Plan B

 Every five years I have to make a formal request for the Bishop's permission to take services and talk to my Rural Dean (Steve) about what I do.  

A few weeks ago I went to see Steve and he asked me how I see my contribution to church life and ministry these days.

"I'm Plan B" I said.  I explained that I don't want to be on a regular schedule for leading worship but I am very happy to fill in when a priest is ill or goes on holiday or when there is a vacancy after one vicar leaves and before another is appointed.  

The shortest notice I've ever had that Plan B was needed is just over ninety minutes when a priest was taken ill one Sunday morning. (I've filled in at forty five minutes notice for an on-line service but no-one could see the chaos around me then!)  Most often it's several weeks notice that someone is going on holiday.  I've been in authorised ministry for thirty seven years so I've got quite a lot of material I can use at very short notice.  

At the moment a lot of holidays are being taken.  I've done a run of four Sundays and will soon start a second run of four.  Things will soon get even busier as a local vicar is moving to another area.  Often I'm not needed for several weeks at a time so I sit in the congregation. 

I offered to step down on the grounds that I'm getting a bit long in the tooth but Steve seemed to think he needed a Plan B.  

And I've now got the Bishop's permission.