Vic the Vicar!

More language abuse

2012-01-30T08:51:00.001Z

Apparently RBS' Stephen Hester and his bonus is 'A important issue' in the minds of the British public. Yes indeed, it is 'A issue' that needs to be addressed!

Gosh - whatever happened to the rule that words that began with a consonant being preceded by 'A' whilst those beginning with a vowel find themselves following 'AN'. Simple stuff isn't it?

Of course we have exceptions, wouldn't be a rule without exceptions, would it? A unit of something or other, A university, an honour and so on. The wonderful combination of consonant and vowel plays a great part in confusing some (all?) sometimes but I recall the words of our English master (Moonbeam) and his exhortations to us that we, Say the words and listen. Does it sound right? If it doesn't, it isn't!)

I was told(by a supposed teacher of English, but having read their letters home I have to say that I very much doubt that this is a true description!) that 'these days' pupils can select what precedes a word on the basis of comfort and regional preference. Then again this person also uses the word 'color' (which is sule a co-lor, so what's a 'lor'?) and other abominations before, and unto the, GOD* and tells me that slowly the two languages (i.e. English and American) are coalescing such that one day we can all have an coffee and donut and it won't be a unique experience!

Looks like I'm becoming a grumpy old fart when it comes to English and though this might indeed be true, I will reman AN old fart and will have CDs (not CD's) and it will not be AN issue!

Aaaargh

If you struggle with apostrophes, have a listen to this (but be careful -it's loud.

*GOD - Greater Oxford Dictionary

Daily Office - Jan 30

2012-01-30T07:43:00.001Z

Charles, King and Martyr, 1649

Psalm 57
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you; In the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until the storm of destruction has passed by. I will call upon the Most High God, the God who fulfils his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me and rebuke those that would trample upon me; God will send forth his love and his faithfulness. I lie in the midst of lions, people whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and your glory over all the earth. They have laid a net for my feet; my soul is pressed down; they have dug a pit before me and will fall into it themselves. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; I will sing and give you praise. Awake, my soul; awake, harp and lyre, that I may awaken the dawn. I will give you thanks, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praise to you among the nations. For your loving-kindness is as high as the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and your glory over all the earth.

Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord and bless his name; tell out his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; he is more to be feared than all gods. For all the gods of the nations are but idols; it is the Lord who made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him; power and splendour are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; ascribe to the Lord honour and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; bring offerings and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is king. He has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it; Let the fields be joyful and all that is in them; let all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord. For he comes, he comes to judge the earth; with righteousness he will judge the world and the peoples with his truth.

Genesis 18:1-15
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

Matthew 27:11-26
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’ So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

The Collect
King of kings and Lord of lords, whose faithful servant Charles prayed for those who persecuted him
and died in the living hope of your eternal kingdom: grant us by your grace so to follow his example
that we may love and bless our enemies, through the intercession of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office - Jan 29

2012-01-29T08:22:00.000Z

Psalm 71:1-6,15-17
In you, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me. Be for me a stronghold to which I may ever resort; send out to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the evildoer and the oppressor. For you are my hope, O Lord God, my confidence, even from my youth. Upon you have I leaned from my birth, when you drew me from my mother’s womb; my praise shall be always of you. My mouth shall tell of your righteousness
and salvation all the day long, for I know no end of the telling. I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord God; I will recall your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.

Jeremiah 1:4-10
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.’ Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’

Mark 1:40-45
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

The Collect
God our creator, who in the beginning commanded the light to shine out of darkness: we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, shine into the hearts of all your people, and reveal the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Unsung heroes

2012-01-28T09:00:00.002Z

Have you ever stopped to think about the people you come across who run Scouts, Guides, Air, Army and Sea Cadets; St John's Ambulance, youth clubs Boy's and Girl's brigade and so many other groups that it would probably fill a page (at least)?

The discipline and commitment of those who turn up half an hour before the start time of a Kid's Club and set up the equipment, arrange the signing-in sheets and sort the refreshments. That done, these same people open the doors, stop the fights and squabbles over use of the equipment, answer question, hear problems and wonder how they might avoid deafness because of the noise levels! Then, after a couple of hours the same people put it all away again, clean up and leave the place as they find it and then return to do it all over again a few days later and keep doing it, week after week.

Three hours, twice a week, forty to fifty times a year (every year) is a rather large commitment. If we take it as three hundred man hours (women hours too!), it seems to me that volunteers on this basis offer two months of work (assuming 37.5hr week) for free. Now this is commitment and giving on a splendid scale. Multiply this by two or three (in some cases) and you will realise that we have a great many unsung people working with our children for a great many hours and all without pay (and often, without thanks too!)

So here's a thought.

Next week say 'Thank You' to those who work with our children and are making a difference - we owe it to them and those two words would mean a lot to them I'm sure.

So next week is the official Vic the Vicar 'Hug a Volunteer' Week.

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 28

2012-01-28T06:52:00.000Z

Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith, 1274

Psalm 68
Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; let those that hate him flee before him. As the smoke vanishes, so may they vanish away; as wax melts at the fire,so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them make merry with gladness. Sing to God, sing praises to his name; exalt him who rides on the clouds. The Lord is his name; rejoice before him. Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, God in his holy habitation! God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners to songs of welcome, but the rebellious inhabit a burning desert. O God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, The earth shook and the heavens dropped down rain, at the presence of God, the Lord of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You sent down a gracious rain, O God; you refreshed your inheritance when it was weary. Your people came to dwell there; in your goodness, O God, you provide for the poor. The Lord gave the word; great was the company of women who bore the tidings: ‘Kings and their armies they flee, they flee!’ and women at home are dividing the spoil. Though you stayed among the sheepfolds, see now a dove’s wings covered with silver and its feathers with green gold. When the Almighty scattered the kings, it was like snowflakes falling on Zalmon. You mighty mountain, great mountain of Bashan! You towering mountain, great mountain of Bashan! Why look with envy, you towering mountains, at the mount which God has desired for his dwelling, the place where the Lord will dwell for ever? The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, even thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, the Lord of Sinai in holy power. You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; you have received tribute, even from those who rebelled, that you may reign as Lord and God. Blessed be the Lord who bears our burdens day by day, for God is our salvation. God is for us the God of our salvation; God is the Lord who can deliver from death. God will smite the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of those who walk in wickedness. The Lord has said, ‘From the heights of Bashan, from the depths of the sea will I bring them back, ‘Till you dip your foot in blood and the tongue of your dogs has a taste of your enemies.’ We see your solemn processions, O God, your processions into the sanctuary, my God and my King. The singers go before, the musicians follow after, in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels. In your companies, bless your God; bless the Lord, you that are of the fount of Israel. At the head there is Benjamin, least of the tribes, the princes of Judah in joyful company, the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali. Send forth your strength, O God; establish, O God, what you have wrought in us. For your temple’s sake in Jerusalem kings shall bring their gifts to you. Drive back with your word the wild beast of the reeds, the herd of the bull-like, the brutish hordes. Trample down those who lust after silver; scatter the peoples that delight in war. Vessels of bronze shall be brought from Egypt; Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; make music in praise of the Lord; He rides on the ancient heaven of heavens and sends forth his voice, a mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose splendour is over Israel, whose power is above the clouds. How terrible is God in his holy sanctuary, the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to his people! Blessed be God.

Genesis 17:1-22
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’ God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’ God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight!’ God said, ‘No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.’ And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

Matthew 27:1-10
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself.’ Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.’ After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’

The Collect
Eternal God, who enriched your Church with the learning and holiness of your servant Thomas Aquinas:
give to all who seek you a humble mind and a pure heart that they may know your Son Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Holocaust Memorial Day Reflection

2012-01-27T08:28:00.002Z

I made this for a time of reflection in an HMD service a few years back and thought it mught prove to be a useful resource for others - if anyone wants this contact me and I'll send you a link.

Vic

Daily Office - Jan 27

2012-01-27T07:29:00.003Z

Psalm 61
Hear my crying, O God, and listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to you with fainting heart; O set me on the rock that is higher than I. For you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent for ever and take refuge under the cover of your wings. For you, O God, will hear my vows; you will grant the request of those who fear your name. You will add length of days to the life of the king, that his years may endure throughout all generations. May he sit enthroned before God for ever; may steadfast love and truth watch over him. So will I always sing praise to your name, and day by day fulfil my vows.

Psalm 65
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; to you that answer prayer shall vows be paid. To you shall all flesh come to confess their sins; when our misdeeds prevail against us, you will purge them away. Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there. We shall be satisfied with the blessings of your house,n even of your holy temple. With wonders you will answer us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, O hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. In your strength you set fast the mountains and are girded about with might. You still the raging of the seas, the roaring of their waves and the clamour of the peoples. Those who dwell at the ends of the earth tremble at your marvels; the gates of the morning and evening sing your praise. You visit the earth and water it; you make it very plenteous. The river of God is full of water; you prepare grain for your people, for so you provide for the earth. You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; you soften the ground with showers and bless its increase. You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty. May the pastures of the wilderness flow with goodness and the hills be girded with joy. May the meadows be clothed with flocks of sheep and the valleys stand so thick with corn that they shall laugh and sing.

Genesis 16
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar, and Sarai said to Abram, ‘You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my slave-girl to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!’ But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please.’ Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her. The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord also said to her, ‘I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude.’ And the angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin.’ So she named the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are El-roi’; for she said, ‘Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?’ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Matthew 26:57 - end
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” ’ The high priest stood up and said, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, ‘I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?’ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ But he denied it before all of them, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.’ When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ Again he denied it with an oath, ‘I do not know the man.’ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know the man!’ At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Collect
Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Honesty, Integrity and truth!

2012-01-26T11:06:00.006Z

One of the problems I have with the 'Integrity test' is the ease with which interchangeability of the words 'Integrity' and 'Honesty' occurs, for they are not one and the same. This is followed closely by the issue of context, an especially prickly issue in the wonderful world that is Christianity, and how sometimes doing what is wrong might well be considered to be right!

As I understand it, Integrity is about being a 'whole person' (cf. Integer - a 'whole' or complete number) and honesty is about being truthful. Two sides of the same coin, sisters who act as one but are not one and the same.

I recall a lecture on the topic of honesty, integrity and truth in which the question, "If a murderer comes to your door, and asks where your friend is, are you morally obliged to tell the truth? was raised with regard to Emmanuel Kant's attitude to truth and honesty. Kant's answer to this was a resounding 'Yes' even if it resulted in the death of the friend by foul means. In a nutshell Kant put forward the view that a lie (i.e. dishonesty) was always wrong regardless of the situation or outcome. There is no such thing as a 'good' lie (how many of us parent's have told their children that?) and eventually all lies will result in harm and wrong regardless of the reason for it. Truth is the only way. Contrast this with the struggles of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the issue of doing wrong to serve a greater good and his decision to support those who sought to murder a man (Hitler) to prevent the murder of millions.

Of course Kant could merely have answered that although he knew the whereabouts, integrity demanded that he remained silent on the matter! Integrity also meant that Bonhoeffer broke the rules in working to support the murder of a man even though it broke the rules - but he was still honest (and so maintained his integrity?).

Finding ten pence on the floor and pocketing it is not an entirely dishonest act but raise the figure to a tenner, fifty, a hundred and above and suddenly magnitude changes the situation! If one says, "Hey, I've found a fiver - that's handy," then where is the dishonesty? They haven't lied to anyone, not even themselves, and haven't acted to take someone's property so there's no theft from the person (I know someone will tell me it's stealing by finding) and so they are in fact 'honest' and probably would also consider themselves 'lucky' too! (But are they?)

Here's something to chew on:

Honesty deals with what is truthful - Integrity deals with what is right. I know honest people whose integrity is weak and I know people with little integrity and yet they are predominantly honest. Integrity demands that one is honest to the views, standards and opinions that make us who we are but honesty is, at a base level, recognition of that which is true and thereby may not always possess integrity.

My other problem is that of context. Consider question C: Driving faster than the speed limit. The obvious answer, as I understand it, has to be the three-pointer in that this act is 'sometimes' justified. My reason for this is the reality that the 'blue light' services (Ambulance, Fire and Police) often break the law in this area as they seek to discharge their duty (and if they have a collision whilst doing so are subject to prosecution too!). If we were to say 'never' then we would be lying (for who out there thinks a fire appliance should drive at thirty and keep in the stream of traffic when a house with people trapped in it is burning?). we could opt for a 'rarely' but the incidence of blue lights and the like says this isn't 'rare'. We could say always, but then everyone would be doing it!

Now the legalistic among us would undoubtedly say that that there is a line and should it be crossed then the person is wrong - but like Kant, if avoiding this wrong causes a death where can it be seen to be right? And yet if by crossing the line another life is lost (RTA as an example) then of course it can't be seen as right either.

The question of integrity and honesty also has to draw upon moral absolutes and as we become less of a Christian nation and as we reside less confidently upon our judeo-Christian heritage it is this that causes our attitudes, and behaviour, to weaken. This can be seen in the area of underage sex, extramarital relations and others.

Our society increasing works on a 'means justify the end' shifting morality and so it should come as no surprise that 'Lying in your own interests' is gaining favour. This too manifests in the attitude that the act isn't wrong but getting caught is and this, coupled with a desire for scapegoats and a bit of self-righteousness manes that attitudes harden towards those who 'take from us' i.e. Welfare 'scroungers'.

I'll leave you to do the thinking on the other questions (have fun):
A. Avoiding paying the fare on public transport.
B. Cheating on taxes if you have a chance.
F. Not reporting accidental damage you have done to a parked car.
G. Throwing away litter in a public place.
H. Driving under the influence of alcohol.
I. Making up a job application.
J. Buying something you know is stolen.

Some of these are obvious but others, taken contextually are perhaps as cut and dried as the words might make us think at first glance!

Pax

Thought for the day

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000Z

Be on your guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

Mark 13: 33

Daily Office - Jan 26

2012-01-26T06:34:00.000Z

Timothy and Titus, Companions of Paul

Psalm 47
Clap your hands together, all you peoples; O sing to God with shouts of joy. For the Lord Most High is to be feared; he is the great King over all the earth. He subdued the peoples under us and the nations under our feet. He has chosen our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. God has gone up with a merry noise, the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. O sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with all your skill. God reigns over the nations; God has taken his seat upon his holy throne. The nobles of the peoples are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For the powers of the earth belong to God and he is very highly exalted.

Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God. His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, the joy of all the earth. On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, stands the city of the great king. In her palaces God has shown himself to be a sure refuge. For behold, the kings of the earth assembled and swept forward together. They saw, and were dumbfounded; dismayed, they fled in terror. Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour, as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish. As we had heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: God has established her for ever. We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple. As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of justice. Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgements, O Lord. Walk about Zion and go round about her; count all her towers; consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels, That you may tell those who come after that such is our God for ever and ever. It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.

Genesis 15
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’ When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.’

Matthew 26:47-56
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.’ At once he came up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, do what you are here to do.’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?’ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

The Collect
Heavenly Father, who sent your apostle Paul to preach the gospel, and gave him Timothy and Titus to be his companions in faith: grant that our fellowship in the Holy Spirit may bear witness to the name of Jesus, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Integrity Test

2012-01-25T17:28:00.002Z

The BBC have provided a quick 'Integrity Test' (thinking of using it at our next chapter meeting) with the answer for each being:

1. Never justified.

2. Rarely justified.

3. Sometimes justified.

4. Always justified.

The use of the test is simple, look at the question and decide which answer best fits your view on that subject. This means that there is a minimun score of ten (saint) and a maximum of forty (sinner). So here's the questions, have a go and add the numbers (bit like a 'Cosmo quiz' apparently!:

A. Avoiding paying the fare on public transport.

B. Cheating on taxes if you have a chance.

C. Driving faster than the speed limit.

D. Keeping money you found in the street.

E. Lying in your own interests.

F. Not reporting accidental damage you have done to a parked car.

G. Throwing away litter in a public place.

H. Driving under the influence of alcohol.

I. Making up a job application.

J. Buying something you know is stolen.

Declining integrity?

