New job

I have accepted a job as Circuit Administrator in the Sheffield West Circuit.
This is a job supporting the staff administrativelyand looking after some property matters including manses.
I start in January and it really does confirm our move to Sheffield.

On trial

My first trial service was a traditional evening methodist sing, teach & preach. The service went very well and the assessors gave me some very positive feedback and re-assurance that I needed to continue leading worship in the same way. God was so good to me - I even had a special word for the people at Trinity which relates to a new development that is taking place right next door to the church. I don't know when my next one is - it maybe this weekend when I do a Chapel Anniversary at Lofthouse.

Do you need any help?

I have offered help to a number of people but no-one has been able to use any of the time I have. I can get on with plenty of reading but it does demonstrate that even when "resources" are available the church in particular seems to struggle to use them.
I'll keep asking and I am doing the church cleaning this week!

Learning more about Jesus Christ

Have started doing the reading to complete an assignment on christology for the Themes in Theology module. This module is interesting because it talks about all the traditional development of church and theology. Not something I have majored on so far. I will be looking at the contrast between the early view of Christ and the our contemporary views and understanding. Lots of very difficult to understand concepts so it is challenging.

Job Search Update

There have been a few vacancies but not many suitable. I have applied for a Circuit Administrator job in Sheffield and will send one off tomorrow for a Learning Networks Co-ordinator with the Church Army. The only issue with both is that they really want people long term i.e. 5 years. This is probably going to restrict my chances if there are suitable long term candidates. Still if these are God's possibilities.....

Gis'us a job

Not a great deal out there at the moment. I did have one interview last week for a part-time pastoral worker in Harehills but the successful candidate was one with more pastoral experience than me.
There is not much in the pipeline at the moment. I am praying about a job with Eden but I am not sure if it is where I am supposed to be. Full-time setting up a new team sounds like a job and a half which would not really work at the moment. Still it is worth exploring because some-times people see the attraction in paying less money out for a part-timer.

Candidating update

The first required form is in and I am now working on the remaining forms
I have my first reported service on November 9th. The 2nd should be sometime in December.
The sessions at college have been helpful and the process does not seem too "heavy" at the moment. The challenge seems to be one of being patient. Everything does take a long time.
One thing I have to consider is whether I should go for full or part-time training. Here the options are not straightforward because no-one can be specific about either how long it will take or where you would be required to attend. This uncertainty is unsettling for everyone who is going through the process at the moment.

Themes in Theology

The final assessed module for my Masters is on Themes in Theology which covers such hefty issues as God, Trinity, Jesus, & Spirit. There is only 2 of us so we get the advantage of close tuition but it also means that the sessions can be arranged to suit. This sometimes means I only have to travel to Sheffield once a week. There is loads of reading and enjoyable. Not sure what I am going to do my assignment on but it is definitely going to be challenging.

Candidates timetable

October - make the application to candidate
Nov-Jan - conduct assessed services/compile personal statement (application)
Feb-Mar - Circuit and District approval (and the psychotherapists report)
April - National approval
June - Conference approval

I would appreciate your prayers throughout the process

Working life

I finish work at the end of the month although I have now got nothing to do. I have been filling my time with looking for work, finishing off assignment work and reading.
I have not found any church related work yet and I am hoping that October and November will see some vacancies. I am looking for alternate types of work that would fit in to expanding my experience of working with the older generation but we will have to see how that goes. Still looking in the Sheffield area although the circle is widening.

Calling

I will now be candidating for the Methodist Ministry as a presbyter not a deacon. Presbyter means the Methodist minister you might usually see looking after communion and baptisms and everything else that goes with the role). The decision was really the end of a process and this blog has listed some of the key reasons and reinforcements along the way. I recognise that this is still part of a testing of the calling and I will list separately a timetable that I will have to follow over the next 12 months. It is exciting to move into the next step although the timing with giving up work means that my focus has really switched to trying to get another job at the moment.
I hope that the next part of the process is as helpful as the last year - I have learnt so many things and have some great memories.

Assignment

I have now completed the 3rd assignment - Urban theology. Good learning opportunity and the Castleford regeneration project was screened on C4 at just the right time. The assignment highlighted the challenges for Urban theology which seems to have a lot to do with outdated preconceptions. This means I will have done 3 out of 4 assignments. I believe that will leave a dissertation and a piece of self directed work. I need to think about which module I might do next term as the God in Film and Society looks right up my street.
I am just about starting to learn how the writing and referencing need to work in order to write academic theology.

Assignment update update

Great news (for me)! I do not need to resubmit my assignment. It passed! Joy unconfined as it would have taken some considerable time to redo. I am now completed half the assignments I need to do which means that I am 40% through the assessment. Work on the 3rd assignment is progressing satisfactorily.

