Yesterday, my friend William Whyte mentioned an article he wrote with his friend Giles Fraser (who regularly writes for the Church Times and whom I quoted here around the time the article was out). UnfortunatelyI managed to miss this in the pre-Easter workload but better late than never I hope!
In looking for the article itself, (which looks at the abandonment of apparent religious affiliation by left wing politicians) I also found various responses on websites.The two most interesting of them describe the authors as conspiracy theorists and "champions of the left" who are writing "as if Oliver Cromwell were in charge again and the public executions will begin tomorrow morning". What a review!
Of course getting criticism like that must mean they're doing something right... or should that be something left? ;oP
Friday, April 15, 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Still blogging away
I've had a few really good days recently (today including a splendid lunch at St John's college with my friend William followed by coffee on the sunlit rooftop overlooking the college gardens) and I think this is having an adverse effect on my blogging.
I think I blog better when there's something niggling me slightly. I'm just too content. Sorry everyone!
I think I blog better when there's something niggling me slightly. I'm just too content. Sorry everyone!
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
When things just work
I can't remember which car it is (advertising REALLY is wasted on me sometimes!) but one of the car ads that you often see at the cinema has that wonderful sequence of car parts that all work together (in a far from usual way) to do something clever like move the car forward or open a little banner or something. OK I really can't remember the details but the important thing is the bi-line:
"Isn't it wonderful when things just work"
That is my tag line for tonight. Just ahd a great meeting with my youth leadership team. We really bounced ideas around and went with the vision. It TOTALLY rocked. I'm feeling fab about it all. Even though we have a few challenges ahead like the perennial need for more leaders particularly for our youth residential and finding a way of incorporating the youth leadership team into the leadership of the whole church as it changes its structures.
Tomorrow I have my annual ministerial review with my rector and this is so completely and utterly the best way I could prepare for it.Wow :oD
"Isn't it wonderful when things just work"
That is my tag line for tonight. Just ahd a great meeting with my youth leadership team. We really bounced ideas around and went with the vision. It TOTALLY rocked. I'm feeling fab about it all. Even though we have a few challenges ahead like the perennial need for more leaders particularly for our youth residential and finding a way of incorporating the youth leadership team into the leadership of the whole church as it changes its structures.
Tomorrow I have my annual ministerial review with my rector and this is so completely and utterly the best way I could prepare for it.Wow :oD
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Twizzlers or Bran?
Excellent time with Agent K today discussing Practicing Passion with an honourable mention or two for some wise bloggers out there, including Pete, Tim, Ian and Lev though notably to the wisdom of Pete on “Turkey Twizzler Youth Ministry”.
This was a reminder of Jamie’s School Dinners and the connection with the relative value of what we are “feeding” our young people has been on my mind lately and we’re looking to focus less on Turkey Twizzlers and more on the “fruits” in our work with young people at All Saints’. Pete’s point though was very timely for me. If we make our youth ministry too focussed on the wholesome stuff we feed them BRAN which is unpalatable on its own. The question is what IS the balanced diet of youth ministry?
All these metaphorical ponderings about food made me rather peckish so my balanced diet for this evening was a homemade vegetable curry including beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, butter beans and red pepper served with some purple sprouting broccoli in yoghurt and black mustard seeds – wonderful, though I do say so myself!
Friday, April 08, 2005
Brain the size of a planet
You totally HAVE to check out The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy film website.
I had been vaguely looking forward to this film but now I am SO EXCITED...
The cast inlucdes Martin Freeman fromthe Office, Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast, Stephen Fry as the GUIDE, Bill Bailey as the whale and Alan Rickman as Marvin the paranoide android...
...need I say MORE?
Well You have to try the pan galactic gargle blaster on Zaphod's character page AND of course Deep Though in the FUN section.
I had been vaguely looking forward to this film but now I am SO EXCITED...
The cast inlucdes Martin Freeman fromthe Office, Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast, Stephen Fry as the GUIDE, Bill Bailey as the whale and Alan Rickman as Marvin the paranoide android...
...need I say MORE?
Well You have to try the pan galactic gargle blaster on Zaphod's character page AND of course Deep Though in the FUN section.
The best job in the world!
In what other job could you have so much fun?
Today I have been working out what's going in our Easter to Pentecost labyrinth and so I had to buy a bubble machine and some lego. I was also testing out the craft for our youth club tomorrow. How cool is that!?
Today I have been working out what's going in our Easter to Pentecost labyrinth and so I had to buy a bubble machine and some lego. I was also testing out the craft for our youth club tomorrow. How cool is that!?
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Chrysalis Club
Nothing on the blog for the last couple of days because I've been at the Chrysalis Club which is the fabulous two-day event for bereveaved children run by Iain Rennie Hospice at Home, The Pepper Foundation and Florence Nightingale.
I had Maggie,
Daisy and Jeff
supporting me on the sports' team and some fanTAStic games of poplacrosse, unihoc and footy.
Yesterday was the moving closing ceremony when the young people show their relatives
the memory boxes,
sand jars and candles they've made and talk about what they've been doing. They also show everyone what Peter and Jeanette got them doing with drums and karaoke.
Then finally there's the balloon release. The leaders give each young person a balloon
to which they tie a label with the name of the person who has died and then the balloons are released
and we watch them float away
Right now I'm pretty worn out after two whole days of sport which is rather a lot for this former library dwelling academic!
I had Maggie,
Daisy and Jeff
supporting me on the sports' team and some fanTAStic games of poplacrosse, unihoc and footy.
Yesterday was the moving closing ceremony when the young people show their relatives
the memory boxes,
sand jars and candles they've made and talk about what they've been doing. They also show everyone what Peter and Jeanette got them doing with drums and karaoke.
Then finally there's the balloon release. The leaders give each young person a balloon
to which they tie a label with the name of the person who has died and then the balloons are released
and we watch them float away
Right now I'm pretty worn out after two whole days of sport which is rather a lot for this former library dwelling academic!
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Putting Passion into Practice
I've finally had another chance to read a bit more of Kenda Creasy Dean's Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for A Passionate Church. I had the TIME last week but I was on leave and I knew it would get me wanting to do/plan/think about work. I was right.
It is a thrilling book written with passion and energy (and I've only just finished the introduction!). I'm trying to overcome my slight prejudice that she gets some Latin wrong (saying Passio means "to suffer" the VERB is patior, pati, passus - passio is a later derivation. Ok gown-like anorak off now!) but it's not difficult to get past that because the message of the text is SO good.
One of my favourite bits was the dispelling of the myth:
"Youth ministry is primarily about youth." Untrue. Theologically, youth ministryiis primarily about Jesus Christ and about the church's witness to the self-giving love of God." (p.14)
In fact she points out that young people are people and in many ways their youth is what we focus on not the fact that they are people.
Dean draws a lot from Jurgen Moltmann which might be seen as a little contraversial by some but I find his theological explorations useful (even if they're not always entirely doctrinal!). She seems to be suggesting a real back to basics approach to Youth Ministry; looking at the theological approach. This sounds like something we're looking at here in High Wycombe so I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
There was a bit of an ouch moment today though.
How about this:
"Is it possible that the 'problem' facing youth ministry reflects all too acurately a malaise infecting mainline denominations generally; a flabby theological identity due to an absence of passion? That would be ironice. Most young peoplecome to us brimming with passion. Could it be that, instead of fanning this youthful zeal into holy fire, we have more often doused i, dismissed it, or drowned it in committee meetings?" (p.25)
Yet even if it is a fair cop, let's not become even MORE flabby about it. Instead let's react with passion, with energy, with fire to energise young people and to channel their energies into our churches.
A small start for me today. Crew are planning a Labyrinth for the whole church. Have a look.
It is a thrilling book written with passion and energy (and I've only just finished the introduction!). I'm trying to overcome my slight prejudice that she gets some Latin wrong (saying Passio means "to suffer" the VERB is patior, pati, passus - passio is a later derivation. Ok gown-like anorak off now!) but it's not difficult to get past that because the message of the text is SO good.
One of my favourite bits was the dispelling of the myth:
"Youth ministry is primarily about youth." Untrue. Theologically, youth ministryiis primarily about Jesus Christ and about the church's witness to the self-giving love of God." (p.14)
In fact she points out that young people are people and in many ways their youth is what we focus on not the fact that they are people.
Dean draws a lot from Jurgen Moltmann which might be seen as a little contraversial by some but I find his theological explorations useful (even if they're not always entirely doctrinal!). She seems to be suggesting a real back to basics approach to Youth Ministry; looking at the theological approach. This sounds like something we're looking at here in High Wycombe so I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
There was a bit of an ouch moment today though.
How about this:
"Is it possible that the 'problem' facing youth ministry reflects all too acurately a malaise infecting mainline denominations generally; a flabby theological identity due to an absence of passion? That would be ironice. Most young peoplecome to us brimming with passion. Could it be that, instead of fanning this youthful zeal into holy fire, we have more often doused i, dismissed it, or drowned it in committee meetings?" (p.25)
Yet even if it is a fair cop, let's not become even MORE flabby about it. Instead let's react with passion, with energy, with fire to energise young people and to channel their energies into our churches.
A small start for me today. Crew are planning a Labyrinth for the whole church. Have a look.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Papa was a rolling stone...
Many people, including the strange man who came to my door today, may have criticism for what the late Pope John Paul II could have done but did not yet I think it is too easy to be critical.
The impact of a deeply prayerful person should not be underestimated. I know many of my Catholic friends who will be deeply distressed at the loss of a man they had found inspiring not for anything he DID necessarily but for the person he was. Pope John Paul II was one of the most world-travelled popes ever and his presence alone was an inspiration to some I have spoken to. He made that presence felt in so many places. How many of us can say that we've achieved anything like that? Right now the world mourns a great man and an inspiration to many. In a few days time it will be watchng and waiting to see who follows him.
It's been a long time since there has been a papal election as Pope John Paul II was one of the longest serving popes in history. It's not outside living memory though. 1978 saw the election of two popes after the death of Pope Paul VI who had served since 1963 and the rather more sudden death of Pope John Paul I who had only served as pope for just over a month.
Even more than that, thanks to Angels and Demons (the prequel to Da Vinci Code) there are probably FAR more people out there nowadays who know how a pope is elected.
The Catholic Encyclopedia has a fascinatingly detailed description of the history of the election of popes.
Any Catholic adult male may be elected as pope... think on guys! Are you papabile?
The last layman to be elected was the rather unfortunate Celestine V who was elected in 1294 and the last pope who had not previously been a cardinal was Urban VI in 1378. There have already been some suggestions about some possible successors.The BBC also has some suggestions.
Pope John Paul II has himself issued a papal bull on the matter of the papal election called UNIVERSI DOMINICI GREGIS.
The cardinals meet in the Sistine chapel in a conclave ( con clave "with a key" – i.e they are locked in) and they vote for the new pope until one man has a two thirds majority. At each vote, the voting papers are burned and the smoke is seen by those watching outside. For an nonconclusive vote, straw is mixed with the ballot papers to make a dark smoke. When a successful vote has taken place, the smoke is white to indicate the election of a new pope. Personally I think that is kinda cool.
The impact of a deeply prayerful person should not be underestimated. I know many of my Catholic friends who will be deeply distressed at the loss of a man they had found inspiring not for anything he DID necessarily but for the person he was. Pope John Paul II was one of the most world-travelled popes ever and his presence alone was an inspiration to some I have spoken to. He made that presence felt in so many places. How many of us can say that we've achieved anything like that? Right now the world mourns a great man and an inspiration to many. In a few days time it will be watchng and waiting to see who follows him.
It's been a long time since there has been a papal election as Pope John Paul II was one of the longest serving popes in history. It's not outside living memory though. 1978 saw the election of two popes after the death of Pope Paul VI who had served since 1963 and the rather more sudden death of Pope John Paul I who had only served as pope for just over a month.
Even more than that, thanks to Angels and Demons (the prequel to Da Vinci Code) there are probably FAR more people out there nowadays who know how a pope is elected.
The Catholic Encyclopedia has a fascinatingly detailed description of the history of the election of popes.
Any Catholic adult male may be elected as pope... think on guys! Are you papabile?
... though it's fairly unlikely to be anyone who is not a priest and indeed a cardinal!
The last layman to be elected was the rather unfortunate Celestine V who was elected in 1294 and the last pope who had not previously been a cardinal was Urban VI in 1378. There have already been some suggestions about some possible successors.The BBC also has some suggestions.
Pope John Paul II has himself issued a papal bull on the matter of the papal election called UNIVERSI DOMINICI GREGIS.
The cardinals meet in the Sistine chapel in a conclave ( con clave "with a key" – i.e they are locked in) and they vote for the new pope until one man has a two thirds majority. At each vote, the voting papers are burned and the smoke is seen by those watching outside. For an nonconclusive vote, straw is mixed with the ballot papers to make a dark smoke. When a successful vote has taken place, the smoke is white to indicate the election of a new pope. Personally I think that is kinda cool.
Papal visitation
Weirdest experience this morning...
Random guy comes to my door on "religious business" and asks me if I think the now inevitable (though lamentable) death of the pope would have any effect on the world outside of the catholic church.
Bless him - as when I suggested that the possible appointment of a more conservative successor such as Cardinal Ratzinger might well have a big impact, he had NO idea who I was talking about.
