I can’t think of much to write today … so instead of reading my rubbish why not pop over to the Moot blog here and listen to Ian being interviewed on ‘The Becoming of G-d’.
After hearing the interview why not go and buy the book – its well worth the read.
I love this picture and the publicity that is produced by Moot.
These events through Lent are both imaginative and will challenge spiritually.
I’m glad to be able to get to some of these events and point to them here in case you don’t know about this.
Why not get along if you are nearby
Sunday night was a sad night for me as it marked the last official day of my placement with Moot.This has been a superb experience and I have learned masses from the community and from Ian. It has been great to be welcomed as a member of the community and trusted to become involved.
The experience has left me with lots of thoughts for my future role particularly around thoughts of how we have restricted ‘gospel’ to mean the telling of a message where as the gospel that Jesus speaks of is one of transformed community pointing to the Kingdom of God.
At Moot I have tasted the kingdom and I intend to stay in touch. If any mooters come here – thank you so so much, you have been fantastic. I have met some excellent fellow travellers and I really hope I can stay in touch.
Today I have been disciplined and had a bit of a study day – I’m supposed to take half a day a week, but keep forgetting as work is so much for more fun than the thought of study at the moment.
Sadly my placement at Moot is coming to an end so for part of today I reflected on what I will take away from my experience with the Moot community and wrote it down in my assignment which was due in …. errr a few weeks ago – but I do have the excuse of starting my placement late and finishing it late.
Two things have hit me massively from this placement over the last 5/6 months.
The biggie for me is how Moot is genuine community. Being part of this community has been an amazing experience. There is true acceptance here and a real desire to enter into dialogue with each other, learn from each other, and make use of each others gifts.
I have also been struck by Moot’s ability to have a ‘both/and’ model by holding redemption and incarnational theologies in their outlook as they look to avoid extremes which alienate and consider everything which allows a fuller engagement with culture and God. Bevans labels this a synthetic model of contextual theology.
I’m sure I will learn more as I reflect longer over time, but I’m going to be sorry to be leaving Moot as part of my placement – but I shall remain part of this community.
Tonight I had the pleasure and privilege and speaking at the Moot Eucharist and sharing my homily on Lent. I attempted to ask what Lent was about and shared a story of when I was stuck in the desert which was one time that I remember well as a time of reflection. I think Lent is a time of Divine reflection, but also that it is a time to rediscover our personal identities and what we are created for. You can read the whole text here if you are interested, it’s less than 3 pages long with 1.5 spacing – I like to be brief.
I have loved my placement at Moot. The community is one of genuine love and respect. I have noticed over the last few weeks that we have seen a lot of visitors. I have also noticed how they are quickly included in conversations as circles and groups naturally open out to welcome others in. Moot does not seem to be a place of cliques – that in itself is refreshing to see.
Next week is my last ‘official’ Sunday at Moot. I don’t think It will be my last time here though as I feel very much a part of this community and I would like the relationship to continue.
The last few days have been a good few days covered my dream, vision and mission. I’ve been on a mission journey to various parts of the country.
We met to think more about Love Gillingam 2007 with some exciting developments, particularly a new partnership with another church joining the mission.
Meeting with Jim at Cambridge YFC, an incredibly gifted guy, to hear about his great dreams to develop mission with young people in that area.
I caught up with Jerry at Newmarket YFC who travels at light speed sharing his love of God with young people through a massive schools work.
Taking time to reflect on my experiences of the last few weeks with Jean Kerr, my spiritual director, was liberating and forced me to think how these experiences could affect my future life.
I had coffee with Paul at Wycombe YFC and got excited with his vision for co-ordinated work with people across the town.
Meeting with Ian from Moot, is always invluable to reflect on my placement and talk more on how this community has grown through a model of engaging contextual theology. Being a member of the Moot community has left me with a beautiful picture of what community can be like and this has profoundly affected my dreams for my future ministry.
An exciting few journies.
An interesting day where I have wondered at the church and whether it can cause a split personality.
Today I have been in 2 locations, both being Anglican in nature.
This morning I led worship at St Marks. I think what we did seemed to work well. I think I was very Anglican and we had a lengthy time of sung worship, as that is what a number of St Mark-ers like to do.
This evening I sat in an excellent MOOT service thinking about accountability. There was no singing, it was very meditative and held in a building from the Anglo Catholic tradition.
Both were great, both were very different. I was challenged in both in completely, but certainly not totally separate, ways.
During the drive home I started to reflect on where God’s role for me is going to be taking me in 18 months time. Today I experienced worship that was poles apart (although not extremely apart), and I enjoyed both and see that both are needed and are appropriate. Whether both are usually appropriate to the same person should not be strange as we all have different needs and preferences at different times.
Looking ahead, I am not sure I wish to be pushed to a pole, to an extremity or right to the edge. That does not seem quite right. I think that being at extremities is dangerous and can result in harmful practice, maybe even to eventual heresy. It is also at these extremes that I seem to find people who think they are right and that everyone else is wrong.
One of the things I have loved about MOOT is that I have not met anyone like this at all. The community enjoys its style, but it is the most open community to change that I have ever been involved in I have not met anyone who thinks they are totally correct. I have only tended to find that attitude amongst people in the established church(es).
The extremes of worship need to be held in tension, but also I wonder if we need to find a both/and middle ground. Do we need to be either charismatic or meditative, can’t we be both? Do we need to be evangelical or liberal; why can;’t we be both?
Why can’t we have a unity in our wonderful mix of diversity?
Met with Pauline today at Scooter Cafe. Others have said good coffee here – it’s one of the best I’ve tasted in the city and the atmosphere is cool so shall be returning! Great to talk with Pauline about plans for the future of YFC in Wandsworth and decide on a way forward.
Then met up with friends at the Moot Community meeting to chat about the service we are putting together for Lent amongst other things.I’m really learning a lot from this placement and it’s a real privilege to be part of this.
Today I caught up with Ian from Moot for one of my supervision sessions. Excellent time and I’ve been given masses to think about. I’m reflecting and gaining so much more from this placement than I could ever have imagined.
Tomorrow it is an early start to Halesowen for what is effectively an OFSTED of the project we get DfES money for in Young Offender Institutes and in schools on pre-offending projects with both Reflex and Energize.
I’m then going to head to Weymouth and spend the night at Steve’s before the funeral on Wednesday. I pray I can be the support needed.
When I return, I’ll then have a day at home beofre having to go away again on another SEITE weekend … on death, dying and bereavement. Great timing!
The Shiny Headed Prophet 