PERSONAL STORIES OF GOD S CALL TO CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

Transcription

1 VOCATION VOICES PERSONAL STORIES OF GOD S CALL TO CHRISTIAN MINISTRY / 2017 P.4 P.5 P.6 P.7 P.8

2 Welcome...1 Join the Training Community...2 Let Me Introduce Myself...3 Five Years Ago...4 We All Have Gifts...5 God has been Keeping an Eye on Me.. 6 The Thunderbolt Awakening...7 One Step at a Time...8 Passion for the World...9 CONTENTS Who to Contact...10

3 THE ARCHDEACONS WELCOME When I was a curate in the mid 1980s my Vicar upset most of the church by writing an article in the parish magazine entitled "The Last Vocation" in which he spoke about those called to be clergy. He was so wrong. To have a vocation means that you are being the person God called you to be, in the place where he wants you. It does not mean that you have to wear a collar and dress strangely in church... although that is true for some, including me. Vocation is sometimes shrouded in mystery and yet it is the most natural thing in the world. What gifts has God given you? Maybe you're a great administrator (someone has to be) or perhaps you are a genius at making people feel welcome and appreciated. God may have the opportunities that he gives to you every enabled you to run like a gazelle or to day. And you don't do it alone. God gently cook like Gordon Ramsay (but without shapes our lives, like a skilled craftsman the attitude). Whatever gifts God has restoring a great work of art, in the power poured into your life, thank him and use of his Spirit. them. We once knew a couple who bought a I want to tell you about a woman called tatty Victorian terraced house. People were Joyce. She was usually the one who curious to know why they had bought this would spot the newcomer in church and particular house. The reply? "We could see know just how to put them at ease. She how it was intended to be." Gently and would keep the church buzzing by the slowly they reversed the 1960s 'improvements' and reinstated the deep skirting humour in her heart and the smile on her face... and all with a broad Lancastrian boards, the picture rails, the bannister accent. But she once said to the Vicar: "I rails. They revealed the panelled doors and look around on a Sunday morning and unblocked the fire places. Patience. Skill. see people leading the worship or reading or singing with the music group - but person he always intended us to be and he Vision. When God looks at us he sees the I can't do anything." Thank God that the gently restores us, with patience, skill and Vicar was wise enough to point out that vision. Having taken hold of our lives he God had given Joyce such special gifts asks you to be YOU - using his gifts in the that she was the reason many people in place where he has put us. that area found Jesus. And if that's not a great deal he then says You see, when Joyce thought about - "by the way, I'll always be with you." vocation, she thought about people in churchy roles once a week. When God Richard Ormston thinks about vocation He thinks about you... the unique one and only you... with all your quirks... with your special God given gifts... and the place he wants you to use those gifts. He thinks about all Page 1

4 JOIN THE TRAINING COMMUNITY There s something for everyone We believe in lifelong Christcentred learning God hasn t finished with any of us yet! A wide variety of training opportunities is available within the diocese. And if there s something you d like that isn t there yet, we d love to hear from you! Our aim is to meet you where you are and work with you on building for the next stage in your journey whether that s in discipleship, ministry or leadership. If it s a while since you did any studying or training, we understand, and will provide all the support and resources you need to feel confident. You ll also enjoy the fellowship and support of a diverse group of people travelling together, sharing the Bible, Tradition, life experience, prayer and worship. We have a Discipleship Menu of foursession modules, designed to help us review where we are with God and how we can respond and grow in prayer, action and witness. There are also one-off events offering many opportunities to explore your passions and interests, self-awareness and contemporary issues, and wrestle with the challenging aspects of living and working as a Christian in today s world. There are one-year Certificate courses for Children s Leaders, Lay Worship Leaders and Housegroup Leaders. We also run shorter Parish courses and sessions for roles such as Churchwarden, Eucharistic Assistant, Pastoral Visitor, Welcomer. We also have a Pioneer Community and training events for all who are interested in starting new initiatives within the church, and building teams to do this. Our six-session Living Faith modules study the Bible, Mission, Ethics, Pastoral Care, Church History, Christian Belief, Worship, Working with Children, Interfaith Issues. These modules are also part of the Licensed Lay Ministry training course, but you can dip into single modules to get a flavour of the training involved for the ministries of Reader, Lay Pastoral Minister and Licensed Evangelist. The full licensed course also involves a core formational stream of training over two years. We hope, through training, you will experience real growth in your Christian life - growth in confidence in God and yourself. As the Diocesan Training Team, we are here for you! Liz Holdsworth Director of Training For further details, please contact liz.holdsworth@peterborough-diocese.org.uk or the diocesan website: Page 2