He was more concerned with the alleged lack of impact Pope John Paul II has had onthe world and the fact that wars have continued during his papalcy (bless him again his word!).
I have to admit that as intriguing as it was, it was at that point that I declined any further discussion of the papacy and told him I was going to close my door and our conversation.
He did however pose a good question.
What impact might a new pope have onthe world?
What impact did the current pope have?
This is not intended to be critical of the servant of the servants of God but an honest admission that I'm not sure I really know what changes Pope John Paul II has made.
Random guy comes to my door on "religious business" and asks me if I think the now inevitable (though lamentable) death of the pope would have any effect on the world outside of the catholic church.
Bless him - as when I suggested that the possible appointment of a more conservative successor such as Cardinal Ratzinger might well have a big impact, he had NO idea who I was talking about.
He was more concerned with the alleged lack of impact Pope John Paul II has had onthe world and the fact that wars have continued during his papalcy (bless him again his word!).
I have to admit that as intriguing as it was, it was at that point that I declined any further discussion of the papacy and told him I was going to close my door and our conversation.
He did however pose a good question.
What impact might a new pope have onthe world?
What impact did the current pope have?
This is not intended to be critical of the servant of the servants of God but an honest admission that I'm not sure I really know what changes Pope John Paul II has made.
Friday, April 01, 2005
In an English country garden
I'm afraid there hasn't been much on the blog recently and that won't change today as I have a little cluster of seed packets to distribute liberaly in my newly tamed garden.
If you're lucky I might get some pics and put those up.
If you're lucky I might get some pics and put those up.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Eats shoots and leaves...
My dad saw this great sign when we were visiting relatives down in Sussex. Supposed tobe one item but it SO reads like two - eugh!
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Bloogles
The latest list of bloogles:
God moves at the speed of light
Habbo Hotel stacking shelves
Why are syrup bottles shaped like women
Hallelujah stand tradition King denmark
The song I thought I had my life together
Merovingians and carnivale
The last one made me feel rather guilty because my blog description says I talk about Merovingians and I really haven't done so in a while so here comes a Merovingian blog. For those who fear history... look away now!
God moves at the speed of light
Habbo Hotel stacking shelves
Why are syrup bottles shaped like women
Hallelujah stand tradition King denmark
The song I thought I had my life together
Merovingians and carnivale
The last one made me feel rather guilty because my blog description says I talk about Merovingians and I really haven't done so in a while so here comes a Merovingian blog. For those who fear history... look away now!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Inter Rogations
When we were looking through all the books for our services for Easter, we saw the sections on ROGATIONS and some of my colleagues didn't know what they were or what they meant.
Well, it just so happens that this is one of those FEW things that I learned when study ing Merovingians which actually relates to modern church life in some way.
The institution of Rogations byt Bishop Mamertus of Vienne is recorded by Gregory of Tours in his Decem Libri Historiarum, II.34.
Rogations were basically a procession or prayer walk around the churches city of Vienne. No need for me to tell you all athe detail as there are plenty of links here for you to follow. Interestingly, Ian Wood, an early medieval historian talks about how Mamertus planned the rogations to be particularly appealing to people because of where the route went. Ancient liturgy wasn't all about doing the PROPER thing. There was some consumer consideration involved! Perhaps this could be a lesson to us?
So many ALTERNATIVE worship initiatives are actually based on ancient practices these days... maybe we'll see some Rogations of young people on 25th April?
Well, it just so happens that this is one of those FEW things that I learned when study ing Merovingians which actually relates to modern church life in some way.
The institution of Rogations byt Bishop Mamertus of Vienne is recorded by Gregory of Tours in his Decem Libri Historiarum, II.34.
Rogations were basically a procession or prayer walk around the churches city of Vienne. No need for me to tell you all athe detail as there are plenty of links here for you to follow. Interestingly, Ian Wood, an early medieval historian talks about how Mamertus planned the rogations to be particularly appealing to people because of where the route went. Ancient liturgy wasn't all about doing the PROPER thing. There was some consumer consideration involved! Perhaps this could be a lesson to us?
So many ALTERNATIVE worship initiatives are actually based on ancient practices these days... maybe we'll see some Rogations of young people on 25th April?
New link
Picked up on a new cartoon yesterday.
Go check out Brian's Guide for some helpful advice from a wise young rabbit!
Gotta love it!
I'm not going to be online for a few days so I'm leaving you a few things to ponder in my absence!
Go check out Brian's Guide for some helpful advice from a wise young rabbit!
Gotta love it!
I'm not going to be online for a few days so I'm leaving you a few things to ponder in my absence!
Monday, March 28, 2005
Blog and google = ?
I'm quite new to this idea of being able to see how people got to my blog via google, yahoo etc. but I really rather love finding these blog googles. The are such fun that I really think they shoul dbe called BLOOGLES - did I hear that somewhere before or did my brain invent it?
Latest bloogles:
Frederick Varley Liberation
Menonites Ontario
Deep thought prayer
Dessert island
Trade justice sermon
Open Theology
Radio 4 desert island discs
... and finally two where I seem to be benefiting from ecumenism and interdiocesan links!:
St Mary’s Somerstown
Union Baptist Church High Wycombe
Latest bloogles:
Frederick Varley Liberation
Menonites Ontario
Deep thought prayer
Dessert island
Trade justice sermon
Open Theology
Radio 4 desert island discs
... and finally two where I seem to be benefiting from ecumenism and interdiocesan links!:
St Mary’s Somerstown
Union Baptist Church High Wycombe
Sunday, March 27, 2005
EASTER
We had an amazing but exhausting time last night at our Easter Watch leading to the Easter Vigil - staying up ALL NIGHT with activities and readings charting the history of God's people in the Old Testament and running up to Jesus' passion throughout the night.
I'm pretty spaced as I was on duty from 8pm Saturday until 11am Sunday non-stop which was rather draining and yet FAB!
We all went down to church at aroun 10pm and hid all the Easter eggs for the children's Easter egg hunt in church the next day. It was particulalry cool as we all had some of those glow in the dark glow sticks which look SO cool in a larg dark medieval church! We also made chocolate Easter egg nests and created special placemats for all the parishioners who were joining us for the 5.30am Vigil Mass (with Easter Fire which is pretty cool) and the subsequent breakfast.
I then went on to lunch with my dad, my brother and his in-laws which was great fun but it did mean I am only now getting tothe point of thinking about sleep. THis may be my earliest night in YEARS
I wanted to post Frederick Varley's Liberation, which I've raved about before, for Easter this year but a lack of time (and copyright law) haven't let me do that. Anyway, you should really see the full size 6ft tall image at the AGO in Toronto for the full effect!
Jesus Christ is Risen - Alleluia!
I'm pretty spaced as I was on duty from 8pm Saturday until 11am Sunday non-stop which was rather draining and yet FAB!
We all went down to church at aroun 10pm and hid all the Easter eggs for the children's Easter egg hunt in church the next day. It was particulalry cool as we all had some of those glow in the dark glow sticks which look SO cool in a larg dark medieval church! We also made chocolate Easter egg nests and created special placemats for all the parishioners who were joining us for the 5.30am Vigil Mass (with Easter Fire which is pretty cool) and the subsequent breakfast.
I then went on to lunch with my dad, my brother and his in-laws which was great fun but it did mean I am only now getting tothe point of thinking about sleep. THis may be my earliest night in YEARS
I wanted to post Frederick Varley's Liberation, which I've raved about before, for Easter this year but a lack of time (and copyright law) haven't let me do that. Anyway, you should really see the full size 6ft tall image at the AGO in Toronto for the full effect!
Jesus Christ is Risen - Alleluia!
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Simon of Cyrene
My reflection from a group of them for Good Friday:
Simon of Cyrene, a Jew (from his forename) from Africa, coming in late from the country, as Luke tells us for Passover, (father of Alexander and Rufus according to Mark) shows us two important things.
Simon of Cyrene, a Jew (from his forename) from Africa, coming in late from the country, as Luke tells us for Passover, (father of Alexander and Rufus according to Mark) shows us two important things.
Firstly, we can take on the role of Simon and in that role we can be right there with Christ approaching his crucifiion. This close, there is no mistaking the difficulty and the agony of Christ; the blood sweat and tears. This great suffering is something we may shy away from and if it has done nothing else, Mel Gibson’s the Passion has shown the reality of the pain and brutality of Jesus’ death. Yet that film also includes an extremely poignant portrayal of Simon of Cyrene.
We see a man, taken from the crowd, forced to the ignominy of helping what a new arrival like himself would assume to be a criminal about to be executed. Yet in sharing Christ’s burden with him, in travelling on that journey to Golgotha, Simon sees not only the suffering of Christ but also the witness of Christ’s passion. In that sudden degrading experience, we see Simon transformed by Christ’s presence; his humility and is endurance.
Simon’s role is thrust upon him. He felt unready and frankly hard done-by but he takes up the cross for Christ.
This is for me the second thing Simon teaches us. He not only shows us the suffering of Christ up close but also takes on Christ’s role. He takes up his Cross.
In Jesus’ own words to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to follow me must deny themselves take up their cross and follow me.
This is not an easy call. Being of the world is the easy call. Being of Christ is the tough call.
Nevertheless Jesus calls us, as Simon was called, to follow in his name.
In many of the churches in Wycombe throughout this lent Lent, we have been studying the Beatitudes and the example of Simon of Cyrene reminds me of another statement of Blessedness:
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
So often to represent Christ seems the hard choice in life not something we might consider blessed. Just as we have been unravelling the complexities of the beatitudes in our lent groups; Jesus assertion that those, who some might considered to be suffering are in fact blessed.
Blessed are the poor in Spirit.
Blessed are those who mourn.
Just as in these statements of the beatitudes, Christ was saying that those who opened up their hearts and eyes to acknowledge their spiritual poverty, to mourn over the state of the world by seeing it through Christ’s eyes, so too, with Simon it is right to say:
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. .
Not because the one who comes in the name of the Lord will have an easy time.
Simon would have been reviled for being forced to carry the cross of Jesus, yet he was blessed by his own self-sacrifice and we too, if we take up our cross, no matter how tough that might make life for us, we may be considered blessed to come on the name of the Lord.
However, if we can take up that cross and deny ourselves If we, like Simon, can truly take on Christ; be in Christ in the agony of Good Friday then we can truly come to be with Christ in the Joy of Easter and then we will be blessed.
Friday, March 25, 2005
God's Friday
Being Good Friday and at a fairly traditional church, it's been a busy (yet wonderfuly inspiring!) day.
So for your consideration a bit from one of my most favourtie finds when Iw as studying Anglo Saxon poetry.
The Dream of the Rood
(here in translation)
Hwæt, I will recount the best of dreams,
which I dreamed in the middle of the night,
after speech-bearers turned to rest.
It seemed to me that I saw a most wondrous tree,
the brightest of rood-trees, extend aloft
encircled by light. That sign was completely
covered with gold; jewels stood
beautiful, at the surface of the earth;
likewise there were five
up on the shoulder-beam. Many hosts of angels
- fair by their pre-ordained condition -
gazed thereupon; nor was that indeed a criminal's cross,
but holy spirits, men over the earth,
and all this famous creation gazed upon it.
Wondrous was the tree of victory, and I with sins stained,
wounded sorely with blemishes. I saw the tree of glory
beautifully shine, adorned in its covering,
adorned with gold; jewels
But still through that gold I was able to perceive
the earlier enmity, as it had immediately begun
to bleed on the right half.
I was completely afflicted with sorrows;
I was fearful because of that beautiful vision.
I saw that shining sign
change covering and colour;
sometimes it was made moist with blood,
drenched with blood's flow,
sometimes adorned with treasure.
But yet I lying a long time there
gazed at the Saviour’s troubled tree,
until that I heard it call out;
the best wood began then to speak words:
"That was years gone by - I still remember -
that I was hewn down at the forest's edge,
cut out of my tree trunk. Strong foes took me there,
shaped me there for themselves in the form of a spectacle,
commanded me to raise their criminals.
Warriors carried me there on shoulders,
until that they set me on a hill;
many foes fastened me there. I then saw mankind's Lord
hasten with great zeal; he wished to climb on me.
There I then darest not bow nor burst
contrary to the Lord's word when I saw earth's surface
trembling. I would have been able
to kill all foes but I stood firm.
The young hero stripped himself - that was God almighty -
strong and unflinching; he stepped up on the high cross,
brave in the sight of many, where he wished to redeem mankind.
I trembled when the Warrior embraced me; nor did I dare,
however, to bow down to the earth,
to fall to the surfaces of the earth. But I had to stand firm.
As a rood I was erected; I raised the powerful King,
the Lord of heavens; I dared not bow myself down.
They drove through me with iron-coloured and sinister nails:
on me the wounds are visible,
the open malicious wounds; neither dared I to injure any of them.
They mocked us two both together. I was completely stained with blood,
covered from the man's side after he had released his spirit.
I had endured on that hill
severely stretched out. Shades of night had
covered with clouds the Lord's corpse,
the bright radiance; shades went forth
dark under the sky. All creation mourned,
bewailed the king's fall; Christ was on the cross.
So for your consideration a bit from one of my most favourtie finds when Iw as studying Anglo Saxon poetry.
