i. . . in a day without falling off? This was a question posed to me by someone today.
They said I was like Tarzan swinging from tree to tree - they didn't mention whether they thought I was doing the yelling bit, but I hope that in their minds eye I was! "Don't you ever stand still?" they asked. I merely smiled and reminded them that drinking tea whilst on the move was hazardous and swung on.
Today went like this: admin, pastoral, meeting, pastoral, pastoral, ring hospital to check on member, book home visits, lunch @ Church 'drop in', funeral visit, FDs, pastoral, Kid's Club, Communion service (baptism of Christ), DCC meeting. Loads of ropes and in between them plenty of telephone calls and texts. I've never thought of checking before but there were 26 mobile calls and 32 texts. I didn't manage to be behind the desk much today so only managed four calls on the landline - non 'spam' emails numbered 38.
I'm trying to cut down on electronic communication and will, where possible, try to engage by telephone or in person. It isn't any less efficient and the opportunity for people misreading the content or the tone is remember, they merely have to cope with me; which is probably equally confusing :-).
I realised today how much the ABEND (abnormal end) that is death - that system crash where life encounters a zero and comes to an end - affects people. There are the people who examine the code and seek answers, there are those who tear their hair out and get in a bit of a tizzy, others still who stop to reflect on the event and the impact it brings, and those who merely put the hat and coat on and withdraw from it all.
Funerals firmly in the four digit realm I always expect to encounter the unexpected and am rarely disappointed. From just me and the deceased in the crem, the 'walk through', the deceased waiting outside in the hearse whilst we do the service and the secret cremation before the funeral - and more besides - the options are many and the realities expand to keep you guessing.
But funerals are the bested bit of my life - they bring pastoral opportunities and the chance to debug and restore the lives of the bereaved such that they continue stronger and calmer through, and from, it all.
The pastoral, especially the home Communion, is another joy - Church and belonging made real for me and the person/s before me. Add to this the chance to visit in hospital and take the light of Christ into that place and the cake just bets bigger and tastier. The opportunity to be one who 'comes alongside' (parakletos - it's what the Holy Spirit does with us) is the opportunity to bless ourselves, and I hope the people we are engaging with, it's not work at all is it this ministry life - just time spent generally partying.
So Lord, for all the engagements today, may they have shown your love and compassion. For those who I know with needs, may they have been met and situations salved just a little more. Thank you for the lessons I learned yesterday - may I put them into practice today.
I thank you for Jesus, the Christ, the word made flesh and as we celebrate His baptism I thank you for mine - keep me faithful to my baptismal calling - keep me rejoicing in the salvation I have been given through the life, death, and resurrection of this God made man.
And for the person who asked me to do this: comm: 49 and hrs:15 (just realised it's a day off tomorrow - so should stay static).
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
Monday, 26 December 2016
A day of relaxation and reflection
Today is a day to be chilled in - the kid's played Monopoly (of the Pokemon kind), the dogs were walked and football was watched.
But there was still some time for the pastoral and for prayer and reading and reflection - which is only right and fitting really, otherwise I wouldn't know who I was :-)
Jesus has been remembered, people have been ministered too and God continues to be good - and unlike many of the gifts to be replaced, rejected or stuck in a cupboard until a decent time has been observed for them to be binned arrives; I wonder how many of us will have found a new enthusiasm for Him over the coming months?
Merry Christmas
But there was still some time for the pastoral and for prayer and reading and reflection - which is only right and fitting really, otherwise I wouldn't know who I was :-)
Jesus has been remembered, people have been ministered too and God continues to be good - and unlike many of the gifts to be replaced, rejected or stuck in a cupboard until a decent time has been observed for them to be binned arrives; I wonder how many of us will have found a new enthusiasm for Him over the coming months?
Merry Christmas
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Can't make it to church - 4 December 2016
It's the Second Sunday of Advent and as we head to Jesus’ birth in a Bethlehem we look at the prophets and the promise of Messiah – very different as our society has changed and evolved over the years, and yet, the insight that Christ’s birth has some important personal meaning for us as Christians, how does this change us?
“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
Jesse – the father of eight sons, the youngest being David whose line is that from which Jesus comes; have a look at Matthew one for the full list!
What’s the stump? Who knows, there were so many times in the history of the Jewish people when the tree was chopped, broken and generally reduced to a stump: Exile, war, assignation, sin – you name it, it's there. Pick a time and you'll find somewhere the ‘stump’ label fits.
But today as we deal with Jesus and prophecy supporting his coming – and this passage is surely one of them as it speaks of the coming of someone who will change everything, what do we have?
The lion and the lamb lying down together – real image or political – who cares? There is an end to war!
There are within the Old Testament forty or so prophesies (my college notes say 44 but I couldn't find the page with the list on to check).
If you posted a letter with just a name and the location on it would it get to the person? The prophesies are a bit like that and yet I had an experience some years back where a letter addressed to "Vic in Tamworth, a Vicar from Ware," made it to my door.
The postman found me because it knew my name, where I was, where I came from and what I did. We know that Jesus is the Christ because we have forty-four (or so) things in the envelope that help,us find Him too!
Paul, as ever, does it different as he talks about what Jesus’ death and resurrection means to us but he does it using the prophets too. Starting with a ‘thumbs up’ to that which was written before, telling us that it was put there for our instruction, to give us encouragement and hope. The ‘us’ here are believers and ‘God fearers’ – this is not, as I have heard some preach it, a supremacist statement regarding ‘the Church’ but is a statement written in awe that so many come under the shadow of the Cross. But there’s more as we read that Jesus, the Christ, “has become a servant of the circumcised.” Paul is His ambassador to the Gentiles (non Jews).
This is something that unites Jews and Gentiles – Jesus has come for all of us – now that's a Christmas present you won’t get at Argos! And Paul points to this by referring to prophecies (which is handy as that's today's focus).
Have you ever thought about the fact that our second coming expectation matches the first coming of the Messiah for the Jews? They won't be missing Him the second time I can guarantee it.
And then, with Paul, the job of bringing Jew and Gentile together into Church, and this needs love and hospitality and stuff, sharing, caring and being one together. Many different strands united in the one (realised) hope in Jesus – identified as followers of the Way. Our goal today as Church too!
So we come at last to the Gospel where John the Baptist gets the spotlight – this always strikes me as odd as next week, being all about him, sort of steals the thunder and gives us a bit of the same feel again next week. Perhaps that's because he's a bit important, more than many think.
The world is in a spot of turmoil as we find Trump, Brexit, Zac Goldsmith losing his seat in Richmond. The stability of the things around us has been shaken and removed. This is surely the time when we need someone coming to call us to change our ways and ‘seek the Lord whilst he may be found’.
A lone voice crying out to someone hoped for, that's what John the Baptist was. But the people were hoping for a Saviour then, and the Messiah and His hope and health-bringing presence were in every Person's psyche and thoughts. My question is, “Aren't they still today?” We just don't realise it!
