New Year's Announcement

New Year Announcement – Primate of the Ancient Apostolic Catholic Church, Archbishop Felix Gibbins OSB Cam

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I want to speak plainly and warmly to you—whether you serve at the altar, lead a congregation, or live out your faith in the everyday rhythms of work, family and friendship. I know the year just passed has carried its share of joys and disappointments, small victories and heavy losses. I also know that ministry and discipleship are not seasonal hobbies but steady callings that ask for our whole selves. So let me offer a few reflections that have helped me, and some practical encouragements to carry into the months ahead.

First, be gentle with yourself. Clergy and lay leaders alike can feel the pressure to perform, to have answers, to be the steady rock for everyone else. That pressure is real, but it is not the measure of faithfulness. I try to remind myself that God’s work often grows in quiet places, through a listening ear, a timely apology, a patient presence. Give yourself permission to rest, to set boundaries, and to say no when your cup is empty. Rest is not retreat from vocation; it is fuel for it.

Second, keep the practices that root you. Prayer, Scripture, Sabbath, and honest fellowship are not optional extras; they are the soil in which ministry flourishes. I find that a short daily examen, a fixed time for Scripture, and a regular rhythm of confession and thanksgiving keep my heart honest and my vision clear. Encourage your communities to value these practices too: a congregation that prays together learns to carry one another’s burdens with grace.

Third, cultivate small acts of courage. Leadership does not always require grand gestures. Often it asks for the courage to listen to a difficult truth, to apologise when we have harmed, to redistribute power so others can flourish. I try to practise one small courageous act each week—an honest conversation, a delegated responsibility, a public acknowledgement of a mistake. These small acts change culture over time.

Fourth, invest in relationships beyond the obvious. Ministry can become insular if we only relate to those who already agree with us. I make a point of meeting people who see the world differently, neighbours, colleagues, those on the margins. These encounters stretch my compassion and sharpen my theology. Encourage your church to be a place where strangers are welcomed and where difference is treated as a gift rather than a threat.

Finally, keep hope practical and communal. Hope is not a private optimism but a shared practice: showing up, keeping promises, feeding the hungry, comforting the grieving, and building institutions that reflect God’s justice. I find hope grows when I work with others toward a concrete good, however small.

Let us pray together briefly: Lord, grant us wisdom for the year ahead, patience for the slow work of grace, and courage to love boldly. Help us to serve without seeking praise, to listen more than we speak, and to build communities that reflect your mercy. Amen.

As you step into this new year, carry one simple question with you: what small, faithful thing will I do today and every day that points others to Christ?