URBANarmy

Sleepless nights, creeping out of bedrooms, sitting outside Eryn's door saying "shh shh shh" in a fog of deprived sleep seems a long time ago. As I sat at the top of the steps outside Eryn's room I ploughed through Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy; for months I read and re-read the same page with the whole thing of "I'm reading this but thinking about something completely different..." going on. That was 7 years ago and I remember every page was a slog. I finished the book after what seemed an age - thinking that was good but having no way of knowing because my brain was mush. I promised myself that I would re-visit the book when I reacquainted myself with undisturbed sleep! For a couple of years now it has been catching my eye on my book shelf crying out "read me, try me again" . I rarely re-read books but I picked it up as my over Christmas reading. I've discovered that my brain is still mush! However, it is one of those books ...

"Our love for an institution is in proportion to our desire to reform it" John Stuart Mill McBrien, R. (1998) Ministry: A Theological Pastoral Hnadbook, Harper. p. 66 Here's another "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today!!" African Proverb I read them both in Resourcing Renewal by Martyn Atkins

It was a case of wee to wii this Christmas and it was good... A good day yesterday with a varied collection of people with nowhere to go apart to get themselves to ' Crisis at Christmas ' for another Christmas dinner! I was in the kitchen most of the day helping to cook the turkey dinner for the 40 or so people who came along to Southwark SA for Christmas, but when I did get out of the kitchen the vintage of eau de pee pee was not disappointing! I remembered a recent comment by Kapten Clark regarding thanking God for our own type of "incense"! It was a case of wee to wii this Christmas and it was good to finish the day with the family and to watch my 83 year old Dad playing ten-pin bowling!!

Hope it is meaningful for you all! Sent from my iPod!

There was real discomfort in the congregations eyes. I was preaching at Nunhead and was in full flow when I heard Richard, I could see the drama unfold as a local alcoholic made his entrance and staggered up the aisle with his tell-tale blue plastic bag hiding his super-strength cider. Much of the discomfort came from whatever was causing the trail that followed his staggered track! A couple of the congregation help him as he decides to leave. I contend with the loud ongoing conversation and then the full on aggression as Richard loses his cool outside in the foyer. It reminded me of Poplar days. As we left after the meeting, the foyer had a certain aroma. Bethan turned to us smiled and nasally said "that's what Poplar used to smell like at Christmas!"

"I don't believe in what you believe but I believe in what you do..." He'd put his rolled up tenners in the bucket and had gone almost before I could smile. I was collecting for Deptford SA as they raised money at Borough Market and for the rest of the time I spent collecting while the carols were played I wished I could've explained to the guy that he might have been surprised how close our beliefs may be. So much of what I believe is shaped by doing, and living out the life and values of what I see on the life of Jesus! It always seems a shame that the church has done so well making that which people saw as being amazing in Christ so predictable!

I've had a clearing the desk day, reading articles, books, magazines that over this term have built a formidable wall. It has been good to get rid of the clutter! I've had 'Mission in the 21st Century' on my desk to read through for quite sometime and a brief skim through has confirmed that this is a book that needs to be bought or not returned just yet! The five marks of mission it explores give a great framework for understanding mission. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom To teach baptise and nurture new believers To respond to human need by loving service To seek to transform unjust structures of society To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain an renew the life of the earth. Ken Gnanakan goes into bat first and explores what it is to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom - he concludes... The Gospel of the Kingdom must be considered anew so that our proclamation and our methods take on fresh significance. While there is a need to renew o...

“I was bought up to not believe in God; to distrust the church and have nothing to do with religion. The more I come to these events though I have to say I’m not to sure anymore. It's like you lot are a magnet and I'm getting drawn in to something bigger!” Paul lives local to William Booth College and has come along to every event that the college has put on in its local park. ‘Carols in the Park 2008’ was the latest in a series of events designed as the college seeks to make itself known in its community. As the college band set up on the bandstand, a small crowd gathered in anticipation, people were ready to share in community. With successive carols the crowd grew as more people arrived to join in singing of the Christmas message. Many nonplussed at no sign of a collecting box, but rather gifts of tea, coffee and a mince pie, there were smiles and carols all-round. For over a week posters dotted around Ruskin Park adjacent to William Booth College announced "carols in t...