The problem is that we have turned away from looking to Jesus and now look for this salvation in position, possession and power. We've made Christmas about Christmas, not Jesus, after all we've filled our churches and homes with trees and have probably picked up the Argos catalogue more than we have picked up our Bibles!
Could it be that we are now the people John is calling to repent?
Are we perhaps the brood of vipers that need to be washed clean and start again in our passion with renewed promise to deny ourselves and follow the Christ?
Are our hearts as cold as ice and have we become the Pharisees, that having found in our Bibles, are the people we so often detest?
John is a real partypooper as he appears at our birthday party for Jesus, asking each of us whether we really know Him!
Are we the gatecrashers and John is merely the security seeking to make prophecies real and make us real into the bargain? We want to party – he wants us to acknowledge who we aren't and who Jesus is in our lives so that the Christ’s pardon, won on the cross, might be ours and our hearts His?
Well?
Isaiah 11.1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Romans 15.4-13
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name’;
and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’;
and again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’;
and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3.1-12
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” ’
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
The Collect
Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds, that when your Son Jesus Christ comes again as judge and saviour we may be ready to receive him, who is our Lord and our God.
Post Communion Prayer
Father in heaven, who sent your Son to redeem the world and will send him again to be our judge: give us grace so to imitate him in the humility and purity of his first coming that, when he comes again, we may be ready to greet him with joyful love and firm faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
Jesse – the father of eight sons, the youngest being David whose line is that from which Jesus comes; have a look at Matthew one for the full list!
What’s the stump? Who knows, there were so many times in the history of the Jewish people when the tree was chopped, broken and generally reduced to a stump: Exile, war, assignation, sin – you name it, it's there. Pick a time and you'll find somewhere the ‘stump’ label fits.
But today as we deal with Jesus and prophecy supporting his coming – and this passage is surely one of them as it speaks of the coming of someone who will change everything, what do we have?
The lion and the lamb lying down together – real image or political – who cares? There is an end to war!
There are within the Old Testament forty or so prophesies (my college notes say 44 but I couldn't find the page with the list on to check).
If you posted a letter with just a name and the location on it would it get to the person? The prophesies are a bit like that and yet I had an experience some years back where a letter addressed to "Vic in Tamworth, a Vicar from Ware," made it to my door.
The postman found me because it knew my name, where I was, where I came from and what I did. We know that Jesus is the Christ because we have forty-four (or so) things in the envelope that help,us find Him too!
Paul, as ever, does it different as he talks about what Jesus’ death and resurrection means to us but he does it using the prophets too. Starting with a ‘thumbs up’ to that which was written before, telling us that it was put there for our instruction, to give us encouragement and hope. The ‘us’ here are believers and ‘God fearers’ – this is not, as I have heard some preach it, a supremacist statement regarding ‘the Church’ but is a statement written in awe that so many come under the shadow of the Cross. But there’s more as we read that Jesus, the Christ, “has become a servant of the circumcised.” Paul is His ambassador to the Gentiles (non Jews).
This is something that unites Jews and Gentiles – Jesus has come for all of us – now that's a Christmas present you won’t get at Argos! And Paul points to this by referring to prophecies (which is handy as that's today's focus).
Have you ever thought about the fact that our second coming expectation matches the first coming of the Messiah for the Jews? They won't be missing Him the second time I can guarantee it.
And then, with Paul, the job of bringing Jew and Gentile together into Church, and this needs love and hospitality and stuff, sharing, caring and being one together. Many different strands united in the one (realised) hope in Jesus – identified as followers of the Way. Our goal today as Church too!
So we come at last to the Gospel where John the Baptist gets the spotlight – this always strikes me as odd as next week, being all about him, sort of steals the thunder and gives us a bit of the same feel again next week. Perhaps that's because he's a bit important, more than many think.
The world is in a spot of turmoil as we find Trump, Brexit, Zac Goldsmith losing his seat in Richmond. The stability of the things around us has been shaken and removed. This is surely the time when we need someone coming to call us to change our ways and ‘seek the Lord whilst he may be found’.
A lone voice crying out to someone hoped for, that's what John the Baptist was. But the people were hoping for a Saviour then, and the Messiah and His hope and health-bringing presence were in every Person's psyche and thoughts. My question is, “Aren't they still today?” We just don't realise it!
The problem is that we have turned away from looking to Jesus and now look for this salvation in position, possession and power. We've made Christmas about Christmas, not Jesus, after all we've filled our churches and homes with trees and have probably picked up the Argos catalogue more than we have picked up our Bibles!
Could it be that we are now the people John is calling to repent?
Are we perhaps the brood of vipers that need to be washed clean and start again in our passion with renewed promise to deny ourselves and follow the Christ?
Are our hearts as cold as ice and have we become the Pharisees, that having found in our Bibles, are the people we so often detest?
John is a real partypooper as he appears at our birthday party for Jesus, asking each of us whether we really know Him!
Are we the gatecrashers and John is merely the security seeking to make prophecies real and make us real into the bargain? We want to party – he wants us to acknowledge who we aren't and who Jesus is in our lives so that the Christ’s pardon, won on the cross, might be ours and our hearts His?
Well?
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Romans 15.4-13
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name’;
and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’;
and again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’;
and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3.1-12
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” ’
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds, that when your Son Jesus Christ comes again as judge and saviour we may be ready to receive him, who is our Lord and our God.
Post Communion Prayer
Father in heaven, who sent your Son to redeem the world and will send him again to be our judge: give us grace so to imitate him in the humility and purity of his first coming that, when he comes again, we may be ready to greet him with joyful love and firm faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Ash Wednesday 2016
So here we are at the beginning of another Lent and the challenges that lie before us are perhaps tempered by the failures that lies behind us or diminished by our triumphs. Each of us create a patchwork quilt of our lives - some of the patches bring joy, others tears and others still, regret.
Some will take us back to the times when we have blessed God and those around us, others will bring back the pain of failure and separation; from God, from those around us, from those special people in our lives.
Today as Lent's forty days call us to examine our lives, what will we find and who will we have become at the end of this road?
Will the cross be on our shoulders or in a ditch?
Lord, how can we stand in your presence?
Our sins lie behind us and the accuser stands before us.
People, clamour round to hear the words and add their scorn;
Where blessing should be found, there is but contempt.
Those who would call themselves Church become one with those who cried out; "Crucify HIm, crucify Him!"
The homeless are passed by (on the other side of the road);
The hungry go unfed (perhaps it wasn't our ministry);
The poor, will always be with us (and 'we' have so little, what can 'we' do?)
The 'straight' are crooked and the 'gay' are sad,
The woman up the road with four children - none of them have a Dad,
The man who cries out about what should be done - continues to do nothing!
Today - in the ashes of the same palm crosses waved in triumph - is found our failings.
Today - in the ruins of our lives thus far - is found the reminder that we too are dust.
Today - a day of hope, not sorrow - for there is one who speaks for us.
