[Magdalen] When you come to a fork in the road take it

[Marion Thompson]

I effectively may have delivered my farewell to St. P's at coffee this 
morning.  I was the intercessor and once again, as usual, the PIC had 
totally rewritten them.  Like totally.  It is such a slap. Like I'm 
incapable of composing appropriate prayers for our Remembrance Sunday or 
any other day?  If he wants short, can't he, as a minimum courtesy email 
a few days before and make the request?   He appeared not to know that I 
am the licensed lay reader, yes, licensed by the Bishop and writing the 
PoP is my responsibility along with occcasional preaching, etc., nobody 
had told him anything about who is who around St. P's, he said.  Anyway, 
an unpleasant exchange in which I was pretty overheated ended with him 
saying he's going to speak to the bishop for clarification and me 
agreeing.  He holds that our Anglo-Catholic tradition is only a few 
years old (he's surely been listening to someone!) and he plans to hold 
a parish meeting and put it to a vote, i.e., what do the people want.  
And there was a certain amount of what I would call spiritual blackmail 
about how I should put St. P's first over what I want.  I said I'm 77 
and I have spent my life putting everything and everyone else first over 
me, my mate, and my family, and no more! There are two perfectly good 
churches within close walking distance of my new home -- I in no way 
plan to leave The Church and my faith, but the tyranny of little men 
doesn't have to fill my days (not that I said that!).

So, will I have a call from our Area Bishop pinning my ears back, taking 
away my licence, or what? Either one of them can, in fact, dump me, and 
maybe that would be all right.  I think I've reached that fork.

Thanks for listening.

Marion, a pilgrim