I found this in an old email from a friend and before I deleted it to bring my inbox total down below several thousand I thought I'd salvage ot to the blog.
I Am Thankful...
For The Wife
Who Says It's Hot Dogs Tonight,
Because She Is Home With Me,
And Not Out With Someone Else.
For The Husband
Who Is On The Sofa
Being A Couch Potato,
Because He Is Home With Me
And Not Out At The Bars.
For The Teenager
Who Is Complaining About Doing Dishes
Because That Means She Is At Home,
Not On The Streets.
For The Taxes
That I Pay
Because It Means That
I Am Employed.
For The Mess
To Clean After A Party
Because It Means That I Have
Been Surrounded By Friends.
For The Clothes
That Fit A Little Too Snug
Because It Means
I Have Enough To Eat.
For My Shadow
That Watches Me Work
Because It Means
I Am Out In The Sunshine.
For A Lawn
That Needs Mowing,
Windows That Need Cleaning,
And Gutters That Need Fixing
Because It Means I Have A Home.
For All The Complaining
I Hear About The Government
Because It Means That
We Have Freedom Of Speech.
For The Parking Spot
I Find At The Far End Of The Parking Lot
Because It Means I Am Capable Of Walking
And That I Have Been
Blessed With Transportation.
For My Huge Heating Bill
Because It Means
I Am Warm.
For The Lady
Behind Me In Church
That Sings Off Key
Because It Means
That I Can Hear.
For The Pile
Of Laundry And Ironing
Because It Means
I Have Clothes To Wear.
For Weariness
And Aching Muscles
At The End Of The Day
Because It Means
I Have Been
Capable Of Working Hard.
For The Alarm
That Goes Off
In The Early Morning Hours
Because It Means That I Am Alive.
And Finally.
For Too Much E-Mail
Because It Means I Have
Friends Who Are Thinking Of Me.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Sermon 10th September evensong
First Reading Exodus 14.5-31
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed towards the people, and they said, ‘What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?’ So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, "Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians"? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’
Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.’
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.’
Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Magnificat
Second Reading Matthew 6.1-18
Jesus said: "Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"This, then, is how you should pray:
"‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
"When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
There is a contrast between these two readings this evening. We have Moses instructed by God to stretch his hand over the waters of the red sea and part the waters to let the Israelites cross and then close again on the Egyptians and the New Testament with Jesus instructing his disciples to keep their acts of righteousness secret. Is this a change of heart for God? A lesson learned.
How do we show our faith by our acts of faith if our acts of faith are to be kept hidden from others? Unfortunately I’m not sure I have a complete answer for that one I’m afraid but I do have a partial one. An act of charity is charitable if it serves the one who is in need but if it serves also the one who gives it is not charity. If, in some way, we gain something from our acts of faith other than a closer relationship with God then it puts up a division between us and God. I read a book some time ago which has stayed with me. It is based on the wisdom of John Cassian. Cassian discovered these 8 thoughts as the things that even in the midst of meditation of isolation from the world in his ascetic eremitic life. Even he as a solitary monk found that seeking God only physically wasn’t enough. These eight thoughts burdened him and kept him away from God. The book talks about the 8 “thoughts” that keep us distracted from God. These are much like the seven deadly sins but with some differences. The thoughts are Food, Sex, Things, Anger, Dejection, Weariness of Soul, Vainglory and Pride. Cassian and the author of this book have much to say about each of these but I think for this evening, the two that really concern us are the last two. Vainglory and Pride. For me these are continuously the hardest to overcome – not to say I am not troubled by the others at all but these two seem to be the more insurmountable of them all.
Working for a church and being what some people might call a VISIBLE Christian means that many people I come into contact with KNOW that I do what I do in response to my faith in God. Whether it’s working with a group of young people like yesterday or acting as Deacon this morning at the 9.45. It’s clear that I am doing something CHRISTIAN. When I do something really up front like youth work or leading a service is that people kindly congratulate or thank me for something (which of course ppl are free to do). The trouble for me is when I take that thanks as a reflection of something _I’ve_ done. This is when the vainglory comes in. Instead of something being the work of God through me, I can begin to think it’s ME doing it and of course that vainglory eventually leads to pride. I think particularly for those of us who serve, we can also feel pride in our own humility (a pride in our own lack of pride) which is a difficult cycle to exit. Each time you think you have cracked it with one of those eight thoughts, the relief of feeling that you’ve DONE IT can lead to vainglory and the spiral to Pride can begin. This I think is what Jesus was talking about when he was telling his disciples how they should do good works.
I’m not saying that ppl shouldn’t thank those who help but I am saying that it produces for the helper that temptation to feel vainglorious. To take the glory rightly due to God for themselves and when that self-glorification accumulates to become proud of it all. In fact, Moses, from our first reading was later chastised when he recreated a miracle to produce water in God’s name and struck the rock when God had told him merely to invoke God’s name. God reprimanded him for his showiness. I think in the incident we heard tonight, God was left with little option but to allow Moses to show the Egyptians but I think God took that and other instances of Good men later becoming proud to heart which may well have spurred Jesus on to say what he said about works.
I don’t think it a mere coincidence that Jesus gives advice about works and prayer at the same time in the reading we heard tonight. This morning we heard form the reading of James’ letter asking how we can have faith without works. The combination of a personal spiritual life with an active charitable life of service is fundamental to the life Jesus called his disciples to. In fact the prayer that Jesus teaches his disciples is one which roots them in prayer in order to enable them to serve. It is a prayer which contains SO MUCH in such a few short lines. In our prayers we used the exposition by St Francis of Assisi and I’d like to explore it one more time with you now. Jesus gave the words now known as the Lord’s Prayer to his disciples and those words are used across the world in many different languages, in fact one of my favourite moments at Taizé is when some 5,000 people join together in saying the Lord ’s Prayer in their own language. It is an amazing SOUND which doesn’t feel discordant in any way. Yet Jesus gave them not as a form of words to use but as a model for prayer. We used it earlier this year as the basis of an alternative prayer zone in the North Chapel. We had many ideas for it that we didn’t even use it is SO FULL and yet something we use so often that we might not remember it’s depths. My own youth leader, a former curate here taught us many things which I have forgotten but he taught a few I remember. One thing I remember he taught us was that when we say the Lord’s Prayer to focus on one line. This was based on one of the desert fathers who had gone in to the desert to pray the lord’s prayer and came back days later saying he got as far as Our father and no further as there was so much to think about in that one line. So as your lips form the words of the Lord’s Prayer, have your mind focussed not on one of the eight thoughts but on one of these twelve lines.
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed towards the people, and they said, ‘What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?’ So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, "Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians"? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’
Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.’
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.’
Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Magnificat
Second Reading Matthew 6.1-18
Jesus said: "Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"This, then, is how you should pray:
"‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
"When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
There is a contrast between these two readings this evening. We have Moses instructed by God to stretch his hand over the waters of the red sea and part the waters to let the Israelites cross and then close again on the Egyptians and the New Testament with Jesus instructing his disciples to keep their acts of righteousness secret. Is this a change of heart for God? A lesson learned.
How do we show our faith by our acts of faith if our acts of faith are to be kept hidden from others? Unfortunately I’m not sure I have a complete answer for that one I’m afraid but I do have a partial one. An act of charity is charitable if it serves the one who is in need but if it serves also the one who gives it is not charity. If, in some way, we gain something from our acts of faith other than a closer relationship with God then it puts up a division between us and God. I read a book some time ago which has stayed with me. It is based on the wisdom of John Cassian. Cassian discovered these 8 thoughts as the things that even in the midst of meditation of isolation from the world in his ascetic eremitic life. Even he as a solitary monk found that seeking God only physically wasn’t enough. These eight thoughts burdened him and kept him away from God. The book talks about the 8 “thoughts” that keep us distracted from God. These are much like the seven deadly sins but with some differences. The thoughts are Food, Sex, Things, Anger, Dejection, Weariness of Soul, Vainglory and Pride. Cassian and the author of this book have much to say about each of these but I think for this evening, the two that really concern us are the last two. Vainglory and Pride. For me these are continuously the hardest to overcome – not to say I am not troubled by the others at all but these two seem to be the more insurmountable of them all.
Working for a church and being what some people might call a VISIBLE Christian means that many people I come into contact with KNOW that I do what I do in response to my faith in God. Whether it’s working with a group of young people like yesterday or acting as Deacon this morning at the 9.45. It’s clear that I am doing something CHRISTIAN. When I do something really up front like youth work or leading a service is that people kindly congratulate or thank me for something (which of course ppl are free to do). The trouble for me is when I take that thanks as a reflection of something _I’ve_ done. This is when the vainglory comes in. Instead of something being the work of God through me, I can begin to think it’s ME doing it and of course that vainglory eventually leads to pride. I think particularly for those of us who serve, we can also feel pride in our own humility (a pride in our own lack of pride) which is a difficult cycle to exit. Each time you think you have cracked it with one of those eight thoughts, the relief of feeling that you’ve DONE IT can lead to vainglory and the spiral to Pride can begin. This I think is what Jesus was talking about when he was telling his disciples how they should do good works.