Today - as the path to the cross become clear - there is forgiveness.
Give us the strength to take up our cross
To lay down our sins
And truly follow Him
Who is, for us, the Christ.
Amen.
Some will take us back to the times when we have blessed God and those around us, others will bring back the pain of failure and separation; from God, from those around us, from those special people in our lives.
Today as Lent's forty days call us to examine our lives, what will we find and who will we have become at the end of this road?
Will the cross be on our shoulders or in a ditch?
Lord, how can we stand in your presence?
Our sins lie behind us and the accuser stands before us.
People, clamour round to hear the words and add their scorn;
Where blessing should be found, there is but contempt.
Those who would call themselves Church become one with those who cried out; "Crucify HIm, crucify Him!"
The homeless are passed by (on the other side of the road);
The hungry go unfed (perhaps it wasn't our ministry);
The poor, will always be with us (and 'we' have so little, what can 'we' do?)
The 'straight' are crooked and the 'gay' are sad,
The woman up the road with four children - none of them have a Dad,
The man who cries out about what should be done - continues to do nothing!
Today - in the ashes of the same palm crosses waved in triumph - is found our failings.
Today - in the ruins of our lives thus far - is found the reminder that we too are dust.
Today - a day of hope, not sorrow - for there is one who speaks for us.
Today - as the path to the cross become clear - there is forgiveness.
Give us the strength to take up our cross
To lay down our sins
And truly follow Him
Who is, for us, the Christ.
Amen.
Friday, 25 December 2015
A Christmas Thought
A very merry Christmas and a peaceful, and prosperous, New Year to you all.
Don't we all Boss?
Sunday, 20 December 2015
Can't make it to church? 20 December 2015
Advent four and we've reached the last step in our Bible trail to Christmas with Mary as the focus. One of the true heroes of the faith, lauded by some and ignored by others and yet she is most definitely someone quite special indeed. as the fourth candle is lit we pray:
God our Father, the angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary
That she was to be the mother of your Son.
Though Mary was afraid, she responded to your call with joy.
Help us, whom you call to serve you, to share like her in your great work of bringing to our world your love and healing.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world.
Though Mary was afraid, she responded to your call with joy.
Help us, whom you call to serve you, to share like her in your great work of bringing to our world your love and healing.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world.
Blessed be God for ever.
So what is it all about this morning? The simple answer is the promise of God that He will send His solution to all the world's problems - Jesus - and that the means of His coming will be more than a little out of the ordinary.
Jesus is the one prophesied about in Micah - the promised son who is to be a steadfast shepherd of the flock. He is, in effect, the one true and final sacrifice which has come into the world - which accounts for the problems some have with the Hebrews passage! The reality is that in Jesus the need for ritual and sacrifice was coming to an end and in its place there was going to be relationship instead. Sacrifices, needing to be repeated every year were not perfect, if they were then there would only be need of such a thing once - but in Jesus we see an atonement (a reconciliation) which needs occur but once for ALL creation. Simple when we look at it like that, isn't it?
And how will this gift to the world come about?
By the simple yes of a young woman, Mary, who accepts the role of 'god bearer' (theotokos) even though her 'Yes' could be the path to disgrace and even death. When she accepted the commission for the angel she had nothing other than 'Yes' - how would we fare in her place?
By the simple yes of a young woman, Mary, who accepts the role of 'god bearer' (theotokos) even though her 'Yes' could be the path to disgrace and even death. When she accepted the commission for the angel she had nothing other than 'Yes' - how would we fare in her place?
This what makes the Gospel so good today as we encounter two women at opposite ends of fertility who both experience miraculous goings on it the baby department and we have in this the first encounter of he who is to be John the Baptist and Jesus, the Christ. We have a desperate nation in Micah who are told that their consolation will come and the recognition that this is to be found in one who will the the once and for all perfect sacrifice. So today, wherever you find yourself, regardless of what it is, listen to God as He says that He has plans to rescue you for the isolation and oppression and replace them with steadfastness and a joy which comes through the Spirit of the Living, once and for all time sacrifice, Jesus.
And so we begin our reflection and prayer using the words of the Collect:
God our redeemer
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our Saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our Saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
 |
| one couldn't - one shouldn't - God did! |
Micah 5.2-5a
The Lord says,
“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But out of you will come for me a ruler over Israel. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago.”
The Lord will hand over his people to their enemies. That will last until the pregnant woman bears her promised son. Then the rest of his relatives in Judah will return to their land. That promised son will stand firm and be a shepherd for his flock. The Lord will give him the strength to do it. The Lord his God will give him the authority to rule. His people will live safely. His greatness will reach from one end of the earth to the other. And he will be our peace…
Hebrews 10.5-10
So when Christ came into the world, he said,
“You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. Instead, you prepared a body for me. You weren’t pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings."
Then I said, ‘Here I am. It is written about me in the book. I have come to do what you want, my God.’ ”
First Christ said, “You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren’t pleased with them.” He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law.
Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves. We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.
Luke 1.39-55
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea’s hill country. There she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out,
“God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that the Lord would keep his promises to you!”
Mary said,
“My soul gives glory to the Lord. My spirit delights in God my Saviour. He has taken note of me even though I am not considered important. From now on all people will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me. His name is holy.
He shows his mercy to those who have respect for him, from parent to child down through the years.
He has done mighty things with his powerful arm.
He has scattered those who are proud in their deepest thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones. But he has lifted up people who are not considered important.
He has filled with good things those who are hungry. But he has sent away empty those who are rich.
He has helped the people of Israel, who serve him.
He has always remembered to be kind to Abraham and his children down through the years.
He has done it just as he promised to our people of long ago.”
Post Communion Prayer
Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of the promised saviour: fill us your servants with your grace, that in all things we may embrace your holy will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of the promised saviour: fill us your servants with your grace, that in all things we may embrace your holy will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Friday, 20 November 2015
After you've got your converts you make them ... (2)
Twice as fit for hell!
As you are yourselves!
Yesterday we had a simple look at salvation and the question of universalism (meaning, where everyone gets in to heaven - i.e. eternity in the presence of God - and the way some are teaching this as if it were part of what the C of E believes (and believe me, it doesn't) portraying it as if it was any way anything but wrong.
But the problem is that these folk with their erroneous teaching don't stop with yesterday's teaching but they continue by adding in a 'second chance' whereby people can effectively, after death, rethink their decision not to have acknowledged or accepted reconciliation with God through the salvific act (great word that, isn't it?) of Jesus, the Christ, on the Cross.
Even though they have denied Jesus, the Christ, and lived their lives for themselves rather than in pursuit of doing what is right and pleasing to God (as described in the Bible, in case you wondered where to find these requisite things) and serve those around them - those who teach this bring into being a God who is so desperate to populate heaven (meaning that place where eternity with God is a reality) that He (some would rather another word was used here too, sorry about that) will resort to something extra-Jesus to make it happen.
