The day approaches.

I seem to start most blog posts with, ‘I haven’t blogged for ages…’ This one is no exception to that. (I’ve also spotted that our holiday blog promptly ground to a halt. Maybe I’ll pick it up again one day…)

But the day of my ordination as priest is fast approaching. I’m already on pre-ordination retreat and about to shut my computer down. But thought I’d just scribble a few words. Here’s what I’ve written in the church newsletter for this week:

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I kind of blame John. John was our vicar in Worthing before we moved up to Derbyshire. We were back down South visiting, some years ago, and were in our old church. John sidled up to me about 3 minutes before the start of the service, as I was innocently minding my own business, and asked, “Isn’t it about time you started thinking about ordination?”. He wasn’t the first person to suggest it, but it was his question that particularly got to me.  

Now, I had thought about ordination already. But it was in much the same way as I think about bungee jumping. I have admiration for those who go through with it (though wonder if they’re a bit mad); I would be intrigued to know what it really felt like; but when it came to the crunch, I wasn’t about to go out of my way to move beyond the ‘wondering’ stage.  

John’s question forced me out of that stage into exploration – what the church calls ‘discernment’. And of course, to cut a long story short, after lots of thinking, praying and chatting, two diocesan panels, one Bishops’ Advisory Panel, 3 years of training at Queen’s and one year of curacy, I find myself a matter of days away from my ordination as priest (or for those reading this on Sunday, it’s just happened!). There’s a funny cocktail of joy and trepidation I’m currently experiencing. I’m also tremendously grateful for all that this community has given to me and my family over the course of this first year of curacy – thank you! 

As Anita mentioned in last week’s newsletter, now is a great time to be thinking what it is God is calling each one of us to. Of course, not everyone is called to the priesthood (that would put rather a strain on the Church of England’s resources!), but everyone is called by God. God calls us to worship and to serve, to live our lives following the pattern that Jesus set. One of my favourite terms in the Bible to describe Christians is ‘Ambassador’. An ambassador is a representative of power more important than themselves. And each one of us is God’s ambassador in the place God has put us. For many, that might be a place of work, but it’s also the home, the coffee shop, the sports activity, the pub. And a myriad other places. Is there somewhere new that you think God might be calling you to? Where might you be able to serve as his ambassador? 

With my love and prayers, 

Nick.

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And I guess that sums up much of what I’d want to blog at this point. But I’d add that there is something really special about realising that God has called you by name. Yes, that’s you, whoever you are reading this. (Not necessarily an audible voice, but a recognition that God has lovingly called you by name) Some of you will already be ‘doing stuff’ for God, but others of you haven’t yet had a sense that God is longing that you’ll hear his voice. I hope and pray you hear God’s voice calling your name.