Today's the day!!

Well here it is, the morning of the Connexional Interviews. It was very unlike me but I woke at 5 this morning (maybe my body is a bit nervous!!) and I still feel strangely calm. Much better than I did on the day of the district interview. Whatever happens over the next two days I am at least assured of a mountain of prayers to sustain me - thank you all x 

one left

Sunday and it's the day before the interviews. I have been overwhelmed  with the messages and love shown by so many. This mornings service at Hailsham was incredibly affirming, and the last thing on my "to do" list before "panic about candidating" but actually I am feeling surprisingly calm about the whole process.

3, 2, 1 we have lift off!

Three days to go - I can definitely feel the stress levels rising. I have finished Sunday's service and the presentation for the interview (but will probably fiddle with that till I am ready to go!)It is so lovely to have heard from so many people that they are thinking of me and remembering me in their prayers( Catholic prayers from Kate added to the list today!!), I do feel very supported and uplifted. But I knew today as I cleaned the cooker that the nerves had indeed set in!!(apart from when we moved house, the last time i willingly cleaned the oven was the day before my one-to-one foundation training interview!!) I have become very aware of God's presence and marvelous hand holding ability and hope to cling to that throughout the weekend

Six days

The two outfits for the interview are complete - I haven't done that much shopping for me since I was a teenager it was quite fun really. So day one black trousers, with black top, black shoes and Mum's cream black and red scarf and my black wedding anniversary cross. Day two blue trousers, cream shoes, blue top, cream and blue scarf and silver birthday cross. I'm not sure what it says about me, if anything, or whether it's just because smart isn't really my thing but I feel much better now that's settled, not worried about the presentation not quite being finished - which you would think would be slightly more important!! I think the lunch with James helped to sort a few things out, he's such a calming influence, and the chat with Rob helped too (got proper Anglican cathedral prayers lined up for Monday and Tuesday!! Ha Ha :-) ) Service for Sunday first job of tomorrow, then the finishing up of "the" presentation.

There are just seven days till the Connexional interview (I feel a somewhat stressed week approaching!!) - I think I am on the way to working out what to wear on each day - definitely one outfit is settled, thanks Mum, Hana and Keith for advice, loans of things and help. Hopefully by tomorrow outfit number two will be settled and then I can stop worrying about them and get on with the presentation. Got a busy week to keep me occupied - Back to college Tuesday to start the final module of this year. Off to work Thursday. Out for pre-interview lunch with James, to chat through some stuff and help calm me down!! (Ha Ha!) Service to prepare for Sunday and the dreaded presentation for the interview to be done. That lot should keep me out of mischief.

Resource list

I have finally made the decisions:

Theological book - I am Somewhere Else - Barbara Glasson

Non Theological book - Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Film or Theatrical performance - Grease

Exhibition, display or cultural event - Beyond Church stations of the Cross - Brighton.

I am now finding it hard to believe the interview is only two weeks away - I still have two services and two essays to get finished, before I start on the Hymn book presentation. 

Some good news though, today I finished my Lent faithbook - 60 hours of Reflection and a beautiful book to show for it  - much better than giving something up for Lent.

What needs to be done

I thought it would be good to write some of what needs to be done at the connexional interviews - to make it clearer to me as much as anything. I have to attend for a 24 hour cycle from 2pm Monday 27th April till 2pm Tuesday 28th. During this time there are three different processes:

Triangle interviews (20 minutes each) three interviews each with two members of the panel

The first looks at spirituality and being in relationship - with God , self and others this panel will have read the reports on my preaching!

The second looks at 'The Church's Ministry in God's World'

The third asks for a list of

 - A theological book

 - A non-theological book

 - A film or theatrical performance

 - An exhibition, display or cultural event

which have been significant to me and apparently I will be asked to talk about one of these (details to follow when I have decided!!)

Then there is a group exercise in collaboration and decision making - instructions will be given on the day!

Finally I have to give a 5 minute presentation about a hymn (choice of three) and whether it should or should not be included in the new Methodist hymnbook and why - face questions on my presentation and a general interview with about eight people.

In between this there appears to be time for worship, food and possibly some time for reflection.

All this takes place in the beautiful setting of the All Saints Pastoral Centre -  London Colney.

Connexional Committee

Well, today I went out for coffee with a dear friend and we chatted about the District interviews and about any lasting scars either of us were still carrying and I came home to discover my call up papers had arrived. My presence is requested on the first day the committee sits - Monday 27th April so not as long to wait as some people only three weeks to go but the longest wait until the results come out - maybe I could do with a lesson in how to wait patiently without biting everyone's head off!! It is good news really because I would have hated it to clash with Kate's birthday or our weekend in Skegness with the family.