Placement

Oops its been a very long time sing I last blogged!
Queens continues to be a really good place to live, learn and be! I love it.

So much has happened since I last blogged- Methodist Youth Conference, I was on the worship leading team for Holiness and risk (see more at holinessandrisk.org.uk) and now I've moved to Handsworth for a term. I'm on placement here- living in the vicarage and on placement in the local circuit, you can see more here: http://www.queens.ac.uk/ordination/contextual.php

I will hopefully blog some of my reflections of placement here over the coming weeks.

Time flies when you are having fun!

So for news from Queens!
Much has happened since I last blogged! Just a couple of links to share!

Since I last blogged I celebrated my Birthday! It was a rather different Birthday to any before! The night before we had a joint British and Kenyan celebration! (It was another Student-Japhet's Birthday on the same day!) This was fun- having jelly and ice-cream, a Kenyan tradition, (thats hard to put into words!) Its a bit of a dance and a hilililili! Ok so now reading this you'll think I've gone mad! Then on the Friday during the day, I went on a foundation trip. See the link: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/7803
It was an amazing experience, really powerful and challenging. The Prophetic Action that this was, is a requirement for

In the evening it was supper with the president and vice-president of the Methodist Church at the Chair of the Birmingham districts house!

http://methodist-presandvp.blogspot.com/2008/10/grace-of-birmingham.html

So as I say- rather a different way to spend a Birthday!

Coming up, we have the Methodist Youth Conference, this is something I am looking forward to! Before then I have some work to do for a workshop for the weekend. I've been asked to lead a Workshop on vocation, as someone who is eligible to be a Member of Youth Conference and also a Student Minister. The workshop is called: "Too young to serve? You Called?
I shall share in this with Mark Wakelin. Mark is now Connexional Secretary, but I know him from last year at the Guy Chester Centre.

For now back to work! Lots to read and so forth!

Queens!

Will update about the last few weeks at some point! For now- I've moved to Queens. Term has begun and its fantastic! Thats all I have to say for now as it has been a bit frantic with induction, this continues till Wednesday!

Queens is brilliant!

bits and bobs

SO I've been in Cambridge for the past 11 days, i've unpacked and had lots of time to relax. At the weekend I had lots of family time which was lovely- I've missed not having lots of family time over the last year. I appreciate having little people in our family again! So playing hide and seek was fun! I always appreciate the time I can spend with family and friends so that was good!

Last week I registered with an agency and am hoping to do some paid work! At the moment that seems to be a waiting game! So in the mean time I've been listening to Methodist Conference and reading! So not alot to report at present... I have been doing some thinking so will write that up, I need to do some clarifying first!

MY reading list arrived from Queens today, I also have some work to do before I go to Queens! So might start that soon- although need to get hold of one of the books first!

Any way, enough rambling!

Last few days in London

Well, I am 3 1/2 days away from finishing my year in London. This week there have been several goodbyes already and people have been generous to me. I have some lovely flowers among other bits and pieces at present!
I have the Haven tomorrow and then just my farewell service on Sunday- after which we are going out for lunch.

The last week has been manic, I visited Queens last week which was great. It was great to see where I am going to be, everyone was really friendly and they seem to have really good resources as well! I am going to do an MA in Applied Theological Studies- which is exciting and scary. I have really missed study this year! Which has surprised me! So I will be moving to Birmingham in early September.

At the weekend I had my final Guy Chester weekend, which I was only there for on the Friday. Last week my Grandma (Dad's Mum) was 80 and there was a big family party on Saturday night. It also conincided with Dad's Birthday. It was a great night and to me really important to celebrate life! It was great to be able to be with family again! I will put a picture up at some point! The last song of the night was "You'll never walk alone." It seems to have become our family theme tune, it was played at my cousins wedding (An avid Liverpool fan!) just after Dad had finished his radiotherapy and Grandma said that those words were for him. So it gets a bit emotional now.

Then back to London on Sunday, yesterday it was nice to see Steve (my university chaplain) who was in London and then last night I had my final women's group. Today I finished my time at the Hospital. I plan on reflecting next week on some of the inspirations of the last year, so will write them here!

Steve asked me yesterday what are the two things I am going to take away from this year?! A good question- i've learn't so much but haven't processed it all yet! I do know that part of me this year has been learning to live with tensions. Whether it be the tension of living and working in the same place! The tensions between social work and Church, between Hospital chaplaincy and circuit ministry! The tension of also not always being able to do much, especially in hospital chaplaincy! I can pray, but physically I cannot relieve the pain, I cannot stop the person from dying. Its hard and there isn't much you can sometimes do apart from be alongisde. Which I guess is part of the incarnation. The tensions also of the Criminal justice system.

I am already starting to realise just how much I have gained- now I need some time to process!

Any way, need to get some rest! So will write again shortly!

The last few weeks!

It’s been a busy few weeks as usual! After receiving the news of where I was going next year I went to Cambridge ready to drive to Cornwall, for Jez and Lois’ wedding! So I then had a 3 day adventure- I drove down to Cornwall on the Friday, spent Friday night in Falmouth and catching up with friends, Saturday was the wedding and then drove back to Cambridge on the Sunday! It was crazy, but great fun! Some of us from Uni and other friends of Lois’ stayed at a Christian retreat centre, just outside Falmouth. It was really cheap and great to stay with friends who I haven’t seen for a while! What was slightly fun was finding the place! Lois’ Dad went and lined the route with balloons! I arrived to collect people staying at the centre and Lois kindly offered for us to drive in convoy! So off we went, the centre was on a farm, so we kept following and following, going down a single track! When we got to the last bit some people had to get out of the cars in order that the cars didn’t scrape on the bottom! It was all good fun! When friends arrived at midnight me and Jon (one of my friends from College) went out to meet them to bring them back! It was easier than trying to work out where they were once lost!
So the Saturday was the wedding itself, it was wonderful and really special to be able to share in such times with friends! It was good to see friends again and catch up! The reception was lovely, after the meal and speeches we all went down onto the beach for a bit- which was fun! Then back to the Hotel for the evening reception which was a Ceilidh! Great fun and a day to remember!
On the Sunday I drove back to Cambridge via Stansted to drop Ali off! (Another uni friend!) It was good to have some company on the long journey back after only about 8 hours sleep over 2 nights- and it wasn’t for not trying to sleep!!!

I love being with my friends! It was good last week to be able to offer hospitality to Adam and Kristi in London. They spent Thursday in London and stayed with me over night before heading to Paris for the weekend. Then today Adam and Kristi came for lunch- we had rolls and cakes from Harrods!

One of the things I really miss about Lancaster is the craziness and fellowship I had there! Friends if you are reading this know that I miss you all!

So its been busy, I have only 20 days before leaving WLM and MCH. We had our MCH leavers BBQ last weekend. Leavers all received Mugs that say “I lived at Methodist Chaplaincy House”! I shall treasure mine. I am visiting Queens next week, which I am looking forward to! Apparently Queens is in the posh part of Birmingham- will suit me very well!

Any way, best go and try and rest. Its extremely hot in my room, so am currently sat on the roof top garden trying to cool down! An early start in the morning!

The Verdict!

Well, well, well! Training allocations pannel met on Tuesday and they didn't confirm what had been discussed previously (see Earlier post about Wesley House!). Instead they have decided to send me to Queens in Birmingham http://www.queens.ac.uk .

Quite a surprise really!

The outcome is a bit frustrating! Whats the point in discussing things, begining to put things into place and then send you elsewhere! I am of course under the discipline of the Methodist Church and thus where they send me I go!

Will post more later.