I do quite honestly struggle here because Hebrews 9.27 tells me that it is all set up such that we live (Once) and then die (once) and then are judged (once). To deliver what these folk deliver is to teach something that is not orthodox theology (well not as I understand it) and, should it be right, surely removes any need for us to engage in evangelism, after all - everyone was already getting in with their teaching and now the cheery that there's even a second chance for those who weren't. A real struggle here because if everyone was getting in, why does the salvation/heaven thing need a belt added to those braces already described?
Let's turn to the Old Testament and Daniel 12, which is a real rocker, telling us:
"But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.'
Now, even those Old Testament folk knew that there was going to be a resurrection and that some would go through the turnstile on the left and the others to the right. BUT, these 'teachers', when challenged, tell me that this is not the sort of God they want to portray and how hard and harsh people find such teaching and so they merely preach and teach what they think is a more acceptable and gentle and generous God.
'Goodness gracious me,' I cry, 'Jesus comes to earth, puts off being God, and dies for me - can there be anything more generous than that?'
But, when challenged, these folk tell me of parents who have died without perhaps having made the decision to accept the reconciliation with God that comes through the cross of Christ (yeah, I've got them too) and how preaching what they do is attractive to those outside the Church (so why aren't their churches full and overflowing?) and how the 'second chance' demonstrates a loving and forgiving God who ignores how people have lived and looks the other way at the choices they have made and sees Jesus having one last go at fulfilling His mission by turning up and offering eternity as a post-mortem gift (so Jesus and the cross are not all-sufficient after all then?)
By adopting this stance I am being told that I need more than Jesus and that He was never enough - isn't this heretical?
But these people are resolute and sure in their heresies (but aren;t they always?) - they brings them comfort to have created a God who will not only fill their own desires but they make matters worse by teaching those around them that life can be lived as you wish to live and that you can relax in the comfort of the hope that everyone gets in at the very end (one who holds these views struggled a little when I asked about the Paris bombers - but of course Romans 8 does tell us that nothing separates us from God's love, definitely something to be discussing soon I think).
So here we are, a couple of facets from the gem that is the theology and teaching of some who give us Anglicans a bad name. The problem is that there are some things you cannot polish and their teaching is surely in the same mould as that.
As you are yourselves!
Yesterday we had a simple look at salvation and the question of universalism (meaning, where everyone gets in to heaven - i.e. eternity in the presence of God - and the way some are teaching this as if it were part of what the C of E believes (and believe me, it doesn't) portraying it as if it was any way anything but wrong.
But the problem is that these folk with their erroneous teaching don't stop with yesterday's teaching but they continue by adding in a 'second chance' whereby people can effectively, after death, rethink their decision not to have acknowledged or accepted reconciliation with God through the salvific act (great word that, isn't it?) of Jesus, the Christ, on the Cross.
Even though they have denied Jesus, the Christ, and lived their lives for themselves rather than in pursuit of doing what is right and pleasing to God (as described in the Bible, in case you wondered where to find these requisite things) and serve those around them - those who teach this bring into being a God who is so desperate to populate heaven (meaning that place where eternity with God is a reality) that He (some would rather another word was used here too, sorry about that) will resort to something extra-Jesus to make it happen.
I do quite honestly struggle here because Hebrews 9.27 tells me that it is all set up such that we live (Once) and then die (once) and then are judged (once). To deliver what these folk deliver is to teach something that is not orthodox theology (well not as I understand it) and, should it be right, surely removes any need for us to engage in evangelism, after all - everyone was already getting in with their teaching and now the cheery that there's even a second chance for those who weren't. A real struggle here because if everyone was getting in, why does the salvation/heaven thing need a belt added to those braces already described?
Let's turn to the Old Testament and Daniel 12, which is a real rocker, telling us:
"But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.'
Now, even those Old Testament folk knew that there was going to be a resurrection and that some would go through the turnstile on the left and the others to the right. BUT, these 'teachers', when challenged, tell me that this is not the sort of God they want to portray and how hard and harsh people find such teaching and so they merely preach and teach what they think is a more acceptable and gentle and generous God.
'Goodness gracious me,' I cry, 'Jesus comes to earth, puts off being God, and dies for me - can there be anything more generous than that?'
But, when challenged, these folk tell me of parents who have died without perhaps having made the decision to accept the reconciliation with God that comes through the cross of Christ (yeah, I've got them too) and how preaching what they do is attractive to those outside the Church (so why aren't their churches full and overflowing?) and how the 'second chance' demonstrates a loving and forgiving God who ignores how people have lived and looks the other way at the choices they have made and sees Jesus having one last go at fulfilling His mission by turning up and offering eternity as a post-mortem gift (so Jesus and the cross are not all-sufficient after all then?)
By adopting this stance I am being told that I need more than Jesus and that He was never enough - isn't this heretical?
But these people are resolute and sure in their heresies (but aren;t they always?) - they brings them comfort to have created a God who will not only fill their own desires but they make matters worse by teaching those around them that life can be lived as you wish to live and that you can relax in the comfort of the hope that everyone gets in at the very end (one who holds these views struggled a little when I asked about the Paris bombers - but of course Romans 8 does tell us that nothing separates us from God's love, definitely something to be discussing soon I think).
So here we are, a couple of facets from the gem that is the theology and teaching of some who give us Anglicans a bad name. The problem is that there are some things you cannot polish and their teaching is surely in the same mould as that.
Friday, 6 November 2015
So tell me more about this Christian stuff?
The interesting thing, for me at least, is that many of the people who talk to me actually know nothing about the bloke we Christians take our name from and I was more surprised that people were surprised that something like forty percent of our population thought Jesus was a mythical figure!
Better still, a quarter (that's 25% for the non-mathematical out there ;-) ) of those aged between 18-34 thought Jesus was a fictional (or mythical) character. Isn't that brilliant for us who are doing 'the stuff' now because it means that we have before us the opportunity to bring those 'don't knows' up to speed with those who do know - now that has to be cause for celebration in my book!
Of course, it does pose a few questions for the generation that are heading towards the exits, like:
How the heck did you manage to do cosy church on a Sunday, wear your dog collars, ring your bells, hold your church fetes (worse than death) and forget to mention the fact that Jesus was a real bloke what walked the earth and did stuff?
Were you too busy holding you blessed Beetle drives (no sir, no need to get agitated, the only emissions to be concerned about is hot air emanating from the church buildings, let's leave VW alone) your cosy little bridge evenings and the like? The reality is that the Church - meaning those who consider themselves to be Christians, who are so overjoyed that they have been given their lives back that they are committed to? Committed to what exactly ... you tell me!
How will they know unless someone tells them?
And how can people tell them unless they understand?
And if they don't, then the finger points at us - the clergy; and them - the bishops in their cosy little clubs and comfortable gatherings as they continually change the tactics and look to regroup as they pore over spreadsheets rather than the Word of God**
So here's a quick test for you all:
And in case you think that the Bible and jesus and all that were made up, let me give you a starter from some relatively unbiased (well not for I think) historians.
