Retirement Blog Four

I’m not responsible!

I have always loved being involved in County Shows, Flower Shows and Village Fetes and Festivals.  If they work well with a good team who have a focus on being God’s people witnessing in the market place (rather than a focus on fund raising) and if the weather is kind, then for me there is nothing better.  It has to be one of all-time favourite places. 

Last August 2018 I was helping to set up the Church Tent at the Shrewsbury Flower Show and put up a simple flag pole and the flag of St George. One of our team, a lovely young Welsh lady, teased me and said she couldn’t possible work in the tent with St George’s flag. (Shrewsbury is on the Welsh borders.) So I went to the back of my car and produced a Welsh flag to which she said, 'it seems you do have everything in the back of your car.'

Having been involved in County Shows and the like for over twenty years I have built up considerable knowledge and experience – and a wide array of ‘stuff’ to help dress tents, etc.

I have learned to try and cover for all contingencies, especially with the vagaries of the English weather!

On Good Friday this year (2019) I offered to set up a simple PA for the initial gathering of Love Stafford Walk of Witness.

I have already downsized my array of PA equipment and gave away a really nice set up last year to a Children’s Minister in a neighbouring diocese. (A semi-portable sound system that was gifted to me following the closure of a Baptist Church who no longer had need of it) 

Because I had not used it for a while I thought to check everything was okay. It was just as well as things were not okay and I was struggling and puzzling over what to do. I had said I would get something sorted and here I was on Thursday night with nothing sorted.  

During the night I continued to think about it and in the morning decided that we didn’t really need the full kit, but something far smaller and simple to set up and break down. 

Thankfully I had something that would just lift up the speaker’s voice enough for people gathering to hear.  That piece of kit worked and in the end it was perfect for the job.

I was also involved in the Dawn Service and there provided a simple BBQ for the New Fire, a microphone and a very strong music stand and some other bits and pieces. 

As we prepare to move into our retirement home and with the need to downsize I have to think carefully about what I give away that might be useful to somebody else.

When considering this over the Good Friday and Easter it came to me that providing resources will no longer be my responsibility. 

I have in some ways taken on that responsibility, I like to be the person who can find it, or who has or at least knows where I can get it – whatever ‘it’ might be.    

As an itinerant minister I really enjoy being able to provide resources for people.

But once I retire I will no longer be responsible.  If I happen to have something that could be used, all well and good, but I will not have a responsibility to provide it or find it.

I am now trying to think myself into that position which I hope will help me pass on stuff that may be of service to others or get rid of it in other ways.

But I think this weaning process may take some time to complete and I am not ready to relinquish everything just yet – but I am moving in the right direction at least in my thinking!  

And here is the biggest thing I need to find a good home for...