Category Archives: Vocation

Belief, Vocation

Two ordinations – two curates reflect

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We now have not one, but two curates in the parish! David Camp was ordained deacon on July 2nd at Guildford Cathedral, the day after Stella Wiseman was ordained priest, also at the Cathedral. Both are serving in the parish on a part-time basis.

Stella was ordained priest a year after her ordination as deacon and will continue her ministry here. As priest she is now able to expand that ministry and can baptise and marry people, as well as conduct funerals, and can also preside at the Eucharist.

Stella Wiseman

Stella reflects: “It is a real privilege, and a slightly scary one, to be an ordained priest here to serve the people in this parish, and I am grateful for all the support and love that has been poured out. The past few years have involved a lot of learning and this is not about to stop! In fact, I am always going to need to carry on learning – the more I try to learn the more I realise I know very little!

“One of the services I am learning to preside at is the Eucharist and this feels a particular honour, as this is central to our worship here in the parish. To be there recalling the immense generosity of God in Jesus, and the welcome which God extends to all of us in drawing us in to share in the bread and wine, which in some way is God’s presence, feels extraordinary and humbling. There is also a lot more to do physically than I ever realised during the Eucharistic Prayer and the actual consecration of the bread, so I probably have a look of extreme concentration as I do this!

“I am also trying to discern exactly what my ministry will look like. I feel very drawn towards the link between faith, creativity and inclusion, but working out what that means is a process and I am trying to listen to God to see what God wants of me and where God is asking me to step.”

David Camp

David says: “After six years of discernment and theological training, becoming ordained has come as something of a relief, having not come from an academic background. The path towards ordination was challenging and as you might expect filled with unexpected highs and lows, and not just on the academic front, but rather as a formation of my own theology as I sought to understand God’s activity in the past and the present and, perhaps most importantly, how God through us will shape the future. Christ’s body, the Church, is going forward into an unprecedented time of change. Final destination assured, but how do we best make use of the time given to us? Perhaps we should ask ourselves this from time to time. I find myself doing this more and more post ordination.

“I don’t think I was quite prepared for the sheer magnitude of the ordination event; in many respects it mirrored the Coronation. A cathedral setting, a beautiful choir, Bishop Andrew proclaiming to the gathered masses our calling to do our duty responding to God’s call. The clergy dressed in the robes of office all in their finery; for a simple lad it was all rather overwhelming. On reflection, perhaps it needed to be grand in order for me at least appreciate the weightiness of self-expectation.

“That may sound like a strange thing to say given our Lords revelation in Matthew 11:28-30 ‘For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’. And yet the process of unburdening I feel is not reserved for the congregation, but for the clergy as well. I don’t think burden becomes light just because you’re ordained. For me at least, it’s about learning to live with that burden of my expectation in communion with the body the church, so that it begins to feel comfortable, familiar or a lightness of spirit. Even Christ uses the term ‘My burden is light’, he doesn’t say you won’t be burdened, but that it will be light. Or perhaps bearable. If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, embarks on a similar journey of faith weighed down with a burden of worry for his loved ones who have refused to join him on his journey. It’s only by the help of those good people he encounters that his burden becomes lighter. So, in essence I am most looking forward to journeying with you all, as we begin to discover what it means to have a lightness of spirit.”

Pictured from left are Alan Crawley, Stella Wiseman, David Camp and Lesley Crawley at  David’s ordination

Belief, News Releases, Vocation

And yet… a story of ordination

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Stella’s story

Well, it has happened. After a process lasting several years. I was ordained as a deacon at Guildford Cathedral by Rt Rev’d Jo Bailey Wells, Bishop of Dorking, on July 3rd.

This is both the culmination of a long time of discernment (the process of talking , thinking, praying about whether I had been called to be a minister in the Church of England), followed by study (more talking, thinking, praying and some writing too), and the beginning of new phase as I become a curate in the parish. This means a lot more learning, both on study days and on the job – learning to take services, including funerals, preaching more, being involved in pastoral care and the like – as well as doing my admin and communications job. As an Ordained Local Minister I don’t receive an income so need to carry on working.

Those are the bald facts, but behind these everything is slightly less fixed. It often is when we are trying to follow God. The path to this point has been winding, with hints of it many years ago, and if there had been women priests around in those days I might have started the process earlier. Then again, that might have been the wrong stage in my life as I have changed a great deal since then. I was pretty certain that the theology I heard preached in the churches I frequented then had to be true and it was only my lack of faith and discipline that caused me to doubt. Even as I delved deeper into faith I thought that I could somehow know the truth about God, could squeeze God into a box and then all I had to do was obey.

As you have probably guessed, it didn’t work out that way, and God somehow wouldn’t fit into a box or even a list of beliefs that I could tick off. The more I grasped at God and thought I had it sorted, the more God slipped through my fingers.

And yet. There is always an ‘and yet’. God is the ‘and yet’, the presence who can’t be grasped but is somehow here, around us, sustaining us, shining light through the cracks in our lives, piercing the darkness. Over the past few years I have become more at ease with the idea that there will not be clear answers on this side of death at least, but that this is OK.

