Car Boot

Yesterday saw the start of the car boot sales on our side of the river. The plan was that we would have a presence every Sunday offering various things that would be available for people to explore Christian Spirituality in a non confrontational way. The problem we have is that the dates have suddenly changed well after the rotas have been prepared and obviously with having no vicar my availability was planned in so now the dates have changed its  now not possible for me to be there as much as I would have liked.

Anyway, yesterday I was able to go and set up the stall, stay for a few hours and then walk on to preach and baptise a few babies!!!

In my experience last year we found that the first few hours were relatively quiet with the real hard core bargain hunters out and about, and those more casual lookers willing to stop and chat would come later. However yesterday was totally different, by 7.10 am we had already had 4 very deep conversations and they kept on coming, we had a constant flow of people all the way until I left and then up until the fair started to close up.

Despite having to get up ridiculously early and be out the door for 5.45 am, despite trying to fit the fair in with the service also on my mind and despite feeling exhausted from a busy Saturday of Kidschurch and  a Wedding I came home yesterday afternoon absolutely buzzing. Yet again it had been an eye opener, to see so many people want to stop an talk, agnostics, atheists, those not sure what they are but wanting to chat and ask for prayer was awesome. Seeing so many people wonder why we were there offering things for free again was a great opportunity to show our love for the community.

I feel totally gutted that I cant be at the car boot every week but I am blessed that there is an awesome team of people who can see the need and have caught the vision and so will be there week in week out.... whatever I may say I can NEVER say my job is dull or boring.

Summer

As I sit and write this the patio doors are open wide, the flies are buzzing around, the sun is shining through and the hay fever is streaming away! Summer is definitely here…at least for the time being.

This week Dan and I went on a regular afternoon out to Rochester, as we walked past the cathedral we met a group of Buddhist monks  visiting the area. How did I know this…they were dressed in their familiar orange robes. In the hot sun the robes looked wonderful and cooling. As we went on our way we realised the monks were too following us up to Rochester castle and as we went into the castle gardens the reactions of the people there were fascinating, we heard comments such as,

“ wow is that a monk?”, “ A monk, I didn’t know they really existed!”, “What’s a monk doing here?” and “ Gosh that monk is talking on an iphone, should monks have iphones?”

Those comments made me think about how we react to things that are out of the ordinary, things that are not in our usual life experience, how we react when things we may have read about or seen only on the television suddenly meet us face to face; Do we embrace them? Are we embarrassed by them? Or are we just really curious?

When we were recently on holiday visiting relatives in Goa we had the experience of locals constantly wanting to talk to us and take our photos because we were different, the novelty soon wore off but as humans we are intrigued by difference.

So as the sun , hopefully continues to shine as we see visitors coming to our land or as we travel to another land may we truly embrace all things different, and if we are unsure of something be brave enough to ask.  The summer is often a time when we travel or encounter those from other places…enjoy the sun if you have it and the variety it brings out .

Happy summer x

The ups and downs of ministry

Its been one of those days! A day when life feels like an emotional rollercoaster. Today I have experienced the ultimate highs and the lowest of lows..it's all part of the job but it doesn't make it any easier.

This morning I had the joy of taking a school assembly for a headteacher who I used to work with. It is always a delight to meet up again with those who you have known before to see how they are getting on and to also share memories and experiences.

And then this afternoon I was blessed with the real humbling experience and privilege of taking the funeral service of the mum of a dear friend and church member. Conducting funerals are always an honour, to be with people when they are grieving, to sit alongside people when they are working through life and contemplating what's going on. It is even more a privilege when you are asked to lead a service for people you know... to meet family, to share a life lived and to try and support them through this difficult day.

Watching families interacting together, reminiscing memories and sharing experiences is a real gem, it is a true pleasure to be a part of; however it does also make me realise how lonely this job can be, many family members live far away, friends too are no longer near by, making friends near by is hard when you live and work so close to home and are part of the deepest part of peoples lives.

I very much love this job but it aint half emotional at times!

the long and windy road

This month sees the celebration of 20 years since women were first permitted to be priests in the Church of England. Last weekend my mum had the privilege of going up to St. Paul's Cathedral to be part of a national celebration of such a momentious occasion; (pictures can be found following the link:)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stpaulslondon/14121112104/in/photostream/

This has been a long and windy road because I recall sitting and watching mum left behind in a congregation whilst her male counterparts were ordained priest years before, I recall the abuse hurled at her from people who felt it was not of God that women should be in leadership and I cried with joy when the General Synod voted in favour thinking that was the last we had heard of any such discrimination. I am all for people having their own opinions and those differing to me but the hurt comes when the views are shared in a hurtful and cruel manner.

