URBANarmy

It doesn't seem right that Immanuel is no longer with us, the irony of his name sticks in my throat this evening; at this time of year as we come to terms with his death. Immanuel moved to Poplar Corps when were there with his wife and became a valuable member and pillar of our congregation. He was a solid member of the church, a true support to our ministry, someone who to spend time with made a difference to you, a member of a small congregation that developed in his front room first in Bethnal Green then Bow - above all he was a valued friend. Someone to laugh with, to feel totally relaxed in the presence of his generosity. He taught me far more than he will ever realise, his wisdom impacting me deeper than he ever intended. His favoured prayer phrases are indelibly embedded on my memory - and as a 'mother hen gathers her chicks under her wing' may God in his love and mercy gather Immanuel's young family to him as they come to terms of life without their father and...

There was an interesting conversation on Radio 5 between Ricky Gervais and The Archbishop of Canterbury on matters of faith. Here's a taster... Ricky Gervais : "The biggest mistake he [God] made was giving me free will..." The Archbishop of Canterbury: "A lot of theologians would agree with you there...!"

I'm getting to grips with how to read NT Wright; concentrate on the first two sentences and the concluding sentences of a paragraph, be prepared for your brain to be mugged and turned over in between while NT substantiates his thoughts and arguments! Jesus and the Victory of God looks at and makes sense of key themes within Jesus. The strongest themes being that of the Temple cleansing and the Last Supper, through which come a strong essence of Messiahship and Kingdom of God. His approach based on what he calls the 'third quest' raises questions of how Jesus' words and action would have been interpreted, and through doing so peels back centuries of theological silt that has been build up through different cultural and ecclesiastical agenda's. NT Wright reveals a profundity to concepts that have been watered down and makes connections with what is obvious - Jesus' Jewishness. Here is my highlight's package, it consists of insights, questions and areas for me ...

"This deeply dynamic day conference is being hosted by Spring Harvest and King's College London on January 26th 2008. Featuring top theologians, thinkers and communicators, the day will get to grips with the subject of Christian Eschatology and Contemporary Culture." What Are We Waiting For? is a one-off, one day conference from Spring Harvest and King’s College London for church leaders and members who are passionate about the place of theology in the church. Featuring leading thinkers and theologians, the programme will unpack the major themes of Christian eschatology, including the Second Coming of Christ, the end of the world as we know it, eschatology in the Old and New Testament, the doctrines of heaven and hell and contemporary issues such as art, culture and the environment. 26 January 2008 King’s College London The Strand, London 9.30am to 5.30pm £12 Booking line 01825 769000

Brueggemann challenges the capacity of the people of God in mission to practice a hope that is rooted solely in God's own hope. Brueggemann mixes it up with NT Wright's overarching theme of 'New Creation' and task of the Church as a focus for mission while reflecting on Mission as Action in Hope. The symposium's premise was simple but effective: "The Mission is Missio Dei; The action is God's action in mending creation; The hope is God's hope for a new creation" By making sense of the church's purpose to witness to God's intention and making sense of God's purpose of bringing the 'whole creation to well-being (shalom)', Brueggemann challenges the capacity of the people of God in mission to practice a hope that is rooted solely in God's own hope. This invites thinking on the part of the church to take up its responsibility as a ' counteractor of hope in every dimension of life' concerning: economic disparities mids...

I used to think that much of mission talk was pretty much subjective; that you could maintain a partisan approach to mission and that was okay; that mission was much a point of opinion. However, I am struggling to stomach that anymore... Grumpy old man here, 42 this month and I feel some intolerance coming on, not difficult after a day Christmas shopping, people walking too slowly, stopping to look at things in the shops (for goodness sake!!), offering me loyalty cards...! "NO BETHAN I AM NOT STRESSED... I AM SHOPPING.....THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS!" For another thing .... I used to think that much of mission talk was pretty much subjective; that you could maintain a partisan approach to mission and that was okay; that mission was much a point of opinion, a point of view. However, I am struggling to stomach that anymore – as I see our mission narrative as a point of deep theology and can understand why Martin Kähler, (1908) would describe mission as the mother of all theology. So I...

Sorry it didn't seem to happen for me! Maybe I need to check the lyrics closer but I thought the links were a little too tenuous and lost the sense of plausibility that the Manchester Passion had. Help me if I missed something? Maybe I need to watch it again. Having said that there was some good lines in the narration that I wish I had jotted down at the time. Good to see Liverpool Walton band playing 'Get Back...' (I think?) shame the flugel player rushed his semi-quavers!! ( :o) sorry Pete!!)

