Saturday dawned, another bright, warm and sunny day. After packing our suitcases again, mid-morning saw us being driven into Vancouver to the Accreditation Centre. Very small queues meant the process was quick and we emerged fairly speedily with our accreditations hung around our necks - but without uniforms. In these Games, although technically all chaplains are volunteers in that we're both unpaid and self-funded, we've been classed by the organisers as 'specialists' and therefore volunteer uniforms aren't deemed appropriate. This provokes an interesting debate between those chaplains who want to look like they belong by wearing the same uniform as everyone else, and those chaplains who feel our dress needs to be distinctive so that people know we're different and have a very different role to everyone else. Clergy have faced this debate in various ways over the years, with different denominations and ministers taking different approaches......
After accreditation, we were taken into the Vancouver Athletes' Village for the first time. It is certainly very different from the one in Athens in 2004, my only other experience so far. Whereas that was almost an 'out-of-town' venue, this one is very much in the centre of it all. Situated on the edge of False Creek, downtown Vancouver can be seen all around, with the mountains visible beyond to the north. The athletes are staying in what will become desirable (and no doubt expensive!) condominiums, whilst some other buildings will become community centres, restaurants or offices. The Village is much smaller now than it was a week ago - as there are fewer athletes in the Paralympics than the Olympics some of the residential blocks are now 'hidden' behind a fence. The Multi-Faith Centre, where chaplains are based, had a central location during the Olympics but because of the division of the Village now finds itself almost on the edge.
Mid-afternoon we had our orientation. As well as a walk around the Village, this included a meeting with the other Vancouver-based chaplains to begin to get to know each other and also discuss how we would work, as well as a time of prayer. Early evening saw me being taken to my second and 'permanent' hosts to settle in there prior to doing my first shift in the Village the next day; whilst Carolyn was driven to Whistler as she will be based in the Village there.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Smooth travel & safe arrival
Well, all the transport connections worked - the first Wilts & Dorset bus of the day passed our house according to schedule, and got me in good time to the bus-stop for the National Express coach, which in turn got me to Heathrow early for check-in and to meet Carolyn, a friend and colleague from London who is the only other UK chaplain at the Paralympics. The flight was smooth and the 10 hours passed amazingly quickly, partly because I slept for quite a bit of it. Although sad not to read a word of the book especially bought for the flight, I'm thankful for the sleep as I guess that's partly what has helped me avoid jet-lag almost entirely.
On arrival, our first host was there to meet us. Instead of taking us directly to her home, she drove us to White Rock, a lovely seaside town, where we enjoyed ice-cream and a walk along the prom and the pier in glorious albeit unseasonal sunshine. It certainly helped our bodies not to realise that according to them it was past 1am in the morning! After some grocery shopping, we arrived at her home in Surrey - a part of Greater Vancouver. I think if we had gone straight there, it would have been a struggle to stay awake, so it was a brilliant idea on her part.
Friday had been built in as a day to combat jet-lag before beginning work, and Carolyn and I were able to enjoy an almost 3 hour walk in a local nature reserve, again in glorious sunshine. It seemed strange to be here for the Winter Paralympics but to see several people strolling around in shorts! Apparently this is Vancouver's warmest winter since records began..... Accompanying our host on another brief shopping trip, plus watching a DVD in the evening, completed a relaxing day, which ended with Carolyn and I both feeling keen to begin the work which we have travelled here to do.
On arrival, our first host was there to meet us. Instead of taking us directly to her home, she drove us to White Rock, a lovely seaside town, where we enjoyed ice-cream and a walk along the prom and the pier in glorious albeit unseasonal sunshine. It certainly helped our bodies not to realise that according to them it was past 1am in the morning! After some grocery shopping, we arrived at her home in Surrey - a part of Greater Vancouver. I think if we had gone straight there, it would have been a struggle to stay awake, so it was a brilliant idea on her part.
Friday had been built in as a day to combat jet-lag before beginning work, and Carolyn and I were able to enjoy an almost 3 hour walk in a local nature reserve, again in glorious sunshine. It seemed strange to be here for the Winter Paralympics but to see several people strolling around in shorts! Apparently this is Vancouver's warmest winter since records began..... Accompanying our host on another brief shopping trip, plus watching a DVD in the evening, completed a relaxing day, which ended with Carolyn and I both feeling keen to begin the work which we have travelled here to do.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Ready to Journey?
