Kirsty Borthwick
@kirstyborthwick
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College Chaplain @ChCh_Oxford | SCP | PhD from @CamDivinity | Prayer, Trinity, Augustine, Ecumenism, Theological Ed | she/her
Oxford, England
Joined December 2012
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Dad (Paul) died early this morning. It was quick, he remained unconscious, I made it there just in time, and outlook if he survived would have been more than he could bear, so there’s much blessing in the pain. If it’s your practice, please do pray for the repose of his soul.
Prayers greatly appreciated please for my dad. Been in hospital since the New Year, but is now in a critical condition after emergency surgery this afternoon. Looks like a rare and nasty infection. Next few days critical.
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Just over six years later…
Reverend Doctor at last.
Thanks for everything
@ClareCollege
@ClareChapel
and
@Westcott_House
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We came perilously close today to a real life case of what do you do if an animal eats the sacrament? Curled at my feet for a while, joined the congregation for the sermon, sat piously watching the elevations and jumped on the altar just before the great amen, eyeing up the paten
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Honestly? I got home this eve, took off my collar, sat down and wept.
Today was grim. That’s the hardest sermon I’ve preached yet.
But there’s ash under my fingernails, the smell of incense on my clothes and the faint taste of communion wine in my mouth. God’s love always wins.
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Delighted to share this news!
Please do join me in praying for the parish of All Saints’ Leighton Buzzard and for the community at Christ Church. And please pray for me, for good endings and beginnings.
We're delighted to announce that our next College Chaplain will be The Revd Dr
@KirstyBorthwick
. She joins us from All Saints Leighton Buzzard, where she serves as Assistant Curate for the Diocese of St Albans. Welcome, Kirsty!
#MuChChLove
Learn more:
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The formal news is finally in, and better than I dared hope. Almost two years later and this time I can spend Christmas celebrating, not crying…
PhD recommended, this time with no further corrections.
Thank you for everyone’s prayers and support. You’re the best ❤️
#PhDONE
I’m running low on energy so please forgive the screenshot.
I’ve never felt more held in prayer or more aware of God’s grace on what has been a really hard and painful day.
I will be resubmitting. I will finish what I started. And I am proud of all I’ve achieved.
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On 1st July 2022 I was the first woman ordained Priest in Dunstable Priory (quickly followed by Jenna), where episcopal approval was given in 1533 to annul Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
I can’t help but chuckle at a misogynist’s fury.
#ThisIsWhatAPriestLooksLike
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Just been told that one of our young choristers has voiced an interest in being ordained one day, and her family are supportive, because seeing me preside has made them all see that this might be her call too.
Going into my last Sunday of curacy weeping with joy. God is good ❤️
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Doesn’t matter how new a place is, the praying of the daily office always feels like an act of coming home.
Deacon day one ✅
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Prayers very much appreciated as I begin this next season!
Revd Dr
@Kirstyborthwick
will be formally commissioned as Christ Church's new College Chaplain this Sunday at Evensong, and we'd love to invite you all to join us and give her a warm welcome to our community. There will be drinks after in honour of the occasion. See you soon!
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Our Head Server Brian died this evening. At his bedside the memory sat large in my mind was of him stood at the cross on Good Friday, frail himself, but helping person after person back to their feet after kneeling to venerate their Lord.
Rest in peace, good and faithful servant
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Prayers greatly appreciated please for my dad. Been in hospital since the New Year, but is now in a critical condition after emergency surgery this afternoon. Looks like a rare and nasty infection. Next few days critical.
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I’m running low on energy so please forgive the screenshot.
I’ve never felt more held in prayer or more aware of God’s grace on what has been a really hard and painful day.
I will be resubmitting. I will finish what I started. And I am proud of all I’ve achieved.
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My first opportunity to celebrate Midnight Mass and I don’t think I’ve ever known a joy like it.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come let us adore Him!
Also, cheeky
#clergymaltclub
before the 8am.
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Submitted.
Doing a PhD whilst training for ministry was really hard, but has been a gift. Special thanks to the people
@ClareChapel
&
@Westcott_House
- communities of prayer without whom I'd have given up on this research long ago. And for your support online, thank you.
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Please pray for our little parish. Spent the early hours at another parishioner’s deathbed. I’ve announced a death every time I’ve been at the altar these last 3 weeks.
