Location, Location, Location!
A January update from St. Mark's Lay Assistant, Judith Cooper as she approaches Ordination in the summer
Almost three years have gone by since I wrote an article in the Winged Lion entitled Vocation, Vocation, Vocation, in which I spoke to you about a hoping and a longing, of being able to work at something I believe in. About integrating my head and my heart, my work and my leisure, my professional life and my personal life, and about harbouring a deep need for God in all aspects of my life.
Wrapped up in these years have been many unforgettable experiences, a series of intellectual, spiritual and emotional somersaults. New friendships have been formed and when together we have laughed, cried and been stretched in every direction. I have met many people from all walks of life and been exposed to every tradition, seen and taken part in the most amazing experiences, all of which add up to a very enriching three years.
So my journey to ordained ministry
is almost over. So what comes next? If you didn’t happen to be in church
at St Mark’s for Harvest then you might well have missed the news that,
following Ordination in June later this year, I will be taking up the Title
of Assistant Curate of St Mary’s the Virgin, Prestwich and working collaboratively
with the Priest-in-Charge there, the Rev’d Bryan Hackett. St Mary’s
is a 15th century church in a part of Prestwich village, tucked away on top
of the Clough in nine acres of woodland.
The parish is partly rural, partly suburban and partly urban with a small Jewish
population. Terry and I will be moving and living in the parish and this in
itself will be a wrench as I have lived and worshiped in Worsley for most of
my life. But move we must, and there is something very exciting about sharing
and contributing to the life and witness of the parishioners in Prestwich.
I have always believed that God is the one who calls us to faith and obedience in both ordained and lay ministry and I thank God for my calling to the priesthood, and the way in which I am being shaped by it, and by others. My training has continued to challenge my perceptions of God and has taught me to be open to the scriptures and not to come with years of tradition and preconceived ideas. For at the end of the day, it is God and humanity that we serve, and the most important thing is how we bring God’s love and the gospel to other people. Where the Holy Spirit leads we are called to follow and so my journey of discovery continues………
Judith Cooper
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