Assignment update

I have to re-submit my last assignment - it did not satisfy the learning outcomes so will need some re-work. It is a good lesson to learn although re-work is always a "pain".
I am currently working on my Urban Theology assignment and have agreed an outline structure with my tutor. It makes sense and I will definitely try to be more "traditional" in my method this time. I will be focusing on "difference" within the context of Urban Theology. One of God's greatest gifts and yet most significant challenge for us to deal with.

Location, Location, Location

The general advice and guidance about preparing your house for sale usually comes with the "it doesn't take long to spruce the house up". Well its taken considerable effort from both of us and David Farringdon to get all the jobs and decorating done. The photos and details are being prepared today and we expect to have the house on the market next week.
We hope that a sale is possible - but we are realistic about all the options for moving.
Anyone want to buy a nice house in Wakefield?

Man for hire!

I still expect to leave Brady in September. There have been a couple of jobs I have applied for but have not been offered. Both roles (although completely different) did have a remote, itinerant pattern of work - one physically and the other through networking. This raised a very pertinent reflection for me that I feel called to a place - to live and work - and spend a reasonable time there developing relationships and supporting. This has a very strong connection with my previous experience at Damart where I lived in a working community for 5 years. I supported the dramatic transformation in that "place". So I currently feel a strong calling to a place. A place that needs support and with a community that is prepared to journey.

End of Year

There has been little activity (from me) over the past 6 weeks in relation to the course. This is because I have been busy at work with organisational changes and preparing and running a Worship Training weekend with Irene in the Wakefield Circuit.
As the first year draws to a close I can reflect on some major insights and developments.

• I am called to sacramental ministry
• I have discovered that much of "my" theology has been in line with either traditional or liberation theology
• I am not an academic in the traditional sense of the word but love learning - especially through reading and practical application
• I still have issues in reconciling how the calling works out in practice
• I have learnt the importance of place and space
• I have made some good friends
• I have had tremendous support from my family, church, friends and work colleagues

I feel I have been privileged to be able to go through this experience - thank God.

Relocation

It looks like we will be Sheffield bound in the next few months.
I am making preparations for leaving my job and finding something new in Sheffield. We are preparing the house for sale. Watch this space for updates.

Placement update

The placement is running well with a good selection of activity. It is interesting to meet the staff and see some of the problems that need dealing with. There are some real Methodist organisational challenges ahead.

Assignment 2

I have completed my 2nd assignment on Bible and the City. Identified some real opportunities for work later on with a mix of Kingdom theology, co-creation and re-development.
I am really encouraged by the relevance of the assignments to elements of the work I will do.
We are now on Urban Theology which seems a continuation of the last module.
I am looking forward to running through the lectures with an open mind about assignments as it does not have to be until Sept.

Refreshed Expressions

A refreshing experience at Spring Harvest offered the opportunity to reflect on what me and Irene might be being called to.
Several helpful conversations with a fellow student have meant some more key areas coming up. Some more on the "closing churches". It looks like that is all to do with new and growth. Closing will be part of the painful experience of growth. New life amongst the pain will be a key way of sustaining faithful people in need of support and renewal.
I have been thinking how important the possibility of new has been in my business life so far. There have been many times when change has meant saying goodbye to something and in every occasion where there has some real new life as part of the change it has meant the pain has been easier for everyone to deal with. Pain and Joy. On reflection it does seem that the promise of Jesus is the way forward for the Methodist Church. Maybe the real issue is working that out in practice.

In practice

Started my first placement with an experienced minister in the Sheffield North Circuit. A sector tour of four churches, visits to some of the congregation , and a couple of development meetings have helped to start an appreciation of day-to-day issues and initiatives.
I am looking forward to learning more and it is really helping with the discernment.

Poetry to be read

Now I will try something ambitious – I have in the past written some poetry.
Here is a poem to be read after you have read the story of Jesus meeting the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). It is really meant for performance:

Road to Emmaus

Walk ‘n talk
Walk ‘n shout
Walk ‘n share
Walk ‘n why?

Walk ‘n hear
Walk ‘n listen
Walk on fire
Walk invite

Sit ‘n wait
Sit ‘n serve
Sit ‘n eat
Sit ‘n know

Go!

Foundation Course – Weekend Prayer Retreat

Went on this weekend at the Methodist conference centre at Muswell Hill. Great time and a real sense of togetherness with my fellow students. This was a guided retreat working on exploring different ways of praying with a focus on understanding our calling. Morfa Jones and Mark Wakelin were good leaders and some exciting stuff happened. Yet further confirmation – this time about leading the sharing of the Eucharist. I also had a strong call to “cry” with people. Crying may be actual or symbolic but this came strongly through the “taste of salt”. It all sounds a bit strange but the exercise we did really focussed on tasting salt and this was followed by me tasting some of my own tears when I was praying with other people in need.
The weekend reinforced my view that spending time on retreat (or similar) should be a regular part of my future life.

Bible in the City

We had a couple of very focussed sessions which helped to guide the structure of the work needed for the current assignment. I was able to produce an outline that seemed acceptable. The key was Leonie Sandercocks book Cosmopolis II. The radically different way of looking at City planning and development presents an opportunity to compare to Wakefield, Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. I should be able to cover the broader themes of city development and see how the churches can play a part. The model was favourably received – nice colours! The work is quite novel and exciting!

