Looking forward to going to the Blah Learning Day on Emerging & Fresh Expressions of the Catholic and Contemplative traditions. Should be a good and thought provoking day.
Blah Learning day
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Category Archives: pioneer ministry
OPM Day podcast
OPM Day
It was great today, and an honour, to meet up with others training for OPM (Ordained Pioneer Ministry) in the Church of England. It was great to network, to meet up again with Michael and Gareth.
We discussed issues around training, selection and first posts and it struck me how we are very much still pioneering pioneers. That probably sounds a bit twee but I do think it is amazing that the CofE has moved so quickly in such a short space of time. I think the clear and courageous leadership of Archbishop Rowan, who joined us for lunch and an short talk beforehand, has had a lot to do with this. I believe that this mans ministry of some 4/5 years has already achieved so much more than the Decade of Evangelism under the last Archbishop.
Bishop Graham Cray shared how he thought OPM was part of something bigger which could be taken as exciting, or as scary. In short, I don’t think any of us know where this thing is going and we need to decide whether we are going to trust the Spirit and follow God on it; or play safe and stay as we are!
Michael spoke well about his experiences at Gloucester Cathedral and Ben led some great worship at the end of the day focusing on hope which I found very challenging. I think pioneer ministry is going to be a challenge, and costly to individuals who get involved, but I guess we have to ask who has called us to this and where, or in whom, are we placing our hope?
Another great day!
Oh – the pic … it just made me smile as I have often made the mental link between OPM and poppies … and these poppies look kinda holy!
Examen the week
I’ve spent some time reflecting on the week. I should do this more regularly, as I have been surprised by what seems to have drained me this week.
I have been energised and most happiest when talking with other people, particularly when listening to their stories.
At the start and end of the week I have lunch with frinds to speak about my vision for a fresh expression of faith. There was good discussion and story sharing. It was exciting to hear how people are journeying, as well as hearing that I am not alone with this vision – so maybe there is something in this?
I hope there are others out there that I might meet up with sometime soon.
a new community ?
This could be a dangerous post.
I could upset people – but this is not my aim.
I have been challenged over the last few months by two people.
These two people have been listening and praying with me for a little while.
Their challenge and question – to start to research a new pioneering community now, and why am I waiting?
So … this is one way through which I am looking for people who share this vision. I will also email on various local networks and would ask you to forward this to any that you think may be interested.
I believe there are a few people, and the number will be small, who live, or soon will live, in Medway and share a common vision.
These people long, maybe are even too scared to dream, of church being a place which really connects with people outside, but also with them.
They dream of a church where differences are celebrated and add to the communities flavour.
They are not worried so much about what people believe, but more concerned about how people believe: how they live out faith, how they are Christ-like.
They don’t care so much about worship style, but interested in something that’s authentic and enables them to connect with God where they are emotionally and spiritually.
They really do believe Christianity is a journey, and that we can all exist at different points on the road, or even off it, with no fear of condemnation.
A community that does not judge a person by how they look, sound or by what they believe.
They want to see a community that loves and has people at its heart rather than a program that must be delivered.
They believe a community should be one that meets throughout the week to enjoy relationship with each other and with God, and is not restricted to any one day or meeting.
They are willing to pay the cost that comes with developing relationships.
They want to see this as a place where people belong because they are connected and on the journey, not a place where they can only belong if they turn up at a particular time, day and place.
They want to see a community that really believes in mission, that not only welcomes in strangers, but expects and allows the community to change due to what that new person brings with them.
They believe church is about participation and engagement of the majority, rather than being consumerist and led by a few specialists.
They are tired of being told the same stuff and want to discover together how to live Christian spirituality in their world!
They long for their experience of church to inform their experience of the world and vice versa.
This journey will be tough.
Not many in church will want to share it.
But a few will.
I am not looking for something better than we have.
I am looking for something equally valuable.
Something to add to the mixed economy of church.
But I’m putting this out there as I would really love to meet people that share this vision.
In particular…I am praying for 2 or 4 other people who share the vision as a start so that we can pray.
So … if you have something to add to this, please get in touch.
can our worship be mission?
I have had a much needed day at home today catching up on a mass of emails as well as adding some finishing touches to a couple of minor assignments.
Yesterday I spent a good time with Bishop Brian, the Bishop of Tonbridge, to think about what might happen with me as a pioneer minister beyond ordination. It was an interesting conversation and I was very pleased with what we spoke about – watch this space!
Bishop Brian posed an interesting question to me to think through. It was a question of mission and worship and he asked me how, in a pioneering sense, do we bring worship ad mission together. How, in fact, can we (or even, is it possible to) to make our worship missionally and our mission worshipful?
It’s a question worth considering, and he even lent me this book to delve into to start to answer my questions around this and community – so I’m now keen to get on with SEITE assignments and finish so I can read something I want to again.