The Dream of the Rood
(here in translation)
Hwæt, I will recount the best of dreams,
which I dreamed in the middle of the night,
after speech-bearers turned to rest.
It seemed to me that I saw a most wondrous tree,
the brightest of rood-trees, extend aloft
encircled by light. That sign was completely
covered with gold; jewels stood
beautiful, at the surface of the earth;
likewise there were five
up on the shoulder-beam. Many hosts of angels
- fair by their pre-ordained condition -
gazed thereupon; nor was that indeed a criminal's cross,
but holy spirits, men over the earth,
and all this famous creation gazed upon it.
Wondrous was the tree of victory, and I with sins stained,
wounded sorely with blemishes. I saw the tree of glory
beautifully shine, adorned in its covering,
adorned with gold; jewels
But still through that gold I was able to perceive
the earlier enmity, as it had immediately begun
to bleed on the right half.
I was completely afflicted with sorrows;
I was fearful because of that beautiful vision.
I saw that shining sign
change covering and colour;
sometimes it was made moist with blood,
drenched with blood's flow,
sometimes adorned with treasure.
But yet I lying a long time there
gazed at the Saviour’s troubled tree,
until that I heard it call out;
the best wood began then to speak words:
"That was years gone by - I still remember -
that I was hewn down at the forest's edge,
cut out of my tree trunk. Strong foes took me there,
shaped me there for themselves in the form of a spectacle,
commanded me to raise their criminals.
Warriors carried me there on shoulders,
until that they set me on a hill;
many foes fastened me there. I then saw mankind's Lord
hasten with great zeal; he wished to climb on me.
There I then darest not bow nor burst
contrary to the Lord's word when I saw earth's surface
trembling. I would have been able
to kill all foes but I stood firm.
The young hero stripped himself - that was God almighty -
strong and unflinching; he stepped up on the high cross,
brave in the sight of many, where he wished to redeem mankind.
I trembled when the Warrior embraced me; nor did I dare,
however, to bow down to the earth,
to fall to the surfaces of the earth. But I had to stand firm.
As a rood I was erected; I raised the powerful King,
the Lord of heavens; I dared not bow myself down.
They drove through me with iron-coloured and sinister nails:
on me the wounds are visible,
the open malicious wounds; neither dared I to injure any of them.
They mocked us two both together. I was completely stained with blood,
covered from the man's side after he had released his spirit.
I had endured on that hill
severely stretched out. Shades of night had
covered with clouds the Lord's corpse,
the bright radiance; shades went forth
dark under the sky. All creation mourned,
bewailed the king's fall; Christ was on the cross.
Gethsemane
I've had two experiences of Gethsemane in the last twenty four hours.Most recently, today I took the little bibbles (as my boss calls "children") into the church yard and we made small crosses out of forcythia branches in bud in the hope that we'll have some leafy, flowering crosses on Easter Sunday. It is great to share the Easter story with children, though of course it is a bit of a challenge to find the balance between explaining what Jesus did and not telling them too much that they get scared. However I am always surprised by how GOOD they are at understanding how Jesus was hurting and that he did so out of love for his friends.
The other Gethsemane was in the splendid garden which our flower ladies created for our Maundy Thursday vigil.
These pics were taken during the day but during the night the candles were lit and the pyx held a ciborium full of the sacrament. It is an amazingly powerful way to "stay and keep watch" with Christ.
The other Gethsemane was in the splendid garden which our flower ladies created for our Maundy Thursday vigil.
These pics were taken during the day but during the night the candles were lit and the pyx held a ciborium full of the sacrament. It is an amazingly powerful way to "stay and keep watch" with Christ.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Infamy! Infamy!
By the amazing power of bravenet I have recently joined the ranks of those who know how some people get to my blog. I have had much amusement with the curious inquiries via google and yahoo including "dessert island", "sarah bishop", "what do Christians think about the Da vinci code". (I've not yet got to the point of creating blog entries around them like Peter but maybe someday!)
However this morning I had the first visitor I've noticed via a little "critique" site.
I would tell you who this person is but incomprehensibly the writer remains anonymous! However I'm guessing it's a guy.
Personally I found his review rather funny and am secure enough to read the critique (or should that be criticism!?) from someone I don't know who's bi-line is: "It wouldn't hurt if it wasn't true..."
Here's what the guy said:
' "Ok I am absolutely stuffed of delectible Thai food. Heaven!"
How can I describe the delight I felt when I first found this Blog, and that first line in particular? I will take it easy on this female because I am certain that she has some kind of mental defect. That line is straight out of The Simpsons, that little fat kid who says,"I'm full of chocolate!" She even looks like the fat kid! I'm telling you, there's something about this Blog that is just creepily easy, it's like beating up a morbidly obese person. You get a C for amusing me. C '
So if it DOESN'T hurt... does that mean it ISN'T?
From the comments he receives I can see that a LOT of people find him offensive but I really do find it rather amusing. It's the first C I've got in AGES!!! (doesn't that make more like LISA from the Simpsons???)
Anyway my principal reflection was on the nature of blogging and bloggers. This guy clearly gets some kind of satisfaction out of what he writes otherwise surely he wouldn't bother. Though clearly he's pretty much a glass half full person. I prefer a more optimistic outlook myself and tend to write stuff I hope will make people smile or think. I tend to think the best of people rather than the worst and so my second reaction to this review was to wonder quite what had made this poor guy SO miserable that he wants to wallow in venomous spite. Perhaps that is my mental defect; I think the best of people, even Judge Mental, bless him.
However this morning I had the first visitor I've noticed via a little "critique" site.
I would tell you who this person is but incomprehensibly the writer remains anonymous! However I'm guessing it's a guy.
Personally I found his review rather funny and am secure enough to read the critique (or should that be criticism!?) from someone I don't know who's bi-line is: "It wouldn't hurt if it wasn't true..."
Here's what the guy said:
' "Ok I am absolutely stuffed of delectible Thai food. Heaven!"
How can I describe the delight I felt when I first found this Blog, and that first line in particular? I will take it easy on this female because I am certain that she has some kind of mental defect. That line is straight out of The Simpsons, that little fat kid who says,"I'm full of chocolate!" She even looks like the fat kid! I'm telling you, there's something about this Blog that is just creepily easy, it's like beating up a morbidly obese person. You get a C for amusing me. C '
So if it DOESN'T hurt... does that mean it ISN'T?
From the comments he receives I can see that a LOT of people find him offensive but I really do find it rather amusing. It's the first C I've got in AGES!!! (doesn't that make more like LISA from the Simpsons???)
Anyway my principal reflection was on the nature of blogging and bloggers. This guy clearly gets some kind of satisfaction out of what he writes otherwise surely he wouldn't bother. Though clearly he's pretty much a glass half full person. I prefer a more optimistic outlook myself and tend to write stuff I hope will make people smile or think. I tend to think the best of people rather than the worst and so my second reaction to this review was to wonder quite what had made this poor guy SO miserable that he wants to wallow in venomous spite. Perhaps that is my mental defect; I think the best of people, even Judge Mental, bless him.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Life Together
I finished Dietrich Bonhoeffer's, Life Together today and in my enthusiasm for this inspiring text I instantly loaned it to H at lunch when she said plaintivley, "I need a book to read". This means that I don't have the text with me to give you my reflections on it which is probably for the best. There were SO MANY excellent passages that I would have been inclined to type up page after page.
In the latter chapters, Bonhoeffer talks about the need for confession andacceptance of our sin beforemoving on to talk about ministry. For Bonhoeffer, ministry begins in servanthood. He stresses the importance of humility, and of listening before a minister can speak God's word to someone.
I can't do justice to Bonhoeffer in a single blog entry but what I will do is urge you to pick up a copy of Life Together. It really isn't an arduous read. I guarantee it's shorter than the book you're currently reading (unless your book includes lines such as "Here is Spot. See Spot run!") and something in it will certainly speak to you and your faith. Whether you live in an ideal Christian community or in one which there are conflicts and difficulties, Bonhoeffer has some sound wisdom.
In the latter chapters, Bonhoeffer talks about the need for confession andacceptance of our sin beforemoving on to talk about ministry. For Bonhoeffer, ministry begins in servanthood. He stresses the importance of humility, and of listening before a minister can speak God's word to someone.
I can't do justice to Bonhoeffer in a single blog entry but what I will do is urge you to pick up a copy of Life Together. It really isn't an arduous read. I guarantee it's shorter than the book you're currently reading (unless your book includes lines such as "Here is Spot. See Spot run!") and something in it will certainly speak to you and your faith. Whether you live in an ideal Christian community or in one which there are conflicts and difficulties, Bonhoeffer has some sound wisdom.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Have you met Revd Jones?
Rachel and I had a fantastic thought whilst we were rehearsing for the Chrism Mass this morning. We shared a few of those classic faux pas of ministry that we’ve experience recently.
(My most recent treasure being at the morning Eucharist when we were interviewing for the community missioner post in High Wycombe and I misread the text of Isaiah about SIN as “Your SKINS are as scarlet but they shall be white than snow”- my skin went DECIDEDLY scarlet! )
This discussion about putting your liturgical foot in it led us to pondering what might happen if Bridget Jones were to be ordained.
Can’t you JUST picture it?
(My most recent treasure being at the morning Eucharist when we were interviewing for the community missioner post in High Wycombe and I misread the text of Isaiah about SIN as “Your SKINS are as scarlet but they shall be white than snow”- my skin went DECIDEDLY scarlet! )
This discussion about putting your liturgical foot in it led us to pondering what might happen if Bridget Jones were to be ordained.
Can’t you JUST picture it?
Maundy Tuesday
The Chrism Mass this morning was marvellous. It was rather weird because I was sitting exactly where I had sat for the Licensing of Youth Ministers last February. This was especially odd as I was there today to represent my fellow Licensed Youth Ministers and youth workers in the service of rededication. So when Bishop Richard asked
"Lay Ministers, when you were commissioned, you undertook to be faithful in prayer, and by word and example to minister to those for whom Christ died. Will you do all that is in your power to witness to God’s love for all people?
on behalf of us all I responded
BY THE HELP OF GOD WE WILL
And in receiving his blessing, I received it for all our ministries:
May the God of peace, sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful and he will accomplish it.
Consider your commitments renewed and your ministries blessed, everyone!
I also got to read the Old Testament reading about Samuel’s call. I read in church very often but of course in a cathedral FULL of clergy, including FOUR bishops, this is a little bit daunting. Nevertheless I followed the advice of my friend many years ago when I first began reading as a teenager. He said, "Sarah, when you’re reading, they ALL have to wait for YOU. You're in charge!" So despite some nerves I took great delight in a marvellously sonorous "SAMUEL!… SAMUEL!" echoing around the cathedral
A gathering of clergy and laity from across the diocese was also an opportunity to meet lots of people I haven’t seen in a while, including lots of deacons and students from the SAOMC and someone I haven’t spoken too since we worked together as teenagers on the young adult holiday called Springboard which the diocese of Oxford used to run as a kind of follow on from Yellow Braces.
Although he directed his sermon at the clergy, Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Reading delivered an excellent sermon for all the people gathered in the cathedral, (laity, clergy, vergers and other full time churchworkers, NSMs, parishioners and even one youth worker!) He talked about the joys and satisfactions of the Christian life and Christian ministry as well as the frustrations but one thing he said stuck with me. He said there’s a problem
“When the office becomes somewhere you go and work rather than something you say.”
WOooooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooaaaaah!
Excellent point. Do we dedicate ourselves to saying the daily office/s (e.g. morning and eveing prayer) or do we focus on our daily office routine?
"Lay Ministers, when you were commissioned, you undertook to be faithful in prayer, and by word and example to minister to those for whom Christ died. Will you do all that is in your power to witness to God’s love for all people?
on behalf of us all I responded
BY THE HELP OF GOD WE WILL
And in receiving his blessing, I received it for all our ministries:
May the God of peace, sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful and he will accomplish it.
Consider your commitments renewed and your ministries blessed, everyone!
I also got to read the Old Testament reading about Samuel’s call. I read in church very often but of course in a cathedral FULL of clergy, including FOUR bishops, this is a little bit daunting. Nevertheless I followed the advice of my friend many years ago when I first began reading as a teenager. He said, "Sarah, when you’re reading, they ALL have to wait for YOU. You're in charge!" So despite some nerves I took great delight in a marvellously sonorous "SAMUEL!… SAMUEL!" echoing around the cathedral
A gathering of clergy and laity from across the diocese was also an opportunity to meet lots of people I haven’t seen in a while, including lots of deacons and students from the SAOMC and someone I haven’t spoken too since we worked together as teenagers on the young adult holiday called Springboard which the diocese of Oxford used to run as a kind of follow on from Yellow Braces.
Although he directed his sermon at the clergy, Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Reading delivered an excellent sermon for all the people gathered in the cathedral, (laity, clergy, vergers and other full time churchworkers, NSMs, parishioners and even one youth worker!) He talked about the joys and satisfactions of the Christian life and Christian ministry as well as the frustrations but one thing he said stuck with me. He said there’s a problem
“When the office becomes somewhere you go and work rather than something you say.”
WOooooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooaaaaah!
Excellent point. Do we dedicate ourselves to saying the daily office/s (e.g. morning and eveing prayer) or do we focus on our daily office routine?
Chrism-mass is coming
Sorry just could NOT resist that title!!!
Well today is the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Oxford. This is the service where the holy oils are consecrated by the bishops and then given out to representatives of all the churches in the diocese for use during the year at baptisms, in visiting the sick and in confirmations and ordinations. Most dioceses do this on Maunday Thursday but for reasons beyond remembering and comprehension Oxford has "always" doen it on what has been nicknamed "Maundy Tuesday!"
I will be representing all the Licensed Youth Ministers of the diocese and reading the Old Testament (Samuel in the temple when he hears God's call) and administring the chalice at the Eucharist. I will most likely be the only person in procession who is not robed in some manner and this has prompted some comment from a few people I've spoken to. Some, from my rather traditional church, have questioned the "not robing" thing and others have not even thought it an issue and so asked me why I would! For me, the decision involved two factors one from principle, ne practical. Firstly I don't think any of the other LYMs in the diocese would robe if they were there and so in NOT robing I represent them. On the more practical level, I don't yet have my own cassock and have to borrow one when I need one.
However, I am quite catholic in my spirituality, theology and worship so WILL be getting a cassock made to measure, though not until later this year. In a way it's quite a good thing that I don't have a cassock as if I HAD already got mine, my decision about robing or not might have been mor complicated.
The whole idea about the wearing of cassocks is so that we do not present ourselves in worship as ourselves with our own individuality but as servants of God in leading God's people. So, ironically, if the LYMs HAD a particular style of robe (as Licensed Lay Ministers do), by WEARING it I would be representing all of them whereas by going without a robe, I will be more myself and less one representing others.
Well today is the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Oxford. This is the service where the holy oils are consecrated by the bishops and then given out to representatives of all the churches in the diocese for use during the year at baptisms, in visiting the sick and in confirmations and ordinations. Most dioceses do this on Maunday Thursday but for reasons beyond remembering and comprehension Oxford has "always" doen it on what has been nicknamed "Maundy Tuesday!"
I will be representing all the Licensed Youth Ministers of the diocese and reading the Old Testament (Samuel in the temple when he hears God's call) and administring the chalice at the Eucharist. I will most likely be the only person in procession who is not robed in some manner and this has prompted some comment from a few people I've spoken to. Some, from my rather traditional church, have questioned the "not robing" thing and others have not even thought it an issue and so asked me why I would! For me, the decision involved two factors one from principle, ne practical. Firstly I don't think any of the other LYMs in the diocese would robe if they were there and so in NOT robing I represent them. On the more practical level, I don't yet have my own cassock and have to borrow one when I need one.
However, I am quite catholic in my spirituality, theology and worship so WILL be getting a cassock made to measure, though not until later this year. In a way it's quite a good thing that I don't have a cassock as if I HAD already got mine, my decision about robing or not might have been mor complicated.
The whole idea about the wearing of cassocks is so that we do not present ourselves in worship as ourselves with our own individuality but as servants of God in leading God's people. So, ironically, if the LYMs HAD a particular style of robe (as Licensed Lay Ministers do), by WEARING it I would be representing all of them whereas by going without a robe, I will be more myself and less one representing others.
Monday, March 21, 2005
The parable of the Mower
Would those of you who know me well make sure you're sitting down, please?
I spent the day tidying the house and garden. I EVEN mowed the grass - BOTH front AND back!
It did feel a bit like the parable of the sower.
A girl went our to mow. Some of the mowing was on the path where grass had grown up between the slabs. Some was among the thorns and she got scratched. Some mowing was among the rocky ground but some was on the good smooth ground and she mowed with ease!
When I had just started mowing I came to a clump of grass and noticed that there was a ladybird so, not wanting to kill it, I mowed round it. I spent the next twenty minutes mowing round ladybirds. Of course when I came back past the patch later, the ladybird had often gone so I was then able to mow that little bit quite easily and move on. It made me think about how sometimes, when we are making great changes, we sometimes have to leave some little parts unchanged so that we don't hurt people who are deeply attached to things. Yet when all else has changed around them, to change that last little bit is much simpler than you might expect. Mowing around the ladybirds didn't stop me mowing altogether and ultimately they didn't stop me finishing the mowing.
Keep an eye out for the ladybirds.
(Picture from Liverpool Museum)
I spent the day tidying the house and garden. I EVEN mowed the grass - BOTH front AND back!
It did feel a bit like the parable of the sower.
A girl went our to mow. Some of the mowing was on the path where grass had grown up between the slabs. Some was among the thorns and she got scratched. Some mowing was among the rocky ground but some was on the good smooth ground and she mowed with ease!
When I had just started mowing I came to a clump of grass and noticed that there was a ladybird so, not wanting to kill it, I mowed round it. I spent the next twenty minutes mowing round ladybirds. Of course when I came back past the patch later, the ladybird had often gone so I was then able to mow that little bit quite easily and move on. It made me think about how sometimes, when we are making great changes, we sometimes have to leave some little parts unchanged so that we don't hurt people who are deeply attached to things. Yet when all else has changed around them, to change that last little bit is much simpler than you might expect. Mowing around the ladybirds didn't stop me mowing altogether and ultimately they didn't stop me finishing the mowing.
Keep an eye out for the ladybirds.
(Picture from Liverpool Museum)
Sunday, March 20, 2005
New Kids on the Blog
The young people came up with an exciting idea today at our Sunday group which is called Crew. A blog for our whole group so that they can all contribute to it as a group. Pretty cool, huh?
Well I shall be setting up the page today and sending them invites to join. I'll put a link to it and then we'll seem what happens!
Well I shall be setting up the page today and sending them invites to join. I'll put a link to it and then we'll seem what happens!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Passiontide
Seems it's the season for talking about Passion.
Kathryn has been sharing her response to The Passion of the Christ and Ian has been talking about Practicing Passion.
In her thoughts, Kathryn comments on the great brutality of the film and Jesus' appearance as 'barely human' throughout most of the film.Having spent the afternoon battling against a large bramble and now typing with majorly scratched hands, I've been pondering the whole crown of thorns thing. I caught my finger on a massive thorn and it REALLY hurt and bled and everything. One cut. One thorn. I can't encompass the idea of a crown of them rammed onto my head. Yet as I was struggling with this huge 12 foot long branch (that I REALLY should have dealt with last year!) I finally managed to get it coiled up and heaped onto the compost mound. It sat there, crown-like and I kinda got a shiver.
We don't like to think of all that pain and hurt that Jesus went through but he did and in fact many people go through all kinds of pain so often. We can't deny pain and we shouldn't. If we pretend it's not there we treat pain like a "monster under the bed" which gets more terrifying because we won't face it. Yet that is the AMAZING thing about Easter. It's NOT all about the pain and the agony of the cross. The death of Jesus is amazingly important and vital BUT it is not the END. As Giles Fraser said in the Church Times this week, to say we are saved by Jesus' death
"allows nothing for the ressurection to do in the overall story of salvation. If we are saved by Jesus' death on the cross, why did he need to rise again?"
Our salvation is not throught he death and agony of Jesus but through the TOTALITY of the Easter mystery. Salvation comes through our being IN Christ in his PASSION and most importantly in his RESURRECTION. It is through Jesus' death that we die to sin but it is Jesus' resurrection that gives us the new life and eternal life.
Kathryn has been sharing her response to The Passion of the Christ and Ian has been talking about Practicing Passion.
In her thoughts, Kathryn comments on the great brutality of the film and Jesus' appearance as 'barely human' throughout most of the film.Having spent the afternoon battling against a large bramble and now typing with majorly scratched hands, I've been pondering the whole crown of thorns thing. I caught my finger on a massive thorn and it REALLY hurt and bled and everything. One cut. One thorn. I can't encompass the idea of a crown of them rammed onto my head. Yet as I was struggling with this huge 12 foot long branch (that I REALLY should have dealt with last year!) I finally managed to get it coiled up and heaped onto the compost mound. It sat there, crown-like and I kinda got a shiver.
We don't like to think of all that pain and hurt that Jesus went through but he did and in fact many people go through all kinds of pain so often. We can't deny pain and we shouldn't. If we pretend it's not there we treat pain like a "monster under the bed" which gets more terrifying because we won't face it. Yet that is the AMAZING thing about Easter. It's NOT all about the pain and the agony of the cross. The death of Jesus is amazingly important and vital BUT it is not the END. As Giles Fraser said in the Church Times this week, to say we are saved by Jesus' death
"allows nothing for the ressurection to do in the overall story of salvation. If we are saved by Jesus' death on the cross, why did he need to rise again?"
Our salvation is not throught he death and agony of Jesus but through the TOTALITY of the Easter mystery. Salvation comes through our being IN Christ in his PASSION and most importantly in his RESURRECTION. It is through Jesus' death that we die to sin but it is Jesus' resurrection that gives us the new life and eternal life.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Life at the Speed of Light
Just had the joy of reminiscing on some old times whilst watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
This was the film that we watched when I was a YOUNG PERSON on a residential run by the Oxford Diocese called Springboard. Now I'm running such things - oh boy!
Ferris' take on life was pretty simple:
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. [OH YEE-AAH!]"
If anyone else remembers watching it when they were younger and is thinking, "Life doesn't move THAT fast... it wasn't THAT long ago..." the young friend of Ferris is now the Stuart Bondek in Spin City.
Ok he's not THAT old but you can see the change!!
Ferris is a great teenage rebel and what does he do on his rebellious day off? Well among other things, he eats in a fancy restaurant and goes to an art gallery! No the world's greatest rebel really!
What's IMPORTANT for Ferris is that he spends the day of freedom with his best friend and his best girl.
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. [OH YEE-AAH!]"
So the message for today? Stop and look around. Live a little!
I want to hear what you get up to in your chilling out!
This was the film that we watched when I was a YOUNG PERSON on a residential run by the Oxford Diocese called Springboard. Now I'm running such things - oh boy!
Ferris' take on life was pretty simple:
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. [OH YEE-AAH!]"
If anyone else remembers watching it when they were younger and is thinking, "Life doesn't move THAT fast... it wasn't THAT long ago..." the young friend of Ferris is now the Stuart Bondek in Spin City.
Ok he's not THAT old but you can see the change!!
Ferris is a great teenage rebel and what does he do on his rebellious day off? Well among other things, he eats in a fancy restaurant and goes to an art gallery! No the world's greatest rebel really!
What's IMPORTANT for Ferris is that he spends the day of freedom with his best friend and his best girl.
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. [OH YEE-AAH!]"
So the message for today? Stop and look around. Live a little!
I want to hear what you get up to in your chilling out!
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Sing it again
I posted a few days ago about singing in church and whether we should, what we should etc.
Last night I finally had time to read a little more of Bonhoeffer’s Life Together which I am finding immensely useful (despite the inherent masculinity of the text, thought I am getting over my issues with that!) and there was a section on singing:
"Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak and pray the same Word at the same time; in other words, because here they can unite in the Word. All devotion, all atention should be concentrated upon the Word in the hymn. The fact that we do not speak it but sing it only expresses the fact that our spoken words are inadequate to express what we want to say, that the burden of our song goes far beyond all human words. Yet we do not hum s melody, we sing words of praise to God, words of thanksgiving, confession, and prayer. thus the music is completely the servantof the Word. It elucidates the Word in its mystery... It is the voice of the Church that is heard in singing together. It is not you that sings, it is the Church that is singing, and you, as a member of that church, may share in its song. Thus all singing together that is right must serve to widen our spiritual horizon, make us see our little company as a member of the great Christian Church on earth, and help us willingly and gladly to join our singing, be it feeble or good, to the song of the Church." (Life Together, II The Day with Others)
Whilst I’m talking about Bonhoeffer, the part on PSALMS is just fantatstic, calling them the prayer book of Christ. I have ALWAYS had trouble with what I’ve considered the WHINGING psalms and what felt to me like the lack of HOPE they expressed. However Bonhoeffer’s description of them as the prayers of Christ and our opportunity to pray them through him and through his true and proper persecution, deprivation and loss was enlightenment to me.
Epistle's Creed
As there’ve been no takers for summarising Paul’s message I thought I’d let you know what the Ministry course students suggested.
William was uncharacteristically succinct with: “Jesus saves. Get into him”
Ian’s summary was fantastic but so great I can’t remember it. Sorry, my friend.
Someone else focussed on TRANSFORMATION and the evidence of it seen in the communities Paul was writing to.
For me the fascinating part of the discussion focussed not on these Soundbytes of Paul but on the summary of people's feelings about the text
We looked at what aspects of Paul we found either appealing, unrealistic, unhelpful, or unintelligible.
One person commented that he thought Paul stressed unity over truth and I rather liked that but then realised that he had said it pejoratively. In fact a lot of the things that one person found appealing someone else found unrealistic, unhelpful or unintelligible. I suppose this isn’t to be wondered at. In fact if all those in ministerial training had the SAME opinions life really would be dull and the future of the church look somewhat bland.
Paul stressed Unity over truth?
I rather agree with the concept of doing that. It speaks to me of the emphasis that Paul places on LOVE for others and for God.
I suppose it’s no wonder that I should think that. I am a rather touch feeling kind of a person (an “F” if you want to get Myers-Briggs-y) whereas the person who thought Paul was wrong to stress Unity over Truth is more a thoughts and ideas kind of chap (a “T” for those with Myers-Briggs on the brain!) so naturally he might want to have it all RIGHT and sorted even if that meant division. On the other hand I would rather have things disordered a little and unsettled if that meant a stronger community.