5 LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF My name is Revd Jenny Opperman and I am the Diocesan Lay Vocations Officer. I was licensed as an LPM in 2006 and have also subsequently trained as a priest. I was ordained in 2012 and I am passionate about prayer and helping others to make connections for themselves with the gospels. I would be very happy to meet you and have a chat if you are at that point in your spiritual life where you are wondering a) How did I get here? b) What is going on now? c) Where will this all lead? If you are wondering how Jesus s life relates to yours and are beginning to explore how you may respond to God in worship and service to your church community, please speak to your vicar first and then get in touch with me. jenny.opperman@peterborough-diocese.org.uk or by phone on Page 3

6 I m a 22 year old ordinand living and studying in Bristol. I read an interesting article the other day If you could write a letter to yourself 5 years ago, what would you say? I d probably start my letter with something along the lines of: You probably won't believe this but.. - Knowing full well I wouldn t believe it. You see five years ago I was an atheist and a stubborn one at that. Christianity was just another choice in a world full of choices. It was a long way down the list in fact, in the inconceivable section why choose a life of rules and regulations? Of ancient rituals and irrelevant ideologies? There just seemed to be so much more fun on offer in the world. Does God still call the uncallable? I've been hesitant to suggest I was called out of the questionable chaos in FIVE YEARS AGO which I lived, but in hindsight I'm not really sure what other word I would choose. The day I first encountered God started like any other day, but it led to a very different week. I didn't hear a booming voice from the clouds, an angel or a vision. What I did feel was an ineffable sense of peace- a feeling of surety, of clarity and a need to explore. I don't know why I picked the Bible up but I knew I had to, just as I knew I needed to speak to the few Christians I hadn't offended. Few other things occupied my mind that week; family questioned why I was barely eating, friends were confused as to why I had dropped off the face of the planet. I read, I prayed and I questioned - and as each day passed, I began to see how my mind had just been littered with misconceptions. I joined a church and found a family, I couldn't believe how inclusive and welcoming it was. I found leaders talking about making a difference, being a voice of peace and love. What I thought was ancient and out of touch I came to recognise as timeless and relevant. But what Page 4 struck me most was I saw lives transformed, I saw the weak gain strength and the lost find purpose. Then I saw myself, and realised the truth that I was unquestionably both. At that point I remember breaking down and asking simply Why? - Lord what have you called me to? These questions have led me on some great adventures and I've met some fantastic people, but fundamentally I've found a relationship with Jesus, and I've come to understand that is everybody's primary call. In regard to my vocation, I've had three fantastic years exploring leadership within the Church of England through the Diocesan Internship Schemes. Echo and Xpect have unquestionably led me to where I am now, having given me so many opportunities to test and confirm the call to Ordained Ministry which I am now undertaking. So truth be told I wouldn't have seen myself here 5 years ago, but now I have the clarity of knowing I'm exactly where I'm meant to be. Faith is a journey and an adventure, who knows what I will be writing in five years time... Jordan Allen Ordinand

7 WE ALL HAVE GIFTS Reader training with the blessing of our incumbent, Revd. David Lake, in A calling is God s personal, individual invitation to carry out the unique task he has for you I attended an Alpha course and became a Christian in late 2011 and had become more active in Church life at St. Margaret s in Crick. As part of this growth of faith I came to reflect on my life, faith and work as a sport psychologist and God s calling for me. As a result of prayer and discussions, I attended the annual Diocesan calling day in Northampton in autumn 2013 where a series of formal and informal talks were offered about ordination, and a range of lay ministries. Initially, I felt a calling to help with bereavement work (I suffered a significant bereavement when I was 13), and followed this up by enrolling on a bereavement awareness course to train to become a bereavement volunteer counsellor in early A calling is God s personal, individual invitation to carry out the unique task he has for you I had also been advised to talk to a Reader in our benefice about his lay ministry work, and after meeting him and discussing his role (particularly bereavement and funeral ministry) I decided to apply for Page 5 December After an application form and two interviews with a local Reader and Vicar (they were more like informal chats) I attended a Reader selection day at Bouverie Court, Northampton in May This involved a simple five minute presentation on a Bible passage and a couple of interviews that were very informal and just part of the discerning process. Fast forward four months to September and I began Reader training. There was some trepidation on my part; how much workload being the main source of concern. As I write this at the end of the first year, I can reflect that those concerns quickly evaporated. Whilst exploring my calling I came to realise we are called by God according to His purpose, not ours. The Bible says we are all called and we all have gifts. Perhaps lay ministry is your calling too? Brian Hemmings Reader in training

