Thursday 30 October 2014

Friends in High Places

It's been a busy week for ordinations and inductions in the C of S.  If your 15 month probation starts in the summer, then October and November is the busy season for those who want to be in charge before Christmas.  I can think of at least four in the past fortnight or so.  Some more preaching as sole niminees, and there are other nominating committees roaming the countryside as we speak.

2010, a long time ago, or so it seems now, I tagged along to a meeting of some church candidates.  I hadn't thrown my hat into the ring at that point, so I was still wondering exactly what a male spouse of a minister gets up to.  One of these people had been studying and training for a couple of years, and despite never having met them before, I knew them.


I had been following their blog for a while, so while the rest of the group were in the house discussing degrees and training, we were in the garden, and I made introductions, as two bloggers meeting in the real world.

Since that day, I am proud to have been able to call them a friend.  They have supported me throughout my call and training, and I hope that in some way I have managed to reciprocate.

It's unfortunate now that we will find ourselves at opposite ends of the country, so we can't sneak off to the national library for a quick brew (or a photo-shoot!) as easily anymore. 

But it was an honour to be present at their ordination, and was quite surprising to be mentioned if not in person, at least by reference to my motorbike, in their ordination sermon.

So here's some sagely wisdom from their first blog post that my friend may need reminded of...

"Dog collars strangle you if you tell lies."

Now may God give you the power to do outrageous things.

P.S. You WILL ensure you take time off.

P.P.S. Every manse needs a dog.


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