Alan, who was leading the class, said that it would be interesting to set that whole idea as an essay next year, particularly with reference to the debate over the consecration of women as bishops.
What would Paul write in his letter to the Anglicans?
William was uncharacteristically succinct with: “Jesus saves. Get into him”
Ian’s summary was fantastic but so great I can’t remember it. Sorry, my friend.
Someone else focussed on TRANSFORMATION and the evidence of it seen in the communities Paul was writing to.
For me the fascinating part of the discussion focussed not on these Soundbytes of Paul but on the summary of people's feelings about the text
We looked at what aspects of Paul we found either appealing, unrealistic, unhelpful, or unintelligible.
One person commented that he thought Paul stressed unity over truth and I rather liked that but then realised that he had said it pejoratively. In fact a lot of the things that one person found appealing someone else found unrealistic, unhelpful or unintelligible. I suppose this isn’t to be wondered at. In fact if all those in ministerial training had the SAME opinions life really would be dull and the future of the church look somewhat bland.
Paul stressed Unity over truth?
I rather agree with the concept of doing that. It speaks to me of the emphasis that Paul places on LOVE for others and for God.
I suppose it’s no wonder that I should think that. I am a rather touch feeling kind of a person (an “F” if you want to get Myers-Briggs-y) whereas the person who thought Paul was wrong to stress Unity over Truth is more a thoughts and ideas kind of chap (a “T” for those with Myers-Briggs on the brain!) so naturally he might want to have it all RIGHT and sorted even if that meant division. On the other hand I would rather have things disordered a little and unsettled if that meant a stronger community.
Alan, who was leading the class, said that it would be interesting to set that whole idea as an essay next year, particularly with reference to the debate over the consecration of women as bishops.
What would Paul write in his letter to the Anglicans?
The Paul in Spirit
At SAOMC this evening, Alan challenged us to explain the gospel of St Paul "in a nutshell". Before I tell you what the Oxford ordinands came up with do I have anyone willing to give their "nutshell" of Paul?
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Sing a new song
I had a meeting today with the Scout group that is organising the St George's day service with me on the issue of FORGIVENESS and we got to discussing the music for the service. This is a service which welcomes 500 young people and leaders into our church and as much as we can make the content welcoming and the service sheet friendly together with a page to colour for the Beavers and yougner Cubs, the issue of music is ALWAYS difficult. What songs and hymns will "everybody know"?
This evening a group of us were picking hymns for the services in April and the same issue arose.
We're no longer in a position to assume that there is a "common hymnody" (as my friend called it) in our society. Gone are the days when we could guarantee that young people or adults would KNOW certain hymns or songs. Many people of my generation will not have sung many or any songs and hymns at school. I remember the repertoire at my secondary school consisting of three songs and one hymn. I imagine, in fact, that our school was unusual for having Christian assemblies. This must be even more rare now.
So how DO we select music for these events? People feel the NEED for there to be singing but what do we choose?
Surely we have to face the fact that for many young people, and indeed adults, the concept of a large group of people all singing together at anywhere other than a large sports event is completely alien.
I will be playing some music on CD for people to listen to (a few ideas for this but any suggestions will be accepted!) but we still have three places in the service where we have put a "hymn" and I STILL need to find something to put there. Ideas anyone?
This evening a group of us were picking hymns for the services in April and the same issue arose.
We're no longer in a position to assume that there is a "common hymnody" (as my friend called it) in our society. Gone are the days when we could guarantee that young people or adults would KNOW certain hymns or songs. Many people of my generation will not have sung many or any songs and hymns at school. I remember the repertoire at my secondary school consisting of three songs and one hymn. I imagine, in fact, that our school was unusual for having Christian assemblies. This must be even more rare now.
So how DO we select music for these events? People feel the NEED for there to be singing but what do we choose?
Surely we have to face the fact that for many young people, and indeed adults, the concept of a large group of people all singing together at anywhere other than a large sports event is completely alien.
I will be playing some music on CD for people to listen to (a few ideas for this but any suggestions will be accepted!) but we still have three places in the service where we have put a "hymn" and I STILL need to find something to put there. Ideas anyone?
Monday, March 14, 2005
Co-go-nuts
When shopping for the fair trade cocktails for our youth club I got a LITTLE bit too enthusiastic about the whole Fair Trade deal and, on a tropical-island-fantasy inspired whim, purchased three fairly traded coconuts. Of course I got them to the youth club and looked at them thinking... well NOW what do I do?
There was far too much going on with the young people so we had NO coconut element to our cocktails and I was left with THREE fairly traded coconuts and NO idea how to get into them or what to do with them if I do other than drink bacardi out of them or crush it and use it in curry! Any grand ideas about using them though DOES rather depend on getting the things open!
I managed to give one to my friend Colin as a bit of a challenge for him. After many amusing "noises off" and talk of "sticking it in the microwave" while Kathryn and I ate our tea Colin successfully opened the coconut using, and I quote "a hacksaw... and a saucepan!" This did not result in two neat "I can make horsey noises like Monty Python and the Holy Grail" coconut halves so I went searching on the net.
One method, which sounds very long and arduous, involves taking off the husk and "finding the three veins".
Method number two uses a gentler but somewhat slow cooking strategy (though this might result in some useable coconut halves!)
The third way has comprehensive safety advice and tells me that I need to saw the coconut if I want neat halves - logical enough I suppose!
Any other bright ideas? I'm sure my Hawaiian readers might have a better idea than me!
There was far too much going on with the young people so we had NO coconut element to our cocktails and I was left with THREE fairly traded coconuts and NO idea how to get into them or what to do with them if I do other than drink bacardi out of them or crush it and use it in curry! Any grand ideas about using them though DOES rather depend on getting the things open!
I managed to give one to my friend Colin as a bit of a challenge for him. After many amusing "noises off" and talk of "sticking it in the microwave" while Kathryn and I ate our tea Colin successfully opened the coconut using, and I quote "a hacksaw... and a saucepan!" This did not result in two neat "I can make horsey noises like Monty Python and the Holy Grail" coconut halves so I went searching on the net.
One method, which sounds very long and arduous, involves taking off the husk and "finding the three veins".
Method number two uses a gentler but somewhat slow cooking strategy (though this might result in some useable coconut halves!)
The third way has comprehensive safety advice and tells me that I need to saw the coconut if I want neat halves - logical enough I suppose!
Any other bright ideas? I'm sure my Hawaiian readers might have a better idea than me!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Fair enough
This weekend brings Fairtrade Fortnight to an end and two youth events have rounded it off rather neatly for me.
Yesterday at Pulse we had mostly Fairtrade ingredients in our cocktails at HaRVey's bar including a fabulous Banana smoothie.
(Lookng back to the discussions about young people and junk food, yesterday we also experimented in putting out fruit as well as our usual sweets, chocolate and crisps. Even though one of the lads bet me "my pride" that no-ne would eat the fruit, the grapes and satsumas went down very well indeed. The only trouble is that grapes are far more expensive than crisps!)
Then this evening I was invited to talk about Fair Trade to a group of young people at Freedom in Sandhurst. I demonstrated the need for Fair Trade with a short "unfair" game of skittles and talked about our need to support Fair Trade for the sake, not only of those who produce our food, but also of ourselves as we seek to be the people God wants us to be, seeing people as Christ would see them.
I left them with the challenge to do something:
Support the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign through wearing a band and sending a card to Tony Blair or by making a change in their household shopping to buy fair trade goods, not necessarily of all items but to change at least one thing (coffee, tea, orange juice, hot chocolate, bananas, sugar, honey, muesli, etc) to a fairly traded alternative.
Yesterday at Pulse we had mostly Fairtrade ingredients in our cocktails at HaRVey's bar including a fabulous Banana smoothie.
(Lookng back to the discussions about young people and junk food, yesterday we also experimented in putting out fruit as well as our usual sweets, chocolate and crisps. Even though one of the lads bet me "my pride" that no-ne would eat the fruit, the grapes and satsumas went down very well indeed. The only trouble is that grapes are far more expensive than crisps!)
Then this evening I was invited to talk about Fair Trade to a group of young people at Freedom in Sandhurst. I demonstrated the need for Fair Trade with a short "unfair" game of skittles and talked about our need to support Fair Trade for the sake, not only of those who produce our food, but also of ourselves as we seek to be the people God wants us to be, seeing people as Christ would see them.
I left them with the challenge to do something:
Support the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign through wearing a band and sending a card to Tony Blair or by making a change in their household shopping to buy fair trade goods, not necessarily of all items but to change at least one thing (coffee, tea, orange juice, hot chocolate, bananas, sugar, honey, muesli, etc) to a fairly traded alternative.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Dessert Island discs
Yeah I KNOW it should be DESERT Island but I think a DESSERT island sounds more fun!
An idea ocurred to me as I was in Blockbuster getting the Xbox games for our youth group tomorrow. The long-running Desert Island discs show on Radio 4 asks people to choose (oh boy how many is it?) let's say 8 "discs" to take with you if you were on a desert island. I thought about updating this with DVDs. What 8 DVDs would you not want to be without? This is, of course, not the same as the 8 best ever films but the 8 films you would want to watch over and OVER again when stuck on a desert island (on the amazing solar-powered portable DVD player that just HAPPENED to be with you!) You also get one book (in addition to the Bible and the Complete works of Shakespeare),one luxury item and as it's a DESSERT Island - your choice of unending supply of any one dessert!
So I thought it over for a good few minutes and here is my list.
DVDs:
1) Indianna Jones and the Last Crusade
2) Bridget Jones' Diary
3) Pride and Prejudice
4) Shrek & Shrek 2 (It's a double DVD - that counts!!)
5) Groundhog Day
6) Pirates of the Caribbean
7) Pleasantville
8) An Agatha Christie (Poirot or Miss Marple either really!)
(Nothing too sad - I mean how BAD would that be?! Nothing too scary and nothing about being stuck on a desert island!)
Book: (SSSSOOOOOO tricky!) but if I've got the Bible and Shakespeare... I think I might opt for a blank book and then I can make charcoal and write something.
Luxury item: Grand Piano (music and shelter all in one!)
Bonus Dessert island dessert: tough one... but ultimately it has to be something chocolatey! Preferably chocolate mousse to go with he tropical fruit there might be on the island!!
BLIMEY that was tough! Anybody else willing to put them out there?
An idea ocurred to me as I was in Blockbuster getting the Xbox games for our youth group tomorrow. The long-running Desert Island discs show on Radio 4 asks people to choose (oh boy how many is it?) let's say 8 "discs" to take with you if you were on a desert island. I thought about updating this with DVDs. What 8 DVDs would you not want to be without? This is, of course, not the same as the 8 best ever films but the 8 films you would want to watch over and OVER again when stuck on a desert island (on the amazing solar-powered portable DVD player that just HAPPENED to be with you!) You also get one book (in addition to the Bible and the Complete works of Shakespeare),one luxury item and as it's a DESSERT Island - your choice of unending supply of any one dessert!
So I thought it over for a good few minutes and here is my list.
DVDs:
1) Indianna Jones and the Last Crusade
2) Bridget Jones' Diary
3) Pride and Prejudice
4) Shrek & Shrek 2 (It's a double DVD - that counts!!)
5) Groundhog Day
6) Pirates of the Caribbean
7) Pleasantville
8) An Agatha Christie (Poirot or Miss Marple either really!)
(Nothing too sad - I mean how BAD would that be?! Nothing too scary and nothing about being stuck on a desert island!)
Book: (SSSSOOOOOO tricky!) but if I've got the Bible and Shakespeare... I think I might opt for a blank book and then I can make charcoal and write something.
Luxury item: Grand Piano (music and shelter all in one!)
Bonus Dessert island dessert: tough one... but ultimately it has to be something chocolatey! Preferably chocolate mousse to go with he tropical fruit there might be on the island!!
BLIMEY that was tough! Anybody else willing to put them out there?
Friday, March 11, 2005
DISASTER
I somehow managed to wipe half my template while I was adding a link - eek!
I might take this opportunity to redo the look of the blog as it must be over six months since I started - don't know as I managed to wipe the archive links too! let's hope they're still there somewhere!
Anyway here's the opportunity...
Were you on my old blogroll? Do you want to be on again? Let me know or I might just forget you!
I might take this opportunity to redo the look of the blog as it must be over six months since I started - don't know as I managed to wipe the archive links too! let's hope they're still there somewhere!
Anyway here's the opportunity...
Were you on my old blogroll? Do you want to be on again? Let me know or I might just forget you!
Forgive and Forget
I'm working on a service about FORGIVENESS and I KNOW that somewhere in my resources I have a sketch about the parable of the unforgiving servant or something like that but I'v FORGOTTEN where.
Anyone got any ideas where I might have seen it or can anyone suggest/provide a good sketch for 2-3 people reading and not necessarily having to act?
Anyone got any ideas where I might have seen it or can anyone suggest/provide a good sketch for 2-3 people reading and not necessarily having to act?
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Education Education Education
Ian has been talking a lot about work/life balance and has had some responses back. I'm someone who used to be VERY bad at taking time out, partly because I love what I do, partly because there is ALWAYS plenty a youthworker can do and partly because, being single, I sometimes have evenings with nothing particular to do and end up working. However I am much better now. I still work too many hours but I try to ensure that more of the work I do is towards my personal development (and I'm not just saying this because I have a review tomorrow eeeek!).
