[Magdalen] How's everyone?

[Michael Bishop]

  I envy you, Meg.

Life for me is very quiet at present. I retired from after 46 years of 
full-time ministry  last September and, of course had to move away from 
my last benefice - where I had lived and worked for 20 years. I now live 
in the parish of Keyworth in Nottinghamshire (Diocese of Southwell and 
Nottingham). I grew up in Nottingham and was ordained in Southwell 
Minster in 1971. Clergy here are expected, on retiring, to take 6 months 
not exercising ministry. That period is now over, but I am still 
impatiently waiting for the Bishop to grant me Permission to Officiate - 
the wheels to grant that turn extremely slowly. I have done all the 
steps I need to take but now have to wait for the system to get round to 
licensing me. Life has seemed very strange for me with no rushing around 
on Sundays (I used to officiate at an average of 5 services on a normal 
Sunday). I hope I can soon do something! Meanwhile I have to be content 
with bellringing as my only official activity. I also miss my former 
involvement with schools - but so far there are no opportunities for me 
to do that.

Perhaps my licence will come soon!

God bless

.....
.....
Michael Bishop
rev at michaelbishop.name

On 10/05/2018 17:11, Meg Wagner wrote:
> On 09/05/2018 17:58, Ginga Wilder wrote:
>> Anyway, I thought we might resume conversation in the pub with ordinary
>> things.  So, what's up with the rest of us?
> Lots going on here in Iowa  - busy with both of my church jobs these days. Working 30+ hours a week for my diocesan staff position and 20+ hours as priest in charge of Grace, Cedar Rapids. Not a sustainable schedule for much longer. But my diocesan job includes responsibility for a new mission start, Beloved Community Initiative (www.becomingbelovedcommunity.org <https://becomingbelovedcommunity.org/>) that I am really excited to be working on. We received a grant from the TEC church planting initiative - GENESIS and are now up and running!
>
> On the home front, both my boys will graduate this year - one from high school and one from college. The oldest is going on lots of interviews to be a high school or junior high choir teacher and the youngest is headed off to University of Northern Iowa to major in history education. Lots to celebrate and give thanks for :-)
>
> Blessings,
> Meg+
>
> The Rev. Meg Wagner
> Iowa City, Iowa
>
>
>
>