Thursday 22 August 2013

Busy Rectory Bees - needing Confirmation advice

The pace of life doesn't seem to slow down at the rectory. Just when we can see a gap in the calandar, there are unexpected visits from our sons and other family members. It is such a joy to be on the visiting radar, as living in Devon, we were just that little bit too far for an easy drive for the rest of our families. The summer is full of village shows and we have tried to get to most of them. The Rector@6 still hasn't quite got broad enough shoulders to ignore remarks about his occasional lack of attendence at one or another show. These comments show such little understanding of how hard he is working, and whether the comments are in jest or not, they upset the Rector@6 and me. If they could only see behind the rectory door! Finding his way through the business of six parishes and getting to understand the people and how they work, is a very time consuming business.

As autumn approaches, thoughts are turning to harvest services /suppers (each parish wanting their own), Christmas (yes Christmas!), Advent courses and the post Christmas visit from the Bishop for a Confirmation service. The latter service means that the confirmation classes must be completed during the Christmas period. Of course the Rector@6 won't be doing this all on his own, he has a team of clergy who have to work together to cover the six churches of the benefice.

I am now taking on the role of Benefice secretary !!!!!! Ok - so I was going to have my own life - but it is just not possible and keep a sane husband. While we remodel the benefice website, it is easier to have this job under the rectory roof for a short period (it is not for ever!). I have also been going through some of the resources available for Anglican Confirmation. I am so disappointed by what I have found. Has anyone used up-to-date, none indoctrinating, challenging, exciting material for teenagers' Confirmation classes? It is a serious business but surely we should be tapping into the teenage energy and encouraging them with up-to-date understanding of the Anglican church and how we (The Church) recognise their gifts and can use them. There must be something out there that makes the Church of England look relevant to the average teenager!
If you can help, or can recommend anything, or can ask anyone you know who might have suitable material - please contact me. Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places but we do want to see our young people spreading their wings.

3 comments:

  1. Oh dear ... I know just what you mean about taking stuff on to make the Vicar's (ie our husbands') load just a bit lighter. In my experience, however, once you take something on, you never get to pass it on again. I'll ask mine about confirmation resources ... we are in such a different context (inner-city by contrast to your rural!) but many of the issues are the same. Every blessing xx

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  2. I well remember the barbed comments in my first benefice when I had to tell them I wouldn't be able to attend the main fund-raising event in one of the parishes as it clashed with my niece's wedding, which had been in my diary since well before our arrival. I followed a vicar who had been there 15 years and had never spent a night away from the vicarage in all that time. Sigh...

    It's now over 6 years since I retired, so I'm rather out of date where resources are concerned, but we used Youth Emmaus in my last parishes which worked very well with teenagers from small rural parishes.

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  3. I have the same problem here too on the other side of the world (Australia), so no wisdom on how to cut your self up into little pieces to be in more than one place at a time. Dh is out (as usual), I'll ask about confirmation resources too, and watch with interest/

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