surface and depth

Posted on by
Reply

sacred secularFor some time I have struggled with the sacred/secular divide that to me seems to be quite prevalent in popular church culture. I might be wrong, as I am aware of a tendency I can have of generalising (being accountable to your best friend and wife means such things are pointed out to you on a regular basis!), but … there does seem to be a populist divide that seems to say … ‘this stuff is ok and ‘holy’, while this stuff is not good and should be ‘treated with care’.

Now clearly not everything is good for us. If I went out today and drank 15 pints of my favourite, and beautifully created by God, ale the likelihood is that I would not wake up. Alternatively if I pray all that for my next door neighbour to receive badly needed food and simply stay on my knees in my house with my full cupboards there is a possibility that she won’t wake up. But, the abuse of something good does not make that ‘something’ wrong or bad for you.

Richard Rohr’s thoughts this week have been exploring this sacred/secular thing at more depth. I have been nodding away and smiling as his words have reminded his readers that all of creation was created by God, that God is everywhere, that God is both within and without (a Gatsby link!), that all people are created in the image of God. Now if all that is true then it goes that there is no where where God cannot be. If God is present then by default the place where God is must be sacred, so … everywhere is sacred. It’s simple although messes with my head quite a bit.

I think of Moses at the burning bush. He takes of his shoes as he sees the flames and hears God’s voice. Does he take off his shoes because the ground suddenly becomes sacred, or does he remove them because the ground was always sacred and he has just realised? I think it is the latter. The ground I walk on each day as I wander Gillingham High Street is sacred …. that is quite a mind blowing thought for so may reasons!

I think today’s thought from Rohr kind of hits this on the hed for me. Maybe it is not so much about sacred and secular, but more about surface and depth …. ‘Everything is profane if you live on the surface of it, and everything is sacred if you go into the depths of it’ read more here as Rohr puts it better than most ever could!

Gatsby – a gaudy extravagance

Posted on by
Reply

THE-GREAT-GATSBY-International-Poster-04-535x247Last night at Rochester Film Society we saw The Great Gatsby. As with the reviews of the film the discussion afterwards was mixed.

possible spolier alert … but not too much!

I pretty much loved the film. The soundtrack jarred as 20’s jazz was crudely mashed with Beyonce and rap. The blatant sensory overload of glaring colour, brazen  activity and overpowering dialogue all contributed to what I think was trying to be an illustration of the clash between pre-modern and a modern lifestyle. I don’t think the sound mashing or the gaudy sensory overload worked particularly well, because it meant watching the film was not always comfortable, but then I suspect that may well of been the aim of Luhrmann all the time.

The acting of DiCaprio and Mulligan oozed a real base chemistry that I think also gave a deliberate vulgar feel to the film. After initially not rating DiCaprio, I think it’s amazing that he has already delivered two amazing roles in Django and Gatsby this year … and it is still only May!

There was a line in the film from Nick, played by Toby Maguire, which grabbed me and has stayed with me… ‘I was within and without’. In his narration role this tended to refer to the Toby character being in both places … both a participant and a practitioner, both an observer and one being observed, both at the centre and on the periphery, both here and there …. or simply both, and! Very apt descriptions that I resonate with in spirituality.

I’ve not blogged about a film in a while but those who have read SHP for a little while will know I wonder whether this is a medium through which God still chooses to communicate to the world … just like God does through any and every art medium within creation. I think an underlying message in this gaudy over played yet beautiful film is one of presence. I think there is a theme of presence which over-rides the pre-modern and modern world which today does not recognise any sacred or secular … but simply a whole creation that is totally sacred.

There was a song overplayed throughout the film from Lana Del Rey, the overplayed lyric being ‘will you still love me when I am no longer young and beautiful?’

I think the underlying message from the creator is ‘Yes’

colouring in the blanks

Posted on by
3

redSome people have asked for some form of update via this blog on what is happening at the moment.