I’m not saying that ppl shouldn’t thank those who help but I am saying that it produces for the helper that temptation to feel vainglorious. To take the glory rightly due to God for themselves and when that self-glorification accumulates to become proud of it all. In fact, Moses, from our first reading was later chastised when he recreated a miracle to produce water in God’s name and struck the rock when God had told him merely to invoke God’s name. God reprimanded him for his showiness. I think in the incident we heard tonight, God was left with little option but to allow Moses to show the Egyptians but I think God took that and other instances of Good men later becoming proud to heart which may well have spurred Jesus on to say what he said about works.
I don’t think it a mere coincidence that Jesus gives advice about works and prayer at the same time in the reading we heard tonight. This morning we heard form the reading of James’ letter asking how we can have faith without works. The combination of a personal spiritual life with an active charitable life of service is fundamental to the life Jesus called his disciples to. In fact the prayer that Jesus teaches his disciples is one which roots them in prayer in order to enable them to serve. It is a prayer which contains SO MUCH in such a few short lines. In our prayers we used the exposition by St Francis of Assisi and I’d like to explore it one more time with you now. Jesus gave the words now known as the Lord’s Prayer to his disciples and those words are used across the world in many different languages, in fact one of my favourite moments at Taizé is when some 5,000 people join together in saying the Lord ’s Prayer in their own language. It is an amazing SOUND which doesn’t feel discordant in any way. Yet Jesus gave them not as a form of words to use but as a model for prayer. We used it earlier this year as the basis of an alternative prayer zone in the North Chapel. We had many ideas for it that we didn’t even use it is SO FULL and yet something we use so often that we might not remember it’s depths. My own youth leader, a former curate here taught us many things which I have forgotten but he taught a few I remember. One thing I remember he taught us was that when we say the Lord’s Prayer to focus on one line. This was based on one of the desert fathers who had gone in to the desert to pray the lord’s prayer and came back days later saying he got as far as Our father and no further as there was so much to think about in that one line. So as your lips form the words of the Lord’s Prayer, have your mind focussed not on one of the eight thoughts but on one of these twelve lines.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Magazine malarky
Ok so Phil is chucking out a collection of all the Youthwork magazines EVER (going back to advice given to Adam and Eve about their sons' and all the arguments they had, no doubt!) but in the process has unearthed a priceless piece of our youthwork heritage. Ian, sorry chum but it is Grrrrrrrrrrreat!
Lord's Prayer reloaded - the Sermon
Earlier this year I helped set up an alternative worship experience based on the Lord's Prayer. Now I've just swapped with a colleague so I'm preaching at BCP evensong on Sunday evening and the Gospel reading is the Lord's prayer (plus extras) and I know I can't use the same kind of things because it is a different audience but I will be using some of the same inspirations - which IS appropriate as I'm sure the Holy Spirit knows what s/he/it's doing.
I'm quite lucky as I've been thinking a lot about prayer recently anyway - what with Augustine's bit the other day at morning prayer and Michael's first contemplative service last Sunday evening (which was a wonderful bit of calm in a rather hectic week) - yet the problem as always isn't what to say but what NOT to say. There are some really BIG things you can say about prayer and many pointless things too. There are things that some people will find incredibly useful and which will leave others cold.
So far I've read through a lot of things which wise people have written about prayer; Augustine, Cyprian of Carthage, Theophan the recluse (who? - that's what I thought but then he WAS a recluse so...) unfortuantely, reading all these WISE people on the subject doesn't always help
Sometimes it's easier if someone has a RUBBISH idea about something because to me that sparks me to think of something more erudite, more aposite or more inspirational. IF I read these wise words, my response is to go... "yeah.... wow.... yeah".
However having abandoned the wise words for a while I remembered somehting I had used for the Lord's prayer stations which was an exposition on the Lord's prayer by St Francis of Assisi and so I've started my own. It reminds me of when I was a teenager being advised to think of just one of the lines of the prayer whenever you said it. To focus on just one aspect fully rather than go through the routine of it all.
So, for what it's worth here is my demonstration that I'm NOT St Francis of Assisi!
Our Father
the one we know, an intimate relationship wiht one who loved us before we even knew you.
In heaven
not with us but in our home where we will one day be with you again.
Hallowed be your name
May we praise you with due honour and respect your name as special not something to be used improperly or claim your authority for our own ends.
Your Kingdom Come
What Jesus taught was right and just, may there be a time that The Love of God and neighbour becomes a reality on earth
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
May we follow your call as clearly as if we were face to face with you as the angels and departed saints are. May we give up our own ideas of what should be done and follow your way in truth.
Give us today our daily bread
Make sure we have all we need. You know what we need, Jesus told us that and yet we already knew that too. Let us have just what we need not too little or too much so that we can do your will distracted neither by pride and plenty nor by poverty and hunger
Forgive us our sins
Wipe away all that stands between us and you God; all the rubbish we fill our minds and our days with; the stuff we shove to the back because we too ashamed to look at it; the things we do to impress others or tease them or make them look smaller than ourselves
As we forgive those who sin against us
only through your strength and graceful forgiveness can we do it. God we can't forgive others unless we follow your own example of forgiveness. Help us. Give us the strength to accept people's mistakes and hurts against us.
Lead us not into temptation
we know we don't have the strength to resist every, or sometimes any, thing that pleases us but goes against you and others, God, help us to avoid places and people that lead us to that temptation and give us your grace and strength to face them when we have to
But deliver us from evil
In this world full of fear, God we see so many shadows when it is your light that shines in the darkness and is not extinguished. Help us focus on your light and see the light in others not the darkness. Lead those tempted by darkness to your light. Build trust between people on earth through us.
For the kingdom the power and the glory are yours
It's your creation and your plan, not ours; it's you who deserves praise not us; it's your kingdom we're building not one of our own design
Now and forever
For all time God, it's You; the same yesterday today and forever. No-one on earth can make that claim but you. You are there for us always
Amen
Oh yes! It's all true help me make it true in my life.
I'm quite lucky as I've been thinking a lot about prayer recently anyway - what with Augustine's bit the other day at morning prayer and Michael's first contemplative service last Sunday evening (which was a wonderful bit of calm in a rather hectic week) - yet the problem as always isn't what to say but what NOT to say. There are some really BIG things you can say about prayer and many pointless things too. There are things that some people will find incredibly useful and which will leave others cold.
So far I've read through a lot of things which wise people have written about prayer; Augustine, Cyprian of Carthage, Theophan the recluse (who? - that's what I thought but then he WAS a recluse so...) unfortuantely, reading all these WISE people on the subject doesn't always help
Sometimes it's easier if someone has a RUBBISH idea about something because to me that sparks me to think of something more erudite, more aposite or more inspirational. IF I read these wise words, my response is to go... "yeah.... wow.... yeah".
However having abandoned the wise words for a while I remembered somehting I had used for the Lord's prayer stations which was an exposition on the Lord's prayer by St Francis of Assisi and so I've started my own. It reminds me of when I was a teenager being advised to think of just one of the lines of the prayer whenever you said it. To focus on just one aspect fully rather than go through the routine of it all.
So, for what it's worth here is my demonstration that I'm NOT St Francis of Assisi!
Our Father
the one we know, an intimate relationship wiht one who loved us before we even knew you.
In heaven
not with us but in our home where we will one day be with you again.
Hallowed be your name
May we praise you with due honour and respect your name as special not something to be used improperly or claim your authority for our own ends.
Your Kingdom Come
What Jesus taught was right and just, may there be a time that The Love of God and neighbour becomes a reality on earth
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
May we follow your call as clearly as if we were face to face with you as the angels and departed saints are. May we give up our own ideas of what should be done and follow your way in truth.
Give us today our daily bread
Make sure we have all we need. You know what we need, Jesus told us that and yet we already knew that too. Let us have just what we need not too little or too much so that we can do your will distracted neither by pride and plenty nor by poverty and hunger
Forgive us our sins
Wipe away all that stands between us and you God; all the rubbish we fill our minds and our days with; the stuff we shove to the back because we too ashamed to look at it; the things we do to impress others or tease them or make them look smaller than ourselves
As we forgive those who sin against us
only through your strength and graceful forgiveness can we do it. God we can't forgive others unless we follow your own example of forgiveness. Help us. Give us the strength to accept people's mistakes and hurts against us.
Lead us not into temptation
we know we don't have the strength to resist every, or sometimes any, thing that pleases us but goes against you and others, God, help us to avoid places and people that lead us to that temptation and give us your grace and strength to face them when we have to
But deliver us from evil
In this world full of fear, God we see so many shadows when it is your light that shines in the darkness and is not extinguished. Help us focus on your light and see the light in others not the darkness. Lead those tempted by darkness to your light. Build trust between people on earth through us.
