This week I began a tour of parishes in dioceses of the western side of England in Gloucester and Hereford, and next week I will be in Liverpool diocese. My hosts have lined up a variety of visits with clergy and lay leaders in Local Ministry Team settings, and I am able to visit the magnificent cathedrals that are located in the dioceses as well.
This weekend I will be "off" for three days on my own in the ancient Roman city of Chester.
It is interesting to hear the stories of people who have given a considerable amount of time in service to God through their local parishes. In one case there is a benefice with seven parishes, and in another there are three. Most have only one or two clergy available, so their ministry teams are very much a part of the local ministries going on.
Most of the team members didn't think of themselves originally as "ministers." None of them volunteered. In fact, they cannot. They need to be called by others, and if they accept their calls they are asked to take some very valuable training courses offered locally. All of them are glad they said yes.
There are some valuable stories to tell, but at the end of a day like this, I need to rest. It is much easier to rest, however, when I know there are some very competent and dedicated servants here in the UK. It is also much easier when I know there are similar dedicated folks serving back home at Hope while I am on this journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment