Reflections on a Year In Full Time Ministry – First Easter

This is the third and final brief reflection on my first year as a Methodist Probationer Presbyter.

I discovered that Easter is something I really should have started thinking about early in the new year.  I returned to Circuit after a short post-Christmas break thinking that I had ages until Lent and Easter hove into view.  One or two people at my churches mentioned a Lent course and I said that of course I’d organise one, thinking it was something I’d do in a few weeks’ time.

I’d overlooked something fairly crucial: the fact that Easter was early this year which meant, of course, that Lent started early!  All of a sudden there was a week to go until Lent and, you’ve guessed it, I hadn’t even begun to think about a Lent course.  This was a recipe for disaster, or at least for having to use the “I’m a Probationer and I slipped up” card!

Then came a flash of inspiration.  I decided that instead of having a weekly Lent course we’d hold a weekly prayer meeting over the six Mondays of Lent.  I proposed this to the church stewards and they thought it was an excellent idea.  We met to pray together for six weeks and it was a time of great blessing; so much so in fact that we decided to continue to meet every so often to pray together for our churches through the rest of the year!

The “I’m a Probationer and I slipped up” card is something you can get away with using occasionally through your first year as a Probationer.  It should not be used too often or it will quickly become invalid; but if you do slip up with something because of lack of knowledge and/or experience people are very forgiving.  Anyway, back to Easter…

I found Easter itself a time of great blessing.

Maundy Thursday was very different from the service I’d been used to in my old Circuit.  The church was opened an hour before the start of the service for people to have quiet space for prayer and reflection.  Then we all gathered around a table together and shared in a simple service of Holy Communion.  It was very different, very holy and very sacred.

Good Friday was different for one of my churches.  They actually had a Good Friday service for the first time in many years, because I insisted on doing one – the only time so far I have insisted on my own way!  There was a good turn out too!

Easter Day was fantastic but utterly exhausting!  First service was a 6.30am service on the top of the Chevin (a big hill that looms over Otley) by the forty foot cross that is erected every Easter.  Then a 10:00am service followed by a 2:30pm service.  Completely wonderful and spiritually uplifting but physically and mentally exhausting!   When I got back to the Manse I collapsed in my armchair and slept for four hours!

I now know why many Methodist minister are off the week after Easter.  I was one of them and I was ready for the break!