It can sometimes be difficult to write too much here about what I do. I reflect on themes and feelings, but the lives I am involved in and with do not feature here because it simply does not seem right.

I am in the High Street most days and I have found 2 or 3 places where I intentionally hang out regularly. In some places I am building relationships with staff, in others with customers and in others with both. I have been in thee places more or less solidly for 9 months, simply getting to know people and really hear what is happening. I have also done a lot of watching …. watching where people go, how people act with each other, what people do and try to discern what people feel they are looking for.

I can’t remember who used the term, but ‘I have been listening to the heartbeat of the community’. I’ve particularly been noticing where it resonates with the heartbeat of God …. identified by those ‘cracks’ where I notice the light of God’s KIngdom leaking in o this community.

I believe I have now got to a stage when I need to do something. Gillingham is a much smaller and tighter community than Rochester and I think I am in a situation now that gives me a choice.  I have arrived here quicker than I did in Rochester. I could continue to visit cafes and places, and it would be nice and comfortable, but I’m not sure anything would develop further than where I am at the moment.

If I have been listening to the heartbeat, I now need to identify and follow the flow.

I believe we have come to a point when we need a location to develop a Christian presence and welcoming place from. Call it ‘sanctuary’, ‘pop up church’, ‘drop in’ or whatever, but we need somewhere, some base from which we can support people and offer ‘something’.

You will notice a lot of ‘somethings’ in my way ahead. In my mind those somethings are blanks, but they are people blanks because I believe I only have part of the picture. The rest of the ‘blank somethings’ comes with other people that will join me in this. Some of those people I believe I have met and we have shared dreams. Others I think I still need to meet.

So I am looking and I am talking, which is a bit different to watching and listening. I am praying, and conscious of many people praying with me … some even on their knees outside a possible shop location …. please feel free to join us in this prayer. Likewise, if you think you can colour in one of the blanks and we have not spoken …. please get in touch too.

disjointed misional ramblings

Posted on by
Reply

people1The time away at the MSM conference was pretty amazing. Hanging out in the evening with Bishop Graham, Bob and Mary Hopkins and John and Olive Drane which a real delight and a real challenge with so much knowledge and inspiration.

These are thinking aloud disjointed thoughts …. so you may like to skip these an come back t a later time. But …. if you wish to contribute, add to the dialogue, agree or disagree please do …. I’m still working this stuff through my heart

The highlights of these things are always the opportunity for networking. I met new people and hope to be able to mutually share stuff over the next few months. In addition to networking was a session led by Michael Moynagh as he spoke about some of his new book. He particularly got me thinking about the language of vision, and challenged us about having honest conversations with people rather than having big visions.

I think this resonated quite a lot as I am fairly tired of hearing about revival and big this and big that …. i’m not that interested in such language …. I’ve heard talk of revival of this land ever since I was a Christian ….. seriously I just want to see the community I am placed in at this point in time transformed. I want GIllingham to be transformed by the love of Christ …. and I don’t believe we need a big vision for that …. we simply need honest and open conversation. It’s all about that authenticity of word and action that I spoke of here not long ago… when people see that they become intrigued.

But for people to see that … the church needs to get out and be with people rather than have big visions to try and attract them in … that’s not the ‘Jesus model’. Jesus went, and he asked us to go …… and i believe we already have vision for that.

Michael Moynagh also reminded us that mission is done in community. It’s not an individual thing. Maybe this is why we doi not see transformation in our villages, towns and cities …. because we have lots of people ‘gifted in mission’ doing things rather than the whole community. Individuals are not called to this stuff … the whole church is!

Could our lack of mission / numerical decline in the UK church have something to do with losing sight of this basic fact that we are called as community in mission? I don’t know … what do you think?

incarnationalism

Posted on by
1

713I find myself resonating immensely, or loudly shouting ‘YES’ after reading Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation today:

Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father, is this: to come to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping free from the enticements of the system. — James 1:27 (The Letter of James is perhaps the most primitive and straightforward letter in the New Testament before Christianity had become theoretical and theological.)

