• 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.

3 responses to “Another day, another new ministry now begins”

  1. Eamonn Avatar

    Thanks be to God. I have family in New Westminster, and have been visiting there for the last 13 years. So I am acutely aware of how difficult and painful things have been in some parishes.

  2. Eamonn Avatar

    Interestingly, though +Michael Ingham has taken a great deal of flak over the blessing of civil partnerships, the pressure to provide a service of blessing came initially from the laity, about 20 years ago.

  3. Father Ron Smith Avatar

    Thanks for this, Kelvin,

    I’m taking the liberty of putting this on my ‘kiwianglo’ web-site in New Zealand.
    We are always interested in your comments on the Anglican Communion around the world, and appreciate this titbit from your visit to New Westminster. Enjoy your sabbatical. God bless you and renew you for your return to Bonny Scotia.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Previous Posts

  • 6000th Comment

    Kudos to Ryan for posting the 6000th comment on this blog. (There may be a Mars bar on offer for whoever posts the 10000th one). And thanks to all who comment, argue and pontificate. Without you all, this blog would be rather dull.

  • Predictions for 2011

    Well, here goes: The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church will use their considerable intelligence, wit, guile and blogs to avoid expressing an opinion about anything at all. Oh, except one thing – that they think its OK to discriminate against gay people. (Which in private most of them will continue to say…

  • New Year’s Day Service

    Don’t forget that there’s a New Year’s Day service – 11 am in St Mary’s. I’m offering to do a blessing of the diaries at the end of the service, so if you want your diary, filofax, iPad or mobile blessed then do bring it along.