Some exciting news from Daniela Eisentraeger …
At the beginning of this month, Kelvin wrote a lovely article about our retired clergy and associate ministers. I thought, ‘I’m going to finish this month by writing about the next generation of clergy.’
We are those who are called by God and being tested by God, the parish, the diocese and the national Church of England. This process is called the discernment process. It’s a loooong process with many interviews, forms, and loads of prayers. The whole process climaxes in the selection procedure called the national Bishop’s Advisory Panel (BAP). There you are assessed by a panel of three advisers over three days.
Let me describe it in this way: it feels like being a tomato on the BBQ, grilled for three days, losing all juice and shape. The panel was tough. The few things which kept me going were the many encouraging text messages, the constant reminder of God’s faithfulness, the knowledge of people praying, and the mutual cheering on by the other candidates. I don’t know how often I got down on my knees, praying to God for stamina, wisdom, and peace of mind. At the end of the final day I questioned God’s call on my life, my confidence hit rock bottom, and the only feeling I had left was an overwhelming sense of tiredness and disappointment.
Then the nerve-racking period of waiting for the report and the decision to arrive. It’s funny how life feels when everything is on hold, because you don’t know which way to go and even God seems silent. During this time, I held fast to God’s promise and Proverb 3:5 became my safety buoy in the ocean of uncertainty: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’
Waiting… waiting… waiting…
Then the phone call: ‘You are recommended for training. Congratulations!’ … Shock, relief, excitement, thankfulness, humbleness, and the unbelievable affirmation of God’s call on my life.
I’m so grateful for all your prayers, support, and just your listening ear during these last two years of the discernment process. Phew, what a journey…
Well, what does it mean, you might wonder…
It means, I’ll be an ordinand from September. I’ll be studying, again – the endless joy of essay-writing ahead. It means commuting to London once a week and some weekends. My placement will be with St Saviour’s and the wider benefice (if the Bishop agrees), but most of all it means the start of a new season.
Daniela Eisentraeger, lay minister
Cartoon from: https://www.cpg.org/global/online-resources/cartoons/
