Anyone up for a chat thread?

Shane R · Apr 15, 2019

Here's one I bet most haven't seen before: yesterday, as the Rector preached, a wasp landed on his Canterbury cap and stayed perched up there until he had concluded and stepped down from the pulpit to read the Offertory sentences. He was totally oblivious but the crucifer and organist, who were sitting somewhat behind him, saw it happen and the people on the front pews (yes, we actually have folks that sit in the front!) were staring with terrified expressions.

Paidiske · Apr 15, 2019

Poor man! He was probably convinced they were listening to his sermon with great intensity!

Philip_B · May 3, 2019

I laughed this morning when the presenter on morning TV announced that it was Star Wars Day and then said 'May the 4th be with you' and the co-host I think revealed some Anglican roots when she simply in auto dialogue replied 'and also with you'.

Paidiske · May 3, 2019

I've had two weeks' leave, and I really don't feel like going back to work tomorrow. Sigh.

Shane R · May 8, 2019

I had a lesson in sermon writing a couple of weeks ago. The rector had let himself get overly submerged in academics and wrote a sermon which amounted to a diatribe about Rudolf Bultmann and Albert Schweitzer. I sat there in choir listening and thought to myself, there are probably three people in here who know what you are talking about. I've got the sermon this week.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do.

Interesting moment in parish council this evening; I had mentioned, in passing, the possibility of having a theological student on field placement in the parish. And I was surprised that parish council didn't seem entirely keen on the prospect, and seemed to doubt whether that was something that would benefit either the parish or the student. I thought it would be a very positive thing...

Philip_B · May 8, 2019

Paidiske said:
Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do.

Interesting moment in parish council this evening; I had mentioned, in passing, the possibility of having a theological student on field placement in the parish. And I was surprised that parish council didn't seem entirely keen on the prospect, and seemed to doubt whether that was something that would benefit either the parish or the student. I thought it would be a very positive thing...

That may be because not all theological students are 'clara bonam audax', and not all theological students preaching is 'clara bonam audax', and it may be their way of telling you that they like your preaching.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

That's a nice thought, Philip, but I think it's probably more than that, from the conversation we had.

Arcangl86 · May 8, 2019

I wonder if perhaps they don't feel like they should have to do part of the training for this person that is only going to be there a short time.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

That might be part of it. But there was this almost odd thing of, "We're a small parish, we don't have a lot happening, what would a student do here?" And I was like, "Become acquainted with the reality of ministry in most parishes, which are small and struggling for survival!"

It's not as if there's nothing for a student to do. My goodness, I have a long list of things...!

Arcangl86 · May 8, 2019

See that's off to me. If I was in a small parish I would be thrilled of the idea of having another staff member, one that could maybe help with evangelistic efforts to try to make sure it didn't remain a small parish.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

Well... parishes do need to realise that the purpose of a placement is to foster the student's learning, not to be a staff person for the parish. But that doesn't mean it's not helpful to have that person around for however many hours a week (not more than twelve, unless things have changed since I was a student).

But from my point of view, even the fact that you have another person, maybe their spouse or family, someone with a fresh perspective and a different voice, is in and of itself a good thing!

Arcangl86 · May 8, 2019

I think it's a both and sort of thing. Yes they are students and they are primarily there to learn. But at the same time, if you aren't using them for practical purposes, then you aren't really preparing them.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

Sure. But I think it's important to remember that the point is about their learning needs, not about what the parish can use them for.

seeking.IAM · May 8, 2019

Might they be worrying about what they would be giving up of your time for you to help train another?

I have supervised clinical interns. Done right, it is a time commitment.

Paidiske · May 8, 2019

Maybe, although they didn't put it that way. (And it is a time commitment; but it can be a give and take, too. If I put time into supervision but can send the student out to do nursing home services, for example, the balance sheet on my time might come out not far behind).

Shane R · May 10, 2019

In the continuing churches summer intensive seminars are quite common. We had a student two summers ago. The man was probably near to sixty years old and was on the last semester of seminary. His academic preparation was essentially complete. But we got him into the parish setting and he couldn't DO anything. There was something being lost in translation from having seen the service hundreds of times to standing behind the rail to lead parts of it.

My experience is that people from parishes that are primarily using the American Missal in their worship struggle with this disconnect much more than those who are in the BCP every week. It's as if they don't know exactly where they are in the course of the service and what's coming next. The services are not that different but the Missal service can be thought of as an amplification of what's in the BCP - which I think makes it functionally easier to follow; there's a lot more red type on the page.

Paidiske · May 10, 2019

I think that mental shift, from "I'm just here participating in the liturgy as it comes," to "I know where I am, what's going to happen next, what I need to do to keep everything moving" takes time, honestly.

I know in my first field placement I was on such a steep learning curve I didn't get anywhere past just doing what I was told. At the end of that year I got a job as a verger, and that's where it started to click for me, because now I was responsible for making things happen and had to think and plan ahead and know what I was doing.

Of course, some of our students are coming from parishes which... ah... sit lightly to a prayer book tradition, so that is a whole other level of challenge, too.

Shane R · May 29, 2019

Well, I've been asked to move to Canada. The parish that would have me has asked me to come for ten days so we can feel each other out and I can see what their region is all about. This is pretty exciting to me. My two girls are also excited by this opportunity.

Paidiske · May 29, 2019

I hope that the path forward is easy to discern, for you and the people there, Shane.

Was part of a fascinating conversation yesterday. The archbishop gathered (most of) the clergy of our archdeaconry, and then asked us what we thought God was calling the Anglican church in our city to be, by the year 2030. Normally we're each so focussed on our own parish, our own little community, that to be invited to reflect on our part in the bigger picture was a really good thing to do.

Anyone up for a chat thread?

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