revmusings

Last night I attended a Christian event which was basically a time of great singing ( 12 songs) plus a speaker. Its cost £10 a ticket and was on for two nights. Numbers were down this year and the first night was even lower than last night. As a consequence the offering which is divided between three charities will now have a percentage taken away to cover costs. ( we were not told what percentage) I am deeply unhappy about that even though I recognise costs must be covered.

I didn't go last year and I won't again (I went to show support to other members especially one who was in the choir). I am not sure what it achieves other than giving us a great sing- 1500 as opposed to 30 odd is uplifting and its shows unity but as it was mainly Christians present so what?

The time, money and effort required to organise this event I think would be better spent on a project that actually made a difference in our city.

Update: Just discovered it costs £25,000 to put this event on!

I am preaching on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 on Sunday - its all about Hope, hope that we have life with Christ after death. That when Jesus returns both the living and dead with rise together and be joined in the glorious new heaven and earth. One of the cornerstones of Christian faith is hope- because Jesus died and rose again, death is defeated - God acted and life will never be same again.

Yet.....I have had a conversation with someone who has been a Christian all their lives - good and faithful over many decades but is now worried that they is not 'good enough' for God to allow them a part of this hope. I wanted to cry and scream in sadness and anger. Much of the problem is the lack of dramatic experience - 'have I been born again because I have always believed so have no 'moment'.

The church it seems has failed this person in so many ways - why does our preaching and study not assure people that they are loved by God whatever their experience? That Jesus has taken all their sin, that they are forgiven and accepted? Is that now what is saod everytime we break bread and drink wine. Or is it the exphasis on a converion moment that has caused the propblem - for those for whom it is almost part of their DNA how do they get assurance?

I am so grateful they felt able to share their fears with me and I hope I was able to allay their fears and I hope they now know the truth of their place in God's love and coming kingdom.

This morning on our local radio station there was a competition for adults to win tickets to the new Bond film. Not an expensive prize so the question was simple and easy......it took 6 calls to find someone who could answer it correctly!

The question?

Name 3 continents!




(the question mark in is fireworks as it was Diwali here last night and my garden if littered with the spent cases! it was beautiful though)

Just back from holiday which was great! A cruise that took in Thessalonika, Ephesus, Phillipi. Istanbul, Rhodes, Cyprus and few other places. A ship full of strangers many of whom we quickly got to know including two Baptists, one from London and one from the north who I discovered had been at my primary school in London two years below me and now teaches part-time at the college my husband is attending - small world. This was a God moment as two people met and one may just have been able to make a big difference in the other's life.

The weather was wonderful - hot and sunny - a contrast to the predicted snow here today!

We had time with a great contact in Istanbul who provided a very different perspective of being a Muslim in today's world from the one we encounter here. To see a church that had become a mosque but is now a museum with both the Christian and Muslim decorations still in existence was challanging

Our guides around the Christian sites were Orthodox or Muslim but what we got was the Orthodox take on the history of the sites, incluidng the house of Mary where allegedlly she was taken my John after the ascension. The Baptist did have fun as we were taken to where Lydia was baptisted - in a river, dunked - but then shown the font where babies were now baptised! If it was good enough for Paul and Lydia why isn't still! (They do allow immersion baptism there.)

Went to worship in a large church - what a contrast to my small one - in terms of wonderful singing, amazing preaching, lots of people of do things and good programmes which care for the outside world as well as its own folk (though the intercessory prayers did not reflect this concern sadly)

On our return we went to see our family and friends for a big party - great fun was had by all till we came to leave and found blue lights outside the ahll - a car had collided with a bus and the lives of 5 families were turned upside down: two died and three are badly injured - all in their 20's. Joy and grief; the celebration of many years of marriage and life side by side with the suddeness of death and grief as young lives were extinguished and God in both, celebrating and grieving with both groups.

Monday brought joy again as I saw my new grandson on a scan - just a few months till we meet him properly

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

But its back to normality, people in hospital, sermons to write and admin to catch up in and the cruise seems a long time ago.

I am at a funeral today then two conferences Friday and Saturday and then on Sunday evening I leave for two weeks holiday so no blogging for a while. I am so looking forward to the time away, time to relfect, rest, enjoy some sunshine, visit new places and then a big celebration party with friends and family.
Just what I need before the run to Christmas starts to take effect though I have managed to look at some stuff this week.

