Fasting and Ramadan

One of my colleagues was up at the crack of dawn today.  She prepared the worlds supply of samosas and pakora before bringing them into work for sale in aid of Muslim Aid.  They tasted so good, that she almost convinced me that vegetables might not be all that bad.

Cooking always gives me the munchies, so I have a lot of respect for her in that she was observing a fast, yet still prepared enough food to keep a portion of the Civil Service snacking until well into the afternoon.

So rather than making a big song and dance about giving up chocolate for Lent, should we try to do more in our period of fasting.  Would we be better people for engaging in acts of charity, while at the same time undergoing a reflective period?

I've got a few months to think about it.

Pulpit Supply

My supervisor has made it clear that I must take time off from placement.  He never said what I had to do with those days, so the other day I did a bit of pulpit supply for a friend. 

This was a strange experience, because all the other times I have undertaken pulpit supply in the past, I have at least visited the building at least once before, or have tried to get along and see a service there.  This time I went into the encounter completely blind. 

The two churches were located about 10 miles apart, and the time between the two services, allowing for an hours worth of service was only 15 minutes.  I arrived early at the first service so I had time to meet the organist, discuss hymns etc.  As people filtered into the church, I exchanged pleasantries with some of them, but I wasn’t able to get round all of them and say hello in person.  After the service, I had to hand over my microphone and make a fast departure to the second church.  I didn’t even have time for a handshake on the door.  With it being the summer holidays, I didn’t have a children’s address, and there was no choir, but I was aware that my service had to finish in absolutely no more than an hour.  The first service just felt a little constrained, and I missed the pastoral element of being able to meet with people afterwards.  And while there appeared to be a tray of tea and biscuits laid out, I certainly had no time to join in.

I arrived in time for the second service, aware that all it would have taken was a tailback on the major road I had to use, for the second service to be delayed.  I had time to come in, find the radio mic, and have a word with the organist about incidental music, before I had to start over again.  I felt a little less restricted in the second service, and was able to take things a little slower.  I did have time afterwards to meet people at the door, but there was no cup of tea, so contact with people was limited to the most basic of pleasantries.  They all seemed like nice folk.

There was an element of a rock tour about the services.  Turn up, do your thing on stage, and then “Elvis has left the building” without meeting the public.  I was there to do pulpit supply, and I see part of that role as to be there to talk and to listen to anyone who has issues they want to share.  So while I think I did OK with my speaking part, I may have unavoidably let the congregation down with the listening part.

Placement so far.

This might come over as a bit of a moan.  Yes, I am enjoying my placement, and my supervisor is very good.  I think it is just the comparison with my last placement that makes this seem a little frustrating.  Last time I was unemployed through the whole length of my placement, so there was a lot more I could drop in on.  This time, I have a 9-5 job, so the only things I have been able to encounter have been those which take place in the evening or weekend.  It’s the holiday club this week, and there are daytime services, and team meetings which I can’t get involved in.

So I am learning about the dark arts of team ministry, but I am not as able to immerse myself in congregational life as I was on my first placement.  I don’t want to get to the end of October, when I have probation lined up, and be told that I haven’t done enough.

This brings up a bigger question.  Is the Ordained Local Ministry a ministry that is suitable only for those who are unemployed, retired, or can work strange shifts while training?  Or even after training?  

There is a considerable commitment required in order to become an OLM, including an expected 20 hours study each week per unit studied (typically two units per term), three hours per week plus a Sunday and all this over and above the need to hold down a job.  You need to be a strong time manager in order to ensure you maintain a healthy work/life balance.