Halfway!

I suppose there have been many halfway points during the past five years as I have been progressing towards full-time ministry in the Church of Scotland. This most recent halfway point has been the most significant because it's the last of my halfway points!

I was so busy during the lead-up to Easter that I didn't notice that it would be halfway through this 15-month placement just a few days afterwards. It has been quite a strange feeling.

Perhaps part of that strangeness has been due to celebrating the most significant of the Christian festivals (arguably!) whilst working full-time at the church. Easter is such a contrast as we pass through the contemplation of Jesus' death into the celebration of his resurrection.

Perhaps the visual imagery and symbolism of our labyrinth sharpened the contrasts along that journey.

The half-way point on a journey is always very significant. The distance remaining becomes less than the distance already travelled. If travelling on a round-trip, the remainder of the journey is towards home, rather than travelling away from home. When climbing a mountain, the peak is usually half-way, and the rest of the journey is downhill!

So for a number of reasons, this final halfway point seems so positive.

However, it's not all plain sailing, for there are still a number of significant tasks to complete, for example my essay on Church Law, and my Twelve-month Assessment.

Therefore I need to stay focused, and keep following my leader during these final few months. What comes next will sort itself out in due course.

In golfing terminology, we're on the back nine now, the inward half!