Surprises happen.

Surprises happen… in the practice of ministry that is. And not only do they happen but they happen all the time.

For example, this past week I went to hang out at Greenleys Family Centre for chaplaincy time. I thought I was going to hang out with the kids and their moms. Much to my surprise I ended up spending much of my time talking to a volunteer (and others there for the coffee morning) from Milton Keynes Museum about this collection of items for use by civilians in WWII. This volunteer was there preparing to be the speaker at the after-school club meeting that afternoon.

In the course of this conversation (in addition to discussing the morality of war, the role of religion in exacerbating conflict, and how travel can help one understand this world) I learned lots about the British experience in WWII, local history, and how civilians lived through the war. I got to handle this ration book.

I was surprised to be reminded that rationing in Britain continued for nearly 10 years after the end of the war. As the USA is insulated by oceans, Americans experience of WWII which I learned about in school was very different.

I failed in guessing what this item was (this was prior to the doll being placed in it for demonstration purposes).

Do you know what it was?

It is a gas mask for a baby. The baby’s head goes into the bell shaped bit with the window and the fabric gets belted around their waist. Then to get air in through the filter an adult must pump the accordion hose. Apparently the instruction were for babies to stay in them 15 minutes beyond the all-clear sign just to make sure that the littlest ones wouldn’t catch any whiff of nasty chemicals.

It wasn’t how I had expected to spend my morning but I am glad I had this experience. I found this talk of history helpful for my understanding of the stories which shape the local community and I enjoyed the conversations. In fact I consider it a great benefit of my job the diversity of tasks I get attend to and the cross section of people I get to meet. I like it that surprises happen.

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Ministry is…

I am back at work after 9 months of maternity leave.  For those of you to whom this is news I hope it helps explain this blog’s mysterious silence.

I have now been back at work for several months.  Due to the timing of my return in June and its proximity to the lull of the summer holidays it was as gentle a transition as could be expected back into the world of full-time ministry work.  This means that the busyness of September has hit me like a ton of bricks.  September 1 marks the start of a new Connexional year for all (British) Methodist congregations and that along with the start of the school year means there are all kinds of  activities starting up and a fresh round of meetings.

These transitions in my life, due to circumstance & season of  the year, lead me to reflect on what is the nature of the work of ministry.  I found the following quote by Henri Nouwen helpful and thought-provoking.  I hope you find it challenges you too, because after all the work of ministry isn’t just about what the clergy do.  Ministry is the work we are all called to by virtue of our baptism.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

The question is not to prepare [for ministry] but to live in a state of ongoing preparedness so that, when someone who is drowning in the world comes into your world, you are ready to reach out and help. It may be at four o’clock, six o’clock, or nine o’clock. One time you call it preaching, the next time teaching, then counseling, or later administration. But let them be part of your life in God–that’s ministering.

Source: Time Enough to Minister in the journal Leadership (Spring 1982)

If you like this quote and would like to receive other reflective quotes like it daily in your inbox you too can sign up to receive an email from inward/outward.     I am so pleased to have recently found this resource from the The Church of the Saviour in Washington, D.C. and I am especially glad to share it with you.  Their description of their daily email is it provides a space set apart to wonder, dream, explore…what it means… why it matters… how it works… when ordinary people come together in pursuit of community, justice, forgiveness–set free for the sake of Love.  Check it out; I hope you feel blessed by it too!