Meet Revd Colin Darling
Revd Colin Darling reflects on his year as a deacon intern…
I can’t believe I’ve been in Saintfield for a year and the formal part of my training is over. Time flies too quickly.
For me, it’s been a wonderful 12 months and a very enjoyable start to ordained ministry, though not without its challenges and moments of sadness too. I am very aware of the words to one of the hymns at my ordination service which warn that when you follow the call of God, you leave security behind.
And that’s certainly been the case for me in my intern year as I have encountered many things for the first time which took me very much out of my comfort zone. However for each new situation I experienced, I have learnt by carefully observing others in action and by doing things myself, with the thoughtful guidance of the old hand, Chris Pollock, my intern supervisor.
More than the learning by observation and action though, I have learnt about myself, how I cope in certain circumstances, how I react to what’s happening, how I feel about things. I have learnt about others, about human nature and witnessed again and again the magnitude of God and his amazing love for us all. I lost count of the number of times I visited people at home or in hospital only to come away feeling more blessed by the encounter myself.
As an interim period between full–time academic study and full–time parish ministry, the intern deacon year has been very worthwhile and sensibly structured, although I needed to be disciplined as I regularly changed role from ordained parish worker to college student and to dissertation writer.
I am hugely grateful to my intern rector for the way he has managed the approach to each role and given me adequate space for each, as well as for family, friends and relaxation. And to the people of Saintfield for their welcome, their acceptance of me, their support, encouragement and prayers. Emotions are mixed at this point. I leave Saintfield with a real sense of sadness, but I genuinely look forward to my curacy at St. Finnian’s and pray that God will use me to bring something to that parish.