Formed.

This Summer marks the end of four years of 'ministeral formation' for me. I still have some of the degree to finish, but the 'vicar school' bit is done. I remember very clearly, on the drive home after being accepted on to the course, catching chorus lyrics in a song i'd not clocked previously on an album i was listening to a lot at that point. The album was Hard-Fi's Stars of CCTV, and the track: Unnecessary Trouble.

"There's just no need to cause unnecessary trouble, just make sure you cause trouble where it's necessary."

(I post this for the song, NOT the quality of the video)



This spoke to me of principles (of the moral variety, not the mortar board kind), faithfulness and boldness, and i found that helpful in my approach to training, particularly while working out if there was a distinction between 'a call' and 'my call'.

So training / formation begins and one of, if not the, first classes features discussion on David Nash's wooden boulder which made it's way to the sea over the course of several years. David revisted the area to try and find and photogragh where the boulder had got up to every few years. Each time the boulder had changed and moved on in its journey. This served as an illustration for our journeys, our changing thought, our influences and our spirituality.

From there many words have been written and wrestled with, and many concepts have been described, applied and grappled with - well, four years worth to be exact.

In March this year Kelly switched jobs, moving from the Arts Council to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. YSP is about to launch its new exhibition and as such it's a busy time; opening event, installation, briefing from the artist, and tonight there's a staff party with the artist (which i somehow get to be at).

This new exhibition is by David Nash, otherwise known as 'the boulder dude'. I thought it a fascinating coincidence that one of the very earliest parts of my training, as part of the foundation module, was about reflecting on the journey, and re-visitation, of the wandering boulder, and then at the end of the four years i get to meet the artist responsible. It frames the whole experience perfectly, and obviously gives cause to reflect on the course i've plotted myself inbetween times. When thinking about this moving wooden boulder another lyric came to mind which took me a little bit of effort to place. "This rock has got to roll", i eventually realised, is from the Fun Lovin Criminals track 'Couldn't Get It Right' on the Mimosa album.



The song is obviously about moving on, and it also speaks of having waited for a sign that never came. I find that that seems to have a resonnance with the position i currently find myself in, though i'm still waiting. A bit.

So, where to from here my little boulder friend? Let's see...