24.09.2018
Archdeacon’s Retirement Marks the End of an Era for Powerscourt and Kilbride
Parishioners of Powerscourt and Kilbride marked the end of an era on Sunday morning (September 23) as they united to bid a fond farewell to their longstanding Rector, Archdeacon Ricky Rountree and his wife Elizabeth. Ricky has been Rector of Powerscourt and Kilbride for 20 years and Archdeacon of Glendalough for 10 years.
St Patrick’s Church in Powerscourt was full for the emotional service which was attended by members of Ricky’s family and many well wishers. A large gathering continued the festivities over lunch in the neighbouring Summerhill House Hotel.
In his final sermon in the parish, the Archdeacon, who officially retires at the end of this month, said that the service marked the culmination of over 42 years of full time pastoral ministry.
“One of the great privileges of pastoral ministry is the living out of the teaching of Jesus that the only greatness you have is in the degree of service and care you give to those for whom you have some responsibility,” he said. “ The priest and pastor who thinks that he or she can act like a managing director and order stuff to happen will soon learn a sobering lesson. The degree of authority and influence you exercise is in direct relationship to the example of care and attention, the giving of time and empathy, the willingness to do the most ordinary of tasks alongside others. I hope I got some of that right.”
He thanked all in the parish and the wider community and in the other parishes in which he had served for the support and trust they had given him and the courage to try new things.
Looking back on his years of service, Ricky said parish ministry had changed hugely and that the effects of technology had been staggering. When he was ordained the golf ball typewriter was to the forefront of office technology and there were no mobile phones or computers and the fax machine was just being thought about. There was no Sunday trading, sports training didn’t happen on Sundays and the parish was the hub of social activity.
“In the past 40 years all that has changed. The church has been battered by scandal and the misbehaviour of some who have made it very hard for the rest who seek to be faithful. The demands of necessary regulation for child protection, data protection and charity law have now placed a burden on serving pastors and parish life that is causing a huge degree of stress on those who are exercising ministry,” the retiring Archdeacon stated.
He said ordained pastoral ministry remained a huge privilege but those in ministry must seek new ways to be relevant to the time we live in and the issues people face. “So the Church and its people still have an important role to play, but it will continue to change. There will still be resistance from those who always want it to stay the same and impatience from those who want something excitingly new. I know that this community, especially with its ecumenical heart, will continue to make an essential contribution to that development and growth and though I now ‘retire’ (whatever that means) I know there will still be ways to be as involved as I want to be in the wider church,” he said.
He and Elizabeth plan to take a bit of time to themselves now but said that the parishioners of Powerscourt and Kilbride had been a precious part of their lives. He encouraged them to be involved in setting new priorities for the future of their parish.