Josephus
Well there was a Jewish geezer who, although being billed as a bit of an historian was also a bit of a 'suck up' to the Romans, so much so that he apparently took a Roman name: Flavius Josephus to look like he was one of them. Well, this bloke wrote his history with an eye to pleasing his masters (bit like some of the journos we have these days) and yet even he mentions Jesus by way of reference to James, Jesus' brother (Antiquities 18) who he refers to as: “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.”
He continues (18.3):
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats....He was [the] Christ...he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him.”
There are also the words:
“At this time there was a wise man named Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who became his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”
Not even a dodgy historian can leave Jesus out of the contemporary historical notes :-)
A more trustworthy first-century historical account comes from the doyen of historians, Tacitus, who makes mention of 'Christians', people drawing their name from the Christ) who had a bad time during Tiberius' reign under Pontius Pilate. Yep, Jesus was a real character and the poor old puppet Governor seems to be real too.
So, have you worked out which one is the real character in the question above yet or are you still wondering why, seeing we have a yellow sin Jesus just didn't break free and fly into space or get Alfredus, his man servant, to make a distraction and send in the bat Chariot to get Him out?
*You know the young, those people who are totally different to us (now) and yet oddly are exactly who we were when we had that job!
** Now this, as a generalisation has to fall - BUT: I have seen one bishop in the media five times of late and ALL he talks about is numbers: money, attendance, age profiles, etc. Perhaps he, and we, might worry less if he talked about Jesus now and then. (I'm sure he does, but he needs to do that publicly and stop looking like a businessman in a pink shirt!)
Better still, a quarter (that's 25% for the non-mathematical out there ;-) ) of those aged between 18-34 thought Jesus was a fictional (or mythical) character. Isn't that brilliant for us who are doing 'the stuff' now because it means that we have before us the opportunity to bring those 'don't knows' up to speed with those who do know - now that has to be cause for celebration in my book!
Of course, it does pose a few questions for the generation that are heading towards the exits, like:
How the heck did you manage to do cosy church on a Sunday, wear your dog collars, ring your bells, hold your church fetes (worse than death) and forget to mention the fact that Jesus was a real bloke what walked the earth and did stuff?
Were you too busy holding you blessed Beetle drives (no sir, no need to get agitated, the only emissions to be concerned about is hot air emanating from the church buildings, let's leave VW alone) your cosy little bridge evenings and the like? The reality is that the Church - meaning those who consider themselves to be Christians, who are so overjoyed that they have been given their lives back that they are committed to? Committed to what exactly ... you tell me!
How will they know unless someone tells them?
And how can people tell them unless they understand?
And if they don't, then the finger points at us - the clergy; and them - the bishops in their cosy little clubs and comfortable gatherings as they continually change the tactics and look to regroup as they pore over spreadsheets rather than the Word of God**
So here's a quick test for you all:
And in case you think that the Bible and jesus and all that were made up, let me give you a starter from some relatively unbiased (well not for I think) historians.
Josephus
Well there was a Jewish geezer who, although being billed as a bit of an historian was also a bit of a 'suck up' to the Romans, so much so that he apparently took a Roman name: Flavius Josephus to look like he was one of them. Well, this bloke wrote his history with an eye to pleasing his masters (bit like some of the journos we have these days) and yet even he mentions Jesus by way of reference to James, Jesus' brother (Antiquities 18) who he refers to as: “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.”
He continues (18.3):
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats....He was [the] Christ...he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him.”
There are also the words:
“At this time there was a wise man named Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who became his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”
Not even a dodgy historian can leave Jesus out of the contemporary historical notes :-)
A more trustworthy first-century historical account comes from the doyen of historians, Tacitus, who makes mention of 'Christians', people drawing their name from the Christ) who had a bad time during Tiberius' reign under Pontius Pilate. Yep, Jesus was a real character and the poor old puppet Governor seems to be real too.
So, have you worked out which one is the real character in the question above yet or are you still wondering why, seeing we have a yellow sin Jesus just didn't break free and fly into space or get Alfredus, his man servant, to make a distraction and send in the bat Chariot to get Him out?
______________________________________
*You know the young, those people who are totally different to us (now) and yet oddly are exactly who we were when we had that job!
** Now this, as a generalisation has to fall - BUT: I have seen one bishop in the media five times of late and ALL he talks about is numbers: money, attendance, age profiles, etc. Perhaps he, and we, might worry less if he talked about Jesus now and then. (I'm sure he does, but he needs to do that publicly and stop looking like a businessman in a pink shirt!)
Thursday, 5 November 2015
So What's being a Christian all about then?
The at perennial question that chase me up and down the streets like Monty Python's perennial hedgehog, but instead of shouting out, 'Dindsale,' my assailant cries out: 'Christian? What's that then?' and you know that's is a very good question indeed. Let's hope my reply is up to the mark! Here are your three starters - more tomorrow:
First and foremost, being a Christian demands some form on belief, after all I know a few groups of people who think that mentioning the name (or sticking it about their doors) makes them Christian, but it doesn't. After all I know people who go on about alcohol all the time but they aren't alcoholics, in math they are the very opposite ob being alcoholic. The same is true for those who go on about Jesus with to without the job descriptor 'Christ' - or like to use either, or both of those words singly or in combination most assuredly doesn't make you a Christian! Saying the name is great but it's knowing the bloke that matters.
So here's the first top tip of being Christian: You need to know the bloke!
The next step is that you need to know what Jesus (the bloke) and the job title He has (the Christ) are all about. Some people get a bit confused here and think He was a man who got zapped by God and became a super-being. I have to say if that's your stance then you've got Jesus a but mixed up with the Hulk or Spiderman, sorry. You see, Jesus is God but to get that which was necessary for us to be friends with God again all squared away, knowing that the price that needed to be paid was someone willing to exchange their life for our own, He came down as a man (Christmas? Remember Christmas - the baby? Well that was Jesus; don't let that thought go!). The person what's going to do the swapping places and saving us bit - He's called the 'Chosen one' (no not Mourhino, he's just a very naughty boy!) -That's what being 'The Christ' means.
Next tip - remember Christ is Jesus' job title and the next time you want to use Him as a swear word, have a think about how you'd feel if someone you loved had their name used like that!
Now, if someone gave up their life to save mine, I am certain I would say something twee like, 'OOOh, I'm going to try and live a better life because He died to let me live my life!' It's what they do in films; it's what they do when we think of those who gave their lives in conflict (and it is remembrancetide innit?), so if it really happened, wouldn't you try to live it out for real?
Of course you would... top tip three: Live like you've just got your life back!
First and foremost, being a Christian demands some form on belief, after all I know a few groups of people who think that mentioning the name (or sticking it about their doors) makes them Christian, but it doesn't. After all I know people who go on about alcohol all the time but they aren't alcoholics, in math they are the very opposite ob being alcoholic. The same is true for those who go on about Jesus with to without the job descriptor 'Christ' - or like to use either, or both of those words singly or in combination most assuredly doesn't make you a Christian! Saying the name is great but it's knowing the bloke that matters.
