The difference a year makes.

Hello and Happy New Year,

This is the day the Lord hath made and it is also the year God has strangely decided by his grace that I shall be ordained in. And indeed what a difference a year makes, Our New year celebrations were a little different this time round and we had a pleasant evening playing board games and indulging in an Iceland platter that did little to arouse the taste buds as we attempted to guess what we were eating and where the duck had absconded to, in the spring roll that was sadly lacking character and taste.

I think the first sentence to leave my mouth the moment Big Ben lit the indulgent fuse wire on the London fireworks was ‘I’m getting ordained this year’ and it was not to dissimilar the year before when the only difference was the addition of the  word ‘next’. It has to be said it has and continues to be roller coaster of emotions as I go from excitement to anxiety, to enthusiasm to frustration and tolerance to impatience. 

 However ordination is creeping ever closer but it doesn’t necessarily make things any easier to deal with.  We are fortunate enough to have our housing arrangements sorted which is something that some of my peers still have to finalize and as the property is empty we are able to pop along and begin to plan what will go where and who will have which room etc. The house is lovely and will provide us with a delightful family home throughout my curacy, but when I stand alone in the vast lounge or slow step around the study that looks out onto a lovely garden I really do reflect upon the journey thus far and wonder how it all got to this stage.  In hindsight a lesson I have learned and continue to learn is to trust in God and accept his will whatever that may be.

A friend said to me recently I can see you slowly turning into a Vicar! I took it as a compliment and as I reflect upon this long road to ordination it somehow rings true, The years of study, preparation, prayers, travel (boy have I done some miles?) reflection, laughs, tears are indeed slowly preparing me for a new life as a man of the cloth!  Occasionally I meet someone I haven’t seen for many years and when I tell them my new pathway they are initially quite shocked and wonder what happened to the previous ambition of being a stand –up comedian or full time jester in the retail sector.  Well if the recent residential at Rydal Hall was anything to go by the hilarity and sense of fun is still very much in the bones that God created. It was lovely seeing some dear friends with tear filled eyes laughing out loud as we let off a bit of steam as we journey together on the road to ordination. I am indeed slowly turning, or preparing for life anew and I am looking forward to it very much but it doesn’t come without sadness.

Work has many  finalities about it at the moment, last peak conference, last Argos Christmas, last annual performance review, last catalogue launch, etc. and whilst it may be assumed I can’t wait to go, it is most certainly not the case. After giving 15 years of my working life to the company with the laminated browsers it is going to be very difficult to say goodbye to the world of retail that has provided for me and my family since I first was employed by Curry’s at the tender age of just 15. Argos has pretty much been a great experience and has been a wonderful training facility for ordained ministry Trust me there is no walk of life that has not been experienced during my time as a retail business leader. The pastoral experiences have been unending, from bereavements to family breakdowns, from shoplifters to homeless people sleeping in bins, from acts of kindness to lessons learnt, Argos has been incredible.

For now I continue to do my best for my employers, January is never an easy time, but trying to encourage my team to prepare for a new boss and keep motivated is the focus of my attention at this moment. By mid-May my work with Argos will be done, I will be very sad to say goodbye but will take many happy memories and some wonderful friends.  At home the excitement and preparation slowly builds, a bit like looking forward to the holiday of a life time, not that I expect ordination to be like a holiday. But preparing, forming, whatever it’s identified as is joyful and scary, daunting and enthralling I am looking forward most definitely. I have returned to my sending church Higham St Johns, where the support is encouraging and affirming.

St Matthews in Burnley will be my future home that will offer new experiences, new challenges, and it will be exciting to see how my ministry and discipleship to God develops. I am getting ready to serve the people and Christ, I’m not quite ready yet, but through the support of my most amazing and beautiful wife Sarah and my friends and by the grace and
love of God by the time July 4^th arrives I will be able and ready to serve God as a Deacon then Priest then Vicar for the rest of my working life.

Your prayers will be appreciated,

Much love

Alextheanglican.