It’s been a while since I have written an update on my team at theological college. I had intended to write something over the Christmas break but, for a number of reasons, this didn’t happen. Then I had hoped to write as the Lent Term started but honestly I’ve been in a bit of a ‘meh’ mood. This is partly due to current lockdown and also due to an injury after a fall on the ice that makes sitting down a challenge (just what you need when you are trying to study!!). After Monday’s announcement mapping our route out of lockdown things have started to look a bit brighter and I feel like I can start actually making plans that may actually happen. This was helped further when I received the text inviting me for COVID vaccination (I have asthma if you’re wondering why I can get it).
The Advent Term ended rather unremarkably, with the College dispersing to finish our final two weeks online, in line with the Government’s ‘Uni Evacuation Plan’. We left not realising that we would not be regathering for the start of the Lent Term, at this point we don’t know when we will be regathering. Things were busy trying to get things finished that needed to happen whilst we were all in person and most importantly whilst we still had access to the library with two essays to get finished. The then sudden lack of activity for the last two weeks was a bit of a shock to the system!
Christmas came and went with most of the usual activity, starting Christmas morning with a 5k on Exmouth Beach followed by an ice cream! It was just Mum and I so we decided to set no timings or expectations, meaning ‘real’ breakfast was at 11am once we got back and lunch was whenever it was ready.
On New Year’s Day we had a Zoom Games Night with family. Trying to put a fun take on a quiz, we included building a Lego model without the image or instructions, charades and Pictionary. It was fun to catch up, even if virtually.
Then the third lockdown was announced and I returned to Mirfield, as a full time resident this is classed as my permanent address and I felt this was the best place for me to be. With access to library resources and textbooks for second semester courses that I hadn’t taken home with me. There are nine of us currently resident on site and we are able to share in the sacraments with the Community – they have forgone singing their masses so we can be present, but continue to sing the offices so we are unable to attend those.
Term started with a Placement Week, which fortunately I was still able to engage with as I was back in Mirfield. We learned some more about how Cathedrals operate and were able to talk to most of the team there about their involvement in the mission and ministry of the Cathedral. This was followed by Retreat Week. I was slightly dubious about how this would work online, but for those of us resident in college we agreed to be in silence from 8am to after Evening Prayer at 5pm. We had a daily online address from Bishop Jack Nicholls, which were inspiring and gave plenty of food for thought for the day ahead. Then after this restorative week we were into an intensive week on Church History, covering 2000 years in 5 days, an impressive feat in normal times let alone 4.5 hours of Zoom lectures and seminars a day!
Placements are still going ahead, travelling into the Cathedral fortnightly to help with the livestream. It is strange to think these will be over in a few weeks, with our last involvement on Palm Sunday. I was able to preach there for the first time on Sunday 14th February. You can watch that, should you wish, here: https://youtu.be/ljBMmX7pGyE.
The start of Lent was marked with a fun video, passing a pancake between students. We even made the Church Times, which was impressive if not a bit scary as my shot somehow ended up being the videos thumbnail! Church Times Article
This terms lectures include Intro to the New Testament, Intro to Pastoral Care and Elementary New Testament Greek. With 20,000 words to write and am mostly certainly not going to get bored this term!!
I’ve probably done some other stuff that I’m forgetting – sorry. I will try not to leave it too long before my next update… but as always make no promises!
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