I wish, in many ways, I could give you clear answers, ones you could tick off. I know how long I sought them. But if I gave you those answers you would probably find 100 reasons why they didn’t work for you, or maybe you’d tie yourselves in knots trying to accept them in the way you think you should, regardless of whether that was what I meant. I’ve been there.

I am more content these days to know that I won’t know everything, that I can’t define God. God continues to be more than the answers, more than a set of doctrines, more than orthodoxy. God continues to be, well, God, the source of being and of love, lifegiving and creative, extraordinary but rooted in the ordinary, rooted in community, in our relationships with each other.

One of my favourite stories from the New Testament is that of the two disciples who, after the death of their master, Jesus, were walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–32) and hadn’t heard about the resurrection of that same master. Jesus, the risen Christ – the Messiah – walked with them and explained what was said about the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures (what we now call the Old Testament) and how he would suffer and then ‘enter into his glory’. They still didn’t know that he was talking about himself and it wasn’t until he was with them for a meal and took the bread and broke it that they recognised him. Then, just as they would have asked him a stack of questions, he disappeared.

How frustrating, and yet… And yet they knew him deep within, for they said that their hearts burned within them as they walked and talked with him. They knew on a deep visceral level and they recognised him in a simple, shared act of a meal together. After that meal, their lives could never be the same again.

God for me is found in mystery but is also found rooted in the everyday, in community, in simple, embodied acts, in what we do together as a church. That is something we all work out together and I look forward to doing so with you more and more.

Stella Wiseman

Pictured top: Stella (centre), family, friends and Bishop Jo (far right).

Vocation

Shh! It could be a vocation…

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In which a member of the parish fesses up…

There is something I have been keeping quiet about over the past couple of years – my vocation. Shh! Don’t say that too loud. Someone might hear.

It has always seemed like a big word, a big deal, something other people had. I was willing to accept that we all have the vocation to be the person we were born to be and to be that in the fullest possible way. Actually, that is a pretty big deal, especially as so much can get in the way of that vocation. But over the past few years I have had a growing sense that part of following that vocation, part of living my life to the fullest, could mean being ordained into the church.

No. Not me. That was something that vicars did and vicars knew the answers and could explain the Trinity and always believed in God, and never swore. I didn’t know the answers, wasn’t sure that it mattered that the Trinity is inexplicable (in my opinion – see, I don’t know), and had days when I wasn’t sure whether God was just something made up to make us feel better or, far too often, feel worse. Though obviously I never swore….(just ask my colleagues).

And yet… I kept wondering and I kept being encouraged in this wondering by Alan and Lesley who seemed to think that I might be suitable vicar material (and vicars obviously know the answers so they must have had a point…). And before I knew it, somehow I was being referred to the Diocesan Director or Ordinands for the Diocese of Guildford, a delightful and perceptive man called Rev’d Canon William Challis who shared my sort of sense of humour. So began a series of meetings in which we discussed faith, the church (not necessarily the same thing) and laughed a fair bit. Meanwhile we were both doing some discerning.

I assumed that William would discern that I was not suitable material and we’d agree that this was not part of my vocation and I’d say a sad farewell, glad I had kept quiet about it as how embarrassing would that be if people knew I didn’t fit the criteria, or that I had even assumed I might have done?!

But we kept on, looking at those criteria for selection and discussing subjects such as faith, mission, leadership, spirituality, vocation. It was challenging but fascinating. References were sought and given, William came to visit the family, and it seemed that he thought I was suitable after all. Suddenly I was faced with going on a Bishops’ Advisory Panel, or BAP, three days of intense scrutiny with other potential ordinands by a team of assessors who would make recommendations about us all.

As the months that this process took progressed, several things became a little clearer. The first was that I could be a vicar and still not know everything – still have days of doubt, still be human, still be me. After all this is an opening up to God and being led by God, I am not expected to do it on my own.

The second was that ordained local ministry would be a better fit than having my own parish. This would mean I could stay in the parish here (hooray!) as part of the team. I would be part-time and self-supporting (ie. non-paid) so I’ll have to keep working elsewhere to bring in the money. That will be OK though as I am rubbish at boundaries I will need help here.

The boundaries issue was one of the points made in the report which came back from those BAP assessors who were really quite nice and not the Harry Potter dementors that I had envisaged. They also came back with a resounding yes! I start training next September on the Guildford Local Ministry Programme with a view to ordination in 2022.

The other thing that has dawned on me is that I am responding to a loving God. A separate, though intertwined, process has been going on over the past few years. With the help of those actually very wise and knowledgeable vicars here in the parish I have gradually been losing my perception of God as an angry taskmaster whom I could never please, and finding that God is a gracious outpouring of love for us all, a God who can help us step into our vocations and allow all of us to live our fullest lives.

Stella Wiseman

 

Vocation

Situations Vacant

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There are a number of jobs which have become vacant after a number of years work by a number of different people.  If you would like to know more about any of these roles please ask Alan or Lesley in the first instance.