"Without the Way, there is no going, Without the Truth, there is no knowing, Without the Life, there is no living." "If thou wilt receive profit, read with humility, simplicity and faith, and seek not at any time the fame of being learned." "At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done." "If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him." “If you do absolutely nothing about your small faults, you will, little by little, fall into greater ones.” “Many of us are kept back from spiritual progress and amendment of life because we fear the difficulties we are sure to meet and the effort it will cost us to overcome them. Nevertheless, the one who makes progress in the spiritual life is the very one who vigorously and strenuously strives to overcome these seemingly impossible obstacles. Both profit and merit are greater when we overcome ourselves and subject our will to our spirit.” Thomas à Ke...

My soul, always find your rest in the Lord more than in anything else, for He is the everlasting rest of the saints. Dear loving Jesus, allow me to find my rest in You above any created thing (Rom.8:19-22) and above any health and beauty, glory and honor, power and dignity, knowledge and cleverness, riches and arts, joy and gladness, fame and praise, pleasure and comfort, hope and promise, and any deserving and desire. Let it be above any gifts or favors that You might give to me, above any humour and celebration that the mind can conceive and feel. Let my rest in You be more than all this, and even higher than all the host of Heaven, including angels and archangels and anything visible or invisible. Let it be more than anything that is not You, my God. Thomas à Kempis (Imitation of Christ)

Four Keys to Peace… Strive to do another’s will rather than your own; Choose to have less than more; Seek the lower places in life – dying to the need to be recognised and important. Desire that the will of God may be completely fulfilled in you. Imitation of Christ (Thomas à Kempis)

We did a bit of work on Thomas à Kempis and the Imitation of Christ this week and had an interesting conversation about temptation. Would a monk from 500+ years really know what temptation is? I think he had a good idea even if his concept of a Wii would be somewhat different! Here are his four steps by which temptation becomes sin… The thought is allowed to enter into our minds; The imagination is sparked by the thought; We feel pleasure at the fantasy and we entertain it; We engage in the evil action, assenting to its urges. Imitation of Christ (Thomas à Kempis)

When I read some books they make me feel so guilty; I’ ve got through the stage where I beat myself up because my prayer life isn ’t as spectacular as Paul Yongi Cho ; that my sense of holiness falls so short of Brengle ; that my community justice isn ’t as intense as Jim Wallis. However there seems to be a new brand of Christian book that needs a warning on the cover. If you are not taking the environment as seriously as the re-cycled pages of the book you are reading - be ready to be feel pretty miserable by the end. That is unless of course you have already converted your car to run on cooking oil? That you have re-plumbed your water so that you re-cycle your shower water to flush your toilet to then water your organic tomatoes?! Shane Claiborne – seems to lead the way and his message is definitely one well worth listening to and being challenged by. So when I met him the other week when I was taking Eryn to school – was I pleased we were on our bikes!? I was introduced to him wh...

Those who remember the Manchester Passion on BBC might be interested in The Liverpool Nativity - press release here . "Liverpool Nativity tells the story of the first Christmas through the music of Liverpool. The familiar songs will be performed by characters in the drama and a live orchestra with fresh musical arrangements." I'm not sure if Harry Enfield has been part of the casting but I hope the three wise men are truly scouse!! Sunday 16 December, 8pm, BBC Three.

"...human traditions all tend towards stagnation and decay. They try to perpetuate things that cannot be perpetuated. They cling to objects and values which time destroys without mercy." (New Seeds of Contemplation . 1972:111) Ringma develops these thoughts further: "When traditions are no longer life-giving; no longer empower people; no longer reflect the strange values of God's upside-down kingdom; and when they are no longer relevant as an embodiment of contemporary understandings of faith and life in the light of the gospel, then traditions need to be renewed from within..." Ringma, C. (2003). Seek the Silences with Thomas Merton. So tradition is good ... as long as it is life-giving; empowering; reflects the Kingdom; is relevant in the light of gospel ... not a bad check list to work from.