2012-01-25T11:11:00.005Z

Or is it honesty that is in decline (or perhaps, more accurately, both)? This is an interesting question as radio news coverage of this report glibly mixed integrity and honesty (much as they do with 'sex' and 'gender') as if they were one and the same. But of course they're not for, to some extent, each influences and begets the other.

A study carried out by the Essex Centre for the Study of Integrity (ECSI) found that we are apparently less honest than we used to be at the turn of the century. Societal standards have altered such that extra-marital relations, drink driving, lying and underage sex are now, apparently, much more acceptable.

It will probably come as no shock to find that the tolerance diminishes with age and that the younger the person questioned, the more liberal (in a permissive, not Biblical sense so put those pens down - at least for a moment or two!) they became and with age came less acceptance of these, hitherto perceived breaches.

Regarding infidelity, attitudes had gone down from the 2000 figues of 70% saying it was never justified to 50% now.

Those who considered picking up and keeping money found in the street as not being justified diminished to 20% from the previous figure of 40%.

The only issue where opinion had hardened against it was that of benefit fraud which had risen to 85% from the previous 78%.

The numbers of those who thought lying was wrong also fell and this study raises a few interesting (well they are for me) twists and considerations. One of the prevailing responses has been the question:

"Why are young people are becoming more dishonest?"

Professor Paul Whiteley, the study's author and ECSI's director's take on this was:

"We think it is because their role models are not very good - footballers who cheat on their wives, journalists who hack people's phones. Gradually people are tending to become more dishonest, they are more willing to tell lies, more willing to tolerate adultery. It's slow over time and going on in the background but pretty evidentially there."

Some interesting food for thought indeed.

And more thought there will be, but for now tea drunk and off to do another funeral.

Pax

Thought for the day

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000Z

Seek good, not evil, that you may live.

Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Amos 5: 14

Daily Office - Jan 25

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001Z

The Conversion of Paul
Last Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 66
Be joyful in God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; sing the glory of his praise. Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great strength your enemies shall bow before you. ‘All the earth shall worship you, sing to you, sing praise to your name.’ Come now and behold the works of God, how wonderful he is in his dealings with humankind. He turned the sea into dry land; the river they passed through on foot; there we rejoiced in him. In his might he rules for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; let no rebel rise up against him. Bless our God, O you peoples; make the voice of his praise to be heard, Who holds our souls in life and suffers not our feet to slip. For you, O God, have proved us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the snare; you laid heavy burdens upon our backs. You let enemies ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; but you brought us out into a place of liberty. I will come into your house with burnt offerings and will pay you my vows, which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. I will offer you fat burnt sacrifices with the smoke of rams; I will sacrifice oxen and goats. Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul. I called out to him with my mouth and his praise was on my tongue. If I had nursed evil in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me, But in truth God has heard me; he has heeded the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, nor withheld his loving mercy from me.

Psalm 147:13-21
Sing praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion; For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and has blest your children within you. He has established peace in your borders and satisfies you with the finest wheat. He sends forth his command to the earth and his word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool and scatters the hoarfrost like ashes. He casts down his hailstones like morsels of bread; who can endure his frost? He sends forth his word and melts them; he blows with his wind and the waters flow. He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel. He has not dealt so with any other nation; they do not know his laws. Alleluia.

Ezekiel 3:22-27
Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there; and he said to me, Rise up, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you. So I rose up and went out into the valley; and the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. The spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet; and he spoke with me and said to me: Go, shut yourself inside your house. As for you, mortal, cords shall be placed on you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people; and I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be speechless and unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God’; let those who will hear, hear; and let those who refuse to hear, refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Philippians 3:1-14
Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a safeguard. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh—even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Collect
Almighty God, who caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul: grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion may follow him in bearing witness to your truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Vicar with style?

2012-01-24T13:57:00.004Z

If we're talking about the dress sense sort of style and me the answer has to be 'obviously not' unless we were using the word in conjunction with the word 'bad' that is. But I do have to say that I am slowly developing style in the way that I deal with people as can be seen in these two encounters.

Whilst visiting a church, having spilled some tea I popped into the toilet to get some paper towels and as I walked into the room I found myself eye to eye with a lady sitting upon the throne, door wide open, aghast that she was no longer alone! Quick as a flash I said, "It's O.K., don't get up," and took a couple of paper towels and left. Now years ago I would have turned and run, but now I have become the ultimate in polished and suave vicarness and am therefore proving my selectors right in their choice I'm sure. Mind you the lady involved always blushes and scuttles off when she sees me so perhaps this tells me that not all are applauding my British reserve and unflappability!

A while back (must be almost a year) I visited a school to talk about Ash Wednesday and having asked the assembled children if they knew what day it found that none of them did. So, hoping to give them a datum from which they might evermore discern when Ash Wednesday was I asked what the day before had been. Obviously having read the script and being subject to excellent teaching they answered in union, "Tuesday!' "And did you have anything special to eat last night, "I prompted. "Pancakes!" they mercifully cried and up went a sea of hands from volunteers eager to tell me of their culinary experiences. we had a few tales of pancakes shared with parents, siblings, grandparents and the like and then one of the assembled informants, hand waving wildly, finally getting their turn told the assembled school: "I had two pancakes last night!" "Excellent, I cried (looking to move things back to Ash Wednesday), but there was more, "I got Daddy's pancake too because my Mummy says he's been giving Auntie Pauline's one!"

Pandemonium! The student teacher who was sitting in with me leapt from her chair, eyes blazing in what looked a bit like panic. I indicated that all was well and told to our proud and pancake-replete student how lucky they were - "Two pancakes! WoW!" And then, without flinching moved us swiftly back to ash and how we all do things wrong at times!

Now I have to be honest and say that when I started out in this role I found the school stuff to be a real challenge at times because I like to ask rhetorical questions (don't I?) and this incident showed me how I'd managed to settle (at last) somewhere above the high-water mark).

There are days when we get our ministerial encounters just right and rise above the things that once would have caused us to stumble, fumble and confound whatever it was that those who saw a calling in us saw. When they come we can but learn from them, taking what is good and determining not to repeat that which is bad, and keep on ministering in the conviction that we are called and better still forgiven.

Keep looking at Him and the waves will merely provide a gently audio background to the journey to His arms? After all where there are clumsy clergy there is always a gracious God!

Pax

Thought for the day

2012-01-24T08:54:00.004Z

Crown Him as your Captain in temptation's hour!

Daily Office - Jan 24

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000Z

Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher of the Faith, 1622
Seventh Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 34
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. My soul shall glory in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Look upon him and be radiant and your faces shall not be ashamed. This poor soul cried, and the Lord heard me and saved me from all my troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord is gracious; blessed is the one who trusts in him. Fear the Lord, all you his holy ones, for those who fear him lack nothing. Lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good. Come, my children, and listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is there who delights in life and longs for days to enjoy good things? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from lying words. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry and the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and will save those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the troubles of the righteous; from them all will the Lord deliver them. He keeps all their bones, so that not one of them is broken. But evil shall slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord ransoms the life of his servants and will condemn none who seek refuge in him.

Psalm 36
Sin whispers to the wicked, in the depths of their heart; there is no fear of God before their eyes. They flatter themselves in their own eyes that their abominable sin will not be found out. The words of their mouth are unrighteous and full of deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and to do good. They think out mischief upon their beds and have set themselves in no good way; nor do they abhor that which is evil. Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep; you, Lord, shall save both man and beast. How precious is your loving mercy, O God! All mortal flesh shall take refuge
under the shadow of your wings. They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; they shall drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the well of life and in your light shall we see light. O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you and your righteousness to those who are true of heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, nor the hand of the ungodly thrust me away. There are they fallen, all who work wickedness. They are cast down and shall not be able to stand.

Genesis 13:2-end
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, and there was strife between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’ Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastwards; thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northwards and southwards and eastwards and westwards; for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring for ever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.’ So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Matthew 26:17-35
On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And so said all the disciples.

The Collect
Holy God, who called your bishop Francis de Sales to bring many to Christ through his devout life and to renew your Church with patience and understanding: grant that we may, by word and example, reflect your gentleness and love to all we meet; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Thought for the day

2012-01-23T09:13:00.002Z

so, which season is yours?

Daily Office - Jan 23

2012-01-23T04:52:00.000Z

Sixth Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 40
I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me out of the roaring pit, out of the mire and clay; he set my feet upon a rock and made my footing sure. He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many shall see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not turn to the proud that follow a lie. Great are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God. How great your designs for us! There is none that can be compared with you. If I were to proclaim them and tell of them they would be more than I am able to express. Sacrifice and offering you do not desire but my ears you have opened; Burnt offering and sacrifice for sin you have not required; then said I: ‘Lo, I come. ‘In the scroll of the book it is written of me that I should do your will, O my God; I delight to do it: your law is within my heart.’ I have declared your righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I did not restrain my lips, and that, O Lord, you know. Your righteousness I have not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your loving-kindness and truth from the great congregation. Do not withhold your compassion from me, O Lord; let your love and your faithfulness always preserve me, For innumerable troubles have come about me; my sins have overtaken me so that I cannot look up; they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed who seek after my life to destroy it; let them be driven back and put to shame who wish me evil. Let those who heap insults upon me be desolate because of their shame. Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; let those who love your salvation say always, ‘The Lord is great.’ Though I am poor and needy, the Lord cares for me. You are my helper and my deliverer; O my God, make no delay.

Psalm 108
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; I will sing and give you praise. Awake, my soul; awake, harp and lyre, that I may awaken the dawn. I will give you thanks, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praise to you among the nations. For your loving-kindness is as high as the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens and your glory over all the earth. That your beloved may be delivered, save us by your right hand and answer me. God has spoken in his holiness: ‘I will triumph and divide Shechem and share out the valley of Succoth. ‘Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my sceptre. ‘Moab shall be my washpot, over Edom will I cast my sandal, across Philistia will I shout in triumph.’ Who will lead me into the strong city? Who will bring me into Edom? Have you not cast us off, O God? Will you no longer go forth with our troops? O grant us your help against the enemy, for earthly help is in vain. Through God will we do great acts, for it is he that shall tread down our enemies.

Genesis 11:27-12:9
Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages towards the Negeb.

Matthew 26:1-16
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ‘You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.’ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’ Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, ‘Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

The Collect
Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Songs of Praise . . .

2012-01-23T03:55:00.005Z

Thoughts of despair!

Passing through last night I decided to have a quick look at the news and turned to the BBC only to find 'Songs of praise'. Apart from a sublime woodwind piece (spoiled only by people singing over it!) there was little to cheer my missional bones as the camera panned, time and time again, over a sea of wrinklies (AKA the fighting force of the Church). No matter where the camera went there were no teens and the question, "Where are the young people?", rattled around in my brain.

Children's church of the future?

Perhaps this was a service for the older generation? A quick look at the billing denied that!

Perhaps Colchester is a place with no young, had the Pied Piper of Chelmsford been through? A quick look at the demographics put paid to that thought too!

Tea drunk I rushed off to our local RC church for an excellent unity service and what a shock, there weren't any really young people there either (unless you count toddlers and babes in arm that is).

So the thought that has pulled me out of bed at this wonderfully quiet and time to chat with God hour is this. What makes for a relevant and authentic church with younger people? Something I will be asking, exploring and commenting on over the coming days I'm sure.

Hope I don't keep you up with my praying - but don't go back to sleep, I'm not!

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 22

2012-01-22T07:58:00.002Z

The Third Sunday of Epiphany
Fifth Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 113
Alleluia. Give praise, you servants of the Lord, O praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised. The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, that has his throne so high, yet humbles himself to behold the things of heaven and earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ashes, To set them with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a place in the house and makes her a joyful mother of children. Alleluia.

Jonah 3: 1-5,10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

John 3: 16-21
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

The Collect
Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

That's (not) entertainment!

2012-01-21T22:41:00.001Z

One evening, after a particularly stressed week behind the altar, I sat down for a bit of R&R with the Mrs. Vicarage and a DVD. "It's a Will Smith film," she said and so I sat back for a bit of light relief. The film? 'The Pursuit of Happyness!" I sat transfixed and descending deeper into a pit of despair as Will's character slept on a subway station toilet's floor with his son. OK. there was sunshine at the end, but the journey left me even more mentally and emotionally exhausted than I was at the beginning.

Tonight we decided to have a family film night and ended up with 'The Beaver', a film chosen because the clip shown at the cinema looked funny and because it was billed as a 'comedy'. Wow, what a journey - a man with a depressive illness and a beaver puppet stuck on the end of his arm (well it was until near the end anyway!). Like 'Happyness' there was a ray of sunshine at the end but it was a long wait and although I'd appreciate (and use it) in a different setting, tonight wasn't the night!

In an attempt to recover from what we had just seen we chucked the other DVD on the player and sat back to enjoy the other film 'The Dilemma'' which was also billed as a comedy. Sadly if this is comedy then something has gone very wrong with my comedy gland because it was abysmal. I found myself stressed and thinking I was back at work and although there are comedic episodes the film was a total cringefest. I don't think I have been so embarrassed and frustrated at the erros of judgment made and the potential for being made to look awful since Norman Wisdom's pathetic character hit the silver screen.

So, anyone out there seen a film that didn't produce what was hoped in the way of lightness, laughter, plot or something? Let's have a go at nominating the very best and the worst of the films we've seen and we can even have a special 'Christian' category so all you out there can nominate 'Left Behind'!!!!

So let's start it off with a nomination for the 'Worst Comedy' - The Dilemma

The floor is yours

Be the difference!

2012-01-21T15:31:00.005Z

Says it all!

When the going get rough

2012-01-21T08:56:00.004Z

Regardless of what our calling is, we all have one and the greatest of these is our baptismal calling which having confirmed us as members of the Church calls us to reject rebellion against God and takes us into the world.

In the world we are called to tell, teach and make disciples.
In the home it calls us to be students of the Word and to be diligent (i.e. do it) in prayer. Everywhere we are called to be witnesses to the atoning power of Christ's blood and to live our new life.

Life is a variable and has many peaks and troughs, highs and lows. We all have times of darkness and despair and sunlight and joy; Easy water and wild water which hides rocks and hazards to the soul.

Being Christian is easy when we are living in the pluses but when the minus signs begin to accumulate we tend to cling to that which we know and sadly this is often the opposite of the 'Fruit of the Spirit' in Galatians five. Instead of the 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness' we find instead varying degrees of 'division, sadness, despair, impatience, cruelty (in word and deed) and wickedness'.

It seems that when the 'going gets tough' some stop coming,
Some start swearing, kicking and fighting,
Some open a bottle and look to a different spirit,
Some take their eyes off God and look to the world and its distractions,
Some crawl into their caves and refuse to come out.

People often tell me how 'lucky' I am that I am immune from the above options. Would that it was true for when we the going gets tough, we ALL have the potential to select one (or all) of the wrong options. Then I have to tell them that I try not to slip into one (or more) of the wrong choices and that I do this by:

Reading my Bible - Conversing with God (Prayer) - Selecting the right company (Yes, I try to avoid those who will make me worse when I'm wobbling) and keeping my mouth shut (always a tough task, but the potential to say the wrong thing in the wrong way or use the wrong words is something we all have).

And when they ask what I do when things are going well?

Reading my Bible - Conversing with God - Selecting the right company and keeping my mouth shut (still a tough task).

What about you?

Daily Office - Jan 21

2012-01-21T07:59:00.002Z

Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome, 304
Fourth Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem; Jerusalem, built as a city that is at unity in itself. Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as is decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there are set the thrones of judgement, the thrones of the house of David. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. ‘Peace be within your walls and tranquillity within your palaces.’ For my kindred and companions’ sake, I will pray that peace be with you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you good.

