URBANarmy

These are pretty good images, found at emerging grace

Jonny Baker snapped this picture in Eastbourne and introduces us to the concept of devangelism. Don't be too hard on the Granny - think how good you are at devangelism!!?

I love my nephews!

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 11, 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. Jesus visits Mary and Martha 39 40 41 42 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a si...

Martin has discovered the Bono and Bill Hybels conversation that I mentioned a while back here The search results in Youtube are here Thanks Martin!

There were many highlights for me this weekend. I was surprised how emotional I felt seeing The Heralds of Good News session being commissioned - I guess this year we have spent quite a bit of time together and it is the first time of saying goodbye to people I have enjoyed journeying with this year. But for me Eryn - our youngest - stole the show. We explained that we had to go to the 'flag ceremony' (the 'final' goodbye!) and that it was not for children just for adults. Eryn looked at Kate and said "does that mean that there is going to be lots of swearing then!!!" When the flag fell off the wall and hit someone on the head who knows - she might have been right!!!* ----- * Please forgive me - the fact that the flag fell off the wall and hit someone on the head is true - however the suggestion that anyone might have sworn is simply story adornment.

There have been some very long meetings this week, with lots of singing and a fair bit of clapping too. Is this just a UK thing or is this worldwide? When a classic hymn is sung that has high clapability, the general rule of thumb is that the congregation will do a united on the beat clap. Conversely when - dare I say - a more contemporary song or chorus is sung that equally is clapable a congregation will slip into an off beat mode of clapping. Well I stand before you as an independent clapper, I refuse to be institutionalised and bullied by the crowd. I proudly defied institution by employing a off beat clap for the traditional songs and a determined on beat clap for the contemporary songs. Will you join me? Stand up for your rights and be an independent clapper! Let Google find us by posting "I am an independent Clapper....!" in the subject, let people know - let the revolution being!

It was, I admit a little tight last year, this year the trousers looked like I had leggings on - seems like there are areas of my anatomy that have 'relaxed!'. We've been at William Booth College nearly a year and we have seen our first session of cadets through to commissioning and beyond. I was relieved that none of them took me up on my offer of not bothering if they thought it was wrong!! Several significant moments this week have come and gone. A major one being that I have haboured a secret desire to keep wearing my own commissioning uniform to each covenant day and commissioning. It was, I admit a little tight last year, this year the trousers looked like I had leggings on - seems like there are areas of my anatomy that have 'relaxed!'. So my secret desire seems to have been dashed - I don't seem to be the same person that was commissioned 9 years ago. As I listened to Ian Barr speaking at Covenant Day I realised I idenified with him. He spoke about how p...

If our concern is success, it's a JOB. If our concern is faithfulness, it's a MINISTRY. Someone sent me this right at the beginining of our Salvation Army officership - it has been useful to return to from time to time. Doing some prep for something I am doing tomorrow I thought I may as well cut and paste it into URBANarmy. THOUGHT - Are you in a MINISTRY for God or are you just doing a JOB ? Some people have a JOB in the church; others involve themselves in a MINISTRY. What's the difference? If you are doing it just because no one else will, it's a JOB. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it's a MINISTRY. If you quit because somebody criticised you, it was a JOB. If you keep on serving, it's a MINISTRY. If you'll do it only as long as it does not interfere with your other activities, it's a JOB. If you are committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it's a MINISTRY. If you quit because no one praised you or thanke...

Almost forgot - as a follow up to Mission is Mission Isn’t: A programme A euphemism for evangelism Merely evangelism Merely social action Ours Church Growth Quantifiable A trend or a fad A 1990’s buzz word A means to earn God’s favour A vehicle to an escapist Soteriology

A random Aussie Salvo officer makes a connection with me because he'd stumbled across URBANarmy . We have a email conversation out of which he recommends this: Goheen , M.W. (2001) 'As the Father has sent me, I am sending you': J.E. Lesslie Newbigin's missionary ecclesiology ' OK I admit that blogging scores high on geek factor but you can't knock those kind of connections - thanks Wayne. You can get it here You can listen to Michael Goheen here and here . Here is the abstract to whet your appetite. In the 19 th century missionary advocates argued that cross-cultural mission would bring a reflex action that would benefit the Western church. The mission impulse would rebound back on the sending church and it would reap benefits of this missionary activity. Today in the post-colonial period this dynamic is becoming increasingly evident. Western theology, liturgy, and ecclesial structures and practice, were formed in a time when the church did not understan...

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. A couple of people have been asking about Lectio Divina -there is a good chapter in Jones, T. (2005)The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life , together with interesting ways how to use the exercise both as an individual exercise and also a group exercise. Dylan's lectionary blog is also a good resource to pop into. 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 stu...

Nephew Mark isn't that keen on the Brass Band so it was obvious that one would appear at somepoint at his wedding! Not having played a tuba for a good 18 months - I can still savage a bass line with distinction! You may not see me but certainly I hope you can hear me!!! So my Youtube debut is complete.

A little while ago someone asked me to jot down what mission 'is and isn't'. So starting with the is's ! Obviously not an exclusive list - feel free to add. The isn't's are on their way! Mission is:- God’s (missio Dei ) The demonstration and proclamation of salvation Our calling Our response to God’s plan to put the world to rights An attribute of God’s sending nature A reflection and out-flowing of God’s agape love The culmination and the working out of kingdom values The outworking of shalom The outworking of jubilee The vehicle of hope and restoration Grounded in Spiritual Formation Grace centred Signposts of new creation Worship Sacramental More about being than doing

"Heaven is important but it is not the end of the world....!" Bishop of Durham, N.T. Wright To summarise this book in four posts is tantamount to being sacrilegious , unless that in itself is sacrilegious ! This is one fat book and if I understood 10% of it (including the bibliography, even that was challenging!). However, following the general theme and working on it has been helpful. Put crudely NT Wright looks at two major thoughts on eschatology. "The creator will therefore make a new world, and new bodies, proper to the new age to the new age. From one point of view the new world, and the new bodies, are the redeemed, remade versions of the old ones;" "From another point of view the new world, and the new bodies, are 'stored up in heaven'." (pp 373) It would be easy to play these off against one another - but NT Wright warns against this. Instead he suggests that our sense of eschatology needs to be shaped by the narrative of New Creation whic...

I don't know how many hours I spent in one way or another in The Paradise Youth Centre at our last corps/ Church - quite a few I suspect. I miss Thursday evenings and the buzz of being involved in the youth club there. It was good yesterday to drop by and spend some time hanging out with people that mean a lot to me. Chatting on the door step with Roz, playing Risk with Thomas, Jim and Josh, hearing the excitement that is theirs about going to Nairobi, Kenya to work in a Children's Home - wanting to make a difference. Chatting afterwards with the team. It was also pretty cool to see an old senior club member Jonathon now a worker. I'll be back!

This probably doesn't hold much interest for many apart from family members who couldn't make the trip to Sweden. However, I'm not sure how many could beat a Vintage Bentley or views like these to dominate a wedding reception! Or stunning sunsets to finish the days off. Or in fact Churches cunningly disguised as Thunderbird 3? What more could you ask for in a wedding?

On Saturday Emma became the latest Mrs. Cotterill as she married nephew Mark. Don't be fooled Mark isn't looking whimsically towards to someone up on his right, he is most definitely posing! It was a great day and well worth a trip to Sweden. Apart from the stunning scenery, driving around in a fantastic Volvo S80 and buying the supposed viking game of Kubb for £9 in a petrol station just outside Gothenburg! it was good to spend some quality time with my big brother Philip and my Mum and Dad. I'm very proud of my family - welcome Emma!