Apparently if you are being interviewed by NT Wright for the ministry, he is keen to ask what four portions of scripture you would take to a desert island. Romans 8 would have to be up there for me and it is a welcome distraction for me to disappear into when it looks good to be looking in a bible!!! Every time I read it I see something different. Here is what it is doing to me at the moment. The depth of meaning of the word righteousness fascinates me in that because of Jesus, that righteousness is met in us. As co-heirs we have an obligation to this outworking of righteousness, why? Because the future glory of God’s creation is to be met in us as we take the obligation to be signposts of New Creation seriously. It is amazing that as co-heirs God equips us for this task through making us more than conquerors and that through us God’s will for his creation will be fulfilled. I suppose it leaves us to ask - is the fullness and depth of the concept of righteousness found in us as in...

"...A three day forum to consider what it is to engage with God and creation for people living in communities of deprivation... a space to think, reflect and discuss...." Read more and print the application form here The first day of the forum (29 January 2008) is the latest one day conference hosted by William Booth College. So if you want to come along and hear Geoff Ryan and Stuart Murray-Williams email me on gordon [dot] cotterill [@] salvationarmy [dot] org [dot] uk and I will forward your application. Did I mention that the first day is sponsored by SISTAD (not the Israeli secret service - but the in-service training section of TSA) so it is free! Come and hear how Mission and Spiritual Formation can only be one in action!!

God created us to be co-creators and to further shalom, to carry shalom forward, so, I would argue that at the core of most spiritual longing is to find your proper place in the kingdom of shalom Interesting interview with Rob Bell in the newlook Tearfund magazine you can read the whole interview here . Here is a snippet that would fit within the false dichotomy of mission theme. ( The False Dichotomy of Mission ) "In Tear Times last year Jim Wallis said that the connection between spiritual hunger and social justice was what the world was waiting for – what do you think that looks like? RB - Well I think the fundamental hungers that people have are for meaning and for community and for task, which goes back to genesis one and two in which God created us to be co-creators and to further shalom, to carry shalom forward, so, I would argue that at the core of most spiritual longing is to find your proper place in the kingdom of shalom, and you can’t when people don’t have enough food...

Okay here's a new trend for all you pomo; em.ch; salvo types - forget your goatees; forget your piercings; 'aggresive' battle gear - this is the tattoo you want, I'm almost tempted myself being due a mid-life crisis in June next year! I photocopied it from the original Chinese corps flag that was planted in Limehouse, East London in the early part of 20c. A fantastic story of Catherine Hine fed up with her HQ appointment, who decided to walk down to and eventually live in the Chinese community of Limehouse. If you want to find a story of incarnation try and find Catherine Hine's story. While working at THQ she spent every spare minute she had in the laundry's run by the Chinese community, getting to know the women who worked there, being part of their community; their lives. She lived out the gospel without speaking a word of Mandarin; communicating through pictures she made the message and life of Jesus known. A corps was established and quickly grew through th...

I saw my first major Banksy without really looking last week; a major bit of clever graffiti art, no-one but my Nephew Shae seemed that bothered and so we wandered back for the shot. But I have started looking for some other chalkings that are around the city. I learned about them at the Drop In that I help out at in King's Cross; basically it is a street code to guide people who are on the street as to what kind of place is safe or not; what kind of place serves food or not; what kind of place is friendly or not; where is good to sleep or not. It is a fascinating code and now I am on the look out. It is called the 'Homeless City Guide' I'm not entirely sure how clear this guide will come out - but you'll get the picture.* As I walked home from Faith House I looked out for the marks - have to say I didn't get to see any; but got thinking what mark would I want to see outside my church? What mark does your church deserve? (*Click on the graphic for a bigger im...

Thanks to Prodigal Kiwi pointing to a interesting interview with NT Wright. Full transcript here it includes. Introduction Wright’s conversion, calling, and personal worship Wright on “the gospel” Justification by faith Justification - present and future Justification and the Roman Catholic Church Sola Scriptura Is Wright arrogant to assume he has just now figured out what Paul meant? Wright on his critics Justification in practice Wright on penal substitution Wright on the resurrection Wright on Evangelism Wright on Church and State Upcoming Writings and Conclusion

A new cooker arrived today. Mick, the guy who delivered it and installed it was interested in that I worked in the Training College. "So what d'you do in there mate..." Talking to his back while he huffed and puffed to get the cooker connected; talking through grunts and shouts to his mate in the cellar; talking to him while he got me to sign in triplicate - I wasn't sure whether he was really that bothered. As he walked out, the deed done he turned to me "So what you're telling me is that you tell them how to go in to a place and how not to go into a place..." Two years teaching neatly summarised - thanks Mick...!

