Chaplain’s Blog -4th April 2025 – Encouragement, challenge and support.
- Spiritual Direction matters
- Work agreements and Ministerial Review
- Readers Hanging up their scarves- or taking a break
- Safeguarding in the News…. and in the Parishes.
I wonder how many Readers have a spiritual director…… and how many have filled in a form asking for one and not been successful? Spiritual Direction / accompaniment is such an important part of ministry- to have someone walk beside you who can challenge, question and encourage. It makes a time when we can take stock and focus on our own spiritual lives in space apart from all our other ministerial duties. If you still need a director and have not been able to find one, please do let me know and I will enquire.
Work agreements, ministerial review and the three-year cycle of relicensing.
Here are the links on the Diocesan website for the documents you need:
Application-for-Renewal-of-Reader-LLM-License.docx
Reader-LLM-Annual-Ministry-Review-Process-summary.docx
Reader-LLM-Annual-Ministry-Review-template.docx
Reader-LLM-Annual-Ministry-Review-Preparation-template.docx
Closely linked to direction is our opportunity for annual ministerial review, although most folk probably make a perfunctory stab at it once every three years before re-licensing. As I need to be relicensed in October and we have a new rector it was very helpful to meet with my Rector yesterday to reflect on my role in the parish, my work load, things to take on and things to give up and what fed me spiritually.
If you are wondering what I might give up – it is safeguarding administration and the parish dashboard – hopefully someone with a more organised brain will take that on. I will still be co-ordinating and training however!
One of the questions asks how often I will meet with my incumbent / ministry team to which I replied “at least weekly.” The weekly ministry team meetings which were instituted by Caspar, our last Rector are incredibly useful and, in many ways, vital to building a team that can encourage and support. We usually begin with a check-in to ee how everyone is doing followed by looking at the lectionary readings for the coming Sunday. Business includes the rota, but also looks at projects, coming events, strategy, the needs of individuals and individual churches. Once a month we include the administrator who updates us on marriages and so on.
As I write it is still four days to the one year anniversary of the post stroke seizure that curtailed my driving for 12 months. Having filled in forms in February and submitted them, only to be sent another medical form 3 weeks ago which I returned by return of post- I still have not received an envelope with my new driving license from the DVLA. That curtails my activities somewhat! I leave you to imagine my frustration at having to reply on lifts! I need to remind myself that I am lucky to be here and writing and walking 5 miles a day rather than moaning about the lack of motoring independence. It is too easy to get into a cycle of negativity….
We have a few readers who have hung up their scarves recently and we thank them for their service and ministry. Andrew Hicks, after long years of service and Julian and Gillian Barritt through Julian’s ill health. Our prayers go with them. With the three year licensing system it does mean there is a way back to Reader Ministry for those who leave for a while which is a good thing as circumstances can, and do, change.
Safeguarding:
There has been much in the National News from the decisions of Synod about independent scrutiny to Justin Welby’s interview on television. It looks from the outside, rather depressing. However in Redruth and Camborne over the last couple of months I have done some face-to-face training for Basic awareness and Foundation level and was very pleased with the enthusiasm, the attitude and the turn out for the courses. It really does seem that there is a major culture change at grass-roots level.
Having said that, the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel, a.k.a. the diocesan safeguarding scrutiny panel paints a different picture cross diocese. The team are dealing with a huge work load and prioritising work is a task and a half as is providing data about issues, especially the more minor ones that don’t reach the threshold for a full investigation. The national Team understandably are focussed on victims / survivors and trying to do something about past wrongs- and this also translate to diocesan level and the various courses reflect this.
At parish level, however, maters are much more prosaic, even mundane in comparison, but I would argue of equal importance. E.g. the risks and problems caused by dementia, attempting to follow safer recruitment guidelines with a tiny congregation and an even smaller number of willing workers and so on.
But- I am encouraged by the full church hall for the courses in Redruth and very grateful that folk are taking the time to treat safeguarding seriously and look after each other, our visitors and those on the fringes.