The really funny thing is – and I have only just realised this a few seconds ago as I look for a link to the book on Amazon – is that this is Bishop Brians’s own book. When he said this was ‘my book’ I assumed he meant his personal copy … but it seems he is the actual author. The bishop told me this and I made no response or comment at all!!! It’s not that I never looked impressed, I didn’t even really look at the bbok at all unti I got home! Good job I’m not in this for promotion! As it is I may need to start looking for another diocese!!!
so … worshipful mission, missional worship hmmmmmm maybe I shall start to read the book and make some positive comments quick!
Pioneer stories
While away I caught up with 2 great people.
I met Martin Green, a youth and community worker at the Sanctury Church in Bristol. The Sanctuary meets in a converted cinema and Martin is into street dance and has acived some exciting stuff with the community reaching 140 young people through a dnce session. We met to chat about the possibility of a Bristol YFC. We got quite excited about the possibilities and he is going to look to see if others may have a similar vision. If you are in the Bristol area and share a desire to see some good missional work reaching the young people of Bristol get in touch with Martin.
On Thursday it was great to be able to spend 90 minutes and hear Michael Volland’s story of being an ordained Pioneer Minister working out of Gloucester Cathedral. There is some exciting authentic stuff here and Michael shared some great lessons from his experience which was great to hear. I have been following Michael’s blog for a little while and was keen to meet up and hear how things worked behind the scenes. The more I think about a pioneering role, the more I am thinking that being based, and accountable to, the cathedral makes a lot of sense and is probably something that should be carefully looked at.
Martin, Michael – thanks for giving up your time to share your stories.
Hard Questions
I visited Lambeth Palace today to attend one of the Fresh Expressions Hard Questions days. In the morning Bishop Lindsay Urwin spoke about Sacramental ministry in fresh expressions of church followed by Tim Dakin from CMS on Developing ecclesiology in global perspective.
It was good to meet up with a few friends and make some new ones – some of whom are in the sorts of situations that I may find myself in the future – 50% parish and 50% fresh expression – although I stil dream of 100% pioneering!
The morning was particularly good as I was challenged by Bishop lindsay’s comments on the place of the Eucharist in fresh expressions. He was saying we have institutionalised the Eucharist and that we need to rediscover its power and importance. We need to re-engage with the truth that each encounter with the eucharist should be a fresh encounter with Jesus. He also holds the view that any fresh expression needs to have the Eucharist central to its life if it is going to continue to grow.
To someone from low church background that all seems a bit heavy and on SEITE residential I regularly talk about the Eucharist with my more catholic friends but end up trying to wind them up – usually very unsuccessfully – but the whole sacramental ‘thing’ does interest me massively. The heaviness was lifted however with some words from the bishop that I was not expecting.
As well as needing to de-institutionalise the Eucharist we also need to start a discussion asking what is central to the Eucharist, what is essential and what ave we added, what makes a ‘live’ Eucharist. He also advocated a climate of permission to experiment with deregulation to do so.
I agree entirely but it worries me that there is no consistency here across dioceses. In some experimentation is allowed, in others it is done ‘un-officially’ and in still others bishops block any innovation. It frustrates me personally because instead of spending time on ‘who is in and who is out’ arguments based on sexuality, I think we should be considering stuff like this that because this is stuff that really matters on an everyday basis to everyday people who are spiritually searching.
I hope and pray Bishop Lindsay is able to share his thoughts with the other bishops.
mixed day
I’ve met up with some special people today, all of whom are important to me in their various roles, but more importantly as friends.
Lunch in the noodle bar with Malcolm to hear dreams for Gillingham YFC. It does not seem like we started this over 10 years ago, and its exciting to see Mal taking this off in a fresh direction. I have the pleasure of speaking at their 10 year AGM later this week.
Drinking tea with Jean Kerr while talking about where I am and dream some more about my pioneering future. It’s always good to touch base with Jean as she always has a knack of bringing me back to earth!
Drinking more tea with John Saunders and talking about funerals and baptisms to fulfill the final bits of requirement to tick certain boxes …. or do I mean for my ministerial formation?! Time hearing and learning from John’s wisdom is always valuable.
The low of the day was finding out I need to spend £150+ to stop the weird noise the car is making, but at least it is nothing too serious. I was hoping to get a major service this month and replace some tyres before the MOT at the start of April … guess the service will have to wait! I hate cars – but annoyingly I can’t do this job without mine.
Tomorrow, however, I can use the train as I am honoured to be invited to the service to commemorate the bicentennary of the abolition of the slave trade act in Westminster Abbey. I’m representing YFC and not been inside the Abbey before so quite looking forward to it. Apparantly it’s broadcast live on the BBC, so if you look closely…
my recent mission journey
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.
The Shiny Headed Prophet 