So here's the first top tip of being Christian: You need to know the bloke!
The next step is that you need to know what Jesus (the bloke) and the job title He has (the Christ) are all about. Some people get a bit confused here and think He was a man who got zapped by God and became a super-being. I have to say if that's your stance then you've got Jesus a but mixed up with the Hulk or Spiderman, sorry. You see, Jesus is God but to get that which was necessary for us to be friends with God again all squared away, knowing that the price that needed to be paid was someone willing to exchange their life for our own, He came down as a man (Christmas? Remember Christmas - the baby? Well that was Jesus; don't let that thought go!). The person what's going to do the swapping places and saving us bit - He's called the 'Chosen one' (no not Mourhino, he's just a very naughty boy!) -That's what being 'The Christ' means.
Next tip - remember Christ is Jesus' job title and the next time you want to use Him as a swear word, have a think about how you'd feel if someone you loved had their name used like that!
Now, if someone gave up their life to save mine, I am certain I would say something twee like, 'OOOh, I'm going to try and live a better life because He died to let me live my life!' It's what they do in films; it's what they do when we think of those who gave their lives in conflict (and it is remembrancetide innit?), so if it really happened, wouldn't you try to live it out for real?
Of course you would... top tip three: Live like you've just got your life back!
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Church Growth strategies: 'Be Relevant!'
As always I'll begin with my Hauerwas' comment that:
I have to issue a warning that we are now moving into some of the more dangerous issues in this blog. Dangerous because some people will undoubtedly take umbrage at some of the views aired and points pointed to. Some will say that what I am saying is 'who they are' rather than something they do to grow church - and I'm sure that some are right and others might be less so; but this is merely a mirror and an means by which I and some others are engaging so read it and then engage brain, pray and dialogue.
It is not meant to be offensive but I know some who will perhaps be offended: Not the goal but possibly the reality (I ask forgiveness and understanding in advance).
One of the most frustrating of the 'strategies' that I encounter is concerned with the issue of 'Rights'. It's frustrating because many people are unwilling to say that it's a strategy and it's frustrating because concern with rights is who we are as Christians. After all, it's what Jesus did when He walked the earth - He just didn't bill it as such, He just got on an addressed the issues. And so should we!
I an more than a little tired of those who want to convince me about Church (universal) and its history of oppressing women and the many minority, and action, groups that we have before us these days. This is not because I'm not concerned with those issues by the way! No, no, no - not at all. BUT I see Jesus setting those who were non persona (non people - meaning those without a voice and the ability to be heard and afforded dignity and respect) free and giving them rights and privileges and all that good stuff we drone on about today. I see Jesus as concerned, and by His Holy Spirit, engaged and with many in the various campaigning and rights groups.
Look at the New testament situation: Women, slaves, children - Jesus spoke into their lives through the Gospel and through His one atoning act of reconciliation to God by the cross and the recognition that He, Jesus, is the Messiah; The Christ. I don't think anything has changed!
The problem is that we want the Church to be popular.
No, let's back the bus up just a little and rephrase that:
We want US, and Church, to be popular!
So, because the second comment is more likely the most accurate we engage in the practice of telling people what Jesus would be concerned with now and how He would be preaching something different from the stuff He told those primitives 2,000 years ago! Of course we don't know what He would have said now, because He hasn't said it (and if someone tells me that the Holy Spirit told them I'd have to test it against the received word (the scriptures) tradition and reason to ensure that what I had heard was orthodox (right thinking) - and this is where much that arises also falls.
Seeking to be pastoral we set about rewriting the Bible to stop it being offensive or unpopular. This is a shame because it's supposed to be offensive! It was counter-cultural then and I think that it's countercultural now.
Then it was different in terms of practices, attitudes and beliefs because the world was different.
Now it's different because whilst the Biblical position might be static, the world is changing to look like it did when the scriptures started getting written and so the Word of God and the world of man find themselves chaffing! So rather than stand with what we have believed as truth for 2,000+ years, we look to become relevant by changing our message to affirm and permit stuff that Jesus didn't then and, I feel sure, probably wouldn't now. (I have to say probably because of course I don't know because all I have to go on is what He, and the writers of the Bible did say, anything else is like me finishing the end of an unfinished symphony - it's my adjunctive contribution).
The thing is that I like rights but believe that with the conferment of rights comes the demand that we act responsibly and rightly and yet this is not what I am encountering in some in the Church, and when some of theses are leaders then what we have is a 'house divided against itself' and as we know from Mk3//Matt12: 'It will not stand!
One of those moments when you want to shout: 'Let those who have ears (and brains) listen!'
The road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions and this is where we are leading others unless we are careful. We bless that which Jesus never blessed and we defend our causes in futile arguments regarding slavery (Jesus lived when slaves were slaves and yet through Him they received the dignity of personhood. We until recent times had people who supported slavery or apartheid and a number of other things and even used their Bible to defend their position - but they were wrong and so too are those who would use it wrongly today in their quest for popularity and relevance!
The Church should be an inclusive place - but not a permissive place.
The Church should be a place where all are welcomed into. But the motto should be:
Come as you are - expect to leave changed!
Some of my colleagues crave the oxygen of acceptance.
They actively seek to be popular and so they are heard telling jokes that would make a miner blush (if we had any left - two pits to go and the breed are all but gone)!
They use what I consider to be foul and inappropriate language both in, and outside, the church building and yet, when challenged, consider themselves to be relevant and me to be a bit of a dinosaur (I think I might be and if so I'm a 'Duknowhesavedus').
A colleague in my diocese, is a heated discussion (sometimes the bestest sort of discussion) told me that to hold the views I held would, 'Empty the churches.' The continued to tell me that by their inclusive and accepting views they would fill the church they were in. Oddly, some ten years on where they are has declined whilst the church up the road has benefitted from their neighbours 'accommodating attitudes' and grown steadily (including engaging in some sheep stealing'* from that place).
The problem is that being relevant shouldn't be about popularity or growth or anything but being able, as we find in 1 Peter 3.13-17 (NLT)
'Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.
And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
We must always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have in Jesus, the Christ. We need to ensure that we are relevant and open, honest and showing respect. But at the end of the day we must also remember that all we have is Jesus, the Christ, crucified, risen and ascended: He is our hope and our integrity.
So the bottom line (almost) is a plea: seek to be relevant and to meet those around with love and integrity.
'Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth.'
* Sorry, I meant 'transfer growth!' must be a dodgy keyboard or something!
PS. The problem is that some will hear me saying that the many causes are wrong or that we are merely posing in front of causes and the like. I'm not (I have a number of causes and they are who I am) - but I am asking for authenticity, integrity and the Gospel (as it is, not as we would like Jesus to return and rewrite is as now).
The many issues before us are real and we need to stand for the oppressed, marginalised, disenfranchised and all those who need a neighbour: But never at the expense of the Gospel!
