It was a London day today.
I love London days – no getting stuck in traffic, time to read on the train, or sleep!
I attended the NCVYS chief execs meeting at their new office just across the road from The Angel Tube.
Strange … while I was enjoying London city sunshine, apparently Gillingham was experiencing torrential rain – this weather is weird!
I managed to read a few chapters of Unofficial God which is a good read. I like some of the suggestions and observations that Bishop Brian makes, not because they are necessarily new, but because it is a bishop who is responsible for placing curates that is saying them.
Essentially the whole theme of the book is whether we are inside or outside the walls. He notes that we, as ‘church’ consider the church building, that space which is inside the walls, as a place of purity while outside may be considered as a place of disgrace and separation from God.
Brian then draws our attention to the place of Jesus birth, baptism, crucifixion and resurrection. Each of these places can be considered as outside the walls, in the place of disgrace. By his very presence Jesus has transformed these places of disgrace into places of blessing.
I find that so exciting. By his presence Jesus transformed places of disgrace into places of blessing. By our presence in Jesus, can we transform places of disgrace into places of blessing too?
The new world of facebook.
I’ve been signed up for less than a week and must say I have been more than slightly impressed.
It seems a simple way to stay in touch.
I think, personally, a big plus over MySpace is that only those I say are my friends can see my profile, and even then I can decide what they see. You can see my limited profile by clicking the link in the right hand bar of SHP.
Another great feature is the events feature. I can see real potential here from organising a simple curry night to using this as a great tool for youth group meetings etc. A good feature is that you can invite people to the event and they can reply and everyone can see who is and isn’t planning to be there.
You can add photos and videos very simply – in fact everything is quite simple – even joining groups to discuss stuff of interst.
The downside is there is one template and you are pretty restricted in how the page looks.
I’m looking forward to catching up with old friends!
It was exciting today to be able to catch up with Hugh from Greenwich YFC and I’m looking forward to joining him again on Friday as we interview for a senior youth worker.
After we had chatted about mission, London, young people etc. we wandered off for lunch in a cafe we quite often go into. Being a creature of habit I ordered my black coffee and chicken and avocado ciabatta (it’s a hard life!) and there was something different.
This was the first time we had been in this cafe with no smoking signs displayed. No smokers in the cafe. No ash trays on the table. There was a noticeable difference. The place had not really been smokey in the past – at least not noticeably – but it was obvious that it was now smoke free.
It strikes me that a relationship with Jesus can be like this. WE can survive without joining on the journey with him, we can exist without inviting his comment upon our life, and we start to ‘not notice’ the presence of Jesus. Sometimes it takes a fresh experience, like new fresh smokeless air, to wake us up to what we had been missing.
I like to look for God in what I experience in ‘the everyday’ – today I found God in what I did not experience – how cool is God!
‘helped me believe in myself’
‘made a difference wherever she went’
‘Inspirational’
‘humble person’
‘Down to earth and easy to chat with’
‘lived and breathed compassion’
‘secretly visiting the needy out of sight of others’
‘she said more with that one lovely action than I had attempted in years with my words’
‘the ability to make others feel special’
‘a commitment to the poor and needy’
These are comments made by people throughout today at the Diana Concert who had met Princess Diana.
The thoughts and memories are wonderful.
I believe it’s a challenge to us as Christians.
Here in one woman so many God-like attributes are evident.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could be like this.
Today I am proud for a number of reasons.
Seeing Joe baptised was amazing.
The excitement
the nervousness
the strength of his promises
So little and young, and yet
so full of potential and promise.
Lord
Continue to lead him
Bless him
Inspire him
Amen
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.
Somehow, someway I have finally succombed to joining Facebook.
I’m not sure why – I’m just going to blame Ian for inviting me!
I was assured by Lucy and Michelle on retreat that facebook is a good thing and a great way for keeping in touch with people and so I am going to give it a go.
I’ve already been surprised by how many of my friends ‘out there’ are already on Facebook. Am I just slow on the takeup, or have I been drawn into something that I was doing well to stay away from? Time will tell …
The retreat was an excellent time and I have come away with a strong sense that it has been a real privilege to get to know a great group of people from within YFC that I did not know very much about.
I really feel that I have been both learned and been blessed by the experience – so thank you!
I’m off to take part in leading another retreat in Nympsfield, this time for some of our newer staff. I am again planning to use the liturgical prayer walk which I used last time as well as consider more on contemplation and what happens when things go wrong.
I am returning a few hours early (on Thursday evening rather than Friday morning) as it is Beth’s birthday and Richard rightly says I should be there when Beth opens her cards. This is an exciting weekend – Beth will be 11 on Friday, Tom is going to a scouts celebration on Saturday where the Sugababes are doing a gig, and Joe is getting baptised on Sunday morning.
It’s going to be a special and exciting weekend. I just hope Joe does not carry out his threat to wear snorkel in the baptistery!!! Please pray!
The Shiny Headed Prophet 