So there I was at the ministries council meeting. I mentioned areas I'd like to explore during my training and signed away my life on the yellow agreement form, which candidates, their presbytery rep and a member of ministries council also signs.
I sort of expected to discuss where I would go for my first placement. Chatting to my presbytery rep before and after the meeting, I think they thought that was the primary reason for the meeting.
So, it's been 15 months since I became a "candidate in training for the ministry of word and sacrament". And I still have no idea where I'll go for my first placement. So, I'm in no better a place than I was in that regard before the meeting.
Someone told me recently 121 is like the civil service. They weren't kidding. They both have their procedures and nothing, but nothing, will get in the way of them. Even when common sense (all too rare, IMHO) says it would be a good idea to maybe do things a different way.
I do find this a wee bit frustrating. You'd think being a former civil servant I'd be used to it, but no. I'm not one for procedures just for the sake of them. Besides, if this had been sorted for me a while ago, it would have taken pressure off my ministries support officer at a time which is especially busy.
So, more waiting. I should be used to it by now. I know it's all par for the course, but it does get a wee bit frustrating sometimes.
If I remember correctly it's at the August conference Jane asks where you want to go - expecting you to have an idea at that point.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that presupposes you know who the qualified supervisors are in your area.
Ah, there's the problem. I don't know who all the supervisors are in my area. I know who a couple are and at least one is out, if not both of them, for a variety of reasons. Even if I'd been given the list of potential supervisors in the area at my meeting. So none may have been totally suitable, but at least it would have at least given me a heads up and somewhere to start from.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it's further complicated by Spot beginning extended enquiry. Traveling in different directions in good weather's fine, but not if the weather turns.
Smile, everything I'll work out fine in the end. It always does, even if it takes a wee bit longer.
Hate to stand up for bureaucracy but the reason this is so complicated and time consuming to work out is that the Council are trying to balance the needs of all the candidates currently in the process and to match them up with available supervisors, there is an order of priorities which has to be followed through which can mean that some people are waiting until the last minute to discover where they are going. There is usually very little choice offered to a first placement candidate. I was just told where I was going, there was no discussion about it. The one I did research in advance myself was my summer placement as I had an idea about what I wanted to do and fortunately for me it all worked out. But in the main the only placement there is much discussion over is probation as then you have reached the top of the placement priority list :)
ReplyDeleteHi Danny
ReplyDeleteI do understand that, honest! If that is the case, I'd go with the flow, unless there was a really good reason not to (such as physically getting there). Yet I've heard varying reports over how much choice candidates have.
Maybe it would be better if we were just all told where we were going, just as with extended enquiry.
I have to admit, it would be handy if Spot and I don't have to head in different directions on a Sunday. It would save money on petrol at least!
I just went in and said 'would like to explore x and think that would work at st y church; would like to explore a and wonder about doing such and such; and ... what do you think about z? I was fortunate - and they were very flexible... got where and what I wanted, and a couple of unexpected bonuses on the side. Guess it just depends how many folk are in the system at the same time and how many want to go to the same places you might want to.
ReplyDelete