Administration

We would like to build up an admin team to print the weekly paperwork and posters.  It could be shared across weeks or even within a week, and could be done on a Thursday morning while coffee is on.  Training in use of the computer and printer will be given.

There are also other admin tasks where help would be great – writing Baptism or Wedding Certificates, updating various spreadsheets – some weekly, some more ad hoc.

Electoral Roll Officer

This role involves keeping a list of those who have signed up to the electoral roll.  It is largely an annual job ensuring that the roll is up to date for the APCM in April, although there are occasional applicants during the year.  Every six years everybody has to reapply and this happens in 2019.  Full training will be given.

Magazine Advertising Manager

This is mainly an annual task and involves billing the existing magazine advertisers, asking whether they wish to continue, checking that the money has been received, and liaising with the editor to ensure that the correct adverts appear in the magazine.  There may be a small amount of work through the year if new advertisers are found.  Full training will be given, but there will also be the opportunity to shape the work to suit your skills and time.

Noticeboard Managers

We would like to build a team at each Church to keep the noticeboards, both internal and external, up to date.  Posters and documents arrive each Sunday in a brown bag and out of date posters need removing and new ones need putting up.  In addition the bag contains children’s colouring sheets, monthly news sheets and special orders of service which need putting out. Would you be willing to do this for your church?

St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church, Vocation

Leading your Church into Growth

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EVERYONE is invited to be part of the training sessions for Leading your Church into Growth – an exciting programme that will help all the congregations in the parish to grow. It is practical, simple, transformational and fun. Please put these dates in your diary, make it a priority and come along:

Saturday 21st April at St Mark’s 10:00 – 15:30 (though Hannah thinks it may not take that long). We will have pizza for lunch.

At St George’s at 7:30PM:

1st May – Our Focus

22nd May – Our Plan

5th June – Our Culture

4th Sep – Our Calling

25th Sep – Our Journey

16th Oct – Our Heart

At all Churches:

13th Jan – Celebration Services

Lesley Crawley

Vocation

Young Preacher of the Year competition launched

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The Diocese of Guildford has launched its first ever preaching competition for young people. Open to any young preachers with a connection to the diocese, the competition aims to encourage young people to give preaching a try, and to find creative ways in which we can hear the voices of young people.

The sponsor of the project, Bishop Jo Wells, the Bishop of Dorking, said: “I am delighted to launch ‘Young Preacher of the Year’ across the Diocese. It provides an opportunity for any young person aged 14 to 18 to have a go at preaching, and for others to discover budding preachers in their midst.

“Giving young people a voice and a very public platform is vital if we are to be ‘transforming church, and transform lives’ as we proclaim in our vision.  If you are aged 14 to 18 and think this might be for you, we’d love you to enter. All are welcome to enter regardless of experience or qualification.”

The prize for the competition includes both a trophy and the opportunity to preach from the highest pulpit in the area (well above sea level anyway) – the one in Guildford Cathedral.

Entrants must be in school years 10-13 in September 2017 (aged 14-18). Entry is simple – just record yourself preaching for 3-4 minutes on your mobile phone and complete the short entry form on the competition website. More information here www.youngpreacheroftheyear.co.uk

Closing date for entries is 5th November 2017. For a poster to display in your church or school see www.youngpreacheroftheyear.co.uk/poster

To find out more about the Young Preacher of the Year competition, contact organiser David Welch, Diocesan Youth Adviser, by email to david.welch@cofeguildford.org.uk

Vocation

What’s a Prayer Co-ordinator?

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Hello, I’m your Parish Prayer Co-ordinator. Now, I bet you didn’t know we have a Prayer Co-ordinator and perhaps you are wondering what I have been doing all this time. Prayer underpins our lives and the life of our parish. It is the way we communicate with God and it is often an individual matter between you and God. It is certainly NOT the role of Prayer Co-ordinator to interfere in any way with your personal prayer with God.

We have run sessions introducing new ideas to reinvigorate your prayer-life and this is something we could develop. You may have seen pop-up displays in church with photos, artefacts and thought-provoking quotations. Or perhaps you have missed them … they are designed to be a momentary, fresh display to inspire prayer and help you to ponder theological questions during the week. There will be more. They are part of my role: I am passionate about finding ways to get people creatively thinking about prayer.

My latest target in the parish is the Prayer Boards we have in St George’s and St John’s. The aim is to take the prayers made via these boards and present them during the Sunday service. They will be brought to the altar and blessed at the same time as the collection (not read out loud). From there, they will be delivered to me as Prayer Co-ordinator and I will ensure that they are prayed from Thursday till the following Thursday. I believe this scheme will ensure that people’s prayers are prayed and honoured both on the Sunday at the main service and during the following week.
Obviously, if there is a particular pastoral issue, I will relay that to the ministry team. We will be trialling this scheme for three months, starting on 1 October.

If you have any ideas or concerns about this scheme, or the prayer-life of our parish generally, please let me know.

Lesley Shatwell (LLM)
llm.lesley@badshotleaandhale.org