Answers to the second question

2.Reflecting upon your observation of two distinctive ministries (either observed ministry may have been a collaborative one, i.e. the work of a team, or that of an individual),  

i.In respect of the order of ministry for which you are a candidate. 

Explain

a.Which aspect of the ministry most interested you and why?  (150 words approx).

Presbyters get to meet many people at very different stages of their faith journeys and life journeys, and can enable those people they meet and encourage them to use their gifts helping them to grow in discipleship.

          It’s not the same job each week, infact every day is different and can be filled with a huge variety of things that need doing, different challenges and different ways of working. Underneath it all though there is a definite rhythm, and it is working within that rhythm that interests me most. The rhythm of God’s world, the Seasons and liturgical calendar, and how to combine those rhythms with the rhythm of life – Birth, Infancy, Baptism, Childhood, adolescence, Confirmation, young adulthood, Communion, adulthood, Marriage, old age and Death.

2.i.b Which aspect of the ministry most challenged you and tested you sense of call?(150 words)

Church Council, and other meetings would probably one of my biggest dreads of becoming a presbyter. I find the business side of church difficult, especially when people become preoccupied with detail of things that will never advance God’s Kingdom here on earth. During my foundation training I have been working on how I will cope when teaspoon counting becomes the church’s priority, not mission. This is when I feel least called to be a presbyter I discussed my worries both during my Presbyteral placement and with other Ministers on different placements who assured me that church meetings would end up being different from others I have attended because church council runs from the lead of the minister. I felt slightly better, having now witnessed many other meetings on placements run by different people and seen what a huge difference that can make but I know this is an area that I will need to work on

2.i.c .which aspects of the ministry confirmed your sense of call to it

During my Presbyteral placement, I was privileged to be able to share time with three different Presbyters doing different jobs in very different areas. It was very busy and I quickly got caught up in the buzz and excitement of the everyday, ever changing job. Fortunately I was also able to spend time quietly talking and reflecting with each of them about their jobs their calling and the changing role of Presbyteral ministers in a changing world. During my three placements I attended six communion services, one wedding, one baptism and one funeral, I even attended a deacons meeting at which communion was shared. Was this a coincidence? Or was it what I believe, a gentle but much needed nudge from God that it is the role of a Pioneer Presbyter that He is calling me.