New job - continuing vision

I started a new job on July 1st.  I am now responsible for curate training, still in the Oxford Diocese.

The Bishop of Oxford recently wrote to the diocesan clergy that ministry in this diocese, as in many, I guess, will need to be re-imagined in the light of the expected 'bulge' in stipendiary clergy retirement over the next few years.

I often wonder why it is that locally deployed parish focused associate clergy aren't clearly in the frame when we think about ministry in the future.  These people, particularly if they are formed as mission-minded ministers (as I hope that the 100 or so ordinands I have seen through to ordination on this and the earlier OLM track in this diocese were), are a huge resource to local churches.

In my mind, as I worked with them, I held (and hope that I communicated) a vision for them to be missional leaders in their local parishes, working with a team, and having a heart for initiating and leading new congregations. I know of several who have responded to this call from God, although I am concerned that  such initiatives may be curtailed somewhat if a new vicar is appointed who does not see the potential, or who perhaps feels threatened by colleagues who are 'apostolic' in this way.


I am looking forward to plenty of opportunities in my new role to encourage our curates, whether they are paid or voluntaryand self-supporting, nationally or locally deployed, to be open to new ways of thinking about mission and ministry.

New media training day

Our department at work are having a day learning about using facebook, twitter, blogs etc. I haven't tried twitter yet - I can't quite see how it could be useful in my work.

One question was about the way that some people can't access the new media as they can't afford or get broadband. My colleague said that this meant that there were 'pools of privilege' which had the effect of disenfranchising those who aren't broadband enabled. So this means that rather than being a way of flattening society and getting rid of hierarchies, the 'flat society' is limited to those who have rapid online access.

My sister is a farmer in deeply rural Herefordshire.  She can't get broadband, and if she could, wouldn't necessarily be able to afford it.  So her ability to communicate by anything but her mobile phone is stricly limited. When will things change?!!!

Designing our 3rd garden

After being at our new house for a year, we have had our garden (very steep, falls towards a stream) landscaped. Unfortunately, we didn't employ landscape gardeners, but a local builder instead. That has meant that we have had to do the gardening bit by ourselves, and to do that we are digging out 14 terraces which the builders filled with rubble and lumps of granite hardcore when they constructed the terrace walls of recycled railway sleepers. All good fun, if backbreaking!

It does get me in touch with nature - there is a friendly robin and a blackbird, both of whom wait till we finish work and dive down on the worms which we are bringing to the surface.

Doing this rather penitential task in Lent reminded me of the way in which the Holy Spirit works (if we are open to God working in us this way).  I find myself praying as I dig, "Lord, what are the hard lumps in my life that you want to 'dig' out?" How can I become good gound for you to cultivate? I am reminded of Hosea 10.12 - a hard verse, especially in context, and the parable of the sower.