Journal: A day training

What a stunning day it has been today as I managed to teach Values and Standards to a gathering something in excess of one hundred people: the challenge being that all of them have done the lecture  so many times that they should be able to teach it!

Then I got to test myself and add to my knowledge as I engaged in map reading and after the paper exam, found myself outdoors taking bearings and proving I could do it in the field. This gave way to making sure I understood some esoteric stuff before it was time to hit the deck and do BLS (Basis Life Skills) and then triage and other medical training and the tip of the iceberg of today's events was legal stuff: Law and the application of it.

Finished the day with a smile and almost all the training needing to be checked as retained sorted.

The bests bit was the conversations with people, sometimes rarely met, and the fun of being part of a different family to Church.

Made me wonder what those around me do to extend their skillsets and engage in challenge/

So watch out people - I'm going to start asking you stuff!

Lord, Thank Youy for today and all it's challenges and for the opportunity to have a break from the ministerial stuff so I can minister different;y with neither a crematorium or a steeple in sight.

Diversity: It who yyou are and what we should be celebrating.

Journal: A bit of a fuzzy day

Started well - got excited by the daily Office and even more so by the 09:30 Communion - then managed to sort a funeral a get a few home Communions under the belt before developing a bit of a strange headache/migraine which meant I moved a couple of visits to tomorrow.

To be totally honest, the pastoral conversations today ranged from inspiring to bizarre, but that's the way life usually runs, isn't it? The key is that solutions in place were coming together, new solutions we discussed and developed elsewhere and some situations just need to be put in a box and left under a file of books (but as we can't do that, we started to unravel the wool and try and find an end to work from!) 

There was theology and organisation and stuff to be done in the evening, always a good entertainment source - but in all, although much happened, it was a day when everything was lumped, clumped and fuzzy. A 'stuff done' day, but not necessarily in a way that leaves you feeling defined and definite.

Lord, 

You give us a variety of things to entertain, distract, bless and confuse - and that's variety.

You give us time and the ability to manage it - and that's not always taken properly.

You give us people to bless and to be blessed by - but sometimes we can miss this.

You call us to minister Your grace - may we never forget this.

You see our feet of clay and our foolishness - and continue to live us.

For all this I give you praise :-)

This place of reflection is here for me to dialogue internally and gain insight and perspective. It first appeared in this current form for some of those looking at creating their own journal as part of the their journey to discerning vocation. The Morning prayer is there also for that same purpose: to create the discipline of prayer. 

Journal: Down time

Today was spent in the company of some really lovely people - so much so that the admin' was fun - amazing how being in the company of some people can raise a smile and make the day skip.

Didn't buy the wife a Valentine's card, but made up for it by buying her neither chocolates or flowers either. Consistency, it seems, is what it is all out. So, a happy wife and slightly less well of card, chollate and florist - sounds like a bargain, doesn't it?

But the school assembly on Valentine was loud, quick and had some electronics and chocolates, so that's another win. In fact there was magic too, but I never got round to using it as the time went so quickly and the children were so full in, no need to do stuff for the sake of it.

270AD, middle of the month, Valentine buys the farm and the world seeks to make money out of it!

2000 years back, a man dies in a cross to show what love is, and we struggle to give it away!!

Thought to myself, "A week without a funeral, that's odd," and then remembered that Inhad one on Monday, so all is well on that front. A couple more just come in and there's a wedding or three on the horizon too. Where are the baptisms?

But today has been a chilled and reflective day, daily bread means I've been fed, man leaving an empty grave shows I've been forgiven, Spirit within me means I'm the light of Christ wherever I go.

Just need to live up to all that now, don't I?

This place of reflection is here for me to dialogue internally and gain insight and perspective. It first appeared in this current form for some of those looking at creating their own journal as part of the their journey to discerning vocation. The Morning prayer is there also for that same purpose: to create the discipline of prayer. 

