Journal: Thursdays? I love Thursdays!

The difference between between having a dogcollar and being a good cleric is very much like the difference between Tarzan and George of the Jungle: It's all about the ability to swing from rope to rope without falling to the ground or face-planting a tree!

The interesting thing for me is the number of amazing face-plants one encounters (at all levels) and the lack of embarrassment attached to them! Every now and then I encounter something that leaves me as embarrassed as if I'd walked on them naked, but the object of my discomfort merely (a la Derek Nimmo in 'All Gas And Gaiters') seem oblivious to the situation. The problem is that I have been accused of training people to be inept in the knowledge that I will always jump in before things go pear-shaped. Where I see concern, others see opportunity: and where I see it a little differently, I do understand what they mean and can see their point.

When I lived in the countryside, there was a certain person who would miss the bus on a regular basis. Many of us, if we saw them would offer them a lift into town - which meant a short detour adding about ten minutes to our overall journey. One day one day I happened to be in the local pub and chanced to hear the frequent passenger talking to a friend and as the conversation unfolded I (naughtily eavesdropping) heard the person tell his companion how, by 'missing' the bus, he not only got into town quicker but was warmer, more comfortable, and didn't have to pay the fare!

So I started going the other way, still giving them a lift if it suited me, but no longer being willing to arrive late at my destination or have to drive like a lunatic to try and make up time lost through them; as did the friends I told the story to. Seems to me that I need to see who is standing at the bus stop and act accordingly.

But today the stop has been empty. It's Thursday so it started with Communion (and of course it's Passiontide, an important period in Lent, which meant I pushed the boat out and (unlike Simon Peter didn't get naked but) wore the chasuble we have had returned to us by the church up the road as they're not into that sort of thing. Now, as a card-carrying evangelical, charismatic, fundamentalist (apparently) I think it's cool to keep the feats, wear the tat and even have a thiruble - so it was a fitting start to the day as we displayed our serious intent on marking the passion of the Christ.

A stop and a chat at the 'drop in' before it was off and out to home Communions and a couple of pastoral additions, a home visit to sort something technical and then into a rather delicate and sad funeral visit. But still a light day which left me feeling chilled and effective even though it weighed in  at around fifteen hours (becoming conscious of the hours since doing the numbers).

Lines beginning to be drawn and things hitherto unseen, now seen and noted.

Lord, for all the encounters of the day - I thank You.
For the blessings given and received - I am humbled and blessed.
For the roles others have missed today - help me to know that I served you in rectifying thing rather than was taken for a mug. Give me discernment and courage.

And for the passion of the Christ - give me passion to keep it and courage to live it.

An inside edge on my week thus far

And we've only just reach Wednesday!

I woke up this morning and my body said, 'Monday!'
My brain said, 'Friday!'
The alarm clock (for the mortals in the house) read, 'Wednesday!'

So I climbed out of bed and got on with it. Paper work done - emails answered and diary filled just that little bit more (now booking into mid-2105 for some stuff). It's been an amazing week - so full that I haven't managed to blog and yet full of stuff that has challenged, blessed and incensed me. Here's just a glimpse of the first two days:

Was surprised to meet a vicar of the female persuasion who confided that she'd be glad when 'that' vote was over and we could get back to, 'Doing what we should be doing rather than getting bound up in all that's been going on over it!' I wasn't surprised that she was was a woman with that view but at the fact she shared it (I barely know her).

Went to meet with someone I was sure would have been all for a 'Yes' vote and found them bemoaning the rift it would cement between Roman Catholicism and the CofE (something I'd not really given much thought to). A fascinating insight into the situation and the thought that, having come from a positive engagement with Francis, Justin might encourage slowing things down to see how Rome (with an apparently professed 2% of paedophile priests in their midst who will have to go) might look towards women's ministry and try to get some coherence. Knew that was never going to happen though!

Had a friend (and colleague) write:
'Women bishops aren't going to be any better (or worse) than male ones. Remember the woman Prime Minister? And the first black President hasn't exactly lived up to all the hype and hope. So, no, I'm not "#excited" or whatever. I'm long past caring on this one. God bless 'em all and I'll just carry on as before i.e. by lying low and staying out of their way. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." But better not to meet the boss at all if you can help it!'

I was surprised by the many (male and female) who were quite ambivalent towards women bishops - although more surprised by the women because I though there was a party line on the topic.

I was happy for those who were happy over it and sad with those who were saddened by it - I don't have an axe to grind either way and since I don't like the world of rights and inequality; or as I said to one lovely lady what might never talk to me again - positive discrimination has the word 'discrimination' and I'm never for that word - you perhaps do because you're the one hoping to be positively discriminated towards. Needs to be thought out that one I reckon. I'd rather see equality on the basis of the inability to differentiate on anything other than calling and ability (and that covers colour, sex, gender and anything else you might like to think of). It should be about righteous and right living - a quick and lively faith and the desire to preach (and live) Christ in and out of season. Anything else is religion (and probably politics).