Intriguingly this is something that I learnt in my former career (which is one people often consider a bit ODD for a youth worker). I used to be a lecturer in History and Latin. People think that this was a whacky change but I have brought a lot from my former role to my youth work.
One of the founding principles of university work is that ALL teaching staff are active learners. All those who encourage and instruct students are themselves students of something. This is why university staff get such LONG "vacations". What this means for me as a youth worker is that I spend quite a lot of time in personal development and more recently I've been spending more time READING which is something I "didn't have time for" when I was working ridiculously long hours.
Well I've not blogged this week until now because I spent Tuesday having an indulgent training day. During the day, I joined my friend Mark at his Methodist training course for a session on Black Theology run by Anthony Reddie and in the evening we went on to the SAOMC theology course that I used be a member of (nostalgia fest - I've SO missed them all - let's not go there!) for a session on the Reformation and a session on Paul and his first letter to the Corinthians.
The day with Anthony Readdie was REALLY good. I learnt an awful lot about the practice of tolerance and our need to work from within ourselves and encourage people to share their stories (reminded me of Bob Mayo’s session at Matrix too!) and in the afternoon we did a bible study which was very challenging.
Anthony had us read the story of Pentecost and challenged us saying that a traditional reading is that the Holy Spirit IGNORES difference and says we are all the same so we ALL hear. An alternative more challenging reading is that the Holy Spirit highlights and celebrates the difference.
One of the most challenging thing Anthony shared was about the invisible WHITENESS of society. The fact that we consider what WE are and what most of society is to be NORMAL. In fact WHITE is, subconsciously, the default setting for society. This means that, when reading the text of the Bible, even though it doesn’t SAY that the people are WHITE, people assume they are. The shocking news came from a survey of young black people reading the Bible. Anthony asked them to describe the people in the stories and the young people described them as white. When he asked them why they responded:
“Because if they were black, it would say so!”
So even though the Bibles don’t seem to be racially biased there is INVISIBLE WHITENESS. What other INVISIBLE things might there be? Surely our young people find that there is often an INVISIBLE ADULTNESS about our churches
“Because if it was for young people, it would say so!”
Intriguingly this is something that I learnt in my former career (which is one people often consider a bit ODD for a youth worker). I used to be a lecturer in History and Latin. People think that this was a whacky change but I have brought a lot from my former role to my youth work.
One of the founding principles of university work is that ALL teaching staff are active learners. All those who encourage and instruct students are themselves students of something. This is why university staff get such LONG "vacations". What this means for me as a youth worker is that I spend quite a lot of time in personal development and more recently I've been spending more time READING which is something I "didn't have time for" when I was working ridiculously long hours.
Well I've not blogged this week until now because I spent Tuesday having an indulgent training day. During the day, I joined my friend Mark at his Methodist training course for a session on Black Theology run by Anthony Reddie and in the evening we went on to the SAOMC theology course that I used be a member of (nostalgia fest - I've SO missed them all - let's not go there!) for a session on the Reformation and a session on Paul and his first letter to the Corinthians.
The day with Anthony Readdie was REALLY good. I learnt an awful lot about the practice of tolerance and our need to work from within ourselves and encourage people to share their stories (reminded me of Bob Mayo’s session at Matrix too!) and in the afternoon we did a bible study which was very challenging.
Anthony had us read the story of Pentecost and challenged us saying that a traditional reading is that the Holy Spirit IGNORES difference and says we are all the same so we ALL hear. An alternative more challenging reading is that the Holy Spirit highlights and celebrates the difference.
One of the most challenging thing Anthony shared was about the invisible WHITENESS of society. The fact that we consider what WE are and what most of society is to be NORMAL. In fact WHITE is, subconsciously, the default setting for society. This means that, when reading the text of the Bible, even though it doesn’t SAY that the people are WHITE, people assume they are. The shocking news came from a survey of young black people reading the Bible. Anthony asked them to describe the people in the stories and the young people described them as white. When he asked them why they responded:
“Because if they were black, it would say so!”
So even though the Bibles don’t seem to be racially biased there is INVISIBLE WHITENESS. What other INVISIBLE things might there be? Surely our young people find that there is often an INVISIBLE ADULTNESS about our churches
“Because if it was for young people, it would say so!”
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Mothering Sunday
What better symbol of a modern mother - pulled in all directions, focussed on her family and a TOTAL HERO?
"Leave saving the world to the men? I don't think so!"
Happy Mothering Sunday to all those who care for us!
"Leave saving the world to the men? I don't think so!"
Happy Mothering Sunday to all those who care for us!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Thank you Mr Preview!
I had one of those culture defining moments this evening... and unfortunately I think I'm a Philistine!
I went to a concert featuring Grieg's Piano Concerto and as the orchestra and Piano soloist played the openingbars, rather than revelling in the counterpoint and allowing my thoughts to soar with the strings, I was thinking of Eric Morecambe and the FANTASTIC sketch involving a very game Andre Previn as the piano soloist to Eric's conductor. Eric steps in to "show Andre how to do it" and when Previn points out that he's playing it wrong Eric ripostes: "I'm playing the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order." Anyone else remember it?
Fortunately after that I was able to concentrate and reall enjoy sitting listening to music and doing ONLY that not doing sixty things at once.
Multi-tasking is a great skill but a dreadful habit.
I went to a concert featuring Grieg's Piano Concerto and as the orchestra and Piano soloist played the openingbars, rather than revelling in the counterpoint and allowing my thoughts to soar with the strings, I was thinking of Eric Morecambe and the FANTASTIC sketch involving a very game Andre Previn as the piano soloist to Eric's conductor. Eric steps in to "show Andre how to do it" and when Previn points out that he's playing it wrong Eric ripostes: "I'm playing the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order." Anyone else remember it?
Fortunately after that I was able to concentrate and reall enjoy sitting listening to music and doing ONLY that not doing sixty things at once.
Multi-tasking is a great skill but a dreadful habit.
Friday, March 04, 2005
There' Snow-body as grown-up as youthworkers
This morning I woke up (for the third time having slept very badly grrr) and was not in the best of moods as I felt the day was going to hit me like a juggernaut. I had tonnes to do and nevertheless had to drive out to a meeting for the whole morning. *hrumph!* However, as I was preparing my brekkie it started to snow.
LOTS. SUDDENLY.
LOTS. SUDDENLY.
OODLES OF IT.
It was fab. My child-like glee only waned slighty at the thought of having to drive to the meeting in it but then the meeting was moved to within walking distance (faberoony!).
So I had a lovely walk through that amazing silence that you only get when i'ts REALLY snowing abundantly. I did Morning Prayer in church then headed off to the King's Centre where, bestest of bestest news, the other High Wycombe youthworkers and I decided that our network meeting needed to begin with a "Snowman/team building exercise"! Ok this deteriorated somewhat into a snowball fight but it was really cool, even when we got ambushed by some local young people!
Snow is JUST the best! Unfortunately we've since had a downpour of rain which washed it all away, then some hail and then some lightning all VERY exciting!
Well Girly night in tonight for me and housemate - 13 going on 30 and Princess Diaries 2 to watch whilst we pig out on Chicken Fajitas! Mexitastic joy!
Thursday, March 03, 2005
School Dinners
Last week Simon had seen Jamie's School Dinners, a programme featuring Jamie Oliver and his campaign to improve the food this country gives to children in schools. I managed to catch an episode tonight.
Unsurprsingly to those of us who work regularly ith young people, most of the food young people want toeat is processed, full of sugar and preservatives, high in salt, high in saturated fat and more importantly lacking in nutrients. I'm not saying that all young people eat rubbish food but I know that there are plenty who do.
For me the shocking session was Jamie holding up raw fruit and vegetables (some common like leeks and rhubarb and others more "exotic" like asparagus) in each case fewer than half the class and sometimes only one or NONE of the children knew what they were. In contrast when he held up the logos of some fast food joints all the class knew all of them.
It was distressing to see Jamie's despondency in the face of so much difficulty in educating the children in good food as basic as roast chicken instead of the highly dubious turkey twizzlers.
Having persuaded one family to try a week without preservatives, prepackaged food and sweets, Jamie listened as the mother and father recounted the resulting chaos not when the processed food was removed (though there were tantrums aplenty in the supermarket!) but when they "gave them a treat". Within thirty minutes the children were argumentative and stroppy. The shock on the parents' faces spoke volumes.
As Simon and the resulting discussion said last week, this really is a challenge to those of us who work with young people and provide food and drinks for them. It is the eternal trouble - do we give them "what they want" or only offer healthy food.
Well for one, we have our cocktail bar at or youth club next week and I'm going to try to make the drinks slightly less sugar filled! The tuck shop element is more difficult though. We've introduced fruit but should we really withdraw the chocolate? At my Sunday morning group we have biscuits... should we stop that? We serve fizzy drinks which I ocasionally replace with fruit juice but this makes quite a dent in the budget... Is this worth the cost? We've bought a popcorn machine so that the popcorn we serve at film nights is lower in sugar but we also have pizza... what would we have instead?
Well something we could all try is having a look at the packs for schools and parents.
Unsurprsingly to those of us who work regularly ith young people, most of the food young people want toeat is processed, full of sugar and preservatives, high in salt, high in saturated fat and more importantly lacking in nutrients. I'm not saying that all young people eat rubbish food but I know that there are plenty who do.
For me the shocking session was Jamie holding up raw fruit and vegetables (some common like leeks and rhubarb and others more "exotic" like asparagus) in each case fewer than half the class and sometimes only one or NONE of the children knew what they were. In contrast when he held up the logos of some fast food joints all the class knew all of them.
It was distressing to see Jamie's despondency in the face of so much difficulty in educating the children in good food as basic as roast chicken instead of the highly dubious turkey twizzlers.
Having persuaded one family to try a week without preservatives, prepackaged food and sweets, Jamie listened as the mother and father recounted the resulting chaos not when the processed food was removed (though there were tantrums aplenty in the supermarket!) but when they "gave them a treat". Within thirty minutes the children were argumentative and stroppy. The shock on the parents' faces spoke volumes.
As Simon and the resulting discussion said last week, this really is a challenge to those of us who work with young people and provide food and drinks for them. It is the eternal trouble - do we give them "what they want" or only offer healthy food.
Well for one, we have our cocktail bar at or youth club next week and I'm going to try to make the drinks slightly less sugar filled! The tuck shop element is more difficult though. We've introduced fruit but should we really withdraw the chocolate? At my Sunday morning group we have biscuits... should we stop that? We serve fizzy drinks which I ocasionally replace with fruit juice but this makes quite a dent in the budget... Is this worth the cost? We've bought a popcorn machine so that the popcorn we serve at film nights is lower in sugar but we also have pizza... what would we have instead?
Well something we could all try is having a look at the packs for schools and parents.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Grand Day Out
My week of leave this week has turned into two days of leave, today and tomorrow. Doesn't help knowing my bruv is in CANCUN and a friend is in CUBA... What's my exotic choice???
Today I'm off to Guildford to see my goddaughter and her new student house that she's sorted for next year as well has some retail therapy and something scrumptious in a delightful restaurant!
Then tomorrow I'm off to Reading for the day with my dad which should be cool as well.
So not much blogging - even though I've found some new stuff on Einstein and relativity - you'll have to wait for that I'm afraid!
Today I'm off to Guildford to see my goddaughter and her new student house that she's sorted for next year as well has some retail therapy and something scrumptious in a delightful restaurant!
Then tomorrow I'm off to Reading for the day with my dad which should be cool as well.
So not much blogging - even though I've found some new stuff on Einstein and relativity - you'll have to wait for that I'm afraid!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Fifty things
Tim put this up on his blog and I have blatantly purloined it!
I’ve put a * by the ones I’ve done.
I'm quite impressed really! However I think there are some missing (and some which are too dull to be in there!) so I've added some at the end :oD
01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink* (there were thre of us!)
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain*
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it*
09. Hugged a tree*
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris*
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sunrise*
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game*
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables*
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars*
21. Changed a baby's nappy*
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower*
24. Gotten drunk on champagne*
25. Given more than you can afford to charity*
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope*
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment**********
28. Had a food fight (food be much delicious and powerful commodity to waste)
29. Bet on a winning horse*
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill* (to my boss I’d like to point out this was when I was at primary school!)
31. Asked out a stranger (ok, an acquaintance, but for all intents and purposes, a stranger)*
32. Had a snowball fight*
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can*
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favourite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip*
38. Taken an ice cold bath/shower*
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar*
40. Seen a total eclipse*
41. Ridden a roller coaster*
42. Hit a home run*
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking****
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors*
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment*
48. Had two hard drives for your computer*
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts *
And the extras...
Done a parachute jump (hehe!)
Be on TV*
Seen Uluru
Ride a camel*
Be a published author
Write a Song
See Niagara Falls*
Marry Colin Firth ;oP
Any more suggestions!
I’ve put a * by the ones I’ve done.
I'm quite impressed really! However I think there are some missing (and some which are too dull to be in there!) so I've added some at the end :oD
01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink* (there were thre of us!)
