Stargazing

Reader, you catch me sitting in my study typing this Blog. Next to me, my husband is erecting his new telescope (not a euphemism). It is a bit like the Renaissance, apart from I would be using a quill and Paul would not have bought the telescope from Argos. Why has Paul bought a telescope? Well, you'll have to ask him. Why am I writing a Blog? So you can read it. I've actually had quite a busy few days. Youth group on Thursday night, Guest Night on Friday and Open Day yesterday.

Youth group was - well - like it always is. I'm speaking there the week after next so I need to psyche myself up for that one. The topic is the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Any ideas? Nope, me neither.

Guest Night on Friday was super cool as usual. Have I described a guest night to you yet? No? Ok, well as you know the college is split into five groups, A to E, and each has a guest night. The college throws these formal nights where the posh cutlery comes out, the dining hall is set up like a proper Oxford formal etc. and lit only by candlelight. The kitchen get their Michelen-star hats on and turn out some great food and the guests turn up in their glad rags to eat like posh people. The rest of us turn up in our non-glad rags and serve, wash up, tend the bar and babysit. I served for the first, babysat for the second, and served for this one. Serving is actually very good fun. I don't think my vocation is that of a waitress because it takes all the concentration I have not to drop things. But calling friends "sir" and "madam" is great fun, and the best thing is we get to eat the meal at the end (albeit at 12am...!) I am in group E, and our guest night is the last, at the end of April. I will have really deserved it by then!

Open Day yesterday was pretty good fun too. I managed to get coerced into being on the 'panel' and doing a meditation at the closing worship, and both seemed to go ok. I'm getting better at this whole speaking-in-public thing and I think the lectern managed to hide most of my shaking. The more I do it, the better I'll be when it comes to preaching an actual sermon, that's my thinking.

Talking of Open Days, can you believe it's a year today since I first stepped into Cuddesdon on my own Open Day? How time flies, and what a lot of things have happened since then!

I'm starting to look a bit fat, I think. Not pregnant fat, more 'too many pies' fat. So in situations where I've not yet revealed my condition (such as placements, which finish mid-March so I may not bother) I am having to wear increasingly baggy jumpers.

Oh and while I'm on the subject of placements, I've managed to sort out my 'Summer' placement to be over Easter so I don't turn up walrus-sized and don't get stuck in the pulpit. I'm going to New Marston, which I am soooo happy and excited about. It sounds like a really interesting church. And to be there over Holy Week is just the cherry on the cake. Roll on Easter!

A Turn Up for the Books

Well, there we have it. That was a long couple of months. I hope you'll understand now that I've found Blogging a bit difficult since learning about impending parenthood. Mainly because it's fairly hard to write about anything with any enthusiasm when something else is on your mind.

So, it was Sunday 27th November, the first day of Advent (yup, the significance of that particular day for waiting and expecting hasn't escaped me!) when I felt a little bit peaky and thought I ought to take a pregnancy test. Now I always keep one (only one) test in my wardrobe in case of emergencies and this isn't the first time I've had cause to use it. The control line (that's the bit for telling if the test has worked, for those of you unfamiliar with these things) appeared immediately. The test area remained blank. I assumed it was negative and wandered off for a bit. Coming back I saw a faint line. I began to panic!

As I came into the lounge, Paul said "what have you got there?" "A pregnancy test," said I. "Is it positive?" he asked. "Yes," I said. "Oh," he said. And then we both wondered where to buy another one at 6pm on a Sunday evening. 

Fortunately, the internet came to our aid and announced the pharmacy on Woodstock road to be open late on a Sunday. Within five minutes we were in the car steaming up the ringroad. We bought some very expensive tests which ended up being, yep, positive. The next day I snuck off to the Doctor during Mission and Ministry who confirmed that, yes, three positives are very definitely a positive. And so we went home to contemplate parenthood. 

Since then I have used the following excuses for not drinking alcohol;
"I have given it up for Advent."
"I had a heavy night last night."
"I am on Paracetomal."

I also caved and told quite a lot of people, and I would like to thank, in particular, those I told during the first few weeks who were very supportive and utterly confidential about it. 

Two weeks ago I was sick on a midwife which was a bit sad for her, but deserved as she was trying to take blood. Other than that I've had very little morning sickness which, with 7.30am morning prayer, is a real blessing!

A lot of people have asked how this will affect my future training and ministry. Actually I think it can only be a positive thing. I had a chat to the Principal a couple of weeks ago who was very supportive (this is not the first time this has happened!) Being due on the 5th of August I should have a few weeks off before and after the birth, so its very good timing. Next year Paul will switch to an Open University course so he can look after it while I'm in lectures. And Martyn told me not to underestimate what a positive thing a baby can be for ministry, which I think is sound advice.

A Week is a Long Time

Hello Friends.

Well, last week I was on my TSW (Themed Study Week.) A bit like activities week if you did that sort of thing at school, but less in the way of elective dry-slope ski-ing and table tennis, and more in the way of useful ministerial formation. We got to pick from a number of options including Interfaith, Marriage and Relationships, Death, Dying and Bereavement and Ministry to Older People. For some reason I can no longer remember, I went for Faith and Politics.

So I end up on a Monday morning sitting amidst a group of very political young men with opinions and ideas and wondering quite why I'm here. Paul often watches BBC Parliament and I've usually no idea what is going on. My knowledge of Prime Ministers is pitifully unextensive and I've literally no idea to which political party I might happily align my views. No worry, I'll make the most of it.

The week involved three days at Cuddesdon being visited by such people as an ex-leader of Oxford City Council, a political activist and a priest engaging in the politics of his own community. And there were two days in London featuring a tour of the Commons, a visit to a church in Bethnal Green working closely with the Muslim community including a look around and a chat to the Director of the East London Mosque, a morning at the Lords including the installation of the Bishop of Durham and an afternoon at Church House.

Despite my earlier anxieties I actually had a really good time. It was great to spend the first week of term doing something completely different. Actually, its inspired me to keep more up to date with what is going on politically. After all, if we as Christians have a concern about - well - pretty much anything that happens in our society, politics is going to come into it at some stage. And, actually, while I'm not much of a party politics kinda gal, it's ever so important we have Christians speaking up in the places that really matter.

So, that done, we're into term proper. A new timetable means that I have Tuesdays and Thursdays with no compulsory lectures. But my new year's resolution is to do a bit more of the optional stuff this term so I'm hoping to attend Anglican Identity Seminars on a Tuesday and a series of lectures in Oxford on Blake and Theology on a Thursday. Having been chapel Sacristan the week before the holidays and last week, I've realised what I'm missing out on not attending those services which are compulsory - morning Eucharist and Compline - and I'm going to make a special effort to go to one of each a week from now on.

There's also something else I have to tell you, but I can't do so until tomorrow. Watch this space.