Leadership

A monster of a warning

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If you’re anything like me and Randall Bloggs, you will have found yourself trying to impress others in order to be accepted.

The leaves lying pulped on the roads to my son’s school serve as a warning sign that I need to drive more carefully at the moment.  God decided to send me two warning signs to make sure I am equally careful on the journey ahead.

Trying to fit in reading the Northumbria Community’s Daily Office liturgy and scripture into my daily life, as suggested by the DDO, has been a challenge this week.  A challenge I haven’t succeed at.  Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised.  It’s been like trying to break a habit. Continue reading →

The Fear Factor

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I met with the DDO for the third time last week.  Previously I had time to collect my thoughts as I drove and waited for the meeting to start, this time it was very different!

I was in the midst of a frantic and pressurised week at work.  It followed me as I left to start travelling to see the DDO.  My colleagues were on soon the phone to me asking for help in sorting out some problems.  Arriving home to pick up the car there were failed parcel deliveries to sort out, a phone call to my son to celebrate his success at school, and a quick change before heading into the autumnal wind and rain, albeit cosseted in a dry and cosy car.  Busy, busy, busy.  It was hardly the ingredients for a peaceful preparation for the meeting. Continue reading →

The Ministry of Doubt

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"Truth and doubt", a doodle by Derek Bruff during a sermon by Brent Hutchinson.

“Truth and doubt”, a doodle by Derek Bruff during a sermon by Brent Hutchinson.

There is one element of my exploration of ordination that I have been slightly uncomfortable about from the start, if this was God’s will why had He seemingly not spoken through other people about it?

It has felt like everyone else I have met, or heard about, that is exploring ordination has had people going up to them passing on messages from God.  They might not know it but they have a gift of leadership, of preaching, healing, praying or something else that God wants them to be using.  God has told them that they should be ordained. Continue reading →

The life and work of an exploring pilgrim

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The Life and Work of a Priest by John Pritchard

The Life and Work of a Priest by John Pritchard

Later today (7th October 2013) I am meeting with the DDO for the second time.  At my previous meeting she asked me to read John Pritchard’s book ‘The Life and Work of a Priest’. It is a classic from the ordination exploration reading list by the Bishop of Oxford and is a throughly interesting end enjoyable read.  The secondary task was to write a piece to start a discussion on the helpful and challenging images that came to mind as I read it.

I hope that my reflections on the challenges and thrills, and the burdens and privileges of being a priest may prove interesting.  I even dare hope and pray that it may even provoke you to think of the life and responsibilities of leaders in the Christian faith, and maybe even your own.

Please do let me know what thoughts you have, you have much to teach me!

Continue reading →

Taking Stock – Part 2: The Vocations Chaplain Experience

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Patiently waiting to move on

Patiently waiting to move on

In this the second of a two part post I am looking at my experience of meeting with a Vocations Chaplain, having looked at the preceding stages in Part 1.

In the Anglican Diocese I find myself living within those exploring ordination are asked to first meet with their vicar before meeting with a Vocations Chaplain if the vicar feels there is a reason to explore.

As with the vicar and those met at later stages, the Vocations Chaplain (different titles are used for such people, even within a single diocese) is tasked with the job of discerning whether God is indeed calling a person towards ordination. This may take several meetings but if a calling is sensed the person is passed onto a Diocesan Director of Ordinands, or DDO for short. The process continues along similar lines before a person meets with a local bishop and a Bishops Advisory Panel (often simply known as a BAP). Continue reading →

Taking Stock – Part 1: The first steps on the road towards ordination

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The road is long, with many a winding turn…

I met with a Vocations Chaplain for a second time last week so that he could affirm or quash my sense of calling.  As it also turned out to be our final meeting, and the start of a new stage on the exploration of ordination, it seems a good time to take stock of my experience so far.

In this, the first of a two-part blog I’ll document what steps I took before formalising the process and getting the wider church leaders involved.  Hopefully they will be helpful, especially if you are exploring a calling too.  The second part will look at my experience with the Vocations Chaplain. Continue reading →

Take me to your Leader

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When I met with a Vocations Chaplain a few weeks ago (see Can I see clearly now?) I was  encouraged by his confidence that I was being called by God to be on this journey that may lead to ordination.  He left me with 3 issues to ponder ahead of meeting him for a second time this week.

It took me a week to simply take in and comprehend what had happened during the meeting but then I began to look at each issue, one at a time.  In my post Who is He? I looked at the image of God that I carry with me.  His second topic, the ‘sin of the helper’, was more challenging but certainly helpful to consider (see Is it ever wrong to help someone?).  Now it is time to look at the final topic of what leadership means.

The Toy Story aliens

The Toy Story aliens

Continue reading →