Archie...multi-dimensional mission

I’m finding mission to be a multi-dimensional phenomena. It is not just about giver and receiver it is also about observer. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but it does to me and it is a reminder that mission is multi-dimensional.

You probably need to know Archie

my one wish

Things have got messy for Archie again. He won custody of his daughter only now to be facing another custody battle with the maternal grandparents.

We went to see him today to offer support; to hear his pain; to share his anxiety in the days ahead another court hearing. As we arrived what I thought was going to be a private affair went a little public. Two unknown neighbours arrive - Barry and Ahmed. We together hear once again the story of manipulation, the story of anguish and the story of fragmentation that is this family; the story that in a moment of weakness could allow alcohol to get a grip of his life again.

As I listened I wonder how appropriate it would be to pray with Archie in front of these two unknown friends. Coming to the conclusion that Archie’s needs were greatest I turned to his friends "I hope you guys don’t mind but I think that it is important that we pray for Archie"

We pray. We finish our tea. We say our goodbyes. We leave but Barry gets my attention – "when you come again can you come and see me? I think I need to talk to you."

"Barry of course I’ll be round soon…I promise"

Mission is not just about giver and receiver it is also about observer.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A bit of sally bashing....

Came across a good bit of Sally bashing over at salvationsoldiers I have to say we try and make sure that everything we raise goes into projects that build local community in Poplar but hopefully if you read this blog you get that sense anyway.
Read more

Lost Voices of Mission...Fred Brown

Image
Along the world famous Oxford street in London's Westend; nestled in among the classy frontage of designer shops there is almost an unnoticeable, unimpressive wooden door. It is more or less alongside The Regent Hall's main entrance onto the busyness of Oxford Street. People pass the wooden door oblivious to the equally unimpressive wooden steps that go up three storey's to what was Regent Hall's youth club. When I was 10 I played on these bare wooden steps totally unaware of the significance behind and upon which I played. Many years later I discovered a university youth work course - as an induction to Youth Work - stopped outside this insignificant wooden door to point out that Youth Work as we know it in the UK started behind this door. ...whether that be the surbanite flower people that flooded the Westend to express their free love; or the hard core drug community this unimpressive wooden door became the 'portal' that blurred encounter between church an...
Read more

Types of Christian Spirituality...

Image
It is easy to think and to limit ourselves to a single approach to Christian spirituality. A 'if it works for me it should work for you approach' tends to narrow our appreciation of other ways which actually impoverishes our experience of spirituality. Urban T. Holmes has developed a means of exploring spirituality and helps develop an appreciation through discovering links between spirituality, temperament and predisposition. The diagram illustrates his ideas together with potential inherent dangers. The vertical continuum speaks and helps us understand our relational orientation to God. This ranges from engaging with God through understanding and theological process to a more emotive response. Horizontally speaks of a persons preferred means of pursuing the spiritual life. Kataphtic speaks of affirmation and the need of something tangible in an individuals spirituality- this may take the form of worship, art, even imagination with the use of metaphors, symbols and images play...
Read more