Whenever the human and the divine coexist at the same time in the same person we have Christianity. I don’t know that it finally matters what Scriptures you read, liturgies you attend, or moral positions you hold about this or that—as much as “Do you live trustfully inside of God’s one world?” This creates honest people, people who don’t waste time proving they’re right, superior, or saved, but just try to live and love the daily mystery that they are in the loving presence of God. “God comes to you disguised as your life,” as Paula D’Arcy loves to say. Imagine that!

There are basically four world views: 1) Reality is just matter, 2) Reality is just spirit, 3) Through religion and morality we can work to put matter and spirit together (the most common religious position), and 4) The material world has always been the place where Spirit is revealed. You cannot put them together. They already are—as in Jesus. Only the fourth position, “incarnationalism,” deserves to be called authentic Christianity. It has to do with the right reality, not the right rituals.

I long for people to stop arguing about what is right or wrong, what is ‘holy’ or ‘not’ . God in the everyday normal common things of normal life. When I was teaching about Holy Communion recently an 8 year old boy asked …. ‘Rob … do you think Jesus was saying through the bread and wine that we can see him in the normal everyday things of our daily lives?’

Yes …. the truth from a child!

 

 

msm consultation

Posted on by
Reply

Fresh ExpressionsPart of my day a week role as one of the assistant missioners of the MACE team is to teach on the MSM course. Initially I was a bit sceptical, as I am for all ‘published schemes’ with their one size fits all approach. With the MSM course, however, I am pleased to say I have been proved wrong. It is a very good course and I would recommend it to anyone wondering about starting some new pioneering or fresh expression of work. If you are part of a small team from a church, or a small group of Christians with a desire to see something happen in your area then the MSM course is a really good way to mull over theories and different practices and, of course, learn from each other.

Modules such as vision and call, listening for mission, leadership, discipleship, handling opposition …. the list could go on ….. but these modules give an excellent foundation to work from. Some of it pioneers will know, some of it they will have forgotten, but all will learn and value from looking at this stuff together.

Certainly, in Rochester Diocese we are looking for people from local churches to enrol on next years coure. So … if you are part of a team that is thinking about this stuff then maybe you should get in touch. We might even be able to do a deal on cost …. although I obviously can’t make any guarantees!

For the next two days I am going to be at Kings Park and attending the MSM consultation for the MACE team. I’m looking forward to meeting some new people and learning some new stuff. I’m also looking forward to to re-visiting Kings Park … I was last there on the very first Brainstormers Conference, which has long been Youthwork The Conference …. and our speaker was Steve Chalk …. and I was still in my 20’s … and that was a long time ago!

embalmed in noise

Posted on by
2

statue watchingThere’s been a lot of words flying around Twitter, Facebook and blogs recently. In my ‘humble’ opinion some people have spouted without thinking or take soundbites that sound good at the time but, when reflected upon, sound hollow, shallow or just plain empty.

It seems everyone wants to have their say, get their opinion out, let us know exactly what they are doing, where they are doing it, and who thy are doing it with. Sometimes i think there is a hint of a suspicion of bigging one self up by trying to impress. And … yes … i have also been guilty of this and probably will be again in the not too distant future.

There is so much noise around and so many people and ‘experts’ telling us what we must do, think, eat, wear, read, listen to. Many people telling us what brand is best, which author to look out for, which shops to boycott, which party to vote for. We are bombarded with images that allure us to believe we will be more efficient, more attractive, slimmer, be more popular with this one particular item. We are duped into thinking our lives are incomplete without the latest gadget, or car, or toy, or upgrade that becomes obsolete the minute it is released and leaves us incomplete again.

