Father Peter Farrington
When a person becomes a priest, or even a senior servant in the Church, surely this proves that they have already demonstrated all of the knowledge and experience that is necessary for their service? In a general sense, being set apart for a particular service in the church is more usually a sign that a bishop sees the potential in such a person, and that their heart is in the right place. We can be sure that if a person is not already completely committed to living the life of Christ, and to seeking the closest possible union with God, then their service, however competent and professional, will not bear fruit in the salvation of others. It does not seem to me that this means that when we are set apart for its service we automatically, and as some sort of divine gift, receive all of the knowledge and skills that we might need to serve those in our care to the best of our abilities.
Undoubtedly there are those who serve who already have many of the pastoral qualities which will bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of others. Others have already gained skills and experience which they can turn to pastoral advantage in their lives and careers before they are set apart for service. Still others find that in long years of service they learn many of the lessons which make this ministry more and more fruitful in every year.
There are many of us, and perhaps the majority, for whom a commitment to continuing study and training is both necessary and helpful in their service. I consider myself to be one of these for whom the benefits of continuing development are useful and even necessary. I have already studied for three years at an Evangelical Bible College many years ago, training to be a pastor and missionary. I have spent much of the last 30 years, since I became a member of the Coptic Orthodox Church, studying our Orthodox Theology and Church History so that I’m able to teach and communicate it. But recently I am aware that there are gaps in my knowledge and experience which I need to do something about if I am to be able to serve people better.
I am sure it might be the same for others around the world. Thankfully there are many short courses, which are available to us here in the UK at least, that can help us to improve our service, whether we are a priest or a deacon or Sunday School servant. I have completed a 12 week course in “Understanding Autism in children”, and a 12 week course in “Providing Dementia care”, and another 12 week course in the “Awareness of Bullying in Children and Young People.” I have also engaged in a programme to become a qualified Mental Health First Aider. These are not perhaps the first things we think of when we think of preparation for service in the Church, but most of our service in the Church is service of people, and all of the people around us and within our congregations facing difficulties and struggles that often require us to be better prepared and more aware.
Now I am about to start the second year of a two year Masters Degree in Theology and Disability with the University of Aberdeen. I am engaged in this course of study because I believe that God is asking me to think and study and reflect more deeply and in a serious way about what it means to be human, and what it means to have all of this brokenness that so many of us experience ourselves or in our families and among our friends and colleagues. There are not many people in our Coptic Orthodox Church who are thinking about our humanity and disability in a serious and scholarly way for the sake of helping us all understand what it means to be united and in communion with the suffering of the world.
I’m very grateful to all those who supported me and allowed me to complete the first year of this two year course. Now I must ask again if you will consider supporting me in this second year. I have to complete two modules of study and produce a dissertation. As God wills, I’m seeking to raise the necessary funding to allow me to engage in these studies so that I’m better able to serve the communities in my care. I have created a gofundme page and and if you are able to support me in this way then please click on this link and make whatever contribution you choose, and if you are unable to support me in this way at this time then please pray for me, that God will make these studies useful for me and for those I serve.
Gofundme contribution page – https://gofund.me/f2a9b6ae