8 GOD HAS BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON ME Are you being called? This has been a very big question for me for quite some time. I was born in Wandsworth, London and after I was married moved to Rushden in I have always felt God has been keeping an eye on me but before I came to St Peter s I hadn t been a regular worshiper since my teens. In 2003 I started working for a Christian charity (Spurgeons) and suddenly the door was opened to be able to express and investigate my spirituality. Monday morning devotions were a new experience for me and staff were encouraged to take the lead, so I took my turn. One of my colleagues invited me to St Peter s church. I know this is a cliché, but it s true, when I started worshiping there I felt I had come home. After a while I was invited to be part of the Pastoral Ministry and Prayer Ministry teams and before long I was asked if I had ever considered Lay Pastoral Ministry. My work at Spurgeons was of a pastoral nature and I felt drawn to this ministry, so I applied and was accepted. However, after much debate and thought I withdrew my application I got cold feet, I felt I was too new and was worried my family and friends would not be supportive. 3 years went by, I retired from Spurgeons and my Christian life continued to grow. Through taking part in the Fresh Expressions course I Page 6 started a Knit, Craft and Chat group at St Peter s. However, I kept having this niggle at the back of my mind about re-applying for LPM, and came to realise that in a way I was already doing this ministry. I kept getting God nudges, like the night I looked up and saw a huge cross in the sky, OK it was jet stream, but to me it was a sign; and the time I felt a push in my back during a Sunday service but no one was there; but I think crunch time came when someone mentioned how pride had stood in his way and he saw that he would have to go down a certain path, now that really spoke to me. I had to admit to myself that this feeling of being called to ministry just wasn t going away. So I talked to my family and my Rector about my feelings. My name was put forward once more and I was again accepted on the course. Despite my previous concerns, my family and friends are wholly supportive. My first year s training is completed and I can truly say that this has been one of the most demanding, revealing, thought provoking, exciting and rewarding years of my life. Everyone on the course is so encouraging and I am looking forward to my second year and to where God will be calling me in the future. Jean Bowerman Lay Pastoral Minister in training

9 THE THUNDERBOLT AWAKENING I ve been a member of St Mary s Church in Peterborough for the past 18 years but my association with St Mary s goes back 36 years, as I ve been a bellringer there since On reflection my journey of faith started around 20 years ago when three significant things happened and each one made a significant difference. However, it wasn't until the last event that truly affirmed to me that this was a God thing. There is something very symbolic as Christians when things happen in threes. I now believe it's God nudging us when we hadn't given due credence on the first and second occurrence and he finally sends the thunderbolt awakening! Now all 3 instances relate to our children. Gillie, my wife, and I have 3 boys and each surrounding the events either leading up to or following the birth and we believe God had a significant hand in healing. There is something very symbolic as Christians when things happen in threes Then about 8 years ago, we had been going to New Wine for a few years and God said to me through David Pytches (NW co-founder) to follow your Evangelistic mission and I knew that ultimately I couldn t ignore that message. Admittedly it still took me another 6 years to follow through (a bloke thing by being slow to react) but before attending the Are You Being Called Day in November different people at St Mary s all said to me on the Page 7 Andrew Christie Licensed Evangelist in training same day that I should explore further. As I recognise the significance of threes how could I say no? The vocations day was excellent as I went to explore about Licensed Evangelist training but it also gave a great insight into other vocations. The follow up discussions and meeting with other likeminded folk was beneficial and helped affirm my decision. I was open to critical feedback but doors were opened and I ve fully enjoyed studying with my fellow cohort members. These are made up of folk studying to be Readers, Lay Pastoral Ministers and those exploring ordained ministry and I m the sole Evangelist in training in this year group. We ve built strong friendships on this first year of the two year course. I believe that God wants church to be relational and for us all to play a role in making it so. I ve enjoyed taking steps into the unknown and being challenged with the studying. I m also open to see where this journey will lead.

