Journal: Hope

As Christians we talk a lot about hope, but what is it? Seems to me that if we can't speak about hope - if we can't communicate it with others - then there's little hope for the Church!

If our hope is eternity sitting on a cloud playing a blessed harp then I think I might opt for something a little more attractive: I've always fancied halls filled with real ale, well-endowed women and a bit of carousing myself. But it isn't either of those things, this hope stuff, it's about something very different indeed.

Our hope stems from the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.

Our hope finds its fulifillment in a full-on, engaged and worshipping life as the people of God now and in the New Jerusalem, that holy city where we will commune with Him, and worship before Him for eternity.

Heaven is eternity in God's presence and hell is separation from God. It's a bit like living in the sun or in a cave!

Hope in Jesus begins with us singing 'O come, o come, Emmanuel' as people looking to be 'right with God' and to know His healing and life giving presence and ends with us looking to the east, as the new day is heralded in and the darkness is dispelled, with the words 'Come Lord Jesus, come!'.

Last night I was quite taken up with an analogy of the Christian life in which coming to faith is like passing our driving test. Having done so we get into the car that is our earthly life and set off for home (which is heaven, our eternity with God): The challenge is for us to get there with as few collisions, scrapes and ditches driven into as possible and to have broken as few people as possible on the way.

But we are not a people of fear. For too long we have peddled the Christ as some cosmic 'get out of hell free' card and have cudgelled people into living rightly with the threat of hell and damnation. So much for a God of love! But He is and He, seeing our sins, calls us to take remedial driving lessons as  the car is pulled out of the ditch and the cyclist we've hit is rescued from the tree, but he doesn't take away the car or put up a 'road closed' sign. He doesn't tot up the penalty points to take away our licence, but looks to restoration and better driving skills - using others to restore us gently (Gal 6) so that they don't end up with road rage because of our errors.

And we make our journey by means of the Holy Spirit - who navigates and keeps our tanks full - and our Highway Code - the Bible - ensures that we keep to the limits and avoid crossing the wrong lines.

This, surely is our hope!

I was a prisoner and you visited me

A day of variety and challenge - begun with the daily Office and moved quite swiftly on to the early morning Communion and then some pastoral encounters before I found myself behind high walls and barbed wire as I visited one of the residents in an HMP establishment. Add to this some more pastoral stuff and watch of 'Independence Day 2 (Boris Johnson was played by a large repulsive reptile - talk about typecasting!) and now - it's an early bedtime as have cold and busy day beckons tomorrow.

That said - on the work front I've clocked up some thirteen hours of work today - so realise it's not as light as it felt when I started writing. But it's the ministry engaged in and living with God that matters most I reckon.

The sadness of loss for those I like, and the loss of the people I liked too, hit home this morning as we prayed at the Communion service. The people I know who are caring for loved ones with life-shortening or life-ending illnesses (and there seem to be so many at the moment) and the number caring for ageing parents and family members too. The reading today from 1 John 3 which spoke of being and doing rather than words and posturing; this is the call of the Church for God did not use hollow words but, in Jesus, the Christ, took on flesh, became human , and DID!

That danger of us looking to works to reward and to 'make us acceptable to God and holy to all around us' is immense - but the danger of doing nothing is equally problematic and debilitating, isn't it? We have to do - it's not about being 'driven' (as a colleague recently put it), it's about fulfilling our baptismal calling. Although it's been a short day from the norm, it's been a full one and a fun one and for that I can be nothing but grateful :-).

The opportunity to do a prison visit was a blessing for although I've worked in a few HMP locations over the years, looking at things from the family's side and discovering how the inmate I visited regards doing their 'bird' and the place and people around them - was invaluable. Watching the prisoners around us and the way they interacted with their visitors was interesting too; the relationships and the way some took every moment to touch, caress and cherish their locked awY love. For a moment I found Isaiah 61 pop into my head but thought of 'setting the prisoners free' might set off a few alarms and make life a bit tough for the already stretched and challenged screws!!!

So tomorrow is Epiphany and  the Magi arrive - the world gets to see God made man and the ultimate solution unveiled before it in the shape of these distant travellers, for they represent the world.

Lord may I too make the Christ known to the whole world. May I be in step with all you are doing and be a blessing to all I meet, and if not a blessing may I not be a curse.

Thank you for the word made flesh - bless this flesh made priest I pray.

A funny sort of day

Touching base with many different people in a variety of ways - it seems that as we get closer to celebrating the incarnate we lose that self-same attribute in ourselves. Jesus, the invisible God made visible and made flesh - clergy, man made invisible, as we communicate by text, email and social media!

A quick encounter with someone by telephone is worth a hundred texts and to actually manifest ourselves physically before someone - well it's akin to a theophany in the Bible - and for some, as rare too!

Being aware of someone's existence is something but being in their physical presence is something else. As I sense God in my life I am uplifted, quickened and enabled - I call upon Him, sometimes to answer by fire as the story relating to the contest with the Baal followers, because I have a confidence that He's there. Do those I serve have the same confidence in me?

