It's been just over a month since I officially started in circuit, so this is probably a good time to reflect a bit on the ups, downs and occasional sideways bits of how I am finding things.
It's been interesting to see how people respond to me, or in some cases don't respond (more of that in a minute) as a Student Presbyter. In general, there is a difference to my time as a Local Preacher. It's not respect (or not as such) - that was there in any case - but something that's maybe a little more tenuous; I am "The Minister" and as such there are different expectations of what I am there to do. Of course, this is also partly because I am seeing people in different settings (and vice versa) - whether it's being at meetings, visiting people at home or coming along to the Coffee Morning, my role has changed and I'm becoming aware that this means that the response has changed too.
The "not responding" thing is something that at times can be quite entertaining. As I am not even a Probationer yet, I don't wear a Clerical Collar, and this means people sometimes don't realise who or what I am. On one or two occasions it's been quite funny, but there is also again something about perception there. If I put on a collar, suddenly people will know what I am, or who I am - and it can act almost as a badge of identity. For example if I am doing Pastoral Visits, a collar may be seen as making me somehow legitimate; lacking one, questions are more likely to be asked. (Put it this way, I now have some proper Business Cards partly to help with this.) Does the collar really change that much? I am the same person whether or not I am dressed in walking trousers and a polo shirt or in smart trousers and a clerical shirt with a collar; but that may not be how others see me. It will be interesting to see if this changes as and when I become a Probationer and start wearing a collar....
There's been plenty of support for me from my colleagues, and as well plenty of opportunity to find out about the sort of things that God is doing in Manchester - and some of the things are exciting to say the least!
In some ways one of the bigger annoyances concerns Church Notice Boards. Specifically, the ones outside the churches that I have mostly not been to yet, but which still have my phone number on them because I have taken over the manse of the person that looked after them. It's slightly disconcerting to find yourself having a conversation with someone who was expecting to speak to someone else, and once or twice someone has left a message, and then rung back to hear my message on the phone as they obviously realise something is amiss when they don't hear the name they were expecting....
Overall though I feel good about how things are going. The question is, will I still feel like this in another month? Or two? Stay tuned....
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