pub theo and marriage

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Pub Theo happened again last night, although the conversation never got on to what we planned to talk about. The initial question was asking something along the lines of ‘what do the recent calls for prayer surrounding Muamba and his cardiac arrest say, if anything, about our nation?’

Instead … the hot topic due to the news and quite a long conversation on my sons facebook page (now at 122 comments) was that of gay marriage and the effort being placed by some churches in the signing of the coalition for marriage page to ‘protect’ the traditional view of marriage.

The conversation was pretty one sided last night …. as a number of the conversations I have sat in on seem to be around this topic over the last few weeks. To be honest, I have been surprised how there is a much wider acceptance of gay marriage in parts of the Christian world where I had assumed the traditional view would have been held. I don’t know what this is saying, if anything, about the general view of people or whether this could be seen as a moving of the Holy Spirit or even whether we are drifting into liberalism … but we are in interesting times and this is a hot topic!

One of the frustrations voiced last night, and in 2 or 3 other conversations I have had over the last few weeks, was that a section of Christians were heavily advocating one view as the only biblical view, when in actual fact we know there are Christians, both young and mature, well known and anonymous, on both sides of the discussion. There are Christians that disagree with gay marriage. There are Christians that agree with gay marriage. Is one right and one wrong, both right, or both wrong?

I was struck by these words in guidance to the Methodist church regarding the coalition for marriage petition: The Methodist Church itself is not a sponsor of the campaign or the petition. This is primarily because we believe that the best way to engage with the proposals is through a reasoned response to the consultation. There are also concerns that some of the views evoked by the campaign do not affirm “the participation and ministry of lesbians and gay men in the Church” (statement on Human Sexuality, 1993). As such, for some people, this will be a contentious petition, even though many Christians will choose to support it.

So … whatever our view, it is important, I think, to look at both sides of the issue, engage and discuss and try to make some choice after than engagement and discussion, and so I attempt to give some links below to outline both sides:

an interview with the Dean of St Albans
an interview with Gerald Coates
an interview with Dean of St Pauls
an interview with Archbishop John Sentamu 

We have there four very well known Christian leaders and amongst them sitting on both sides of the discussion.  I am sorry I have chosen 4 men, but I have not been able to find views from others reported so easily online.

And then of course there are 2 campaigns should you wish to sign up for either one … or neither … the coalition for marriage and the coalition for equal marriage.

I hope my choice of interviews and post tries to give a balanced view to help people that come here to consider both sides of this issue.  I have my view … but I respect the view of others who disagree with me. I think as ‘church’ we can disagree, hold differing opinions in tension, and continue our Christian faith journey’s together. What I am very wary of is if either side of this view tries to impose their opinion on the other side or, worse still, questions the faith of those who express a different opinion.

We don’t all have to believe exactly the same …. when we can live together in that tension I think that gives a pretty powerful message to the world.

 

23 years ago …

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this was us!

How time races by!
It doesn’t feel like 23 years … well not for me anyway!
Last night we had the shocking realisation that we have been ‘together’ since we were 18 … nearly 30 years!
I’ve known Sarah for far more of my life than I haven’t known her
We look so young … and ‘yeah … I had hair!’

Not a lot to say really apart from ‘Thanks Sarah for being you’

embrace imperfection

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One of the things I have taken on or committed to do more in Lent is to receive a daily meditation thought from Richard Rohr. I loved his thinking in The Naked Now so Sister Diane, my spiritual director, suggested I might find the daily meditations ‘useful’.

Todays daily meditation, which I read to season my thoughts and outlook throughout the day, talks about perfection and imperfection. It reminds us that the western mind is obsessed with logic, fact and proof in its dualistic make-up; whereas the eastern mind is happier to sit with mystery and paradox.

In the west we think of perfection as the elimination of imperfection … whereas Rohr suggests today that perfection is, in fact, the ability to recognise, forgive and include imperfection. 