Met a cleric who has decided to get on and do it all themselves after yet another Sunday came and went and the people who had taken jobs supporting, and in, the service failed to deliver. They made the very valid point that some of those who never do took great pleasure in moaning about stuff being wrong or not done well and the recipient of those moans was, of course, the cleric. So, they thought, 'I'll just do whatever needs to be done and then it'll work and if it doesn't then at least the complaints are rightly mine.'

Bumped into three people who had found themselves at odds with the 'We have to support Israel' brigade because they have the view that 'Palestine needs to be protected from Israel'! Also bumped into two who are trying to defend Israel by pointing to Syria and other places where, 'Even more atrocities are happening!'

Now that's some defence - don't deny that the nation is doing wrong but deflect criticism by telling those who criticise to look at someone else because they're worse - how cheap is that? Bet God loves that one ;-)

Apparently those who support Israel have the view that Israel is a spiritual nation and yet all I see is an increasingly secular state whose stated intentions of 'getting them before they get us' using the shoah* as some sort of defence+ denies everything that the God of the Jews calls Israel to be. I'm all for praying for the peace of Jerusalem and Gaza and Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and  . . . .  . but I would like to see Israel be peacemakers as well (and I know the views that it's a small nation surrounded by people who wish to conqueror and destroy - been like that since always - not an excuse!).

Are you busy Vicar?

Had a fantastic time with 50+ young men and women who having donned military uniform got to hear about the spiritual realities of being Green and the Values and Standards that make our Army one of the very best in the world. To see so many people with a quick and ready mind and the enthusiasm of youth take up spiritual themes and be willing to consider, examine and discuss (not always positively) them and the resonances they might bring was a heart-gladdening event indeed.

Had a good meeting to harmonise baptisms around the parish and are moving on to do the same with weddings.

Got excited about the prospect of offering Mission Shaped Introduction and Mission Shaped Ministry across the diocese.

Got even more excited about the 24/7 prayer as it enters its last week of a four week offering (four locations across Tamworth) and at the people who had committed time to find (or rediscover) the joy of praying for more than four minutes during a Sunday service!

Got more excited still about the young woman who is fired by God to 'do something new' for God and is seeking to make this a reality (such joy when people hear and do).

So there we are - a brief insight into the first two days of the week - Praise God or what?

Now I need to go and pray about them all - perhaps some have touched you and challenge you to pray too - hope so :-)

* shoah Hebrew word for desolation, used in favour of the word 'holocaust' which means a burnt offering (often in the context of a sacrifice to gods/God).

+ The defence goes: 'Look what they did to us before - everything we do is defence as per the Bible's command 'Get them before they get you!'

True Worship on my TV

Watching the television yesterday I was caught up in the passion and the proclamation of the crowds. How could I be anything but passionate when those caught on camera sang their songs of praise and engaged in their liturgy of wonder, love and praise. People hugged those around them (at the right and fitting parts of the gathering) and there were some who, caught up with the emotions of the event, wept openly. It was passion, full-on and public - there for all to see and there was no secret place in the hearts of the worshippers for everything was open, obvious and honest.

But there were no preachers. No choirs, organists or worship bands.

There was no sermon or altar call - for all knew why they were there and all were believers! What we had, purely and simply was a gathering of the faithful.

Just a shame that they were following their football teams and not Jesus! In fact if those who call themselves 'Christian' were half as engaged and even a quarter as loud and passionate as those in the stadium I was privy to (thanks to my TV) yesterday then the Church would be in the ascendency.

As I continue to ask people why we do 'good works' with our citing the reason or naming the person for, and by whom, we do them, the more I understand that we have become a people who live in fear. The reality is, generally and accurately, summed up by a response that I received yesterday from Underground Pewster, which says:

"In the Episcopal church USA, most congregants feel that they cannot witness effectively, and therefore do good works sans witness, and somehow, that alone is supposed to be doing the work of Christ in community (if I get the jargon they use). I think the statistics show that this (quietly doing good works without witness) is the path to decline of both Church and community."

Indeed it is! I am continually finding 'the church' engaging more and more in social action and yet those who are doing the stuff actively seek to remove any church or Christian link to the work lest it be rejected. In fact, I have spoken recently with a vicar who told me of a foodbank who, thanks to the efforts of the local 'Churches Together' group, have removed any link or association to that project.

If someone supports a football team then they attend the matches and will wear a team shirt, scarf or some other identifying mark (be fun is they passed a law saying you couldn't wear anything of a footballing affiliation nature whilst at work - be more of an uproar than that which accompanied some of the Christian objects debacle!). They drone on endlessly about their team (I do and because I support the team that was half a mile from my home it's not just where I come from but also who I am!). They will talk about great players, stories of great games and talk of victories won and losses (usually undeserved).

If you are a football fan it is almost impossible to stop you talking about it and the team you follow.

How sad that it seems that if you are a Christian the very opposite appears to be true :-(