Some of my more detailed reviews - books, films, theatre trips, software etc. I will also post the text of some of my sermons here.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Unemployed? (an article for Spotlight - the Christ Church Monthly magazine)

Many of you will already know that my job at CSC Computer Sciences was moved to a cheaper location on 17 March 2008. As a result, I am no longer in paid employment, but am living on the proceeds of redundancy pay. It is also common knowledge that I was licensed as a Reader in October 2007. Reader training takes, altogether, four years. It starts with attending the Course in Christian Studies for two years, and then moves on to Reader training for a further two years.
Working at CSC – a very large global company – is to experience constant change. There is always the possibility that a reorganisation, or a change of client will mean that your job becomes more difficult, or easier, or even disappears. It is something that you learn to live with. In 2003 the major projects I was working on had completed, and my team was cut down to 3 as the work was reorganised and re-aligned. I was assigned to a different part of the organisation, and began to get involved in different work. My workload had reduced significantly. My responsibilities were no longer quite so close to the front line. During late 2004 and early 2005 I completed the transition into the role I have been working in since.
When my employment was put “at risk”, I was speaking to someone in the office, and closing down some of the issues I had asked him to look at for me. I happened to have my Bible open on my desk. I was using it to change my password – I use the initial letters of a verse of scripture, and needed a new verse as my passwords had expired. He asked me about the Bible, and told me he was a Christian. We had quite a long chat, and he reminded me of Romans 8:28.
Paul Hinckley use to say that you can often only see what God has done, not what he is doing. As I look back over the years of training I now see that some of the more difficult and demanding parts of my job disappeared, and provided me with a little extra time to get on with the study that I needed to do to complete my course and get to licensing.
Then less than six months after licensing the job comes to a complete end, and I have to start looking for another one. Had that happened during the training, I may not have finished the course. With Warner being unwell, I have had very little time to put my feet up and enjoy my time off. That would probably not be something I would enjoy anyway – I like to be busy, and have plenty of things to do.
What has God got planned for my future? - Well, or course, I don't know. I believe that I have been called to be a Reader, and that so far as I am aware at the moment that is my only calling. What I can testify to is “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I believe I can see that evidence in the things that have happened in the last few years. So I know that God has His plans, and all I can do is to follow them as faithfully as I can, as I continue to search for some new paid employment – whatever form that may take.

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