What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Who is the happiest of the them all?

    Mirror, mirror, on the wall….
    Who is the happiest of them all?

    Turns out the answer is clergy.

    According to the BBC, the government is beginning to include measures of happiness in what it attempts to do and part of that has been trying to quantify who the happiest people are in society. Turns out the answer at the top of the list is “vicars/priests”.

    I’m not at all surprised. Oh, but there’s so much to say about it – not least the fact that I know plenty of clergy who are very far from happy. My hunch is that those who are unhappy in this job tend not to be unhappy about the essence of the job and are frustrated because they can’t vicar enough to fulfil the hopes that they once had. (My apologies for verbing the noun in that last sentence).

    The list itself is fascinating as it lists job categories by average income too. Second most happy people are CEOs bringing in lots of dosh.

    Here’e the top ten happy categories:

    (Rank) Occupation Mean income (£s)
    (1) Clergy 20,568
    (2) Chief executives and senior officials 117,700
    (3) Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture 31,721
    (4) Company secretaries 18,176
    (5) Quality assurance and regulatory professionals 42,898
    (6) Health care practice managers 31,267
    (7) Medical practitioners 70,648
    (8) Farmers 24,520
    (9) Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors 32,470
    (10) Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades supervisors 35,316

    I’ve been asking myself why it is that clergy come out at the top. Some combination of the following factors is probably at work:

    • Very high degree of autonomy – notwithstanding bishops, presbyteries and other forms of oversight, clergy have to be very self-motivated.
    • We are in the joy business.
    • There’s a relatively high level of vocational testing before you get in – the churches try to select those who are most likely to cope with a very odd life.
    • High satisfaction levels around being with people in trauma and emotional need – you know you are doing good very often
    • High level of variety in daily life.
    • It is a life not a job.
    • Inner calling is a greater motivator than money – you don’t go into it for more money.
    • Lots of opportunity to develop a life where internal reflection allows you to work through your own stuff.
    • The job involves telling people they are loved and learning how much you yourself are loved too.
    • You get to walk into places and situations where others are frightened and help them deal with their fears.
    • Worship.

    I’ll write sometime about why clergy are not happy. But for today, I’d be interested in any further comments about why clergy are happy.

    Anyone?

    ,

5 responses to “Sermon – 27 July 2008 Leah's Lovely Eyes”

  1. chris Avatar
    chris

    Father, I confess. I have watched Gok Wan, and there is no health in me. 😉

    Reply
  2. Stewart Avatar
    Stewart

    Kelvin – You must have a Tardis, or the Cathedral Website is in a different timezone as it infer you preached the sermon on 26 July.

    Reply
  3. Kenny Avatar
    Kenny

    Can I sook up to YOU Kelvin, by saying that was one of the most powerful sermons I’ve heard for a long time? It put into words, in a way I’ve been unable to, how I feel about the whole Lambeth thing, and the, now (for me), tiresome, issues of sexuality. Yes, let us deal wth these issues, and punt Paul’s bit in Romans to all who feel marginalised. That is the Gospel. Our Bishops need to listen!

    But your take on the average Anglican was wonderful. Wot I’ve been trying to say, unsuccessfully, for weeks.

    The average mother in Dumbarton’s “worst bits”, is concerned tonight for her teenage child who will, again, come home with needlepoint pupils and another brush with authority under their belt. The house will be damp and nobody in the family will be employed. Addiction, poverty, lack of self-worth, hopelessness, helplessness…

    And, here, like everywhere, it doesn’t help us when a single issue is punted by the press as the only thing we’re interested in as Anglicans.

    Show the world our best bits? Aye, but sometimes it’s hard to, because the people have already made their decision.

    Reply
  4. gail Avatar
    gail

    Hear, hear, Kenny. An astonishing sermon that astounds again and again on re-hearing or reading.

    God’s Truth, simply stated, clearly and succinctly delivered.

    I’m all for emphasizing the good bits – so long as we DON’T ‘wear vestments on the beach’ – and that we DO actually deal effectively with the ‘less than good’ bits, so that these can be seen – without embarrassment – when appropriate – and seen as of little importance to the Central Truth.

    Dear Leah.

    Thank you, Kelvin, for once again bringing new and highly relevant light and insight. I hope Leah’s lovely eyes continue to look over our shoulders, bring Light into dark days and scrutinize doubtful corners……..

    Reply
  5. irishpisky Avatar
    irishpisky

    I have always looked forward to the Sermon time in any Service.

    If it proves un-interesting to me, I can spend the time contemplating the great scheme of things, untrammelled by the diversions of life. If, however, it catches my imagination, my spiritual switch is ‘turned-on’ and little flashes of revelation can turn into a flood of light.

    Especially, the latest group of sermons has proved to be of the latter kind…all different, with a different approach, theme and presentation, but yet all pointing us in one direction…think outside the’box’.

    Because, almost by definition, our Episcopal congregations come for a variety of backgrounds with different viewpoints, so perhaps it is not surprising the those meeting just now have varying opinions.

    Perhaps Lambeth may not be notable for what it does, or does not ‘achieve’, but by the fact alone that we all as individuals have been forced to evaluate our view of things.

    We know that we will never all agree on everything, but we can sit together happily Sunday by Sunday, and be prepared to have our bigotry and self-centredness questioned.

    Perhaps if more Bishops came and sat in St Mary’s congregation they might learn a great lesson…’now we see through a glass darkly, but we are seeing a bit more clearly every day’.

    Reply

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