So What do you Do all day?

This is one of those 'funny' comments that grace my life every so often and I guess that, not being in any way unique (whilst being unique in every way!), others in the clergy are blessed with the same comments too!

It's an odd thing but when this particular cleric steps into the dressing up shop and become 'Rev Ben' rather than 'Mr Ben'. Of course I'm assuming you know who Mr Ben is - in case you don't, let me set you straight. Mr Ben was a great cartoon character from the seventies who would visit a 'dressing up' shop where he would 'dress up' and have great adventures - these days I have come to realise that it called 'ordination'!

Today has been pretty much extraordinary in the way that it has been so amazingly ordinary and yet, as is almost always the case, so extremely special.

By the close of play today this day will have seen me engaged in:

+ a communion service where we ran out of seats and just kept adding them.

+ an opportunity to meet with lots of really lovely people and just enjoying spending time with them listening to their stories, laughing at their jokes and getting involved with them and being 'real'.

+ taking communion out to people who are no longer able to come in to the church building and be 'Church' - so 'Church' comes to them and the relationship with Jesus, the Christ, the lone(ly) Christian and the Lord (through the Eucharist) is once again celebrated and made incarnate!

+ helping people make sense of the loss of a loved one and help them to plan one last opportunity for them and their loved one to physically be in the same place.

+ being the voice of reason and reconciliation as broken people, and relationship, are brought back into one and healing, forgiveness and love gently collide.

+ being the Christian presence as members of a uniformed youth organisation parade and spend time together as cadets.

+ planning the funeral of a young person whose loss is painful and unfair for all who are involved and confusing for those who assumed that 'three score and ten' were the norm'. Death of a young person, especially when this natural act is down to natural causes, brings a sadness all of its own and raises many questions where God, and the person representing Him, need to 'man up' and take the questions on the chin without evasion or flinching.

Add to this the usual round of emails, telephone calls and the like and you get to realise that what your average Vicar does requires anything but an average response. Mix in a little paperwork (and there's always paperwork to be done) and the picture is complete.

So a request for those who have a Vicar, Pastor, Leader, Whateveryoucallthem, in your expression of Church.

Please pray for those who are engaged in the pastoral role that they will:

i. Never lose sight of the high calling that they have to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and minister His love to all that they meet; Christian, theist and atheist.

ii. Never see those they engage with as anything other than the image of the invisible God made visible and, with that in mind, give them the time, love and respect that this deserves.

iii. Remember that the role is done WITH God as partners and friends rather than work colleagues or employee and Employer. We live with God first and foremost as brothers and sisters rather than mere co-workers; a reality that is borne of relationship and sacrifice on God's part.

iv. Never forget that there are others within their own family who have a right, and a call, upon their time and that balance is always the key (especially when unbalance is the reality).

Pax

UK Shoplifting (and need for Foodbanks) growing exponentially

Shoplifting has gone up in the UK by 7% and the stuff being lifted is food. The reason for this is the fact that according to experts, people are finding their finances squeezed.

On Radio Four earlier today a Mum said she went shoplifting for food because even though she has used Foodbanks, the stuff they gave her was not healthy and so she, from the desire to feed her kids healthy food, went shoplifting. Now she acknowledged that this was wrong - but felt she had no choice.

This news item brings a couple of issues to the fore:

More and more people are finding it hard to live and the potential for rises in interest rates some time soon will see mortgages and other rate-related rise and this will exacerbate the situation. More people will have less to pay out on food, especially as the real value of income decreases each year any,way. There is already a rise in loan sharks and the spectre of interest rate rises will only feed this.

So many of those who support Foodbanks appear to go for volume rather than quality (and I know I'm probably wrong in this) but I always encourage those who decide to donate to go for middle of the road rather than cheaper stuff - my thinking being that I'd rather see five pounds worth of quality, low salt, low sugar, low additive foodstuff (say six tins) than twelve tins of foodstuffs that will affect the health of the recipients. Our local Foodbank is happy to receive fresh vegetables (a good thing with Harvest drawing near once again) and this is a good thing.

