It was rather fun this morning to sit with someone lamenting the fact that ministers today don’t do any pastoral visiting. She then said “what are you doing for the rest of the day?” I said “pastoral visiting!”
I’ve done three visits today. I wish I had time to do more. It will be 30 years in September since I landed in college. Our pastoral tutor told us we should do six visits in an afternoon! The world has changed since 1994 and the role of a minister has too, but it does not mean we don’t do any visiting at all! It was good today to be valued for simply showing up.
Part of the role of the minister surely is to be visible. I try to visit but I also try to be seen in shops and eateries and pubs and events in my communities as well as calling into church things. To turn up, to have come, is important. To be told “we never see you” means something is very wrong.
That Jesus came as one of us, showed his face, took time is one of the most wonderful bits of the Christmas story. John says literally that he pitched his tent amongst us. Let us be as surprised as Brenda was this afternoon to find me on her doorstep! It’s fun that people want me to do more visiting then when I do they say they can’t believe I’ve time to visit them!!
Let us on the eve of Epiphany and in this penultimate reflection of this series which has been going since Advent, echo the lovely verse with the words of Elizabeth greeting Mary, and let us use them to respond to the glory of Immanuel with us…
“And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
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