Arrived! ~ Ingrid Barnsley
Aaaand breathe….. I’m not sure I have ever had a more whirlwind, joyful, prayerful, exciting, nerve-wracking and frankly life changing 2 weeks! Having left Oxford on the Thursday, to moving into a new city here in Bath on the Saturday, three days later being on a pre-ordination retreat, ordination on Sunday, and now having just finished my first very enjoyable week in St Luke’s…it’s perfect timing to be able to write to you all in this blog and have the opportunity to reflect on this time.
Having now taken the time to look through all the photos people sent me from the ordination, the thing that stands out the most is the sheer amount of people who came to support. I was truly overwhelmed and one moment in particular stood out. In the rehearsal for the ordination on the Thursday prior, the Bishop explains that all the supporters of the particular ordinand getting ordained are invited to stand as the Bishop lays his hands on their head. He said to us “you won’t be able to see who has stood up, as you are facing the other way… but… you will be able to hear all the people standing” and I could really hear you all!! And what a glorious sound it was; the sound of people standing, chairs slightly shuffling, little chatters of excitement. To know that there were so many of you literally standing with me, as I was on my knees was a beautiful feeling. Thank you so much for standing with me, and standing for me, on that occasion. I hope for the three years I am here we will continue to stand alongside one another.
The beauty of the love I felt on that Sunday was a feeling I will never forget; but in fact, during the course of the day, I was struck by something far more beautiful. The love I felt, with all my friends and family around me, is but a glimpse of the love that God has for us all. Truly, the love of God is so much wider, deeper, richer and truly infallible than even the most loving of human relationships, or love showered on people at specific major life events. I wish I could have bottled up that feeling when we were all stood together in-front of the Cathedral – but then I realised, I don’t need to bottle it up, because we in fact have access to an even greater love though God’s love to us. I will never forget how I felt on Ordination Sunday, and it has made me even more sure than ever, that to spend our lives sharing God’s great love to others is indeed the richest way to live.
What an honour it is to get to have the first three of this with you all here at St Luke’s!! I am genuinely so excited to get to know you all, go on adventures (literal and spiritual) seeking daily to follow Jesus together.
See you all on Sunday!