Thursday 12 July 2012
From N E Lincolnshire to.....
Following on from the post below, I can say that I have again been selected to be a Chaplain at the Olympic Games.......but, for security reasons, I can't say where I'll be serving. Nor can I do a daily blog. However, I and my fellow chaplains do value the prayer support provided by those who follow this blog. I will be keeping a diary for my own sake, and can turn this into regular emailed prayer bulletins for those who want to receive them. Do get in touch with your email address if you'd like to support us in this way.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
One year to London 2012
One year today is the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Will I be there as a chaplain or not? The simple answer is I don't yet know! Like other sports chaplains the the UK, I have applied, and am waiting to hear. (The selection system is different if you're a 'home chaplain' applicant than it is if you're an 'international chaplain', which is the list I've come under in the past.)
The other unknown is due to the fact that my own personal circumstances have changed since my last post below from the Women's Rugby World Cup last year. Having been unable to secure sustainable and longterm funding to stay in sports chaplaincy either at Loughborough or elsewhere, I looked for another role.....and was appointed to be 'Urban and Industrial Chaplain in North East Lincolnshire'. I took up this post in September last year - moving house only 9 days after the WRWC finished! Due to taking up this post, I had to relinquish a place I had to serve as a Chaplain at last year's Commonwealth Games. All this, explains wny there've been no blog posts recently.
Although I miss regular sports involvement, I thoroughly enjoy my new job. I do hope to develop some sports chaplaincy involvement locally though, so watch this space....
When I know more about either that or my potential involvement in London 2012 and/or other sports chaplaincy activities, it'll be posted here. In the meantime, you might want to take a look at the blog that goes with my role as 'Urban and Industrial Chaplain in North East Lincolnshire'
The other unknown is due to the fact that my own personal circumstances have changed since my last post below from the Women's Rugby World Cup last year. Having been unable to secure sustainable and longterm funding to stay in sports chaplaincy either at Loughborough or elsewhere, I looked for another role.....and was appointed to be 'Urban and Industrial Chaplain in North East Lincolnshire'. I took up this post in September last year - moving house only 9 days after the WRWC finished! Due to taking up this post, I had to relinquish a place I had to serve as a Chaplain at last year's Commonwealth Games. All this, explains wny there've been no blog posts recently.
Although I miss regular sports involvement, I thoroughly enjoy my new job. I do hope to develop some sports chaplaincy involvement locally though, so watch this space....
When I know more about either that or my potential involvement in London 2012 and/or other sports chaplaincy activities, it'll be posted here. In the meantime, you might want to take a look at the blog that goes with my role as 'Urban and Industrial Chaplain in North East Lincolnshire'
http://www.lincschaplaincy.org.uk/blogs/marys_blog or to follow me on Twitter where I'm known as @NELincsChaplain
Saturday 4 September 2010
Tag Rugby and Semi-finals, both in one day
Tuesday was a day off from the WRWC for me, though not a day off from ministry. As I'm due to move house soon, I had a meeting fixed that day to induct a new team of chaplains at my local ASDA store where I''ve been Chaplaincy Team Leader for just over a year, and a chaplain for a year before that. As well as finding a new team leader, I'd managed to find two more new chaplains in addition, so hopefully a strengthened team will allow this ministry to grow and flourish into the future.
Returning to Guildford on Wednesday for semi-finals day, I was sad to see that some of the infrastructure around the match pitches had disappeared. I'd seen the beginnings of this before I left, but was sad to see how much had gone. This is because some of the focus now moves to The Stoop in Twickenham, as that is where the top 4 teams now play their games, whilst only the remaining 8 teams play in Guildford. Whilst this is great for those in the top 4, I can't help feeling that this is not good for those who remain here, and it seems partly to undo the positive emphasis at the beginning of the tournament that in this world cup everyone has things to play for right up until the last day, unlike those perhaps more usual tournaments when a team or player goes home as soon as they've been knocked out.
At 1pm a number of people from local churches arrived to take part in a Community Tag Rugby session. This was something that Dave and I had been involved in planning with the RFU alongside the chaplaincy. Originally a wider community day, it had turned into a Faith Communities session somewhere along the way. This proved to be good fun, and was for all ages and genders; and all who attended where able to stay and watch today's 4 matches in Guildford for free.
Most of the afternoon was spent around the match pitches, talking with volunteers, staff and spectators, as well as watching some of the rugby - this was particularly important for me as I'd promised one of my pool teams that I'd do so, as I've got to know a number of their players (this was the team who invited me to their team meeting in week 1 to introduce the idea of chaplaincy). Part of the evening was spent manning the Oasis and part in the bar watching the England match on TV with a number of the squads and volunteers.