For the kingdom the power and the glory are yours
It's your creation and your plan, not ours; it's you who deserves praise not us; it's your kingdom we're building not one of our own design
Now and forever
For all time God, it's You; the same yesterday today and forever. No-one on earth can make that claim but you. You are there for us always
Amen
Oh yes! It's all true help me make it true in my life.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Augustine words
Wonderful words of wisdom from Augustine this morning at morning prayer. Well obviously not from him directly but from some of his writings...
Pretty good stuff I think. If you like that have a look at the rest (esp chapters 15-20)
To use much speaking in prayer is to employ a superfluity of words in asking a necessary thing; but to prolong prayer is to have the heart throbbing with continued pious emotion towards Him to whom we pray. For in most cases prayer consists more in groaning than in speaking, in tears rather than in words. But He setteth our tears in His sight, and our groaning is not hidden from Him who made all things by the word, and does not need human words.
Pretty good stuff I think. If you like that have a look at the rest (esp chapters 15-20)
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
More rock-pooling
Ok so as someone who didn't grow up by the sea, I've always had this real childish excitement about the sea so when we had supper at Whitley Bay, I left Michael securely settled with pint, pipe and book and went to put my toes in the sea, hunt for a stone with a hole in (family tradition - no luck this time) and other interesting rocks and shells. This time I found something which really stunned me. I promise you that this was THERE. I found it like it.
In case you can't see it clearly - here it is moved just slightly and that is how I left it. Wow or what?!
In case you can't see it clearly - here it is moved just slightly and that is how I left it. Wow or what?!
If you're ever in Alnwick...
You absolutely have to go to Barter Books. It is the most fantastic second hand bookshop in THE WORLD. The books are laid out in a way that makes you want to look at them in the beautifully restored station house. It was simply heaven and I was very restrained and only bought two books. The building also features a list of all the people who worked there over the years including my new uncle David Appleby :0)
A few pics at flickr if you want to see more.
A few pics at flickr if you want to see more.
Lindisfarne
Michael took me to Holy Island while we were up visiting his mother. It is a wonderful place (ok rather full of tourists but still pretty cool). We popped in to see Andy, Anna and their children which was good fun, especially the children who entertained us a lot with stories and demonstrations of cartwheels and the like. I took some photos and also a little video of such a cute little crab (Michael was somewhat less impressed than me but then I was VERY excited, as ever, to be looking in rock pools :oD )
Enviromentally Friend
Sorry for the long blog silence but there's been a youth holiday and a trip to Holy island (and Michael's mother and friends) and then back to work with a massive thwunk!
However in my absence a family friend has got herself in the headlines just for going to a wedding. Ok well it's not JUST going to a wedding. It is a wedding in Brisbane. Ok it's not just a wedding in Brisbane, she is getting there by going over land!
Barbara is doing all this because she wants to limit the effect of her trip on the environment in the form of carbon emissions. Go and have a look at all she has to say now (and during her trip).
Here's the breakdown of the CO2 emissions of her trip and the standard trip:
Machynlleth - London:
230 miles, by coach = 20,700 grams CO2
London - Moscow:
1924 miles, by coach = 173,160 grams CO2
Moscow - Beijing:
5772.8 kilometers, by train = 418,528 grams CO2
Beijing - Hanoi:
1710 miles, by train = 198,360 frams CO2
Hanoi - Nougkhai:
400 miles, by bus = 36,000 grams CO2
Nougkhai - Singapore:
1639 miles, by train = 190,124 grams CO2
Singapore - Darwin:
2350 miles, by ship: 285,760 grams CO2
Darwin - Brisbane:
2143 miles, by coach: 192,870 grams CO2
This is based on average carbon dioxide emissions for various types of transport:
Grams of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre:
Rail = 72.5g
Bus/coach = 56.25g
Ferry = 76g
The emissions from a flight would be 3.7 tonnes of CO2 (see www.chooseclimate.org)
If her commitment to be "green" has inspired you, why not explore your own carbon footprint work out what impact your travel is having on the environment and all that jazz.
However in my absence a family friend has got herself in the headlines just for going to a wedding. Ok well it's not JUST going to a wedding. It is a wedding in Brisbane. Ok it's not just a wedding in Brisbane, she is getting there by going over land!
Barbara is doing all this because she wants to limit the effect of her trip on the environment in the form of carbon emissions. Go and have a look at all she has to say now (and during her trip).
Here's the breakdown of the CO2 emissions of her trip and the standard trip:
Machynlleth - London:
230 miles, by coach = 20,700 grams CO2
London - Moscow:
1924 miles, by coach = 173,160 grams CO2
Moscow - Beijing:
5772.8 kilometers, by train = 418,528 grams CO2
Beijing - Hanoi:
1710 miles, by train = 198,360 frams CO2
Hanoi - Nougkhai:
400 miles, by bus = 36,000 grams CO2
Nougkhai - Singapore:
1639 miles, by train = 190,124 grams CO2
Singapore - Darwin:
2350 miles, by ship: 285,760 grams CO2
Darwin - Brisbane:
2143 miles, by coach: 192,870 grams CO2
Total: 1,646,232g CO2 = 1.65 tonnes of CO2
This is based on average carbon dioxide emissions for various types of transport:
Grams of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre:
Rail = 72.5g
Bus/coach = 56.25g
Ferry = 76g
The emissions from a flight would be 3.7 tonnes of CO2 (see www.chooseclimate.org)
If her commitment to be "green" has inspired you, why not explore your own carbon footprint work out what impact your travel is having on the environment and all that jazz.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Death penalty for pick pocket who's just a "nipper"
Life is still rpetty hectic but God just keeps sending little rays of sunshine through the whirlwind. We got an unexpected discount onthe minibus. We finally sort one of the activities as the place got back to me AT LAST and then there are little news stories like this one:
A man lost his wallet while was swimming in plymouth sound but recovered it because....
... a lobster caught it (or should I say pinched it??) and some diver picked up the lobster later that day!
All very amusing until the closing lines of the news item.
The man retrieved his wallet.
The lobster was eaten.
Kinda sad really.
Lament for the brave helpful lobster. :o(
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
whirlwind
Still in the midst of preparations for our youth holiday. Just about to tackle the BOX ALLOCATION (what goes where and who brings it when) but first I thought I'd better pop oline and found a site linking women bloggers together. Thanks to Maggi Dawn for giving the heads up.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Out of place
I've been feeling all week that I'm not quite in the right place. Not a personal thing (not a marriage thing either still annoyingly happy- panic not people!) but more a spiritual one.
Mel and I discussed it this morning. We both felt the same
We should be in Taize right now.
Instead we were both in All Saints this Sunday for our regular service - in its faintly strange summer mode without some regular faces, with new visitors and without choir! I realised I'd not been at All Saints on this particular Sunday for THREE YEARS now. It wasn't dreadful. It was just strange.
Nic is in Taize(coming home tomorrow) and we would have been but for various reasons we didn't go this year. I was ok with it but in fact it has felt very strange not to be there. I've had oodles more time to sort out our parish youth holiday which is pretty much all there now (whereas if I'd been in Taize I'd be facing much of it on Tuesday with four days to go). Also I've had a week with my darling hubby who I would have missed dreadfully - and who I will miss on a week away with our parish group :o(
Yet in spite of all that I really missed Taize. It has such a feeling of HOME that it is a weird kind of homesickness. I imagine when Nic returns on Monday it won't feel so bad - though I know several people who'll be going over the next few weeks and some will even be there for the anniversary of Br Roger's death on the 16th.
I suppose, on the good side, this means I'll be all the more eager to go NEXT SUMMER and it will be VERY EXCITING because I know some of the All Saints yougn people will come with us for the first time.
Until then though it's nostalgia time with some pics!
More on my Flickr pages if you're interested.
Mel and I discussed it this morning. We both felt the same
We should be in Taize right now.
Instead we were both in All Saints this Sunday for our regular service - in its faintly strange summer mode without some regular faces, with new visitors and without choir! I realised I'd not been at All Saints on this particular Sunday for THREE YEARS now. It wasn't dreadful. It was just strange.
Nic is in Taize(coming home tomorrow) and we would have been but for various reasons we didn't go this year. I was ok with it but in fact it has felt very strange not to be there. I've had oodles more time to sort out our parish youth holiday which is pretty much all there now (whereas if I'd been in Taize I'd be facing much of it on Tuesday with four days to go). Also I've had a week with my darling hubby who I would have missed dreadfully - and who I will miss on a week away with our parish group :o(
Yet in spite of all that I really missed Taize. It has such a feeling of HOME that it is a weird kind of homesickness. I imagine when Nic returns on Monday it won't feel so bad - though I know several people who'll be going over the next few weeks and some will even be there for the anniversary of Br Roger's death on the 16th.
I suppose, on the good side, this means I'll be all the more eager to go NEXT SUMMER and it will be VERY EXCITING because I know some of the All Saints yougn people will come with us for the first time.
Until then though it's nostalgia time with some pics!
More on my Flickr pages if you're interested.