"Peter Crouch has urged fans not to make Scott Carson the scapegoat for England's Euro 2008 exit..." Unbelievable who would think about doing that - the guy is a hero; the saviour of English football, in fact I feel I need to express my thanks to Scott Carson. Thanks to him spilling a slippery speculative shot and being routed to the spot appealing for an offside we were 2-0 down even before our new small group started last night. Despite almost being let down by a Lampard penalty and a Crouch volley - thankfully Scott managed to push the ball into the net instead of around the post. We crash out of Euro 08 - What a relief! The prospect of embarrassing Steve McClaren directed football has been averted now forever! Scott - you may not be your clubs no. 1 goalkeeper - but I want to thank you!

I got so excited yesterday I ended up messing my trousers! ... Perhaps I should explain? I drove Eryn to school yesterday because it was pouring, as I drove home the sun came out and while I parked the car in the college the inevitable rainbow appeared. It couldn't have been better, the sky behind was pitch black as the rain moved away; the rainbow looked almost comically false as it arched over the college tower in the perfect picture. Then it got better. The rainbow doubled; was spectacular and needed catching. Committed to getting the shot, I run, taking a shortcut across the grass at the back of our house. I'm running full pelt in my Salvation Army uniform when I realise that this wasn't a great idea. The ground is sodden and treacherous and I slip over in a heap and slide along in the thick mud. I bounce back to my feet and disappear into our back garden and run for the camera. It all happened in a matter of seconds but it is enough for the moment to have disappeared ...

Always good to meet up with Rob AKA theshinyheadedprophet who has yet to prove himself as a mad axeman! I am always grateful that I started blogging when I meet people that I wouldn't have met otherwise.

Israel 2 v 1 Russia! Please England don't mess up on Wednesday! (A polite note to Hezbollah - this is about England almost off the hook thanks to Israel's recent victory over Russia. I'd be grateful if you didn't kidnap me or blow this blog up for my support of Israel this weekend - thank you!).

I always have an inward smile when people feel the need to say on their blog that they are speaking at a conference somewhere abroad! Anyway ... ! Back on Monday!!

If you are going to spend 16 hours in a car you couldn't do much better than travelling with a good friend who has a deep and enquiring theological mind. We were driving to a Salvation Army conference in Glasgow with the gear for an Alt. Worship experience called 'A Deeper Chill....' that the college put together as an after hours event. I knew that I would have to drive the gear up, so I twisted Matt Spencer's arm to come with me on a road trip north. 800 miles later we had covered a lot of ground in more ways than one and I was better for our time together.

Nephew Ollie took this without us knowing while we were watching the Lord Mayor's show. I liked it!

It has been some time since I was a tourist in London; Kate's family was up for the weekend so we had a good excuse to see some of the sights, I even took the camera and enjoyed being a 'sight-seer' for the day. I enjoyed getting along to see Doris Salcedo's Shibboleth or the 'Crack' in The Tate Modern. I started something off by getting this picture of Eryn from inside the crack!!

Nothing too spectacular with this last Blue like Jazz highlight; but a profound reminder how spiritual formation makes sense of mission and mission makes sense of spiritual formation. "Love your neighbour as yourself" pp231 Here's the point. 'So how do you do that if your self esteem is as low as it gets?' Miller, D (2003) Blue like Jazz - Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

There was a sadness at Faith House tonight. I didn't know James' story but he had friends at the homeless men's drop in that I help out at on Monday evenings. James was someone who had moved on from where a lot of the men find themselves. He had been there and 'come through'; he even helped out in the kitchen cooking the food for the guys as they gathered as family. Apparently James had been clean of drugs for some time, but James died last week, of a perhaps a drugs overdose, or a pretty potent batch that he was unused to. I could tell those who thought much of him, they were quiet and left early. There was a sadness at Faith House tonight.

Recently I came to a surprising conclusion. While 'Evangelical' is a loaded word with uncomfortable connections with narrow fundamentalism , there is a central construct of evangelicalism that is essential for me. That is the importance and centrality of the 'inspired word of God' as a guide for faith and Christian living. I could be open to major misunders-tanding here -neither wanting to appear critical, judgemental or an evangelical of the nutter variety - but I think the problem I have is that 'We're not evangelical enough!! I am increasingly conscious of how disposable and 'off pat' phrases like salvation, heaven, gospel, righteousness, holiness, kingdom, evangelism and of course mission have become. Used like glaced cherries on iced cakes, because what is an iced cake without a glaced cherry! The trouble is I've never liked glaced cherries, I generally spit them out, now I don't even consider them! I wonder if we have become lazy with o...

