Category Archives: ministry

racing around

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The weekend, well Saturday, has been a hectic one with me racing to different parts of the diocese.

It started with speaking about my role at a prayer breakfast at St. Augustines Bromley Common. It was a great breakfast and the conversations I had with people before I spoke were excellent as well. The people there seemed very interested and had some very good questions. (Thanks Kev for the opportunity)

I then hopped in the car to join Diocesan Synod which was being held in St. John’s Tunbridge Wells to again talk about my role as part of the Mission and Unity report. This was a good opportunity for me to share the reality of my role and what I have been doing for the last 2 years. I think that one of the downside of the Fresh Expressions marketing is that pioneer ministry is seen by some as exciting and full of fun … it’s ‘sexy’ ministry as someone in the diocese said to me not that long ago. I ended my report by sharing that this is the hardest thing I have ever had to do (even harder than working with knife carrying gangs when we did detached youth work!) and that most of the time I felt vulnerable, isolated, tired …. in other words pioneer ministry is just hard work like any other ministry and work. But … this is what I am called to and I love it! (Thanks Jean and Paul for the opportunity)

I think the people there ‘got’ what I was trying to share and I was certainly encouraged by comments afterwards.

After synod I jumped back in the car to race (well …. as far as you can race in a Citroen C1!!) back to GIllingham and arrived in time to watch Gills unluckily score a 0-0 draw against Oxford before then heading for the cathedral to be quiz master at the cathedral quiz …. which was a good way to end a long day with lots of laughter and banter! (So … finally thanks for the opportunity there Lynn and Colin!

Sing your own song!

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One of the real privileges of my role is that I get to mix traditional with pioneering and so experience many different aspects of life and worship that I may not otherwise experience. A cathedral, of all places, is a great place to experience the best of what we would call traditional, although I could well argue that some of the what our musicians do is pretty pioneering and innovative so that it cause you to pause and be struck afresh by some aspect of God.

Earlier this week I attended the cathedral carol service. Our choirs always produce a beautifully amazing sound but during thee carol service I experienced something new and different. At one point during the service the choir were standing very close to me which enabled me to hear each individual voice as well as the ‘one sound’. Each voice was unique, beautiful and noticeably different from each other. Together they were fantastic, but on this evening it was the individual voices that got me thinking and through which God challenged me.

As I walked home that evening from the station (skating / flying part of the way but that’s a story for another time) I reflected on this and thought each of us has our own distinct voice. The bible talks of the sheep following the shepherd because they know his voice. Our voice is probably as distinct and unique to us as our fingerprints are.

Our task, in our lives, is to find our own voice, to sing our own song .. to make our own individual contribution. Too foten we are guilty of trying to copy others, or wish to be like others. Sometimes we spend so much time envying others that we miss out totally on the beauty that we personally have.

What we have is distinct and unique to us … and no matter what we may think of it, God can take and join with it to make something we think ordinary simply stunning!

We simply need to find our voice and sing our song …. and see what happens.

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It’s been a good end to a busy week.

I have concluded my week with a mixture of traditional ‘vicary’ type stuff. One such thing was the leading of one of the Medway Primary Schools carol concerts. These three events had choirs from 10 local schools and their teachers and parents coming to watch and listen. One of the great things about the cathedral is the welcome and service we can offer to the local community. I love seeing the look of awe and winder of peoples faces as they come into the cathedral which for most of them is the very first time.

Many of these people are unaware that they can come to the cathedral at any time – we need somehow to get the message across that this place is here for all.

The week ended, though, in the way I love the week to be – with people. Over the last 2 days I have been in the wonderful position of being able to chat and hear the stories of some amazing people that make up the city of Rochester. Some of those conversations have been over dinner, some over beer, and others over coffee – it’s a hard life!

One of the amazing things about being attached to the cathedral. or seen as part of ‘the institution’ is that people have some form of trust. I’ve been in so many conversations with people over the last 48 hours which have left me in awe and wonder of the amazing life stories that people have. It really is an amazing privilege to be where I am at the moment.

I can look back over the week and think ‘I love my job’! but I really hope that I can maintain this people focus. It is so easy to become bogged down in activity and forget that I, as a Church of England priest, am ordained to serve people …. please if you know me, keep reminding me of that!

letting go and being carried away

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But whenever you set out to do something extraordinary, there comes a point where, like Erickson on the horse, you have to choose between trying to control everything – or letting go and getting carried away by something bigger and more powerful than yourself.


