to all of you who have been worrying that the lack of a blog may be a return to the difficulties of 2 years ago, I’m fine and having a blast in Englandshire. The lack of updates is merely a break to get my wee brain around the new stuff. I’ve not got it all in a coherent enough place to blog it yet.
But life is good, the job is great (and busy!), and praise be – yesterday i got the whole of the way through the maze that is common worship without losing the place, getting bits back to front or sidelining the deacon. It’s slowly starting to make sense, and soon i shall be playing around with it like a true pro – scary prospect!
A few months ago when visiting and showing the Beardy One around Ipswich, i was asked (over the obligatory glass of vino blanco) how long i thought it would take for my identity to change. At the time i thought it an odd question – it’s just me – who i am, how i react, what i think/say/feel. These things, these aspects of my consiousness are all intertwined, intermingled like a finely woven blanket. Each affects the other in the warp and the weft to create the picture that is Ali. Maybe I didn’t quite grasp the subtlety of the question – for even at this stage there are slight changes to that weft – a different hue here and there.
Of course there are the obvious things – the stopping mid-sentence to correct a comment based on simple geography and tense: “we do it…” to “when in Scotland we did it….” (that has happened a lot!), the smiles and “hello vicar” over the road at the shops from multitudious strangers, “Guess where the vicar’s from!” games with the P3’s at one local school (sorry – Year 3’s – there i go again!) All part of the culture shift and re-becoming English after 18 years in Scotland. Not a rebranding or re-invention, but discovery and integration of the new.
It’s the not-so-obvious things which will take time to get my head around – shifts in understanding of my role within this community, in this team. Some aspects are tied in with the “state church” stuff and the establishment (and still pretty alien), some with the sense of being a part of something much bigger institutionally. The size still throws me a wee bit – at the clergy conference 2 weeks ago it was slightly overwhelming. Now its just big, and I am a part of it. Discovering where i fit in to this wider machine is part of the journey, and at the moment much is still shrouded in the mists of the unknown. Whether or not it becomes any clearer remains to be seen, but there is fun and excitement in the discovery.
its been a mad week or so, Alan being trusted to unpack the house while i dashed off to the clergy conference – a welcome escape from boxes, and a great opportunity to meet people (the Cof E is HUGE! People keep telling me I’m in a small diocese, but i dont think I’ve ever seen so many clergy gathered… ). The content was largely fantastic – challenging, inspiring, entertaining. Ann Morisy, Mona Siddiqui and Keith Ward especially (podcasts are available) – each offering their perspectives on where God is speaking in the world today – from the challenges of mission in a largely unchurched culture and meeting people on the edge of difficult times, seeing God in the challenges and choices, through the understanding of another culture and interfaith dialogue, to the wonders of science. Each had energy and enthusiasm in bucketloads, and the coffeetime buzz was excellent.
The only dissappointment was the section on faith and film – Richard Coles seemed to miss the brief (or the subtleties of the timeslot – post lunch, day 2), and it was a dark, heavy session. Lots of conflict, masculine imagery and violence. I’m not normally one to shy away from such imagery in movies, and i love a good heavy action flick, but it didnt seem appropriate or necessary in that timeslot or context. Shame really, it could have been so much better.
Family arrived at the weekend, ready for last night’s licensing. Fantastic service, Bishop Clive’s sermon was spot on, and the strangeness of some aspects was completely masked by the huge welcome both Alan and I recieved – not just the official welcomes of the dignitaries invited, but the smiles, the hugs from people we will slowly get to know as this place begins to feel more and more like home. Anne Tomlinson, who was one of those who trekked from Glasgow reflects on it here, exploring the symbolism of the service and its difference to a licensing or an installation in the Scottish Episcopal Church. A few others from Glasgow made it down for the service, and old friends from far and wide were present. There were people present from every major stage of my life since i was 19 – bizarre seeing them all in the one place, but in a very good way.
The Glasgow contingent (or some of them) with Alan and I.
It was a great night, although a wee bit warm (we’re not used to the southern temperatures and climate!) but this morning back down to earth – team meetings, getting my head round the liturgies, arranging to spend time with a couple about to be married – the normal stuff of ministry to get on with. This is where the fun really begins, and it is good to be finally here.
This time last week, we said goodbye to a couple of good friends, and to our wee hoose in Glasgow. After a mad dash down the A1, we arrived in Sunny Suffolk last Tuesday – exhausted and a wee bit grimey from the road. Joy of joys we were met with smiling faces, ridiculously huge bunches of keys and some freshly made coffee.
Its been a strange week settling in and unpacking. Bereft of broadband and satellite tv, and all too conscious that family and friends descend upon us soon, we have managed to get more or less organised – the box mountain has eroded, leaving piles of “stuff” wherever we turn, but slowly and surely the stuff is finding a home, and so are we.
So now we are surrounded by England flags, a strange mix of Suffolk and Essex accents (some of which are currently incomprehensible), strangers in a strange land. But we have been made welcome, plied with alcohol, been fed and provided with an escape bolthole, had fun poked in our direction (and even one brave soul trying to organise me….). Life is good.
only 2 Sundays left to go here in Glasgow. Seven years suddenly seem to have flown by, and every so often I start wondering what I am doing leaving this place for the south of England. Yes, the last 18 months- 2 years have been tough, marred by illness and lack of support from them that should know better, but i really am going to miss the people here, even the ones that wind me up something awful! (they know who they are :-)) There have been some extremely good times too, and there is sadness in moving on, but it is the right time, and the right place to move to.
The drama has continued to the end, with yet more hassle at Knightswood. This time it comes in the shape of Vandalism – the Willful Fire-raising variety to be exact. The Boiler, which has had so many plagues upon it over the last few months is now deceased. Defunct. Cremated.
Packing is moving on apace, and the diary for what comes after Glasgow is beginning to take shape. Inductions into the inner workings of the C of E, the normal stuff of ministry to get on with (if there is such a thing), settling into a new area, new home and getting to know those strange beings south of the border. I’m excited by the challenges of all that is new, reassured by all that will be familiar, and looking forward to being in a team once more – such luxury!