This whole outlook, which has crept into the church, is slowly stifling us. Noise, spoken and unspoken, grows around us un-noticed. The weeds of ‘what if’ and the thistles of ‘I deserve’ are sucking us dry of life. It’s as if we are being embalmed in noise!

Which is why I have been immensely challenged by the recent actions of my friend Jonny Baker recently who went offline and spent 8 days on a silent retreat.

Jonny has logged about his experience …. you can read the first one here …and then can just carry on reading his other posts ….  they are well worth the read and consideration … there is a fair bit of wise insight here

In one post Jonny quotes Desert Father Amononas, ‘I have shown you the power of silence, how thoroughly it heals and how fully pleasing it is  to God’

Our silence is pleasing to God ….. in fact our noise is too as there is no guilt trip here …  we already please God …. but maybe we need to consider and embrace more silence ….  recognising the still small voice of the Creator …. hearing the voice that resonates deep within …. chiming with that recognition that sparks life within …. bringing us back to the people we are created to be…..

 

 

gathered in inhabited space

Posted on by
Reply

An exploration inwards, upwards, inwards and downwards was the title of yesterday’s gathering planned by a group from the community. We focussed on our senses and watched the video which we then discussed in a way that allowed all to take part. the video is called to the power of ten for obvious reasons when you watch the video.

I was intrigued to see the echo of emptiness at both extremes of moving away to the power of ten in the universe and moving inward to the power of ten within the human body.

It seemed to me that there was a God echo at 10 to the power of 24 and 10 to the power of …… the commentator says this emptiness is normal, the richness of our world is the exception.

Fascinating … although as a Christian I don’t quite believe that! At the extreme of the universe, and at the ‘intreme’ of the human body, there may be space, it may look empty, but I believe it is inhabited space …. God indwelled space … and in that space we find our creator.

sometimes Jesus just isn’t enough!

Posted on by
2

DSC_1308Today was an encouraging day which showed me, in quite a special way, how much ‘progress’, if that is at all the correct word, that has been made in the High Street engaging with people.

Today I met with my good friend Terry and we went for a coffee and a chat. We went to my normal morning cafe where I naturally engaged with a number of people, from the staff to a few of the customers. On our way back down the High Street a couple of other people spoke to me or said hello in a variety of ways.

Normally I would not have been so conscious of these interactions. My friends presence and reaction, however, reminded me that something amazing has happened and is actually continuing to happen in the High Street area. I only need to go back a very few months and I remember numerous times when I was close to tears due to the lack of pattern and engagement that I was encountering with the local community. I felt unrooted, disorientated, disposed of, but most of all isolated, and came incredibly incredibly close to simply stopping and getting a real job!

Things have happened so slowly and relationships have developed in small, often indistinguishable steps: a hello from the waitress has become ‘hello gorgeous’ (well … maybe that’s a big step!!!), a nod has become a handshake, a smile has become a ‘how are you?’, the ‘nice to see you’ has become a conversation about Thor being real and Jesus being fictional.

Interestingly, or maybe surprisingly, or even shockingly (!), in the main I have not noticed these developments at all …. until a friend offered to take me for a coffee on my familiar ground.

I guess this could be a bit similar to watching a child grow up. You see your beautiful son or daughter every day and do not notice the small changes in their height or facial features and all of a sudden you see a photo of them taken a year ago and think ‘whoah …. when did all that change happen?’ Today, being with my friend, has mirrored that exercise of looking at a 6 month old photo, and I’ve gone ‘whoah … when did THAT start to happen!’

The weird thing is that I know this stuff … the stuff that says although I need to work alone a lot of the time I need honest people around me to keep me on track. People who care enough to encourage and take time, people who love me enough to point out when I’m being a pratt and people who are don’t feel awkward or embarrassed about pointing out things that are good!

Although I need to work alone sometimes I can’t actually do this alone …. and yes I know I need Jesus but actually Jesus isn’t enough! I don’t believe that is a lack of faith thing (actually if we were to go down the scripture line I would need to point out the Trinity stuff …. I need the Creator and The Spirit too!) but more a reality of faith thing.

