We in parish ministry can easily become ‘pastoral functionaries’, without a viable faith/hope/love practised apart from our vocation… (Guess: what percentage of ex-pastors spontaneously relate to people marginal to the church without an agenda which smells of recruitment-for-a/our-church?)

Here’s a sample confession: ‘Rowland, I used to pray for everyone individually, phone them up to ask how they were, show an interest in their kids and budgie and labrador… but what was my motive? To be nice and win ’em for my flock. Why don’t I do that now that I’m not in a pastorate?’

You get the idea…

Shalom! Rowland Croucher