Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Road to Nowhere?
I'm sure some of my readers will remember the 1980s song, even if, like me they'd be strecthed to remember who performed it. You will, also, I suspect have divined the nature of this post!
So, not only did I withdraw from Small Midlands City (and feel a little bad for doing so when there is nothing that the folks could have done about it), but neither am I going to Nice Team Vicar Job Just Down The Road. Then again, nobody is , they decided not to appoint. I am disappointed, all the more so for two reasons, revealed after discussion with Neighbouring Archdeacon.
One is the answer to the question I posed a while back - can you be too honest? The answer seems to be yes. In a situation where unanimity cannot be found saying anything which might bring doubts is not a good idea, especially if you volunteer that information. I don't think I talked myself out of the post, but I could have stayed stumm and aided it. Still, I am me.
The second thought is at present nothing more than a suspicion. A doubt. A possibility of an ironic twist. I remember a conversation with my training incumbent some years ago. The gist of it was to always be looking towards the post after the one you're applying for. The original context was a particularly pleasant, and from the paperwork at least, rather comfortable University Chaplaincy (from a newish Oxbridge College, IIRC). There were no doubts about whether I could do it, more about how it would be perceived by potential new posts when the time came to move on.
And herein lies the rub. By having been doing a highly-unusual, mission-based job over the past few years I do not have much in the way of experience when it comes to running a regular parish. Worse than that any experience I did have a curate is now rather dated.
It would be the cruellest irony of all to find that in exploring "new forms" of mission (or whatever you wish to call it), going to the edges in the way that we are being encouraged to do and has to be done, that I should find myself hindered in returning to something a little more mainstream.
It's only a suspicion, not a guaranteed fact. But it does make you wonder...
Has anyone else come up with any similar experiences?
So, not only did I withdraw from Small Midlands City (and feel a little bad for doing so when there is nothing that the folks could have done about it), but neither am I going to Nice Team Vicar Job Just Down The Road. Then again, nobody is , they decided not to appoint. I am disappointed, all the more so for two reasons, revealed after discussion with Neighbouring Archdeacon.
One is the answer to the question I posed a while back - can you be too honest? The answer seems to be yes. In a situation where unanimity cannot be found saying anything which might bring doubts is not a good idea, especially if you volunteer that information. I don't think I talked myself out of the post, but I could have stayed stumm and aided it. Still, I am me.
The second thought is at present nothing more than a suspicion. A doubt. A possibility of an ironic twist. I remember a conversation with my training incumbent some years ago. The gist of it was to always be looking towards the post after the one you're applying for. The original context was a particularly pleasant, and from the paperwork at least, rather comfortable University Chaplaincy (from a newish Oxbridge College, IIRC). There were no doubts about whether I could do it, more about how it would be perceived by potential new posts when the time came to move on.
And herein lies the rub. By having been doing a highly-unusual, mission-based job over the past few years I do not have much in the way of experience when it comes to running a regular parish. Worse than that any experience I did have a curate is now rather dated.
It would be the cruellest irony of all to find that in exploring "new forms" of mission (or whatever you wish to call it), going to the edges in the way that we are being encouraged to do and has to be done, that I should find myself hindered in returning to something a little more mainstream.
It's only a suspicion, not a guaranteed fact. But it does make you wonder...
Has anyone else come up with any similar experiences?
Labels: Faith, Life, Ponderings
¶ 6:52 am
Comments:
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Aaaargh
Stuart, I do so hope that's not the case...I truly don't know, or have any inkling about these things as a mere curate. But I guess most of all I just wanted to send a kind of solidarity hug. Sometimes church life takes every possible worm eaten biscuit.
Love your "ad" though! Last week's CT looked quite interesting, I think (or was it the week before??)- and given that most of the jobs that I think look OK run into the buffers because they are for evangelical parishes....I'm not allowed to look till after the summer hols, and the diocese want first dibs so it's all hypothetical.
But do you remember way back not being sure about nice job down the road because it WAS down the road?? There might just be something in first thoughts??
Hugs and prayers, anyway xx
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Stuart, I do so hope that's not the case...I truly don't know, or have any inkling about these things as a mere curate. But I guess most of all I just wanted to send a kind of solidarity hug. Sometimes church life takes every possible worm eaten biscuit.
Love your "ad" though! Last week's CT looked quite interesting, I think (or was it the week before??)- and given that most of the jobs that I think look OK run into the buffers because they are for evangelical parishes....I'm not allowed to look till after the summer hols, and the diocese want first dibs so it's all hypothetical.
But do you remember way back not being sure about nice job down the road because it WAS down the road?? There might just be something in first thoughts??
Hugs and prayers, anyway xx
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