Greetings from your (absent) Ordinand. I guess that you will have noticed that I have been conspicuous by my absence from the parishes since the start of this year. As part of my final year training and as my ordination approaches into Ordained Local Ministry within the parishes of St James, Elstead and St Michael and All Angels, Thursley I have been sent away to St John's in Milford. I'm there to experience different styles of ministry and to acquire some more practical skills. So far it has been an excellent experience. The first week I was there not only was there a prominent notice in the pew sheet but I was also made to stand up so all the congregation could see me. Quite what the spontaneous round of applause portends I am not quite sure but it is all too apparent that they are delighted to see me and have very quickly welcomed me into their church community and made me feel one of them.

I have been busy attending not only the Sunday services where I am on rotas to preach several times, act as deacon at others and also be a lay assistant when not otherwise involved. I have also been invited to attend their PCC meetings and will get involved with their Lent Group, social activities and hope to join one of their House Groups during my time in Milford. I have meetings arranged with the Pastoral Team leaders and sit in on the regular meetings of the whole Pastoral Team so I can see how they offer a pastoral outreach to their parishioners. I say Morning Prayer with the Incumbent each week and find that it is an invaluable opportunity as we sit and reflect with each other on the meaning of one of the passages we have read from the Bible.

They are a lovely group of people but the one fact that has struck me is the number of children (probably mostly in the 8 to 11 age range) who attend regularly and the way they are invited and encouraged to be part of the worshipping community. For example, the children stay in church for the whole service at Family Communions and are invited to come and stand around the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer so that they can really see what is going on. The look of concentration and engagement I could see on their faces as they followed the words said by the priest was a joy to behold. In addition one of the children is usually asked to lead the prayers of intercession. The two sets of prayers I have heard so far from an 8 year old and a 10 year old were beautiful and deeply memorable. I was reminded of the words of both Psalm 8.2 and Matthew 21.16.

There are of course differences between any two parishes but I still feel part of one Church united in the worship of God. I've been made to feel really at home in St John's and that, perhaps, is the essence of Christian hospitality. I'll be back in my home parishes after Easter and then will be in the final stages of training before my expected ordination in Guildford Cathedral on July 5th 2009. Please do continue to pray for me. The next few months look very full indeed!

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