David will be ordained to the Diaconate on 19th September in Southwark Cathedral. Here David talks about his journey to ordination.
The road to ordination has been a long one, starting in my late teens and bringing me now to my mid-fifties. There have been false starts and disappointments, and some years as a Roman Catholic. While I could dwell on the extra years of ministry I could have had if I had done things differently, perhaps it would be more constructive to reflect on the knowledge and experience I am now able to bring to pastoral issues, as a husband and father and as a criminal lawyer with 20 years’ experience of some of the terrible things people do to each other and to themselves.
I am entering self-supporting ministry, having trained part-time at St Augustine’s College. A significant challenge is managing the balance between, work, family and ministry, and I have found it important to be careful not to allow my enthusiasm for my new role to tempt me to take on too many commitments. I have taken to recording the time spent on parish commitments, including travelling and preparation, so that I don’t fall into “mission creep” to the detriment of my work and my family. I am helped by the advice and support I receive from my Training Incumbent and from my friends and brothers in the Pusey Guild and SSC, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges to come.