Well, dear reader, this last week of vacation seems to have slipped through my fingers like sand at the beach—or perhaps more like the last cookie on a plate, where you’re not entirely sure who ate it, but you strongly suspect it was you. Next week, I return to work, and truth be told, there’s a part of me that looks forward to it.
Monday will mark 32 years since I began my first ministry as Rector of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. David’s in Cambridge. Thirty-two! That’s an awfully large number of candles for a pastoral cake. In fact, if we lit that many at once, I suspect the fire department might feel compelled to attend the party.
But behind the humour lies a deeper truth: these 32 years have not simply been a “job.” They’ve been a way of life. The patterns of prayer, preaching, and pastoral care are so deeply ingrained that they shape not only what I do, but who I am. Some of those patterns, of course, never stopped during vacation. I continued to pray the Daily Office, morning and night, and found myself reflecting theologically on the readings of each day. One does not really “switch off” being a parish priest, any more than one can take a vacation from breathing.
Still, there is something about re-entering the full rhythm of parish life that fills me with joy. To see the familiar faces of the congregation once more, to hear their stories from the weeks I’ve been away, and to join voices together in worship — it feels a little like coming home after a long journey. The truth is, I love the work of ministry. It is what I have been called to do, and, after three decades, I cannot imagine living any other way.
So as vacation draws to a close, I don’t step forward with dread or reluctance, but rather with gratitude and a quiet excitement. God has been faithful in these 32 years of ministry, and I trust that God will continue to be faithful in the days to come. And that, dear reader, is worth far more than any extra week of holiday — though, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t say no if someone offered me one.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Gracious and faithful God,
for these 32 years of ministry, I give you thanks.
For the privilege of proclaiming your Word,
for the joy of sharing in your sacraments,
for the gift of walking with your people in times of sorrow and celebration—
I praise you.
As I step forward into the days ahead,
grant me strength where I am weary,
joy where I am burdened,
and above all, a heart ever open to your Spirit.
May all that has been begun, continued, and ended in you
bring glory to your holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.