Well, that's it, the packing's done and the travelling is about to begin. It was quite hard to know what to take - so tempting to take lots of heavy winter clothes, but having seen from the coverage of the Olympics that both Vancouver and Whistler are experiencing milder conditions than usual that may not be the most helpful approach. Not knowing the set-up that we'll be working in also adds to the uncertainty - how much will chaplains be outside? how much at indoor venues? how much in the faith centres? - although having been told that I'll be based in Vancouver rather than Whistler did help a bit with some of the decisions about what to take and what to leave behind.
It was great this morning, at our Ministry Team Cell Group, to be prayed for and commissioned by my parish and team colleagues for the work I'm going to do at the Paralympics, and to be sent out with their, as well as God's, blessing. There was also another glimpse of the worldwide nature of the church, as we also prayed for someone else soon to fly to India to do some Christian work there.
Later in the morning, I did a radio interview at Andover Sound, our local radio station, for broadcasting tomorrow as I begin my travels. Strange to think that almost as soon as I return from Canada, I have to go back there to record the 'Sunday Thought' for Easter Day as my turn on the rota will have come round again. The Christian story carries us with it throughout the year, and invites us to journey in a different kind of way.....
It was great this morning, at our Ministry Team Cell Group, to be prayed for and commissioned by my parish and team colleagues for the work I'm going to do at the Paralympics, and to be sent out with their, as well as God's, blessing. There was also another glimpse of the worldwide nature of the church, as we also prayed for someone else soon to fly to India to do some Christian work there.
Later in the morning, I did a radio interview at Andover Sound, our local radio station, for broadcasting tomorrow as I begin my travels. Strange to think that almost as soon as I return from Canada, I have to go back there to record the 'Sunday Thought' for Easter Day as my turn on the rota will have come round again. The Christian story carries us with it throughout the year, and invites us to journey in a different kind of way.....
Monday, 1 March 2010
The Countdown Begins.....
The Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games has now taken place in Vancouver - but as one set of athletes and support staff begin their journey home, another set will be preparing to arrive for the Paralympics which begin on 12 March. Although many people's eyes will now turn away from Vancouver, it is important to remember this fresh body of athletes and their final preparations. People in and around Vancouver will also be experiencing changes as Olympic 'decorations' come down to be replaced by Paralympic ones.
My final preparations are also under way, although there seems to be a lot of work to do here still before I leave, in connection both with my work in the parish and at Loughborough University. I must admit to it feeling slightly strange at St Michael's West Andover yesterday when I was finishing leading the service, to think that the next time I do something similar will be in a very different context and with an international group of people - a glimpse perhaps of the reality of belonging to a worldwide church.....
As part of my preparations, it's been good to watch some of the TV coverage of the Olympics to begin to familiarise myself with locations and venues, as well as to become more acquainted with various winter sports disciplines - although, of course, Paralympians do not participate in all the Olympic disciplines. It was also good to spend a week's holiday in February cross-country skiing in Finland - where it was colder and we had more snow than there was at the Olympic venues.
My final preparations are also under way, although there seems to be a lot of work to do here still before I leave, in connection both with my work in the parish and at Loughborough University. I must admit to it feeling slightly strange at St Michael's West Andover yesterday when I was finishing leading the service, to think that the next time I do something similar will be in a very different context and with an international group of people - a glimpse perhaps of the reality of belonging to a worldwide church.....
As part of my preparations, it's been good to watch some of the TV coverage of the Olympics to begin to familiarise myself with locations and venues, as well as to become more acquainted with various winter sports disciplines - although, of course, Paralympians do not participate in all the Olympic disciplines. It was also good to spend a week's holiday in February cross-country skiing in Finland - where it was colder and we had more snow than there was at the Olympic venues.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Loughborough Lines...
It was good to get up to Loughborough last week - the first time in 2010. I'd missed my contacts and work there, especially as my previous planned visit 2 weeks beforehand was cancelled at the last minute due to the heavy snow between both here and there as well as 'en route'. I had a busy, enjoyable and varied 3 days, only some of which I mention here.