I stumbled across an interesting article from 1889 written by William Booth; called 'Salvation for Both Worlds', William Booth charts an interesting journey. Booth's desire was simple from the outset, 'to advance [God's] honour and carry out [God's] wishes on the earth'. The year before 'Darkest England and the Way Out' was published Booth's theology of mission takes an interesting turn. Booth acknowledges an initial, seemingly straight forward and unsurprising theology that reflects a familiar understanding of salvation, from which there should be no distraction. 'Temporal modification' was in his mind 'trivial, almost contemptible.' "What were the sorrows of earth when compared with everlasting damnation? Their temporary comfort or discomfort was as to nothing compared with the business of their rescue." Booth goes on to outline how he became increasing impacted by the brokenness of society and the 'earthly miserie...

And I've heard religion say you're to be feared But I don't buy into everything I hear And it seems to me you're hostage to those rules That were made by religion and not by you Driving to and from Swanwick was a highlight for being able to have some quality time not only with Kate, but also Sinead O'Connor's latest album Theology. Track 3 'Out Of The Depths' got repeated quite a few times with the melody and lyrics haunting within their insight. Out of the depths I cry to you oh lord don't let my cries for mercy be ignored If you keep account of sins oh who would stand? But you have forgiveness in your hands And I've heard religion say you're to be feared But I don't buy into everything I hear And it seems to me you're hostage to those rules That were made by religion and not by you And I'm wondering will u ever get yourself free Is it bad to think you might like help from me? Is there anything my little heart can do To help rel...

Off here for a couple of days to be inspired and refreshed at what is affectionally known as Officers Councils! What's great this year is that our old division will be there and it'll be great to meet up with a few old friends. I'm going with realistic expectations and the agenda of wanting to be surprised. See you there!

"Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier." Mother Teresa Charles Ringma points out that "A central impulse to living the Christian life is that we seek to do good to others. We want to help not hinder, bless not curse, build up not tear down, encourage not alienate." He goes on to warn that this desire must come from a 'good place'. Guilt or 'self-aggrandizement' is not a good place. The need to be needed or from the desire to please others is not a good place. Helping and serving people with these motivations and intentions is inuthentic and ceases to be the blessing that it wass intended to be. Ringma challenges us "being a blessing must come from a very different place."

I make a mental note to explore the possibility with God whether, next time he wants to get creative and teach the congregation a lesson, if he could humiliate someone else! There is not an easy way of saying this: I broke my G string in public worship this week. As the guitar started to lose its tuning I looked at the running order of worship with relief - next up, the singing group, enough time to restring my G string. My heart sank as our officer leading worship mentioned that the group would not be singing and that we would continue in singing Holy Holy (incidentally how many songs are there in your part of the world with holy, holy ad infinitum in the title? In the UK we have one with at least five holy’s!!). Before I played the necessary D chord I knew it wasn ’t going to be pretty, and it wasn ’t. Not wanting to let the side down I start to bellow out the Holy, Holy song acapella , the congregation join gamefully in. Two lines in and the mix of my holy with their holy wasn ’t ...

Miller on Institution... the starting point perhaps is the discovery of God's agenda for his creation as expressed through Jesus' life, death and resurrection, rather than the church's agenda as formed within Christendom. IT SHOULD BE SAID I AM AN INDEPENDENT PERSON. I don't like institutionalized anything. I don't like corporations. I am not saying institutions and corporations are wrong, or bad I am only saying I don't like them. Some people don't like classical music, some people don't like pizza, I don't like institutions. My dislike might stem from a number of things, from the nonpersonal feel I get when I walk into a corporate office or the voicemail system I encounter when I call my bank. It might be the nonengaged look on every fast-food worker's face or the phone calls I receive in the 'middle of dinner asking me what longdistance carrier I use. Those people never want to just talk; they always have an agenda. pp129 Miller, D (200...

I came over all Desert Fatherish yesterday during what the Training College call 'spiritual days' (we have a riot on the 358 non-spiritual days!). The theme of the day had been on faith and we had all been given the choice to discuss a variety of texts. My choice - God outlining his purposes for Abram: The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3 What hit me was the 'I Will' motif and the striking resemblance with God as 'I am' . Thinking of definitions of faith, that is when I went all Desert Fatherish and came up with "Faith is comfort in the knowledge that the great 'I a...