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain*
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it*
09. Hugged a tree*
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris*
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sunrise*
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game*
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables*
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars*
21. Changed a baby's nappy*
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower*
24. Gotten drunk on champagne*
25. Given more than you can afford to charity*
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope*
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment**********
28. Had a food fight (food be much delicious and powerful commodity to waste)
29. Bet on a winning horse*
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill* (to my boss I’d like to point out this was when I was at primary school!)
31. Asked out a stranger (ok, an acquaintance, but for all intents and purposes, a stranger)*
32. Had a snowball fight*
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can*
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favourite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip*
38. Taken an ice cold bath/shower*
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar*
40. Seen a total eclipse*
41. Ridden a roller coaster*
42. Hit a home run*
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking****
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors*
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment*
48. Had two hard drives for your computer*
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts *
And the extras...
Done a parachute jump (hehe!)
Be on TV*
Seen Uluru
Ride a camel*
Be a published author
Write a Song
See Niagara Falls*
Marry Colin Firth ;oP
Any more suggestions!
Monday, February 28, 2005
London BABY!
My plans this morning were to go to Canterbury and build a FANTASTIC snowman with my friend Craig because there was LOTS OF SNOW down in Kent.
Trouble was...there was LOTS OF SNOW down in Kent so all the trains from London got cancelled. So there I was in London. At first I was grumpy that there would be no snowman building but then I remembered that I LOVE wandering around London.
I ambled from Charing Cross to Trafalgar square where the sunshine was just glorious:
Trouble was...there was LOTS OF SNOW down in Kent so all the trains from London got cancelled. So there I was in London. At first I was grumpy that there would be no snowman building but then I remembered that I LOVE wandering around London.
I ambled from Charing Cross to Trafalgar square where the sunshine was just glorious:
A very picturey day really!
Then I wandered towards the Church House bookshop via Whitehall and caught the news headlines!
Yes the guys from Fathers for Justice were out again. This time on the corner of Downing Street (which I tried to get in the shot but failed)
Then I went to Westminster Abbey and had another look at the new statues over the West door
with a particular focus on Dietrich Bonhoeffer as I am just reading Life Together and I've also, today, purchased The Cost of Discipleship.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Ten things...
Well here's an idea borrowed from Peter: His are way better than mine but clearly he's more exciting than me.
Ten Things I've Done That You Probably Haven't:
1. Played the role of a pregnant woman in a youth video project.
2. Believed I was born in a tent for an embarrassingly large part of my childhood.
3. Performed Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall.
4. Eaten lunch at the BBC opposite Bill Giles the weatherman.
5. Nearly been sold by my mates to Belgian man when we were on holiday in France.
6. Been interviewed on Channel Four lunchtime news.
7. Deliberately failed at Limbo.
8. Sold my talent as a Latin motto writer at an auction
9. Told a gathering of 500 Scouts that as a child you always wanted to be a pirate.
10. Allowed a student to enter my classroom with two buckets of gravy.
The gauntlet is down... Go on blogging pals. Spill!
Ten Things I've Done That You Probably Haven't:
1. Played the role of a pregnant woman in a youth video project.
2. Believed I was born in a tent for an embarrassingly large part of my childhood.
3. Performed Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall.
4. Eaten lunch at the BBC opposite Bill Giles the weatherman.
5. Nearly been sold by my mates to Belgian man when we were on holiday in France.
6. Been interviewed on Channel Four lunchtime news.
7. Deliberately failed at Limbo.
8. Sold my talent as a Latin motto writer at an auction
9. Told a gathering of 500 Scouts that as a child you always wanted to be a pirate.
10. Allowed a student to enter my classroom with two buckets of gravy.
The gauntlet is down... Go on blogging pals. Spill!
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Falling for someone...?
Through the post today I received something that I had requested earlier this week. It's an information pack about from Iain Rennie Hospice at Home about doing a charity parachute jump for them.
IRHH is an excellent local charity which provides at home care and support for terminal patients. They were absolutely wonderful when my mum was ill and I'm now part of a team which run a two day holiday club for bereaved children with whom they've had contact. I love doing the Chrysalis club because it is a really practical way of supporting a charity which did so much for me. It is using my talents rather than demanding my money and I think we all need to do some stuff that isn't just about puting our hands in our pocket as part of our giving. Somewhat ironically that's a bit more difficult when you're in a job, like youth work, which is essentially doing that a lot of the time.
So I KNOW that this is agood cause and deserves support.
Anyway what I want to know is...
Who thinks I should commit to raising a minimum of £375 to jump out of a plane for Iain Rennie?
IRHH is an excellent local charity which provides at home care and support for terminal patients. They were absolutely wonderful when my mum was ill and I'm now part of a team which run a two day holiday club for bereaved children with whom they've had contact. I love doing the Chrysalis club because it is a really practical way of supporting a charity which did so much for me. It is using my talents rather than demanding my money and I think we all need to do some stuff that isn't just about puting our hands in our pocket as part of our giving. Somewhat ironically that's a bit more difficult when you're in a job, like youth work, which is essentially doing that a lot of the time.
So I KNOW that this is agood cause and deserves support.
Anyway what I want to know is...
Who thinks I should commit to raising a minimum of £375 to jump out of a plane for Iain Rennie?
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Proud to Present Publishing People
Tim has finally given in to pressure and begun his own blog with the great neame of Deputy Blog. Fantastic bit of cartoon inspiration! From the looks of things he may run out of things to say when he reaches the end of the P section in the dictionary but it seems a fairly eclectic selection so far.
In order to help with his inspirational requirements...
any suggestions of good (clean) P words for him to use as starting points?
In order to help with his inspirational requirements...
any suggestions of good (clean) P words for him to use as starting points?
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
The Carnival is NOT over
Christian Carnival continues, offering you access to a choice selection of Christian blogging.
Ok there might be just a SLIGHT ulterior motive for sending you over there... yes I get a feature :oD
Seriously guys I suggest you have a look at the plethora of theological reflection and debate.
Also why don't you think about submitting one of your best recent blogs to the next carnival on 2nd March at Crossroads?
Ok there might be just a SLIGHT ulterior motive for sending you over there... yes I get a feature :oD
Seriously guys I suggest you have a look at the plethora of theological reflection and debate.
Also why don't you think about submitting one of your best recent blogs to the next carnival on 2nd March at Crossroads?
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
The more it snows...tiddely pom
Well I'd be lying if I didn't say I was excited because it had SNOWED last night before I went to sleep and this morning it's STILL HERE.
However we have got rather woossy SOUTHERN snow!
According to my housemate there was a little more when she left for work at a SCARY time of the morning but right now it looks pretty but not dangerous to drivers.
So no sledging today but... I've got a full day of interviewing people anyway so I'm not FREE to go sledging!
Looks pretty but isn't dangerous... the best of both worlds!
However we have got rather woossy SOUTHERN snow!
According to my housemate there was a little more when she left for work at a SCARY time of the morning but right now it looks pretty but not dangerous to drivers.
So no sledging today but... I've got a full day of interviewing people anyway so I'm not FREE to go sledging!
Looks pretty but isn't dangerous... the best of both worlds!
Monday, February 21, 2005
Simo the Snowman
Simo has made us all a little bit jealous cos HE had REAL snow :(
Ah well... Welcome to the blogosphere Simo!
Ah well... Welcome to the blogosphere Simo!
There's no Business like Snow Business
At LAAAAAAAAST!
I just got very excited by the precipitation of snow that actuallyLOOKED like snow. Big flakes and EVERYTHING.
However as I began uploading the picture it stopped
:(
Still... it was cool!
Though it doesn't look like I'll be needing a sledge!
I just got very excited by the precipitation of snow that actuallyLOOKED like snow. Big flakes and EVERYTHING.
However as I began uploading the picture it stopped
:(
Still... it was cool!
Though it doesn't look like I'll be needing a sledge!
Freshen Up!
I spent Sunday afternoon with a group from FRESH NOISE clearing up rubbish at a parade of shops in Downley.
It was really cold but great fun. We made a pretty good impact on the place filling at least twenty black bin liners with rubbish and debris from the shops.
This was just one of many projects around the town that got loads of young people engaged in doing something for their community!
It was really cold but great fun. We made a pretty good impact on the place filling at least twenty black bin liners with rubbish and debris from the shops.
This was just one of many projects around the town that got loads of young people engaged in doing something for their community!
Let it snow
O the weather outside is... well NOT FRIGHTFUL!
I joined last night with Pete's sentiment of excited expectation at the prospect of snow today.
However I'm lazing about at home on my day off (having decided that travelling anywhere unnecessary would be daft with the forecast) and yet... well there is NO SNOW here.
There was something that cannot event be called a flurry of stuff that was so small it looked like rain. The Eskimo people must have a word for it (they have - how many words for snow is it??)
Looking at the silver lining though - the news has just said that snow IS COMING later. Shame really. I was hoping to have some to play in today. Now it might actually be inconvenient tomorrow especially for those peopel travelling here for the Community Missioner interviews and those driving them around the town on tours.
I joined last night with Pete's sentiment of excited expectation at the prospect of snow today.
However I'm lazing about at home on my day off (having decided that travelling anywhere unnecessary would be daft with the forecast) and yet... well there is NO SNOW here.
There was something that cannot event be called a flurry of stuff that was so small it looked like rain. The Eskimo people must have a word for it (they have - how many words for snow is it??)
Looking at the silver lining though - the news has just said that snow IS COMING later. Shame really. I was hoping to have some to play in today. Now it might actually be inconvenient tomorrow especially for those peopel travelling here for the Community Missioner interviews and those driving them around the town on tours.
Friday, February 18, 2005
ave atque carnivale
Just picked up on a Carnival of Christian blogging for your delectation!
Hope along over to Wittenburg Gate for the Catholic Carnival and have a look at the people who have set out their wares at the blogosphere fair.
Hope along over to Wittenburg Gate for the Catholic Carnival and have a look at the people who have set out their wares at the blogosphere fair.
Conference Pair
Just a quick one to point you to Ben's blog entry about the stuff he's learned from his conference of the Interschools Christian Fellowship and what he's been reading from all the matrix conference bloggers.
Smartie PANTS
This is truly an annus horribilis!
Not only have we had to face up to the shocking truth that Nestle now owns Rowntree and therefore anyone boycotting Nestle must boycott SMARTIES :o( NOW we hear this morning that they are going to CHANGE the Smarties packaging. The Smarties TUBE is going!
They're going to have some hideous hexatube and the plastic lid with the letter of the alphabet is going too!
It truly is a sad day.
Not only have we had to face up to the shocking truth that Nestle now owns Rowntree and therefore anyone boycotting Nestle must boycott SMARTIES :o( NOW we hear this morning that they are going to CHANGE the Smarties packaging. The Smarties TUBE is going!
They're going to have some hideous hexatube and the plastic lid with the letter of the alphabet is going too!
It truly is a sad day.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
The Theology of Relativity
Thanks to Ales Rarus for posting this quotation:
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."
Albert Einstein
So what does that say to us about heaven? It seems like a minute?
I had some interesting comments on the whol Speed of Light theology. Kathryn tells me that Colin is apparently uncertain of the validity of the basis of relativity for the theology Tony Campolo was speaking about and Lev expressed concern that we start from science in our theology. Campolo was worried when we start from the cerebral in our theology.
So is the place to start in our heart? Surely that could lead us to picture God in our own image?
Of course an obvious starting place is the Bible but it is fascinating how little that text actually speaks about the nature of God. It SHOWS the nature of God but the word trinity never features, for example.
This is really the age old debate...
Where is the focus of your faith?
Tradition
The Bible
The Holy Spirit
How do those relate?
It's interesting that there are three of them. How very Trinitarian!
The emphasis that we place as Christians on those three says a lot about us as individuals I think. I'm rather inclined to say that, just like the Holy Trinity, they are inextricably linked and with no hierarchy as we think of hierarchy and to be Moltmannian for a second, it is more important to focus on how those RELATE to each other than to worry about structure.
So what does that say to us about heaven? It seems like a minute?
I had some interesting comments on the whol Speed of Light theology. Kathryn tells me that Colin is apparently uncertain of the validity of the basis of relativity for the theology Tony Campolo was speaking about and Lev expressed concern that we start from science in our theology. Campolo was worried when we start from the cerebral in our theology.
So is the place to start in our heart? Surely that could lead us to picture God in our own image?
Of course an obvious starting place is the Bible but it is fascinating how little that text actually speaks about the nature of God. It SHOWS the nature of God but the word trinity never features, for example.
This is really the age old debate...
Where is the focus of your faith?
Tradition
The Bible
The Holy Spirit
How do those relate?
It's interesting that there are three of them. How very Trinitarian!
The emphasis that we place as Christians on those three says a lot about us as individuals I think. I'm rather inclined to say that, just like the Holy Trinity, they are inextricably linked and with no hierarchy as we think of hierarchy and to be Moltmannian for a second, it is more important to focus on how those RELATE to each other than to worry about structure.
A CLOSER encounter of the second kind
Ok so this evening I'd arranged to go to the cinema with some friends to see Sideways. This is a film I've been intrigued by since I saw the trailer in Canada in October. However it turned out that Sideways wasshowingtoo late so my friends bought tickets for Closer which I had,in fact already seen. Oops!
