Watch and learn

Over the summer, I got used to doing a lot on placement. After all, it was full-time. Due to the full-time nature of it, I felt I got to know the congregation (and those with links to Highland Cathedral) really quite well. (Though if I'm being honest, that church and I got on really well).

At Caledonia Kirk I am finding it harder to get to know people. There aren't as many things on there as there were at either of my previous placements and I am only part-time, so there's a limit to what I can do. I suppose over the summer I got used to being involved and being able to seek out things to do (I am a pretty pro-active person). That isn't as easy where I am. Perhaps I should have done my summer placement next year, as that way I wouldn't have this back to part-time thing going on.

Like with Eagleside, some of the things I'd like to be involved in happen when I have classes (and my timetable doesn't improve in that regard next semester). I know I rather got used to being able to just do stuff over the summer, the only restriction on my time being what I took on (generally), rather than have the limitation of doing placement around university.

Something which slightly exacerbates my feeling of not doing enough is the involvement of others in worship at Caledonia Kirk. While I think that should be applauded, there are some weeks where there is nothing for me to do, but watch. While I can learn from observation, I have done rather a lot of that over both co-ordinated field placements and my last 2. I know I learn best doing things and had let my supervisor know this at the start of my placement.

A bit of me feels without the regular involvement in worship all I have learnt my stagnate (or, for some of it, might go back to square one). Many of those who are involved in worship at Caledonia Kirk have much more experience leading worship that I do. Does make me wonder why the (as far as I can see) unwillingness for some of those to let me do things. There is a bit of me thinks if it's so hard to get to do things, perhaps this isn't the best place to send candidates for a placement. Or, as I firmly believe, this is all part of me learning about the need for good, positive leadership, which encourages, affirms and supports others. Watching might not be a bad thing after all.