I want to use candles in opening worship tomorrow - so last night we had a debate about it: do I have 3 candles different heights so they all can be seen but suggests heirarchy; three the same but they won't be seen as three and how do I arrange them and anyway individual candles is modalism: or one candle with three wicks (but I don't have time to buy one so should I melt the three I have)

Sometimes I hate doctrine! ;-)

AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Have spent this morning with a wonderful hospital chaplain to get a better grip on what is entailed. I spent a year before I went to college as a Chaplaincy visitor, one afternoon a week but the work of a paid chaplain is different. Much of what she did I would enjoy, all the conversations, the meeting people where they are, walking with them part of the journey, or even the whole of the last bit is a real priviledge, that makes you reliant on God at all those times when you come to the end of yourself and have no answers, no trite theological statements to hide behind.

To be fully available to anyone and everyone when they need you most, to be be, as best you can, Christ in that situation, to bring love, grace, acceptance, forgiveness, comfort to people in difficult places is our calling.

There things I would hate, things I am not good at, and I do worry about my ability to be keep it together when all I will want to do is cry - but I would need to be the rock. I know the theory - God helps you but in practice?

Anyway its not for now so I don't need to worry about it but it did give me food for reflection just in case God ever tries to lead me down that path!

I have spent part of this afternoon making new signs and moving barriers and bollards in the church car park to ensure that our two precious spaces are not used by the other people who use our car park during the week. Sad but necessary - I have tried nice little notes with smily faces all to no avail so I have had to get a bit heavy handed. I hate it but, if I am to get to my study each day,and allow those who visit the church to park necessary. The numbers parking there has increased - one person even parking in the middle of the two spaces!

I then came home to the space outside my house being inaccessible as someone h,ad parked in the middle of a double space so no -one else can park without blocking a drive! This is a busy road so parking is enough of an issue without such inconsiderate parking

GRRRRRRR!

I wish I could ride a Bike!

So what happened/happens at your church socials?

Ours used to be dominated by country dancing but not so here: here it was games one of which apparently involved sitting in a circle and winking at someone else (wink murde,r I think) but no ,the person winked at had to go and sit ion the knee of the winker! The 80+ gentleman who told me about this did say he couldn't remember how they got off your knee! One does have to worry abou the morals of this community!

We aslo had games but the country dancing was the highlight, especially as the lovely lady who used to organise it was a poor caller and so chaos followed. One Church conference the danc einvolved moving on to a new partner every so often but someone always seemed to end up with no partner so sat down. Gradually the numbers dwindled to just a few and the caller carried on oblivious whilst we all had a good laugh as we watched the farce continue.

One strange thing connected with country dancing though: I used to do it a school and sometimes we would go out and do demonstrations. One day, after I was maaried, I was looking at my husband's photos and discovered one of me, and others, dancing at a church fair - a member of the church was a teacher who had connections with my school. How's that - a photo of your future wife aged 9 or 10 when we didn't actually meet till I was 15 when I started going to his church!

It's one of those times in life when I reflecting on who I am: what do I believe, what are my strengths and weaknesses, what have I done with my life to date?

This is a difficult process, for me at least. I wish I could see myself from the outside, see what others see - it always amazes me when people say positive things about me that I just don't see. But then again I might also see all the things people hate about me and I may not survive the revelations so maybe I will be better staying ignorant!

What I have done is fairly easy, separating what God did despite me and what I helped with is more difficult! Strengths and weakness is a bit easier: I am awful at organisation, typing, gammar, and singing - I get lost easily and am prone to being a bit black and lack self-confidence. Positively I am a people person, I can get alongside all ages, am quite creative, I love teaching and helping people mature in faith and gifts and am a good team player. I also tend to get passionate about issues which can be both positive and negative as I can get a bit bull in a china shopish!

The thing I find hardest is where I stand theologically because it all depends on where the other person is standing! I am orthodox enough to be accepted by all as a Christian but to some I am too conservative, to others too liberal. I am not where I was a few years ago and no doubt will be in a different place in the future but I suspect 'I am on a journey' is not acceptable!

And in the end who I am in God is the most important and I am still working on that one!