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.