Friday, August 04, 2006
my space
Ok so I've finally got round to doing something vaguely like customising myspace. I still prefer using the blog because I am not so hot on html but I have managed to put one of my own pictures up on the background - the gorgeous sky over the communion service for 8,000 at Greenbelt last year.
I've also been working on slides for the lyrics for worship for our youth holiday (thanks to the fabulous projector we were given this year) so I am FINALLY able to use all those picturesque shots that I've been snapping for said purpose for the last few years!!
I've also been working on slides for the lyrics for worship for our youth holiday (thanks to the fabulous projector we were given this year) so I am FINALLY able to use all those picturesque shots that I've been snapping for said purpose for the last few years!!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Blink ... or you'll miss it
Sunday, July 30, 2006
10 Lies of Student Ministry REVIEW
Michael Lukaszewski was offering free review copies of his book 10 Lies of Student Ministry and I just can't resist a free book so I got him to send one all the way across the atlantic.
Before my own review, which is forthcoming, here are some existing reviews by Chris Marsden and Ben Boles at Fusionlife. There's also a promise of a review here.
Chris M says:
Ben says :
So what are these ten lies?
The title of the book reflects a passion in Michael not to criticise student ministry but to see it done in the true service of God. To those curious like me I can say yes he does say what the TRUTHS of youth ministry are in his opinion... but I won't steal his thunder.
I have to say that from my initial reading of the book I found it told me a lot of what I've already picked up so I'd say it is probably of more use to the newer youth minister than the more experienced. More than that though, I found that the book seemed to talk to a youth worker that wasn't me. I think there is a definite American style to the kind of situations Michael talks about and I think, missiologically, it is not particularly like my own experience of Anglican youth ministry. 10 Lies of Student Ministry seems to address ministry from churches driven hard by results and bringing large numbers of people to faith rather than the more accompanying, "narrative theology" model I find works here. Michael certainly does a lot to question the priorities of some of the ministry models and it is abundantly clear that he has a wide experience of "doing well" and "doing not so well" and has learnt great lessons from both.
He calls his reader to focus on drawing young people into relationship not with themselves as the youth minister but rather into a relationship with Jesus. He does this in a simple and accesible way but I must admit I, personally, found the complex and heavily theoretical examination of this as an example of mimetic desire in Kenda Creasy Dean's book Practicing Passion more appealing. Now I know I'm a little unusual in being a youth minister and WANTING a heavily academic book that references sources and refers to theology and sociological theory but that's me. If it's not you then this book will appeal as it speaks from the heart about experience of ministry.
I like for example:
"You're not as important as you think you are. God can reach students without your help. Your church will not go out of business when you leave." (p.67)
He stresses that youth ministers are not there to minister alone but to draw, encourage, inspire and VALUE a team of leaders around them. I couldn't agree more. He also speaks against the numbers game which is always pleasing to see and fotunately increasingly common nowadays. he says "a better measure of real success is health not growth" (p. 141).
I think what this book does well is challenge some preconceptions of youth ministry. Of course if you don't HAVE those preconceptions, it may not all be for you but it's an easy read and clearly set out so you can dip in quite easily. Anyone local wanting a look just let me know!
Michael Lukaszewski
10LiesofStudentMinistry
book review
Before my own review, which is forthcoming, here are some existing reviews by Chris Marsden and Ben Boles at Fusionlife. There's also a promise of a review here.
Chris M says:
"It was all those little things that I picked up over the years, through trial and error, that were the difference between what I thought youth ministry was all about, and what God was teaching me youth ministry should be all about."
Ben says :
"10 Lies in my mind is a great reminder book peppered with truth about what are job is really about and fresh thinking about the lies that hold us back from doing ministry that glorifies God and build disciples not just fills seats."
So what are these ten lies?
- It's all about relationships
- Students are the future of the church
- The bigger the event, the better the impact
- Students need to understand what we are teacing
- The primary job of the student pastor is to reach students
- Students want to be entertained at church
- Student Ministry must be cutting edge
- We must be family friendly
- We can use the popular students to reach others
- A growing ministry is a healthy ministry
The title of the book reflects a passion in Michael not to criticise student ministry but to see it done in the true service of God. To those curious like me I can say yes he does say what the TRUTHS of youth ministry are in his opinion... but I won't steal his thunder.
I have to say that from my initial reading of the book I found it told me a lot of what I've already picked up so I'd say it is probably of more use to the newer youth minister than the more experienced. More than that though, I found that the book seemed to talk to a youth worker that wasn't me. I think there is a definite American style to the kind of situations Michael talks about and I think, missiologically, it is not particularly like my own experience of Anglican youth ministry. 10 Lies of Student Ministry seems to address ministry from churches driven hard by results and bringing large numbers of people to faith rather than the more accompanying, "narrative theology" model I find works here. Michael certainly does a lot to question the priorities of some of the ministry models and it is abundantly clear that he has a wide experience of "doing well" and "doing not so well" and has learnt great lessons from both.
He calls his reader to focus on drawing young people into relationship not with themselves as the youth minister but rather into a relationship with Jesus. He does this in a simple and accesible way but I must admit I, personally, found the complex and heavily theoretical examination of this as an example of mimetic desire in Kenda Creasy Dean's book Practicing Passion more appealing. Now I know I'm a little unusual in being a youth minister and WANTING a heavily academic book that references sources and refers to theology and sociological theory but that's me. If it's not you then this book will appeal as it speaks from the heart about experience of ministry.
I like for example:
"You're not as important as you think you are. God can reach students without your help. Your church will not go out of business when you leave." (p.67)
He stresses that youth ministers are not there to minister alone but to draw, encourage, inspire and VALUE a team of leaders around them. I couldn't agree more. He also speaks against the numbers game which is always pleasing to see and fotunately increasingly common nowadays. he says "a better measure of real success is health not growth" (p. 141).
I think what this book does well is challenge some preconceptions of youth ministry. Of course if you don't HAVE those preconceptions, it may not all be for you but it's an easy read and clearly set out so you can dip in quite easily. Anyone local wanting a look just let me know!
Michael Lukaszewski
10LiesofStudentMinistry
book review
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Not so progressive...
Having tried to tie in with the Progressive Christian Bloggers Network for MONTHS now and as the site is STILL not been updated with any new blogs it is now disappearing of the website. More space for other things!
Ducks of Hazard??!!
Great querky programme on Radio 4 today about the thousands of plastic ducks that made a bid for freedom from a ship in the north Pacific and have been travelling the high seas since 1992. Apparently these intrepid little ducks have been changing views on sea currents and the object of the study of many oceanographers. They are now travelling across the Atlantic and heading towards Cornwall! Finding one of these ducks can get you $100 reward. Brilliantly apparently some of the ducks got stuck in the arctic where there are formations known as "pancakes" and they would have been frozen for three or four months. Only radio 4 could do a programme in which they recreated the episode and DESCRIBE the movement of 48 duck re-enactors. You really do have to listen to this rather surreal affair!
Friday, July 28, 2006
Blogging the world smaller every day
So massive coincidence that my friend Matt (just back from Israel and at Fresh Cafe last night - AWESOME!) was in fact sharing a room with Chris who'd been on my blogroll for ages now! Have a look at Chris's reflections on the whole thing.
We were due to be in Israel this October but have (somewhat sensibly) postponed until next year, may be in May. Seeing Chris's pictures tho makes me wanna go even though now is not the time!
We were due to be in Israel this October but have (somewhat sensibly) postponed until next year, may be in May. Seeing Chris's pictures tho makes me wanna go even though now is not the time!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Lighthouse the Witch and the Wardrobe
Iwas speaking yesterday at our town's Christian holiday club for children called lighthouse.
They've chosen The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as the skeleton on which to hang their teaching and this was my intended offering.
In the end I linked it in more tightly to ROLE MODELS (which the young people are being this week to the children they're woking with) and how I actually think Edmund is the best role model in the book because although he is tempted he repents and makes amends
They've chosen The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as the skeleton on which to hang their teaching and this was my intended offering.
In the end I linked it in more tightly to ROLE MODELS (which the young people are being this week to the children they're woking with) and how I actually think Edmund is the best role model in the book because although he is tempted he repents and makes amends
In many ways I think Edmund IS the true hero of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for it is he who overcomes the temptations offered by the queen : Hot chocolate, Turkish delight, the chance to be SOLE king over Narnia and perhaps most importantly for him over his sisters and his older brother Peter.
Like Adam and Eve in the stories you’ll explore today Edmund was faced with a temptation and succumbed.
Would it be better if God had made it impossible for Adam and Eve, Edmund, you and me to be tempted?
“Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.” Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book II, Ch. 3.
When Edmund has betrayed first a total stranger, Tumnus (who had risked his own life to protect Edmund’s sister) and then his brother and sisters, he KNOWS he has done wrong. As C S Lewis said in his book Mere Christianity
“It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk.” Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book I, Ch. 5.
Edmund goes through great trials of hardship and cruelty at the hands of the queen and still on his return he faces the toughest challenge yet. FACING UP to his family and apologising.
