I posted this great poem on the Lent Blog the other day.

I always find this fantastic and feel it applies to who I am and what I am about. It’s been great reflecting on it throughout Lent so far as I’m finding it very easy to lose sight of what I am called to do.

This serves as a good reminder … nothing more than a doorkeeper, but a great door to keep at!

I had a lot of comments – must of them positive. The one that made me smile was ‘that was … mmm… interesting … thanks’

A number of people were encouraging as they shared that this worship experience had caused them to think of well known liturgy and words in a new, fresh, or different way. That was one of my aims, so I was quite chuffed about that!

The best comment came from Jeremy … the SEITE principal: ‘Rob … I don’t think that’s ever been done before!’ That was said in a very positive way and I took it that way – it was good to feel groundbreaking for a very short time – of course this has been done before, I’m sure of it.

Anyway – it was a learning experience all around, I do not know this liturgy as well as I should before I start to play with it. It has also given me another personal challenge – the language is all very ‘rural’ as you would expect – with talk of shepherds and stuff.

I want to take some time to see if I could urbanise this. In the last 2 days people have given me 2 ideas that may work:
the judgment of God like a speed camera
strayed off course like a broken supermarket trolley.

There must be more … ideas on a postcard (well in the comments will do) please.

If you are interested, I have uploaded the service I took last night here, although for copyright reasons I have not put the music there, and anyway its easier to choose your own!

If you take a look, I would value comments and ideas for improvement.

Tonight I have to lead worship at SEITE.

The style/order/format given to me has been the good OLD Book of Common Prayer. Although Anglican (just) I have never even held the BCP or used it, let alone led worship with its liturgy, although it’s not bad – just loads of it! The words of the Magnificat are great.

I have decided I want to be a little creative with this, so I have set the liturgy on a background foggy pic I took from my car and added some chill and upbeat tracks as a background when we speak. Dunno how it’s going to go – just hope I don’t upset anyone who says this day in day out cos it’s dear to them!

I might let you know later!

I’m back, not quite sure what to make the 3 days away.

The content of the sessions was ok, there was the odd provocative thought here and there, such as Graham Cray suggesting post-modernism has ended – but I think I am quite saddened that there was only the odd provocative thought here. I was hoping for more, to be challenged, to come away re-analyzing my thoughts, of how to progress in my plans to reach my community. Sadly, I have not come away with any of that.

The big plus of the few days for me was meeting up with friends old and new. The network opportunities were great. It was excellent talking to church planters in Brighton, Norfolk, London and hearing their ideas. I have a few people to go and see, and I feel I will learn more from sitting with them over a beer or coffee. The highlights were people centred for me: being able to grab a word with Andrew, Mark, getting to know the Scottish YFC people better, and grabbing a curry and having a laugh with Jonny, and the YFC people there – it was nearly ‘just like old times’!

I can’t help but think the conference missed an opportunity here. Sitting in the audience were the 3 creative thinkers/practitioners mentioned above – the conference could have sparked more ‘challenging’ thinking if we were hearing the thoughts of these guys before going to chat in our network groups!

Now – that would be an interesting conference …

I’m at the Mission 21 conference for the next few days in Sheffield.

I’m really looking forward to this and the program looks well worked out. There area couple of us from YFC going, and I hope that as well as being a great conference I’ll meet some new, and old, friends. I’ll report back on my return!

Have a good few days – I’m pretty sure that I will.

I have spoken before of my Burmese ancestry which fuels my interest and alarm in the oppression currently experienced by those in Burma.

This week, Radio 4 are running a series of special reports on the situation in Burma. The reports will be broadcast at 7.30am each morning, on 92-95fm, and 198lw.

The first one was broadcast this morning. If, Like me, you are interested in hearing these 10 minute reports but do not usually listen to Radio 4, you can catch the broadcasts from their radio archive here.

If you wish to do more than just listen, you can always join the Burma Campaign and encourage others to make efforts to change the situation in the country. After independence from Britain, we promised to help and protect the people of Burma. To this day, we have done nothing.

Change Agents.

This is a term that Bishop Graham Cray used on Saturday night when speaking about ‘Ministry and Church’. People working in the church, ministers in particular, need to be change agents. People that can both work within change and not be threatened by it, as well as being able to see an opportunity and instigate change to be able to take that opportunity.

He outlined some research from Steven Croft from Fresh Expressions that shows that as things stand, as the church exists at the moment, only 40% of the nation is within our grasp. Times have changed, and we need to change if we are to make any sort of impact on the 60%, a figure that will grow as years progress if unchecked.

Graham also spoke of his belief that this culture avoids commitment. He actually used the term ‘corrosive to commitment’. For some things I agree, but on reflection, this does not seem entirely true. I am part of 4000 or so people who are committed to the Gills with my season ticket, and we go week in and out despite the fact they are playing abysmally football fans are just as committed.

Other commitments I see are a commitment to a gang, to a brand, to a location, to a club, to a music genre. Commitment to church, to family, to company is being corroded. But commitment in other areas in strong.

Is it commitment that is being corroded by our culture, or is our culture only committing to that in which it sees as valuable?

The weekend was a good weekend after all at the King Charles. On refection, I don’t think I learnt a massive amount of stuff although I was challenged to think in some new areas. The location, as locals will know, is ‘interesting’ – but if you can get over that the weekend can be promising.

The big plus about the weekend was just getting to know people better. It reminded me that I am a people person, a person that wants to know other people, a person that is interested in the lives of others, a person that values friends and wants to be a goof friend in return.

The highlights of the weekend were meeting up with my friends from both the Chatham and the Southwark courses. Spending time with Jeremy, Iori, Lynette, Dave, Nick, Jen, Barbara, Angie, Ann, Nicola – these people are going to be world changers – really was a great way to spend a weekend. Please continue to pray for us as we are prepared for ‘ministry’!

I feel we have some special people in our group and its a real privilege to be part of these peoples lives. It’s quite exciting really to see how we are all learning and developing in our thoughts and practice! World …watch out!

This weekend I have to be away on another SEITE weekend. I don’t like being away at the weekend, and even more so as about 2 hours ago I turned quickly and seem to have done something painful to my back! It takes me a little while to get in and out of the car! If your reading – please pray for a quick healing!

The weekend, actually, is looking good – I’ve just seen we have Bishop Graham Cray to do some sessions, so I’m looking forward to that. I’m really looking forward to catching up with the Southwark people too – its seems that we are developing a little friendship community here – cool!

It’s Sarah’s birthday today – but sadly I have to go away 😦

Happy Birthday Sarah.

This year we will get around to having the party!