Today a day of encouragement and hope from a organisation of the same name and funeral visits, another Kid's Club, pastoral stuff and an evening off. Lost a couple of people - amazing how someone moving and changing get their mobile number can cause them to just vanish - not even the support workers can find them. It's worrying that there are so many mentally ill people slipping through the net, if the welfare state is in such a state that it can ignore and incompetently handle the mad like this, isn't it time that the Church got mad and brought some sanity to it all?

But here I am, knackered tonight, eyes heavy and it's not even midnight - the Christmas rush hasn't bit yet - there's no time - and it's always my busy time of year, because that's what I reckon the Boss always has too. So Lord strengthen me, fill me with your Holy Spirit, and make me to become an incarnate presbyteral entities - burn the paperwork and, having  buried the dead, proclaim the Christ in the company of a living and broken world - in the flesh.

For all that today was I thank you and for all that tomorrow will be I bless your name.

Dear diary: A stunning week closes . . .

Time for a bit of reflection:

Communion celebrated (I preside and we all, as the people of God, celebrate the Eucharist - just saying) in a variety of settings (church, home and care home). A privilege and joy and, not unsurprisingly, one of the areas that has lifted my head, made me buzz, filled me with hope (realised in Jesus, the Christ) and put an added spring in my step.

Funerals conducted in church and Crematorium this week (realised that with 56 on the clock so far this year that it's been a light year and wonder whether that's good or bad?). This week's have seen some me working amazing people who were unsung heroes with so many things to commend them. Interestingly the average age of the four this week was greater than my overall average of 87 - also different from the norm was the fact that the men outlived their wives - usually the other way around!

Started the week with a stunningly joyful, fun-filled and celebratory funeral and the theme continued until the final trip to the crem' on Friday - good to have smiles and laughter as well as tears and solemnity making their appearance.

Engagement with people was, as ever, a mixed bag, and the ability of people to screw things up is always amazing - but the ability to bring clarity and Christ into situations makes the role of pastor and priest a joy - it is no coincidence that I buzz most when engaged with people, don't think I'm ever going to be in love with proecedure and paperwork so I'll leave it to those who enjoy it and thank God for them whilst I head in the opposite direction.

Cherry on the cake this week was someone coming to Christ and beginning their journey into the world of faith. Can there be anything better than seeing someone 'born again' and reconciled to God theory the atoning actions of the Christ? Realised how frustrated I am that I do so little real evangelism and so much of the treadmill. If I were someone who did new year's resolutions (only ever done one - resolved not to do any and kept that one) I'd say 2017 will be a year of winning souls - instead I'll say it more and look to making that happen.

So impressed with Hope - so frustrated with clergy! Why is it that clergy wait for someone to hand them a weapon when they are facing the enemy and merely need to stoop down and pick one up from the ground? When the enemy is before us we take up whatever weapon is to hand and engage them robustly  and with overwhelming fire. But prayer is at a premium rather than commonplace and all around me I find people managing decline and reading from a spreadsheet when they should be populating heaven and reading the Bible!

So blessed to be part of the worshipping communities in Leyfields, Coton Green and Hopwas - Christmas Market, Ladies Craft, Friday Freiends, drop-In, Kid's Club and so much more have been a blessing this week. The school's work is just monster and the opportunities for engagement endless. Amazed I can find time to stop praIsing you Lord.


Sadness of the week has been the person who will never fail because they will never attempt anything  - seems that's the way to be well-regarded by so many - seems to me that this is the reason Church is struggling :-(

Lesson of the week has been the realisation that I as much as I love reading and praying and growing in my knowledge of the word this is something that I have come to regard as something I do when work is done rather than something that's part of the work I do - so another note for 2017 - study, prayer and developing my theological and ministerial skill sets are going to be part of the working week.

Joy of the week are many but topped by Phillip's baptism and the gift that he is to the people of God. To work with people who eagerly desire to know Christ and to celebrate His death and resurrection in the Eucharist is sublime - what a week: Bath and Bread in the spotlight.

So much to thank God for - my paucity, His immensity.

Hallelujah

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.

Can't make it to church? 22 February 2015

Here we are at the First Sunday of Lent - and oddly, for those who don't know it, Sundays are not actually part of Lent because Sunday is a 'mini Easter' and so it is always a celebration. So the ashes and the taking up of things (and the subsequent laying down also) are put to one side for 24 hrs - but of course the cross we carry isn't!

And what of our readings? 

All too often we forget that part of our daily worship is to be found in the Psalms and so why not have us start there as we are reminded of Him in whom we put our trust and the cry to be taught the paths of righteousness, that way of the cross, is clear for us, and for those with whom we deal; for surely we deal in the same way with others as God deals with us (don't we?). For, 'All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.'

Psalm 25.1-9

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies triumph over me. Let none who look to you be put to shame, but let the treacherous be shamed and frustrated. Make me to know your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you have I hoped all the day long. Remember, Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions, but think on me in your goodness, O Lord, according to your steadfast love. Gracious and upright is the Lord; therefore shall he teach sinners in the way. He will guide the humble in doing right and teach his way to the lowly. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

So here we are, stepping out on this first Sunday in Lent looking to walk in mercy and truth and what do we find from the readings? Will they offer us more of the same or will they, as sometimes is the case, cause us to wonder where the link is?