Now there are many films that I have watched several times. There are few I have seen more than once at the cinema (notably Bruce Almighty - first time as youthworker work, second time as mate, third time with guy I liked as the only alternative to Piglet the big movie) but Closer is not one I would have planned to see twice.
Not only does it contain an extremely GRAPHIC internet sex scene which is pretty embarrassing to watch WITH anyone but it depicts four unempathetic characters whose lives are not to be envied or emulated.
Watching the film a second time round I was able to reflect more deeply on their lives and the complete emptiness of their reltionships because of a lack of true love and forgiveness. The four characters all talk of love and forgiveness but it is lacking in TRUTH. They focus on telling the TRUTH as opposed to lying about their transgressions yet their honesty is BRUTAL and hurtful.
Jude Law's character is compelled to demand the truth even though it destroys his relationships. Yet most distressingly, although he is flawed, Dan is kinder and gentler than Clive Owen's character and still it is Dan who loses the girl (more times than I can count!) and loses his hope.
The world of Closer was like another world to me. I felt the people in it lived according to different rules and, I suppose they did. For me Christianity is so cnetral to my life that I sometimes assume that spirituality is at the centre of the lives of ALL people.
Seeing the film a second time reminded me that there is a whole world of people out there for whom that film would have resonated. People who, like Julia Roberts' character, have such a low opinion of themselves that they do not think they ought to have happiness and fulfillment.
Christians really are "in the world but not of the world". We are called to "shine as points of light" in what is for so many a dark world. If we look at the world through the eyes of Christ we see as Campolo said, "that their anger is hurt."
Now there are many films that I have watched several times. There are few I have seen more than once at the cinema (notably Bruce Almighty - first time as youthworker work, second time as mate, third time with guy I liked as the only alternative to Piglet the big movie) but Closer is not one I would have planned to see twice.
Not only does it contain an extremely GRAPHIC internet sex scene which is pretty embarrassing to watch WITH anyone but it depicts four unempathetic characters whose lives are not to be envied or emulated.
Watching the film a second time round I was able to reflect more deeply on their lives and the complete emptiness of their reltionships because of a lack of true love and forgiveness. The four characters all talk of love and forgiveness but it is lacking in TRUTH. They focus on telling the TRUTH as opposed to lying about their transgressions yet their honesty is BRUTAL and hurtful.
Jude Law's character is compelled to demand the truth even though it destroys his relationships. Yet most distressingly, although he is flawed, Dan is kinder and gentler than Clive Owen's character and still it is Dan who loses the girl (more times than I can count!) and loses his hope.
The world of Closer was like another world to me. I felt the people in it lived according to different rules and, I suppose they did. For me Christianity is so cnetral to my life that I sometimes assume that spirituality is at the centre of the lives of ALL people.
Seeing the film a second time reminded me that there is a whole world of people out there for whom that film would have resonated. People who, like Julia Roberts' character, have such a low opinion of themselves that they do not think they ought to have happiness and fulfillment.
Christians really are "in the world but not of the world". We are called to "shine as points of light" in what is for so many a dark world. If we look at the world through the eyes of Christ we see as Campolo said, "that their anger is hurt."
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Through the eyes of LOVE...
Well I gave you a little something a bit lighter but I'm afraid the stuff from the Matrix conference is STILL making my head buzz with ideas.
Also my bible study this morning referenced to a passage that I looked at with new eyes after the insights of Tony Campolo. In the Gospel of John, we're told that Jesus said to his disciples:
"I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the FATHER WILL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME." John 15.16
Now a lot of people over the years have taken this as the ultimate open wishlist but Campolo's invitation to be IN CHRIST brings, for me, a whole new meaning to this. It is not tha, by asking in Christ's name that the Father will give us whatever we ask, it is, rather, when we put ourselves in the mind of Christ and pray that we get, not what WE want but what we ask, which is of course what Christ wants.
When he wastalking about looking through the eyes of Christ, Campolo made reference to the Catholic use of stations of the cross. The labyrinth we have set up in All Saints' is based on this same concept and follows Christ through the Easter story. It is still not quite finished but I have a few pics to give you a taster.
The journey begins with the celebrity of Palm Sunday symbolised here by the bright colours of clothes Jesus would have seen laid down before him as he entered Jerusalem, the palm crosses and the photo mad lifestyle magazines of today.
We also follow Christ to see the water that Pilate used to wash his hands of the guilt of Jesus' persecution.
Another image on the journey of Christ is the pile of nails. A painful reminder that to look through the eyes of Christ is to feel the pain Christ feels.
Also my bible study this morning referenced to a passage that I looked at with new eyes after the insights of Tony Campolo. In the Gospel of John, we're told that Jesus said to his disciples:
"I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the FATHER WILL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME." John 15.16
Now a lot of people over the years have taken this as the ultimate open wishlist but Campolo's invitation to be IN CHRIST brings, for me, a whole new meaning to this. It is not tha, by asking in Christ's name that the Father will give us whatever we ask, it is, rather, when we put ourselves in the mind of Christ and pray that we get, not what WE want but what we ask, which is of course what Christ wants.
When he wastalking about looking through the eyes of Christ, Campolo made reference to the Catholic use of stations of the cross. The labyrinth we have set up in All Saints' is based on this same concept and follows Christ through the Easter story. It is still not quite finished but I have a few pics to give you a taster.
The journey begins with the celebrity of Palm Sunday symbolised here by the bright colours of clothes Jesus would have seen laid down before him as he entered Jerusalem, the palm crosses and the photo mad lifestyle magazines of today.
We also follow Christ to see the water that Pilate used to wash his hands of the guilt of Jesus' persecution.
Another image on the journey of Christ is the pile of nails. A painful reminder that to look through the eyes of Christ is to feel the pain Christ feels.
Things that make you go hmmmm
There are certain things in life, you may have noticed, that make you realise that despite all the VERY mature external things in life, deep down, you're just a big kid dressed up as an adult. For me these have recently been:
1. Sitting over breakfast as people are discussing theology and the Eucharist over their grapefruit, muesli and croissant... while I tuck into coco pops and boiled egg with dippy soldiers!
2. Setting up a labyrinth which involved filling a sand tray so we could put footprints in it... and wanting to make a sandcastle!
3. Finding yet ANOTHER jar of chocolate spread is nearly finished.
4. Defending the fact that jelly is COOL and a proper food stuff to my colleagues.
5. Being in a pancake race... and discussing tactics which involved the words "and then just leg it!"
6. Pulling a face when someone tried to make me eat nasty manky runny soup (the flavour of which was never discovered!)
Any other experiences people?
1. Sitting over breakfast as people are discussing theology and the Eucharist over their grapefruit, muesli and croissant... while I tuck into coco pops and boiled egg with dippy soldiers!
2. Setting up a labyrinth which involved filling a sand tray so we could put footprints in it... and wanting to make a sandcastle!
3. Finding yet ANOTHER jar of chocolate spread is nearly finished.
4. Defending the fact that jelly is COOL and a proper food stuff to my colleagues.
5. Being in a pancake race... and discussing tactics which involved the words "and then just leg it!"
6. Pulling a face when someone tried to make me eat nasty manky runny soup (the flavour of which was never discovered!)
Any other experiences people?
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
The Speed of Light
Even though it's been several days since Matrix now, I have still got quite a lot of the things Tony Campolo said buzzing around my head. The fascinating thing has been the different stories people have told from the conference in various blogs in the blogosphere (Alice, Ian, Kathryn, Lev, Pete and Roy)
We have all heard what Tony Campolo said in different ways. Various aspects struck each of us in particular and those have been the things we've focussed on. It reminded me of the session I went to on Theology of/with young people in which Bob Mayo was proposing a move away from the relational model of Youth ministry to a kind of relational model 2.0 which he calls a narrative model. This moves the focus of working with young people away from stressing the importance of building a relationship with the young person to sharing stories with young people. Hearing their stories and enabling them to retell their story with God in it and inviting them to become part of God’s story.
Bob used as an example the four different gospels and how their authors each viewed the world through Christ’s eyes and yet also through their own. In the same way, we youth workers seem to have seen the matrix conference through our own eyes and through Christ’s
So, through my eyes…
The thing that has stuck with me over the last few days has been Tony Campolo’s assertion that we need to be thinking in terms of a more modern theology. He based his theology on the Einsteinian theory of relativity, proposing that God works at the speed of light. This resonated a great deal with me and helped me answer a few questions about God’s omniscience and prayer.
If God works at the speed of light then to Go everything is happening at once. “I am the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” Through Christ God experiences the way that WE see the world but this was not in the past, this was not something by which God was CHANGED, this was part of God, yesterday today and tomorrow. There is no question of God knowing something before it happened or predestining people for anything. God knows. There is no time scale of before and after.
This really reminded me of psalm 139:
“Before a word is on my tongue, Lord
You have known its meaning through and through
You are with me beyond my understanding
God of my present my past and future too.”
This makes sense of prayer to me. Through prayer we get a glimpse of the world at the speed of light and through the eyes of Christ. Through prayer we connect with this God who is past, present and future.
Campolo spoke about prayer and our tendency to “pray stupid” treating God like “some transcendental Santa Claus” but he had some reassurance for us, too. He said:“Don’t be afraid to pray stupid!” because that is the role of the Holy Spirit, our advocate. The Holy Spirit hears our stupid prayer and turns it into something beautiful and eloquent when God hears it.
We have all heard what Tony Campolo said in different ways. Various aspects struck each of us in particular and those have been the things we've focussed on. It reminded me of the session I went to on Theology of/with young people in which Bob Mayo was proposing a move away from the relational model of Youth ministry to a kind of relational model 2.0 which he calls a narrative model. This moves the focus of working with young people away from stressing the importance of building a relationship with the young person to sharing stories with young people. Hearing their stories and enabling them to retell their story with God in it and inviting them to become part of God’s story.
Bob used as an example the four different gospels and how their authors each viewed the world through Christ’s eyes and yet also through their own. In the same way, we youth workers seem to have seen the matrix conference through our own eyes and through Christ’s
So, through my eyes…
The thing that has stuck with me over the last few days has been Tony Campolo’s assertion that we need to be thinking in terms of a more modern theology. He based his theology on the Einsteinian theory of relativity, proposing that God works at the speed of light. This resonated a great deal with me and helped me answer a few questions about God’s omniscience and prayer.
If God works at the speed of light then to Go everything is happening at once. “I am the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” Through Christ God experiences the way that WE see the world but this was not in the past, this was not something by which God was CHANGED, this was part of God, yesterday today and tomorrow. There is no question of God knowing something before it happened or predestining people for anything. God knows. There is no time scale of before and after.
This really reminded me of psalm 139:
“Before a word is on my tongue, Lord
You have known its meaning through and through
You are with me beyond my understanding
God of my present my past and future too.”
This makes sense of prayer to me. Through prayer we get a glimpse of the world at the speed of light and through the eyes of Christ. Through prayer we connect with this God who is past, present and future.
Campolo spoke about prayer and our tendency to “pray stupid” treating God like “some transcendental Santa Claus” but he had some reassurance for us, too. He said:“Don’t be afraid to pray stupid!” because that is the role of the Holy Spirit, our advocate. The Holy Spirit hears our stupid prayer and turns it into something beautiful and eloquent when God hears it.
Everybody needs some BODY
Well the labyrinth is now complete save for the BODY element. We need to create something that looks like Jesus' body in the tomb. There are complicated instructions involving chicken wire in the book we've used as the basis of our labyrinth. There has been talk of pillows, papier mache, shop mannikins and many other things but no body as yet. I could do a cheesy theological bid for the fact that it is still only lent and we have not got to the point of the body in the tomb yet but that would be mostly unspeakable!! Parituclarly considering that, as Tony Campolo said, at the speed of light it is all happening at once. So I suppose, at the speed of light, we have got the body!
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Lead us not into temptation...
I had the privilege of hearing yet another of my young people give a talk in church. Ben did great and he's put his talk up on his blog so take a look. He talked about temptation in Genesis 2 and in Matthew's account of Jesus' temptation after his time in the wilderness.
Although having young people amaze me with their wisdom sometimes makes wonder whether I should hang up my preaching bands I also find it so wonderful to be able to encourage them in it.
Our church is pretty traditional but the people are really good at being open to young people being involved at the heart of worship and are genuinely pleased and proud to see our young people sharing their faith. I'm not sure which of them please me most the wise young people or the wise congregation. Well they're just ALL SAINTS I suppose!! ;o)
Although having young people amaze me with their wisdom sometimes makes wonder whether I should hang up my preaching bands I also find it so wonderful to be able to encourage them in it.
Our church is pretty traditional but the people are really good at being open to young people being involved at the heart of worship and are genuinely pleased and proud to see our young people sharing their faith. I'm not sure which of them please me most the wise young people or the wise congregation. Well they're just ALL SAINTS I suppose!! ;o)
Going round in circles
We've just finished sticking down the tape for the beginning of our labyrinth in church for Lent. At the moment it consists of 7 concentric circles in blue masking tape which tomorrow we'll be turning into a proper labyrinth with turns and an entrance so I really DID spend my afternoon going round in circles!
This is not ours but hopefully ours will look this soon!
This is not ours but hopefully ours will look this soon!
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Feedback... or is it White Noise?
After feedback from a few sources recently I've changed my picture on the blog. Any thoughts anyone?
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