Ad Clerum February 2015
Thursday 19th February 2015
Dear Companions in Ministry,
Through the Archdeacon and Lew Hitchick I have tried to keep you
informed about those things that have taken place in recent
days.
As you know Liz and I walked to Dubbo from Bathurst and arrived
here on the 7th February. That evening I was commissioned as the
Rector of the Parish and Karen Trafford publicly commissioned as
the Bishops Registrar and the Revd Daryl McCullough recognised as
the Associate priest in this parish.
During the following week I had services to take in different
places in the Diocese and meetings to chair. Then on Thursday 12th
and Friday 13th February Liz and I packed up Bishopscourt in
Bathurst and unloaded our belongings into the Rectory in Dubbo.
On the Saturday morning, feeling tired, I drove to Wellington
for Cursillo meetings and training. That morning I developed severe
chest pains and took myself to the hospital in Wellington. They
transferred me to Orange where I was diagnosed as having had a
severe heart attack (at first we said mild because there was some
uncertainty and we did not want to alarm people unnecessarily). On
Monday I underwent an angioplasty and had a stent put in where a
main artery was almost completely blocked.
They kept me in until Wednesday lunchtime, but now Liz and I are
back at home in Dubbo. Tomorrow we leave for rest in a friends
house near Orange (location and access known only to a few people
and outside mobile phone range). Although home, I still feel far
from well and I have been instructed to take some time off.
I am very grateful to Archdeacon Frank Hetherington and to the
Bishops Registrar Karen Trafford for shouldering so many things at
short notice this week.
They will continue to be in touch with me, but I am making
Archdeacon Frank the Vicar General for this time that I am
recovering. I still hope that I will be well enough to go with Liz
to the Bishops Conference on 4th March, and Archdeacon Frank will
continue as the Vicar General until I return on 13th March.
I am very sorry, but I am just too ill to fulfil any commitments
I have in my diary for the coming weeks. Yes, I can still think,
pray, read and write but my energy quickly evaporates and when
standing or walking I feel very light-headed. I am grateful to all
who are praying and all who are supporting Frank and Karen.
The Clergy Conference has been postponed until Saturday 21st
March.
Please pray for our Diocese at this critical time when so many
decisions are being made.
During the next few days the final affidavits for the court case
are being sworn and our legal team at Bridges Lawyers are working
day and night on our behalf.
Many of you will also have become aware that our colleague in
ministry and a greatly caring minster of the gospel Bishop Barbara
Darling died this week. I have appreciated her ministry very much.
Dean Anne Wentzel, who worked with +Barbara over many years will be
representing me at her funeral on Sunday.
My prayers are with you all. When I cannot sleep (which is
often) I go round the Diocese praying for you all by name.
May Gods grace and peace be with you now and always,
Warmly in Christ,
+Ian
...still on pilgrimage
