I and others from YFC joined up today with some people from Samaritan’s Purse at Mulberry House to look at developing a resource on HIV/AIDS to be used in school. It’s quite an exciting project; so watch this space!

Today Nigel said something that really made me think. Nigel is our schools specialist as well as being Director of Fosseway YFC. He reminded us that the church used to be the centre of the community, where people looked for support on issues, where things happened etc. The church lost that position and in many communities has now been replaced in th centre by the school. The school is now the centre of the community where people look for support and activities; and as the concept of extended schools becomes a reality I think schools will increasingly become the centre of the community.

If this is so, I think it is vital that the church is involved in, or at the centre of, the school. I think it is unrealistic to expect to be able to regain that central position of history; but we can certainly be an influencing presence offering support and guidance in an appropriate and welcomed way. We can still be friends of the community with something of value to contribute.

Well … yeah I do.

I have now been blogging for nearly a year. Some people think it is a bit of a geeky thing (maybe – but I enjoy it!). Others think I must have too much spare time (yeah right – I’m just organised … everyone knows if you want to get something done you ask a busy person to do it!). Even others think it is presumptious to feel qualified to write (again maybe – but I don’t beg people to read and I don’t pretend to be an expert on anything or ever feel qualified to write!) Still others (and myself on occasions) have wondered if I have been controlling the blog or the blog controlling me along the ‘addiction’ thing (actually, I find myself pondering ‘issues’ and asking questions about my faith and watching much less of the trashy stuff I used to watch on telly).

So – I think blogging is good for me personally. And I really enjoy it – so a bonus!!

The added benefits that I never expected have been that I have met new people, such as Gordon, to have coffee and a chat with on my travels; I’ve found ‘old’ friends such as Dave and Matt. The other day I fell upon another friend, Richard Passmore who keeps a great blog called Sunday Papers. I’m often challenged and made to think by people like Maggi and Lucy, and at other times pick up great ideas and resources from those like Jonny and Youthblog.

I just love this blog community thing!

Is it just me, or are others finding Blogger has become incredibly slow and more prone to failing over the last 2 weeks? Is this the classic case of taking on too many people without the infratructure to support them? I really hope not as I’m tight and don’t want to have to pay to keep blogging. My frustration, though,is causing me to think a move to a paid account like typepad is inevitable unless things get better.

I have been doing a bit of thinking over the Easter break. The CofE is, some say, in a time of crisis and accelerating to schism. Some people are acting in certain ways, some in others, most in direct opposition and all convinced personally that they are right in the eyes of God.

As someone who can see both sides of the situation, and as someone who is passionate about people being able to connect with God relevantly, I find it hard to understand how we have got to this situation. How have we, as a church, ended up as each others throats.

It would seem to come down to our belief. When we say we have orthodox beliefs I find myself asking; ‘yes, but does that mean we just believe the correct stuff, or is it not more about doing the right stuff?’ There is my question, and the issue I find myself struggling with at the moment.

Is it more important to believe the right things, or is it more important to do the right things? It is a question that has my mind whirring.

I think of the Pharisees that have been in my mind over Easter. They certainly knew all the rules. They were ‘orthodox’ in their beliefs and observed every rule that was there. The did not seem, though, to be able to grasp the reality of God’s love and got extremely angry with a Jesus who tried to point this out to them. Their lack of compassion for others prevented them from experiencing the reality of God’s love for them.

Today, do we get too bound up in believing the right thing? Has the evangelical world become so scared of making a mistake that we have to ensure we believe all the right things before we go out and do the right things.

My mind also goes to the disciples. They were so confused a lot of the time! Even right at the centre of Easter we see them in utter chaos and confusion, they do not know what they believe, yet they still manage to do the right things!

I ask myself if I am becoming stagnated due to my thoughts over my beliefs when I should be getting the message of love out there. Certainly, my church, again, seems to be allowing itself to be deflected from its mission yet again which I find incredibly frustrating.

So, what is the answer … to believe or do, as it does not seem possible to be able to do both in everyone’s eyes at the moment?

Read this morning:

‘Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love’
1 John 4:8

It’s not what we give of ourselves, or the sacrifices we make, that is an indication of how we love; but what we know we hold back from doing.

It’s been a great few days for a holiday.

Today was a great day out at Scotney Castle where we followed and Easter egg hunt. AS we were wandering around I was amazed at the artistic knowledge of my children.

On our trip we came across this beautiful sculpture and immediately Tom and Beth said ‘That’s a Henry Moore sculpture’. Sarah and I looked at each other in amazement – was it? Well, the website agrees with my kids – so where did that great bit of information and recognition come from?

Being a parent is flipping hard work, but its always great and quite often you just get amazing insights into what they are learning and growing with each day. Hey … I was proud the other day with swimming badges and stuff – today I am proud because my kids recognise who sculpted a fine piece of art.

Other highlights of the few days have been buyng a new bike with Tom, spending Easter Day with Andrew and Sarah … and experiencing my son genuinely beating me at pool. I really tried, and he really won – that does not help with the feelings of realisation associated with the fast approaching 40!!

Yesterday in church we had a bit of an experiment. Well, actually the experiment happened on Good Friday and the results were seen in church on Easter morning.

For years we have done a 3 hours at the foot of the cross event on Good Friday. This year we went for something different and different people ran different workshops on the Friday for people to take part in knowing that what they ‘produced’ would be used on Sunday morning.

We had art groups, drama groups, dance group, cooking, people responsibe for decorating the church and so on. This was a real family event with everything brought as a kind of offering on Sunday morning.

Myself, Sarah and Andrew took on the task of developing the porch. We wanted to achieve a ‘cold’ tomb feel for people to walk through before they entered the joyful interior of the worship space. We were trying to achieve a death to new life feel.

We use cold drapes to lower the roof. Covered the floor in rubble (thanks to the builder working on my extension!). WE covered a few chairs in deep blue cloth to give an appearance of a tomb with blood stained bandages hanging from it. Behind the scenes we burned some incense and played a quiet chill track. Our final piece to add was two great young ladies, Amber and Deborah, dressed as angels asking people why they were looking lost/worried/here in the tomb for Jesus because … He had risen!!!

WE enjoyed working together and the finished product seemed to work – not necessarily because it was good, but because it was a different use of the space and so it gave opportunity for people literally to stop, take it all in and think before they started to worship God.

This really was a family service as the whole family had a part in the event.

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Thankyou

… in 1989 I married my first wife.

She was, and still is, a beautiful woman and I’m glad that she has remained my only wife.

16 years have flown by – bring on the next 16!