Journal: As Q1 ends

I'm actually looking forward to a week where there are no funerals to be conducted. As much as I enjoy them immensely and regard them as one of the best bits of the ministerial role, this last month has effectively seen a funeral for every working day; many of those I did the service for being people I knew.

Today though has been a day where bread and wine were to the fore and I managed to fit in an early Communion service at St Francis' before heading off out to enjoy visiting friends. It's odd, but after all these years it still doesn't feel like work when I'm out visiting - and I hope it never does get to feel like that. The evening saw me engaged with cadets, always a joy.

It's been a day when the benefits system of our land has been to the fore as well as I have been exposed to the challenges faced by others as they find benefits stopped, suspended and changed. The problem is that the mechanisms in place are inadequate and unable to manage to stop one benefit and start the other so that the outcome is something consistent and contiguous: And that means pain and fear and frustration for the claimant as they deal with the situation before them.

Some struggle so much that they become frozen in time, like a rabbit in the headlights, and this is not helped by the often low quality provision before them!

Lord, help us to stand with the marginalised and the poor, the disposed and the damaged people before us. You call us to act in their behalf and to make things work for them in terms of equity and justice. Mobilise your church we pray.

I thank You for the work of foodbanks and the charities with offer friendship, counsel and support - strengthen the arms of those who work with them and the consciences of those who might give aid to support them.

Journal: People are the joy

Started with snow and ended with rain - ain't that the way it always seems to go?

But today I managed to do some great teaching on ethics and had some amazing dialogue with a few people regarding the fact that standards and truth are not the absolutes some people thing they might be. Onwards and upwards as the day took me to engage with more people in the shape of Home Communion visits before the final push - which left me being 'blown out' but that only sought to give me a chance to unwind a little before I got down to some reflection and study.

The truth is that I'd love to be doing just the pastoral and evangelistic stuff - think the paperwork can rest in the laps of those who would rather read a spreadsheet than a BIble :-)

Wife out with the Angels and I'm going to bed with the dog and however many cats feel like joining him.

Lord for the good bits I thank You.
For the thought bits I think I probably thank You even more!
And for the testing bits, where it was me I'm sorry and where it was others, I'll leave them to You.

Let's preach and live the word in a big way tomorrow, all You need to do is whistle and You know how to do that, don't You!

This place of reflection is here for me to dialogue internally and gain insight and perspective. It first appeared in this current form for some of those looking at creating their own journal as part of the their journey to discerning vocation. The Morning prayer is there also for that same purpose: to create the discipline of prayer. Dialogue, insights and experience of others concerning this entry is always welcome - all grist to the m

Vocations: Collared or Covert and Covered?

An interesting conversation arising from a vocations meeting centred around the issue of the wearing of clerical garb and focused upon the clerical collar in particular. The conversation came down to this question: collar or not?

Having friends who occupy just about every position in terms of churchmanship I know that some will never be seen wearing a dog collar whilst others appear naked without a cassock (all thirty-nine buttons done up) and a beretta (of the hat, not firearm, variety). Indeed, what we wear is often an indicator of the way in which we 'do' our theology but perhaps we don't wear it for ourselves but others.

One of the most important things about the dog collar is that it identifies us as being clerics. It's not just part of the uniform, it's a statement of intent; it's a proclamation of commitment and availability.

The wearing of a dog collar is not some fiendishly 'popish' statement, nor is it a fashion statement (although some try to make it such and far too often fail) or an imposition. The collar is something that is somewhat kergymatic (by which I mean 'proclamatory') and so brings an added dimension to the person wearing it - one that is bounded by ontology ('being'), proximity (the 'parakletos' that is 'coming alongside') and the servanthood that is 'diakonos'. It speaks of God's Kingdom made real and present in the here and now.

What I'm suggesting is that the wearing of a dog collar finds its parallels in a taxi cab with its 'For Hire' light blazing availability in a dim and hurried world of 'too busyness' combined with 'not bothered ness'. The collar screams, in a John Inmanesque manner, 'I'M FREE'!

It is kergymatic in that it is the herald of the Good News that is the Gospel of Christ made present in the reality in which we are found; proclaimed and made real in the fact that 'the Kingdom of God is made real and come into your presence!' Indeed the collar speaks of the basileia - the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus in so many places in the New Testament in the way that He did.

Being a priest is more than merely playing a part, it is not what we do but who we are - it is therefore an ontology reality - and this is proclaimed, or perhaps 'supported', by our 'ring of confidence'. Not an item of dress but a statement of fact.

Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as 'one who comes alongside' - using the word 'Paraclete' - and this is our role as, enabled and filled with that same Holy Spirit, we engage in our calling. Again, it is the collar that speaks of this as we serve them in our diaconal role.

To choose when we will, and will not, wear our collars is therefore to choose when we will, or will not, be the priests we are called to be. If wearing it says 'available' then what does not wearing it communicate? (postscript: for many, the only way they can identify pastors or priests as such is by the clothing and so to wear when we choose - this means on/off/on/etc and do nor refer to making the choice through theological position - is to choose when to be identified and therefore also available).

A Vicar I knew used to occasionally frequent a pub during the lunch- hour session and did so without his collar. Slowly he became known to the regulars and was incorporated into their conversations and friendship. Then one day one of the regulars knocked at the vicarage door, only to find it to be opened by the same man he drank with, wearing a dog collar and he wasn't best pleased. The reason for thus was that he'd said things and related events to someone he considered to be a friend, not a Vicar!

The relationship with those in the pub' was broken and it damaged the work of the church in that place too. Integrity and calling demand that we are WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) - and the collar sets the tone, expectation and reality.

The question is - do we?