christ seeking his mercy and love.
Father, 42 years ago you have said ‘yes’ to the Lord’s call when you were ordained priest in his Church. And again you said ‘yes’ to God’s call when you became Vicar here at St. Martin’s.
Your commitment to your vows as a priest and your energy here have meant that you have laboured in joyful obedience to your heavenly Father’s will.
This you have done by preaching the Gospel and celebrating the sacraments of the Church with faithfulness and loving-kindness for the people in your charge.
We shall all miss you enormously as you look forward to a well-deserved retirement from fulltime ministry.
But of course believing that a priest is ordained after the order of Melchizedek there is no retirement on this world’s terms. And as you plan to continue living in Brighton I am sure we will often see you at different occasions at the Wagner churches’ celebrations.
Earlier I quoted T.S.Eliot’s ‘The Four Quartets: ‘In my beginning is my end.’
Those who know Eliot’s poem may also know that these words came from an embroidery that Mary Queen of Scots made not long before her execution in 1587, except that Eliot reversed what the Queen’s words originally wrote, which was ‘In my end is my beginning.’
As a believing Catholic, she understood and believed that her tragic death was a new beginning with her Saviour.
Well father, happily you are not anticipating being beheaded, only a hip operation hopefully sometime in the nearer future!
May your ‘retirement ministry’ prove to be a new beginning for you.
May it be as full of God’s goodness, love, grace and blessing, as mine has been here at St.Martin’s.
Forgive me.
Amen.
Father Andrew