There is an immense need for Christians:
To support (and if there isn't one, to establish) Credit Unions;
To work together with Foodbanks;
To engage with groups like Christians Against Poverty (CAP)
To speak up for the marginalised and those in poverty and other needs

Soapbox back in cupboard

Sea Sunday and Abandoned ships

Yesterday our church celebrated 'Sea Sunday' - an opportunity to look at the work of the mission to seafarers (and those engaged in the wonderfully broad world of merchant maritime activity).

The focus of the the service was that of 'abandoned ships' - not something that results from a 'Women and children first' scenario but something much more sinister and concern making.

Let me explain:

Depending upon source we live in a world where 86-90% of the goods and foodstuffs that enter or leave our nation (the UK) do so by means of shipping. One result of the financial downturn has been an increase in owners abandoning their vessels, often because of expensive failures or just because the cash has run out.

Imagine the situation when a land-based company folds. The management come in and tell the workers that they've gone bankrupt and then they turn off the equipment, send the workers home and then lock the building up.

Now transpose this to a maritime setting. What happens when the fuel oil runs out and the engines and generators fail? No propulsion or electricity, air conditioning, pumps and stuff to support life on the vessel! Even if do have enough fuel oil to make port, when you get there there's no money to pay for the pilot or a berth, so you're stranded and holding off. There's no money for food or water and you're not being paid - so what do your family live on - and if you do manage to land, if you're on a vessel with a 'flag of convenience' you will probably be blown off by your own consulate or embassy staff too. The situation is hopeless.

The ILO's 'Abandonment of Seafarers Database' contained almost 150 abandoned vessels a couple of months back - and this is a shocking and often unknown situation if you aren't in this world (or have relatives who are affected). And this is where the Mission to Seafarers comes in foir the visit ships, provide Bibles, support for those in abandoned vessels, help for those who otherwise wouldn't be in contact with family and friends for months by providing mobile (and internet) communication, assist with medical emergencies and more beside.

So, can I encourage you to have a look at their website and perhaps consider:

Support them financially  - because this is people taking God's love to those who work at sea.

Pray for seafarers - because it's an area many of us take for granted and are ignorant of.

Give them an invite - to come and talk, lead a service and help you (and your congregation) become better informed.

ILO - International Labour Organisation 

Making the ALL in all-member ministry real - Part the second

Are you sitting comfortably? Good - then we'll begin:

Once upon a time in a church not that far from where I sit there was a minister who was very sad for they were ALWAYS working - the problem being that there was no one to do the jobs and so EVERYTHING fell to them. Well, that was What the minister told me anyway!

Then, one day, I happened to bump into one of the members of the congregation of that selfsame church who told me a very different story! They told me of the situation in their church and from where they were standing it seemed that the Minister was doing everything letting nobody have a go at anything. The church member spoke of how even the most simple of jobs were kept close to the minister's chest rather than be distributed or shared among the willing of the parish (and there were apparently some willing people). 'People have just got fed up and stopped offering now,'  they said, 'After all what's the point of fighting?'

I was really glad to have met the parishioner because the ministers position as stated seemed to honest and true and left me feeling quite sorry for them. There was I thinking what a hard done by person they were and how horrible the church members were and if only they would get behind them and then the words of proverbs 18.17 struck home:

'one person's story sounds believable until you hear the story from the other side!

(remember this - it makes all of life function better)

As I began to dig deeper I found the ministers experiences were full of people who had been trained and released and failed. There were people who had offered but never turned up when the need was present. Others still had come talking of how they wanted to be doing and yet when the time came to be doing always had a reason for their absence.  The tale of woe continued with accounts of those who did do stuff doing it their own way and 'for themselves' (a rather subjective and mind-reading assessment in my book) and delivering whatever they did poorly - all  of which meant that the minister had to redo, make do, or perform badly in the services and functions of the church.

