‘Merry’s miscellany’
The Vicar’s monthly letter for the Parish News
November 2025
As autumn deepens and we look ahead to Advent, we enter that familiar season of waiting, expectation and hope.
The Church’s calendar reminds us each year that hope is not just about wishing for better days but about trusting in God’s promises, believing that new life and renewal are always possible. This year, that message of hope feels particularly meaningful as we prepare to welcome Dame Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Her appointment marks a significant and hopeful moment in the life of the Church of England. Dame Sarah’s journey has been an inspiring one; from her distinguished 35-year career in the NHS, where she rose to become Chief Nursing Officer for The Rev Merry Smith England, to her later calling to ordained ministry and her service as Bishop of London. Few could bring together such deep experience of both public service and pastoral care. Her background means she understands the complexities of modern life, the pressures people face and the need for the Church to be both compassionate and relevant in a changing world.
Many hopes are being placed on Archbishop-designate Sarah as she prepares to take on this immense role. For some, her appointment represents the hope of continuity: of a Church that remains steadfast in its faith and tradition while adapting to the needs of the present age. For others, it brings the hope of renewal; that her leadership will encourage a spirit of openness, inclusivity and healing in times when division and disagreement have often dominated church life.
As the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah’s appointment is itself a sign of progress and promise. Many believe she will bring a style of leadership marked by gentleness, compassion and quiet strength. Having led within an underfunded and often overstretched organisation like the NHS, she will surely understand the realities faced by dioceses working with limited resources. There is hope that she will guide the Church towards more sustainable ways of working and caring for those who serve within it.
She also steps into this role at a time when the Church faces deep theological questions about identity, gender and sexuality. These are sensitive issues that have tested our unity. Yet perhaps this is where hope is most needed: that under her prayerful guidance, we can find ways to listen more deeply, to disagree more kindly, and to focus together on the mission of Christ in the world.
As we all bring our different hopes and expectations to her future ministry, we may benefit from remembering Romans 15: 13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
At the heart of Christian faith lies this hope, not a vague optimism but a confident trust that God is at work even in uncertain times. As we begin a new Church year, let us pray for Archbishop-designate Sarah: that she may be guided by wisdom, strengthened by grace and surrounded by the prayers of the whole Church. May her leadership inspire us all to live with renewed faith, courage, and, above all, hope.
Merry Smith