It is often the hardest thing to do but something that is IMPERATIVE to all Christians
Jesus urged people to put things right with others:
He talks of murder being a great sin but then implies that a far greater sin is not to make amends for something that you have done wrong WHATEVER it is:
“when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5
As John says in his first letter:
Whoever says, "I am in the light," while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
We cannot be in a true loving relationship with God unless we endeavour to be in a loving relationship with those around us.
For as John says later
Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.
In fact the very act of apologising for a wrong done can be the act of Christian witness that makes a massive difference in the life of someone else.
For someone to see a Christian apologise (perhaps when others wouldn’t have thought it necessary or when they could have “got away with it”) that is a moment that can open up the conversation with that person about WHY? It is in that humility of confessing to another that we show our true faith in a God who loves us so much that he forgives us when we confess our sins. A god who loves YOU so much that he sent his son to die for your sins so you could be forgiven
We are all tempted and we all sin
As St paul says:
Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. …But God's grace is much greater, and so is his free gift to so many people through the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And there is a difference between God's gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin, came the judgment of "Guilty"; but after so many sins, comes the undeserved gift of "Not guilty!" Romans 5.12-16 paraphrased
Summarised even better in his letter to the people in Corinth:
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22
It is part of our humanity to sin but it is part of our Christianity to face up to that sin:
“It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk.” Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book I, Ch. 5.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Bible translations
Whilst searching for a passage for my talk at Lighthouse tomorrow I found this site called scripturetext. It seems pretty cool because you can find a bible passage in all SORTS of different languages including the original (and also the most, marvellous, beautiful, amazingly lovely Latin!)
Just thought it might be handy
Just thought it might be handy
God lived in a tent
These are the words from my sermon on Sunday that resounded with a lot of people apparently. God lived in a tent.
I was talking about the readings set for the day 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22 &
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, we heard about David, settled in his house of cedar, looking at the tent which house the ark of the covenant and offering to build God a house and God saying he would build him a "house" (a family, heirs, a lineage) and a son who would build a church.
First I got people to look round the big medieval church we were in and experience the vastness and the silence of the place (something I regularly do with schools visiting!) Then I talked about how CHURCH for us meant a building but that it hadn't always been that way. In fact God had lived in a tent (cue arrival of small 3 person dome tent carried by two young people).
I explained how Moses had met God first not in a Church but on a mountain and how God had given him the tablets with the ten commandments which were then placed in the ark of the covenant. I described how the Israelites travelled around and wherever they stopped the ark would live in a tent and people would go ther to meet with God.
So it was that David's son came to build the "church" over many years. A building MUCH bigger than our parish church (which is pretty big but we don't like to boast! no please really would you like to pay our heating bills!?!?! ;oP)
However another "Son of David" built a church EVEN bigger than the one Solomon built. Jesus, born to the house of David built the church of people. He didn't limit himself to building his CHURCH in a building but travelled. Wherever he travelle, people followed, even when he was seeking some rest.
Interestingly the Gospel reading misses out a section and that contains the story of the feedin gof the 5,000. So Jesus had a church where there were 5000 people (and some!). You coldn't get 5000 people in our church but I'll tell you where you'll find gatherings like that.
This week IN TENTS at the Lighthouse clubs in High Wycombe, Hazlemere, Great Missenden, Princes Risborough & Burnham there'll be at least 5,000 people coming together. Over the summer weeks there'll be Soul Survivor, Greenbelt and Taize where people will gather IN TENTS as a church.
I went on to talk about how, over the summer people might be away and that even if they weren't in church it didn't mean that church wasn't in them during that time.
Church is not something confined to the building in which we meet every week. In meeting together we grow together as a CHURCH it is that bonding of people no matter who they are, what age they are, male or female, whatever race they are. By coming together we build CHURCH and even if we're away for a few weeks, that CHURCH doesn't stop.
Just as Solomon and Jesus were sons of David so we are members of God's family.
As Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians:
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone."
If we have Christ as our focus we can build church for as Paul continues:
"In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God."A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD
That's what we can be. So yes we'll miss those who are away in the summer (some of them staying maybe in TENTS others in more splendid buildings) but this time gives people the chance to take church out of the building. To focus on Jesus wherever they are (for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them). My challenge to our congregation was to come back to us and tell us where they built church while they were away.
note: unfortunately this was one of those sermons where I prepared lots and then just spoke so it may not be wholly accurate. It seemed to be appreciated though which is always pleasing.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Timeless classic
I just wanted to share a priceless moment from the year 6 leavers assembly at the school today.
The headteacher was handing out prizes for 100% attendance to some of the pupils. After three or four had come up, smiled, shaken hands and gone back to their seat, the headteacher called out another name and there was a pause followed by isolated murmurs of "She didn't come in today!!!" Priceless!
I'm still pondering the concept of 100% attendance prizes though. Of course it's good to be dedicated but if a child gets ill that child SHOULD stay off school or what about children with serious illnesses that might have necessitated extended periods off. Ok if these children were healthy all year and not taking "sickies" that's great. However, I can't help picturing the scenario of child feeling ill but parents need to work so send the child in anyway. I suppose it's always good to reward children for things if it means they feel good about things and NOT to do so just because other children have been ill and would be upset might not be a good option either.
What do people think?
The headteacher was handing out prizes for 100% attendance to some of the pupils. After three or four had come up, smiled, shaken hands and gone back to their seat, the headteacher called out another name and there was a pause followed by isolated murmurs of "She didn't come in today!!!" Priceless!
I'm still pondering the concept of 100% attendance prizes though. Of course it's good to be dedicated but if a child gets ill that child SHOULD stay off school or what about children with serious illnesses that might have necessitated extended periods off. Ok if these children were healthy all year and not taking "sickies" that's great. However, I can't help picturing the scenario of child feeling ill but parents need to work so send the child in anyway. I suppose it's always good to reward children for things if it means they feel good about things and NOT to do so just because other children have been ill and would be upset might not be a good option either.
What do people think?
Monday, July 17, 2006
Worse than death?
It was our church fete on Saturday (and we raised over £2000 which was great!) and the young people had volunteered to run the music for event. They had got together amps and a computer based DJ system and a funky gadget to fade from one song to another (ok I'm _sure_ it had a name but that's why the young people were running it not me!). They had spent the week running up to the event choosing music to give the fete a vibrant buzz and encourage people to hang around and visit the stalls and, of course, spend money.
Unfortunatley, even though the young peopel had thought carefully about tracks (and trust me we later at the youth club we heard the ones they decided NOT to play at the fete!) some people disagreed with the volume and the choice of music. They wanted the young people to play classical and hymns.
It is the eternal difficulty when churches want young people to be involved but don't want them to be themselves. Sometimes it seems that people at church to want young people to be there
but want them to conform to their idea of what church should be rather than be PART of the church and allow the church to be CHANGED by them.
I understand that the music the young people chose may not have been what everyone at the church would have chosen but I wanted the adults to acknowledge that it wasn't what the young people would have chosen as their ideal either. The young people had made an effort ot be there when they hadn't done so before and they had made compromises on their choice of music. I wanted the adults to acknowledge that so I spent some time chatting with some of those who had wanted quieter classical music. Some of the adults actually congratulated the young people on some of their choices which was really good. Others said they just found it too loud and that was because their stall was close to the amps so they found it hard to hear people who came to the stall.
As the youth worker it was quite right that it was my role to mediate between the young people and those who weren't entirely happy with the music the young people chose. Unfortunately it was also my job later that day to talk with the young people who walked in tothe youth club carrying the music equipment saying "at least we won't be told to turn the music down here!" At least the church DOES offer them a place where they do feel that way even if it is not within the church as a whole.
Unfortunatley, even though the young peopel had thought carefully about tracks (and trust me we later at the youth club we heard the ones they decided NOT to play at the fete!) some people disagreed with the volume and the choice of music. They wanted the young people to play classical and hymns.
It is the eternal difficulty when churches want young people to be involved but don't want them to be themselves. Sometimes it seems that people at church to want young people to be there
but want them to conform to their idea of what church should be rather than be PART of the church and allow the church to be CHANGED by them.
I understand that the music the young people chose may not have been what everyone at the church would have chosen but I wanted the adults to acknowledge that it wasn't what the young people would have chosen as their ideal either. The young people had made an effort ot be there when they hadn't done so before and they had made compromises on their choice of music. I wanted the adults to acknowledge that so I spent some time chatting with some of those who had wanted quieter classical music. Some of the adults actually congratulated the young people on some of their choices which was really good. Others said they just found it too loud and that was because their stall was close to the amps so they found it hard to hear people who came to the stall.
As the youth worker it was quite right that it was my role to mediate between the young people and those who weren't entirely happy with the music the young people chose. Unfortunately it was also my job later that day to talk with the young people who walked in tothe youth club carrying the music equipment saying "at least we won't be told to turn the music down here!" At least the church DOES offer them a place where they do feel that way even if it is not within the church as a whole.
Muffin Wars
I had a lesson in marital life this weekend...
