No Placement

Last week was my last weekend at Lowry (North).  I was kept busy and I was welcomed into everything that was going on, making me feel like a real part of the community.  So his week has seemed a little odd.

If I was to follow the normal training route for an OLM, I would have done my first six month placement then have to take six months off before starting my second placement October 2014 to March 2015.  12 months probation would start in October 2015 taking me through to October 2016.  The problem with this is that Mrs Gerbil will finish her probation in Autumn 2015, so when she goes to find her own charge, either I would have to break my own probation or postpone it until such time as I am settled wherever we end up.

It was agreed by the Church of Scotland that I could do a placement straight after my first, then go straight into probation.  The problem I am now having is finding someone to take me for a placement.  My preferred choice can't take trainees at all.  Number 2 can't take me for a variety of reasons.  Number 3 already has a student.  Number four is actually the newly appointed Minister at Hillside church where I did my enquiry, and I don' think I'm supposed to go back to a place that I have already visited.  There are another two ministers that have probationers, so I am having to cast the net further and further.  I should hear something this week, but I would like to be in post for Holy Week.

The oddness of this week has been brought about because I have nothing to do.  No prayers, readings or Children's Address to prepare.  No time spent at this time of night making sure nothing newsworthy has happened that needs mentioned in my intercessions.  And perhaps worst of all, no community really to call my own.  I know I would be welcome at my home church, but I don't really feel like I'm part of the community - I would just be a visitor.

So if I'm going to be a visitor, I'm going to visit somewhere new.  And perhaps relaunch the Fifty Acts of Worship...