Hope this challenges and even inspires just a little - I know it has done that for me :-)
'Church growth strategies are the death rattle of a church that has lost its way.'
I have to issue a warning that we are now moving into some of the more dangerous issues in this blog. Dangerous because some people will undoubtedly take umbrage at some of the views aired and points pointed to. Some will say that what I am saying is 'who they are' rather than something they do to grow church - and I'm sure that some are right and others might be less so; but this is merely a mirror and an means by which I and some others are engaging so read it and then engage brain, pray and dialogue.
It is not meant to be offensive but I know some who will perhaps be offended: Not the goal but possibly the reality (I ask forgiveness and understanding in advance).
One of the most frustrating of the 'strategies' that I encounter is concerned with the issue of 'Rights'. It's frustrating because many people are unwilling to say that it's a strategy and it's frustrating because concern with rights is who we are as Christians. After all, it's what Jesus did when He walked the earth - He just didn't bill it as such, He just got on an addressed the issues. And so should we!
I an more than a little tired of those who want to convince me about Church (universal) and its history of oppressing women and the many minority, and action, groups that we have before us these days. This is not because I'm not concerned with those issues by the way! No, no, no - not at all. BUT I see Jesus setting those who were non persona (non people - meaning those without a voice and the ability to be heard and afforded dignity and respect) free and giving them rights and privileges and all that good stuff we drone on about today. I see Jesus as concerned, and by His Holy Spirit, engaged and with many in the various campaigning and rights groups.
Look at the New testament situation: Women, slaves, children - Jesus spoke into their lives through the Gospel and through His one atoning act of reconciliation to God by the cross and the recognition that He, Jesus, is the Messiah; The Christ. I don't think anything has changed!
The problem is that we want the Church to be popular.
No, let's back the bus up just a little and rephrase that:
We want US, and Church, to be popular!
So, because the second comment is more likely the most accurate we engage in the practice of telling people what Jesus would be concerned with now and how He would be preaching something different from the stuff He told those primitives 2,000 years ago! Of course we don't know what He would have said now, because He hasn't said it (and if someone tells me that the Holy Spirit told them I'd have to test it against the received word (the scriptures) tradition and reason to ensure that what I had heard was orthodox (right thinking) - and this is where much that arises also falls.
Seeking to be pastoral we set about rewriting the Bible to stop it being offensive or unpopular. This is a shame because it's supposed to be offensive! It was counter-cultural then and I think that it's countercultural now.
Then it was different in terms of practices, attitudes and beliefs because the world was different.
Now it's different because whilst the Biblical position might be static, the world is changing to look like it did when the scriptures started getting written and so the Word of God and the world of man find themselves chaffing! So rather than stand with what we have believed as truth for 2,000+ years, we look to become relevant by changing our message to affirm and permit stuff that Jesus didn't then and, I feel sure, probably wouldn't now. (I have to say probably because of course I don't know because all I have to go on is what He, and the writers of the Bible did say, anything else is like me finishing the end of an unfinished symphony - it's my adjunctive contribution).
The thing is that I like rights but believe that with the conferment of rights comes the demand that we act responsibly and rightly and yet this is not what I am encountering in some in the Church, and when some of theses are leaders then what we have is a 'house divided against itself' and as we know from Mk3//Matt12: 'It will not stand!
One of those moments when you want to shout: 'Let those who have ears (and brains) listen!'
The road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions and this is where we are leading others unless we are careful. We bless that which Jesus never blessed and we defend our causes in futile arguments regarding slavery (Jesus lived when slaves were slaves and yet through Him they received the dignity of personhood. We until recent times had people who supported slavery or apartheid and a number of other things and even used their Bible to defend their position - but they were wrong and so too are those who would use it wrongly today in their quest for popularity and relevance!
The Church should be an inclusive place - but not a permissive place.
The Church should be a place where all are welcomed into. But the motto should be:
Come as you are - expect to leave changed!
Some of my colleagues crave the oxygen of acceptance.
They actively seek to be popular and so they are heard telling jokes that would make a miner blush (if we had any left - two pits to go and the breed are all but gone)!
They use what I consider to be foul and inappropriate language both in, and outside, the church building and yet, when challenged, consider themselves to be relevant and me to be a bit of a dinosaur (I think I might be and if so I'm a 'Duknowhesavedus').
A colleague in my diocese, is a heated discussion (sometimes the bestest sort of discussion) told me that to hold the views I held would, 'Empty the churches.' The continued to tell me that by their inclusive and accepting views they would fill the church they were in. Oddly, some ten years on where they are has declined whilst the church up the road has benefitted from their neighbours 'accommodating attitudes' and grown steadily (including engaging in some sheep stealing'* from that place).
The problem is that being relevant shouldn't be about popularity or growth or anything but being able, as we find in 1 Peter 3.13-17 (NLT)
'Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.
And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
We must always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have in Jesus, the Christ. We need to ensure that we are relevant and open, honest and showing respect. But at the end of the day we must also remember that all we have is Jesus, the Christ, crucified, risen and ascended: He is our hope and our integrity.
So the bottom line (almost) is a plea: seek to be relevant and to meet those around with love and integrity.
'Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth.'
Matthew Henry
Pax
* Sorry, I meant 'transfer growth!' must be a dodgy keyboard or something!
PS. The problem is that some will hear me saying that the many causes are wrong or that we are merely posing in front of causes and the like. I'm not (I have a number of causes and they are who I am) - but I am asking for authenticity, integrity and the Gospel (as it is, not as we would like Jesus to return and rewrite is as now).
The many issues before us are real and we need to stand for the oppressed, marginalised, disenfranchised and all those who need a neighbour: But never at the expense of the Gospel!
Hope this challenges and even inspires just a little - I know it has done that for me :-)
Sunday, 5 April 2015
The Exultet - the Easter Proclamation
Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour, radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!
Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!
My dear friends, who stand with me in this holy light, join me in asking God for mercy,
that he may give his unworthy minister grace to sing his Easter praises.
The Lord be with you - And also with you.
Lift up your hearts - We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly right that with full hearts and minds and voices we should praise the unseen God,
the all-powerful Father, and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam’s sin to our eternal Father!
This is our passover feast, when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.
This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery and led them dry-shod through the sea.
This is the night when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!
This is the night when Christians everywhere, washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement, are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.
This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.
What good would life have been to us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.
O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!
Of this night scripture says:
“The night will be as clear as day: it will become my light, my joy.”
The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride.
Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!
Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise, your Church’s solemn offering.
Accept this Easter candle, a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honour of God.
Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning to dispel the darkness of this night!
May the Morning Star which never sets find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour, radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!
Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!
My dear friends, who stand with me in this holy light, join me in asking God for mercy,
that he may give his unworthy minister grace to sing his Easter praises.
The Lord be with you - And also with you.
Lift up your hearts - We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly right that with full hearts and minds and voices we should praise the unseen God,
the all-powerful Father, and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam’s sin to our eternal Father!
