finished

I have now finished my course a week prior to my ordination. I attended SEITE (seite-online.com). The picture is from Kent University ( where we stayed this weekend) looking down to the Cathedral. I imagine it is the sort of picture that medieval pilgrims saw walking from London ( as in the Canterbury Tales by Chaucer). Inspiring the pilgrims to continue their journey. We are pilgrims and for me and my friends this is just what we will do, with God's help.
I know I have said it before but the best thing of the course has been the relationships. I have firm friends who are all going to do something similar to me mainly across southern England. The relationships with tutors and staff have also been great. There have been challenges, but that is really the point. How can you become a curate if you have not prepared yourself. To prepare yourself you need to find your 'itches'and deal with them. What are you sensitive about? what don't you know. What don't you want others to know. If you don't get it sorted now it will come and bite you as you try and work with others.

When we worshipped in our small groups this morning I read something from Jim Cotter's 'Waymarks for a Cairns Journey'Cairns publications 2001. My spiritual director gave it to me as he cannot go any further on my faith journey as he is dying. A great man, whose love of God has inspired me. He gave me the book to help and it certainly has. My fellow worshippers asked if they could have the passage I read so here it is. I hope Jim doesn't mind me copying it as I hope it will encourage others to buy the book.
'The old cloth is unravelling, and we do not yet perceive the new pattern.
Some of the threads will disintegrate into dust, their life and purpose over.
Other threads may be renewed by dipping them into dye.
And in our generation we are called to be spinners of new threads.
A few will try out tentative, provisional designs, at first on paper.
The next generation , being born now at a turn in time will be the weavers.