A massive chunk of family tree has come to light with some interesting connections. For eight years I felt really at home in Poplar our last appointment. Now I know why - my Great Great Great Grandfather William Chapman was born there in 1791!! (And get this Chris from Falmouth - the next generation has Baldwin's in it!!! I've always said with your height we must have been separated somewhere!!!)

There was an interesting article in the Times this week, a friend photocopied it for me to have a look. I wanted to keep a copy as a useful discussion starter! You can read it here .

Affluenza n: a contagious middle class virus causing depression, anxiety, addiction and ennui... I sat on the bus with Oliver James' new book poised. ( James, O. (2007). Affluenza .Vermilion ) I notice a guy with an iPhone and I become transfixed with what he was doing. Quite obviously he was meeting someone but wasn't sure where he was going; fascinated I watch him pull up some A-Z app and work out his route with a route planner. Then I watched with increasing jealousy as he zoomed in and out to get the finer details of the journey; place names, roads, bus routes. Increasingly I felt I want one of those. By the time matey boy was talking to his friend and giving him the time of his arrival I was fast trying to convince myself - I need one of those! Worried that matey would see me agog I start the book. Flick through acknowledgements and contents and get to the "Are you infected with Affluenza ?" Keeping a careful eye open on the iPhone seeing him listening to music w...

I'm not into big band bashing; 13 years in The Regent Hall band played a big part of my development as a young Christian. I have great respect for the commitment of those that still engage in this ministry; some of which goes largely un noticed. Some of these ISB guys I know willing to help small inner city corps with their carolling effort in order to raise funds for ministry into their communities. So I'm not really that bothered about the ISB recording deal - and I really hope that the venture raises the money that is hoped for and that it will then be put into those areas that need it. But something bothers me. I asked Bethan what she thought the poster said about The Salvation Army. She looked and said "...we're more bothered about the countryside..." "Do you think that is right..?" "No... something is missing!" "What? " "Community!" I smiled but then again maybe I am still a rabid inner city officer with a chi...

I'm reading through some material I am presenting tomorrow on Nouwen and I was struck with his words on leadership and the temptation of power. "I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self." Nouwen, H. (1993). In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership "What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life." Nouwen, H. (1993). In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership Interesting thoughts that remain acutely relevant for us.

I first read A Churchless Faith about four years ago and found it immensely helpful for myself to understand faith more as a verb than a static noun. I'm evermore convinced of it's importance in Spiritual Formation and Jamieson's summary of Fowler's work on FD is helpful. I want to periodically highlight some of Fowler's stages of faith thanks to Jamieson's summary. He uses some of Fowler's qualifying statements to set the scene. Fowler's work on development of faith is like a map that describes the terrain and shows key landmarks; but it is like a map at the back of a tourist map - helpful but not detailed or authoritative. Faith is a dynamic, changing and evolving process. Rather than merely something you have or do not have or just an acceptance of certain statements of belief, Fowler suggests that faith is a dynamic process a way of living. Faith development is more about how we believe (operation of faith) rather than what we believe (contents of ...

One of the interesting things about Faith House is the conversation and observations you get about other agencies that offer help to the homeless. One of my favourites has always been the story of a Roman Catholic outreach to the homeless somewhere in the West End. The friendliness has never been a complaint, nor has been the food, which from all accounts is well up there! The issue isn't even the worship and imposed 'God slot' - the problem is the two nuns who stand by the exit playing guitars to stop anyone leaving. It is almost worth popping along to see it in action - a nice twist on the popular Ship of Fools Mystery Worshipper . I have a new favourite story that has had me chortling for several days. It involves a church group that uses a bus to create a nice space for homeless people to get a hot drink and a conversation for a couple of hours. Jim is a highly articulate member of the FH community, his exasperation in telling the story made it all the better. Not reali...