Sometimes I am surprised that the standard CofE stuff that I have to do can be pretty exciting and encouraging. Tonight I went to Deanery Synod. Deanery Synods across the nation have a bit of a reputation for being slow, tiresome and not very interesting.

Tonight was different. Tonight we were tasked with looking at a Deanery Ministry and Mission plan. Before we got onto this, though, I gave a 15 min presentation on what I have been up to as Priest Missioner for the last 18 months. As part of that I shared the Fresh Expressions sequence that distinguishes between how a fresh expression and how a traditional church plant are set up differently. The different sequence seemed to really inspire people.

I outlined how traditional church plants start with a group of people with a particular style with worship as a starting point which people are invited to; and then out of this flows community, discipleship and the mission of the group.

I then showed how with fresh expressions, such as the gathering, that worship evolves later on. The process here, which the gathering is following, has been one of discerning and following what God seems to be calling us to do, asking what loving service looks like in our setting … and doing it! From this community grows, discipleship starts to happen and worship evolves. 

Tonight’s Deanery Synod seemed to get excited by this latter process … particularly with the ‘what does loving service look like here’ because they could see that this was a great place to start.

The conversation about the ministry and mission planned followed this presentation tonight, and I hope the gathering and my story has been able to help us think more laterally about mission in Gillingham. One idea was even to replicate the boot fair model we successfully trialled last year and spread it across the deanery. That would be very cool!

Tonight I was very inspired and people, my colleagues, said some very kind and encouraging things. This was a great meeting and the enthusiasm for mission that makes a real transformational difference to communities is an illustration of why I was ordained in this beautiful, infuriating, broad inclusive church.

Unexpectedly I have returned from Deanery Synod buzzing …. so no sleep yet then!

Today has caused me to think of the fragility of life.

This afternoon I visited someone in hospital who was one of the old guys I would talk to at least twice a week for 4 years in Wetherspoons. Seeing this man who used to happily catch two buses only a little over 18 month ago to join me for a pint on a Friday hooked up to lots of leads on a hospital bed was pretty moving. This guy was always full of energy and joked and laughed … and yet today …. today he seemed fragile …. vulnerable …. but still together and happy.

The hospital experience has not been great for this man. Yet, despite his age, his fragility, his vulnerability …. he is still a strength to the rest of his family, and even to himself.  Crushed but not broken comes to mind, and I am pretty convinced there is still some life in this amazing man yet. I pray there is.

At this point I want to say ministry of this type is such a real privilege. As we talked for around 30 minutes of what life was now like, this man shared his insights and there is no other word to describe the experience of simply sitting with him for that short time. Privilege sounds like some sort of crap Christian cliche … but it’s not … it’s an honest assessment of how I felt as I walked away from this gentlemen’s hospital bed.

I went to hospital today thinking I was going to support and sit with this guy. When I left I felt that he had sat with me. It’s not that we talked about me, because we didn’t, but in that simple act of sitting together it was like some synergetic accumulation of respect and love both immersed and held us for a short while.

In that short while, I met Christ, the vulnerable, weak, but still together Christ. Christ sat with me today and started at me …. quizzical eyes. This man’s eye’s burned blue at me …. the body was frail, the breathing was laboured, yet the eyes were dancing.

Thank you mate
May your eyes dance a while longer my friend.

For this last week SPLAT has hit St Mark’s as it does every October half term. The combination of 100 junior school age children from the local community, a great team of 50 volunteers from St Mark’s church (some who had taken time off work) and a great willingness to serve, have fun, talk God and just be there resulted in an amazing, life changing, week for many. This is all headied up skilfully by my amazing wife, Sarah, and our amazing friend Jo.

SPLAT has been running at October half term for 14 years. Over those years Sarah and Jo, and the rest of the team (many of whom have probably also been at each one), have gained the trust of, and met with, many parents and children in the community. SPLAT is seen as a trusted event of St Mark’s church where the church is simply sharing gospel values in word and action with the local community. I was even in one of my regular cafes this week and was asked if SPLAT was on by one of the staff because her child went, her last one being 6 years ago. 6 years on, this woman was still saying how amazing an event it was for her children.

Each year has a theme. We have seen Star Trek, Cowboys, Under the Sea … the list could go on …. this year the theme was MI SPLAT …. secret agents everywhere!

I had a small role each day to turn up at 12ish to be around and simply chat with parents. I met some pretty cool people and enjoyed listening and hearing peoples views and thoughts. Some I laughed with, others I listened to concerns of … all I enjoyed the privilege of spending time with.

Each time I turned up the atmosphere of fun, expectation and anticipation was really strong. On one day in particular I was moved to tears when Sarah asked children if they would like to be anointed for anything in particular. I welled up (being the great ‘man’ I am) as there were massive queues of children waiting to be anointed with holy oil. The sight was amazing and would have been a real eye opener for people who think children can’t get God and spiritual stuff!

My whole family are exhausted today …. but SPLAT has an event later this afternoon and then we are celebrating the SPLAT week in St mark’s on Sunday morning. As well as tonight there will also be a Christmas SPLAT event, Bethlehem Village, on the afternoon of Saturday 21st December …. put that date in your diaries!

SPLAT – was an amazing week!