Holy Orders

So it’s begun. My training for Holy Orders, Vicar-Factory, a theological education has started, a break from ministry, a Christian bubble… however you might view it, it’s started.

We’re here in North London, Southgate. Home of my favourite fast food places, a tube station and a branch of the Priory. We have a nice two bed flat surrounded by trees and squirrels. Oh, and of course this is where Oak Hill College is, an evangelical Bible college, where I’m studying.

So far my record at college is impeccable. I’ve been awake through all my lectures and only caught myself drifting into a snore during one chapel service. Wednesday afternoons provide recreation in the form of football, although as ever my genius football brain and deft touch has been negated by my lack of fitness.

I’ve found myself most out of depth so far not with the Greek per se, but with the accompanying English Grammar test. Who knew English had grammar? I must have been using it my whole life without realising.

Here’s a test…

1) What are the two voices? – I put loud and inner

2) How many types of noun are there? – I put noun and pronoun… who knew there were 4?!

…then there’s 4 types of pronoun, which apparently isn’t one of the kinds of noun anyway!

I think I will try and blog a bit more while I’m here, but for now let me share 5 things I’ve enjoyed about being at Oak Hill so far:

1. NUS Extra card
2. Wednesday Roast and Fish & Chip Friday
3. A commitment to study theology in a Christian way, and not separate the two
4. The jokes from the faculty, especially ones from Matthew Sleeman
5. Meeting lots of new people (I hate doing that) but everyone is nice, so it’s ok