Monday 4 July 2011

The "I'm Ordained Conundrum"

Picking up on a point RevSimmy made on a previous post.

When I was first ordained I went off in the morning to morning prayer (that's how I knew it wasn't evening!) and from there did a school assembly and some hospital visiting. I then had some lunch (in town with the wife) and then went off to do some home visits. I finally got back and went into my study concerned that I hadn't done anything and needed to get some work done. Mrs. Vicarage came into the study and informed me that I'd been working all day because that was what I was supposed to do!

My problem was that what I'd done as a matter of course as a non-ordained person was now what I was supposed to do as one who received a stipend. This made me realise how very privileged I was to be able to do what I would have done anyway as part of my daily working life.

One of the things I ask people seeking ordination is the question, "What will ordination allow you to do that you cannot do now?" The answers are amazingly diverse (won't go into them now) but one of them that rings my bells is the one that says, "Engage pastorally at times when I might not otherwise be able to in a role which draws others to me." (I liked the person who said that!)

Discuss!

:)

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