One month in… (nearly)

Taking after the rain before Evensong

As I write this I have just returned following a few days holiday in our monthly long weekend. I’ve unpacked and am just chilling, looking forward to a slightly lazy morning as Mattins is 8am instead of 7.30am tomorrow for the Feast of St. Luke (for reasons I can’t explain the Community Kalendar puts this on the 19th rather than the 18th as in Common Worship).

Walking the Snake Pass to Kinder Reservoir with Mum

This month has flown by and yet I feel like I have been here a lifetime. I’ve just about settled into the long days and established a routine; a sensible balance between study, college life and chill. With assignment deadlines fast approaching this balance may shift temporarily as I navigate remembering how to write an essay and learn a new referencing system.

This semester’s lectures are: Foundations in Christian Worship, Introduction to the Old Testament and Foundations for Reflective Practice in Context along with 4 weeks of Study Skills (only one more left to complete). With only 6 hours of lectures a week I do sometimes struggle with where the time does go, especially as during the day it seems to move so slowly! It is only with meticulous planning of the week ahead that I am able to visualise getting everything done. (I also wonder how some manage to fit a nap in)

Walking to Mattins – not looking forward to the dark mornings

Worship is so nourishing and fulfilling and whilst we can’t sing at Evensong with the Community, it is still special that we are able to worship alongside them at these difficult times. I really enjoy (is that the right word??) 7.30 Mattins and Mass each morning, it seems like the most perfect foundation to the day. Whilst other Tutor Groups gave their first years a free pass for the first week on liturgy duty my Tutor Group didn’t. This meant that I was the 1st first year to serve in Lower Church for the morning Mass…… a little terrifying but I’ve been reassured it is a compliment. Tomorrow I will also be one of the 1st first years to serve in Upper Church (there’s 2 of us), Acolyting for mass with the Community. Whilst I have completed thurifer training, I am VERY happy I haven’t been put down for that yet!

View from bedroom window

This last month has been the most surreal month, there are countless times I stop to question what it is I’m really doing. Not in a doubting way (though I would be lying if I said that didn’t happen at all) but in a ‘pinch myself to check it’s real’ sort of way.

I cannot wait to see what the next month brings!