10 My name is Keri Morrow and I live in Peterborough with Alan, my husband, and my three sons, I currently work in the NHS as a speech and language therapist. We worship at Werrington parish church, and, as you read this, I will have just started my first year of Ordination training on a part time basis with ERMC. I always wanted to be a speech and language therapist even from the age of 14, and so a career change was never a plan of mine, and if anyone had asked what alternative job I may have done instead of speech therapy, I would have replied an archaeologist! Certainly not a vicar, that role was for other people. My first sense of calling came on Christmas Eve 2008, when I attended a service at our village parish church. I remember standing and looking down the central aisle looking at the altar daydreaming, when I felt a deep sense of God saying I have called you to this. That certainly woke me up from my daydream! I didn`t act on this calling immediately, and began to think more seriously about it in 2010 when we Baptised our third son. My Vicar was very encouraging and wanted me to explore things further, and so I attended the diocesan are you being called day. I think that back then, I knew that God was leading me forward into exploring ordination, but in all honesty, fear and uncertainty held me back. Fear of change, and what it might mean to my family, and uncertainty over what the ONE STEP AT A TIME Keri Morrow Ordinand future may look like. Through all of that emotion, the deep sense that I was being drawn into something new remained, and continued to grow. Every sermon I heard, verses from the Bible and things that friends would say just confirmed my feeling that this was indeed God speaking, and it was not going away. I began writing all of these things down in a journal, which really helped me make sense of what I think God was saying. In 2012 I met the DDO and began the formal process of discernment. It was during this time that a family crisis hit, and so I spent longer in the formal part of the discernment process. I also battled with continued fear, which I ultimately took to God in prayer, and He enabled me to have the courage to move forward. Throughout this process I have learned that God only asks us to follow Him one step at a time even small steps if necessary! I felt a deep sense of God saying I have called you to this. That certainly woke me up from my daydream! Page 8

11 PASSION FOR THE WORLD Last summer, I went to the Soul Survivor Christian festival with the youth group from the church I belong to in Wellingborough. Like any time of focussed attention on what it is to know and live for the Lord, there were moments of great intensity. Perhaps you have experienced something similar on a retreat, if your church has gone for a weekend away, or a pilgrimage, a Cursillo, at Walsingham, New Wine, Spring Harvest and the like. In one meeting in the great big tent that passed for the main meeting area, I was struck by the sight of thousands of young people singing songs looking forward to eternity. I remember at one point thinking that to an outside observer this could look like a really sad sight. So many young people seemingly wishing their lives away so soon, full of longing for the life to come. Our worship should indeed lift us to see with a renewed, divine perspective but it is not to be an escapist activity. That, however, is not what really was going on in that big tent. Rather, here were young people on fire for life, in love with the world, because their hearts were on fire with love for God. Life with an ultimate meaning and a goal led to lives looking for a present purpose and a direction, producing young people with a passion for the world. What preoccupies your prayers? What outside concerns distract your worship on a regular basis? Have you ever had a moment when it felt as if that line in a hymn or a passage in a reading, or the content of the sermon was just for you, as if the world stopped turning for a moment what was that about? There is much we can do (and which is tremendously helpful) to develop our experience and knowledge of Jesus, and to discern our gifts and talents for service in His name. But let us also allow our prayer and worship to lift our vision beyond what we might immediately see - for our imagination to be captured and our own plans arrested, so in our lives we seek first the kingdom (Matt 6:33). For somewhere amidst all this lies not only the desires of our heart, but the call of the Lord. Revd Canon Steve Benoy Diocesan Director of Ordinands Worship that leads us to deeply encounter the Lord leads us to deeply encounter the world the Lord loves. Is this not at the root of Isiah s call, whose vision of the holiness of God and the worship of heaven leads him to an overwhelming sense of God s mercy and so also God s compassion Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:1-8) Page 9

12 ARE YOU BEING CALLED? WHO TO CONTACT FOR ORDAINED MINISTRY: The Revd Canon Steve Benoy Diocesan Director of Ordinands FOR LAY MINISTRY: The Revd Jenny Opperman Lay Vocations Officer Bouverie Court 6 The Lakes Bedford Road Northampton NN4 7YD You will also find plenty of information on our website at: Page 10