I’m going to carry that with me today – and I reckon that is an amazing image of how the church should, and could so easily be – a community that recognises, forgives and includes imperfection.

redefining family

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On Sunday I spoke at the Mothering Sunday Eucharist at St Stephens. Quite an enjoyable experience and I think probably a first as I’ve not spoken at this service before. I took the text of John 19:25-27

Standing near his cross were Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the follower he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the follower, “Here is your mother.”From that time on, the follower took her to live in his home’.

I wondered why Jesus did this. I mean … we know he had brothers and so logically, according to the local custom, they would have looked after their mum. There was no need for Jesus to worry about her welfare. With that support in place I found myself asking, ‘why is Jesus doing this?’ Or … ‘what is the gospel writer wanting us to hear?’

I’m not entirely sure – I rarely am – but I make a suggestion that Jesus here is reframing and reinterpreting what family, and therefore relationships, are all about. I wonder whether Jesus is redefining what family is for those who follow him; and by that I mean ‘the church’. I wonder whether he is saying that this is now greater than a blood tie.

It’s as if he is saying that we are all to be family to each other … to mother each other, to look out for each other, to care, to love, to protect each other.

I then started to dream … what would churches be like if people acted like loving family to each other? I mean if they really did this properly, really really treated others as family … and embraced the different brothers, mothers, sisters, sons, cantankerous old aunts …. and so on. If that really happened … if we disagreed and loved, fell out and loved, enjoyed life together and had fun …. well I thought that might look quite good, colourful even (!), it might even transform a few places ….

…. and that might just be good news worth getting excited about!

day 24

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The placement seems to be flying by and I am now at the mid-way point. I’ve met new people and look forward to working with them on some creative stuff, especially for the evening of Palm Sunday where we have a fairly open remit to produce a eucharist service including a reading of the passion gospel. I’m looking forward to working with some creative people on this.

In the community I have visited residential homes and presided at eucharists in a hospice – which I found to be both an incredibly moving and humbling experience. I remember thinking that I hope my faith and hope in God would be as gentle and gracious as it was in the people I served should I be in the same life situation.

During the week I also attended a eucharist that regularly happens in someones home on one of the local estates. The setting of a table in someones front room with Alan robed to preside at communion felt quite strange … but right! This service is held for people on the estate who can’t get to church on a Sunday. They want a short traditional communion service (with a sermon!) and this is what the church gives. Responding to local need and opportunity is something that St Stephens seems to be pretty good at.

Someone asked me what I am learning … I’m not sure that is the right question! I am rediscovering gifts (such as being creative for Sunday services) that I have simply put on hold for a little while as there has been no obvious lace for them in a cathedral setting.

One observation I do have of parish life is that there is little time to breathe, think and engage with the community in thinking ahead and wondering what next! It is a battle (personal battle not a battle with anyone) to keep oversight of the gathering and maintain relationships in the community that have sprung up in Rohester over the last few years and do the parish stuff. The parish is busy and there are parish things to do most of the time. I am managing to still be in places but it is not as often …. so that side of my ministry is suffering in some way. That, in my opinion, is why the church decided to train priests for a different role which is not parish based. They call this pioneer ministry although I have grown to dislike the term as I don’t think it’s understood that well.

So I guess I have learnt (if that is the correct term) that this experience is confirming quite majorly in my mind that I am called to work with those outside the church … whether that is pioneer or based somewhere or whatever …. my calling, where I feel God wants me, is to serve those in the community, to be good news in the community and supporting and helping in whatever way that means.

you must ….

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Jon at ASBO Jesus has hit something on the head with this cartoon. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry at I read it …. but I do know that it gives me a sicky feeling which is coupled with a great desire to shout ‘NO!’

I seem to have come across a lot of people over the last couple of months who have this strong view of church … a view that church is a place that breeds robots that all think the same, speak the same and believe the same. There is a strong image of church ‘out there’ that believes chrch is a place where you are told what to think and how to behave. Personally, that whole image scares me to death! I don’t believe the language of Christ, and therefore the language of church, ever included ‘you must’ … unless it involves the two greatest commandments as set out by Jesus when asked  ..’to love  God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind ….. and to love others as you love yourself’. They are musts.

