Answering Nik's Question

The other week, Mrs Gerbil and I had the pleasure of meeting up with Nik from A Pilgrim's Process. It was a rare gathering, as blogging is often a solitary pursuit, so nobody has ever felt the need to make up a collective noun for a group of bloggers. Suggested answers on a postcard to the usual address...

(Actually, does anyone do competitions nowadays where you send the answer on a postcard? I knew all along that I would never win a competition on Saturday Morning Superstore because the postcard depicting the radioactive beach at Dalgety Bay was pretty uninspiring)

So Nik noted that if I am to follow any one of my three options, sooner or later, someone is going to ask, "are you only doing this because of what Mrs Gerbil is doing?" Well, the answer is







Yes.








Perhaps I should elaborate....











Or I could save that for another post...









Might as well do it now.








First of all, I'm in a position where I don't really know what I'm doing. But I also think I've been given an opportunity to do something useful. What that useful thing is, I don't exactly know. Something keeps drawing me back to the idea of the auxiliary ministry but I don't know what a calling feels like. What I do know is that the past few years, starting around the time of the National Gathering at Ingliston, and possibly even before that, I've felt less of an observer at worship, to wanting to be more a part of spreading God's message.

So I'd like to say that I'm genuinely being nudged into something of my own calling. I think that Mrs Gerbil's process has given me a bit of a kick up the backside, letting me explore all sorts of avenues. And whatever I do, it will be using my time and talents in a way that helps God's people, but also fits in with my promise to support Mrs G along the way.

So that's about as much of an answer as I can give at present. Mrs Gerbil has given me the opportunity. It's now up to me to do something about it.

And thanks Nik for asking the question. It's been something useful to reflect on.

Option 3 - Auxiliary Ministry.

So this is the one that seems like a good idea. Auxiliary ministry.

For ages I had thought that the readership was ideal for me, and would fit in well with Mrs Gerbil and all that she is doing. I would be able to use my talents to help her and her charge. Recently however, there's something niggling away that says that the auxiliary ministry might be more useful. It was something I read, and I can't remember where, that said that there's plenty of people who are unable to get to a church building and recieve the sacraments. Be they in care homes, hospital or housebound, they are missing out on a part of worship that makes church special. And I know that people react differently when they speak to a minister, rather than a non ordained person. So if I must re-train for something, would being a minister be better for the community?

But here's the problem with all three options. I made a promise to support Mrs Gerbil. I'm happy to follow wherever she ends up. Even if it means going to Bermuda I'll tag along because it's all part of God's big adventure. I still don't want to do anything that will get in the way, so I've deliberately put all these options to the back burner. I've hardly given them any thought. And to make matters worse, I'm not too good at picking up on signs, so unless I get a sign on a Biblical scale, burning bushes or booming voices from on high, I'll probably be clueless forever!

But the thing is, over the past couple of months, this Auxiliary Ministry thing just keeps popping up. I haven't a clue what a "calling" resembles. Is it a gut feeling, or is it just gas?

What I do know is I have signed up for the Enquirers Conference at the end of June. Given there might or might not be changes to ministries discussed at the next General Assembly, I think this would be a good earthly starting point. As for booming voices from on high, I'm still waiting...

Option 2, Readership.

The readership is something I’ve thought about for a while now and seems quite attractive. According to the Readers Handbook, Readers exercise a ministry of word, but not sacrament. This can be pulpit supply, or where attached to a charge they have a role similar to an Auxiliary Minister.

Now I’ve been part of a worship group for quite a while now, and I’ve done parts of services at both of my home churches. While I could probably brush up on my speaking technique, I’m not afraid to address a big or small audience. So far, the Readership has seemed like the ideal role.

The Reader is not just meant as someone who fills in occasionally, but is meant as someone who is genuinely capable of preaching the word of God. This doesn’t have to be in a church, but can be in schools, hospitals or care homes for example.

And this is where I’ve got a bit of a doubt. There’s a whole load of people who can’t get to a church building for a variety of reasons. So would I be better in a role that is of word and sacrament? Would it make me more flexible to the community be able to perform the sacraments? A short communion service in the local care home, or in someone's house perhaps?So with this in mind, would one of the other ministries be more suitable?

Questions, questions. More to consider.

Option 1 - Sod All.

This is the one that could potentially be useful in its own way. While it's nice to think that I could spend my time doing absolutely nothing, I would get bored stiff after the first week or so. So sooner or later I'd find myself doing something. And it doesn't fit very well with the promise I made to support Mrs Gerbil with her calling. Support doesn't just stop when she becomes the (Ir)Reverend Gerbil, so after I've slapped a coat of paint on the Manse I'd be looking for something worthwhile to do in the parish. I'm assuming that we'll end up far enough from the Gerbil Burrow that I'd have to leave my current job

So by doing sod all I'd be open for whatever God flings my way. Something tells me that it doesn't quite work that way. So that's why options 2 and 3 seem more appropriate...