Psalm 128
Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways. You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be. Your wife within your house shall be like a fruitful vine; your children round your table, like fresh olive branches. Thus shall the one be blest who fears the Lord. The Lord from out of Zion bless you, that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of your life. May you see your children’s children, and may there be peace upon Israel.

Psalm 150
Alleluia. O praise God in his holiness; praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the blast of the trumpet; praise him upon the harp and lyre. Praise him with timbrel and dances; praise him upon the strings and pipe. Praise him with ringing cymbals; praise him upon the clashing cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Alleluia.

Genesis 11:1-9
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Matthew 25:31-end
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

The Collect
Eternal God, shepherd of your sheep, whose child Agnes was strengthened to bear witness in her living and her dying to the true love of her redeemer: grant us the power to understand, with all your saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love that surpasses knowledge, even Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office - Jan 20

2012-01-20T04:30:00.000Z

Richard Rolle of Hampole, Spiritual Writer, 1349
Third Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not be afraid, and though there rise up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him. One thing have I asked of the Lord and that alone I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to seek his will in his temple. For in the day of trouble
he shall hide me in his shelter; in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me high upon a rock. And now shall he lift up my head above my enemies round about me; Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy upon me and answer me. My heart tells of your word, ‘Seek my face.’ Your face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not your face from me, nor cast your servant away in displeasure. You have been my helper; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Though my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me on a level path, because of those who lie in wait for me. Deliver me not into the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, and those who breathe out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and he shall comfort your heart; wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 149
Alleluia. O sing to the Lord a new song; sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in their maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their king. Let them praise his name in the dance; let them sing praise to him with timbrel and lyre. For the Lord has pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful be joyful in glory; let them rejoice in their ranks, With the praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands; To execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples; To bind their kings in chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the judgement decreed: such honour have all his faithful servants. Alleluia.

Genesis 9: 8-19
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’ The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.

Matthew 25:14-30
‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Does the Vicar do Sarcasm?

2012-01-19T18:37:00.000Z

Holocaust Memorial Day 2012

2012-01-19T15:47:00.000Z

Can I just take a moment to remind you that Holocaust Memorial Day (27th Jan) is almost upon us and invite you to:

a. Publicise any events near to you

b. Consider putting something on this year (not too late) and start planning for 2013 (always the same date commemorating the of Auschwitz-Birkenau on that date in 1945)

c. Place something on your blog, website and perhaps take a moment to remember those who have died as a result of genocide over the past years and in many places.

More about HMD here

Daily Office - Jan 19

2012-01-19T06:14:00.000Z

Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095
Second Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 76
In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. At Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. There broke he the flashing arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword and the weapons of war. In the light of splendour you appeared, glorious from the eternal mountains. The boastful were plundered; they have slept their sleep; none of the warriors can lift their hand. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and chariot fell stunned. Terrible are you in majesty: who can stand before your face when you are angry? You caused your judgement to be heard from heaven; the earth trembled and was still, When God arose to judgement, to save all the meek upon earth. You crushed the wrath of the peoples and bridled the wrathful remnant. Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it; let all who are round about him bring gifts to him that is worthy to be feared. He breaks down the spirit of princes and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.

Psalm 148
Alleluia. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights. Praise him, all you his angels; praise him, all his host. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you stars of light. Praise him, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded and they were created. He made them fast for ever and ever; he gave them a law which shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps; Fire and hail, snow and mist, tempestuous wind, fulfilling his word; Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars; Wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and birds on the wing; Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world; Young men and women, old and young together; let them praise the name of the Lord. For his name only is exalted, his splendour above earth and heaven. He has raised up the horn of his people and praise for all his faithful servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Alleluia.

Genesis 8: 15 - 9: 7
Then God said to Noah, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.’ So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out of the ark by families. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelt the pleasing odour, the Lord said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.’ God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.
Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind. And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.’

Matthew 25: 1 - 13
‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The Collect
Lord God, who raised up Wulfstan to be a bishop among your people and a leader of your Church: help us, after his example, to live simply, to work diligently and to make your kingdom known; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bloody Building!

2012-01-18T10:09:00.000Z

Looking at the pressures on clergy and the things that make the ministerial life just that little more challenging and exciting top of the list for many out there is, as a colleague so succinctly put it, the 'Bloody Building!'

Having discovered that some people pay much more in insurance premiums for their wonderful palaces than we do in Parish Share I have to say that out single-room hovel takes on a much more attractive air. Not only that but having (endlessly) been told by some that the very act of even moving a picture frame required negotiations with Archdemons, Diocesan Advisory Committee members, English Heritage, The Blogwyn Gold Historic Trust (apologies if there really is one) and Edwardian Gaslamp Preservation Guild and other 'interested' parties that in the end they left it where it was. Yes, having pretty and historically, architectural and otherwise noteworthy buildings does indeed seem to merit the label given above.

Many who read this (the few) will undoubtedly have a tale to tell of the church who couldn't have a toilet because it would upset someone or other, the LCD projector and screen that couldn't be installed because someone who never comes to the building (well perhaps Christmas for the candlelit service) and their blessed conservation group objected. I have spoken of the protests when we wanted to do something in a William Morris church, protests that stopped a living church from effectively working in a dead building!

The problem we have is that whilst we willing accept that we have the 'cure of souls' in the places in which we serve, we also need to remember that we are the curators of memories too and that this role is something important. The other side of this coin has to be the realisation by some that the thing that makes many of our buildings noteworthy and the source of interest is the fingerprints of previous generations in the way that added to, modified or generally did something to the bricks and mortar of the place. All this, "Oooh, you can't change anything we need to preserve the building as it is," stuff is to actually cause the physical building to die (because change is part of the life of everything) and this in turn causes the spiritual building that is Church (the believers) to die along with it.

So watch this space (and tell your stories too - anyone is free to write an entry or leave a comment you know)

John Bell needs to get a life!

2012-01-18T08:22:00.000Z

Radio Four 'Thought for the day' this morning appeared to be a partly political broadcast on behalf of the 'let my people go party' as he spoke about having history books written in a foreign place and accents being the source of humour and mocking. Still it's nice to know that he's concerned with the lives of Brummies (whose accent came top in a 'worst' UK accent poll), Scousers, Geordies and Cockneys.

Divine rights and pops at 'Rule Britannia' served neither man or God - just Bell. Mind you he did give me a thought for the day - I just have to try to forget it and repent of having had it!

Still it was fun to hear an MP get taken apart by Countryside Alliance's David Taylor regarding shotgun licences for youngsters and (non-existent) crime, challenging to hear that the cuts in the numbers of redundancies amongst the Gurkhas might be the result of the changes in their pay, conditions and pensions thanks to the Gurkha Justice Campaign and mildly amusing (and applause-generating) to hear how (the other) Milliband is set to face down the unions (remember them, they put him in) and make a stand for commonsense. I was beginning to worry that without Grommet he was going to be in a weakened state but obviously not.

Lots to think about and load of prayer fodder.

Happy Wednesday!

When Papers Make you smile and . .

2012-01-18T07:48:00.004Z

The front page of this newspaper appeared on Gavin Drake's FB page this morning and it instantly brought a smile:

(And then made me think of those who have lost their lives and those whose lives have been changed by it and so I prayed as well - what a bargain image!.

pax

Daily Office - Jan 18

2012-01-18T05:35:00.002Z

Amy Carmichael, Founder of the Dohnavur Fellowship, spiritual writer, 1951
First Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Psalm 81
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob. Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon,at the full moon, on our festal day. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. He made it a decree in Joseph,
when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known: “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psalm 147: 13 - end
For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat. He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down hail like crumbs—
who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow. He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!

Genesis 8: 1-14
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters gradually receded from the earth. At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared. At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. In the six hundred first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying.

Matthew 24: 29 - end
“Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that heg is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

But the Church is rich! (Part III)

2012-01-17T18:24:00.005Z

The Church (of England) costs around £1,000M to keep the doors of our churches (13,000 of them) and cathedrals (43) open. The pretty graph below gives an idea of how the money comes in:

From it we can see that 21% comes from investments,

16% from Fees (Baptism, Wedding and Funerals), and

The rest (excluding 'other') pretty much comes from within (and the 'tax recovered' is a component of giving too!).

So - the reality is that we do have money but we aren't rich and the money we generate from it means we need to raise around £210m less from within (i.e. the members and churchgoers). The central organisation is therefore subsidising the operation leaving church members with their Parish Share to meet the rest.

That said, Parish Share is no small amount as can be seen with our 'church in a phone box and its need to find £65 every day of the year to pay it (and that's without running expenses) but it would be £100 without the 'wealth!'.

And what the communities we serve get is extremely good value for money and those who are Church (meaning CofE for this example) should be proud of what we are in the main doing and being.

Pax

ps. If you are a church member (and denomination or group) why not GiftAid your giving and maximise the power of your giving?

But the Church is rich! (Part Two)

2012-01-17T08:26:00.005Z

So my upbringing led me to believe that the Church of England was not only rolling in money but that aside from the cash they took from the 'poor' (i.e. those who filled the pews on a Sunday) but that they owned a greater part of Central London and made money from the excesses and vices that filled those areas. This was something that was just there, it didn't make me antagonistic and it didn't make we feel good about them, it was just as it was for 'The Church' and all the others who had loads of money!

Oddly, I remember as child newspaper headlines about 'selling the family silver'* and my Dad telling me about the way that having property, possessions and money meant that you could always have access to money. The very act of 'having things' meant that you could make money apparently. This sounded odd to a ten year old and so I asked the Father how this could be and received a lecture on interest on money deposited and case to be made from property rented and how the only things in life that could be trusted were gold, property and things that gained in worth for these were the things that just kept on giving. Selling them meant a short-term increase in what you had and covered the fact that once this was gone, you had much less! This was what 'selling the family silver' was all about.

So I learned that where it was possible, prudent people (and organisations like 'The Church') would accrue property, land, things and of course, money, and these would ensure that there was always money to pay the bills and live your life. I also learned that having lots of numbers behind a pound sign meant you were rich but that being rich didn't mean that you had money, a strange conundrum indeed! If an organisation or individual is 'rich' then they can spend and live as if they are rich (and then be poor) or can live comfortably off of what they have and continue to do so (with the odd excess I'm sure) ad infinitum. This is where the Church of England should be!

Yes it has money and lived off of its property, land and stuff for a long time but sadly those who invested and were supposed to make money for the body haven't always done such a stand-up job of the task and so money (income and owned) has been lost. Some of this has been recouped because of the land owned and other things but the reality is still that whatever the church owns is there to be a source of income and should be helping to keep us (the CofE) afloat. (A bit of fact: Lots of Central London is owned by the Duke of Westminster, the Queen, the Earl of Cadogan and Paul Raymond!)

We couldn't live on the money that comes in through offerings and donations and so the having stuff element is an important factor in terms of keeping the light on. The same was, and is, true when it came to St Paul's for even though many comment that, "It's a church, who would pull the electricity on a church?" the answer is simple, "Every energy supplier, tradesman and person who does business with it!" People need to have their bills paid to live and the church is just another customer and if they don't pay they get treated the same way as every other customer who doesn't pay. It's ironic that those who don't see the Church as special suddenly think that by being 'Church' it is absolved of the moral and contractual obligations before it - not so.

The bottom line (honestly) is this:
The Church might have money, land and possessions and it is these that, invested and managed wisely, underpins and provides the money needed to keep being the real 'Big Society' and keep our lights on.

Pax

* Ironically these were to do with Alec Douglas-Hume who many years later accused Margaret Thatcher of exactly the same thing!

ps. Hopefully this explains why 'being church' isn't the negative that some would seek to make it and helps to lay the foundations of a defence of Church as an institution. I am assuming the same goes for RC plc but they just have a lot more of everything. I'm sure they use their wealth and stuff to help the poor (don't they?).

2012-01-17T07:50:00.007Z

Antony of Egypt, Hermit, Abbot, 356
Charles Gore,Bishop, Founder of the Community of the Resurrection, 1932

Psalm 132
Lord, remember for David all the hardships he endured; How he swore an oath to the Lord and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: ‘I will not come within the shelter of my house, nor climb up into my bed; ‘I will not allow my eyes to sleep, nor let my eyelids slumber, ‘Until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.’ Now, we heard of the ark in Ephrathah and found it in the fields of Ja-ar. Let us enter his dwelling place and fall low before his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. Let your priests be clothed with righteousness and your faithful ones sing with joy. For your servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of your anointed. The Lord has sworn an oath to David, a promise from which he will not shrink: ‘Of the fruit of your body shall I set upon your throne. ‘If your children keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon your throne for evermore.’ For the Lord has chosen Zion for himself; he has desired her for his habitation: ‘This shall be my resting place for ever; here will I dwell, for I have longed for her. ‘I will abundantly bless her provision; her poor will I satisfy with bread. ‘I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful ones shall rejoice and sing. ‘There will I make a horn to spring up for David; I will keep a lantern burning for my anointed. ‘As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame; but on him shall his crown be bright.’

Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia. How good it is to make music for our God, how joyful to honour him with praise. The Lord builds up Jerusalem and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.He heals the brokenhearted and binds up all their wounds. He counts the number of the stars and calls them all by their names. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his wisdom is beyond all telling. The Lord lifts up the poor, but casts down the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God upon the lyre; Who covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth; Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains and green plants to serve our needs. He gives the beasts their food and the young ravens when they cry. He takes no pleasure in the power of a horse, no delight in human strength; But the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their trust in his steadfast love.

Genesis 7:11 - end
In the six-hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. The rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons, entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind—every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. The flood continued for forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all human beings; everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred and fifty days.

Matthew 24:15-28
So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; someone on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!”—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, “Look! He is in the wilderness”, do not go out. If they say, “Look! He is in the inner rooms”, do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Collect
Most gracious God, who called your servant Antony to sell all that he had and to serve you in the solitude of the desert: by his example may we learn to deny ourselves and to love you before all things; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

But the Church is rich!

2012-01-16T19:47:00.001Z

Another aspect of that wickedly sinful body, the Church, is the fact that everyone knows that it is rich! In fact when St Paul's did the dirty on the OLSX protesers and looked at having them evicted it wasn't about health and safety or fire risk or security issues but was, purely and simply about money!

Of course this line of conversation will include that wonderful misquote, "Money is the root of all evil!" But then I'm sure we all know that what is really written, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil - And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (1Tim 6:10). At the end of the day it always comes down to what you love, for as the Bible so rightly says, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."(Matt 6:21)

Yes indeedy, what we love guides the way that we live, think and act. If money is the prime mover in our life then money will be what we seek, what rules us and what occupies our thoughts all the time. The same is true of power, sex, and anything (and everything) that we can think of - and so where our love is moved from God and being Christlike to money and possessions, we become possessed by them.

But is the Church really rich and does it sit on its wealth like some a Scrooge-like miserly, miserable creature? Is it like Fagin in that it seeks only to acquire wealth at the expense of others, even if it means going outside of (God's) law?

My experience tells me that the answer is 'No' and then I remember my Father pointing out things and places when he was driving delivery vans (as a fire officer it was two days, two nights, two off and the 'off' meant working as a van driver!). Whenever we ended up in Soho he'd point out the statue of Charles II (by Caius Cibber), the brothels and clubs (Ronnie Scott's, mmm) and tell me how all the land they were built upon was owned by 'The Church'. We'd end up near Shepherd's MArket and as we watched the Toms (prostitutes) turning a trick he'd tell me that once again it was 'The Church' that owned the land.

By the time I was twelve I knew most of the landmarks of my home town (being a Cockney born and bred) and had come to understand that 'The Church' was a bunch of dodgy geezers what run the knocking shops and had, "More money than sense!" (Me dear old Dad's words!). Of course by this he meant the Church of England, but he was an egalitarian sort and so always had an opinion and view on the other brands as well.

