Minister Elect

Well.....really gone done it now! This afternoon the very lovely people of Aberlour Parish Church elected me as their new minister. No longer simply the parish by the river but the parish that we will move to and I will serve.

Its been quite a journey - as I told the people of Aberlour on accepting their invitation - Aberlour is not where I thought I might end up when I began training 4 and a bit years ago. BUT it feels just so right and I am very, very excited about the future.

Yesterday as I was preparing the final and bits and pieces for this evening I was sent a wee note from my dear friends Doug & Lesley - they pointed me in the direction of 1 Peter 5:1-7 - wonderful, wonderful words of encouragement and guidance. I particularly like verses 6 & 7:

"So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you."

I carried these with me this morning.



So now there will be lots to organise - lots of plans to make and see through. But today is for celebrating - celebrating being the right person, in the right parish, at the right time, with the right people.

Lazy Blogger - Thats me!

I have to confess that over the last couple of weeks I have not been inclined to blog. Its not that I havent had anything to blog about - just not been focussed enough to do it.

Things are progessing re Parish by the River - the date for preaching as sole nominee remains the same - the 22nd of November. Work continues to make the manse habitable. Infact I have just had a phone call about going to choose carpets. I also had a meeting today with the Interim Moderator to discuss the services on the 22nd and the practicalities. Its only a couple of weeks away - excitement and nerves starting to rumble.

I am also starting to realise the enormity of it all - the move, the being minister looking after and caring for a parish, the responsibility - argh!!! lol

But every time I visit the parish I just so excited about it. The pic below is just one of the many reasons this is THE place for us.



This thing called 'The Call' is a funny old thing - and you don't know what it is until you experience it. But when you do you will know!

Gone and done it now....

I have just got back from a few days away - a much needed break away from the stress and fuss of the last few weeks.
It also gave me a chance to 'celebrate' the outcome of the last couple of months' snooping/discerning/praying/discussing/applying/meeting people etc

The lovely people of what will hitherto be known as "The Parish by the River" have asked me to preach as 'sole nominee.' This means that on the 22nd of November I lead a service and at the end of it the members of the congregation vote as whether or not call me as their minister.

It was a great moment accepting the invitation but I also had to let other people know I would not be following up on my application or tentative interest. That wasn't so easy.

Anyway there is now lots of planning to be done - most of it based on the assumption that all will go well on the 22nd of Nov. The main reason being that there is a huge amount of work being done to get the manse habitable. I had to make my first decision less than 24 hrs after accepting the invitation to be sole nominee - I had to choose a kitchen! Tomorrow it is bathroom fittings. I am very lucky to be getting so much say - but when I tell you the manse has no interior walls or you will understand why it makes sense. Essentially we will, all being well (successfully preaching etc), be moving into a 'new' manse - everything will be brand new. They have even promised the minister's cat will have a cat flap!

It is quite a thought to plan moving from our current home into a manse and settling there. We have a whole lot of stuff to sort through, decisions to make, arrangements to make. But there is also the emotional turmoil for everyone to deal with. Granted we are only potentially moving about 12 miles but that still comes with it's own issues - especially for the teenagers of the house. We just need to keep the lines of communication open and keep talking....

Interesting times.....

After my wibble wobbles of a couple of weeks ago I am feeling a lot more settled and more clear about the direction I am going. I have stopped snooping and made some decisions!

Yesterday was a big day - I took the services at two churches not connested with my placement (thank you to those who helped sort this!) and representatives of three vacancy committees were there. (There were meant to be four but I wasnt aware of anyone from the fourth being there). It was a nerve racking morning topped off by having lunch and an 'informal'chat with one of the committees who had been there.

Everything seemed to go well though and my services were well received.

This week I am meeting with two Interim Moderators (Ministers appoint by the church to oversee vacant churches)- it will be an interesting week. Things could move very quickly or in typical Church of Scotland style move slllooowwwlllyyy. We will just have to wait and see!

Snooping!

During the week I talked about feeling much better after my wobbles of last week. I have been praying, thinking, discussing, snooping at, pondering this week at possible parishes. So far much effort has gone in to one in particular - but I am trying to remain open to all possibilities.

Yesterday Neil & I went manse snooping and village wandering. Then today I dragged my sister to not one but two church services - I also let her take a peak at the manse. (she is a patient sister!) So far so good.

Next stage is to do same for other possibilities - in part to try and remain open to the possibilities but also to test the feelings I am having about this particular place.

This is all very exciting - it has to be said. Scary too - but in a less terrifying way than I experienced a couple of weeks away.

One of the biggest moves has been to get the rest of the family involved - get them talking more - sharing their ideas, worries etc. I know this move affects them all to varying degrees. It complicates things for some, excites others and upsets some. For so long this has been a "will happen one day - but not quite yet thing, so let's not worry about it" thing. And suddenly for all of us it is VERY real. Of course we have talked about it - on and off - but suddenly it is a major issue that has to be dealt with. The last 5 years have been leading to this. I am so glad I have the people around me that I have - they are great - even in their wobblies they are fab!