So the bottom line was that in the end the Minister stopped offering and stopped asking and just 'got on with it'  and, as if supporting the Minister, the congregation stopped offering and stopped asking and merely, like the Minister, complained to whoever would listen to their sad and sorry tale.

All member ministry is like being in a marriage - it's all about communication, understanding and lot of' give and take'.  Sometimes the lines of communication are confused, perhaps because it's a developing relationship,  and sometimes the confusion comes by assuming you know the need or the person and acting, with the best intentions, wrongly.

All member ministry works best when the person with the need states it clearly to those who might be able to meet that need. The hearer, in turn, hearing that need should go off have have a think, pray, and consider whether they are the person to do what is needed. Having decided that the answer is either 'yes' or' no' (for there is no place for' maybe') then the volunteer and the person with the need, assuming they know how to resolve it themselves*, get together and the relationship and the resolution to the problem is formed and enacted.

Simple innit?

Well that's what they said they wanted on the cake!

* One of the great problems in Church is the fact that whilst being aware of the need the leader might not possess the skills or abilities to resolve it and yet they still try to teach what they cannot do to someone who will never do it well and thus begins a vicious cycle that leads to doom, gloom and destruction. This is what hell on earth is made from :-)

Be careful how you answer critical questions!

Being Collared (6) - Building the Church

One of the challenges, especially in a Church setting, is for those who run things to become a little myopic and selfish and yet consider this to right and proper. I'd be immensely rich if I had a fiver for every leader, minister and member who has, in discussion over church, used a variation of the following words:

'Not bothered about the wider church, my job is to build the church where I am.'

Now, as much as I try I have never shifted a single one of them from this position and yet, rather ironically, not one of the proponent of this isolationist approach has been in a church that was flourishing. In fact the reality was the complete opposite in that they were diminishing and even floundering!

If you have a leader (pastor, priest, minister, parson or elder - it matters not what you call them) who is devoting, or much, of their energy into building up the wider church to the detriment of their own cure (meaning the place where they have responsibility for souls - not indicating illness of any sort*) then I can understand this will bring about some concern. But the reality is that we are to work to build the WHOLE Church (capital 'C' church = universal: lower case 'c' meaning the local manifestation in this context). We cannot live in isolation and we must bless the work, and members of the churches around us, because this is our calling. Parochial is a system of providing local gatherings of Christians, not a lifestyle or mindset!

Now hear what I'm saying - not what you think I've said!

We must witness to those around us and seek to bring them into relationship with Jesus, the Christ, and those who follow Him. But we do it with integrity, seeking to build the Church first and our own piddling little expressions of it (for in comparison every local gathering is minuscule - even if there are hundreds of people in it) second. If we did this then perhaps we'd send people to a church that fits the bill for them rather than try to cling on to them.

Now before you suck air in through your teeth and start shaking your head, let me tell you that should you arrive where I am and want church that offers:

• choirs and organs
• high church
• low church
• traditional
• contemporary
• evangelical
• liberal
• charismatic
• self-serving
• isolationist
• grumpy
• flaky
• shaky
• big
• small
• caring
• sharing
• chocolate biscuits
• something else

I'd know exactly where to send you - and send you we would**.

After all when we do this we are helping to build the Church and are displaying the reality of Church as a bunch of people in relation to each other rather than competing outlets of the Christian franchise.

When we do this I believe God sees that integrity and honours it and let's be honest here:
Should you have someone visit and attempt to cling onto them, even though they're not truly comfortable, you have won yourself someone who will never quite fit and making more work for yourself. Pass them on, get people who are the right fit for your outlet and then, as a happy little band of brothers and sisters, worship the Lord in the beauty of having a church that runs like a sewing machine rather than a jackhammer.