But … we need not agree, we need not think the same, we need not worship the same, …. that makes me think more of The Borg, not the life of a follower of Christ! The Borg (fictional I know!!!) are feared because there is no individuality with a focussed goal of perfection through assimilation. Followers of Christ, the church, are about individuals using their God given gifts to transform their communities and LOVE!

I feel a sermon brewing…. so I’m ending there to reflect!

getting excited now ….

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Last week ended with my attendance at my role training as a volunteer olympic chaplain. I’m really excited by thois role although, until it starts, it is quite difficult to get my head around what I will be doing day by day.

Even though I don’t know the detail I know it will be about people, about serving people, a great selection of people. It will be long hours, most of it behind the scenes, and I’m guessing a fait bit of it will be emotionally draining.

But … I’m up for this. I love people and believe I am called to serve people… and this is THE OLYMPICS …. how exciting is that!!!

gathering talk

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Yesterday afternoon, the gathering got togther to talk about the future.

I think it is far to say we have struggled to meet our own aspirations and vision over the last few months and so this was a good healthy ‘lets sit down and talk’ kind of meeting. I think we have talked and developed a way forward and i am pretty pleased and excited by this.

I am also pretty excited because we did not all agree on everything. Despite our disagreement it’s clear we can still journey together because this is not an ‘either/or’ situation but a ‘both/and’ as the strength of relationship we have with each other is much stronger than personal tastes or interests.

As we are developing community we realsied that we need to get togerher  lot more than we currently are. I think we have come up with some creative ways to enable us to do this … so we will see / wacth this space / all that kinds stuff!  But … for the moment, and looking ahead, things are looking pretty good and a lot more exciting than they did before we chatted!

If you are the praying kind, though, please pray for the gathering as we seek God’s will for the way forward …. thanks

 

19

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19 is the number of days that I have now been on placement at St Stephens … time seems to be flying by.

Being on placement, preparing stuff for parish things and keeping on top of gathering stuff and relationships in Rochester is proving to be quite a challenge, but then … I guess that is why Mission Shaped Church talks of the need for both pioneer priests and parish priests working in a mixed economy. There are things I feel I wish to do gathering / pioneering wise which will have to wait until after Easter … and I trust God that the time will be right.

On reflection, I am enjoying the different experience of working from a parish. I am enjoying the opportunity of writing liturgy and planning services which is something I used to do a lot of but more recently have only been able to do for the gathering, and possibly for Taize services in the cathedral. I find being creative in this way is quite energising and planning with a group of people is always fun.

The last week has seen me in a few of those privileged positions again … supporting a family through a funeral service, visiting a family who wish to have their children baptised. A highlight of the week was listening to Bishop Stepehn Venner speak on ‘How does war (however just) enable or disable mission? Bishop Stephen spoke excellently and really challenged my thinking.

So the week was a pretty varied week … roll on the next one!

opportunities

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Over the last few days I have been a little more involved in my YFC responsibilities which I have found has really energised me as well as given me opoortunity to catch up with old friends.

Last week I travelled to YFC head office in Halesowen for the AGM and a board meeting.YFC is an exciting ministry to be part of at the moment and there are some great job opportunities at the moment. Nationally we are looking fr an HR manager and a street dance team leader – details here. Locally we are looking for directors for both Norwich and Epping Forest YFC. These are two of our longest standing centres with great and diverse ministries … check them out here. It’s amazing to see that we now have 72 centres across the country … interesting that as the church is in decline, the number of YFC centres  seeking to engage with young people across the nation is increasing.

wHile at head office i learned about this new 18+ resource on you tube. You can check out discussion starter videos here.

Yesterday, as a trustee of GIllingham YFC, I was involved in an away day with the other trustees and team members. The day was led by Richard Bromley and was just great. We had fun, we worked together, we thought alone … and I think the upshot will be a better worked out strategy resulting in new and creative ways of working with young peiple. Please hold GIllingham YFC in your prayers! I am convinced we are going to see some exciting stuff happening over the next year or so.