One major part of my work there was spending time with the university's cricket centre of excellence squad during their main Wednesday training session. This is almost a chaplaincy within a chaplaincy in that I've been invited to be chaplain specifically to this squad as part of my overall work at the University. As well as meeting various players and getting to know the coaches better, and so help relationships to develops, I found it a fascinating afternoon seeing how specific drills and activities help develop certain cricket skills.
On Thursday I had an introductory visit to the new SportPark. Part of the the University, over the next few months this will become home to a number of national and regional sports governing bodies. As my role is not just to offer sports specific chaplaincy for University staff and students, but to do so for all on campus connected with sport, this new facility will be somewhere to add to my visits in future.
Thursday also saw me spend time in the University library researching resources for a discussion evening I'm due to lead in April for the chaplaincy under the heading "Winning at all costs....?"
A fourth major aspect of my visit to Loughborough this time was to join in with Wednesday's Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations. A group from the University, and also from Loughborough College, walked in procession to a park in the centre of town where we joined in a act of commemoration. This was very moving. One of the main speakers was a Jewish lady many of whose family perished in the Warsaw ghetto, and in an amazing turn of fate she is now married to the son of a former SS officer. What a powerful story she has to tell........ As well as taking part in this for its own sake, it was also good whilst walking to see several sports-connected staff and students, and for them to realise that although sports chaplaincy is important to me it is not the only thing I am concerned about.
The work of a sports chaplain is certainly a mixture of the specific and the more general, wider picture, just as life is for all of us.
One major part of my work there was spending time with the university's cricket centre of excellence squad during their main Wednesday training session. This is almost a chaplaincy within a chaplaincy in that I've been invited to be chaplain specifically to this squad as part of my overall work at the University. As well as meeting various players and getting to know the coaches better, and so help relationships to develops, I found it a fascinating afternoon seeing how specific drills and activities help develop certain cricket skills.
On Thursday I had an introductory visit to the new SportPark. Part of the the University, over the next few months this will become home to a number of national and regional sports governing bodies. As my role is not just to offer sports specific chaplaincy for University staff and students, but to do so for all on campus connected with sport, this new facility will be somewhere to add to my visits in future.
Thursday also saw me spend time in the University library researching resources for a discussion evening I'm due to lead in April for the chaplaincy under the heading "Winning at all costs....?"
A fourth major aspect of my visit to Loughborough this time was to join in with Wednesday's Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations. A group from the University, and also from Loughborough College, walked in procession to a park in the centre of town where we joined in a act of commemoration. This was very moving. One of the main speakers was a Jewish lady many of whose family perished in the Warsaw ghetto, and in an amazing turn of fate she is now married to the son of a former SS officer. What a powerful story she has to tell........ As well as taking part in this for its own sake, it was also good whilst walking to see several sports-connected staff and students, and for them to realise that although sports chaplaincy is important to me it is not the only thing I am concerned about.
The work of a sports chaplain is certainly a mixture of the specific and the more general, wider picture, just as life is for all of us.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Stunned by fundraising
My fundraising has been going brilliantly, something for which I am very grateful and also give thanks to God for. Mind you, very little of this success is actually my doing. I seem to have done relatively little, except perhaps "light the blue touch paper" as the saying goes! St Michael's Church West Andover (www.smwa.co.uk), where I am an Assistant Priest have been brilliant in this respect. I had an idea to do 'odd jobs' in return for a donation but this was scuppered by various regulations (inland revenue, insurance, health & safety, etc). However, a number of people in the congregation have given generous donations. In addition, two ladies fixed, organised and hosted a Coffee Morning on my behalf last Saturday. I attended, answered questions, and mounted a display about chaplaincy in Athens, Berlin and Vancouver. At least 30 people attended throughout the morning and through people's generosity more money was raised. I also discovered recently that, unknown to me, one or more people (I know not who or how many) have been doing some of the 'odd jobs' that I'm not 'allowed' to do to make sure the donations still came in. That type of action almost stuns me into silence - but a very grateful silence. It really feels now that I shall be going to Vancouver not just to serve as a chaplain but to represent the people of St Michael's as I do it. It is a good Christian principle when someone is sent out from a local Christian community with their support to fulfil a specific role, and I really feel that this is now what is happening.
On top of this, I heard officially at the beginning of this term that two departments at Loughborough University have also expressed their willingness to give some money towards the expenses of my trip. When I learned this, it was another moment when I felt stunned, albeit very pleasantly so. Both sources of money, Loughborough and church, feel like a great affirmation of my ministry among them. God is so good!