And those you have sent, because they are happy where they have landed have a warm feeling towards you and yours for having had the kindness to assist them in their search.

And those who lead the churches around you will be warm and friendly because what you say is what you are (WYSIWYA) and that makes unity a reality rather than a forlorn hope.

And God (who, even though I'm an Anglican, I am convinced exists) will bless and enable and quicken and inspire to do even greater things. For being faithful in the ones and twos when they come a looking will demonstrate how you can be trusted with the many (and if we have few - can we assign that totally to the place we're in without considering the people that we are?).

So here's a bit of a tough one today - one that (as a friend said recently) is probably 'rather rude'!

If it is - I'm afraid I can't apologise for it - because it is, I fear, also 'rather true' too!

So let's end on a. Lighter note shall we.

A Vicar walks into an opticians saying they think they need glasses. The optician takes them to the window and says, 'Look up at the sky, what can you see?'

The Vicar replies, 'Absolutely nothing at all!'

The optician responds, 'Yeah, I've been to your church and I didn't see the Son either!'

Happy Monday - let's go build Church

* Although come to think of it there are some for whom the illness bit might apply in some form or other

+even when it transpires that some have policies never to do the same for anything outside their walls - you know who you are and should repent before God comes done and has a chat: or is that why your numbers and fellowship is failing perhaps?

**Sadly of course that doesn't necessarily mean that they'd stay - but at least we've tried :-) The key is that we've done the right thing.

One of those ILAMFT moments

In case you're wondering, ILAMFT is a modification of something that those of us who suffer from aviation-related illnesses (Gliding, Powered Flight, Microlights, etc.) engage in whilst sitting on a bar stool in the clubhouse and it takes it's name from a 'must read' column in 'Flying' Magazine.

The column's name is 'I Learned About Flying From That' - ILAFFT
and having, once again, made a basic error in my ministerial dealings and deliberations I thought that a, 'I Learned About Ministry From That' (ILAMFT) entry from time to time (like whenever I make such a mistake or hear of one that merits mention occurs - which means it's due to become a regular column!) would make sense.

Yesterday I met with someone who put forward a scenario and asked my opinion and, being me, of course I gave it - and explained the reasons for it. It then transpired that this issue had been raised before and the outcome with the other person had been different to that with me. The problem is that then you find yourself in a situation where you're perhaps damned if you do and worse off if you don't (for there is a clear pastoral imperative supporting doing the blessed thing).

I broke one of the golden rules of ministry - that which states that we should always ensure we have adequate time, proper focus and all (or as many as possible) facts before us.

I dropped the ball and whilst convinced that the outcome is proper and well-placed pastorally - the potential for division exists.

Guess that's where grace, prayer and understanding come in.

But would have been easier without it!

Always ensure that adequate time, proper focus and all (or as many as possible) facts are ours before we act - and ensure you dialogue whenever and wherever possible. It's rare that the situation can't wait!

Boxing Day - All about being called out, dragged outside and being stoned!

Yesterday the focus should have been On Jesus - God made man.

Today we find ourselves being drawn to present ourselves outside our local Next at 06:00 or to join in the clamouring crowds at Debenhams or other such outlet by the adverts. We are encouraged, nay cajoled, to get out there and rid ourselves of whatever money we have managed to hang on to in the run up to Christmas Day.

Of course today is 'Boxing Day' - a day of cold cuts and time off for those in service (well once upon a time that was) - a day which for as long as I can recall was generally about sales and sport. Whitings, Gamages and other stores in the morning and the Arsenal (or the Spurs) in the afternoon.

Well that was the reality for much of my life - being brought up in a decidedly non-believing household - and even when I came to faith, this continued to generally be the set menu for the day. Too. That is until I became a 'full on', card-carrying, Anglican.