It was our church fete and, as the good little youth worker that I am, I made three dozen muffins for the cake stall (having already given some books for the bookstall etc etc). I said to Michael that he could choose ANY one but just one. If he wanted more he'd have to pay the stall for them. He was rather disgruntled by this, asserting that baked goods made in OUR house should be OURS until they leave the house. Anyway he picked his one muffin.
We happened to be going out to friends for supper so I also purchased four muffins for us all. (So Michael did get TWO muffins.
The next day I dutifully carried my delicious double chocolate muffins (and hook-a-duck!) down to the church. Michael went for his weekly "fry" and was due to come home to do some carpentry for the church whilst I was at the fete. When I got home at 1pm (for a quick lunch before setting up for youth club in the afternoon) I walked into the kitchen to find TWENTY FIVE muffins!
Apparently Michael had gone and bought ALL the muffins (though someone had beaten him to it and bought seven before he got there!)
I took this as a massive compliment to my baking skills though Michael says it is an act of defending his territorial rights to muffins!
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
FeminYM update
Hi everyone!
Nothing new on here today but PLEASE do pop over to FeminYM to have a look at a posting by one of my CYM students. She's used a metaphor for youth ministry which I think is just fabulous. Well done Hannah!
Nothing new on here today but PLEASE do pop over to FeminYM to have a look at a posting by one of my CYM students. She's used a metaphor for youth ministry which I think is just fabulous. Well done Hannah!
Monday, July 10, 2006
Yellow Braces 06
Incredibly Ian and Simon are both alert enough to have blogged in detail ALREADY about Yellow Braces. Personally I'm still peky and buzzing but rather knackered!
It was a fab time and for more details have a look at their blogs for now. More from me anon. Til then this one pictorial highlight!! Balloons courtesy of Simo, modelling them into the creation thanks to Jane and the audacity/tomfoolery to wear it on the part of Ian!
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Busy bee time
I've got a rather busy week this week ending in a residential at the weekend so not much time at home with Michael which I've been used to a lot lately so it's going to be odd. So I'm worrying about being busy and yesterday I was at the Centre for Youth MInistry parity meeting for fieldwork tutors and we got to discussing the hours some of the students had ended up working on top of study and lectures. They're supposed to do 460 hours in their MAIN placement over three terms and one had done nearly 700 hours on top of an additional palcement and essays and journals and lectures. All the fulltimers were keen to discourage that kind of overworking with real concern for the students and of course ironically I was commenting on it in a week when I myself am VERY busy.
Then this morning at morning prayer there was some FANTASTIC commentary on the busy-ness of leaders in the church:
Then this morning at morning prayer there was some FANTASTIC commentary on the busy-ness of leaders in the church:
"That the ruler relax not his care for the things that are within in his occupation among the things that are without, nor neglect to provide for the things that are without in his solicitude for the things that are within. The ruler should not relax his care for the things that are within in his occupation among the things that are without, nor neglect to provide for the things that are without in his solicitude for the things that are within; lest either, given up to the things that are without, he fall away from his inmost concerns, or, occupied only with the things that are within bestow not on his neighbours outside himself what he owes them. For it is often the case that some, as if forgetting that they have been put over their brethren for their souls' sake, devote themselves with the whole effort of their heart to secular concerns; these, when they are at hand, they exult in transacting, and, even when there is a lack of them, pant after them night and day with seethings of turbid thought; and when, haply for lack of opportunity, they have quiet from them, by their very quiet they are wearied all the more. For they count it pleasure to be tired by action: they esteem it labour not to labour in earthly businesses. And so it comes to pass that, while they delight in being hustled by worldly tumults, they are ignorant of the things that are within, which they ought to have taught to others. And from this cause undoubtedly, the life also of their subjects is benumbed; because, while desirous of advancing spiritually, it meets a stumbling-block on the way in the example of him who is set over it. For when the head languishes, the members fail to thrive; and it is in vain for an army to follow swiftly in pursuit of enemies if the very leader of the march goes wrong. No exhortation sustains the minds of the subjects, and no reproof chastises their faults, because, while the office of an earthly judge is executed by the guardian of souls, the attention of the shepherd is diverted from custody of the flock; and the subjects are unable to apprehend the light of truth, because, while earthly pursuits occupy the pastor's mind, dust, driven by the wind of temptation, blinds the Church's eyes."Fabulous critique of the life of those in full time ministry... and writtn by Pope Gregory the Great in his Pastoral Rule Chapter VII circa 600 AD! Life has not changed much then!?
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
overwhelmed
I'm stunned by the massive peak of hits to the site yesterday since I joined Revdgalblogpals! Thank you all for stopping by and having a look and welcome to any new RGBPs out there.
Still not much deep stuff on the blog front as I'm only on day two of catching up in the office! In fact there's a time out this afternoon (working this eve) to do a little bit of thank you card writing but only after I've had a look at the worship I'm revamping for our diocesan youth holiday which is coming up in ten days time - eek! Where DID June go?
Still not much deep stuff on the blog front as I'm only on day two of catching up in the office! In fact there's a time out this afternoon (working this eve) to do a little bit of thank you card writing but only after I've had a look at the worship I'm revamping for our diocesan youth holiday which is coming up in ten days time - eek! Where DID June go?
Monday, June 26, 2006
80s nostalgia fest
Ok so if you want a little nostalgia time check out these 80s videos. Michael and i tuned in to Adam Ant, Genesis (The Land of Confusion), T'Pau, Vanessa Paradis, Weird Al Yancovic, Yello & Yazz
Thanks to Andy for the link!
Thanks to Andy for the link!
The Mountain comes to ... you
Those of you who have read me blah on about Taize could experience a bit of it this year as Br Alois is coming to the UK
There will be services at Bradford and at Westminster Abbey. It should be very cool!
Back to the Grindstone?
It will be my first day in the office tomorrow, having been back at work Saturday and Sunday but off as usual today (I nearly didn't but then noticed how many Mondays might be not entirely off over the next few weeks so I opted to take the time out).
I've been reading Mark Yaconelli's Contemplative Youth Ministry over the last few weeks and I really hope it will impact on the ministry. I'm even thinking of adopting some of the models for recruitment and youth planning meetings which focus very strongly on discernment and not so much on "getting-the-job-done". I'm not sure how it'll be received and am a little uncertain as to whether I want to do that this week or reflect on it more first.
Something I do want to restart when I go back is sitting down at my desk and beginning with reflection. A few years ago now I set my home page to the "thought for the day" from Taize but lately I've rather read it in a rush and hastened on to the first tasks of the day.
Tonight I rediscovered the sie called Sacred Space and might use that as a way of beginning the time at the desk with prayer rather than rush.
What do other people do to help with focus? I'd be interested to hear.
I've been reading Mark Yaconelli's Contemplative Youth Ministry over the last few weeks and I really hope it will impact on the ministry. I'm even thinking of adopting some of the models for recruitment and youth planning meetings which focus very strongly on discernment and not so much on "getting-the-job-done". I'm not sure how it'll be received and am a little uncertain as to whether I want to do that this week or reflect on it more first.
Something I do want to restart when I go back is sitting down at my desk and beginning with reflection. A few years ago now I set my home page to the "thought for the day" from Taize but lately I've rather read it in a rush and hastened on to the first tasks of the day.
Tonight I rediscovered the sie called Sacred Space and might use that as a way of beginning the time at the desk with prayer rather than rush.
What do other people do to help with focus? I'd be interested to hear.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
More Wedding pics...
For those of you that might be interested, I've put a few more pictures from the wedding up on the flickr site.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Changing lives
Ok so to respond to Phil G's accusation of non-blogging here's another wedding related one. I'm back to work tomorrow so possible no blogging for a few days and then maybe, you never know, there might even be some more youth minsitry/work related blogging.
However until then...
Thanks to our friends and family who gave us gifts from our Oxfam unwrapped list some people in less privileged parts of the world have been given many things. As each one appeared through the post, Michael and I added them to a little story that we had of the people benefiting. I know it’s kinda cheesy but it made it easier for me to picture the benefit of people’s gifts. So here we go:
There is a village school with two fully trained teachers who have fifteen students fully kitted out.
The children and teachers have an essential hygiene kit, life saving buckets to keep their water clean and a fully functional toilet.
The children take it in turns to travel to school on the school donkey
along the road lined with a hundred trees
and when they get to school
there are two calves to give
them all some daily milk.
The children also benefit from supportive education for themselves and their families from the team who are dedicated to changing attitudes to violence against women.
However until then...
Thanks to our friends and family who gave us gifts from our Oxfam unwrapped list some people in less privileged parts of the world have been given many things. As each one appeared through the post, Michael and I added them to a little story that we had of the people benefiting. I know it’s kinda cheesy but it made it easier for me to picture the benefit of people’s gifts. So here we go:
There is a village school with two fully trained teachers who have fifteen students fully kitted out.
The children and teachers have an essential hygiene kit, life saving buckets to keep their water clean and a fully functional toilet.
The children take it in turns to travel to school on the school donkey
along the road lined with a hundred trees
and when they get to school
there are two calves to give
them all some daily milk.
