• The Questions

    I’ve just done one of those Knowing Me, Knowing You sessions that I do from time to time that allow members of the congregation to get to know me a bit and ask any questions about who I am and where I come from.

    I asked the group for permission to share the questions. Here’s what they asked me.

    • How did you get from the Salvation Army to the Scottish Episcopal Church?
    • Why were you into politics and why did you leave it behind?
    • How has the congregation changed and why?
    • What was your curacy like? Were you really in charge of a cathedral when you were a curate?
    • Is there a God shaped hole in everyone?
    • Do you have a boyfriend?
    • Where in Yorkshire do you come from?
    • Where in Scotland do you come from?
    • Did you come here as Provost?
    • What do you mean when you say you hated your training?
    • What are the good points and the bad points of being Provost of St Mary’s?
    • How do have you used the Maths and Computing skills you got in your first degree?
    • Do you want a new cat?
    • Where are you going next? And when?
    • Do you believe in Predestination?
    • Is there space for more razzmataz at St Mary’s?
    • Salvation Army vs High Church. Is it very different?
    • Prayer? How do you pray?
    • How do Bishops and Provosts get on?
    • What’s a Canon?
    • How do you relax?
    • What did Chaplaincy work teach you?
    • Where would you like to work?
    • Where have you been overseas?
    • What TV do you like?
    • What’s the difference between the role and the person?

    Great questions and as always a really interesting session. I think a lot of congregations would like their rector to do an any questions session from time to time. It is always worthwhile.

    Want the answers?

    I’m repeating it in September.

7 responses to “Come out and carry on”

  1. Emlyn Williams Avatar
    Emlyn Williams

    Couldn’t you find a nice mitre to replace the crown? 😉

    1. Kelvin Avatar

      Oh, I didn’t make it.

      And in any case, with the C of E, it is all about the Crown.

      1. Susan Sheppard Hedges Avatar

        Can we share it even over here in the US?

        1. Alan McManus Avatar

          Yes! With an explanatory, ‘The Kingdom of God Needs You (To Come Out)!’ I’m celebrating today by putting my publications on my website, thus nailing my rainbow colours to the mast. Once I’ve had my tea. Living in Glasgow, I won’t have had it.

    2. Fr Steve Avatar

      Sounds like a movie of the 1960’s starring the wonderful (and yet sad) Kenneth Williams!

  2. Dharma Nicodemus Cuthbert Avatar
    Dharma Nicodemus Cuthbert

    Just another day to be forgotten about, by the majority of straight people. Like the 1st of December, I half jokingly asked my rector which colour I should dye my hair on the 1st, pink or purple he immediately said purple. I asked why then he reminded that it was Advent, I had to explain why I had thought of pink. He didn’t know that the 1st of Dec was the world’s hiv/aids day, we both were seeing the day from completely different angels.
    I was surprised that the day wasn’t known to him, he’s not that old.. Anyway way I could experiment and see what happens.

    1. Alan McManus Avatar

      What a lovely thought, that there are different angels dedicated to the celebration of Advent and to the care of people in various states of sickness and health! A felicitous typo.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • He is come

    He is come, he is come. Wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Our God is amongst us.

  • How to be single at Christmas

    I find myself wanting to write something about being single at Christmas. After all, I’ve got some experience to draw on. There was a time when I used to find being on my own at Christmas a tricky thing to think about, but these days its one of the times of the year when I…

  • +Richard on the new atheists

    Don’t miss Richard Holloway’s  book review on The Atheist’s Guide to Christmas. Here’s the full link. And here is a highlight: That said, this book is fun, especially if you read it as a prospectus for a complex and varied religious position. The comedians in it – and there are too many of them –…