As a free church charismatic I learned nothing of the Church's seasons nor the saints and heroes of it either. Sadly the same was true as my journey passed through being a Baptist (where it all began) and into (and out of) the world that is Pentecostalism - although I gained Spurgeon and Wigglesworth as heroes on the way. This situation was remedied when the superficial nature of my 'Anglicanism' was put aside for the joys of seasons and feasts, festivals and saints.

It is ironic that from the rigid structures of those churches who had a free liturgical pattern of worship  it was the all too often proclaimed (and much despised) vain repetitions of the Church of England that gifted me the richness of saints and seasons - feasts and festivals.

It is ironic too that it was within the Anglican setting that the Bible suddenly expanded into the fullness of having sixty-six books (rather than Paul's writing, the Gospels and a few other books besides). The reason being that whilst the teaching might have been good elsewhere - it was generally only good in part and the parts considered were fewer in number than the whole!

Yes - I have to admit that I am a sucker for the Lectionary and for feasts, festivals and the 'red letter' days: And today is one such day - being the feast day where we remember the Saint (meaning one whose life is an example to us), martyr and one of the first deacons: Stephen.

So, drawing upon the words of Acts 6 and 7, let's take a muchly condensed look at Stephen:

The Church was growing and the demands, and tensions within it, were growing such that the Apostles found themselves being drawn away from ministering the word to deal with the logistical and 'day to day' stuff. So they decided to set aside (or 'call out') seven men to do the 'hands on' stuff - and one of these was Stephen. The others being; Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch (a Jewish convert).

They were commissioned by the laying on of hands and sent out to do the stuff - and Stephen did (with sound speaking and signs and wonders) to the extent that people got niggled with him and set him up - the result being that he was falsely accused and eventually taken outside and stoned to death (whilst a bloke called Saul minded the coats of those doing the stoning).

This is an important passage because it is the beginning of the diaconal role (which means being a deacon - one called out to assist those who preach the word by doing the 'hands on' and practical day-to-day stuff).

It shows how being a deacon is more than just the 'hands on' for Stephen performed signs and wonders (which should follow the preaching of the word) and spoke publicly (evangelistic and proclamatory ministry too!).

It is the first example of 'calling out' members of the Church into ministry and is the beginning of the model of Church that demands all-member and collegial ministry - an obviously Biblical and longstanding model!

So, as we approach the year's end perhaps I can cheekily encourage you to read your Bibles and keep an eye on the Lectionary to see who we are celebrating (and perhaps I'll start featuring them each day too to assist here) and to ponder on who they are, what they did and what their lives might encourage us to be.

Happy feast day of Stephen.

Who cares if you have a stable church?

Another bugbear as I begin a new term and with it a new regime of not letting people stand in my way (always the same since I was in the first year at school - new books, new start and a determination to see homework done and handed in on time - book looked like rag in weeks and homework still always last minute :-) ) and stop Church growing and doing because it is comfortable.

I am meeting more and more people who fall into one of three groups, the most frustrating of these being 'maintenance church'. (i'll tell you about the other two later - promise!).

Now these people are in a church where the congregation stays pretty static. People leave and people arrive and they are comfortable in terms of numbers and (even with the recession) giving. These are the churches that the Pharisees within the church structures love to see for they are not declining and, better still, they are paying their way. The former is a product of the place rather than the minister or pastor and the latter, in these days whereby the mantra, "Can't pay - Can't have!", make these the talisman churches.

The problem is that those who are maintaining are planning on decline as the time comes when an older critical mass reaches the time to check out. Explaining this to a minister I was met with the response that by the time that happened they'd have moved on and so it wouldn't be their problem. This, I think, is a symptom (and the cause) of many of the problems we are facing and the creation of a terrible legacy for our nation too!

