Last weekend I had a most interesting trip with my Director of Ministry, Paul Cavanough. We made some notes to remind us that our work lives are interesting and complex!
Saturday
| 1.00pm
| Running late to pick Paul up. Where are the car keys? #%##@@@
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| 1.30
| Paul drives. We are on the road heading for Longford. Petrol stop and great conversation planning and dreaming. (with eyes open)
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| 3.15
| Meeting with Jo and Marie the new co-incumbents of Parish of Quamby. Paul off to chat with local Vicar.
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| 4.30
| On the road to Scottsdale.
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| 6.00
| Settle into B&B and meeting with a person considering ordained ministry
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| 7.00
| Dinner with Priest in Charge at local Pub. Paul’s mixed grill was amazing!
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| 8.00
| An evening of conversation around significant parish and ministry issues
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| 11.00
| Alone at last in our bedrooms. Paul lamenting that he’d missed semi-finals of the Eurovision song festival.
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Sunday
| 8.00am
| Breakfast sharing table with tourists. A time to listen!
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| 9.10
| On the road to Branxholm. A brilliant autumn morning alive with colour and the joy of a new day.
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| 10.00
| Combined parish service during which we farewelled a young couple, prayed for the person considering ordination and made the unexpected announcement of the resignation of the Priest in Charge. (The very long conversation of the evening before) A time of very mixed emotions.
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| 11.30
| Parish Lunch with very interesting dynamics. A table laden with the bounty of rural life. Several plates of my favourite and the very Anglican egg sandwiches. (that’s another story)
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| 12.30
| Parish Meeting attending to the many issues arising from the resignation. My Director of Ministry was at his best!
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| 2.45
| The beautiful drive to St Helen’s. if you have never done this drive you must. In several sections the manfern forests are breath taking.
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| 4.00
| Fill up the car ready for the long drive home this evening. Took a moment to check out a shack that Paul had seen advertised on the web. He has dreams of long weekends in beautiful St Helens.
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| 4.30
| Team meeting with the Break O’ Day Ministry Support Team. This was a wonderfully rich time of fellowship and ministry enriching conversation. Topics varied from “Evangelistic Knitting” to their short-term accommodation caravan for homeless people. The entire time was a refreshing and diverse interchange. Enough to warm the heart at the end of a long trip.
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| 6.00
| Another generous meal provide by the team. I was seated at Michael and Ann’s dining table enabling me to take in the wonderful views across the bay.
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| 7.15
| On the road again for the trip home. Unfortunately we miss the turn off and head south to the Lake Leake road. My new bonnet mounted animal scaring devices, dubbed the ‘Pope mobile front loaded machine guns’ by the team, only failed once during the trip. Only minor damage to the car and the wallaby didn’t survive.
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| 9.30
| At last Paul had had enough and gave me a chance to drive.
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| 10.30
| Paul dropped off safe and sound at his home.
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| 11.00
| I pull into my drive way thankful to God for his great blessings.
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