Going West

I think I may have found a Curacy.

I say 'think' but it seems so entirely appropriate that I'd be very surprised if this wasn't the one. It's the second one we've looked at. We were contacted by the Diocese a few weeks ago with the Parish Profile of one particular place. It looked ok - more Anglo-Catholic than I was expecting, and in a slightly remote geographical area - but good enough to take a look. We went down to visit over the Jubilee weekend, but it just felt wrong.

Sure, the Vicar was lovely. And the house looked incredible (the sort of place a rich Uncle might live, not humble old me, Mr and Baby A). But somehow I felt uneasy. I kept wanting to see something absolutely awful, an easy excuse to rule it out, but everything was just fine. It's just that we couldn't see ourselves living there, and I couldn't imagine ministering in those churches. We prayed, we reflected, we said no.

The second place was completely different. From reading the Parish Profile and all the way through our visit we both felt somehow excited. I can't quite pinpoint why. Just gut instinct. Maybe that's the way God calls. When we got home, I emailed the Diocese to say that I felt positive about this one. This morning, we went to see the DDO who confirmed that the Vicar who would be my training incumbent has said the same thing.

I wish I could tell you where it was. Unfortunately, at least another visit is needed to firm things up. We'll have to meet the rest of the Team and Churchwardens, have my appointment discussed by the PCC and get stuff signed before I can tell you. Suffice to say it's a small town. The distance to our families in Taunton isn't too much further than when we were in Exeter, and our friends in Exeter will be very near indeed. The churches are a super mix - from Anglo-Catholic to Open Evangelical - and breadth, as you know, is right up my street. They seem excited about mission and ecumenical work. We've only seen the outside of the house, in a highly-populated residential area in the town, with lots close by.

We could bring up Baby A here. We really could. Talking of which it's less than 4 weeks to go. But more on Baby A next time...