LLM Admissions

It was hard to get up this morning as I didn't get much sleep last night.  I had a bacon butty for breakfast and after sorting out some paperwork, quickly, I caught the Park & Ride bus into Salisbury to attend the Admission and licensing Ceremony of Lay Ministers in the cathedral.  A wonderful service with all three bishops officiating and the Bishop of Salisbury giving an excellent sermon.  The service lasted about an hour and a half - a little shorter than an ordination service - with five ministers to be admitted - the students of the year below our own.  I felt a great warmth and peace come over me as I realised that it will be the turn of me and my fellow students to be walking up the nave of the cathedral in procession with clergy and lay ministers to receive the authorisation of our own ministry from the bishop in exactly one year's time.  I felt exceedingly privileged to have been selected for admission next year and am being trained to use my gifts for preaching and teaching the Word.  We are all called to be ministers in some form or other but to see and hear the appreciation of the senior clergy for this particular authorised ministry was heartening.  Following the service in the cathedral I joined others for lunch in Sarum College and an afternoon meeting at which Canon David Runcorn gave a talk entitled "Singing a Song in a Strange Land?" which was essentially a discussion about how Christian ministers can sometimes feel like "exiles" - set apart from a society with different views and values on Christian life. He echoed many of my own thoughts about how the church must go into the secular community more - something which has been done in our benefice quite a lot recently - fresh expressions of church such as pub theology.  Tonight I revisited my sermon for tomorrow's service at Whiteparish.  Apart from a few minor tweaks I am happy with it.  I am also leading the Morning Worship as well as preaching and have been told this evening that there are some Banns of Marriage to read out too! Must remember to add a prayer for the couple.  Thom will be coming to Whiteparish with me as we shall be going on to Southampton for the Saints v. Fulham game immediately after the service.  Looking forward to the football after quite a busy week.  3 points would be good!