I stumbled on a new blog, Lateral Action, today from a post on Wishful Thinking which I have been following for a while. I hope to get to a workshop run by Mark in the next 12 months … I have failed as they have clashed with other things in the past.


As I have been pondering the questions of my earlier post this week I have been both encouraged and challenged by Mark’s post on Lateral Action called the Benefits of Losing Control. Mark talks of allowing the unconscious mind to have more control and concludes his article with the quote i opened this post with. For me, the unconscious self is that part of me that is most guided by God’s Spirit …. so here’s to ‘letting go and being carried away by something bigger and more powerful!’

Early Fresh Expressions?

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TEDDY BOYS HELP CHURCH

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I love this video too (click on the pic to go to the page to start the video) – thanks for the heads up Ian

heading into the awkward!

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I have had the pleasure of meeting with different groups of people today and realised even more what a privilege the ‘priestly’ part of this role is. It seems to me that it is a gift a bit like the reverse of Jon’s gift of faith that I linked to last week. This gift box is still open but the more I decide to venture into the gift box, the more I find to take out (rather than looking to add things in the cartoon) and if I have the guts to step out and use some of ‘items’ I am quite overawed at what God does.

One of those situations in which I am incredibly conscious what I have been entrusted with is with funerals. I have mentioned this before but I really am surprised by how much supporting people at such a special and rough time is nothing other than a privilege even though the experience can be quite painful. As I prepare for a funeral I remember funerals I have attended and surprised, I guess, by the pain that I still hold for myself in relation to my friend or family member that has died. That pain does not seem to get less – it seems to me that we just think about it less but when it comes to the front of our thoughts it has the same level of pain that it ever had. I wonder if my consciousness of this pain allows me to gain some empathy with the family I am dealing with.

For the week or so before the funeral and then for a few weeks after I pray for the families that I have had contact with and Adrian has suggested that I should contact them within 7 to 10 days to see how things are going. If I am honest when this was originally suggested it petrified me! I think I will always be nervous but I have, however, been surprised at the overwhelming positive reaction of those I have contacted a week or so after the funeral. The knowledge that when life all around them seems to move on and forget, that there is still a community holding them in prayer before God seems to be appreciated.

Today while out and about again I have found that breaking through the pain of personal awkwardness and embarrassment can be a good thing to do in opening me and others up to what God is doing behind the scenes. I guess this is the same for all of us – it can be awkward to ask how things are and we don’t need to ordained to ask it but I wonder what life would be like if we did not politely avoid the awkward moments? Not only can we support other people but I’m also finding that we experience something different of God as well.

in the right place …?

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Mondays are usually quieter days but yesterday was full of different experiences and, as I look back, I think I can see the guiding and protecting hand of God.

I started the day by leading matins in the morning and then presiding at the 830 Eucharist. No one showed for the Eucharist so I read the liturgy until the intercessions and then ‘closed’ the service. Many people leave written prayer requests in the cathedral and so I felt it important to pray for these people as well as take the extra unexpected time to pray for protection and guidance throughout the day.

I then payed a visit to the hospital to take communion to Alan, a brilliant guy from our congregation. Timing was excellent and God seemed to have steered me here because on the final word of prayer after I anointed Alan the ambulance crew arrived to take him to a hospital in London at 10am – despite everyone thinking they were coming at 1.00pm.

On the journey back my car developed a strange knocking noise. To cut a long story short somehow all 4 wheel nuts of one of the front wheels was loose. Whether they had worked loose over time or whether someone had undone them during the evening, I don’t know. I am, however, conscious of God’s protection – I’m guessing my car would not go too well on just 3 wheels! Normally I am up for a challenge, but not a 3 wheeled one in a citroen xsara!

My time in Rochester opened up new conversations and it seemed that today was quite a lot about being in the right time at the right place. Quiet often we can start to believe the delusion that we are in control, or that we can influence stuff when actually we are a small part of a big picture which I hope God is in control of.

Are you regular?!

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The week has been another interesting one as I try to understand what is going on around me. I find myself constantly challenged, surprised and honoured by what ‘normal’ people share with me and ask me to do on their behalf.

