Friday, 31 July 2009

Questions

Following on from yesterday's post, I'm going to post questions about ministry, call etc as and when they come to me. They may be random, silly or exceptionally deep, but they are questions I need answered. I don't expect anyone who reads my blog to answer them, though your thoughts and comments are always appreciated. No, as this is my journal I need to write these questions down here so, when I have my next meeting with my assessor, I can ask them.

So, to beginning with:

  • How do you make sure ministry doesn't dominate your life? I don't mean that in a negative way, but it would be very easy to be "on call" 24/7. Some of the best ministers I've met make sure they have time for themselves, their family and friends every week.
  • How do I learn how I deal with conflict? If I don't deal with it that well, how do I learn to deal with it more appropriately?
  • How do you get used to other people's tea? I like mine like my men - hot, strong and with a wee splash of milk.
  • How did my assessor and other ministers/deacons/readers feel their call and know where their call was leading them? I think this would really help me find the words I need to express my call.
That's all that come to mind now. It's not until mid-August I met with my assessor as she's on holiday. At least if I've written them down there's more chance I'll ask. Oh, and at our next meeting, I'll be honest about how I am.
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2 comments:

  1. Danny1 August 2009 at 11:40

    These are some of the BIG questions (although I drink black coffee which solves the tea dilemma).

    Nos 1&2 you will find ways that work for you by a process of trial and error.

    For myself - on 1 I have learned to go with the flow, when a week is quiet not to fill it up with activity, the quiet weeks give strength for the ones which go 24/7! That said I try to have one day off every week.

    On 2 - I aim to be calm, polite but truthful and to bite my tongue and think before I speak (sometimes I literally do bite my tongue to remind myself to be calm and measured when I am feeling anything but!!)If the conflict can be anticipated (i.e. an evident flashpoint in a meeting for example) then be prepared for it. Let other people have their say, but make sure you have yours too.

    On call - yes talk to people. I did that during my enquiry process. I would arrange to met people (probationers, chaplains, ministers, deacons, etc...) and ask them about their journey and their call... why are you here doing what you are doing for God? I would say this is the part of enquiry/assessment that I found most helpful, hearing other people's stories somehow helped to make sense of mine.

    Sounds like you have a good supervisor for this part of the journey - I hope you enjoy the months in this 'placement' and that God's call becomes clearer as the weeks go by.

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  2. Mrs Gerbil1 August 2009 at 17:04

    Thanks Danny. I think I will discover ways to deal with 1 and 2 by trail and error and by seeing how my diary fills. I think I have a rough idea how I'd deal with 1, but I think I need to talk with my assessor about these things so I can share my thoughts and she can see my growth.
    I do generally bite my tongue when conflict arises, though sometimes I get the better of myself. My assessor told my to think of how I deal with conflict at work, so I'm "watching" myself more to see what the real me is.

    Hope you're having a restful holiday and the more the manse goes smoothly.

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