Returning to Guildford on Wednesday for semi-finals day, I was sad to see that some of the infrastructure around the match pitches had disappeared. I'd seen the beginnings of this before I left, but was sad to see how much had gone. This is because some of the focus now moves to The Stoop in Twickenham, as that is where the top 4 teams now play their games, whilst only the remaining 8 teams play in Guildford. Whilst this is great for those in the top 4, I can't help feeling that this is not good for those who remain here, and it seems partly to undo the positive emphasis at the beginning of the tournament that in this world cup everyone has things to play for right up until the last day, unlike those perhaps more usual tournaments when a team or player goes home as soon as they've been knocked out.
At 1pm a number of people from local churches arrived to take part in a Community Tag Rugby session. This was something that Dave and I had been involved in planning with the RFU alongside the chaplaincy. Originally a wider community day, it had turned into a Faith Communities session somewhere along the way. This proved to be good fun, and was for all ages and genders; and all who attended where able to stay and watch today's 4 matches in Guildford for free.
Most of the afternoon was spent around the match pitches, talking with volunteers, staff and spectators, as well as watching some of the rugby - this was particularly important for me as I'd promised one of my pool teams that I'd do so, as I've got to know a number of their players (this was the team who invited me to their team meeting in week 1 to introduce the idea of chaplaincy). Part of the evening was spent manning the Oasis and part in the bar watching the England match on TV with a number of the squads and volunteers.
Bank Holiday Monday
Another morning shift today, and it was interesting to contrast the unusual quietness of a Bank Holiday Monday as I drove in from the village where I'm staying with the atmosphere at the venue where everything was happening much as it has for the last 2 weeks. Later on, explaining to a couple of players who were waiting for a bus to go into Guildford, that they might be less frequent than usual as it was a holiday weekend, I was asked what event or whatever we were marking with this holiday! This made me realise that I didn't really know - I don't think it commemorates anything in particular (does it?) but it made me realise afresh just how much we take things that happen our own country for granted on occasions.
After the morning stint in the Oasis of Silence, I manged to book the same room that we had last night, for tonight's Games Night which was brilliant. I also arranged a buggy to transport things there from the Oasis - a local church youth organisation has very kindly and generously lent us games such as giant Jenga and giant Connect 4, as well as loads of board games plus both a Wii and PS4, so it would have taken many many trips for the 3 of us on duty during the afternoon and evening if we'd had to carry them by hand.
The rest of the day was spent visiting, and spending time at, the various training pitches, as well as the hotel where match officials are based. It was good at one of the training pitches to meet a number of family members, and chat to them for a while - chaplaincy is for them too. Later in the afternoon, I spent quite a long time with a volunteer who needed to talk about a difficult pastoral situation she finds herself in.
Having checked that everything was okay for the Games Night, I then headed home - and immediately became conscious of another aspect of Bank Holiday Mondays - lots of traffic heading home after days or weekends away!
After the morning stint in the Oasis of Silence, I manged to book the same room that we had last night, for tonight's Games Night which was brilliant. I also arranged a buggy to transport things there from the Oasis - a local church youth organisation has very kindly and generously lent us games such as giant Jenga and giant Connect 4, as well as loads of board games plus both a Wii and PS4, so it would have taken many many trips for the 3 of us on duty during the afternoon and evening if we'd had to carry them by hand.
The rest of the day was spent visiting, and spending time at, the various training pitches, as well as the hotel where match officials are based. It was good at one of the training pitches to meet a number of family members, and chat to them for a while - chaplaincy is for them too. Later in the afternoon, I spent quite a long time with a volunteer who needed to talk about a difficult pastoral situation she finds herself in.
Having checked that everything was okay for the Games Night, I then headed home - and immediately became conscious of another aspect of Bank Holiday Mondays - lots of traffic heading home after days or weekends away!
Sunday's 60 second sermon
Sunday saw my earliest start so far, as I was at Surrey Sports Park before 7:30am in order to find a quiet spot with good mobile phone reception so that BBC Radio Surrey could ring me. Having been into their studio on Tuesday to record a "60 second sermon", the plan was for them to ring to chat live on air shortly before they broadcast the sermon so that it can be put into context. We had a good conversation, not just about sports chaplaincy but about chaplaincy in general. This added background, not just to the "60 second sermon" but to the interview I'd done in week 1 for their breakfast programme. Must admit though, that I don't often get asked to discuss existentialism before 8am on a Sunday morning!! (For the inquisitive, this came about because in talking about some of the things sports chaplains get involved in, I made the comment that we're not just here for the bad things of life like injury or coping with lack of success but also for things like the big questions of life such as "who am I when I'm no longer a famous athlete?" which was a question I'd spent some time discussing with an athlete at one of the previous major sports events I've ministered at.)