I guess I am a noticeable figure around the High Street now and I hear from the staff of places and from other that people have been asking for me and it seems some seek me out to share a need or request me to pray for them or someone that I know. This week alone I have lit 7 or 8 candles on behalf of people who have spoken to me during the week while I have been hanging around. Most of these people have wanted prayer for themselves or a for a loved one. I have offered to pray with them, or go to the cathedral with them, but this has been declined in favour of me praying for them in the cathedral. I am not sure I am comfortable with the theology that lies behind this, my words of prayer are no more special than their words of prayer, but it would not be very loving to ask to talk about the theology of this and so I get on and pray on behalf of these people.

Today one such occurrence came that took me by surprise. I was in conversation with some of the regulars and a woman came up and asked me to pray for her. She gave me her name and just said she was having a tough time, and not wanting to share more she then left. I was taken aback by her boldness in front of these men. For this lady is seemed a normal thing to request, even in a packed pub. Apart from anything else I am amazed at how much or a great privilege this is. I would love to know peoples thinking behind what is going on. What is it about someone sitting with a dog collar on that draws people with prayer requests?

All the questions aside, I am seeing more and more that there is a great need for people to be able to access prayer in some way. I would not say these incidents are common, but they are certainly not uncommon.

When I start to share these stories with people they tell me this part of my role is quite pioneering. Actually I disagree very strongly with that viewpoint. My sitting in the pub, sitting in the coffee shops, wandering around the High Street is not pioneering as I understand it. What I am doing is, I think, what the traditional parish priest used to do – which was to be in the community and be available. After a year I have a number of contacts, a small number of which I think wish to explore faith further – my pioneering side comes in to play as I seek to discover what we do to help those people who are interested.

I am excited that the Church of England is training more pioneers – we certainly need them. But I am starting to wonder if the establishment as such also needs to give permission to parish clergy to be out in their communities and so making themselves available to the people. I do believe, and I realise I lay myself open to heavy criticism here along the lines of not understanding the pressures of parish ministry (which I acknowledge I don’t!) that all clergy should be able to carve out one morning, afternoon or evening each week where they hang out in the same place in their parish – coffee shop, pub, park, whatever …. being in the same place regularly opens us up to a whole new world!

Vulnerability

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One of the things I enjoy doing when coming back from holiday is scanning a few blogs and catching up through Google Reader to discover what people have been writing.

I thought about going to Moot on Sunday evening, but coming back from holiday and other things prevented me from doing that but it’s clear that the service, particularly was quite profound; particularly the story and homily from Pete which Ian has kindly posted.

I have been struck by this quote from Rolheiser:

It is because of the refusal to be vulnerable that, far too often, instead of enjoying friendship and intimacy with those around us, we find ourselves fencing with each other, using our talents, achievements, and strengths as weapons.

It is this vulnerability that I try to embrace when I am out and about in Rochester, yet so often I catch myself crawling inside my armour to hide.

You can read it all from the Moot site here.

to the person that took the time …

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Today has been a great day.
It’s been great due to other people and their encouragements – although apart from one person the others of the last 24 hours would probably not see themselves as being encouragers but they are.

The day started yesterday really when after reading my post about working with different groups in the pub someone took the time to phone me, offer reflection and pray with me. I was moved to tears as I realised outside of the cathedral staff team this is the first person that has done that. Not only was it humbling but it was so powerful to hear the words of a friend praying down the phone line for me. To the person that took the time … thank you – you are great!

Yestrday evening I went out for a curry and a few drinks with a friend. We chatted about lots of stuff and, again, this was a real encouragement to me. It was great just to meet up with someone who knows me and chill. The action of chilling together, although small in their eyes, was a massive boost to me. To the person that took the time … thank you – you are great!

Today I was leaving ‘spoons and had a text from a friend asking to meet up for coffee. We did just that and chatted, just by chance another friend joined us – and again, just being able to hang out, chat and enjoy drinking a coffee together was a real privilege and a real encouragement, or boost if you like! To the person that took the time … thank you – you are great!

Tonight a friend visited and we chatted over old times of working together. This person has some exciting news as well as it was a joy to hear what was happening. Just the fact of having a friendship of some 6/7 years from the simple act of working together is amazing. This person has been great at staying in touch and I thank God she has To the person that took the time … thank you – you are great!

My little point as I disappear to bed is – don’t under-estimate how powerful the simple things like communication can be – for me the day has been amazing thanks to the actions of others.