Yea, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil : for thou art with us 🙏
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Such an utterly joyful day. Let the next stage of the adventure begin!
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As a Cambridge student I stand with
@PriyamvadaGopal
. The university is lucky to have her. Her abusers are despicable. Petition against her reported for hate speech.
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We’ve discerned our vocations alongside one another, in different traditions, different countries and to different result, but drawing us both into the loving embrace of the same Christ, our Lord. What an abundant joy to have Sr Paula here this weekend.
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It took until the close of the day, but the grief has finally made its entrance.
Love and prayers to everyone else finding today hard.
Rest in peace, Dad.
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Celebrating the small grief wins.
Besides when others have kindly fed me, my diet has consisted of buttered toast for the last three days.
Not only did I make this breakfast today, I also ate it 🎉
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Started weeping as Srs Monica Joan and Frances commended Albert’s soul at his death-bed; was still going by the end credits.
#CallTheMidwife
is truly beautiful. It makes me want to be a better Deacon almost as much as Scripture or the Eucharist does. Sundays are richer for it.
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John (of Anglo-Catholic church planting fame) was finishing up his PhD in Theology at the same time as I was mine. We both know it doesn’t matter to the worship at all, but it’s good to celebrate the joys and it was a joy to co-officiate Evening Prayer today in our new hoods!
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One of our little ones came up alone for a blessing today, took my hand & led me to mum, sat cradling his new baby sister, so that I could give mum communion & dad & baby a blessing.
Children are often the best of us. Praying for joy and peace for all the world’s children today.
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On Anglican clergy pay, it’s worth saying that life isn’t magically cheap if you’re young & single. Furnish a property from scratch. Where/how will I retire? Time with anyone I won’t have pastoral care for? Nearest friends £20-50 a time. It’s mental wellbeing that takes the hit.
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My twitter feed has lacked white comment on
#GeorgeFloyd
death. Now that the church/bible have been misrepresented, everyone is up in arms.
Let’s not forget that
#BlackLivesMattter
. The first blasphemy here is not Trump at St Johns Church, it’s the racist murder of a child of God
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The thurible exploded over the altar, I had to run out to the vestry mid offertory for a bottle of wine because we forgot to pour any in the cruet, and I have almost no voice left with which to sing Evensong…
But who cares! For Alleluia, Christ is risen!
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I decided not to undermine the moment by taking a picture or stealing the card, but I finally got to sit at table with a group of theologians this evening with Revd Dr before my name on the place-setting. After years of hard work and frustration, do you know what, it felt great.
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I know I shouldn’t get involved, but…
I’m joyfully a member and frankly barely think about the fact I can’t be a Priest Associate. My ministry and person have been valued there. I’m fed up of hearing that this is not a valid, honest or theologically considered position to hold.
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Give rest, O Christ,
to thy servant with thy saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing, but life everlasting…
… All we go down to the dust, and, weeping o'er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Rest in peace, Dad.
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PhD revised and resubmitted!
(and a trip to Cambridge to get rid of the books)
This last year had been a test of endurance; this re-examination stage will be a test of my anxiety levels. Continued prayers appreciated, but for now the heartiest of thanks for cheering me on!
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This yr I finally learned…
If I wear black I’m clericalist but if something colourful I’m not a proper cleric. If I wear jeans I’m willing to work hard but also too causal. If I paint my nails I take proper care in my appearance but I’m also a distraction.
… haters gonna hate
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Shout out to everyone else who slept through the Northern Lights!
Bonus points if your efforts to improve your sleep habits as an act as self care also mean for once you weren’t on your phone late at night and missed any clues and now feel sad this morning 🙄😅
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My word it feels good to be back in Cambridge not to cry and stress my way through rewrites…. but to finally graduate! The pit of anxiety as I step off the train has disappeared at last!
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Provided my Bishops do agree to ordain me Priest (dv!) I have a confirmed date for my first morning presiding at the altar and please excuse me while I have a long, joyful and utterly bemused lie down.
Come Holy Ghost! 😭❤️🙏
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Every wedding is a joy, but today’s the first I’m officiating for a church couple I’ve really got to know over the last two years. Added bonus - the groom is our Churchwarden!
It’s nice to be preparing for both a service and a costume change. Also, a ceilidh. Perfect Saturday.
