One struggle that I have with those investigating a call on their life to ministry is that of trying to help them consider 'the ministry' as something other than a job that one does in a church setting.
We roll out models of submission (Nehemiah) and point to the life and ministry of Jesus; We this discuss primus inter pares (first among equals) and what this means in terms of being church and being called. The end of the 'nine to five' and 'leaving work at home' as we consider things ontological (you are what you do, you don't just do it!) and just as light, which is not an approaching train, appears at the end of the tunnel things get interesting.
"But it is a job because you have appraisals, just like where I work! Not only that but my Vicar told me that the church was making vicars redundant and that's what we're doing where I am at the moment! How come you're telling me that it's more than a job because it looks and sounds like one from where I'm looking at it?"
Well, it never used to be, did it?
1 comment:
One of the great unmentionables is the fact that once Ordained and finishing Curacy, there is no guarantee of further employment.
Sure most go onto further roles, but not all. How disheartening for those who end up with post. In terms of employment, they're different from normal unemployed as they've committed to the Church, who've invested great expense in their training, but just seems to cast them aside. As if they'd been on a term contract, which has expired.
For the unemployed Curate, whose calling is for life, this must be a hard pill to swallow. I actually wonder how some can give up secure jobs and move their families to training institutions, again to a curacy location, only to be left out of a job and in some cases, homeless.
I can't really comment on the morality of this, just the sadness and desolation it must cause.
Post a Comment