Disjointed narratives

DISJOINTED NARRATIVES – A TALE OF 2008

You see, if I had been writing the narrative of my life in 2008, it would have gone something like this. After having felt a call to ministry in Europe and being “not accepted as a good fit” for church planting in Vienna in September 2007, Dominic and Kathryn decide to step out in faith in 2008. Dominic stops full-time work in January in order to pursue ministry and job opportunities, while teaching online. After numerous conversations, prayer, discussions with good friends, and a solid connection with ministry leaders in Europe, Dominic and Kathryn are chosen to go to Eurosville with TCPI -  Trendy Church Planters International (the church-planting agency for young at heart 40 something’s), and, applauded by their church leaders, start support-raising with a clear goal to take off in 2009 or 10!

Wait, or another version: Dominic pursues English language tentmaking opportunities and, with employers being impressed by his wealth of teaching and business experience, spends December 2008 weighing various offers, before sitting down to Christmas dinner with a job offer to start teaching English to business leaders in Europolis, starting May 2009! Bringing the gospel into the European workplace and being involved in a local church plant ministry. A clear fit of desires, abilities and motivations! Great narrative…

The thing is, God is writing the narrative here – and, funnily enough, His version of the story seems to be a little different. Less simplistic. Less clear-cut. More mystery. Less clarity (at least to the characters walking page by page). More disjointed. Wiser, perhaps? Fashioning a piece of literature, instead of just pulp, airport bookstore fiction?

I realize this is an unconventional start to a Christmas or end of year letter. Most of you already know the background to our weird journey of 2007, since you have prayed for us.  Thanks!  The journey is still well and truly in the uncertain zone. The “put your money where your mouth is and really acknowledge that God is good zone” (even if He doesn’t write the narrative you want). Does anyone resonate with this feeling?

Part of the year was spent talking with people doing ministry in Europe, the kind of people we’d like to join with – breakfast with a Brussels church-planter in February, talking about home church set ups in Prague with a cool church planter in June, asking teachers in Bratislava about the cost of living there.  Part was also spent doing an online course in tentmaking (being a missionary in intention but being self-supported in a useful job role). Part was finally spent in applying to teaching English jobs in Europe including a job prospect to teach businessmen in Germany, which, despite 3 phone interviews and a lot of hope looks like is not leading to a position there. It seemed like a great fit, and in October they wanted to interview me in person. What a neat narrative ending to the year – a likely job in Germany! But the economic downturn stepped in. Or they had second thoughts. God developed the narrative in a plot twist which right now gives me an empty feeling in the stomach.

Of course, there were a lot of pleasures for all of us in this year. We took a weekend trip to Boston (no kids!). We enjoyed a great week of friendship in Knoxville, TN with Jim and Melanie (thanks guys!). We had two different weekends away to Maryland to visit old friends Dawn and Rich and then Mat and Amy. Other compensations. The pleasure for me of not being in an office! Time to think, reflect, get sore backs from carrying Andrew and being slapped in the bottom by Emily. More time to connect with an amazing, patient and supportive woman called Kathryn. Also, time to enjoy Washington DC in August, watching the Olympics with Emily in a cute townhouse and meeting my Mum and Dad in NYC in October for a fun weekend simply being big-spending tourists, wandering Central Park and humming Abba songs for days afterwards (courtesy of “Mamma Mia”). 

 

One thing which held us together and always holds us together through the tensions of waiting and disappointments of dead-ends is our church family. Not only the guys at Trinity PCA, Norfolk, but the others, both local (thanks for the beers, coffees, breakfasts and fellowship this year, guys! Bob, Dave, Iivo) and scattered all over the world. Thanks for those who read our email updates and prayed for us. We are all sharing ministry together, and continue in prayer for our friends in Pune, India (we’ll miss you Leah!), Vienna (enjoy the beer, Jeff and Jodie!), a farmhouse near Greenock (hi Jon and Esther), our Stuttgart friends (hey Andy and Piper) and many others….

 

Thanks for reading this personal take on 2008. God is good. Also, He appears to be a terrific writer. But He doesn’t order the narrative of my life the way I’d do it! Kathryn, Dominic, Emily and Andrew wait for the pages of 2009 to start, knowing this: “I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

 Believing Him. Fellowshipping with Him, whether it’s Chesapeake or Cologne.

Have a Merry Christmas and a great start to the New Year,

In Christ,

Dominic

For Kathryn, Emily and Andrew….