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I start St Cuthbert’s Way in an hour (after a hearty breakfast). It’s mostly just my idea of a fun holiday, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a proper pilgrimage too.
Do let me know how I can pray for you as I walk towards Holy Island (dms open).
St Cuthbert, pray for us 🙏
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My retreat slot in the parish calendar is in February, but I didn’t get the chance to take it this year.
I’m belatedly off on retreat tomorrow. Can’t wait for long evenings, reading on the beach and daily swims in the North Sea. June is a better time for it!
Can I pray for you?
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You know what I said the other week about single clergy spending a lot of downtime alone? Sometimes that even happens when you used your hard earned pay and take yourself out for a treat 😅
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I took a bereavement service on Sunday and now I’m back to swimming in a treacle of grief.
So I abandoned today’s study day in favour of getting deliberately lost in the local woods, with an ice lolly in hand. It’s good to have the spring sun make an appearance at long last!
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Having already had plenty my Bishop said this morning “you must try this cake”, pointing to a variety I had not yet had.
I assume this comes under canonical obedience since Victoria Sponge of all things must be lawful and honest.
Which is all to say, I ate a lot of cake today.
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If I stand up for myself I’m bossy. I’m a good Priest until I wear my long hair down/paint my nails. Male friends champion women until an they push me under the bus to win an advantage. Older female clergy regularly patronise me despite my excellent qualifications and experience.
"There is misogyny in the Church, but it expressed in subtler ways."
Read the latest column by
@AngelaTilby
👇
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Curacy ✔️
And there is nothing in this world more joyful, even as an ending, than a School Eucharist. I’ll treasure my leaver’s cross just as our leaving year 4s will treasure theirs.
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I GOT ACCEPTED! So thrilled to be going to live and study at Bossey Ecumenical Institute
@Oikoumene
in Geneva for a semester next year! Huge thanks to Minstry Division
@churchofengland
for their support!
#Ecumenism
#PostPhDLife
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Just seen a load of hate on here against a statue of Mary in the throes of labour.
Fellow female priests who get hurled abuse for being yourselves, fear not these guys are also offended by the Mother of God and the very reality of Jesus’ Incarnation. We’re in very holy company.
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Sitting/waiting with the emotions around Dad’s funeral tomorrow by listening to the hymns I’ve picked for my own, hopefully long in the future. I suspect a v niche coping mechanism. Esp when you’ve long decided on “You Shall Go Out With Joy” as the final hymn… sorry neighbours!
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Moved in and shown family around town.
This is what made it all feel suddenly very real. Yikes!
Giving abundant thanks for the wonderful Priest whose name is above mine and every person those services represent, who have already shown me such kindness & welcome. God is good.
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Happy News!
Thrilled to announce (dv) I’ll be ordained Deacon on 27 June 2021
@StAlbansCath
serving as Assistant Curate at All Saints Leighton Buzzard
@diostalbans
Please pray for me, Mthr Cate my Training Incumbent, Ouzel Valley Team & parishes. All the Saints, pray for us!
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Overwhelmed by the generosity of the parish as I say my goodbyes.
This gift is a small highlight. What will I remember going forward?
“You can do it, put your big girl pants on!”
A promise was made- which I’ll soon regret- that I’d wear these under my cassock at my licensing…
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If you’re looking for a retreat, esp if you want periods of silence but room to chat with the community and fellow visitors too, I heartily recommend the Friary at Alnmouth. Comfortable, friendly and prayerful community, beautiful setting, library to die for. Feeling very rested!
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Alleluia! What an incredible experience. Three of us walked over together and are now very very muddy.
For the witness and intercession of St Cuthbert, thanks be to God!
#StCuthbertsWay
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Eek my notifications this morning! Should have known better than to post a pic of me in clericals with the words “biblical accuracy”.
Good thing I and so many other sisters in Christ are too busy praying, pastoral visiting, celebrating the Sacraments & cuddling donkeys to care!
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A couple of friends arrived early for a planned visit today, it turns out so they could let themselves into the curacy house while I stayed at church to officiate a set of baptisms… after which I found a surprise early birthday celebration waiting for me! 🎉❤️
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I’m so close to getting PhD submitted, but I’m exhausted (so many life changes!) and I’m wasting energy stressing myself out for no good reason. I’ve a quiet week ahead. The end is in sight if I put my mind to it.
