As readers of this blog may know I have been having a few wee colly wobbles over the last couple of weeks - worrying about starting probation and struggling with not knowing what life is going to be like for the next year or so.
It really struck home for me at the end of last week. I have bought a lovely filofax - a nice red effort A5 size - big enough to sit on my lap and useful as a notebook for 'church' stuff. I digress..... I had to update the diary bit with everything that was in my existing diary. What was most worrying for me was the lack of things in my diary! Pages and pages of nothingness. For someone who likes to know what she is doing and likes a degree of certainty this was very scary. Thank goodness I had my first probationers conference! I shared my worries with some colleagues who wryly smiled and assured me it wouldnt stay like that for long!
Conference was good. Very practical, very assuring, very uplifting and very inspiring. I was one of only a few who have yet to start their placement and in a way I am glad I havent started yet. The weekend has helped me prepare and I am now genuinely excited about getting started this week. Still apprehensive but there is definitely excitement there too. Hearing from my colleagues and listening to the input from the speakers has all helped.
For me the two inputs that I found most inspiring were from very surprising places. The first was the input about Glasgow the Caring City. Rev Neil Glabraith simply told the story of the quite extraordinary charity. It spoke to me about what real ministry can do when not confined to the narrow bound of the Parish. It spoke to me about how not to underestimated the possibilities. The second input that I found inspiring was from Gavin and it was on Weddings of all things. He made us look at weddings in a holistic way - the possibilities for building long lasting relationships, the theology behind our own approach etc. I hadnt thought this would have been one of the sessions that I would have found inspiring but it has really helped build the excitement.
Lots to look forward to this week and I am ready for it all!
3 comments:
Glad it was a good weekend, I'm excited to hear how things go in your probation.
We'll need to make sure that we get the next COSY lunch in your diary, fill it out a wee bit eh?
lol thanks Chris. I am assured that it will not remain empty ofr long. But yes Cosy Lunch Club has to be in there!!! Do you want to suggest dates?
I also bought an A5 filofax recently, but black... a lesson in humility as I have spent the last year teasing Catherine Beattie at every conference about her scary ministerial diary, now I have one too!!
Glad the conference was good, I really enjoyed Gavin's weddings session last year, it gave me lots of food for thought.
Hope all goes well with you as you start probation ... you will be in my prayers.
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