Anyone up for a chat thread?

[Julian of Norwich]

What will you do in the meantime, just twiddle your thumbs and Shelter-in-place?

 

[Paidiske]

I might be able to pick up some locum work, although that's fairly uncertain at this point.

Apart from that, though, my bishop told me to use the time for professional development; so I'm trying to work out how best to do that. (That's a lot of time for professional development!)

 

[Julian of Norwich]

What's locum work and what is "professional development" for a priest?

(And what does the latin under your name say?)

 

[Paidiske]

Locum work is when you fill in for another priest who is sick or on leave. Usually it's fairly light duties; you take services and respond to any pastoral crises, but don't do everything their regular priest would do. I've never done that kind of work before, but if it's the only work available during the pandemic...

Professional development is basically anything aimed at helping you to do better in your work. It could be as simple as reading a relevant book; but - for example - I've booked in to do a mental health first aid course, and I'm considering doing a formal unit of Biblical studies (in the wisdom literature). I'm also looking at improving some of my IT skills, because that's a bit of a gap for me.

"Clara bonam audax" was my attempt to render "bright valour" into Latin (Latin having no precise equivalent for "valour," I had to combine the two words for goodness and boldness to approximate it). I chose it at a point where I was having a rough time, and I wanted to remember what I aspire to be.

 

[Julian of Norwich]

I'm trying to remember what locum work is referred to here (west coast, US).

As far as professional development - are college classes open at the moment there (or is that the work on Bible studies/mental health first aid that you referred to )? Even tho' K-12 aren't open, colleges/Univ are open(but many are working online - I live in subsidized housing that the Univ here also uses and the students here still go to classes).

 

[Paidiske]

Schools have just gone back here. Universities are operating online only, as far as I know. There's a question over whether there might be classes held in person next semester (which is why I haven't booked in the unit on wisdom literature yet, because I'm not sure about which mode it will be in).

Other things are hit and miss. The theological library I have access to is doing a click-and-collect service; so I can get books, but I can't go in and use the databases or anything like that.

 

[Julian of Norwich]

This is the perfect time to up your IT skills (and I wouldn't be surprised if they're needed after the pandemic now - unfortunately, I think, people have gotten used to online everything and won't want to return to being "normal").

 

[Paidiske]

Well, yes. And sadly I didn't go into the pandemic with amazing IT skills to start with; I was at school long enough ago that learning to touch type was considered important, but understanding (for example) how to create a website wasn't!

 

[Shane R]

I'm trying to remember what locum work is referred to here (west coast, US).

I'm on the opposite coast but we call it 'supply.'

 

[Julian of Norwich]

I'm on the opposite coast but we call it 'supply.'

Yep! That's what I've heard here, too.

 

[Julian of Norwich]

Well, yes. And sadly I didn't go into the pandemic with amazing IT skills to start with; I was at school long enough ago that learning to touch type was considered important, but understanding (for example) how to create a website wasn't!

Well, I think that even if they don't call it touch-typing anymore, they do teach a lot of keyboarding - so same thing. You might like it!

 

[Arcangl86]

'supply' doesn't quite cover it, but yeah that's probably the closest.

 

[Shane R]

There is a mission that I seem to be hit or miss with supplying. It is called St. Thomas and is just under an hour from my house. I have accepted an appointment to supply them 3 times and only made it once. The first time turned out to fall on the Sunday after my wife died and the bishop forbade me to go. The second time was Advent 4 last year and that's the one I kept. The third was supposed to be in March and they were shut down and canceled me due to Coronavirus restrictions. All of the places I supply are somewhat remote and they always give me a big sack of lunch as I leave. I think of it as a throwback to the days of circuit riders being paid with chickens and produce and such.

 

[seeking.IAM]

Shane, one does not have to go back that far historically. When I was a child, my father was appointed to serve a rural Methodist church while still a seminarian. (He had previously been a Wesleyan pastor not requiring seminary so maybe they turned him loose early?). I can remember we got partial payment in chickens, a side of beef and vegetables in season. I didn't much care for it when the chickens were delivered live and dad did the rest himself in the back yard. Be glad for the sack lunches!

 

[Julian of Norwich]

Paidiske, I've recently moved towns and after CV has settled down, plan on going to a certain Anglican parish that is right up my alley (well, probably not as High Church as I'd prefer, but I don't think I'll find that in this part of the world). They are both traditional while keeping a very loving demeanor - I feel that's Christian. One thing that confuses me is that they do have a female priest, which I'm not generally comfortable with, but I do want to keep an open (not heterodox tho') mind. If you would, please, explain what all and through what, you came to decide that this is what He wanted. I am aware of Galatians 3:28, however I also know that men and women inhabit, in areas I don't fully understand, different roles (ex. - men can't get pregnant/bear children even tho' men can be marvelous fathers), so there may be spiritual differences that I'm not aware of - I know, of course, that women are as (possibly more, in some situations?) intelligent and capable as men and that outward physiology has no bearing on this subject. I would be interested in hearing your journey - convince me! (It would probably be interesting to many others, so I imagine a thread on the main STR forum might be a good idea.?)

 

[Paidiske]

Thank you for being open and willing to listen.

I think, though, that if I'm going to talk about my very personal journey, I'd rather do it in a forum where that can't be directly discredited or attacked, so I'll start a thread in the Egalitarian forum rather than in STR. And maybe ask other ordained women to share their journeys too?

(Not that I think you would be discrediting or attacking, but that it's tiresomely regular for people to accuse ordained women of being deluded, rebellious, etc etc, and if I'm sharing my heart I'd just rather not have any of that, if you know what I mean!)

Also, I'm about to have a long and very busy day, and that's not a five-second post, so it might be quite late today or tomorrow before I get to it!

 

[Julian of Norwich]

Thank you for being open and willing to listen.

I think, though, that if I'm going to talk about my very personal journey, I'd rather do it in a forum where that can't be directly discredited or attacked, so I'll start a thread in the Egalitarian forum rather than in STR. And maybe ask other ordained women to share their journeys too?

(Not that I think you would be discrediting or attacking, but that it's tiresomely regular for people to accuse ordained women of being deluded, rebellious, etc etc, and if I'm sharing my heart I'd just rather not have any of that, if you know what I mean!)

Also, I'm about to have a long and very busy day, and that's not a five-second post, so it might be quite late today or tomorrow before I get to it!

Totally understood. And posting in the Egalitarian forum makes all sorts of sense, too. I just see it as a favor to me and do appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[Paidiske]

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come back to this; as you can probably tell, I've been rather distracted with other things. But I've started the thread, and hopefully others will contribute; it is here: Vocation stories

 

[Julian of Norwich]

Thank you so. It's helpful.

 

[Paidiske]

Do feel free to ask if there are things about that that you'd like to know about, that I haven't covered.