Being at the venue that bit earlier meant that I saw lots of players as they were on their way to breakfast and/or their morning sessions in the swimming pool, which was good. I then opened up the Oasis of Silence at 8am, but as no-one came to the 8:30am devotional I didn't get to 'preach' the aforementioned 'sermon'.
The rest of the morning was divided between the usual 'wandering around' the venue and various practical matters related to tonight's movie night - firstly being given a much more central room than the one we had last night, which was a matter for thanksgiving; then altering all the publicity we'd produced yesterday; before spending time learning how to connect everything up to, and then operate, the rather splendid audio-visual system they have installed (much more complicated - and impressive - than anything I've personally used before).
I managed to take a couple of hours off in the afternoon, and returned to find that it was very very quiet - even quieter than previous post-match days. A number of squads had gone out for all or part of the day, and I think others must have been sheltering from the torrential rain that descended mid-afternoon.
Some more visiting and admin was undertaken before setting up for the movie night. It was good that a good group of players came, from 3 different squads, all of whom thanked us for putting this on even before they'd seen the movie. It was a very good humoured and relaxed evening, with the added bonus for me that I really enjoyed the movie too, which made a day with my earliest start and latest finish not seem as long as it actually was.
Being at the venue that bit earlier meant that I saw lots of players as they were on their way to breakfast and/or their morning sessions in the swimming pool, which was good. I then opened up the Oasis of Silence at 8am, but as no-one came to the 8:30am devotional I didn't get to 'preach' the aforementioned 'sermon'.
The rest of the morning was divided between the usual 'wandering around' the venue and various practical matters related to tonight's movie night - firstly being given a much more central room than the one we had last night, which was a matter for thanksgiving; then altering all the publicity we'd produced yesterday; before spending time learning how to connect everything up to, and then operate, the rather splendid audio-visual system they have installed (much more complicated - and impressive - than anything I've personally used before).
I managed to take a couple of hours off in the afternoon, and returned to find that it was very very quiet - even quieter than previous post-match days. A number of squads had gone out for all or part of the day, and I think others must have been sheltering from the torrential rain that descended mid-afternoon.
Some more visiting and admin was undertaken before setting up for the movie night. It was good that a good group of players came, from 3 different squads, all of whom thanked us for putting this on even before they'd seen the movie. It was a very good humoured and relaxed evening, with the added bonus for me that I really enjoyed the movie too, which made a day with my earliest start and latest finish not seem as long as it actually was.
Sunday 29 August 2010
Third match day
Saturday dawned much sunnier, drier and less breezy than the past few days, and it was easy to see the effects of this as people were hanging around outside much more, and it was easier to meet people in a relaxed way. I had a slightly later start today, and so arrived after the morning duty in the Oasis of Silence, but it was good to learn that 2 players had again come to the devotional time. After some practical tasks, we were all into match day routine - dividing our time between the match pitches and other parts of the venue. It was nice to be greeted in a friendly manner by some of the volunteers who're only here for match days - we get to know some of them quite well as they're largely stationed in the same places doing the same task each match day. Although there was again a wonderful family-type atmosphere, with spectators of all ages and also of many nationalities, there also seemed to be more tension in the air - there were not so many squad members around spectating, and many of the spectators seemed more focused - perhaps because by the end of today's 6 matches, everyone would know which 4 teams would have gained places in the semi-final play offs and so play future matches at The Stoop in Twickenham, and which 8 teams would be playing both their remaining matches here in Guildford.
In the end, it was England, New Zealand, France and Australia that gained the top 4 places. For chaplains, who're supposed in many senses to be impartial, and it was a case of "rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep".
Despite wanting to for a number of reasons, mostly to do with people I've got to know in the last two weeks, I didn't see much of the match between England and USA. This was firstly, because I was trying to make sure that an injured player who'd gone to hospital having been injured in an earlier match got chaplaincy support if she wanted it, and also through setting things up for our first movie night. In the end, no-one came, which was slightly disappointing, but at the same time we were only responding to an identified need and offering a resource or opportunity, so if no-one felt they needed or wanted it when it came to it, that's fine by us - it is responding and serving that's important.
