This year I have the honour of serving as Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea Council.

On Sunday March 7th the annual Civic Service was held at St Mary's Church in the heart of Swansea City Centre.

It was a real joy to lead the service and share a short message.

This was the text of the message.
 

Its’ lovely to welcome guests today from all over South Wales – I’m really glad that you were able to join us even though Wales are playing rugby.

You see that’s what happens when the Lord Mayor asks a football fan to become Chaplain.

However, may I say that the church did see the advantage of holding events on a Sunday long before the sporting world.

But it is good to welcome you all to the Lord’s Mayor’s Civic Service and many thanks to St Mary’s for allowing to hold the event here today.

I love this City  - warts and all – I have my favourite parts like everyone but from county border to border this is my town.

I love Alexander Rd with its wonderful buildings and the area just outside the Church here at St Mary’s, especially on a busy shopping day – full of people with some buskers.

I love the view from high up on Pantycelyn in Townhill and the view of the City Centre from Kilvey.

There’s a wonderful church on Kilvey at the foot of the hill called the Gwyn Mission and from the pulpit you look down on the City Centre.

I’ve preached there many times and when I have that overview of the City Centre I always think of an event in Scripture, which is recorded in Luke’s Gospel.

Luke 19:41

As he (as Jesus) approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.

When this event happened its’ likely that Jesus was coming down from the Mount of Olives and would have had a clear view of the City just as we would have of Swansea from Kilvey or Pantycelyn.

From that vantage point Jesus would have been able to see the whole city.

He would have seen the poverty, the injustice, the hopelessness and the sin of its’ people.

That image of Jerusalem touched the heart of the Son of God and the Bible says that Jesus Wept.

I love some of the statements that St Mary’s’ Church uses to describe it vision and its’ ministry.

St Mary’s bears witness to the love of God in the centre of Swansea.

A beating heart at the Heart of the City.

The bible says in Hebrews 18:8 ‘ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever’

And that means that Jesus looks at Swansea today and sees the hurts and heartache.

He sees the poverty and the injustice and in a world that says ‘serve them right’ or its’ not my problem Jesus weeps – why – because he cares – why – because his heart is full of love for the people of this city.

I love to pray, Lord I thank you that there is not one person in Swansea that you don’t know and there is not one person here that you don’t love.

His love is not dependant on us loving him or even believing in him. The fact that you don’t believe in God doesn’t affect the truth that he loves you.

Why because he’s our Father.

St Augustine said

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love.

I have a really interesting book at homes that records the year that some of our most popular phrases were first used.

In 1986 we first talked about cardboard city whilst in 1970 scientists first used the phrase ‘Black Hole’ and we learned that the tiredness experienced from long haul flights was now to be described as JET LAG.

And in 1976 we first used the words junk food, photo opportunity and SOUNDBITE .

Soundbite – those key points that politicians include in a speech or statement hoping that they will be picked up by the media.

I often wonder how the media would have given the ministry of Jesus a soundbite treatment.

Key sayings from his ministry that sum the life character and heart of the Son of God.

Matthew 6

¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Matthew 7

⁷"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 11

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 20
²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Luke 4

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,  ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

AND FINALLY

John 13
³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

In his autobiography Timebends Playwright Arthur Miller talks of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe.

During the filming of Misfits he watched descend into the depths of Despair.

He described of how he felt one evening as he watched her sleeping

I found myself straining to imagine miracles, What if she were to wake and I were able to say God Loves you darling and she wee able to believe.

How I wished I still had my religion and she hers.

I have say that I have an unshakable faith and belief in God and in his son Jesus and its’ the experience of 30 years as a Christian that says today to all in the city that I love - God loves you and the people of this city and the towns and villages of Wales

My prayer is that you believe it.

Go into the world as God’s servants  Live for him, knowing him as your saviour And trust him in the assurance that He is the Lord.   Amen.