The children also benefit from supportive education for themselves and their families from the team who are dedicated to changing attitudes to violence against women.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Ta dah!
Ok so we've had a few people pop on over to the Flickr site but I know you're not all up to that kind of technology leap so here's a taster of the wedding pictures.
Back again!
Ok so we're back from honeymoon but we're knda caught up sorting the house out and things in expectation of wedding list gifts arriving. Just to keep you busy though, there are tons of pics from the honeymoon trip to Lulea in Sweden (including us playing Kubb which we found there for £8 - so cool!) and a few select pics from the wedding photos.
Anyway I must get back to cleaning and tidying and all that....
Anyway I must get back to cleaning and tidying and all that....
Friday, June 02, 2006
Hail & Farewell Sarah Hamilton
Ok so I've just hit the dizzy heights of number1 & number 2 on Google search for Sarah Hamilton... and I'm not anymore.
I am now Sarah Brush and will be aiming high in the Google sense!!!
Many thanks to everyone who made the day go well and to all those of you who sent good wishes/prayers/cards/gifts.*
*delete as applicable
I am now Sarah Brush and will be aiming high in the Google sense!!!
Many thanks to everyone who made the day go well and to all those of you who sent good wishes/prayers/cards/gifts.*
*delete as applicable
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
not on my VERY LONG to do list
Ok so blogging isn't on the to-do list but I have just finished four tings that were so I think I can sneak a quick one in!
Last night Michael and I listed all the things we HAD done for the wedding to make the seemingly many things we still have to do for it rather more surmountable!
Today I've so far done some fiddly wedding admin things and now am off to the OFFICE to tidy it sufficiently that, as my friends last night helping make our wedding favours said, the youth leaders won't "need to tie a rope around themselves before they go in so someone else can pull them back out!"
It is mostly done but in my whirlwind of SORTING things last week apparently I managed to compose a rota where one leader is there all the time despite me knowing she's in Borneo and another leader only does the first ten minutes then nothing else!!! Easy enough to resolve but still gotta be done.
For those of you who seem to pay rather more attention to this than guys might normally - I was also wearing my wedding shoes rounf the house this morning again!
Ok big day on Saturday - Anyone local is most welcome to the church service at 3.30 - Big church in centre of town. Probably won't manage another blog before then so this may be the last post until we're back from Sweden - blimey that's ages.
In the meantime I'm off to the office and then to do laundry whilst reviewing this book. Should be good.
Last night Michael and I listed all the things we HAD done for the wedding to make the seemingly many things we still have to do for it rather more surmountable!
Today I've so far done some fiddly wedding admin things and now am off to the OFFICE to tidy it sufficiently that, as my friends last night helping make our wedding favours said, the youth leaders won't "need to tie a rope around themselves before they go in so someone else can pull them back out!"
It is mostly done but in my whirlwind of SORTING things last week apparently I managed to compose a rota where one leader is there all the time despite me knowing she's in Borneo and another leader only does the first ten minutes then nothing else!!! Easy enough to resolve but still gotta be done.
For those of you who seem to pay rather more attention to this than guys might normally - I was also wearing my wedding shoes rounf the house this morning again!
Ok big day on Saturday - Anyone local is most welcome to the church service at 3.30 - Big church in centre of town. Probably won't manage another blog before then so this may be the last post until we're back from Sweden - blimey that's ages.
In the meantime I'm off to the office and then to do laundry whilst reviewing this book. Should be good.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Another post on Salvation
Michael has some cool thoughts on Superman as saviour...
(yes, yes, I know! Of course I think his thoughts are cool!)
(yes, yes, I know! Of course I think his thoughts are cool!)
Monday, May 22, 2006
Mothedism
I've been ruminating a lot on what Kenda Creasy Dean was saying last week and I'm putting some more choice quotations up on FeminYM. What I've thought about most is her analysis of the church and the role of Moral Therapeutic Deism (Mothedism for short). Yes it's a big long scary unfamiliar term for some but I thin the concept itself is all too familiar.
MORALISTIC - the church/God is there to tell us what is good and what is bad
THERAPEUTIC - the church/God make us feel better about life because of this
DEISM - God's got something to do with it but in a distant way
All this is encapsulated in the wya most of society views God and I think it's why people don't join church communities. It's why there are so many people who say "Oh well yes I believe in God but I don't go to church often" (for which read hardly ever if at all). There is a prevalent view underpinning society (as the Christian church has been so fundamental to western society for so long) that says there are things which are right and wrong, that "good people" go to heaven, that the church will help your children to grow up into good, useful, law-abiding citizens, that God is there in a crisis but a distant deity.
Before people get offended, I'm not saying that the people who believe in God and have an ACTIVE relationship with God but don't go to church are inherently WRONG. However I think the church has gone wrong somewhere if it can't show people cleary enough that MOTHEDISM is not what we're preaching. God is not the God who promotes Mothedism. God is not distant. God is there wanting a personal relationship with each and every human being.
God is not MORALISTIC. Jesus spent time with those that many "regular church goers" of his time (and maybe also of ours) would have shunned and accused of LACKING in morality. Jesus made it clear that we are not to judge others for their morals. (Judge not lest you be judged... the woman caught in adultery etc.) God is interested in US not in our morality. Yes of course God wants us to act in a way that is loving towards him and towards neighbour but his door is one which is ALWAYS open to us. God is not one who would condemn a sinner but rather go out to find them (lost sheep).
God is not THERAPEUTIC. Yes God's peace can bring an incredible inner calm, a stillness beyond imagining but God also wants us to be challenged, as Jesus said, to take up our cross and follow him. God wants us to be there with Him and to be with us in ALL times not just when it's hard. God is there for the good and the bad. He is a comforter yes but so much more. He rejoices in our joy and spurs us on to face hardship in pursuit of his kingdom.
God is not about DEISM. God is not some distant far off being. God made that clear when he chose to create us. God made that clear when he sent Jesus to sort out the mess we'd made of it all and God makes that clear everyday in his loving presence with us, each of us, individually and personally.
All these things show that God is not about Mothedism yet the church needs to be sure that Mothedism is not it's own real hidden aim. As Kenda said, is our greatest fear that in fact what we truly want IS mothedism. Do we really want to be challenged to take up our crosses? Do we really want our children to be fired up so much with a spirit of evangelism that they face persecution? Or do we really want a nice comfortable environment that makes us feel good about ourselves and about the world?
I know there are probably people of both camps in the church; those who would really rather it was all NICE and those who want greater radicalism and a return to God's GOSPEL as given to us by Jesus. The challenge to that latter group is to show the world that the church is not about Mothedism. That's the difficult part.
I think it can only be done through individuals taking that stand. Being countercultural. Speaking out. Talking about their faith.
That's the only solution I have. It's up to me, to you, to US to make that change. But do we really want to?
MORALISTIC - the church/God is there to tell us what is good and what is bad
THERAPEUTIC - the church/God make us feel better about life because of this
DEISM - God's got something to do with it but in a distant way
All this is encapsulated in the wya most of society views God and I think it's why people don't join church communities. It's why there are so many people who say "Oh well yes I believe in God but I don't go to church often" (for which read hardly ever if at all). There is a prevalent view underpinning society (as the Christian church has been so fundamental to western society for so long) that says there are things which are right and wrong, that "good people" go to heaven, that the church will help your children to grow up into good, useful, law-abiding citizens, that God is there in a crisis but a distant deity.
Before people get offended, I'm not saying that the people who believe in God and have an ACTIVE relationship with God but don't go to church are inherently WRONG. However I think the church has gone wrong somewhere if it can't show people cleary enough that MOTHEDISM is not what we're preaching. God is not the God who promotes Mothedism. God is not distant. God is there wanting a personal relationship with each and every human being.
God is not MORALISTIC. Jesus spent time with those that many "regular church goers" of his time (and maybe also of ours) would have shunned and accused of LACKING in morality. Jesus made it clear that we are not to judge others for their morals. (Judge not lest you be judged... the woman caught in adultery etc.) God is interested in US not in our morality. Yes of course God wants us to act in a way that is loving towards him and towards neighbour but his door is one which is ALWAYS open to us. God is not one who would condemn a sinner but rather go out to find them (lost sheep).
God is not THERAPEUTIC. Yes God's peace can bring an incredible inner calm, a stillness beyond imagining but God also wants us to be challenged, as Jesus said, to take up our cross and follow him. God wants us to be there with Him and to be with us in ALL times not just when it's hard. God is there for the good and the bad. He is a comforter yes but so much more. He rejoices in our joy and spurs us on to face hardship in pursuit of his kingdom.
God is not about DEISM. God is not some distant far off being. God made that clear when he chose to create us. God made that clear when he sent Jesus to sort out the mess we'd made of it all and God makes that clear everyday in his loving presence with us, each of us, individually and personally.