In the end, it was England, New Zealand, France and Australia that gained the top 4 places. For chaplains, who're supposed in many senses to be impartial, and it was a case of "rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep".
Despite wanting to for a number of reasons, mostly to do with people I've got to know in the last two weeks, I didn't see much of the match between England and USA. This was firstly, because I was trying to make sure that an injured player who'd gone to hospital having been injured in an earlier match got chaplaincy support if she wanted it, and also through setting things up for our first movie night. In the end, no-one came, which was slightly disappointing, but at the same time we were only responding to an identified need and offering a resource or opportunity, so if no-one felt they needed or wanted it when it came to it, that's fine by us - it is responding and serving that's important.
The weekend (and final pool matches) approach fast
I wasn't in Guildford on Thursday, but apparently it was still quite quiet. Training had resumed in earnest, following the brief pause the day before, but apart from going to training and meals etc, people didn't venture out much as it as wet and windy again. Apparently, one chaplain even rashly promised the Aussies better weather by the weekend, but she had read the weather forecast first! One player did come to the morning devotional though, which was good, and those chaplains on duty still managed to 'loiter with intent' and meet and chat with people, both players/squad members but also staff and other volunteers - a reminder that chaplaincy at an event like this is for everyone, not just the elite sportspeople.
After a very early start at home on Friday, I was back in Guildford ready to open up the Oasis of Silence at 8am. A player from one of my pool teams again came for the morning devotional time, which was good. After that and a time of sharing with the other chaplain on duty this morning, we set about some practical tasks: One of the things that has become apparent through various conversations that the chaplaincy team have had over the last few days is that people in a number of squads have begun to suffer from something akin to 'Cabin Fever' (meaning the reactions that happen when a person or group has to live in a relatively small/enclosed space for an extended period with nothing much to do). Whilst many of the squads are impressed with all being based together in an Olympic-style athletes village, and enjoying the plus points of that - no travel, single rooms, good sports facilities, and the ability to walk from sleeping quarters to meals and to training facilities - a number of people are finding it quite claustrophobic, especially as, apart from their dining room, there's no shared communal space where they can relax and enjoy people's company outside their own squads - apart from the Bar and a branch of Starbucks in the sports centre that is! The seeds of the idea having been sown by various chaplains earlier in the week, 3 of us spent various bits of today checking out the practicalities: could we book/hire a room to show a DVD? what about projection facilities? publicity? did the organisers mind the chaplaincy doing this? etc, etc. By the end of the day, plans were almost fixed to have 2 movie nights, one games night, and a quiz night within the next week.
In between this, various visits were made and conversations had, including some time spent in the nearby hotel where the referees and other match officials are staying and based. We had originally planned to have an Oasis of Silence there too, but in the end no rooms were available, so we try and make sure that at least one chaplain visits once per day. So, it was good today that there were a numebr of officials around and we were able to have conversations with them.
After a very early start at home on Friday, I was back in Guildford ready to open up the Oasis of Silence at 8am. A player from one of my pool teams again came for the morning devotional time, which was good. After that and a time of sharing with the other chaplain on duty this morning, we set about some practical tasks: One of the things that has become apparent through various conversations that the chaplaincy team have had over the last few days is that people in a number of squads have begun to suffer from something akin to 'Cabin Fever' (meaning the reactions that happen when a person or group has to live in a relatively small/enclosed space for an extended period with nothing much to do). Whilst many of the squads are impressed with all being based together in an Olympic-style athletes village, and enjoying the plus points of that - no travel, single rooms, good sports facilities, and the ability to walk from sleeping quarters to meals and to training facilities - a number of people are finding it quite claustrophobic, especially as, apart from their dining room, there's no shared communal space where they can relax and enjoy people's company outside their own squads - apart from the Bar and a branch of Starbucks in the sports centre that is! The seeds of the idea having been sown by various chaplains earlier in the week, 3 of us spent various bits of today checking out the practicalities: could we book/hire a room to show a DVD? what about projection facilities? publicity? did the organisers mind the chaplaincy doing this? etc, etc. By the end of the day, plans were almost fixed to have 2 movie nights, one games night, and a quiz night within the next week.
In between this, various visits were made and conversations had, including some time spent in the nearby hotel where the referees and other match officials are staying and based. We had originally planned to have an Oasis of Silence there too, but in the end no rooms were available, so we try and make sure that at least one chaplain visits once per day. So, it was good today that there were a numebr of officials around and we were able to have conversations with them.
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