Right lets see what I can recall from the last fortnight. I think I will stick to main events rather than a day by day spiel. Monday 6th July I was down to Birmingham for a supervision. Main article was to review my report to St Andrew's Chesterfield. The report was in depth but is going to need some revision before I give it to them to take into consideration last Sunday's interview. There are still problems with dealing with details. I was puzzled by my supervisors response that the report was for the minister only. Two reasons, I expect elders to be interested in detailed reports and I also know with this minister that he won't read it if it was just for him. In the end it turned out that my supervisor had little idea what role the Elders play in an congregation and the depth of their involvement with the running and decision making on a day to day basis. He eventually grasped that elders were closer to ministry team than to PCC in the Anglican setting! It seems so simply that the minister does not run the Church but the elders meeting did and the minister plays a leading role within that setting. So it looks as if I am going to have to produce a chapter on the Reformed Character of the URC in my thesis otherwise I will find blank questions from my examiners. Travel was smooth except for the journey back when the train was delayed between Birmingham and Derby.
The Tuesday I had a migraine. I think if I hadn't I could have claimed I was cured of migraines as I had just done so much over the weekend and Monday. It was the first for quite some weeks. Yes the absence has really been due to an absense of migraines. Its actually quite tricky balancing things at the moment. I know I am better but I also know that if I go back to previous ways I will get more migraines. Humm.
Nothing much to report on Wednesday but Thursday was the day that St Andrews Chesterfield debated about whether children could take communion. Although many there see it as a continuation of whether confirmed(children who have gone through church membership) children could take communion I think this in many ways both was more recent and much deeper. Up until Easter time this did not arise as the children were in Junior Church during communion. The problem was that this Easter they came in and then the congregation did not know what should happen. Technically they held an open table and were proud of their open table but was it open to children. The deeper thing is to do with the acceptance of certain families into the congregation. These are families who are second generation and the mother was brought up in the church, but went away to college and came back. There are two such families. The mothers are being expected to go through membership classes again. One has done so and one has refused to. The mothers up until recently have not been asked to be elders. It was these families whose children were excluded from communion.
was until Friday then, I had a meeting in my diary which means I am back processing data, rather a lot of data some of it totally new to me. I am going to see what can be done with what we have got but I think at least one lot of data will need to be not produced as simply I do not have the where with all to deal with it.
Friday evening was completely different. I ended up organising a trip to evensong and then on for a curry at Naawab's. This was for Codepoet (as he is known on Ship of Fools) who is training for the Anglican ministry and had a placement at Parsons Cross in Sheffield. Balaam and LRP also from Ship of Fools made it as well. Cathy they live in Huddersfield. The rest of the West Riding shipmates did not make it. I was expecting Nawaab's to be close to full but it was at best half empty. The food was good, price about what you'd normally pay in Sheffield for a meal. Apparently the menu is not as extensive as it is in Bradford but they still went beyond the normal. For a good quality curry Division Street is becoming a place to go. As Aagrah's and Nawaab's have now joined Nirmals. I wonder if any of our out of town curry houses which are often also good will move into town. The choristers at evensong were definitely at the tired point for end of term. There were according to Codepoet glares from the choirmaster to various choristers during the service. One managed I think twice to drop his music. I imagine he at least stood a good chance at missing the end of term party on Sunday!
Saturday was quiet. Sunday I went to the communion service at St Andrews Chesterfield. The children should have taken for the first time. I think it was coincidence. Another family came that week, which meant that there was a third little one who as far as I know had not been to Junior Church at all during the last two years. This was the cousin of one of the little girls who is normally there. The mother who had been one of the leading protagonists in favour of children at communion stepped in and took the two younger girls while there was a communion service. I give her full credit for handling tactfully the situation. Then it was onto the pub for lunch with two members mother and daughter as indicated earlier.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were busy working days. On Wednesday I went around to Stuart's new room as he wanted to show it off. He rents his room from Monica Hanna. It really was only a visit to see his room which is now on the first floor and much better looking than his previous one.
Thursday I took the morning off to do some transcription and then into work on the afternoon hoping I'd have chance to play with the data but Dr Hussein had booked in that morning but otherwise a very ordinary day.
Friday was at Breakfast and then had a Greek class. Then a study day, Saturday a Study day and I took this morning off but am going to the barbecue this evening at St Andrew's Chesterfield that replaces the normal just desserts.
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