“Well done”, came the response from our District Chair when Helena and I told him that we had just accepted our respective invitations to Darlington and Redcar. I wasn’t sure if it was that he was so surprised that we had found two Circuits so gullible as to dare to take us on, or whether it was surprise that we had managed to navigate the traumas of the Stationing process as a Clergy couple, for it had been particularly fraught this year especially since the abysmal failure of the first matching left virtually nothing for us in the second round.
Both appointments are okay, in places quite exciting, though the 28 miles in each direction between Darlington and Redcar do leave me feeling “challenged”. Any hope of making it home for tea between afternoon and evening activities now looks very doubtful, and this was one of our most important criteria until Aidan has finished his A levels.
The delay in coming to an agreement with the Circuits was caused by Redcar Circuit responding to, what I believe was, a Spirit inspired idea. They have been carrying funding in the budget for another ½ Minister but had not put a profile into the Stationing process for they were told it was most unlikely to be filled. Having met both of us they clearly felt inspired to look again at their future and decided to offer BOTH of us a full-time appointment, covering the extra half from reserves. The extra appointment would have been focussed on outreach and evangelism – something which always excites me! However, the “authorities that be” clearly heard very quickly and quenched the Spirit. “The process doesn’t allow it … it’s not allowed in the book … Stationing Committee would have to approve it first”. I am the first to admit that we would have struggled with the existing Redcar Manse, and schools would havehad to have been looked at again, but I also remember reading in 1 Thess 5:19 something about “do not quench the Spirit”. Anyway, the idea was squashed before it had a chance of getting off the ground.
I am left with the feeling that it is probably just as well that the Methodist Church wasn’t supervising the work of the early Church or else Pentecost would likely have been a damp squib. I mean, the Apostles would have to have had a Profile for this new work … and there would certainly need to have been a Schedule filled in and approved by the appropriate bodies, and then there would have to be a risk assessment and insurance … and as for fire safety issues …. ! Then, of course, the Ethiopian official would never have been Baptized as Stephen would certainly have been delayed by him first having to be “matched” for the job and a letter of agreement negotiated and drawn up, and as for Peter and Joppa …. !
Sorry if this all seems too cynical, but until the Methodist church stops trying to be so organized and stops “quenching the spirit” of innovation it will never turn the tide. We will never organize the church into growth – but the Spirit may lead us into it if we are willing to respond to his guidance! I’m not saying we never get it right, but like Philip Meadows and his Inspire Network, it just takes so long, so much heart-ache and so much prayer to get the lumbering monster to accept Spirit-inspired change.
Both appointments are okay, in places quite exciting, though the 28 miles in each direction between Darlington and Redcar do leave me feeling “challenged”. Any hope of making it home for tea between afternoon and evening activities now looks very doubtful, and this was one of our most important criteria until Aidan has finished his A levels.
The delay in coming to an agreement with the Circuits was caused by Redcar Circuit responding to, what I believe was, a Spirit inspired idea. They have been carrying funding in the budget for another ½ Minister but had not put a profile into the Stationing process for they were told it was most unlikely to be filled. Having met both of us they clearly felt inspired to look again at their future and decided to offer BOTH of us a full-time appointment, covering the extra half from reserves. The extra appointment would have been focussed on outreach and evangelism – something which always excites me! However, the “authorities that be” clearly heard very quickly and quenched the Spirit. “The process doesn’t allow it … it’s not allowed in the book … Stationing Committee would have to approve it first”. I am the first to admit that we would have struggled with the existing Redcar Manse, and schools would havehad to have been looked at again, but I also remember reading in 1 Thess 5:19 something about “do not quench the Spirit”. Anyway, the idea was squashed before it had a chance of getting off the ground.
I am left with the feeling that it is probably just as well that the Methodist Church wasn’t supervising the work of the early Church or else Pentecost would likely have been a damp squib. I mean, the Apostles would have to have had a Profile for this new work … and there would certainly need to have been a Schedule filled in and approved by the appropriate bodies, and then there would have to be a risk assessment and insurance … and as for fire safety issues …. ! Then, of course, the Ethiopian official would never have been Baptized as Stephen would certainly have been delayed by him first having to be “matched” for the job and a letter of agreement negotiated and drawn up, and as for Peter and Joppa …. !
Sorry if this all seems too cynical, but until the Methodist church stops trying to be so organized and stops “quenching the spirit” of innovation it will never turn the tide. We will never organize the church into growth – but the Spirit may lead us into it if we are willing to respond to his guidance! I’m not saying we never get it right, but like Philip Meadows and his Inspire Network, it just takes so long, so much heart-ache and so much prayer to get the lumbering monster to accept Spirit-inspired change.
Arthur