Well we have Noah as the focus of our Old Testament reading - the looking back at God having taken things into His own hands and the promise that He will never take direct, hands on, action against the wicked. That's what the rainbow says, "It's hands off from me, I'll send you signposts, and prophecies and people who will stand with you, but you have control of it all!'

And herein lies the answer to the question, 'Why does a God of love let bad things happen?' and the reason for for asking the question, 'Why do you people keep doing bad things?'

Genesis 9.8-17

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.

And the two passages below. The Gospel talking of the start of Jesus' ministry and God's affirmation of Him as He sets out on the road to the Cross - that most active and engaged path of truth, love and mercy  - and the succinct summing up of it from words of 1 Peter 3:

'For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, 

the righteous for the unrighteous, 

in order to bring you to God.'

Add to this the words:

'And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you

not as a removal of dirt from the body, 

but as an appeal to God for a good conscience,

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ'

And 'Bingo!' it all becomes clear and the jigsaw coming together gives us a picture of a God who seeks us to be a people who will not need Him to intervene (because He can't - He's made that promise in Genesis 9 that He won't and He ALWAYS keeps His promises. 

That picture of a people who will not ask why God isn't acting because they are!

A picture that see us making a stand and ensuring that the wrong are stopped in their tracks.

So are we going to be people who complain that God never acts or are we going to be His hands and feet; His arm of love that embrace; His voice that speaks healing and forgiveness into the world and more specifically those around us? Are we willing to take up our own cross and start down the paths of truth, love, reconciliation and denial of self? (Let's pray):

The Collect

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

1 Peter 3.18-22

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you - not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Mark 1.9-15

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ 

Post Communion Prayer

Lord God, you have renewed us with the living bread from heaven;
by it you nourish our faith, increase our hope, and strengthen our love:
teach us always to hunger for him who is the true and living bread,
and enable us to live by every word that proceeds from out of your mouth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Life Looking Dark?

Then hopefully this image will provide a moment of encouragement, solace and hope:

Even in the deepest hole (and I used to work very deep underground at one stage - places where natural light has never been) the slightest glimmer of light becomes so amazingly intense.

May the light of God's love shine into the dark places of your life today

Hope - Pray - Read - Do

Challenged myself with the image above.

Been thinking about those who sit in church and 'hope' things will happen;

And about those who 'pray' things will happen;

Or sit and 'read' about what happened in the Bible;

And those who 'make' things happen.

and wonder which combination of these made up my character.

And then prayed that it would be 'all' of them.

How do you do with it?

Reaching New Generations - Lichfield Diocese

Today is set aside in Lichfield diocese as a day of prayer for the young. As I was praying this morning, and as others in our church, parish and deanery will also be doing so, I was struck by a comment I heard this week:

Some people want it to happen,

Some people hope it happens,

Some people pray it happen,

Some people make it happen!

Now I don't want you to think that I am saying that prayer is not effective, for I know that this is not the case; what I am saying is this:

All too often I meet people who have either identified or been made aware of a need and their first response is to say, "Oh, let's pray about it." Then, having dutifully prayed, they consider their part done and sit back waiting to see how God is going to do it.

I encounter far too many people who are'concerned' but are not engaged. They clearly see a need and are willing to talk about it to whoever will lsiten at the time (and do the same with God) but do not examine their church to see how it can be made effective and welcoming. They ask the questions and bemoan the fact that 'nobody is doing anything about it' and drone endlessly on about how the need is 'never' met and how they hope that one day someone will wake up and do something.

Meanwhile God looks at the situation and wonders why one earth those people who can see the need keep asking Him to do something when he's already 'something' through the Cross of the Christ and the enabling of His Holy Spirit. What He needs is for those who are asking to do the something He's asked them to do in response!

Today we are praying for 'New Generations' and this is fantastic.

But are we opening our doors to them and seeking to reach them with an old and established message in ways that are culturally and linguistically effective?

Is inculturation something we are considering?

Are we putting on Kid's Clubs and other events that will bring the 'New generations' through our doors and into relationship with us?

Can I commend Lichfield's 'Reaching New Generations' document as something worthwhile to read on this issue? (click on the words and it will download)

We will reach new generations when we leave the comfort and security of our church buildings and get out where the 'new generations' are and engage with them, putting aside the tosh that you need to be young to be effective with them, in ways that break down the barriers that false opinions and attitudes create; by seeking to find the image of the invisible God in them and leading them into a place where they can see God's hand is already on them and His Spirit working through (in, and on) them too!

Please pray this prayer sometime today (and them resolve to make rather than want or hope):

Almighty God and loving heavenly Father

Thank you for calling us by name and welcoming us into your family

Help us to reach out to new generations

so that children and young people

may find their identity as your daughters and sons.

Bless all churches and individuals meeting for prayer today;

Give us vision, faith and hope

that your kingdom may come in our Diocese

and your will be done in and through our lives.  Amen

Pax