A church member once told me that we needed to be doing more for the members of the church and less outside with the people who don't come. Now this YIMBY (Yes in my back yard) was concerned with their needs and the things that served them. They didn't want to go out and do and (to my knowledge) never have regardless of where they were! This is a different situation (but still needs addressing) BUT

We need churches to be engaged with their community, for this is who we are called to serve, and to engage with people outside the church building by taking the Gospel, this means going because of Christ and telling others about His love, especially if your church is stable and the parish share isn't a struggle. And if you have enough to pay your way - how's about looking at those around you who can't and help them - one day it might be the other way around (2Cor 8:13 - 15):

"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”

A stable church, especially those which are historically comfortable, needs to plan for the times when the famine comes a knocking. Getting out and doing is something that we must all do (in Jesus' name) and not something that is done (like evangelism) when the Parish Share needs a paying?

We need missional churches and missional leaders and enabled members who are trained, equipped and released to do the job and if your minister isn't doing that then you'd better tell them that they're planning for a new career some time soon!

As for who cares? Well I do, because a stable church is a great place to build from!

Christianity - Not about being right

But about being righteous!

This week has been one of those ups and downs weeks where people have wanted to engage with me over the CofE's statement on same-sex marriage and generally wanted to put the world right in oh so many ways that it has left my head spinning. What was odd though is the fact that the general tone was a 'well done' and not one of the 'ordinary folk' I engaged with saw the position taken as anything other than right. Still they probably weren't gay or members of the clergy!!!

I have engaged with people who appear to be resigned to a declining church and are looking to cut their cloth accordingly. Better to have what we can pay for that something big and missional that might pay for it but will take energy, effort and faith appears to be their (oh so frustrating) subtext. We appear to live in this happy world where we speak mission but live maintenance and have put aside the word of God for the Gospel according to Excel. I go out speaking of MAPs (Mission Action Plans) and walk places looking at the potentials for mission and fresh expression whilst others plot to live as they always have and conspire to sell stuff to balance the books until the day dawns when, family silver gone, they merge or move away. This is the stuff my nightmares are made of (well that and clergy (and others) who can't get off their bottoms to do stuff!).

I have met people who complain that 'the church' isn't doing enough in their area of need and yet, in the same breath, have told me that 'people' (this generally means someone other than them and is often transformed into 'the state') need to be paying for us to be doing if we can't. Then the conversation turned to ways of getting money to do stuff. Amongst the many suggestions (none of which included them putting their hands in their pockets) were the local council, the government, charities, the bishop and the pinnacle of all suggestions, the Queen. "After all," they said, :She is the head of the Church of England so it was only right that she should pay! I said it then and will say it now, the funding should come from the people and if it doesn't perhaps we need to ask where their heart is (for that's where we will find their treasure I'm guessing!).

The previous conversation makes the next one rather interesting as they took time to tell me that 'the church' is "A bunch of ponces!" Seems we are always out there with our begging bowl or making people feel guilty about little starving black kids and building wells. They told me all this in order to ask if I might be able to let them have some money as they were skint. Of course whilst I gave them no money I did buy them a coffee and received the almost obligatory cry of those who are in need: "Thank you Vicar, you aren't like the rest of them hypocritical money-grabbing B's!" (Thanks be to God :-) )

The prize encounter of the week had to be the person who told me that being 'religious' was irrational and that such people needed to be locked up as they were delusional. They went on to explain that in the secure unit they'd been in there were 'loads of religious nutters'. I merely agreed that this was my experience too and left them to go on their (to be honset, rather menacing) way.

The key to the many encounters we have as Christians is to not struggle to be right but to keep our feet firmly on the rock. The urge to defend when we need to listen and respond by action and prayer, loadsa prayer, is often overwhelming but we need to be able to turn cheeks, bless when a curse would be easier to find on the shelf of the life and faith store that is us. To be reason where there is no reason, love when there is hatred and bitternes, and a listening ear when we feel the need to stick our fingers in our ears and sing (loudly).

But it is the way we listen, engage and show love that makes us look, smell and act like Christ - that ability of putting off being right and become righteous in the face of all we encounter.

Pax

Ordination - Is there an easy route please?

