Category Archives: pioneer ministry

… a pioneer?

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Over the summer I have had time to do a lot of reflecting and thinking. I carry with me this grand title of ‘pioneer curate’; I’m not too sure I like that title and I’m not sure what people who hear it or see it think. I guess, as a positive, lots of people do ask me (both in and out of the church) what the ‘title’ or ‘description’ means. It also worries me, I guess, that so many people within the church ask what it means …. if we don’t understand our own language then maybe we need to use language we do understand? (there may be a sermon there somewhere)

Anyway … what is a pioneer …. funny you should ask as Andrea is writing a great series answering that very question here. Go have a read – well worth it.

the search goes on …

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Each Sunday night or Monday morning, I put together a weekly email that some very wonderful people receive as they pray for me and what I am doing throughout the week. In my email I outline what I will be doing and when.

I have just admitted in that email that I do not know what I am doing! Now many of you have probably been aware of this for a while, in fact a lot of you will be saying something along the lines of ‘well … no change there then!’

While this used to worry me, I have surprised myself by how relaxed I now feel about this statement.

I might not know what I am doing, but I do know what it is that I am trying to achieve. I don’t quite know how to achieve it, but I do have a direction to go in. I don’t quite know where that direction is taking me, but there are landmarks to follow.

I started thinking about this last week. A number of people have visited over the last 10 days or so and one asked me an interesting question last week. They asked ‘as you do your ‘stuff’ which character from the bible do you relate to, or think of, the most?’

Without too much thought I responded with Issac, the son of Abraham. It seemed Issac travelled around a lot in the desert. If we read his story in Genesis it is easy to think that he just aimlessly wanders around the desert with no real plan. It was because of this image I had of him that I was drawn to him. But, as I looked more closely I discovered that although Issac does wander looking for pastures for his sheep, he does not wander aimlessly. Instead, he wanders between the wells that his dad, Abraham, had already dug when he wandered the desert. This wells had since beens sealed, so Issac had to re-open them and re-dig them until he found fresh water that he could use for himself. (you can read all about this in Genesis 26)

As I considered more the story of Issac I came to see similarities with my journey. Often my journey seems pretty desert like. But, instead of looking for water, I am looking for something from within christian tradition that needs to be re-dug, rediscovered and reinterpreted for today so that is is as refreshing as good clean water in a thirsty desert. As a pioneer (a term I am increasingly coming to dislike) I am not always looking for something new …. I am looking for something that has been there for centuries, but has merely been buried under layers of christendom, consumerism, modernity, post modernism …. (I could go on…) and needs rediscovering for today.

So … I am not quite sure what I am doing, but I do know that I am searching … and I am also looking for others that are searching

the search goes on …

travelling together

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(great photo from Ed Hall)

Yesterday I traveled to London with Meghan (a great person from COTA spending 3 weeks with us) to meet up with Ian who is my mentor.

We chatted about a lot of stuff and it was a really beneficial time to me as I shared stuff with Ian and listened to his wisdom and take on things. Yesterday we spoke about where the gathering is at, the possible future and what we may need to think about to enable that future to happen. We chatted a fair bit about our identity as the gathering and how this could be aided in its formation with our rhythm of life. It was a great 90 minutes and I felt energised at the end of the time.

Time with Ian in this way causes me to reflect on what is happening and helps me to notice stuff that I would not normally have noticed if I did not reflect. It is also a good time to ‘think aloud’ stuff I am thinking for the future.

As Meghan was shadowing me with good questions it caused me to think through why I value this relationship so much.

At times through my work Ian has been a lifeline that has kept me sane. At those times when I have felt no one else really ‘gets’ what I am doing or what I am tying to achieve – it has been a real support to meet with Ian and not have to explain what I am about or try to justify my existence.

At times when I have been so up myself, believing I am the only one who has it right, that I know more than I know, or that I want things to happen, but only on my terms – it has been the realistic, honest and sometimes blunt words of Ian that have helped me regain a realistic and accurate outlook.

At times when I have thought of selling out/giving up and doing something a lot easier it has been the godly words of Ian that have reminded me of what I am called to and of my awareness that it was never going to be easy.

The value of a good mentor is priceless. I can really say that I am still here and still sane because of the time others, notably Ian, have invested in me as a person and friend.

Having a good mentor who is not afraid to be honest is a privilege and is one that I really value …. if you don’t have I would really recommend you search one out!

mission shaped cathedrals

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Mission Shaped Cathedrals Project Introduction Movie from Episcopal Village on Vimeo.

A little while ago Karen Ward asked if I would be interviewed and talk about what I do to be used as part of an introduction to a mission shaped cathedrals project in America. This is the video that was put together skillfully by Tim and used at the conference.

The video features people at 3 cathedrals: Steve Clarke at Gloucester, Sue Wallace at York and myself. I think it’s a good video which gives a good account of what we are trying to do.

which way?

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Today I traveled up to London to meet with Ian, my mentor who is now based at St Mary Aldermary. As ever the time was invaluable to me as Ian reflects on what I say and speaks little words of wisdom into the situations I am reflecting on or struggling with.

In particular today we were thinking about what comes next after two and a half years of training. Till this time my strategy has been pretty much wait  ………………….and then go from there. It has not been that simplistic, but the strategy has been one of observation, listening, reflection, questioning and understanding rather than getting involved in the setting up of loads of projects. In a work such as this there is always a temptation to start to do something too quickly before fully understanding the context and the needs of the setting that you are in.

