My Calling?

(written 28 March 2019)
As you may have gathered my posts so far are a bit of a ‘catch up’. I had written notes but kind of never got around to starting a blog – until now. So I have included these posts for the sake of completeness – so please forgive me if they are not that inspiring. I am going to move to the present as quickly as possible as even I can’t be doing with writing ‘old news’
 
During the last few months I have realised that I would like to have a role in the Church. I am not sure what that will be – although I have some ideas. This includes communicating both verbally and in writing the Word of God – particularly how Gods’ word relates to society today and conversing with those who are perhaps exploring faith. Additionally, I am excited by the idea of mission and using online and social media as ways of serving existing Christians and promoting the Word of God to those who are not. I guess this blog and website is part of this.
I have decided to formally ‘go for it’ and have applied for the ‘Foundations in Christian Ministry’ course with the Church of England. This helps to discern what your calling is. And being so new (and of confused mind…) I really need this. In conjunction with this I was asked to join my Parish PCC and have taken on a role of representing the Parish at local Deanery Synod meetings.
​
AND….. I did my first reading in church today! I am going to include the reading I did here as I feel this is a bit of a milestone for me – I can’t believe I actually took part in a Church service! Feedback was it was fine except I need to slow down. So here is what I read.. and I think I will always remember this reading. I actually feel I have ‘started’ now!
 
A reading from the Prophet Jeremiah 7:23-28 ©
 
Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God
 
These were my orders: Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Follow right to the end the way that I mark out for you, and you will prosper. But they did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face me, and turned their backs on me. From the day your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until today, day after day I have persistently sent you all my servants the prophets.
  But they have not listened to me, have not paid attention; they have grown stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors. You may say all these words to them: they will not listen to you; you may call them: they will not answer. So tell them this, “Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God nor take correction. Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.”
 
The Word of the Lord   Thanks be to God
 
 
A response to this morning’s Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9
 
O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
 
O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
 
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
with songs let us hail the Lord.
O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
 
Come in; let us bow and bend low;
let us kneel before the God who made us:
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
 
O that today you would listen to his voice!
‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
when they tried me, though they saw my work.’
O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
 
Gospel Acclamation       Ezk18:31
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –
and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!