Christmas will never be the same in one Taunton church, writes Phil Hill.
The Rev Preb Robin Lodge has spent weeks perfecting his festive message to worshippers at St Andrew’s Church.
As he delivers his message of hope from the pulpit on Thursday, December 25, there is sure to be an air of sadness among the congregation.
For Robin, there are mixed emotions about his last Christmas as a vicar before he retires on February 1 next year.
Referring to preaching his farewell seasonal sermon, he told me in his study in the vicarage: “It will be a poignant time.
“When you’re doing what you’re doing and leading worship, that requires concentration and engagement.
“You don’t have time to think, this is the last time in the moment, but I’ll probably think that afterwards.
“You’re leaving behind something you have known for many years.
"People you have known.
"It’s an emotional time.”
Robin, who was born in Dorchester in 1960, first took an interest in becoming a priest at around 15, when his family started going to church.
He said: “I thought, ‘I fancy doing that job’, but was persuaded to go and do something else first.”
After attending Shaftesbury Grammar School, he read theology at Bristol University, going on to Christ Church College, Canterbury, to train as a religious education teacher.
After spending two years working in Barnstaple, Robin joined Wiltshire County Council as the authority’s public transport co-ordinator, where he was in charge of bus data and bus stop tendering documents.
It was an appropriate job for him, given his interest in buses and trains.
Following that, he was ordained and trained at Chichester Theological College before taking up his first post as a curate of Calne for four years.
In 1994, he was appointed priest at Rockwell Green, part of the Wellington district with Sampford Arundel and Thorne St Margaret.
It was a role that was to change his life, as it was there that he first met his future wife, Sue, a member of the congregation.
The couple married on 02/02/02 - February 2, 2002.
Robin moved on to become vicar of Highbridge from 2003 to 2009, when he came to St Andrew’s.
While the job has involved ‘tending his flock’, he has been acutely aware of looking after himself and his family as well.
“We have to look out for self care and our work/life balance,” he said.
“There’s more to do than we’ve got time to do.
“If you’re working on something and the phone goes and someone is very ill or dying, then that becomes your priority.
“You’re greatly privileged to be involved in people’s lives and there have been some tender moments.
“Part of the calling is that sense of wanting to serve, to say something about God’s love for the world and demonstrating that in all that you do - worship, pastoral car and community engagement.
“There are so many things you could do.
“The job has changed quite a bit in recent years.
“As Christians we have to fight our own corner these days with so many pluralistic and cultural society changes.
“But I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
Robin, who has a step daughter and two daughters aged between 19 and 31, is retiring the day before his 23rd wedding anniversary after 35 years as a priest.
“I’ve loved what I’ve done,” he added.
“It’s had its challenging moment, but it’s been a great privilege to be involved in people’s lives, at weddings, funerals and baptisms.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at St Andrew’s - they’re a lovely bunch and we’ve been on a shared journey lasting 16 years, working out our problems together.
“I hope I’m passing on to the next vicar a church in good heart and ready to face whatever comes next.”
He expects to spend the first six months after he steps down working out his plan for the future.
While it will still feature some priestly duties, he will also have more time to reread his vast collection of bus and train magazines, even though he has downsized it ahead of his and Sue’s move to a new home in Wellington.
“It’s going to be a big change and there are many things I shall miss,” said Robin, who is a member of the West Somerset Railway and the Isle of Wight Bus Museum.
‘This has been my home, my job, my friendships and relationships.
“All this will have to change.”
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