So 20 years have now passed, we see women in high levels of leadership but still not yet as bishops, we are still debating the ability and scriptualness the theology and the possibility of women bishops. At grass routes level life is still difficult, we are still faced with discrimination and hurt, with jokes and jibes and that saddens me, but we also face the joys, the privilege of serving an all loving God, of being their at the heart of the community of trying to bring the spiritual and the earthly together, to try and give hope in hopless situations.

My journey in the priesthood has really only just begun and if I can be half the priest my mum and dad have been/ are then I will be a happy woman!

If you can bare to read some of my back story then the Rochester Link have been crazy enough to print it alongside some really inspirational stories.

http://www.rochester.anglican.org/phocadownload/Rochester%20Link%20May.pdf

A special few days

As the country and some parts of the world wind down, look forward to a long weekend, go of on holiday, we have been building up to the busiest week of the year.
For me Holy week, the week before Easter is exhausting, exhilarating and very moving.
This year it has been exceptionally difficult as the schools have broken up early resulting in Easter being at the end of the holidays and therefore no wind down time afterwards and also as the church travelled 80 miles to witness the licensing of our old vicar into his new parish.

But despite these distractions this still feels like a special time, amidst the exhaustion, glimmers or awesomeness are appearing...
last night I had the real joy of sharing in a last supper style meal and communion with hand washing for all and a demonstration of foot washing as an act of servant hood. Sharing food with others is an intimate affair and breaking bread to share during that as Jesus would have done was also a powerful moment.

Being able to serve others is not easy for anyone but sacrificing ourselves for those we care about can be a powerful act.

This morning after little sleep we hope to welcome people of all ages to be Cre8ive in their exploration of the Easter story with things to make and do and parts of the story to see, explore, taste and enjoy, and then tonight we wait and pray as we remember.
WHY? Why do all this when its  a bank holiday for many? why do all this when I could be at home watching tv and drinking wine? why do all this after an exhausting week and a busy weekend?
I do this because I feel we have an important message to share, this is not just a good story, it is not just a retelling of a magic trick, this is life changing , earth shattering news.
Jesus Christ did die tragically on the cross, he was buried in a tomb and he did rise again, the evidence has been found tried and tested and the effect this has gives me hope. Hope for a broken world, hope for children today lost at sea, hope for those waking up to a country they hardly recognise, hope for those who face their worst fears, hope that this is not the end.
I pray today this Good Friday whether you go to church or not you take a moment to look around appreciate the awesome creation we have and then maybe you will glimpse the one who created it.

Happy Good Friday...for the sadness of death brought us new life!

The other side of the fence

I've spent the last week in a whirl wind of work, exhaustion and reflection.
I couldn't for the life of me work out why I was shaken by Ian (my boss) leaving on Sunday. Yes he has been a great support and trainer but that wouldn't usually create such a reaction in me...And then one night I couldn't sleep I realised, whenever I have experienced a vicar leaving a church it has been my mum an dad and I have been leaving with them. I have always been on the other side of the leaving, the one moving away, the one with new horizons to explore the one leaving friends behind and wondering what the future will hold; Not the one left behind!

So this week has had me reflecting back on what it has been like for all those places where we have left..am sure we didn't leave a gapping hole or were tearfully missed but moving is a massive part of this job, a part I took in my stride as a child and the part I now begin to dread.

I often envied friends who had family living around the corner, people who had always lived in the same place. I have loved each and every place that we have ever lived in their own special and unique way yet it does sometimes feel that a piece of me has ben left behind.

Cherish your surroundings, cherish those around you its only in times of change that we realise how special they are and sometimes too late.

Rollercoasters

I feel like an emotional wreck! The last few days have been a real roller coaster of emotion. Last week mum had to go into hospital for an operation. It is horrid to see someone you love looking so anxious and scared and not being able to do anything, I spent a very stressful day waiting for news and during a meeting the text came through to say she was ok. Like any operation it comes with pain and after care and it has been so difficult watching her in pain.
My emotions just about recovered when Sunday came and the time to say goodbye to my vicar arrived. The day was again full of emotion, having to lead services of farewell and hold it together in order to help everyone else cope with the day.
My vicar has been an amazing source of inspiration in pastoral care and training. I have been really grateful to him for all he has taught me and I will miss his support and guidance. As I woke up this morning I feel like I have experienced a bereavement. I know it sounds very dramatic but it does feel like someone dear has gone. It probably feels worse because I now feel some sort of responsibility for the parish until a new vicar is put into position...no pressure!

All this and a mother's day to contend with, a day when I woke up my lovely 4 year old said "mummy you have to stay in bed its a special day!" unfortunately not for someone who works for the church! Amidst all the stress and angst Daniel has been my ray of light keeping me going, making me smile and giving the best cuddles ever.

Life has its ups and downs and am grateful to those who support me amidst the chaos of this wonderful life!!