I am the vicar,
I am.

I am the pastor, the carer, the listener

the one with the time to drop everything and

I also understand global politics and immigration
and

I am the one who knows about Afghanistan

and cares about ‘our boys’

and I care about speed-humps

graffiti

litter

and the positioning of zebra crossings near schools.

I am passionate
about school assemblies

council meetings

mums and toddlers and also

I am good at one-to-one and small groups and

I listen and empathise and at the same time

I am the one who plans and strategizes and

I am the one who understands budgets and decides if we can buy
any staples

or replace the heating system.

I am the vicar, I am.

I am the quiet reflective
prayer and

I am the speaker, the enthuser, the motivator, the learned teacher
and

I can engage a room of 10, 50, 300 people with no problem
because

I am the one who relates particularly well to children

older people

the middle-aged

the jobless

the employed

the doctors

teenagers and

I am the one who is always one step ahead and

I am the one who is endearingly disorganised.

I am the vicar, I am.

I care passionately
about church politics

I care passionately about domestic abuse

I care passionately about the plight of Anglo Catholics

women priests

gay clergy

evangelicals and

I listen to the pope

the archbishop and

Rob Bell.

I am up-to-date with
theological developments.

I understand the history of the reformation

the armed forces

the war

the government

the deanery

the Jewish background of Jesus and

I care about the excluded and

I manage my admin and

I know how to access children’s services.

I am the vicar, I am.

I am the one in whom
trust is placed

I am the one in whom grumbles are placed

I am the one who is always talking to everyone else

I am the one who models worship

marriage

family

gardening

conversation

baking

prayer

listening

talking

planning.

I often get it wrong.

I am the one who has to keep my doubts under wraps and

I am also the one who is vulnerable and

dependable

stable

trustworthy.

I am the one who chairs
meetings

I am the one who manages group discussions

I am the manager of an organisation that employs only me

I am the volunteer co-ordinator

the opinion co-ordinator

the trespasser on the territory of people who have
been around a lot longer than me

and will be there after me.

I understand the heating system

the financial system

the rota system.

I love committees.

I drink tea with
older people

And coffee with younger people

I listen to stories of bus routes and hospital visits
and

I believe in transforming our community through the power of
Jesus.

I am the one
who is very tired.

I am the one who hates wearing dresses but
still smiles

and would love to be muddy all the time.

I am the one who only
works one day a week.

I am the one
who loves this job.

I am the one who is making it up as I go along.

I am the one who would not swap this for anything.

I am the vicar, I am.

With thanks to Janet Chapman of Birmingham Cathedral for this delightful and perceptive piece. It is from http://theblogofkevin.wordpress.com