Neil - ever efficient Neil - has made up a spreadsheet for me, with a scoring system to boot. Jest as I will about it - it actually helps. It covers everything from the very practical to the very spiritual. It also allows Neil and the kids to score each too. We make a great team!

Anyway - I will be blogging more in the weeks to come as we work our way through the decision making etc - this is why blogging is important - it is giving me space to work through my thoughts. Thank you patient reader!

Pondering Wednesdays

For the second week on the trot I have had a quiet Wednesday and for the second Wednesday on the trot I have been pondering.

Today tho' I took my pondering onto the road and went visiting a potential parish. It has been a lovely day here so I was able to park up have a wee wander round, pop into a cafe for a cup of tea, buy my sandwich for lunch from a surly shop assistant in what was otherwise a lovely shop, snoop at the churches, snoop at the manse, snoop at the schools (lots of snooping you will note), more snooping at views and generally getting a feel for the place. It is a place that I can be fairly anonymous in - although I did bump into some friends - who sussed out exactly what I was up to. (Funnily enough they live just across the road from the manse!)I sometimes think now would be a good time to have Harry Potter as a friend and the be able to borrow his invisibility cloak!!

Anyway I found the trip very helpful and it certainly has me pondering even more....this was a parish I really didn't think I was interested in but... mmmm. I realise I am in for a lot more pondering.

The good news is tho' that I have got over my wobbles (hence the weebles above)from last Wednesday and feel much more in control. I was reminded by a good friend of a wee saying I have posted on my wall (although currently obscured by my printer)It goes:

If God brings you to it
he will bring you through it.

I was originally given this by a young man, who recently asked me if I would conduct his wedding next year. It goes on:

Lord I love you and I need you,
come into my heart today.
For without you I can do nothing

Amen to that!

Reality Strikes!

confused,
excited,
scared,
pursued,
happy,
questioning,
uncertain,

I am a mixed bag of emotions at the moment - it has been a busy few weeks and I really haven't had much time to reflect on what is happening at the moment. I am trying really hard to take one step at a time - but things/others are really not letting that happen. Today is the first day in over a fortnight when I have really had time on my own and the peace to work through how I am feeling - and the list above just about covers it.

I really am loving my placement at the moment - so much going on and so much to be involved in. And I really do feel part of it all. But I know that just around the corner change is about to happen - change that keeps peeking round the corner at ME! As much as I have resisted peeking round that particular corner - it keeps peeking at me. If it were just me that was affected then I might be dealing with it a bit better but it affects so many people...people I love....people I don't even know...

Argh!!!

Lord,
I am so trying to hear your voice amidst the noise,
help me get rid of the tinnitus distracting me,
help me work through your plan,
keep those I love close to me,
let them see that they are important.
This is my prayer.
Amen

An Invitation

"This is the table,
not of the Church, but of the Lord.
It is to be made ready
for those who love him
and who want to love him more."

These are the opening words of the invitation I extended this lunchtime to those gathered to celebrate Holy Communion.

There are many things that you experience as a candidate for ministry and as a probationer but the opportunity to take a whole Communion service is usually not one of them. Communion is a Sacrament and as such, in the Church of Scotland, you must be ordained to 'do' them. Today I was very fortunate as my supervisor and the minister had agreed that I could lead the service and that my supervisor would 'do' the bits I could not.

The shape and form of the service was left to me and I chose to base it on one of the liturgies in Common Order (Church of Scotland book of suggested/approved formats). I deliberately chose to stick with a traditional format as I wanted to be be left with something I would use again in my own ministry and I acknowledged that the likelihood would be that my 'first' communion would be at a regular service.

And so it was that I opened with the words above. I had realised that this was a special moment - but it wasn't until I opened my mouth and started to speak that I realised just how extraordinary it was.

My supervisor in welcoming everyone, explained that I would be leading the service and that it was special moment - he highlighted that I had now been with the congregation for 11 months and that my time was drawing to a close. (I know I still have 4 months - but the end of the year is in sight - our preaching plan is all drawn up!)

Saying the words, breaking the bread, serving my supervisor and the elders was very moving and nerve wracking. (note to self....bread first!)But it felt so right - that feeling of call may sometimes dim but it is burning bright today.

Agreeing to differ

I watched this clip and would encourage you to watch it too. It shows two quite opposing views on the call to Queens Cross Church of Scott Rennie.

I am impressed by the calm way in which the discussion is held - no interference from a interviewer - just a straight forward discussion.

But nailing my colours firmly to the wall - I was particularly impressed by the calm grace of Ewan Gilchrist. He speaks for me- thank you Ewan.