"It is important to stress, as Paul would do himself were he not so muzzled by his interpreters, that when he referred to "the gospel" he was not talking about a scheme of soteriology." OK this is intriguing. We've heard the 'gospel' rhetoric, we've preached the 'gospel' in the understanding that 'gospel' = good news and that good news is that Jesus lived, died and rose again accommodating whatever theory of atonement is in vogue or catches our whim. Paul's use of the word gospel however, could be and might represent ever so much more. NT Wright explores the concept to some depth and asks that to get to grips with the concept of 'gospel' there is a need to not only understand where the word came from, but also to get an insight as to what such a term would mean to Paul and to his readers. NT would argue that the term infers an announcement of kingship, of a new reign. The euaggelion , gospel, was announced when a new emper...

Looking likely that England will play NZ in the semi's - nevermind! It was good spoiling Australia's World Cup party! --- Did I say NZ? C'est la vie! France it is!

Great news that the ambulance has arrived. More pictures here

Websites like this should be banned!! Stick cricket Be warned!

Animal lovers and anyone remotely squeamish - beware - do not look at the picture to the left!! If your 11 year old is doing a homework project and needs a picture of a guinea pig - BEWARE GOOGLE IMAGE!!! Bethan is still in shock and never wants to visit Peru!

Conversations of extreme recycling of bodily functions - ever wondered why the flower beds of the London parks look so good? I look forward to Mondays. I remember using a quote by John le Carre who said "The desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world", I have been living dangerous life. I look forward to Monday's because that is the evening I get to go along to Faith House. This is only my second week and I realise that I have missed this kind of ministry more that I had realised. I'm just feeling my way with the group who come along for something to eat and a chat but already I am enjoying conversations that are reminiscent to life before college. Conversations of extreme recycling of bodily functions - ever wondered why the flower beds of the London parks look so good? Conversations of time travel and the shock of slipping back seven months and actually discovering it was April. Conversations of being sectioned, violence and arrest all over a fishfinge...

It was a little disconcerting to see Bethan do so well in the role as a saboteur on CBBC's new Friday evening programme - Trapped. We cheered her on as she lied and cheated her way to the final, dumping her friends as she went!! Is this what our parenting has produced!? Oh well - it was good fun!

Leader of The Salvation Army in Pakistan murdered. More news here and here

There is something new in my life. Faith House. A Salvation Army presence trying to bring something of the cohesion of the Kingdom to the chaos of Kings Cross. Kings Cross is pretty much as inner city as it gets. The kind of place that people tend to travel through, pretty quickly. Spend time there and you'll soon see all the tale tell signs of fragmentation, obvious, in your face, hardly hidden as commuters rush to their semi detaches in the home counties. It is said that the name would strike fear into prospective Salvation Officers who would declare "Any Cross but Kings Cross!!!" . Within a five minute walk from Kings Cross all the issues of a broken community easily ignored and forgotten were there to be seen. The hopeful girl looking for business, furtive glances of possibly a dealer, angry exchanges, aimless loneliness, homelessness. There is something new in my life. Faith House. A Salvation Army presence trying to bring something of the cohesion of the Kingdom to...

Lectio -Read the passage slowly several times. Meditatio - Reflect on the text of the passage, thinking about how to apply to one's own life. Oratio - Respond to the passage by opening the heart to God. Contemplatio - Opening our mind, heart and soul to the influence of God Take time to read through the account slowly- possibly 2 or 3 times, then... Identify what 'shimmers' for you? Where is your focus drawn in the account ? What for you is the main point? What is your point of contemplation? Which word or phrase has touched your heart? What have you "heard" or "seen"? Only one rule - remember that this isn't a bible study more a place of contemplation of scripture, so read comments with respect and be released from needing to respond to someone else's comment. Proper 20, Year C Luke 16:1-13 The Parable of the Dishonest Manager 16Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this m...

What are the three social evils facing society today? This survey might be interesting.