Please could you help pray me over the finish line, friends? 🙏
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Heard this evening that a friend in the Kyiv region, a fellow student from my ecumenical studies, is now under bombardment. Please pray for Vasily.
Господи помилуй. Lord have mercy. 🙏
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I’ve done lots of confused praying lately as I discern where God is calling me next (no news yet, prayers appreciated)
Sometimes you wander back into somewhere like home and find your answer. An evening at
@ClareCollege
a reminder that it’s chaplaincy that makes my heart sing ❤️
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@Isla_Skinner
As long as no one upsets the cat - he’s our most faithful parishioner and we love him! His favourite service is Evensong but I suspect that’s because of all the attention he gets from the choristers.
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For a parish much in need of the relief of Gaudete joy this year, the friendly parish cat certainly delivered this morning ❤️
Although may the Lord find us a little more alert in our watching and waiting!
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For the sake of good order surely the liturgy used at All Souls Langham Place today- however extempore a form that takes - needs to be made public at the very least? Otherwise arguing “this isn’t schism” has absolute no legs.
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The biggest grace today, on the hardest of days, was my oldest friend taking a precious day off work to be at Dad’s funeral with us. We’ve been friends since before we could walk. We’ll be friends until we can no longer walk. Thank you Hannah.
“Friendship is a sheltering tree”❤️
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Right, white friends.
I’m going to set up a Black Theology reading group. Once a month, meeting online. 1st meeting beginning of July. It’s not up to the black community to keep on educating us. I know we’re all busy, but this matters.
Engage/retweet and if you want in DM me.
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Patronal. Pilgrimage. Concelebration. Relic. Roses. Surprise good cry.
@StAlbansCath
introduced me to Anglo-Catholicism and nurtured my vocation. I found in Alban a faithful friend in prayer. Hadn’t realised how hard it would be to say a sort of goodbye. Here begins the endings.
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Are you waiting on ALevel results tomorrow, or GCSEs next week?
I’m praying for you.
I’m sorry this year’s assessments are such a mess and beyond your control. Jesus chooses to dwell in the mess, and brings calm to the uncontrollable storm. May you know his presence and peace
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This was an ordination present from some very wonderful friends who didn’t need to be at all churchy to realise this was the prefect gift. After the long saga of finishing the PhD, during which I had this stashed in a cupboard, it brings me so much joy to use it now ❤️
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I likely wouldn’t be ordained if not for Anna. Her care as my once spiritual director, at a point when I was ready to walk away from formation for good, is something for which I’ll be ever grateful. Heartbreaking.
Rest in peace beloved sister in Christ.
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In the spirit of honesty, because academic twitter isn’t great at that...
Got my first draft feedback. It’s pretty damning. I have a lot of work to do. I’m already exhausted. Good thing I’m stubborn.
Writing in a pandemic is hard. Solidarity with everyone else struggling ❤️
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I’ve struggled with this week’s sermon.
My first in this parish. Tricky passage. And the weight of the diaconal calling to proclaim the Gospel has been a stark reminder that we hold this treasure in clay jars.
Please pray for all who preach. It’s a difficult & important task.
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In order to begin answering
#IsTheChurchRacist
those of us in the Church of England who are white have to confront our (because it is ours) repeated failure to act. Don't be actively complicit. Read the reports listed in tonight's
#panorama
documentary. Read this excellent book.
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My bag set off security at London City Airport this afternoon. “There’s what looks like a book in there that’s set it off”. Reader, it was the Bible…
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I have entered my solitary cell for the next ten days... in other words, I’m home! 🇨🇭 🛬 🇬🇧 ❤️
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8am: teen serving for the first time.
Parish Eucharist: words/descant to final hymn written by one of our young choristers.
Messy Mass: children everywhere and one child serving for the first time.
Children belong right at the heart of the Body of Christ, ministering to us all.
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Made a mistake leading evensong this evening. Congregation shouted out the correction, we had a collective chuckle and then got straight back to the psalm.
It’s a privilege to be amongst people who take their liturgy very seriously without taking themselves too seriously at all.
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I’m coming at it late but the Last Supper furore is utterly hilarious.
We clearly need to get better at teaching classics or art history or even where the Olympics first come from.
