What an interesting last few weeks!
After my time out following my stays in the stroke ward at Treliske Hospital I am now back story telling in a local primary school, church duties and supporting the training of the safeguarding leadership course.
I have included the links to a couple of short videos about how the leader of the Anglican Soul Survivor Church used psychological and spiritual bullying to abuse those in his church who were volunteering to work there. They are well worth watching and give a real insight into just how abiuse need not be sexual or physical and what to look out for. As readers we are in positions of influence and I think of myself in my church role as I did as deputy headteacher – a critical friend to the head in school and the Rector in church.
"Soul Survivor" - Spiritual / psychological abuse
Last weekend I attended the ordination service which was a delight especially as one of those being ordained had come back to faith at one of our parish churches in Redruth. It is worrying that there are less people being ordained than there are priests who are retiring which makes the paid staffing of Parishes very tricky in some places.
My prayers are very much with those who have been testing their vocations for ordained ministry recently and for those places who are in transition hoping that they will be able to appoint someone suitable.
In the meantime Sens Kernewek, local Worship leader Training and Reader Training are all very worthy initiatives attempting to plug the gaps. In Redruth we use the Service of Holy Communion by Extension very rarely and have relied upon changing the service patterns and on the hard work of our retired clergy and the curate.
Personally, I would be happier with more services that were not communion based (and have to rely upon an ordained service leader) but I completely understand how hard it is for some people to change their preference. I do not really like doing HCBE and would much rather use the opportunity to be more creative while I still have the motivation and the energy!
A Cartoon found on Facebook.
The General Election
The last piece on this blog takes me back to the beginning of it with a focus on safeguarding and bullying. I have never been short of expressing an opinion, hopefully in a fun and gentle way but I was a bit shocked at the strength of verbal attack from someone on Facebook when I posted a cartoon making a dig at the Reform Party’s Nigel Farage. The comments section beneath the post quickly became a battle ground with different people joining in and the Reform supporters using phrases describing migrants as “human detritus.” It just shows what sort of feelings lie just below the surface. I shall be around from 10 on Zoom on Monday of anyone would like to contribute to any of the issues above!
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86332023762?pwd=dDNlU240UWpiRzlCWE0zL2pTcXdmdz09