First time we delivered around Westminister Cathedral (including a drop off at Horseferry Road home of the Magistrate's Court and birthplace of the A to Z (Phyllis Persall) we found ourselves stopping behind the Army and Navy store for lunch and me being told about the Catholics, the potato famine, Cromwell and how the 'left footers' (or often 'devil dodgers, especially when they were queuing on a Saturday night) were the richest institution in the world. Stories of starving people around the world (it wasn't just in Ireland) and fat clergy watching through windows as they ate, of riches amassed from the poor who sought to buy their way to heaven and more besides left me thinking that 'The Church' were a bunch of money-grabbing thieves!

But what of my opinion all these years later (and exiled far from home)?

Well, having set the scene, you will have to wait until tomorrow. But I will leave you with a question.

Who set the storyline for you regarding 'The Church' and was it true then and is it true now?

Wadyathink?

Church is a negative!

2012-01-16T09:32:00.001Z

Following on from the 'I love God but hate Church' post I have to write a little more about 'Church', that all-embracing, much-vilified bunch of money-grabbing hypocrites.

I was recently privileged to meet someone who was in a very privileged position in that they work at Westminster. As we spoke about the needs in the community we seek to serve a third voice pointed out the involvement of our happy crew in each of them.

Christmas came up and so to did the fact that the Christians in our town supported and fed forty-eight people on Christmas Day in the shape of a 'Don't be Home Alone this Christmas' lunch! Homelessness came up and many areas of support, care and provision came to the fore. Mental health - yes, the Church was there too! Supporting children and families, Foodbank, Child protection conferences, interventions, restorative justice and a host of other issues came into view and each and every time, whose hands were firmly and effectively, on the ball?

Of course it was the Church!

When people say the Church is self-serving, focussed only on money, hypocritical all I can say in it's defence is that whilst you will find some flawed and even awful people in the church, the party is still fantastic and rather than let the minority ruin it - look at the majority and enjoy being in it and be proud of all that it is and does!

If you are following Christ then you're of course a Christian.
If you are a Christian then you are also Church. Simple isn't it?

So if you aren't happy with what you see in the public face, in the words or actions of the hierarchy of Church - then make a stand and make your point as an individual, with others, with your church, your Deanery, presbytery, circuit and then go wider until people listen and changes are made. Don't let a few get in the way of the reality that Church is, was, and always has been the only hope for many in our nation and others around the world! So don't deny it!

Thank you God for Church!

2012-01-16T07:13:00.000Z

Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my King, and bless your name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless you and praise your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; his greatness is beyond all searching out. One generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts. They shall speak of the majesty of your glory, and I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. They shall speak of the might of your marvellous acts, and I will also tell of your greatness. They shall pour forth the story of your abundant kindness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great goodness. The Lord is loving to everyone and his mercy is over all his creatures. All your works praise you, O Lord, and your faithful servants bless you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your mighty power, To make known to all peoples your mighty acts and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your dominion endures throughout all ages. The Lord is sure in all his words and faithful in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all those who are bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open wide your hand and fill all things living with plenty. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving in all his works. The Lord is near to those who call upon him, to all who call upon him faithfully. He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over those who love him, but all the wicked shall he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Psalm 146
Alleluia. Praise the Lord, O my soul: while I live will I praise the Lord; as long as I have any being, I will sing praises to my God. Put not your trust in princes, nor in any human power, for there is no help in them. When their breath goes forth, they return to the earth; on that day all their thoughts perish. Happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God; Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps his promise for ever; Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong and bread to those who hunger. The Lord looses those that are bound; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous; The Lord watches over the stranger in the land; he upholds the orphan and widow; but the way of the wicked he turns upside down. The Lord shall reign for ever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Alleluia.

Genesis 6: 11-7.10
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.’ Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.’ And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth.

Matthew 24:1-14
As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Then he asked them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah!” and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
‘Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But anyone who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new:
transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

"I love God but Hate Church!'

2012-01-15T09:41:00.001Z

The above billboard sums up a conversation I had with a church member this week.

They pointed to the St Paul's debacle and the Church's failure to do what everyone else saw as right. They railed at the 'fact' that the Church is more taken up with money than people, consistently missing the opportunity to act in a Christian manners doing the right thing and predominantly appearing to be bankers (I don't think that was meant to be a euphemism!) and financial types.

"I love God," they cried, "But I don't want anything to do with Church! I'm more concerned about me and heaven than being alongside a bunch of hypocrites, and worse still, being one of them!"

Now I don't know about you but I can remember when I thought, spoke and even acted like this lovely person. I didn't want to be part of any denomination I just wanted to follow Jesus and His teachings. I wanted to keep myself 'clean' and avoid the religious people. The problem was as I progressed further along this path (and I did for quite some time - about eighteen months) I found myself being more and more of a hypocrite in the way that what I said married up to who I was, and was becoming.

Then, one day it struck me that if I was someone who believed in Jesus and looked to His sacrifice on the cross to bring me and God back together then I too was 'Church'. This didn't mean that I bought into the hierarchy or applauded the excesses, weakness and errors or politely coughed and looked away when hypocrisy was on display, it meant that I couldn't live in isolation from other Christians and where two or more of us were together, we were Church. In fact even when I was on my own, being a bit Trinitarian, there were four of us and so Church was to be found in me alone. Not only that but because of this, wheresoever I went, basilaea, the Kingdom of God was to be found too.

I was to be the lampstand that was placed in the centre of things so that all might see by the light of Christ (Matt5 // Lk 8 & 15). I was to be part of the body that did the task it was called to do that the whole body might be fit and well and work as it should (1 Cor 12).

I'm sorry to say this but once you take Christ's hand and accept His offer of life then you are part of Church and if the institutional body that bears his name is getting it wrong, then we stand and speak out, we make our stand and seek to restore those in error (GENTLY!).

Christianity is not about condemning anyone but is about coming alongside, affirming, supporting and leading them to better things.

How we doing?

2012-01-15T07:43:00.000Z

Psalm 145:1-12
I will exalt you, O God my King, and bless your name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless you and praise your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; his greatness is beyond all searching out. One generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts. They shall speak of the majesty of your glory, and I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. They shall speak of the might of your marvellous acts, and I will also tell of your greatness. They shall pour forth the story of your abundant kindness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great goodness. The Lord is loving to everyone and his mercy is over all his creatures. All your works praise you, O Lord, and your faithful servants bless you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your mighty power, To make known to all peoples your mighty acts and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.

Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

1 Corinthians 6:11-20
And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be dominated by anything. ‘Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food’, and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, ‘The two shall be one flesh.’ But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new:
transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Caption Contest - 24

2012-01-14T08:35:00.001Z

As a response to the many who have asked me, "What's happened to the caption contest?" Here it is back so that all you clever and witty people out there can shine:

Happy Saturday

2012-01-14T07:21:00.000Z

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon; He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord splits the flash of lightning; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe
and strips the forests bare; in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore. The Lord shall give strength to his people; the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, for it is good for the just to sing praises. Praise the Lord with the lyre; on the ten-stringed harp sing his praise. Sing for him a new song; play skilfully, with shouts of praise. For the word of the Lord is true and all his works are sure. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all their host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers up the waters of the sea as in a waterskin and lays up the deep in his treasury. Let all the earth fear the Lord; stand in awe of him, all who dwell in the world. For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to naught; he frustrates the designs of the peoples. But the counsel of the Lord shall endure for ever and the designs of his heart from generation to generation. Happy the nation whose God is the Lord and the people he has chosen for his own. The Lord looks down from heaven and beholds all the children of earth. From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze on all who dwell on the earth. He fashions all the hearts of them and understands all their works. No king is saved by the might of his host; no warrior delivered by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; for all its strength it cannot save. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, on those who wait in hope for his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death and to feed them in time of famine. Our soul waits longingly for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Indeed, our heart rejoices in him; In his holy name have we put our trust. Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have set our hope on you.

Genesis 6: 1-10
When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. Then the Lord said, ‘My spirit shall not abide in mortals for ever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterwards—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.
These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Matthew 22: 34-end
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’ ”? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

The Collect
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office - Jan 13

2012-01-13T07:29:00.001Z

Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith, 367
Kentigern (Mungo), Missionary Bishop in Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603
George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends (the Quakers), 1691

Psalm 67
God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, That your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. O let the nations rejoice and be glad, for you will judge the peoples righteously and govern the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God, our own God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Psalm 72
Give the king your judgements, O God, and your righteousness to the son of a king. Then shall he judge your people righteously and your poor with justice. May the mountains bring forth peace, and the little hills righteousness for the people. May he defend the poor among the people, deliver the children of the needy and crush the oppressor. May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, like the showers that water the earth. In his time shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. May his dominion extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May his foes kneel before him and his enemies lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts. All kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall do him service. For he shall deliver the poor that cry out, the needy and those who have no helper. He shall have pity on the weak and poor; he shall preserve the lives of the needy. He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Long may he live; unto him may be given gold from Sheba; may prayer be made for him continually and may they bless him all the day long. May there be abundance of grain on the earth, standing thick upon the hilltops; may its fruit flourish like Lebanon and its grain grow like the grass of the field. May his name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures; may all nations be blest in him
and call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever. May all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

Genesis 4:1-16, 25-26
Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.’ Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.’
Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.’ Cain said to the Lord, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.’ And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.’ To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.

Matthew 22:15-33
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses said, “If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.” Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.’
Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.

The Collect
Everlasting God,
whose servant Hilary steadfastly confessed your Son Jesus Christ to be both human and divine:
grant us his gentle courtesy to bring to all the message of redemption in the incarnate Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Static church

2012-01-12T17:00:00.000Z

Following on from the four state diagram of church based upon the two parameters of 'Resource' (Spiritual health, People, networks, building, equipment, money, etc.) and 'Mission' (Going into all the world, making disciples, being Christ to the world - taking Christ to the world.), I thought it might be helpful to consider each of the fours states of 'being church' that exist, beginning with 'Static Church'.

In the two parameter (MR - Mission and resource) model a static church is one that has enough money to pay its way and generally exists for those within its walls rather than outside. Traditionally churches like these will continue to potter comfortably along doing as it always has and attracting new members who usually come into an area from a church which is similar. A conversation with a static church member told me that the people did church as they wanted and because they paid their share and kept well below the radar (after if there's nothing to shout about, good or bad, then people tend not to notice you) they were generally left to their own devices.

The church did everything it always did, Fairs and Fetes, Harvest Supper, Candlelit Carols, Beetle Drives (is that something to do with farming?) and all the other stuff that made church the place to be when the members were kids all still happened. There was a choir with an organ and nowhere was there a guitar to be found. It was fifties church made possible today - a sort of Beamish Museum for the Anglicans!

The members assumed that because they paid and maintained their numbers they were a successful church and you know what, I don't think they were wrong! There is something to be said for maintenance in places where mission isn't anything other than a nice concept, after all the community was pretty static and the nature of the place was such that those moving in, when homes became available, were pretty much the same people. The problem will come when those who start moving in to the area are dechurched or unchurched and fresh stocks to replenish the pews diminish. The sudden awareness that mission is needed to pay the share and fill the pews is more than just a culture shock (as some of those with whom I engage are beginning to find)!

So if you're in a static church why not start to look at how you might add a missional element into what being church is for those around you? It's what we are called to be and it's much easier to start the ball rolling in an environment that is relaxed and working to its own agenda than to trying to engage in looking outwards when you find you can't pay your bills and the share is looking unpayable.

Pax

2012-01-12T07:22:00.001Z

Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, Scholar, 689

Psalm 21
The king shall rejoice in your strength, O Lord; how greatly shall he rejoice in your salvation! You have given him his heart’s desire and have not denied the request of his lips. For you come to meet him with blessings of goodness and set a crown of pure gold upon his head. He asked of you life and you gave it him, length of days, for ever and ever. His honour is great because of your salvation; Glory and majesty have you laid upon him. You have granted him everlasting felicity and will make him glad with joy in your presence. For the king puts his trust in the Lord; because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he shall not be overthrown. Your hand shall mark down all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. You will make them like a fiery oven
in the time of your wrath; the Lord will swallow them up in his anger and the fire will consume them. Their fruit you will root out of the land and their seed from among its inhabitants. Because they intend evil against you and devise wicked schemes which they cannot perform, You will put them to flight when you aim your bow at their faces. Be exalted, O Lord, in your own might; we will make music and sing of your power.

Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it, the compass of the world and all who dwell therein. For he has founded it upon the seas and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep. ‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, or who can rise up in his holy place?’ ‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not lifted up their soul to an idol, nor sworn an oath to a lie; ‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a just reward from the God of their salvation.' Such is the company of those who seek him, of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. ‘Who is the King of glory?’ ‘The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty in battle.’ Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. ‘Who is this King of glory?’ ‘The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.’

Genesis 3
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.’ The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.’
To the woman he said, ‘I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’
And to the man he said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, “You shall not eat of it”, cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’
The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all who live. And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them.
Then the Lord God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever’—therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.

Matthew 22.1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

The Collect
Almighty God,
who endowed Aelred the abbot with the gift of Christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness:
grant to your people that same spirit of mutual affection,
so that, in loving one another,
we may know the love of Christ and rejoice in the eternal possession of your supreme goodness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Breast Implants, Pakistan, Iran and Education

2012-01-11T13:53:00.000Z

Midweek communion over it is time to start writing stuff and getting services sorted and as I do the news starts to descend into April the First mode again.

We have the Harley Medical Group in the form of Chairman Mel Braham saying that they wouldn't be removing or replacing any of the c. 14,000 breast implants without charging for the privilege. Mel takes what he probably considers a high moral stand and which I consider to be highly imoral as he witters on about the responsibility being with those who approved them (MHRA, NICE & NHS then I assume) and that they have no liability.

So the good old taxpayer will be footing the bill to remove the faulty products! Mind you if I understood the news item correctly the NHS won't be fitting new implants because they don't do cosmetic surgery (well not that sort!) not even if Harley provided the replacements. I would imaging the best course of action would be to resolve the problem and then remove all and any licence from those companies who took the cash and ignored their own liability and the customer services indicative that these faulty implants provide.

For some time now part of my answer to why is Britain involved in Afghanistan has included an area that stated that once we weren't involved in the region the potential for Pakistan ceasing to be the nation state that it is would diminish greatly. Seems that alongside those who have sought to bring about the fracturing of the nation by terrorism and other nefarious means from within and without we now have the presence of the Pakistani forces to consider as well The 'Memogate' saga and the apparently split loyalties of those in Pakistan's political and military life are also conspiring to make the continuation of a secure and stable nation state of Pakistan something of a diminishing hope!

Moving on the news of the murder of Iranian nuclear expert, Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, who worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, by means of a magnetic explosive device which a passing motorcyclist fitted to the man's vehicle. I don't know what's more bizarre, the fact that this wasn't the first of the nuclear experts to be killed or that the authorities felt that whilst it looked like Mossad it could equally have be laid at the CIA's door. This statement came without any hint of surprise or comment. It was just one of those, "That's how it is!' statements. Still, only a short trip from Iraq to Iran if someone is really stupid enough to pick up the gauntlet!

And as the news wound down we find Education Minister, Michael Gove, being all surprised that ICT is a waste of time, money and effort and have him telling us how these boring and pointless lessons will be replaced by something more effective and attractive. My question is where's he going to find the money. AHA, he's not - our kids are going to be taught by Microsoft and Google!

What is going on today? Perhaps God is trying to get us praying (or satan is hoping we'll despair and give up?)

PAx

What the Vicar does or doesn't do!

2012-01-11T11:28:00.002Z

One of the interesting considerations that crops up in my working day is a visit to, "You do too much," city! An interesting condundrum which involves that which I addressed slightly in the blog 'If you build it' and the blog entry which considered the issue of 'Healthy dogcollar or healthy church'.