The last two and a half years have not been totally inactive. In addition to the amazingly humbling and privileged links within the community, there is pub theology and the gathering.  It is these two things in particular that I think it is now time to think more about where these are going – and just this past week people have mentioned ‘sacred coffee’ and ‘holy cocktails’ which were ideas similar to pub theology in a different setting. Is the time right to branch out with new ideas, or is it right to develop what we are doing further?

I cannot pretend to fully understand just yet, but it does seem that now is the time to start to think more about how to move forward, how to develop and how to be available to people that wish to find us. There are a core of people involved in various things and so I will be chatting to thee people as well and gaining their amazing insights to what is happening.

So – it’s probably a bit of a watch this space as I chat and reflect more with people on these things.

celebrate the pioneer Patrick

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Today is St Patrick’s day – but then you already now that as St Patrick’s day has become a well known and popular date across the world. If I was to choose a favourite saint it would always be St Patrick. People who now me smile at this as I think (I maybe wrong) that they think my delight in marking St patrick’s day has something to do with the occasion being marked with alcohol in a bog way across the world. This is not the main reason – although I am always happy to join with the Guinness and Jameson’s!

St Patrick landed in Ireland as bishop on March 25th 433.That happens to be our wedding anniversary – the 25th March bit, not the 433 bit – although Sarah would probably say it feels like it’s been since 433!

St Patrick was a pioneer – there is no doubt about it. Going to Ireland with the gospel message with the plan to stay in that one area. He didn’t just pop into Ireland, tell a few people, build a church and then pop off somewhere else. He stayed for the rest of his life. Such was his commitment to this group of people. It wasn’t an easy place to work but he loved the people, even up fronting England over it’s treatment of Irish Christians. I also admire the way that St. Patrick used the everyday stuff well – using a shamrock to explain the Trinity.

I think St Patrick would be worried by the ‘one size fits all’ approach employed by many to faith; but I wonder more what he would think of the ‘common’ practice to move priests to new locations every few years. St Patrick stayed in Ireland for 40 years  – it’s that sort of commitment I love about him.

So – go celebrate today – St patrick should be remembered well!

Pioneer open day

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There is another CMS Pioneer Training open day on May 19th.
Go to Jonny’s blog and check out the details here.
Still wishing something like this was around when I started.

one small step

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On Sunday the gathering got together to look at the subject of ‘giving birth to a church’ using Acts 2 as our bible passage to look at. We asked the question of ourselves wondering how we can live out our faith in a way that is both attractive to others and meaningful for our lives as they are.

Sometimes it is just too easy to look at a church 2000 years ago and say, ‘ok … we need to do exactly what they did then.; Of course … we don’t! That was 2000 years ago and now is now – the faith is the same, maybe hassles are even the same, but the context is totally different. I guess it was this we were grappling with as a community of around 12 people.

As we reflected on where we have come from, it became clear that not all were aware of the gathering story, and that an issue we need to do something about. It seems we have traveled some way, but we are painfully aware that there is a long way to go. As someone pointed out – giving birth to something is only the beginning. The gathering has been born, but now we need to think about how we nurture and feed that so that we grow into a healthy vibrant Christian community.

I’m a fairly impatient person and I want to know where we are going – and I shared yesterday that for the very first time in anything I have done that I do not know where to go next or what to do. That frustrates me, but it does not worry me. I think that is a healthy position to be in. It means we are treading forward together quite carefully, trying to walk with God and allow him to take the initiative.

To be honest – I always knew being involved in starting something completely new was going to be challenge. the gathering is made up of an amazing group of people, and without them it would be a nightmare rather than just a massive challenge. Starting something new is, though, such hard work!

One thing we have agreed on, which I guess is pretty much the next step (and so, I guess, all we need to know at the moment) is that we need to spend more time together around a meal table simply getting to know each other better. I am quite excited by the thought of doing this – it feels the right thing to do and I think that is all we have to go on at the moment as to what we should be doing next. I think someones suggestion that this should happen in various places, both private and public, and at various times is a good suggestion.

As we meet to eat we will be able to share our stories, our dreams, our visions and our passions … and I wonder, just wonder, what may come from that.

(if you want to check out the gathering you can find us here or on facebook

old habits …

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Today I had an unexpected interruption. I had a phone call from a  young woman asking if she could meet up today to talk about pioneer ministry. Immediately I said I needed to look at my diary – but then laughed at myself as I realised there was nothing in my diary – it is the exception if there is!

It seems old habits die hard. I left YFC two and a half years ago when checking the diary and squeezing time in to get another meeting in was necessary. Today, though, I have space to be with people.

This evening I have been reflecting upon my initial ‘I need to check my diary’ response. Was that really an old habit taking it’s time to die or was it simply myself not wishing to show that my diary is empty? Was it me trying to appear busier than I am? Was it me trying to say I am important and at the centre of my little universe again …. less than 24 hours after Ash Wednesday reminded me that I am a mere person and that it is all about God! Seems there is a loty of work for me to still grab the message and believe it!

I like meeting new people and I was glad to meet up in wetherspoons today to listen to this person’s story and hear about her vision, which is both exciting and hard work … as is all ministry. I really hope and pray that she finds people to support her in this vision.

don’t be disapointed

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Ian Mobsby has been speaking this week at the Episcopal Village event in Boston. He writes today about one of the frustrations I and many others experience in reaching those disillusioned with church when we are attempting to reach those outside the church.

Ian ends with these words: ‘don’t be disappointed that what you are doing seems to attract the dechurched and not the unchurched, just maybe this is the starting place to build community to be able to reach out to the churched effectively.’

read more here.