It dawned on me this term, that this academic year will be a year of ‘lasts’: last Foundation Day, last Christmas Party, last Christmas when I won’t be required to work… it’s a weird sensation, knowing that the days are counting down to leaving College and getting ordained… whilst also trying really hard not to count down the days until leaving College and getting ordained. There still feels like there is a lot left to do, but also some significant things have been ticked off.
So, lets start with the things ticked off the list… though now everything I have done so far this year seems to have escaped my brain…
The biggest thing is that my curacy is sorted, and announced, so barring something going disastrously wrong I will start following my ordination to the diaconate (I think I’m supposed to add a God-willing in there somewhere but that seems a little cliche these days). I will be serving my title post as Assistant Curate in the Parishes of Holy Trinity, Prestwood and St Mary Magdalene, Great Hampden. I’m returning to the Diocese of Oxford, but this time to Buckinghamshire, an area of the Diocese I have no experience of. I’m looking forward to getting started, though terrified in equal measures (which is healthy so I’m not concerned about that). I have more connections to the parishes than I realised, with links coming out of the woodwork both before and after announcement. So a part of the country I thought I knew nothing about, suddenly became very well connected. I was also very pleased when I learnt it came with a property, that’s one less thing to worry about. You can read the announcement here: https://www.htprestwood.org.uk/index.php/notices2/item/2146-kayleigh-joins-the-team-in-july
I had an absolutely amazing time at the Lambeth Conference, it was intense – both due to the nature of the placement and the conversations surrounding the calls, but it was a privilege to be there and experience everything. I even managed to kick up enough of a fuss (politely of course) about how it was great there were so many female bishops present… just a shame none of them were presiding at a mass. Some how this got passed up to the ABC and The Most Reverend Linda Nicholls, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, was invited to concelebrate at the Closing Service in Canterbury Cathedral alongside The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It was a lovely service, with them both celebrating in their native language… you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/2qLY7b3DyxY?feature=share&t=3171. You may even see a familiar face during the intercessions…
I also had an amazing time on placement at St Thomas Kensal Town, joining with them for a weekend during the Notting Hill Carnival. It was my first experience of Carnival, and an intense few days, but equally rewarding. It was a great opportunity to see mission carried out in a different environment. Opening the doors of the church and welcoming in the revellers, rather than boarding up and hiding away. Oh and we got to do some dressing up too..
With 5 months left until the end of college, there are still some major things left to sort out. Passing my driving test is the first… and I look forward to the freedom that this will bring. Finishing the last few modules and the associated assignments. And the dissertation!! I’ve just submitted the first draft of Chapter 1 to my supervisor for notes, so I am on track to get a first draft complete hopefully by the end of January. I’m already over my predicted word count for chapter 1… but that’s a problem for another day.
Modules this year are:
Islam and Christian-Muslim Engagement
Christian Faith and Ethical Living
Conflict Transformation in the Church
Christian Doctrine in Focus
Preaching
Preparing for Public Ministry
The College is smaller again this year, with only 14 students. This creates its own challenges, with less people to do the same amount of tasks. It’s not always easy, but for those well versed in parish life we all know that it doesn’t really matter how big the congregation is… it will always be the same small group that seem to do all the work!!
I hope the rest of Advent is able to be as solemn as it should be, and that you have a very Merry Christmas when it finally arrives.
xxxx
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