The issue is that when I engage in conversation with members of churches regarding mission, the perception of those members with regard to their Vicar falls neatly into three distinct camps:

!. The Vicar does nothing

2. The Vicar does it all, and (the good Anglican option)

3. I couldn't possibly say!

Now the first category is usually taken up by those who have a host of good ideas on how the church could be built and they take pleasure (and great pains) to tell me how, "If only the Vicar would do something," the church could grow and the ministry flourish.When this happens I ask them what they have seen that isn't being done and how they have started doing it so that it is being done. I have to say that to date I haven't had a single person who has identified all the Vicar isn't doing and decided that they would make it happen instead. Well I guess it is the Vicar's job isn't it?

The second category will tell me how much is going on (and stand happily in the team photograph and take the shared applause) but will tell me that the Vicar is doing it all and that they can't get a look in. When I ask them what it's like being in the team that works in one, any or all of the areas that have been given as the province of the 'Vicar doing everything'! The usual response is that they aren't in the team (if there is one and oddly there usually is) and as we talk further it seems that the real complaint is that they aren't in charge themselves.

The last group are the strangest because first and foremost they aren't complaining (and that is indeed very strange!). They are also the people who generally ask nothing from church other than it continuing as a place where they can come, sit in their same seat and enjoy the same service and then, ritual / habit /whatever complete, swan of home. Sadly they are also generally the people who bring nothing to church either (other than the pound coin they've always given as their admission fee!).

Whilst we know where the first two voices are to be found the last voice is actually a silence that condemns the church (and the Church) to something that is terminal and it is these very same people who, once caught alight, can set fire to the whole people of God.

Now as I understand it we cannot do Church without being collaborative and the whole message of the body being in need of the many organs that comprise it and being connected to them as a whole is one of the big hints as to how Church functions (or at least should function).

The problem is that some look at the poor of dogcollar [DC] (perhaps that should be dogsbody?) and expect them to do whatever task they are pointed to whilst the pointee stands back to admire the fulfilment of the work through the actions of others.

The problem is that some want to work in an area but the DC is doing that and won't let anyone else have the job. The reality as I see it is that there are few in ministry who would not relish giving over an area of work to someone else, even if it means having to train them to do the role. This is true for me and for the majority of those who want to do - so if you're one of the who wants to be a do'er - go tell the person leading your church now and make their day. Of course when you do you shouldn't expect to just be handed it and left to your own devices as this is wrong on so many levels and where I've seen it happen has been the formula for disaster! But when you ask, there should be a discussion and a plan set in motion to transition the area away such that the DC can go plough other fields (wow, sounds a lot like diakonos doesn't it?).

The other problem is that some just want to be in control but don't actually ever get into the area of doing. This is rarely (in my limited wit and experience) due to lack of opportunity but is due to some other factor - The 'I cannot come to the banquet with you right now' syndrome. I have seen many (can I say too many without offence? Too late - just did!) who live in this and bemoan the lack of opportunity and fail to mention their lack of getting off their behindsides and just getting on with it. They point publicly and in their own comfortable places sing their 'I cannot come' song!

Time is coming that our churches are going to have to live in the reality that we exist to praise God, bring help to the helpless, love to the unloveable and discomfort to the comfortable.

How's it looking from your end of the wire?

If you love books

2012-01-11T10:15:00.000Z

You'll love this:

Daily Office - Jan 11

2012-01-11T07:04:00.001Z

Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa, 1915

Psalm 19
The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. One day pours out its song to another and one night unfolds knowledge to another. They have neither speech nor language and their voices are not heard, Yet their sound has gone out into all lands and their words to the ends of the world. In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoices as a champion to run his course. It goes forth from the end of the heavens
and runs to the very end again, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, dripping from the honeycomb. By them also is your servant taught and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can tell how often they offend? O cleanse me from my secret faults! Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get dominion over me; so shall I be undefiled, and innocent of great offence. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 20
May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Jacob defend you; Send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you out of Zion; Remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice; Grant you your heart’s desire and fulfil all your mind. May we rejoice in your salvation
and triumph in the name of our God; may the Lord perform all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord will save his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven, with the mighty strength of his right hand. Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call only on the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. O Lord, save the king and answer us when we call upon you.

Genesis 2: 4-end
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground—then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’
Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.’ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

Matthew 21: 33-end
‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’
Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

The Collect

Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

TV Licensing - Better than TV

2012-01-10T16:20:00.000Z

I contacted the TV Licensing people today and during the exchange was asked for a contact number. As I was doing this for someone I had to try and work out a way forward and so I gave them my number which, only having ten digits, wouldn't go onto their system.

I was asked if the number was correct and after explaining that it was my own number was asked whether I'd got it right! I explained that the number was correct because I'd been taught it along with my name and address in case I ever got lost! I then suggested that perhaps she might like to add a zero at the end and this would mean she had the required number of digits and the telephone system would ignore the redundant digit - all would therefore be well.

"But it's not your number," said the helpful (but perhaps a little dim) person on the other end of the line and I can't put the number in if it's not yours! So I explained again and got no further forward and so, refusing the offer of adding my mobile instead, used the church number!

Firstly I wondered at what a completely naff bit of programming we, the general public, have paid for here in that it can't function without eleven digits? Another bit of rubbish with an equally awful VB front end (and perhaps a dispenser for peanuts when the operator gets it right - or am I thinking of something else here?). I suppose it might be a bit of 'error-trapping' to avoid input errors on the part of the call centre person (used it myself where names and the like could only be alpha, not numeric, which works well until Elizabeth 2 tried to buy insurance!!!).

Secondly I can't believe how rigid and unimaginative / responsive some people are. I had hoped that the press the blue button, then the yellow, now the red - job done type operations were on the decline but it seems that we might be a lot nearer 'Idiocracy' than I suspected.

I'd like to say that it made me smile - but to be honest, it didn't.

Happy Daze!

HS2 - NIMBYism or Political Suicide?

2012-01-10T09:02:00.002Z

A while back I tried to organise a public meeting in the area in which I live so that we might get the churches involved in the 'No to HS2' campaign. Now although many around me will be affected, but will not benefit, from this new high speed route I wanted us to discuss the issue and hear the views and facts from all sides of the debate so that we might be engaged with the needs of those around us and have a balanced view.

My first problem came when I eventually managed to get someone from the 'No to HS2' group to talk to me about the issue, something that came about because they were dropping off petition forms not because of the five unanswered electronically generated message or two emails sent to one of the organisers or the two answerphone messages I left! I told them what I wanted to do, and why, and was basically told that they didn't need that, they were doing their own meetings! Hey ho - so now if your read my other HS2 post you will know why the meeting never happened.!

Better still, this concerned citizen basically put forward the views that it wouldn't have been so bad if the route had gone through Tamworth as it wouldn't make any difference to them but her pretty little place of residence would be subject to discomfort and five years of traffic and works!

Wow! Let's forget the financial benefits, the impact of the project on the natural, agricultural or community life in general, this was all about her and her pretty little cottage and the (rather well-heeled it seemed) community and, it appeared, that all would be well if it was placed nearer 'those people'!

So sadly the meeting never took place and I felt sad that regardless of how it might be masked, my only contact with the opposition had been some BMW driving, 'Let them eat cake' bimbag! (Thanks to Julie who many years ago told me that she and the other's in her group came in Bimbette, Bimbo and Bimbag - something that every time I think of it makes me smile :) ).

Better still, today all I have heard is many Conservative supporters burbling on about how they have withheld party funds, will not vote for Conservatives next time and many other mutterings and threats that make me think that come the next election (will the other brother be leading them by then having have the less adequate one keep the seat warm for him during the coalition days) Labour could win because of the 'make the Conservatives pay'brigade.

Seems that London will benefit from HS2 and that joining the North and the South might be a reality for the privileged few, but the rest will merely watch as a blur carrying the privileged passes them by - seems this is the reality for many and will never change (unless we start doing Gospel stuff of course for there is a spiritual side to this too).

Politics and the self-righteous, the self-serving and the plebs. Interesting stuff or what?

So the question, "HS2 - NIMBYism or Political Suicide?" I think it might just be both (now what of the price our natural world will pay?

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 10

2012-01-10T07:23:00.001Z

William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1645

Psalm 8
Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world! Your majesty above the heavens is praised out of the mouths of babes at the breast. You have founded a stronghold against your foes, that you might still the enemy and the avenger.4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have ordained, What is man, that you should be mindful of him; the son of man, that you should seek him out? You have made him little lower than the angels and crown him with glory and honour. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen, even the wild beasts of the field, The birds of the air, the fish of the sea and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea. Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world!

Psalm 9
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will make music to your name, O Most High. When my enemies are driven back, they stumble and perish at your presence. For you have maintained my right and my cause; you sat on your throne giving righteous judgement. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever. The enemy was utterly laid waste. You uprooted their cities;their very memory has perished. But the Lord shall endure for ever; he has made fast his throne for judgement. For he shall rule the world with righteousness and govern the peoples with equity. Then will the Lord be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in the time of trouble. And those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, Lord, have never failed those who seek you. Sing praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion; declare among the peoples the things he has done. The avenger of blood has remembered them; he did not forget the cry of the oppressed. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider the trouble I suffer from those who hate me, you that lift me up from the gates of death; That I may tell all your praises in the gates of the city of Zion and rejoice in your salvation. The nations shall sink into the pit of their making and in the snare which they set will their own foot be taken. The Lord makes himself known by his acts of justice; the wicked are snared in the works of their own hands. They shall return to the land of darkness, all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever. Arise, O Lord, and let not mortals have the upper hand; let the nations be judged before your face. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but mortal.

Genesis 1.20-2.3
And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

Matthew 21.18-32
In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’
When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

The Collect
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Resources and Mission - Where are you?

2012-01-09T10:39:00.004Z

When it comes to 'being church' there are, in the final analysis, but two parameters to be taken into account:

!. Resources - Spiritual health, People, networks, building, equipment, money, etc.

2. Mission - Going into all the world, making disciples, being Christ to the world - taking Christ to the world.

Now if there are but two elements to be considered we have but four states of existence and it is these that aid us (not label or condemn) to understand the present and the task before us if we are to have a future (and Christ is to be made known where we are).

The chart below sums it up nicely:

The above graphic came from our 'Vision 2012' meeting last night and it is from this that I would like to dialogue with and consider issues that must visit all who are engaged in 'being Church', regardless of denomination, churchmanship and leadership structures.

I hope you will take this journey with me and perhaps come up with clarity where at the moment I see, but see as if there were 'trees walking'. May God fully open my, and our eyes, and my those who read this and have knowledge and understand that passes this ordinary cleric by, enlighten us.

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 9

2012-01-09T08:15:00.001Z

Psalm 2
Why are the nations in tumult, and why do the peoples devise a vain plot? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed: 'Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us.’ He who dwells in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury: ‘Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.’ I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; he said to me: ‘You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. ‘Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore be wise, O kings; be prudent, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and you perish from the way,for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all they who take refuge in him.

Psalm 110
The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.' May the Lord stretch forth the sceptre of your power; rule from Zion in the midst of your enemies. ‘Noble are you on this day of your birth; on the holy mountain, from the womb of the dawn the dew of your new birth is upon you.’ The Lord has sworn and will not retract: ‘You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’ The king at your right hand, O Lord, shall smite down kings in the day of his wrath. In all his majesty, he shall judge among the nations, smiting heads over all the wide earth. He shall drink from the brook beside the way; therefore shall he lift high his head.

Genesis 1: 1-19
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

Matthew 21: 1-17
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers.’
The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’, they became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself”?’ He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

The Collect
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In, Out, Up, Of

2012-01-08T09:16:00.001Z

Today should be an interesting and challenging day as we come to a 'vision meeting' this evening!

During this meeting we will consider the knotty issue of sustainability and where our church sits within such considerations.

We will examine who we are and what we are called to do and why we do it - and who we are doing it with, to and for.

Church cannot move in any one direction without being grounded to three others, hence the diagram below:

As we celebrate the Epiphany - Christ being made known to the world, known to men who were bright, intelligent, educated and questioning all - may we too be bright, intelligent, educated and questioning too! May we seek answers and examine all before us, not doubting but not taking all as read - it's what God calls us to be - thinking and intelligent followers.

The 'sheep' bit is about following a shepherd not following blindly!

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 8

2012-01-08T08:00:00.001Z

Psalm 89.19-29
You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: ‘I have set a youth above the mighty; I have raised a young man over the people. ‘I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. ‘My hand shall hold him fast and my arm shall strengthen him. ‘No enemy shall deceive him, nor any wicked person afflict him. ‘I will strike down his foes before his face and beat down those that hate him. ‘My truth also and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his head be exalted. ‘I will set his dominion upon the sea and his right hand upon the rivers. ‘He shall call to me, “You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation;” ‘And I will make him my firstborn: the most high above the kings of the earth. ‘The love I have pledged to him will I keep for ever, and my covenant will stand fast with him. ‘His seed also will I make to endure for ever •
and his throne as the days of heaven.

1 Samuel 16.1-3,13
The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

John 1.29-34
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The Collect
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Don't you just love Saturdays?

2012-01-07T16:59:00.001Z

The clerical life often means that, being someone under authority, we find ourselves coming and going at the behest of others and are controlled by the demands and expectations of ministry. Today, even though it be a Saturday, is no different from any other in that respect.

So fat today I've done my daily office, some paperwork and general administration, a 50th Wedding anniversary breakfast (which ended at 13:00) and then collected a couple of chairs for a previously homeless (thank you again Tamworth Borough council) person, collected some more furniture, wrote some poetry for use in a service, put the finishing touches to a couple of services that are coming up and now got time to check the final scores and have a cup of tea before going off to do another event elsewhere (which will be fun). Whoops - missed the writing the 'stage management' of a service to ensure that people are in the right place at the right time doing the right (or at least the same) things. Then putting together the final touches and running through (in head - a most cluttered and rubbish-strewn place) the 'Future of the church' meeting material for tomorrow night (so far people have asked if I'm leaving, the Lord is coming back or we're going to close - all of which might be . . . . . . )

Oh no, you'll have to come to the meeting to find out!!!

So, a word to the wise. Don't approach your dogcollar, pastor, cleric, priest, minister or apostle )or any other name you might choose to label them with) and suggest that the role is an hour or two on a Sunday. You might just end up hearing the truth.

So. Why not tell the person who pastors your flock how much you appreciate them tommorow?

THEN

Find the Mrs (or Mr) Vicarage and applaud the fact that without their love, input and presence much of what happens in our churches would never happen!

Thank God for the person who supports, cares, picks up the missed bit, mends the broken bits and generally makes the clergyperson look as if they knew what they were doing. Then thank God for providing them and loving us more :)

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 7

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000Z

Psalm 99
The Lord is king: let the peoples tremble; he is enthroned above the cherubim: let the earth shake. The Lord is great in Zion •and high above all peoples. Let them praise your name, which is great and awesome the Lord our God is holy. Mighty king, who loves justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before his footstool, for he is holy. Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel among those who call upon his name, they called upon the Lord and he answered them. He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies and the law that he gave them. You answered them, O Lord our God; you were a God who forgave them and pardoned them for their offences. Exalt the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 147.1-12
Alleluia. How good it is to make music for our God, how joyful to honour him with praise. The Lord builds up Jerusalem and gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up all their wounds. He counts the number of the stars and calls them all by their names. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his wisdom is beyond all telling. The Lord lifts up the poor, but casts down the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God upon the lyre; Who covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth; Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains and green plants to serve our needs. He gives the beasts their food and the young ravens when they cry. He takes no pleasure in the power of a horse, no delight in human strength; But the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their trust in his steadfast love.

Jeremiah 23: 1-8
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, “As the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt,” but “As the Lord lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them.” Then they shall live in their own land.

Matthew 20.1-16
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

Collect
God our Father,
in love you sent your Son that the world may have life:
lead us to seek him among the outcast and to find him in those in need,
for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Hijacking Easter

2012-01-06T08:32:00.004Z

Telephone rang yesterday:

"Hello, is that the Vicar?"

