it’s currently 00:50 and I have had a complete inability to sleep so far tonight (I am going to go and try again in a minute.)  Anyway as i couldn’t sleep I thought I would update the blog, not just this post I have re done the about page so it now reflects what is happening now rather than being out of date. Of course with it being very late, me being tiered if not sleepy and dyslexic it could well be full of mistakes so if you feel like having a read and find anything that needs to be corrected please do feel free to let me know!

Good night!

Simo

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So apart from the short updates from twitter things have been a little quite here OnMeBus for a while although I’m sure by now you know that things are changing a little bit. OnMeBus will be hitting the road again soon and hopefully with more regular updates than there have been over recent months but the destination has now changed.
Where as before we were journeying through the world of youth ministry (and life as a youth minister) in rural Britain, after 10 years in youth ministry my journey is now hat of an Ordinand (training to priesthood within the Church of England).
Just to update you on where things are, I am now living in Nottingham about to start studying at St. Johns Collage for two years. OnMeBus’s new route will be travelling through Theological study, placements and exploration of all things Anglican.
So climb aboard, grab a seat and buckle up for the ride.

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Well the wait has felt like reasonable length of time but on Saturday evening I had the phone call with the conclusion of my Bishops Advisory Panel report.
The outcome is that I have been recommended for training (the outcome we were all hoping and praying for!) This means we will be moving up to Nottingham in the Summer to start training at St John’s collage in September for two years. After that I have to have another interview with the Bishop to be approved for ordination so keep on praying!
We are all very pleased and excited about the way God is calling us forward as a family, we know that the next few months and years there is a lot to do and it’s not going to be easy but we know this is Gods will for us and we look forward to all He has in store for us as we prepare to move, to train and all that will be involved.
Thank you for all those of you who have been praying and please keep them up, this is only the beginning!

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Well it has been a rather intense few days on a Bishops Advisory Panel although I have to say a much more pleasant experience than I perhaps anticipated. I now feel like the young apprentice sent to the store room to ask for a ‘long weight’!

To let you know what is happening now (at least as I understand it), the advisor’s are still there writing up their individual reports and then bringing them together and from all the information drawing their conclusions, the three advisor’s have to be unanimous in their decision. Once that has been sorted reports final reports are written up on all 15 of us and then all sent out to our relevant bishops together (so we should all hear around the same time!) Normally they say you should know by the end of the following week, however with the Bank Holiday that could take an extra day, which of course takes us into a weekend so I guess it could be beginning of the following week.

I can then get one of three responses:-

1. Yes, we recommend Simon for training for ordained ministry within the Church of England.
2. Yes, but… we recommend but think he needs to do/get more experience at before going for training, this will then be down to the diocese to work out how that is done.
3. No, we don’t feel this is the right path for Simon at the moment. (if it is this option I can try again in a couple of year, and can do that twice!)

So how am I feeling?

Well a little exhausted, the experience is mentally draining, but it was actually quite good fun as well most of the time, there were 15 candidate and as we were all in the same boat and there is no competition, we could all get a yes, we could all get a no, there was a lot of mutual support, even the advisor’s although not giving things away there was a real sense that they are not there to say yes or no but to help us discern Gods call. I know I have been myself, I have tried to give of my best and let them see who I am, I could not have done any more and now I need to trust God for the right outcome, whatever that may be. I am of course slightly nervous, slightly excited and perhaps slightly scared, and I think that is perhaps right for whatever the outcome might be.

I want to say a huge thank you for all the prayers that I know many of you have been sending up, for the encouraging comments that have been left on Facebook or emailed that have really helped me feel loved and supported by so many during the three days. Now I just have to wait and continue to pray and I will let you know once I hear.

Thank you all

God bless

Simon

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written by Simo