This is our passover feast, when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.
This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery and led them dry-shod through the sea.
This is the night when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!
This is the night when Christians everywhere, washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement, are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.
This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.
What good would life have been to us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.
O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!
Of this night scripture says:
“The night will be as clear as day: it will become my light, my joy.”
The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride.
Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!
Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise, your Church’s solemn offering.
Accept this Easter candle, a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honour of God.
Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning to dispel the darkness of this night!
May the Morning Star which never sets find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Surrexit Christus hodie [Jesus Christ is risen today!]
Sunday, 8 February 2015
Can't make it to church - 8 February 2015
What's in a name?
Today's readings all cause us to ask this question and then provide some potential answers too.
Today we find ourselves in difficult and confusing places (and I will probably make them all the more difficult buy the time I've finished).
Looking at Proverbs we find the feminine Sophia (wisdom) - and the John passage taking us to the word Logos (masculine). So are we finding here the attributes of the invisible God (male and female - He made them both 'in His image') made visible and given the attributes of being? The Colossians passage takes us back once more into the invisible becoming visible and confirm this for Jesus, but what of sophia, are we seeing something earth-shattering but passed by (perhaps because it's all about suppressing the feminine) or something else?
Today's readings all cause us to ask this question and then provide some potential answers too.
Today we find ourselves in difficult and confusing places (and I will probably make them all the more difficult buy the time I've finished).
Looking at Proverbs we find the feminine Sophia (wisdom) - and the John passage taking us to the word Logos (masculine). So are we finding here the attributes of the invisible God (male and female - He made them both 'in His image') made visible and given the attributes of being? The Colossians passage takes us back once more into the invisible becoming visible and confirm this for Jesus, but what of sophia, are we seeing something earth-shattering but passed by (perhaps because it's all about suppressing the feminine) or something else?
It is a day of comparatives and the Collect and post communion prayer help us with this task as we find references to the tree of life (in the centre of Eden) and the bread of life and are encouraged do discern God's hand in His works and His likeness in His children (us).
The book of Genesis tells us of creation - and the tree of life (something tangible and physical) - and of Eden and before that, when creation was - the Spirit brooding. Is this sophia that which was present then - can we assume that there Holy Spirit and sophia are one and the same?
Are we, in the proverbs passage experiencing anthropomorphism* as 'it' becomes 'she'. In the John passage we see 'the Word' - part of the Trinity, become 'He' and that 'He' is, in case you weren't sure,is Jesus.
Are we, in the proverbs passage experiencing anthropomorphism* as 'it' becomes 'she'. In the John passage we see 'the Word' - part of the Trinity, become 'He' and that 'He' is, in case you weren't sure,is Jesus.
Some traditions have it that Sophia (hagia sophia - holy wisdom) is more than an attribute of God but the third person. God the source - God the word - God the holy wisdom.
We probably all know the John 1 passage in the English (and perhaps the Greek too):
En arche ain ho logos - In [the] beginning was the Word.
kai ho logos een pros ton theon - and the Word was with the God."
kai theos een ho logos - and God was the Word.
But probably have not registered the proverbs passage in the same way.
We have before us a real intellectual struggle as we find before us - The male Father - the female Sophia and the male Word as the Trinity? Many sermons I have heard over the years lean on this and use the 'in His image He made them both
So wisdom - the third member of the Trinity? I would have to admit to struggling with this because of the the words: 'The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago,' for, as with the Jesus debate that was a big issue in 325 AD in Nicea+ - I trouble with this 'created' element for this implies subservience whereas I am under the impression that there is a harmony and equality. One substance - three natures as the traditional explanation of the trinity would have it.
But wisdom is more than being wise - and could it be that the glimpses of god and the ability to see what is good! right and holy and make it ours (something so very Holy Spirit-like) is something we ignore or diminish in today's society and with the Church of Christ.
Source - Wisdom - Word is this (as some tell me) Father - Spirit - Son?
The brooding Spirit of Genesis and the wisdom of Proverbs do indeed contain similarities and resonances BUT … in Proverbs, where we first hear about wisdom (which is why it is called both poetic and wisdom literature) and then have little epithets and saying by which wisdom can be seen and made ours - do we find someone to be added? Do we find the identity of the hagia sophia (holy wisdom) as the third person of the Trinity or are we adding a fourth person to the party?
A sermon I listened to a few years ago spoke of women’s freedom from oppression and how sophia could lead them into freedom from the male dominated Trinity - either by adapting the Holy Spirit or be adding a new dimension for women to take up and reside with. The female, creation, voice of God perhaps?
And here I have to dash the idea to the ground and say that it is something anthropomorphic - that is giving human attributes and characterisation to something which is not truly a person but something to be embraced - something that disrupts the ‘do this - get that’ linear world that existed then, and now! Wisdom says that whilst we can set things up to meet our needs and fulfil our expectations - we won’t always get what we have hoped for. Wisdom is so often borne out of experience - and that is often prefaced with the word ‘bitter’.
I would go so far as to say that wisdom confirms the rational expectations but also introduces the unexpected - and this cocquetishness is truly something alluring, attractive and yes, female. Wisdom calls out us and to recline in her presence - to explore and consider and take up the right path - often tempered by experience (ours and others) and with the subtext that from out most foolish of choices there can sometimes be fruit - but wisdom guarantees that fruit more consistently.
So it is sensible to seek wisdom. But we do this in the knowledge that the Word (logos and Logos) guides and upholds us and sets us free by the light that they bring - The invisible God - made visible in Jesus, the Christ, calls us to walk the paths of wisdom as we walk the path of the Cross.
Wisdom is created and inferior to God - Jesus is one with the father and this is where the path that led to Nicea (325 AD) and Arianism is found, and this confusion, whilst giving us the Nicene Creed, is merely misplaced.
So seek wisdom but remain steadfast in Jesus, the Christ, the invisible God made visible.
Accept no substitutes and seek no alternatives :-)
Accept no substitutes and seek no alternatives :-)
Proverbs 8.1, 22-31
Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.
Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped,before the hills, I was brought forth - when he had not yet made earth and field or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.
Colossians 1.15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
John 1.1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
The Collect
Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth
and made us in your own image:
teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and your likeness in all your children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things,
now and for ever.
Post Communion Prayer
God our creator,
by your gift
the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly paradise,
and the bread of life at the heart of your Church:
may we who have been nourished at your table on earth
be transformed by the glory of the Saviour’s cross
and enjoy the delights of eternity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Why not listen to this and as you do - invite Jesus to meet with you?
Hand Him the stresses and strains, the needs and the failings (yours and others)?
Listen and let His Holy Spirit fill and heal and enable you?
Yeah - I know it's not modern - but let the timeless enter into the temporal and rejoice in it!
*anthropomorphism - giving human characteristics to something which is not human.
+ Council of Nicea - worth looking up and reading about
+ Council of Nicea - worth looking up and reading about
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