‘Furlough or verlof’
Greetings,
Furlough. It’s a word that’s come to prominence in recent weeks. In the past few days, many members of University staff have begun a period of furlough. People on furlough will not be working for the University during this time, but will continue to be paid fully, in large part by the government. For each member who has been ‘furloughed’, there may be different feelings which come with it – relief, frustration, guilt, indifference, worry, delight. If you are a staff member and would like to discuss anything in confidence, including being on furlough, then feel free to contact any of the chaplains, including Sam Ferguson, the Assistant Chaplain, or me. Contact details at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chaplaincy/team/
For me, furlough was a word I knew in the narrow context of missionaries (often called mission partners today). Mission partners, after a period of service somewhere would return home on furlough, to spend time with family and friends, to re-connect with their home church, and often to spend time visiting people who were supporting them in prayer and financially, sharing stories of their work. Only last September, the Ministry Discernment Group had a fascinating visit from Keith and Ida Waddell, mission partners in Zambia but then on furlough in Scotland, who shared stories and images of their work in the health and education arms of the United Church of Zambia.
Of course staff of the University will probably not be spending their furlough visiting people (even via Zoom) to share in the work the University, thanking them for their prayers and donations. But the other purposes of mission partners’ furlough may happen – relaxing, taking time away from an immersive, high-pressure environment, spending more time with family at home, recharging energy and enthusiasm, and reflecting on the purpose and meaning of one’s occupation. I hope that furlough can be positive and fruitful in some ways.
The English word has its origins in early 17th Century Dutch verlof, related to leave. So perhaps we should be pronouncing it furloff rather than furlow. I remember loving those lists of words we compared in primary school, assessing pronunciation: bough, tough, though, thought, through, hiccough, lough (for the Irish), and also in the news just now, cough. (That’s quite enough – ed.)
And here’s a fur-lovely image for today.
As you can see, Tobit is taking furlough seriously, relaxing, spending more time with family at home, recharging energy and enthusiasm, and reflecting on the purpose and meaning of his occupation – which in his case is eating.
A reminder that Compline is taking place this evening at 9 pm via Zoom: all are welcome –
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/94544574003?pwd=QThLRE5JMWV3WmlnWFduLzM0cEtYQT09
Meeting ID: 945 4457 4003
Password: 9MvS2c
And I have set up the Zoom meeting for this Sunday’s worship, 19 April, at 11 am, with a sermon from Revd Prof Ian Bradley – Blessed are the doubters.
Donald MacEwan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: University Worship for Sunday 19 April
Time: Apr 19, 2020 11:00 AM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98947215020?pwd=ZUJKdDkxR0tQYmtLUHlkdkdUZVJRdz09
Meeting ID: 989 4721 5020
Password: 4sm4G7
We may need a staff reader for this Sunday’s service – and staff on furlough are welcome to read in chapel services. Can you help? – just let the office know at [email protected].
Take care,
Yours,
Donald