"Yes, it is, what can I do for you?"

"I want to get married.

[Pause to allow shock to subside, we just don't get weddings here because we are surrounded by picturesque church buildings which mean that out 1960's 'Barrett Building' isn't usually a first, second or third choice!]

"And when would you like get married?"

"Eleven O'clock on Easter Sunday."

"That's a bit of a busy day and we will be doing our morning communion service at that time and so wouldn't be able to do it then."

But I want to get married on Easter Sunday and can't get a registrar and a friend told me that you were a nice vicar and would do it!"

"Well that's kind of your friend but Easter Sunday is a bit of a special day for the Church and so as this is the primary service of the year as I see it and so couldn't do it on that day at that time."

"Who's your boss? I want their telephone number because it says in my book that Vicars HAVE to marry us!"

"Certainly, the bishop's telephone number is nnnnn. I'm sorry I couldn't help."

Phone goes down and I've become just a little more confused than usual.

Wondering what else I could have done (and whether, if I'd said 'Yes' whether I would then be told they wanted it at St Wallyburgs in the Mire - it's happened before. they want the vicar but not the church building he's attached to!!!) I turn to Google and find these comments regarding Easter Sunday services (Wedding.theknot.com):

I am also getting married on easter sunday. I have found that my guests have no problem with it and even my vendors are ok with it. Although I am not Christian, it was initially a concern for my guests...but I come to find to them at least it is no big deal and they are happy to celebrate my day with me.

Actually, Easter is a very joyous day as it has been discovered that Jesus was restructured. The season of lent is over as of Easter morning. Lent is a time of mourning and Easter is a day to celebrate. It is this day that is very appropriate for the celebrations of things such as the baptism of babies and uniting people in marriage.

Couples are allowed to get married during Lent in the Catholic Church, however, some priests still choose not to preform wedding ceremonies during that time. Definitely check with the priest before setting a wedding date during Lent!

I am getting married on Easter in Florida and haven't had to much of a problem. My grandmother and I were very close and she and my grandfather were married on the same date, and it was Easter, in 1936. I saw it as a sign! Even though it is a holiday, the most religous of relatives and friends decided that it would be a great idea to spend it together with us. I even had someone say that it was truly a new beginning!

Some days it seems that you just can't win! Would have been happy to have done it after the main service but this obviously wasn't going to be acceptable and so I await a call from the floor above!

Hey Ho!

Daily Office - Jan 6

2012-01-06T06:48:00.005Z

Epiphany

Psalm 132
Lord, remember for David all the hardships he endured; How he swore an oath to the Lord and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: 'I will not come within the shelter of my house, nor climb up into my bed; ‘I will not allow my eyes to sleep, nor let my eyelids slumber, ‘Until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.’
Now, we heard of the ark in Ephrathah and found it in the fields of Ja-ar. Let us enter his dwelling place and fall low before his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. Let your priests be clothed with righteousness and your faithful ones sing with joy. For your servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of your anointed.
The Lord has sworn an oath to David, a promise from which he will not shrink: ‘Of the fruit of your body shall I set upon your throne. ‘If your children keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon your throne for evermore.’ For the Lord has chosen Zion for himself; he has desired her for his habitation: ‘This shall be my resting place for ever; here will I dwell, for I have longed for her. ‘I will abundantly bless her provision; her poor will I satisfy with bread. ‘I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful ones shall rejoice and sing. ‘There will I make a horn to spring up for David; I will keep a lantern burning for my anointed. ‘As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame; but on him shall his crown be bright.’

Psalm 113
Alleluia. Give praise, you servants of the Lord, O praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God,
that has his throne so high, yet humbles himself to behold the things of heaven and earth?
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ashes, To set them with princes,
with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a place in the house and makes her a joyful mother of children. Alleluia.

Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labour, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;
for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.

John 1:29-34
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The Collect

O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Diane Abbott - The political Suarez?

2012-01-05T18:18:00.002Z

Perhaps following the Football Association's lead regarding Luis Suarez's racist comments to Patrice Evra the lovely ms Abbott needs to be given a ban and a fine too! The money could go to supporting the Professional Footballer's Associations's plan to give 'cultural awareness' training sessions to senior players so that they fall foul less often of being involved in racist comments (perhaps she could sit on them too?).

Seems that team captain, Ed Milliband, is pretty unimpressed and Assistant Referee, Nick Clegg, is calling for the lovely Ms Abbott to be given a red card and a ban too! Considering the Jeremy Clarkson debacle recently I'm a bit surprised the BBC hasn't been called to oust her from the 'Politics Show' too! Or have they?

Ho Ho - whoever said politics wasn't entertaining - wonder if she can drive? She might make it onto Top Gear ;)

Pax

Assisted Suicide - CofE get it right

2012-01-05T11:40:00.000Z

Today's Statement on the report of the Commission for Assisted Dying from the Church of England from the Bishop of Carlisle is an excellent offering and shows the integrity that I expect (hope or long for) from within our denomination.

The 'Commission on Assisted Dying' is a self-appointed group that excluded from its membership anyone with a known objection to assisted suicide. In contrast, the majority of commissioners, appointed personally by Lord Falconer, were already in favour of changing the law to legitimise assisted suicide. Lord Falconer has, himself, been a leading proponent for legitimising assisted suicide, for some years.

The commission undertook a quest to find effective safeguards that could be put in place to avoid abuse of any new law legitimising assisted suicide. Unsurprisingly, given the commission's composition, it has claimed to have found such safeguards.

Unlike the commissioners, we are unconvinced that the commission has been successful in its quest. It has singularly failed to demonstrate that vulnerable people are not placed at greater risk under its proposals than is currently the case under present legislation. In spite of the findings of research that it commissioned, it has failed adequately to take into account the fact that in all jurisdictions where assisted suicide or euthanasia is permitted, there are breaches of safeguards as well as notable failures in monitoring and reporting.

The present law strikes an excellent balance between safeguarding hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people and treating with fairness and compassion those few people who, acting out of selfless motives, have assisted a loved one to die.

Put simply, the most effective safeguard against abuse is to leave the law as it is. What Lord Falconer has done is to argue that it is morally acceptable to put many vulnerable people at increased risk so that the aspirations of a small number of individuals, to control the time, place and means of their deaths, might be met. Such a calculus of risk is unnecessary and wholly unacceptable.

I include also the CofE's 'Opposing suicide':

"The Church of England is opposed to any change in the law, or medical practice, to make assisted suicide permissible or acceptable.

Suffering, the Church maintains, must be met with compassion, commitment to high-quality services and effective medication; meeting it by assisted suicide is merely removing it in the crudest way possible.

In its March 2009 paper Assisted Dying/Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia, the Church acknowledged the complexity of the issues while explaining its position, noting that the compassion that motivates those who seek change equally motivates the Church's opposition to change.

In January 2012, the Church reitterated its views by responding to a report from the Commission on Assisted Dying with a statement from the Bishop of Carlisle.

Principles behind the Church's position

• Personal autonomy and the protection of life are both important principles that are often complementary but sometimes compete.

• Personal autonomy must be principled and not without regard to others.

• Protection of life should take priority when there is a conflict between the two.

• When protection of life is impossible that does not undermine these principles.

• Every human being is uniquely and equally valuable, hence human rights are built on the foundation of the 'right to life', as is much of the criminal code.

• An obligation on society, doctors and nurses, to take life or to assist in the taking of life would create a new and unwelcome role for society.

Assisted suicide in practice
There would be problems ensuring that any law permitting assisted suicide would be sufficiently safe-guarded against abuse.

Elastic interpretations of the law: any law, however tightly formulated, would have to be 'interpreted'; doctors would vary in their approach and consistency would be impossible to achieve with 'wider' interpretations of the law becoming acceptable.

Hidden pressures on patients and staff: even with safeguards, it would be impossible to ensure that no vulnerable, terminally ill patient would feel under moral, economic or social pressure to accept assisted suicide.

A redefinition of healthcare: trust in the health service is crucial to the health and well-being of individuals and of the population; to introduce assisted suicide into the NHS (the only way the 'right' would be universally accessible) would be to change fundamentally the nature of that trust.

The doctor and nurse/patient relationship would change: the nature of this relationship would change fundamentally and irrevocably if assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia were to become part of the 'treatment' that health professionals were to be able to offer their patients.

The effects on palliative care: assisted suicide would require large resources, with no guarantee it would be safely and fairly administered, putting further pressure on the already under-resourced psychological, social, family and spiritual support services needed to address all of the needs of terminally-ill people in a full palliative care-package.

Hallelujah!

Being 'In Control'

2012-01-05T08:26:00.002Z

The last forty-eight hours has featured many radio broadcasts and a few discussions on the knotty subject of killing the terminally ill. Sorry I meant of course terminating the terminally ill. No wait, I meant 'euthanising'. No, that's not right either, is it?

Got it! The last forty-eight hours has featured many radio broadcasts and a few discussions on the knotty subject of 'assisted suicide' and I have to admit that I am struggling with it for a number of reasons and at a number of levels.

One common justification of the the need and the act goes something like this: "If the person was a dog you'd do the right thing and put them down!" Now this is very true, but of course what we are saying here is that those who are terminally ill become sub-human and are to be regarded on a par with lower-level animals. So, become terminally ill and cease to be human? Sorry, but my faith, intellect and compassion can't go along with this - dignity is surely lost here, not afforded?

The next justification surrounds 'quality of life'. Which is sad because for many heading down this path seem to confuse quality with the ability, or potential, to earn or otherwise 'contribute' to society. It's sad because there are many people who will never work, never gain qualifications, play sports and never engage in a host of other stuff and yet they have a quality of life and they contribute to the lives of others.

I watched a young man who suffered spinal damage and yet teaches rugger from his wheelchair and has quality of life, influences others and is an inspiration. In an interview the reporter asked about another person, almost as badly damaged, who had opted to die. The man's assessment was that each chooses their own path and that he felt it had been wrong, but he wasn't that bloke.
I have seen severely broken people who although unable to communicate conventionally did communicate and although they'd never walk caused others to be moved and their very presence brought out something rather precious in those around them. Quality of life? Contributing and making a difference? Guess it depends on what you're looking for and what you want to see.

The issue of control is the biggest. "I want to control my life and decide when I die and decide how much trouble there is in my life and I, I, I, I (si si senora! - Rugger playing gene kicked in - sorry). "I want to be in control of my life and this means I can control when I come into the world and when I leave it." These words from someone suffering a terminal disease indicate the level of panic and distress, impotence and lack of rational thinking for none of us control when we come into the world, for we cannot determine when the plan and sexual endeavours of our parents took place but we can decide spiritually (see John1. 12 - 13: However, to all who received him, those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God's children, who were born, not merely in a genetic sense, nor from lust, nor from man’s desire, but from the will of God who were born, not merely in a genetic sense, nor from lust, nor from man's desire, but from the will of God.)

Unless we act against it, life continues until life ends and although it may not be an easy path it is still life and if one or more of these exists:

* The ability to engage with others,
* To listen to great music, books or other audio material
* To watch films, see paintings, images and people that touch us,
* To read, write or do both
* To be cognisant (and this is a problem with vegetative states - although now it seems there is awareness and even here things aren't as we presumed).

Then surely life exists! It might not be the easiest, most comfortable, as planned, in-control, life - but it is by any rational definition 'life'!

Now, thanks to the Commission os Assisted Dying (I suppose Commission on Killing the Ill would have caused a bit of an upset - there's something about some names that just doesn't work!) whose view is that if you have less than a year to live then you can get permission (two doctors signatures) to end your life. You have to be of sound mind and apparently do it yourself, it can't be administered (so you have to do it before you lose motor functions MD sufferers take note!)

What we have proposed here is not a last ditch act but a first shot desertion!

Where there is life there is hope and where there is God there is life - now have to go and join these ends. Feel free to draw more lines or make connections for me as I'd really like some other input from those I might otherwise never engage with.

Pax

Daily Office - Jan 5

2012-01-05T06:50:00.001Z

Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honour. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defence. Then the kings assembled, they came on together. As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic, they took to flight; trembling took hold of them there, pains as of a woman in labour, as when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, which God establishes forever.
We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.

Ruth 4.1-17
No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin, of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, “Come over, friend; sit down here.” And he went over and sat down. Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here”; so they sat down. He then said to the next-of-kin, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you.” So he said, “I will redeem it.” Then Boaz said, “The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.” At this, the next-of-kind said, “I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one took off a sandal and gave it to the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the next-of-kine said to Boaz, “Acquire it for yourself,” he took off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.” Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Colossians 4.2-end
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.”
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Collect
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Those 'Whoops Vicar' moments

2012-01-04T08:01:00.002Z

As often happens when you get a collection of clergy (is that a 'collect' I wonder?) stories of things that have happened to, and been done by, those in a Church setting come to the fore.

The last month has seen some quite amusing little tales, some of which I am sure are almost up there in the urban myth category and others are just plain understandable, believable (often because we've been there or thereabouts) and funny. Here's a couple of them:

I loved the story of the visiting priest who having been given a pretty ghastly mince pie with his, as ever, insipid and tepid tea used his usual tack of 'dropping' the offending culinary disaster down the side of the chair in the knowledge that the resident dog would hoover it up and cover his transgression. A few days after the visit our heroic cleric met a mutual friend who told him how sad the visited lady was that the dog had died a couple of weeks before! To date the bereaved and culinary-challenged parishioner hasn't mentioned the mince pie but be assured it hangs over his head a la Damocles' sword!

Before Christmas, during a particularly bad spell of rain, a certain cleric was engaged in an interment in the sloping corner of the graveyard and the family had chosen to bear the coffin. As the minister led the way to the graveside one of the family slipped on the wet and muddy ground and fell causing the others to take the weight, momentarily, and then lose the coffin! The result was that the coffin passed the cleric and, via a headstone or two, ended up with a 'hole in one' which caused the comment, "He never managed that when he was on the course," and tension broken, a round of laughter. Not sure about this but I can believe it as I've had one of the undertaker's men, chickens, and a handbag in with the coffin (did I ever tell you about the large woman?). Either way the image and the responses ate attractive!

Who ever said being a Vicar was boring?

Pax

Shooting Stars

2012-01-04T07:22:00.002Z

For those of us who enjoy free spectacles of the astronomical kind this morning was a real treat. Nestled in our garden this morning I was treated to the spectacle of 'shooting stars' aplenty. In fact they were coming in at around the billed frequency of one a minute and were extremely good in terms of visibility and persistence.

These Quantrantids are an excellent warm-up act for the more spectacular shows which are to come and if you're reading this before it gets too light take a look and see what you can see. The source is somewhere between the end of the pan-handle of the Plough and the the star the handle points to (Arcturus)

Enjoy

Daily Office - Jan 4

2012-01-04T07:13:00.000Z

Here's today's offerings:

Psalm 89.1-37
My song shall be always of the loving-kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I proclaim your faithfulness throughout all generations.
I will declare that your love is established for ever; you have set your faithfulness as firm as the heavens.
For you said: ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
“Your seed will I establish for ever and build up your throne for all generations.”
The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, and your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;
For who among the clouds can be compared to the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the host of heaven?
A God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and terrible above all those round about him.
Who is like you, Lord God of hosts? Mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all around you.
You rule the raging of the sea; you still its waves when they arise.
You crushed Rahab with a deadly wound and scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
Yours are the heavens; the earth also is yours; you established the world and all that fills it.
You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand and high is your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before your face.
Happy are the people who know the shout of triumph: they walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance.
In your name they rejoice all the day long and are exalted in your righteousness.
For you are the glory of their strength, and in your favour you lift up our heads.
Truly the Lord is our shield; The Holy One of Israel is our king.
You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: ‘I have set a youth above the mighty; I have raised a young man over the people.
‘I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him.
‘My hand shall hold him fast and my arm shall strengthen him.
‘No enemy shall deceive him, nor any wicked person afflict him.
‘I will strike down his foes before his face and beat down those that hate him.
‘My truth also and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his head be exalted.
‘I will set his dominion upon the sea and his right hand upon the rivers.
'He shall call to me, “You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation;”
‘And I will make him my firstborn: the most high above the kings of the earth.
‘The love I have pledged to him will I keep for ever, and my covenant will stand fast with him.
‘His seed also will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the days of heaven.
‘But if his children forsake my law and cease to walk in my judgements,
‘If they break my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
‘I will punish their offences with a rod and their sin with scourges.
‘But I will not take from him my steadfast love nor suffer my truth to fail.
‘My covenant will I not break nor alter what has gone out of my lips.
‘Once for all have I sworn by my holiness that I will not prove false to David.
‘His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the sun before me;
‘It shall stand fast for ever as the moon, the enduring witness in the heavens.’