I have grown tired of being provoked by narrowness of thought that lacks context beyond that of favoured, well tested quotes and proof texts The Rubicon team have asked me to blog weekly for a new feature. Here are my opening lines... I’ve just opened my email box to a ‘blanket’ barrage of Booth and Railton proof quotes, underpinning a message of ‘encouragement’ to do more. Links to sites to encourage me to ‘really’ understand the Great Commission, to truly know what it is to evangelise, telling me how inept I have been, how misguided, how I have compromised the gospel and my calling. Although bereft of context, to try and gain what the author intended, I’ve given the opinion respect and read the email. I feel great having started the day dosed up with some good ol’ ‘black and white’ uncompromising judgement and opinion. The Rubicon team has asked me to contribute to– the Rubi-blog, ‘we want something pithy, provocative, and controversial’; ironically I’ve said yes. Ironic because I h...

I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. Another Blue like Jazz highlight... A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of church in America-about the postmodern church. He says the new church will be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool Web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing. pp 111 Miller, D (2003) Blue like Jazz - Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality I have this idea buzzing around my head that the shame of the church is that it is less and less able to share ...

simpsonizeme is a bit of mindless fun! This is me as a Simpson character!

It was good to sit with Rick as he drank two cups of tea - he finished his and started on mine. It was a bit of a busy start to the day. I had two guest speakers coming to talk about the 'Mission Development Plan' that TSA in the UK encourages its churches to work through. Before anyone gets excited and writes asking for a copy it is essentially not as exciting as its title. The phone went and it was reception, I ran down the stairs to meet the guests but Keith nodded in the direction of Rick. "It's not who you thought it was .. but can you help....!". Rick is quite obviously a man of the road. His long matted hair and beard smother his face, but his eyes look hopeful and kind. We chat and I find out a little of Rick's life. Rick is going back to Australia in 5 weeks, but in the meantime he is living in the park. He hasn't had a hot meal for 5 weeks and is pretty hungry. I'm loath to give tins to guys likely to cook the tins up on a fire. My memory o...

I've a growing fascination with the message churches portray with their posters or 'roadside pulpits'. You know the phrases we throw like incendiary devices into our communities in order to cajole, entice people. We are ordinary people trying to change the world. Join us. There is one church on the way to Thornton Heath in London that has a black 15 foot board outside their church declaring about the 'wages of sin etc...' . I should try and get a shot of it the next time I pass. I sometimes try and imagine the inevitable church council meeting that came up with the decision of what to put on the board .... "this'll get 'em" . I'm probably being really unfair and have really misjudged the church, the sad thing so have- I would suggest - the 100's even 1000's of people that pass that church probably every hour. Perhaps the eden project are on to something.

Reprise from yesterday!

Lectio -Read the passage slowly several times. Meditatio - Reflect on the text of the passage, thinking about how to apply to one's own life. Oratio - Respond to the passage by opening the heart to God. Contemplatio - Opening our mind, heart and soul to the influence of God Proper 17, Year C Take time to read through the account slowly- possibly 2 or 3 times, then... Identify what 'shimmers' for you? Where is your focus drawn in the account ? What for you is the main point? What is your point of contemplation? Which word or phrase has touched your heart? What have you "heard" or "seen"? Only one rule - remember that this isn't a bible study more a place of contemplation of scripture, so read comments with respect and be released from needing to respond to someone else's comment. Luke 14:1- 14 Jesus Heals the Man with Dropsy 14 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were...

I don't know who has been more nervous!

Okay there was some sun (3 days) , here's the view from our tent.

This was a quick read, a welcome break from some heavier stuff I am trying to get my head around. Nevertheless there were some highlights... They felt like they had to sell God, as if He were soap or a vacuum cleaner, and it's like they really weren't listening to me; they didn't care, they just wanted me to buy their product. The thing I loved about Nadine was that I never felt like she was selling anything. She would talk about God as if she knew Him, as if she had talked to Him on the phone that day. She- was never ashamed, which is the thing with some Christians I had encountered. They felt like they had to sell God, as if He were soap or a vacuum cleaner, and it's like they really weren't listening to me; they didn't care, they just wanted me to buy their product. I came to realize that I had judged all Christians on the personalities of a few. That was frightening for me, too, because it had been so easy just to dismiss Christians as nuts, but here was Nad...

For those that really think that I exaggerate about the change in weather whenever we get our tent out!

Predictable weather meant lots of reading and scrabble - happy to pass my holiday scrabble crown onto the victorious Kate (for this year). Of course the inaugural summer Kubb championship was won by yours truly! Anyway, I've just added these links to my Spiritual Formation collection to explore at some point. centering prayer The Merton Institute The Lay Community of St. Benedict finding sanctuary