November

24/11/10

My first assignment was submitted today!  On time!  Now I must just sit back and wait for it to be marked. I have stacked up all the books on Karl Barth that have dominated my life for the last 8 weeks and returned those on loan.  (can you hear the relief?!) 
It has been a really challenging module and I've learnt more about Barth than I ever thought I'd need to but what I mostly know is that I don't know much!
Onward and upwards... my next module has already begun; "Exegesis, Ethics and Historicity in Hebrew Scripture".  

... And I need to write my sermon for Sunday...

10/11/10
I'm in Belfast with work. Being in Northern Ireland always feels to me like coming home. I lived here for a while as a child and being here is full of memories. On Sunday I am going to meet an old friend. Leanne and I went to church and school together but I havent seen her for 25 years. She is one of several members of our Sunday School group who are now in full time Christian ministry. I thank God for those leaders whose care and teaching so blessed us.


05/11/10
Well this has been not quite the week I'd planned. I've been ill all week and had to cancel all my appointments at work. In fact I have spent much of the week in bed. A bit of enforced rest has given me some space to just be, which now that I am recovering, I am better able to appreciate.  I have even allowed myself the luxury of reading a novel!

October

26/10/10

I had a great weekend at college.  It was a really good way to end a really bad week. My &Co group lead worship and everything went smoothly much to our relief!  The theme of the weekend was “The Hebrew Scriptures” and we did a bit of a crash course through the Old Testament, including a whole group dramatised reading of the book of Ruth and reflections of how Psalms are used in worship in different Christian traditions.  We were challenged to grapple with the texts in new ways, and I have set myself a target to learn some of the Psalms by heart. 

21/10/10

It is hard to know what to say this week.  It has been a tough week for all kinds of reasons.  Work has been busy and stressful.  A number of unexpected or urgent pieces of work have landed on my desk and as a result my study time has been squeezed out.  I’m off to college again this weekend and then I have 3 days to catch up on some study – I think TOIL is an appropriate phrase in this case!

On a brighter note, I’m really excited about one of the pieces of work I have on at the moment.  Along with 3 colleagues I am working on a new book about Baptism.  It’s great to have the opportunity to talk through all sorts of aspects of preparing for Baptism and a huge privilege to be asked to contribute to the book. 

17/10/10

I had my first visit to St Mary’s Junior Church today.  It was great to be with the Adventures as we explored together some of the things that make for a good church.  We thought about Psalm 122 and the Psalmist who said ‘I was glad when they said to me “Let us go up to the house of the Lord”.’ and shared our thoughts and feelings about being in church.  We are blessed to have so many children growing in faith alongside us.  I am constantly reminded that, though I may be a theology graduate and an Ordinand, I have as much to learn about God and faith from them as they have from me. 

13/10/10
Studying part time on top of an already busy job is challenging.  The next few weeks are going to be busy. This week I am on my way to a 3 day meeting of the national Synods of the United Reformed and Methodist Churches followed by a regional Synod meeting, next week I will be at a conference and then at college again.  Please pray for me, for the presentations I have to make for work and for the time and concentration to study. 

Next weekend at STETS my “&Co” group is responsible for planning and leading the Sunday Morning Eucharist.  It’s quite a scary thing to plan worship for your lecturers and peers, although thankfully we don’t have to preach!  Please pray for us as we work together on this.

11/10/10
Last Saturday was presentation day at college and all students from all 3+ year groups gathered with those receiving their awards. Most of them have just been ordained and for us newbies it was great to see that there is life after STETS.  Alastair McGrath gave the key note speech (superbly and without notes!) and spoke about the need for us to communicate our faith clearly in ways that make sense to people – much to the amusement of some of my year who are struggling through his Reader on Christian Theology for their first module!

I am still grappling with Barth.  One of the most prolific and influencial theologians of his time, he is not always (ever?!) easy to understand. His work on Dogmatics spans 13 hefty volumes of complicated theology (and he was still writing when he died aged 87), but when asked by a reporter to sum up all he had written, he responded by quoting a well known hymn for children; “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”.  Now If only I could be that succinct in my essay...

03/10/10
Perhaps the easiest way to explain STETS training for ministry is to think of it as studying two complimentary and simultaneous courses, the academic and the formational.  The formational aspects are about structuring your life for a ministry rooted in prayer and Bible study, and developing your practical  skills in pastoral care and preaching etc.  These are split between class room study on STETS weekends, guided reading and things that I do in the Church.  The academic course varies from person to person but I am studying for an MA in “Theology for Mission and Ministry”.  It is mostly independent study.  For my first module I am studying a theologian called Karl Barth – arguably one of the most influential Christian thinkers of 20th Century.  I have over 600 pages of text to read (and understand!) in the next few weeks  ... wish me luck.