Ruth 3
Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.’ She said to her, ‘All that you tell me I will do.’
So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came quietly and uncovered his feet, and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! He said, ‘Who are you?’ And she answered, ‘I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.’ He said, ‘May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I. Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do so. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.’
So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognise another; for he said, ‘It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.’ Then he said, ‘Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.’ So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city. She came to her mother-in-law, who said, ‘How did things go with you, my daughter?’ Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, ‘He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, “Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.” ’ She replied, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.’

Colossians 3.12-4.1
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Collect
Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Let's try this for a week and review it?

Horden Shootings

2012-01-03T15:48:00.000Z

The MP, Grahame Morris, and the Daily fascist (along with oh so many others) get it totally wrong. Then again what can I say but no surprise there. Morris in a totally uniformed kneejerk response (if the newspapers are to be believed) has called for tighter 'gun control' but thankfully David Cameron has come back with the right response in his assessment that this is not necessary.

Seems to me that the Prime Minister has got it absolutely right. Mind you the same boring and overbearing people who successfully called for the removal of handguns after Dunblane (and if he'd run them over with a car they would have called for a ban on motor vehicles I suppose?) are now trying, once again, to peddle their ignorance and take away the 'oh so scary' firearms from people who have a legitimate right to have them.

Now for those who will witter on about those who have the right to hold firearms (with the ambition of seeing this right removed) let me tell you what being a shooter means.

First and foremost it must be taken as a given that those who have rights also have responsibilities (whoops, there goes the animal rights lobby I guess) and there is no place where this is more true than the area of shooting. Had I a gun cabinet at home then I would have the responsibility to ensure it was safely affixed to walls such that it could not be jemmied off. Not only that but the cabinet would be of a design that resisted being forced open and were you successful in so doing would have to repeat the arduous task of breaking doors open at least a couple more times before you had the actions and the ammunition in the same place such that you might use the illegally accessed weapons held within it (and do it whilst the alarm got on your nerves to boot!). Now, picture a set of really nice Sabatier knives of a chunky set of golf clubs, which are potentially more lethal as the former could be hidden and the latter could be taken along a street without much consternation and people running away (well not until you started swinging anyway).

Secondly, being a shooter means that there are people in the community who are weapons savvy and it has been my experience that it is these very people who got a knock when granddad's 'war memento' was found wrapped in an oilskin up in the loft (and I know this to be true). It is also these people who spot the 'nutters' long before they can ever get anywhere near being issued with an FAC and it is because of this that some, who would have been problems, never make it to the front pages.

Thirdly, rather than call for increased measures and yet also saying that the use of psychiatrists as anything other than exceptional circumstances (as Mr Morris has done) many of the shooters I know from past contact were most happy for this if it proved helpful in keeping the sport/hobby of shooting more secure.

Lastly, when you consider the common denominator in pretty much all of the 'mad shooter' incidents in this country is maladministration by our overworked and under-resourced Police and ask why a man who was reported for an obvious metal health problem, or had come out of prison and was known to be dangerous (even without weapons) and yet was allowed to keep his weapons - this tells you where the real problems lie.

SOME FACTS

Shooters (generally) aren't in love with weapons in weird and wacky ways and those who came into my club and drooled at magazine pictures whilst mumbling, "Heckler & Koch MP7, oooh want one!" were destined never to shoot in our, or any other club and their cards were marked with the excellent Police officers what did firearms related work.

Six weapons in the possession of a shooter isn't 'an arsenal' any more than a bag of golf clubs, a box of Sabatier or a set of Le Creuset kitchenware is a collection of lethal weapons. Mind you, in the wrong hands and with the wrong intent all of these can be exactly that (and add the cooking of some as a credible fourth option in some cases).

Six weapons in a gun cabinet, especially when some are shotguns represents lots of firepower if there were six people, but not a lot when there is but one pair of hands available, but for one person it can be legitimised quite quickly by pointing to the different disciplines that different weapons are fit for. Target shooting, vermin, game, clays and the like quickly make the list as rational as having many clubs in your bag (or can you play with just a sand wedge?).

The idea of getting all the weapons and storing them in one place is great until you realise you have created a mega-arsenal and where there might be six (I used to have but four) there are now sixty! Rationalise that one for me.

My last point is the Ryan (Hungerford) wasn't such a non-shooter that all he managed to hit with his automatic weapons was road signs and yet they were taken away because of what he'd done (road sign protectionism?). Handguns were taken away because of Hamilton (Dunblane) and yet (a few odd practical pistol sorts aside) I would have said that these were treated with more security consciousness and greater control within shooting that even the most strict weapons banning type would have required. The reason for this is purely and simply ignorance and because they don't know they legislate.

So here's a bit more for you and a plea to politicians to actually understand what the needs and the realities are regarding shooters i.e. why not go to a club and ask questions (an MP would get you if they knocked, an ordinary mortal generally wouldn't unless they'd made appointments and stuff!

Pax

ps. Sorry it's long but I just had to keep sucking until the spaghetti was gone :)

Daily Office - Jan 3

2012-01-03T07:15:00.002Z

People continually ask me what passages to read each day and so I thought I would post the Daily Office readings each morning, starting today. I hope this blesses and helps.

Psalm 127:
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the Lord keeps the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, for he gives his beloved sleep.
Children are a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his gift. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy are those who have their quiver full of them:
they shall not be put to shame when they dispute with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128
Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be.
Your wife within your house shall be like a fruitful vine; your children round your table, like fresh olive branches. Thus shall the one be blest who fears the Lord.
The Lord from out of Zion bless you, that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of your life. May you see your children’s children, and may there be peace upon Israel.

Psalm 131
O Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not raised in haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters, with things that are too high for me.
But I have quieted and stilled my soul, like a weaned child on its mother’s breast; so my soul is quieted within me.
O Israel, trust in the Lord, from this time forth for evermore.

Ruth 2
Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.’ She said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you.’ They answered, ‘The Lord bless you.’ Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘To whom does this young woman belong?’ The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.” So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.’

Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.’ Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?’ But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!’ Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’

At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine.’ So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, ‘Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.’

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. Her mother-in-law said to her, ‘Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.’ So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, ‘The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.’ Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!’ Naomi also said to her, ‘The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.’ Then Ruth the Moabite said, ‘He even said to me, “Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.” ’ Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, ‘It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field.’ So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Colossians 3: 1 - 11
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

Collect for today
Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity, so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Happy Tuesday

Full versions of the Daily Office can be found here: Morning and Evening

Another Firearms incident

2012-01-03T05:41:00.001Z

And undoubtedly there will be more people pointing fingers and muttering about those who engage in shooting as a hobby and calling for further firearm restrictions just as they did with William Hamilton (Dunblane) Michael Ryan (Hungerford) and of course Raoul Moat (Northumberland). My problem with this is that there are a number of pre-programmed attitudes that shape the response and an equal number of factors which appear to come down, time and time again, to failings on the part of those who are called upon to monitor and manage the shooting community.

Now before we get into this more deeply I think I might need to explain the differences between those who shoot in that we have:

Shotgun owners - these people split into two distinct groups in that we have target shooters (clays, etc), game shooters (as it sounds, ie. stuff you can eat what runs around in the wild) and those who use it for vermin (rabbits and other things that are considered a nuisance). Need a shotgun certificate/licence to hold one.

Firearms owners - This group has target shooters (shooting at different distances and in different positions to put a bit of lead through a piece of paper), hunters (as it sounds) and vermin shooters (squirrels, rats, rabbits, foxes, etc.). Needs a Fire Arms Certificate (FAC) to legally hold any of these.

Air-powered weapon owners - (rifles and hand guns) which can be as powerful as the proper (goes bang) weapons and range from free to hold through to firearms certificate required (depending upon muzzle velocity).

It seems to me that in each and every case of firearms abuse the common factor has been the way that the Police have managed, controlled or otherwise being involved with the disaster that followed.

With Hungerford, Ryan was not a member of a club (and this is important as you will, hopefully, see shortly) and the paperwork was, if the people I knew who were involved, done without full checks, proper homes visit and a number of other failings. Local shooters knew the man to be suspect and had refused to support the application.

With Dunblane, once again the local shooters knew the man to be something worrying and had made this known to the people who manage firearms (the Police). The Police did visit the man's home and found illegally held weapons, loaded hand guns lying around the house and other breaches of firearm security and good practice. So what did the copper do when he discovered this (remembering the warnings of other shooters?), he put them on his ticket (FAC). It was these, now legal, weapons that did the damage!

In today's incident, Michael Atherton, held what sounds like five shotguns and one FAC weapon (although some reposts claim it is three of each!) and had apparently been reported as being unstable some time during 2008 and yet the man kept his weapons. Seems to me that once again the problem features the same people once again and this indicates some form of revision to the role and the responsibility of the Police!

Now some will merely start sounding off about 'removing all weapons' and some of these will include the Salford (illegally held murder last week) as a good reason to ban all on the premise that all illegally held weapons begin life as legally manufactured and held weapons. Of course this is true and on that premise all those who murder begin life as sweet little kids so if we extrapolate their logic into the human situation, culling all before the age of cognisance would remove murderers and other criminals! Of course both are pretty stupid aren't they? So what do we need to do?

Well first and foremost we need to understand that the best people to control the shooting fraternity itself. A for instance being that when I was a committee member of a shooting club the first thing that happened with a newcomer was safety training and assessment of the person. If the person gave any hint of concern they found they never got near a weapon and their card was marked with the local, excellent, coppers who did the Firearms role. When someone had an FAC and appeared to be dangerous they were managed and if it seemed that they couldn't be considered to be safe then, once again, the local coppers were given a call and home visits were done, often resulting in a ticking off, removal of weapons and sometimes removal of the person's ticket.

Secondly we need to realise that shooters generally aren't weird (O.K. if they are they were before they got into shooting and should have been picked up early on if that weirdness was threatening). A golf club is an equally dangerous weapon and just as it is used to propel a ball into a hole as accurately as possible, a shooter uses a weapon to propel a bit of lead into the centre of a target. Same game, different modes of operation!

Lastly we need to understand that we have more than adequate gun control laws, what we need is for them to be enforced and that with the pressures on the Police and a degree of general incompetence that has apparently existed if history is anything to go on and these shortcomings need to be addressed.

And of course, having come out of prison, why and how did Raoul Moat manage to still have weapons licensed to him? The same question lies on the table for Atherton today and for Hamilton when Dunblane took place.

Thank you for reading this - I hope it helps bring some clarity to the situation and some realism to the fatuous stuff that will be flying around after this sad and tragic situation.

Pax

ps. and there is still gun crime to be considered - perhaps we will do this later (tea drunk, daily office awaits)

The old year has passed - the new lies open before us

2012-01-02T08:22:00.000Z

If we were ever looking for a prayer to end all prayers I guess this has to be it for it offers new beginnings, fresh opportunities and the potential for so very much. It is with this thought that this morning's time before the keyboard has focussed on everything that is before us this year in the little family that I am privileged to pastor.

The church has reached a fork in the road and we need to make some very important decisions over the next week or so, choices have to be made and the type of church that we are has to be decided upon. As we approach this there are many things to thank God for where and who we are and some areas where we need to look at what we offer too!). Some of these are:

The 'Don't be home alone' Christmas lunch saw forty-eight people fed and given a good time. This meal, which we do with and for many of the churches within our town was, in my book, another great success and an opportunity to be really blessed (and I was, hope the rest were). A 'give thanks' area.

Kid's Club has been another blessing. The realisation that some of the children we started with five years ago are now adults is a bit frightening (yes, we are all getting older!). The format appears to be set but we need to look at ways we can help support those coming and perhaps extend what we do. A 'give thanks' and a 'new direction' area this one.

Friday Friends, our provision for the older generation continues to flourish and the team who work here are committed and so totally engaged that it is an ever continuing source of joy and inspiration. Another 'give thanks' area.

The Mental Health support group, an autonomous group who offer support and friendship to those who have had mental health issues, is one of the great blessings of 2011. Another 'give thanks' area which beggars the question, "What more should we be doing to support those with mental health needs?"

Drop-in - the free tea, coffee, cake and biscuits sessions which operate on Monday and Thursday ending with lunch for those who wish to stay and have it has seen the highest numbers yet over the past year. A gentle place where people can come and relax secure in the knowledge that they aren't going to be pressurised into 'being Christian'. A place where we can offer friendship without strings. Another 'give thanks' area.

Messy Church has been a mixed bag. Now in its second year we have seen some great days and have seen some where the attendance left us all a bit low. That said the opportunity to take it into other places and do it where the people are (rather than drag them into the fearsome 'Church' building) is proving to be a great opportunity to engaged and sow seeds of awareness - who can ask for more than that? Another 'give thanks' with a bit of 'fresh direction' area.

The midweek communion - a relatively new service which provides an opportunity for those who wouldn't otherwise be able to make church happen, happen! Lightweight, accessible and so informal as to be horizontal, this is a service which promises so much and for which praise and direction need to be sought.

Community engagement is one of the jewels in the life and mission of the church and this, along with the love and lack of acrimony within it, is probably the greatest source of continuous joy. We have seen some great community events and have received much encouragement from many. The only downside is the lack of space that wer can offer and this is the place whereby we begin our considerations as to the direction we take along the road.

There are other areas and things that are happening, about to happen, would like to see happening but that's enough for now. Please pray for us as we shuffle along behind Christ trying to discern His footsteps and 'do the stuff'. Please pray for me as I seek to lead but not direct and be part of the family rather than the man with the megaphone.

Happy New Year to one and all

Dear Vicar - Comments

2012-01-01T23:29:00.000Z

Having sought to answer the questions I will now turn my attention to the comments:

"You appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you."

Well I suppose this is true to some degree but isn't this true for everyone regardless of what they do wherever it is that they do it? I am frustrated by those senior types who miss the pastoral, evangelistic and grounded theological opportunities and am even more frustrated by those who fail to pastor because they are otherwise distracted, but they are few and far between (and so even more frustrating when they turn up). Of course we all get distracted, tired, disillusioned and negative at times I guess and so this is probably a weakness in me as much, if not more, than them.

"It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives."

I guess a polymath is someone who knows stuff about a lot of different and so I can but plead guilty as charged as long as I don't have to be an expert, or the authority, that is. I have indeed lived a number of lives and have a pretty wide-ranging ministry thanks to my inability to never say the dreaded word 'No' that is. I have a number of chaplaincy roles and do a fair few deanery and diocesan type roles as well and these add up to something rather different I guess. Thus far I've been a techie, scientist, IT person, flyer, sporty type, embryonic theologian, musician, poet, trainer, pastor, Anglican dog-collar (apologies if this offends, not my intention), soldier and much more besides. All this conspires that even when the life has passed the memories carry on and their resonances colour the rest of the portrait in progress.

"I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained)."

As I have said before, I don't write to be the authority but for myself in the hope that others may glean something of worth, and am happy to leave the task of writing for the sake of being whatever they seek to those who seek it. I am happy to be quoted and am equally happy to be challenged because either act brings further thinking and dialogue, internally and externally, and this can only be good. I don't write sound bytes or take up a topic to be noted and quoted, but good luck to those that do, I hope it works for them and they achieve whatever it is that floats their boat - but it's not me.