God is my inspiration and gives my ability and energy …. but Jesus is not always enough because I also need the people – the trusted and loved friends spoken of above, that Jesus has put around me. I don’t believe these relationships of trust are incidental. They are clearly, in my mid, divinely inspired.

I think when I was growing up in evangelicalism this type of thing was called ‘accountability’ …. well if that is what this is I’m pleased to be part of it.

Thank you 🙂

 

from high st coffee to fame … or simply ‘why?’

Posted on by
5

imagesimages-1Yesterday was one of those bizarre days when things crop up that just take you by surprise and then shock you right out of your comfort zone.

The day started normally with a visit to the High Street before meeting a lovely couple who I will be marrying sometime in June. As I left that home I heard a report on the adio saying church congregations were on the decline and that it was becoming less popular to be married in church or have baptisms. I laughed and thought to myself … not here. In St Mary Magdalene, one of the churches I am associated with, we have loads of weddings and baptisms and I try to support the priest who is there.

Later in the day I received a call asking if I would be interviewed regarding the nes story because another church I am associated with, St Mark’s, bucks the national trend with Sunday attendance. I hoped someone else would be available but in less than an hour, after a bit of prayer, there I was in front of a camera for the BBC South East news.

They asked me why I thought the congregation at St Mark’s was growing and implied beforehand that they thought it was due to wacky lively services which were more attractive to people. But I seemed to surprise them when I shared that personally I thought that the Gillingham churches had over the last decade really got involved in the local community and listened. From this listening they have worked together to provide stuff that is both helpful and needed: youth clubs, Foodbank, CAP advice, Alpha groups, CAB drop ins, Midwife drop ins, holiday clubs, community events, an oversubscribed children’s club, support for international students, and so on and so on.

I tried to say that as the churches of Gillingham had shown that their faith in God was a practical faith that cared because God cared and got involved to make a positive difference then people became interested.  When people saw a lifestyle that matched the message they were attracted. When authenticity of word and action were obvious people became intrigued. This stuff goes right back to Love Gillingham days, and even before when GYFC was set up. I tried to say all that, but I’m not sure how well I did but I’m told the message was clear and succinct!

I’ve probably said before, but this common notion that if we just change this or change that about a Sunday service then people will come is no longer a complete answer. It may have been in the past when people were more naturally connected to church. But we now live in an age where more than one generation of people have never been to church in their life …. and so it brings into question the whole Back to Church Sunday thing. It needs to be a try church campaign …. or maybe it doesn’t. Maybe Back to Church Sunday needs to become ‘Let’s get Out of Church Sunday’?

I think the lifespan of a purely attractional model of church has its days numbered. They will exist, but unless they are rooted in their areas, expressing the truth of God’s LOVE (not the lie of condemnation), and being a transformational presence in their communities …. then I am not sure how healthy they will be.

I do firmly believe in a mixed economy of church. We certainly don’t wish to retract to becoming just one kind of church with one kind of church with one language and one idea. I think that is important. Mixed economy talks of relevance and engagement. Traditional church is not out of touch if it is engaging and enabling its congregation. Fresh expressions of church can be out of touch if they become inward looking worship services.

I am convinced, however, that we are living in a time of heightened spirituality.  People want to experience God and they want to know that faith in God works.They need to be convinced of the faith working bit before exploring it further. That is a massive challenge to all Christians because the time has now passed for many when they will naturally think of visiting a church to meet that spiritual need, or to meet the God that created them and passionately loves them.  Church is no longer on the agenda of, and nor does it feature in, the minds of the majority.

If they won’t come … then we have no option but to go! That makes sense to me … to go and not preach the ‘message’ …. but to go and be the message. So … lets GO! I’m getting old and my memory is failing but,  …. didn’t someone else say that about 2000 years ago ….