Help needed

Attached is a link to an online petition for Amina Makinta:
http://www.petitiononline.com/am2008b/petition.html
Amina needs support in her efforts to stop the Home Office enforcing her return to Nigeria. It seems that she is almost certain to face death if she is sent back. If you could read the details and pray and may be sign the petition and maybe pass this on then that would be a great help.
God Bless. John

mid year review

I have now reached the halfway stage of the first year. I have learnt an incredible amount and enjoyed the support of my fellow travellers - students and staff. I am really enjoying the time taken to reflect and althought the transition to being a student is a struggle I feel that the process is working. I can confirm that I believe I am called to a ministry role that involves serving people and sacremental service. The bit to work out still is the actual role - links to supporting workers - and who would be interested in employing me to do it! Plenty of time and thanks for watching.

Assignment

Looks like there may be a great opportunity to do some relevant local work on my next assignment for the "Bible and the city" module. We were involved in the local community group where I live a year ago who were involved in regeneration projects for the local community.
One of the key issues highlighted was the impact of immigration on the local area and the life experiences of immigrants. I have to link a contemporary issue with an Old and New Testament passage and work on an exegesis using an "appropriate hermeneutical method" (I think that translates as "Bible Study").
A large number of our neighbours are immigrants from European countries. Work seems to be the primary reason for coming to Wakefield. This will link very well with economic migration passages in both OT & NT. Just need to find the local "theological" issue that links. Any ideas?

Calling.....

Unfortunately Christine - our tutor - is off for a couple weeks. Joy Adams has admirably stepped in at very short notice and we all had to talk about our journey so far. It is always good to verbalise and I was able to summarise my calling so far. It also felt right to talk about "closing churches" (see below). There is still a lot to work out but if the Methodist church is interested in supporting "those in work" it does look like there could be a "ministry" role for me.

Theological challenge

My Dad (A Methodist Minister who trained at Didsbury College in Bristol) forwarded the following story -
Your mention of the O.T. reminded me of Dr.Frost of McGill University, Canada lecturing at college many years ago - his subject was parallel religions to Yahweh-ism in the O.T. period.
Dealing with the dualistic religions of Persia, he noted in passing, that the wise men mentioned in N.T.were not numbered as 'three', as common assumption presumed, - nor were they kings - but would have been (had they really been), three astrologers from Eastern courts.
When next morning, the learned Doctor came into the assembled dining hall, where all the students were having their breakfast, the college choir stood as one man and sang -
' The old wise men, they ain't what they use to be,
ain't what they used to be, ain't what they used to be
The old wise men, they ain't what they use to be,
so the sages say !'

Calling you.....

The work we did on understanding our calling was good this week. Definite confirmation of the Word and Sacrament focus for me. Still got to wrestle with the one-size-fits all presbyteral model though!
Did not mention the "closing churches" word - may not be for public consumption or the timing may be over the next few weeks.

Bible & the City

Bible & the city is a challenging title. the early reading is also challenging. The mention of all the new tools and methods for analysis leaves me concerned that I am not going to do this justice.
Still it is good to learn about new possibilities. I have the challenge of coming up with an area of focus. So I'm going to read the Wakefield Express and the Bible - not sure which order - and pray hard!

Discerning vocation

We spent some time this week thinking about vocation. Everyone expressed a variety of emotions: excitment, apprehension, uncertainty. Some also described the inner peace they felt. I talked about how I felt very comfortable relating that I know I have been created for the work God wants me to do and I am now moving towards it. This meant I felt an inner peace, but I also talked some more about the inner turmoil that had marked some stages of my calling. I believe that God calls to comfort and to disturb.
The disturbing calling that came to me during this session was "closing churches" (not really a great marketing style statement from God eh! - why not pruning, building on new foundations, renewal?).
When you set out on a new adventure or set a new course its great to be filled with expectation and anticipation of all the exciting things that are going to happen. I'll need to listen some more for that part for me.
I will reflect on the "closing churches" in a later post. With all the excitment and good humour it did not feel right to share this with my fellow travellers yesterday - I will tell them - I just need to think about this first.

New Term

Started the new term with a communion service. Two in two days! It's like being an Anglican! Seriously I really appreciate the worship times at college as they make sure that the day proceeds with a healthy pace.
The research module was generally very useful. I learnt how to do some speed academic reading. Timing is everything. If this had taken place at the original time (Sept) it would have saved a few days of reading.
I almost feel like a real student now: Finishing off my first assignment; getting the title for my next one on Bible and the City tonight. We have now started more work on discerning vocation so that is helpful. As the degree students are studying Ethics this term I will not attend on Monday evenings.
I am looking forward to this term as I should have less to do at work and I will not be doing my first assignment.

Happy New Year

A happy New Year to you all.