"You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?"

I guess I have answered this but I can't post, "As quoted by Ruth Gledhill," or claim to have been the specialist source for the Guardian, BBC or anything else as, as far as I know Ms Gledhill and all the other media don't know I exist and have never quoted me either. So not false pride, just living in the reality that few know who I am and more probably wouldn't care if they did. As for producing lists of my best post, comment or whatever - don't suppose you can have a list with one or less items in it and this explains my reluctance to so do this :)

"I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."

Well here it is and I hope it has explained enough about me to answer your questions and to give you some the desired insight, understanding and whatever it is that you were looking for and a very Happy New Year to you and yours (and those who read this) too!

Pax

'Dear Vicar' - Answers

2012-01-01T20:42:00.001Z

So here goes:

Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.

The majority of the stuff is mine, when it's not I try to make sure that I post credits and links to the it. Some of the stuff is sent to me by people but the poetry, writing and many of the images are indeed generally mine.

When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).

I don't write to impress people, which is good because it isn't that impressive, but to fulfill my own need to dialogue internally, This means that the blog is a sort of scratchpad for me to hang ideas, situations and other 'stuff' that is going on around me in my various bits of ministry and life. So your assessment of 'being inside my head' is pretty well spot on. It's not a performance, it's my reality.

Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.

Indeed I do mean it. I don't see myself as being anything but one of the many Anglican Priests who are out there doing the stuff and pastoring the flock. I am different from the others because I am me and my journey to ministry was, I assume, different to everyone else (even though I'm sure there are common areas as well)and everyone else is different too! With the thinking bit, my interests and theological training and study do all shape how I engage and it was one of the courses I've done that pushed the idea of trying to make theology accessible rather than use all the 'theology speak' stuff and make it high sounding and generally inaccessible. I assume (well I hope) that this is what is going on. Of course it could just be that I don't understand it :)

So there we have it, the questions answered as best I can. I hope that this meets some of the demands (undemanding though they were) of your mail to me and hope that this will help others understand me and the blog a little better.

V

A 'Dear Vicar'

2012-01-01T17:53:00.005Z

I have had a lovely email regarding 2011 and the VtV blog and so I thought I'd post it here (with permission gained and anonymity maintained as promised). So here goes:

"Dear Vicar,

I thought I would write and pose some questions and offer some comments regarding your blog which I find myself reading on a fairly regular basis these day. My questions are:

Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.

When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).

Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.

Additional comments are that you appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you. It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives.

I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained). You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?

I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."

The response is on the way - as for anyone else, I'm always happy to try and explain the weirdness that is me - I just love to Panda to people's needs:

Pax

A year in prospect

2012-01-01T07:38:00.001Z

Whoo Hoo! It's another new year and the register of services book stands open with a clean page and '2012' boldly written at the top. As the first service is about to kick off I look at the pitch, chairs neatly placed, carpet a lush shade of brown, the walls and ceiling painted and the table laid up and there is a spring in my step.

Will this morning be the first six of the year when it comes to the service and will I manage not to drop any of the catches, unlike last year, and play as well in the outfield as I do at the crease?

Will this be the year when we get bumper crowds and find the pavilion buzzing with happy, engaged, and committed supporters after the match?

Will we actually manage to build new stands to accomodate those who are turned away because of our limited capacity and will we find that by doing so we can do more to get involved in the community that surrounds our sporting venue?

Goodness me I just love Church!

Happy New Year

TWTYTW- It's over now let it go!

2011-12-31T21:48:00.002Z

One of the biggest things with the Christian faith is the very important issue of forgiveness.

We have the forgiveness of God who, as Jesus the Christ, comes to earth and pays the price so that we might be declared 'justified' (that is 'innocent'). Our sins are pardoned, forgiven and therefore just as we see the Father doing, so too should we be doing also. This, of course, means that forgiveness is a big part of who we are and how we behave towards one another.

So here, where I am, it is almost a quarter to ten and the church building is reverberating to the sound of music and the tables are full of good things and as we approach the finishing line for yet another year it is time to ask God to forgive us all that we have done wrong and for all that we have failed to do.

It is a time to reflect upon our shortcomings and celebrate on the , many more, successes and blessings that 2011 brought to us (and us to it).

It is a time to reflect on those who might have hurt us, accidentally, intentionally and perhaps without knowing and to lay everything that we might have against them, thinking that perhaps somehow we have the right, at the foot of the Cross praying that they will be blessed and a blessing in the year that is almost upon us.

And so Father God, I pray that you will make me a little more sensitive, a little slower to act and slower still to judge. Help me to be quicker to come alongside those with needs. Help me to be less judging and more caring, less about self and more about selflessness.

As we approach the coming year we look to Jesus, the Messiah and the fact that as we enter 2012 His second advent is that little bit nearer than it was this time last year. We ask that He will help us to be more like Him and that others will see more of Him and less of us than they did in 2011.

May God bless, enable and surround you, and those you love, with His grace, love and mercy and strengthen you to be His witnesses in all that we do in 2012.

And to those who have journeyed with me in church, blog and so many other ways - thank you for your prayers, patience and support. As a friend once said (of the year quite a few years back, but no less true tonight, for tonight) 2012 is going to be a very exciting year! Hallelujah!

Blessings

That Was The Year That Was

2011-12-31T12:20:00.004Z

And how many of us will learn from it? Well I think I just might.

I am sure that the people who came into my consciousness because of the often repeated mistakes in their life are destined to continue to repeat them in 2012 and this leads me into a few differing thoughts as I pray for them and their situation.

A colleague once told me (paraphrased here), "The idiots, the needy, the frivolous and the useless will always be with us. The key is to look like we are engaged but to avoid getting embroiled with them as much as we can. That way those outside will assume we are doing something and the 'idiots' will believe we'd like to do more but are merely just a little busy!"

Seems to me that this is one of the biggest problems with many people's perception of the Church in general. After all, is it any wonder that we are considered to be a nice bunch of generally ineffective people if the words of my colleague are commonplace? If those who work within the Church are working as hard to look like they are engaged as they do to be engaged is it any wonder that we struggle so much?

Another interesting conversation this year centred around the idea that eighty percent of our energy should be expended to keep us in tune with God and on a well-balanced personal path. The remaining twenty percent was to be used to do services and assist where assistance could be provided without diminishing the 'karma' (my word) of the minister concerned. "It's all about me and my walk first and then what is left is there for the others. What's better, a church that is full of flourishing and happy people or knowing that you have a walk with God that honours, talks with and generally revolved around Him for you? Thriving people or thriving pastor - take your pick!"

An excellent stance, after all being 'right with God' is everything, isn't it? Well it is, but not at the expense of those you (apparently) are called to shepherd.

A third colleague just disappeared from engaging with other churches and their leaders because they wanted to keep away from the 'sinners' and the immoral members, those who engaged in liberal thinking and the like. "Better to expel the immoral brethren," they cried, "Than to fall into their sinful ways!"

A right stance indeed. Better to protect your heart (and the hearts of those you lead) than to expend energy and engage with the people who act, think and live contrary to Scripture as you understand it. That way at least you will be assured of paradise whilst those you ignored will be . . . err, oh yeah, heading for hell with you in tow because you failed to warn them! Perhaps it's not the right way after all then?

Three facets from the gem that is Christian living from 2011 that I will be learning from and which will see me (continue I hope) to:

1. Be engaged with those who are foolish enough to be human and frail,

2. Working to keep my own walk in the footsteps of jesus, the Christ, but encouraging, supporting and enabling those who are church where I am and are Church even where I am not, and

3. Continuing to correct those who have fallen into sin in ways that restore them, gently, and ensure that in so doing I do not sin either.

So here's three lessons from 2011 that I have learned - what about you and the people you have met I wonder. What hat you learned and what have you taught others (good or bad)?

Pax

Church - WTF?

2011-12-30T12:30:00.000Z

This picture, which was gleaned (ie. pinched) from the Church Sofa is one of those made me laugh out loud (LOL) moments:

It sort of says it all and yet leaves something to be gleaned from those who might otherwise view the Church a little negatively too!

Oh happy day

Pax

Tamworth Borough Council - A tip of the hat

2011-12-30T08:12:00.000Z

I often find myself frustrated by the actions of government (local and national) and many of the statutory bodies but when you see something done, and done well, it is only right and proper that you acknowledge it. So I am giving a round of applause to the housing department of Tamworth Borough Council (TBC) for their managing to provide a solution for one of the homeless (they do exist in Tamworth despite the claims of some that there are none!) and provide it well.

Not only that but they managed to do it the day before Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve Eve?) and did a thoroughly professional job in the walk round and hand over phase of the process too.

I need also to recognise the work of Bromford in the whole process.

It is good to see the system work and work well - not always the case I'm sure but when it does it needs to be recognised because after all, the whole area of housing is one of depleted social housing stock, people trying to portray things as they aren't and great competition, all of which adds up to pressure for those who are employed at the coal face. So to them - THANK YOU for a job well done.

Pax

So who's naked?

2011-12-30T07:46:00.000Z

This morning I heard one of my favourite Warren Buffet quotes used in a news item:

"You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out."

This erudite observation is one that I immediately took to myself as it concisely acknowledged a reality that I too have noted and also commented on, but less politely perhaps. For I have stood shoulder to shoulder with people in a variety of settings and sat in gatherings (or merely watched or read about them) and thought to myself, "This is someone who is going to fall majestically,"" or perhaps more uncharitably, "Wow, what a snake oli salesman this one is!".

I have watched (and even worked with) some of the 'big hair, big teeth, flashy gold' televangelists and sighed as tattoo-bedecked 'biker' styled preachers peddled their wares. I have seen those wonderfully sound, and controlling, Christians who have folded at the first crisis within their life. I have seen those who preached on a Sunday but for the rest of the week displayed their weakness.

It is an interesting reality that to some degree all of us are naked, but some of us acts as is this were not the case and never give a thought to whether or, more accurately, when the tide will turn. There are so many that I encounter in and out of church life who enjoy today without fear of what might be exposed when that which covers their nakedness is removed.

So as we head towards a new year can I be a little cheeky and ask you what the tide is covering for each of us?

As we preach, pontificate and puff ourselves up can I ask what there is that we would rather is not exposed to the gaze of all should the tide turn and can I suggest that we seek to clothe ourselves in righteousness to redress the paucity of our own reality?

Now I know that that which is past is past but we can learn from it, repent of it, as forgiveness for it and resolve never to repeat those past follies. I know that we are 'all weak' but that is merely acknowledging a reality not embracing an excuse which provides a caveat which allows us to continue.

The tide is turning - what's covering your nakedness I wonder?

Pax

Looking to Epiphany

2011-12-28T06:40:00.002Z

St Stephen's Day has passed and as we move towards Epiphany, via Holy Innocents tomorrow, I have been sitting thanking God for the waning year with the Wurzels singing 'White Christmas' in the background (R4 'Loose Ends') and thoughts of triumphs, tragedies and confusion aplenty.

The Wise men, Magi, three Kings (or is it four?) are still journeying and have another thirteen days before they reach the holy infant (you don't have yours in the nativity scene yet, do you?) and as I think of them I think of the whole business of making Christ known to those who have no relationship with God. Let's be fair there are quite a few of them so we, potentially, have our hands full.

It was this that got me thinking about the numbers of people out there and their needs. Not just that but the reality that we have more people, numerically and percentage-wise, who are unevangelised now than when Christianity first hit our shores. This thought led me back to the 40-40-20 situation:

I find the 40-40-20 representation of the population quite helpful:

40% being 'unchurched', that is having no understanding or experience of Church.

20% being 'dechurched' (which means may have had churchgoing in the family, usually Grandparents, been to wedding, baptism, funeral or Christmas/Easter and not warm towards the Church to the point of being negative and antagonistic towards it.

20% being 'dechurched' (like those above) but are generally warm (or at least not negative) towards the Church.

10% attend but are perhaps not committed or understanding what Church is (come because they have always come perhaps?).

10% attend and have an understanding and are engaged with Church (also known as 'members' and are the troops in this campaign of making Christ known).

So Epiphany, the time when those not knowing are made aware, could that be true for some now because we are aware and active?

Pax

Cavedwellers forum - a response

2011-12-26T21:11:00.007Z

The forum that is to be found at http://www.cavedwellers.co.uk/forum/index.php was supposed to be a place that provided people with the ability to discuss things without the awful name-calling and finger-pointing that I have encountered in so many other forums (not all Christian either). nb. It is 'forums' and not 'fora' according to the clever Oxbridge language type on R4 a few years back) of a supposedly Christian nature.

It has a few members but hasn't really taken off for a number of reasons, perhaps the biggest being that unless there is a secure-looking email address (and I check the addresses with various of the anti-spam utilities) the person applying just doesn't get in.

So in answer to the comment posted today (or perhaps yesterday, not sure which but it was one of them) the answer to your question is "Yes' we'd love more people to come and play but unless you can be validated (SaucyFrenchUnderwear is not an account name that likely to make the cut) and don't have an email address ending in .ru or some gibberish name, chances are you'll get in! Of course I might well have messed up the approval thing as some days there are a great many weird and wonderful names and addresses applying and if this is the case, I wholeheartedly apologies.

And if you want to, what will you find?

It's a place where liturgy, theology, sport, general stuff, prayer (about and for each other) and many other things can be found. It's a place where we can disagree but we do so politely and reasonably such that we learn, teach or merely work from a place of common understanding. It's not liberal (although we have some who would consider themselves liberal) it's not fundamental in the worst understanding of the term. It is a place where people across a wide spread of church can discuss and engage and from that dialogue be both blessed and a blessing.

Who on earth could ask for more?

So there you are anon - an answer for your question. I have posted it today as a blog entry so that it might come back onto your radar (assuming you might look at this blog as you wrote on it) and perhaps to answer others who might have tried, or thought of trying, and wondered what happened.

I hope this helps,

V

Wowan the Barbarian

2011-12-26T12:45:00.003Z

Seems that the image on the right (posted as Christmas Cards - 1)
has touched just a few nerves if the comments I have received thus far are anything to go by:

i. That is a DISTURBING photo

ii. DO NOT post this picture again. It's Christmas. I shall post the antidote in my news feed for any disturbed ladies

iii. Yuk! :(

iv. The same lady returned later to add: In fact, double double double YUK!

v. The worst thing about this photo is on the preview on my phone all you could see was the chest, so you think "oh hello there" and click and then... No, just.... No, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

vi. The worst pic of the year, not a good thing to see, should come with a warning x

vii. This picture has made me suffer. I laughed so much I spilled my coffee in my lap!

ix. Somehow it rings true as the altar ego of this intelligent and humble man. Bet he would love this.

x. If only - I love his brain and with a body like that I'd be camping outside Lambeth Palace!

So it seems that whilst you can't please everyone, you can at least please some (hallelujah?)

As for comment the second. She followed it up with:

For any ladies disturbed by Vic's photo manipulation of the Arnie Conan the Barbarian, I give you the scrummy Jason Momoa (Conan 2011).

But what's he like theologically I ask myself?

The Ultimate Christmas Clerical Creation?

2011-12-26T08:35:00.002Z

One of the local minister popped in to our building yesterday to wish us a happy Christmas and, as is the case each year, he was wearing his latest Christmas Clerical Creation and, as is the case each year, it was something quite out of the ordinary. That said, I think this year Heather, the creator and stitcherer, has reached the pinnacle.

Take a look at our Model, Henry (sorry girls, he's taken), and this year's wonderful offering:

So this lays down the gauntlet, can you equal of better this (I'd be very surprised if the answer is 'Yes' but who knows, perhaps Mary Quant is a church member! I'd love to see what others have done because next year I might just move up a notch from my usual, in the light of Henry's shirt, 'boring' position and engage in a more festive manner.

I trust everyone had a great Christmas Day and that today will be one of recovery and continued celebration.

Pax