All these things show that God is not about Mothedism yet the church needs to be sure that Mothedism is not it's own real hidden aim. As Kenda said, is our greatest fear that in fact what we truly want IS mothedism. Do we really want to be challenged to take up our crosses? Do we really want our children to be fired up so much with a spirit of evangelism that they face persecution? Or do we really want a nice comfortable environment that makes us feel good about ourselves and about the world?
I know there are probably people of both camps in the church; those who would really rather it was all NICE and those who want greater radicalism and a return to God's GOSPEL as given to us by Jesus. The challenge to that latter group is to show the world that the church is not about Mothedism. That's the difficult part.
I think it can only be done through individuals taking that stand. Being countercultural. Speaking out. Talking about their faith.
That's the only solution I have. It's up to me, to you, to US to make that change. But do we really want to?
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Dean of Oxford
More notes to be added here anon as again rushing about today but some pretty good notes of the event from Ian (as well as a link to the weirdest reference of the day) . It was a really excellent day of honest reflection on the state of youth ministry as Phil says. Good to finally meet Ricky who will no doubt blog soon if only due to the presure of being linked to by me (and Lev and Simo!)
So first some quick quotations from Kenda:
Kenda proposed that all people are looking for SALVATION whether they know it or not.
Young people can sometimes see the bible as "a strange text they have yet to unpack... that includes us and has clues about where we're at and why we're here."
"The quest for self and for God are interlinked"
Kenda used a scene from Smallville to compare Clark Kent's search for meaning and self as the universal struggle of people, young and old:
"All of us have kryptonite in our lives... that topple us"
Yet the difference as Kenda saw it was that "in the Christian tradition kryptonite holds a purpose" because the "power of God is shown not through God's strenght but... through the weakness] of the cross"
"Love trumps force in the Christian tradition"
The challenge to us is that young people are "more familiar with the salvation through strength as in Superman" and "expect God to act like Superman" as the people of Israel did when Jesus came to them.
The trouble is that "those unable to identify with the church look for salvation outside it"
and "salvation stories outside the church are more compelling than those in the church"
more soon...
So first some quick quotations from Kenda:
Kenda proposed that all people are looking for SALVATION whether they know it or not.
Young people can sometimes see the bible as "a strange text they have yet to unpack... that includes us and has clues about where we're at and why we're here."
"The quest for self and for God are interlinked"
Kenda used a scene from Smallville to compare Clark Kent's search for meaning and self as the universal struggle of people, young and old:
"All of us have kryptonite in our lives... that topple us"
Yet the difference as Kenda saw it was that "in the Christian tradition kryptonite holds a purpose" because the "power of God is shown not through God's strenght but... through the weakness] of the cross"
"Love trumps force in the Christian tradition"
The challenge to us is that young people are "more familiar with the salvation through strength as in Superman" and "expect God to act like Superman" as the people of Israel did when Jesus came to them.
The trouble is that "those unable to identify with the church look for salvation outside it"
and "salvation stories outside the church are more compelling than those in the church"
more soon...
School Mural update
Despite some rain yesterday afternoon we made ENORMOUS progress on the mural with the children of years 4, 5 & 6 at the Church of England school. I mainly did the boring, stand on a laddder doing the letters and the sky but I also got to chat to the infants when they came out to play and when the rain sent us indoors to the backup activity it was cool to be back in the dining hall (where I used to be a dinner lady!) and chatting to the children about loads of stuff as they created some more art. I came home absolutely knackered and COVERED in paint but it was so totally worth it!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Rush
Fab day yesterday with Kenda Creasy Dean and equally fab but more exhausting day today painting a mural with the school.
More blog soon but rushing off to another meeting - not even had time to read blogs of those there yesterday such as Phil, Ricky, Ian, Simo & Lev. Great to see you guys for first time or again!
More about both days soon...
More blog soon but rushing off to another meeting - not even had time to read blogs of those there yesterday such as Phil, Ricky, Ian, Simo & Lev. Great to see you guys for first time or again!
More about both days soon...
Monday, May 15, 2006
Monday = mad-day
So I've got to the point of having a to-do list for my day off now!!
I'm sitting here in my wedding shoes (again!) in the hope that they'll be a bit more comfortable on the day which is now just over two weeks away!
Tonight Michael and I are tackling THE TABLE PLAN. We've been pretty good at putting this off until we've heard from nearly everyone (and the rest we pretty much know are coming but they've not quite managed the repsonding thing!). So this evening we'll be trying to work out how much to mix his n hers and which of our rather eclectic bunch of friends would get on well with the others.
Well I need to get off to do the laundry and read the last two chapters of Practicing Passion. See some of you tomorrow!
I'm sitting here in my wedding shoes (again!) in the hope that they'll be a bit more comfortable on the day which is now just over two weeks away!
Tonight Michael and I are tackling THE TABLE PLAN. We've been pretty good at putting this off until we've heard from nearly everyone (and the rest we pretty much know are coming but they've not quite managed the repsonding thing!). So this evening we'll be trying to work out how much to mix his n hers and which of our rather eclectic bunch of friends would get on well with the others.
Well I need to get off to do the laundry and read the last two chapters of Practicing Passion. See some of you tomorrow!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Passion revisited
I've just picked up Practicing Passion again as I'm off to hear Kenda speak at CYM in Oxford on Tuesday. I heard the great news a while ago that it means Phil G and I get to meet at last. Anyone else going to be there?
The useful practical bit:
As a regular Oxford visitor I HIGHLY recommend Park and Ride via Thornhill (or Water Eaton) as the bus stops within really easy reach of the place in St Clements and is only £2. Anyone wanting pointers just ask!
Kenda Creasey Dean
Practicing Passion
Youth Ministry
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Brideford
Just back from a lovely day and a half with my bestest down in Bideford for some bridal preparation. Last night we practiced some wedding make-up and hair and then this morning we went for my final fitting at the bridal shop (I love my dress!) combined with selection and purchase of extras and shoes (which I am wearing right now so that I begin to wear them in a bit!). Then we went on to Exeter so Ami could try on the bridesmaid dress (and look like an absolute princess) and so we could choose accessories for her and Kathryn and found some really lovely things on a jewellery craft stall.
So now I'm home [having missed Dr Who unfortunately :o( ] and watching American Beauty and trying not to worry what might be happening to Michael on his stag night! Then tomorrow Dad and I are off to have lunch with the lovely lady who is making the wedding cake for Michael and I and I am taking Michael's ideas/thoughts on his behalf - even the concept of a castle with cavalry making a charge at the gate!
All that aside I am actually kinda excited because tomorrow at our small group I've asked the young people to "bring" three things from the Bible or Christianity which they find hard or disagree with. Daring? Unwise? Well it arose from a throwaway discussion last week when two of the girls said they wanted to be confirmed (yay!) and one of the lads piped up "So do I!" but another said "I don't!"
The "I don't" stemmed from his view that there were too many "things" he disagreed with so I thought we'd have a look at some of those tricky bits.
So now I'm home [having missed Dr Who unfortunately :o( ] and watching American Beauty and trying not to worry what might be happening to Michael on his stag night! Then tomorrow Dad and I are off to have lunch with the lovely lady who is making the wedding cake for Michael and I and I am taking Michael's ideas/thoughts on his behalf - even the concept of a castle with cavalry making a charge at the gate!
All that aside I am actually kinda excited because tomorrow at our small group I've asked the young people to "bring" three things from the Bible or Christianity which they find hard or disagree with. Daring? Unwise? Well it arose from a throwaway discussion last week when two of the girls said they wanted to be confirmed (yay!) and one of the lads piped up "So do I!" but another said "I don't!"
The "I don't" stemmed from his view that there were too many "things" he disagreed with so I thought we'd have a look at some of those tricky bits.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Windows 98 - a new era in great technology
Sorry but today I am being amused by reinstalling Windows 98 on a very tired old PC and the installation process keeps informing me of "amazing new enhancements" on this new and groundbreaking system. Bless em!
Anyway... apologies for not blogging much of late. I have been hard at it either planning the wedding or doign the other full time job!
Yesterday I had the delights of a Memory, Music and Movement workshop just down the corridor from me. I have discovered that, despite my own cheery disposition, I cannot cope with peopel who can be THAT PERKY for THAT LONG and wear rainbow tops! It was like living on the set of Playaway (or the Wiggles - for the younger audience)
Anyway... apologies for not blogging much of late. I have been hard at it either planning the wedding or doign the other full time job!
Yesterday I had the delights of a Memory, Music and Movement workshop just down the corridor from me. I have discovered that, despite my own cheery disposition, I cannot cope with peopel who can be THAT PERKY for THAT LONG and wear rainbow tops! It was like living on the set of Playaway (or the Wiggles - for the younger audience)
Save the SPCK
Save the SPCK!
Yes I know I know I'm behind the times by a WHOLE DAY... it's planning a wedding you know it takes time.
I love SPCK shops as they have such a fun mix of serious books, strange wall plaques, smiley bunny cartoons and Cuddley Noah's Ark sets.
I really enjoy wandering around an SPCK when I can get to one but I don't have one nearby and that might be the case for many more people soon so
SAVE THE SPCK!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)