Had an interesting conversation with someone today regarding an easier path to being ordained. They didn't want to go to college and weren't sure they wanted to go to any form of 'selection' conference because it sounded a bit stressful. Not only that but they only wanted to be ordained and remain in their 'sending' church (where they were already working and doing services.

I asked one of my favourite questions (after the 'how' and 'why' questions), "What would ordination do for you and what could you do without it that you couldn't do now?" The response was a new one for me because the answer was, "Nothing - I'm already doing it now!'

Impressed I asked the questions:

Leading services - Yep!

Worship - Yep!

Praying - Yep!

Preaching - Yep!

Involved in the communion service - Yep (and in fact they told me they were already 'doing communion' when their minister was away)!!

I asked where they were (outside of our diocese) and why they'd called me (because someone they know knows me and thought I'd be able to advise) and then got more involved with the more pressing questions after which it transpired that they were in a multi-benefice setup and the clerical person had told them that they needed to get ordained so they could 'formalise' what they were doing. After more discussion I realised that what they wanted was to be ordained to the group of churches and those alone (what we call an ordained local minister where we are) and no more.

I've suggested that they have a chat to a local ministry advisor in their own patch or even arrange an introduction to their DDO. Oddly, what I find interesting here is that this conversation appears to have been prompted by a cleric who was looking to make their local help more official and I can understand why (five churches in the group is reason enough) but I am also left wondering what I could have done further?

It was only a couple of days ago that I was in a group where I brought up the increasing desire to convert any adequate or able lay person into a minister because of the workloads and pressures and here I am perhaps facing yet another of this being flesh in this instance.

I'm left wondering what some clergy see ordination as being and how they discern calling?

Gis' us a clue? Has anyone else encountered anything like this I wonder?

Pax

Praying, Sharing, Caring - the Acts 2 model

I am a great fan of Acts 2: 42 - 47 and in my missioner role, I come a cross a good many people who especially love the "The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved," bit! The problem is that many I meet suddenly find the impetus for church growth is the Parish Share or emptying (or in one case, empty) buildings.

So what can we learn from todays lectionary reading from Acts?

A healthy church is passionate about the word of God.
This means that the members read it (if only this were true)
That the ministers read it for themselves (should we do a straw poll on this?)
That the word of God is taught faithfully (Mmmmm - one local bloke tells me it's a book of suggestion for living, not rules for life!!!)

That a healthy church lives as a family (or perhaps a cup of tea after the service is adequate?)
A healthy church meets to share a social evening to enjoy each other, not to raise money!
A healthy church cares for each other, even the mentally ill!

A healthy church breaks bread together (including the reforming alcoholics)

A healthy church has members who pray regularly (and I don't mean when their team is playing!)
A healthy church comes together for prayer (oh well!)
A healthy church has people praying for others.

A healthy church prays for, expects, and sees signs and wonders (do we, are you?)

A healthy church lives in their own homes and lives with others in relationship such that when a need arises, it is dealt with from within the church.
When one member has a need, then all have a need and all find a way to resolve that need (but we're not stupid - keep getting into debt and you'll also find a healthy church has wisdom and does discipline!!!).

A healthy church meets regularly. The church is out doing and being and the building is open and welcoming those who aren't Church.
A healthy church sees members visiting other members, eating, drinking and sharing their lives outside of the Sunday (mandatory) engagement!

A healthy church is attractive and compelling and you have to ask people to stop joining because otherwise we'll have to start working and being effective in the community!

A healthy church doesn't worry about Parish Share, it's too busy sharing in the Parish!

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Tick the list above and then:

1. Pray about who you are,

2. Pray about who (and what) your church is,

3. Ask God for directions for you (me), them (us) and them (those outside)

4. Listen to God (He can speak if you give Him the chance),

and then nag your pastor/minister/shepherd/dog-collar/congregation accordingly

Pax

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."