On Monday I attended the first of seven weeks of a Baptist Union on-line interactive pre-retirement course. I will be honest, as was the speaker on Monday, I didn't bring high hopes to the event... I am doing it because, well, I am an obedient person, it counts as CMD and there is just the possibility it might have a few nuggets of something. So, a big thank you to the speaker both for legitimising my feelings and also for some quality input.
The suggestion was five-strand theology of retirement (I took a screen shot of the PowerPoint slide)...
- Vocation - what (if anything) did ordination 'do' and what does calling look like in this season of life?
- Rest / Sabbath - the place of the bucket list and the 'stuff-it' list (known in other, less polite circles, as the f*** it list) and quality rest.
- Gospel/Kingdom - if you had the time, how would you like to change the world right now? New outlets for serving
- Discipleship - more space, less pressure... so need new rhythms
- God - unchanging but brings change (and adding, as we reflected on in college chapel yesterday, God's mind can change)
One participant, helpfully I think, added a sixth strand - Community.
None of this neatly alliterates or forms a 'sexy' acronym, and I like that... it isn't neat and tidy or one size fits all.
All through the talk I was itching to get some threads and start plaiting/weaving/tying/stitching - and I will in deed do so, just waiting to decide quite what form it might take before I begin.
