'Go West'!

It's Friday of my first week in West Suffolk - to be fair I only started 'work' on Monday, and had a day off on Tuesday, but this is it - not ordained so don't 'feel' like a minister (however that feels) - but have met with my colleague and attended my first Elders meeting, first Wednesday prayers, first coffee morning and done first pastoral visit! So many people, so many names, and so many unknown roads to drive along!
There's also been a lot of 'Admin' stuff to sort out - including setting up a new mobile phone solely for church use - my private number shall remain that! Also finding out best deals for land line and broadband; trying to arrange things for ordination service and have actually been and ordered a cassock.
I have mixed feelings about that - had thought I wouldn't wear one, but after chatting with others have decided it may be a good thing to have for those occasions when it is the best option - e.g. funerals and weddings.
Now have the dilemma about a preaching scarf - what to get and where from!

More importantly is the sense that 'this is it' - I'm very nearly a minister, and as one of the ladies I met on Wednesday said, 'In my opinion, you either are or are not - there's no in between.' It's both scary and exciting though and once I've got to know more people and have led worship (not till 2nd August) I'm sure I'll begin to feel that I'm a minister.

On the subject of leading worship - I'm still waiting to hear from the other churches in the group to get dates in my diary for Sept, Oct, Nov & Dec. But there's time still - it's only the first week!

Better stop this and get on with the study sort out!