On top of this, I heard officially at the beginning of this term that two departments at Loughborough University have also expressed their willingness to give some money towards the expenses of my trip. When I learned this, it was another moment when I felt stunned, albeit very pleasantly so. Both sources of money, Loughborough and church, feel like a great affirmation of my ministry among them. God is so good!
Friday, 15 January 2010
New Year, New Challenges
Happy New Year to you!
As one year finishes and another starts, many people are filled with optimism as they look forward to what lies ahead. New Year resolutions abound. New challenges are identified. New aims in life targeted. And athletes are no different - indeed, many of them will be even further ahead of the rest of us in their looking forward. Many won't have had the Christmas break that some of us have had, as routines will have continued throughout and alongside the festive season. Training for this new year will be planned. Competitions will have been identified as targets. Aims and goals for performance will have been set. And dreams will have been dreamed. 2010 is a big year for competition. In addition to all the annual competitions for each sport, there are a number of others this year: Vancouver and Whistler in Canada host the Winter Olympics in February and the Winter Paralympics in March; Doha, in Qatar, hosts the World Indoor Athletics Championships in March; South Africa hosts the FIFA World Cup in June and July; Guildford, in the south of England, hosts the Women's Rugby World Cup in August and September; and Delhi in India hosts the Commonwealth Games in October - to name but a few!
Last weekend, a number of track athletes laid some foundations for this year by competing in the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country; and it was good for me as Visiting Sports Chaplain at Loughborough University to watch several Loughbrough based athletes in action. I perhaps ought to add that I was in the warmth watching on TV whilst they were competing in a very cold and snowy Edinburgh!
I'm also beginning to make my own preparations for this new sporting year. Towards the end of last year I learned that I'd been selected as a chaplain for the Winter Paralympics. This was quite a surprise as numbers of accredited chaplains are small and I wasn't expecting to be selected at all. So fund-raising started in November, because virtually all such chaplaincy appointments are self-funding (as was Berlin last year), as did the search of accommodation, etc, etc. I'm also playing a major part in planning and providing the chaplaincy provision at the Women's Rugby World Cup, which thankfully is happening much closer to home.
So the blog has been redesigned and relaunched, and I'll be adding more news and updates on a regular basis from now on, including daily bulletins from the Paralympics in March (hopefully, technology resources permitting).
As one year finishes and another starts, many people are filled with optimism as they look forward to what lies ahead. New Year resolutions abound. New challenges are identified. New aims in life targeted. And athletes are no different - indeed, many of them will be even further ahead of the rest of us in their looking forward. Many won't have had the Christmas break that some of us have had, as routines will have continued throughout and alongside the festive season. Training for this new year will be planned. Competitions will have been identified as targets. Aims and goals for performance will have been set. And dreams will have been dreamed. 2010 is a big year for competition. In addition to all the annual competitions for each sport, there are a number of others this year: Vancouver and Whistler in Canada host the Winter Olympics in February and the Winter Paralympics in March; Doha, in Qatar, hosts the World Indoor Athletics Championships in March; South Africa hosts the FIFA World Cup in June and July; Guildford, in the south of England, hosts the Women's Rugby World Cup in August and September; and Delhi in India hosts the Commonwealth Games in October - to name but a few!
Last weekend, a number of track athletes laid some foundations for this year by competing in the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country; and it was good for me as Visiting Sports Chaplain at Loughborough University to watch several Loughbrough based athletes in action. I perhaps ought to add that I was in the warmth watching on TV whilst they were competing in a very cold and snowy Edinburgh!
I'm also beginning to make my own preparations for this new sporting year. Towards the end of last year I learned that I'd been selected as a chaplain for the Winter Paralympics. This was quite a surprise as numbers of accredited chaplains are small and I wasn't expecting to be selected at all. So fund-raising started in November, because virtually all such chaplaincy appointments are self-funding (as was Berlin last year), as did the search of accommodation, etc, etc. I'm also playing a major part in planning and providing the chaplaincy provision at the Women's Rugby World Cup, which thankfully is happening much closer to home.
So the blog has been redesigned and relaunched, and I'll be adding more news and updates on a regular basis from now on, including daily bulletins from the Paralympics in March (hopefully, technology resources permitting).
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