by kladmin | December 2nd, 2009
MY VOCATION
PRESENTATION AT THE ROTARY CLUB OF LIAMUIGA’S VOCATIONAL SERVICES MEETING BY SARGEANT AT ARMS OF THE CLUB, ARCH DEACON VALENTINE HODGE
When President Laverne invited me to speak on this subject though she had given me about 3/5 minutes, I was not sure whether it would be the main speech for this meeting, or just one of many. So as a good Anglican I decided to take the middle of the road – via media is a good Anglican tradition – you’re neither hot nor cold, and by the same token – you’re neither young nor old.
My Vocation has lost some of its attraction over time because the Priesthood or the Ordained Ministry in the Church, is yielding to the more lucrative professions such as medicine, law and business – more people are being attracted to these than they are to the Ordained ministry nowadays.
We clergy believe rightly or wrongly that secularism is the dominant factor here – because many would say, oh there is no money in it. That may be so but one gets enough to live on comfortably – if you are looking for luxury then the ministry is indeed not the place for you, but if you wish to address human need in all its variety then you have a great contribution to make. Actually all Rotarians are involved in ministry. It is only the ordained ministry which is a specialist area.
The priest, minister or pastor is a teacher, a father, sometimes a mother, a counselor, a judge, an arbitrator, a pacifist, a preacher and quite often he has to be a politician as well.
From time to time in ministry he finds himself in one of these needful situations and with his training, experience and skill he can be a great help to people in need not just in his congregation or among his flock but to the society as a whole.
It is a vocation because one is on the job 24/7, 365 days a year and one is called to this work not for gain or reward but for what one can contribute in a given situation. Not even money can compensate at times for the satisfaction which one gets when one knows that he or she has had a hand in a person’s upbringing, or a person’s upliftment or someone’s restoration in life. That brings its own satisfaction, its own reward and appeal.
In my vocation I am with the family or the individual at every stage of life – in Baptism bringing the tiny baby into the Family of the Church; at confirmation strengthening the child’s life though teaching and instruction in the Faith; one is there to share in birthdays graduations, in recovery from sickness ; one is there at marriage and the birth of offspring, in times of gladness, in old age, in times of sorrow and at the point of death. At each stage the priest is privileged to assure the individual of a power outside ourselves – which power Christians refer to as God’s love.
So this vocation brings one to be leading, guiding, correcting, nurturing, equipping, feeding and following from time to time; and everyday one can learn more about human nature and behaviour and all that human kind is capable of, for good or ill. So it can be very exciting work in life once you put your shoulders to the wheel. This is specially so as it involves dealing with all sorts of people. It can have its frustrations and stresses but one knows that this comes with the territory and therefore one must be prepared to take it in stride. Dealing with people can be so fulfilling particularly when one has mastered the art of positive thinking, respecting human beings and simply putting people first.
With that said I have great pleasure in commending my vocation to your serious consideration. Some have joined late in life and others have seen it as a second career. Let me tell you with my kind of work and study, it’s never too late to come on board.
Rotary websites:
RI http://www.rotary.org
District http://www.rotarydistrict7030.org
Club http://www.rotaryliamuiga.org
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