And I suspect there’s a need to get a lot better at not jumping to defensive conclusions…
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Christ is risen!
First Triduum presided/preached as a ‘solo’ curate during a challenging time in the parish, with many of our faithful very ill, but they’ve looked after me with such kindness and we sang alleluia at the tops of our weary voices tonight. Think we did my TI proud!
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A subtweet on CofE Twitter at large (ie not just Fulham)
All CofE ordinands should be made to do an ecumenical placement (IF other traditions are willing). We hold lots of power in England without reflecting on it & urgently need to relearn our place in the local & global Church
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Lord Jesus Christ
Son of God
Have mercy on me, a sinner.
That’s all I’ve got in me this Ash Wednesday. Thank God it’s enough.
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Handed to me at Afternoon Tea this evening. Honestly, is there a more Church of England gift?
It even has my “hard at work doing liturgy” ponytail!
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I’m in a praying the Office because I have to rather than wanting to stage at the moment, and I think it’s important that clergy admit to that sometimes.
It’s the knowledge that I’m joining in with something much bigger than me that’s helping me pray, so thanks fellow pray-ers!
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Tomorrow’s tasks:
1. Lose 200 words and any lingering errors.
2. Add final page references.
3… Maybe, possibly, even hand it in…..? 🙏
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I’ve been caught! 10 minutes before preaching Easter Evensong, at the end of the curate’s first Holy Week.
(I love that the comfiest spot in church is just metres from the High Altar and Aumbry. God truly is our resting place)
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Last 6 months or so of my PhD have been challenging. So I’m immensely proud I presented my first paper this week - my confidence has grown exponentially. I’m going to keep a copy of this photo in my notebook as a reminder for when imposter syndrome next hits. Thanks be to God!
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Right, sisters in Christ, how have you shown love and devotion this week? Let’s transform a “meek and mild” prayer.
I’ve been bold in meetings, used my theological expertise to tackle difficult qs, presided at sacraments, shown care to my friends. I’ve ministered courageously.
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The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended.
And spectacularly this evening.
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Because not all women believe the same thing.
And I only ask that my colleagues (whatever their gender or stance) recognise that I have come to my opinion on the matter through prayer and reading scripture and theological reflection and, frankly, through a lot of tears.
Why are female clergy cheering for a bishop who doesn’t believe in female priests?
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For parishioners who pause to say “you’re down to do a lot next week, how are you holding up?”, thanks be to God ❤️
Life is heavy here at the moment, as we grieve a number of our beloved friends and care for many who are sick. Advent waiting feels hard. But grace abounds.
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A handful of moments in the last few days have reminded me how tired I am of having to be extra competent to counteract others’ assumptions regarding my gender/age. If that’s you too, whatever characteristics are at play for you, I’m about to pray for/with you at evening prayer.
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Pick a session, come along. Zoom details to follow.
Aimed especially at fellow white christians wanting to commit to learning/equipping ourselves to tackle white supremacy. But all with good aims welcome.
Mostly theology, bits from other disciplines too. Approx undergrad level
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There are still at least 10,000 words to write, so there's going to be a lot on the cutting floor when edited... but a Cambridge PhD max word count is 80,000 words, and I've finished today on 80,805.
There were so many times I thought that figure was beyond reach! Such relief!
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Ridiculously beautiful antique desk for the study ☑️
Bank balance weeping, heart singing. Let the theology commence.
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Did I return from Assisi with a mini, felt St Clare carrying a monstrance?
You bet I did.
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Running an Advent Seminar this evening entitled 'Waiting on the Word'. This image at the top of the handout is going to make some of the attendees very happy.
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How excited am I to be a Priest?
I was wide awake wandering around my retreat bedroom “censing the altar” and mumbling the secret prayers of the mass at 2am last night because I can’t sit still.
Please do pray for Jenna, Simon, Andy and I as we are ordained Priest this evening!
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Many parts of the Church of England could also do with remembering this
Strikes me that many Episcopal sermons talk about feeding the hungry but don’t presume someone watching might be hungry themselves
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Moment of joy amidst a miserable day funeral planning: my Church Aunties discussing whether to give “their Dr Kirsty” (❤️) a sneaky bottle of rum punch at the do after Dad’s funeral.
What a joy to have been nurtured in life/faith by such committed, kind and cheeky women of God!
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