pub theo

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We saw the first Pub Theo of the new academic year last night. We had around 12/13 people and 4 of them had never been before. One of that 4 had seen the pub theo article in the local press so the paper article got us one new person.

The discussion last night was vibrant, fun, sometimes confusing, but this was all about good dialogue and discussion. People shared some fairly strong views, others challenged, disagreed or asked for clarification and on the whole this was a pretty good night.

The discussion started on the topic of 9/11 and I asked how this had impacted the people around the table as well as asking if faith helped or confused when faced with national tragedies like 9/11 or Utoya. This then branched off into theories about the afterlife to what heaven and earth could be. The discussion flowed well and people seemed to engage with the topics, each other and have a good time.

I’m always slightly saddened at the end of a pub theo session as it means it’s a whole month before we can do this again … not just for the dialogue, but just for the hanging out with some great people too.

Next one is on Monday October 31st from 7.00pm (we always meet up on the last Monday of the month) – maybe see you there!

step OFF the path

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10 days – that’s a pretty long time for me not to blog!

Lots has happened. We’ve been adjusting to a having a dog in the home. I’ve lost 7 kg in 10 days just from dog walking – thats a faster rate than in the gym last year (and it’s a lot cheaper!). I’ve also met with the Suffragen bishop to start to talk about my future: that did not go s well as I had hoped, but I am not yet worried or despondent! I also met with the person responsible for my ongoing training and we have some stuff that looks good ahead of me.

I have done a lot of walking recently with Skye. A great advantage of walking is the time and space that it gives to reflect. For example, I have started to see the beauty of creation once again in my own back yard as it were. I have started to see that (even) Medway can and does look good!

One reflection I have been mulling over as I walk is the routes that we take. When walking Skye I generally stick to the path that leads from A to B. Skye does not. She criss crosses the path, led by the interest generated in her nose. Whichever scent she picks up she follows. Skye and myself start at point A together and arrive at point B together. We both spend the same amount of time moving from point A to point B. I stick to the path, but Skye just goes everywhere. A conservative estimate is that Skye probably covers, at speed, about ten times the amount of space that I cover.

That got me thinking. I’ve lived near the Darland Banks for around 14 years. I have walked them many times with the family, always sticking to the path. Skye has been with us 10 days but has already covered more of the area than I have in the last 14 years.

Skye does not know that protocol means you stick to the path, which means she has discovered stuff that others have not and that she has explored things that mere humans like me did not even know were there. In 10 days she has acquired a better understanding of the lay of the land than I have in 14 years!

In faith, in theology, in life … it does seem that there are rules that we are supposed to follow. We are told that there are paths that we should sick to, depending on what particular flavour of Christianity we come from. But, I have noticed in the last few days while observing Skye that if we stick to the paths things can remain undiscovered. If we stick to the path we are in danger of staying oblivious to stuff that is ‘out there’, stuff that is useful, edifying and created by God for our pleasure, enjoyment and education and, yes, even to challenge us. If we stick to the path we run the risk of missing out on 90% of whatever it is that is around us.

I guess some people stick to the path through fear of injury or getting lost whereas others stick to the path because that is what they have always done, and it has become a habit. Others stick to the path, because using common sense, it is usually the quickest way to get from A to B. Whatever the reason, if we stick to the path, we will not receive all that is out there to receive.

So as people, as Christians, as people of faith …. maybe we need to stray off the path and discover more of what God has put out there. I mean …. really …. imagine the exciting discoveries ahead of you …

60 years!!!

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Today was a pretty special day in the cathedral and one that I don’t think I will ever repeat again. Today we celebrated the 60th anniversary of John Prior’s ordination. I have never heard of anyone celebrating 60 years of ordination before. I can’t believe it is a very common occurrence.

John is an amazingly gracious man who simply loves the cathedral, and loves people more. In my mere 3 years here John has consistently been a great support and encouragement to me. That’s nothing to do with me – he is a great support and encourager of lots of people. I think what is pretty amazing is that John does not really ‘get’ what I am about but …. he is still one of the most supportive characters I know, who is always excited just to hear stories. John loves God and loves people. John is one of those few people who you will find no-one to say a bad work against.

Today I had the privilege of being John’s deacon as he presided and preached to mark this 60th year. A gracious man, a loved man …. and a man who us young ones would do well to look up to as we wonder how to move forward. I clearly did not know John 60 years ago – but today he is a man who still loves what he is called to do. I so pray that I can still have that attitude in just 10 years time, let alone 60!

Thanks John for being gracious to allow me to share such an exciting time in your life.

pub theo heads page 3!

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The interview I did the other week for the Medway News has been published this week on page 3. On the whole the article is fairly positive and I can thank Max, the reporter, for accurately outline what we aim to do:

‘I believe there are lots of people, those with faith and those without faith, who have questions about life and faith and theology – they basically want a safe non-judgemental place where they can chat about that’  is a fairly accurate quote of what I said, as is ‘it’s there to talk, have a laugh, and create community’.

The paper has also accurately reported when we next meet, along with linking to the gathering website which also gives dates for pub theology. So …. it will be interesting to see if we get new people coming in response to this article. I guess on that only time will tell.

meet skye

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So … our life has changed!

Today I drove to Reading to collect Skye, an 8 month old border collie, who needed a new home.

I met a lovely family who were needing to give Skye up for perfectly good reasons and I did feel quite emotional for them as I drove away with their lovely dog.

Skye has been an immediate hit with everybody in the house but I think she is still in a major sulk with me as I am seen as the person that took her away from her lovely home. I’m sure she’ll see me as a friend soon.

This evening we went for a walk with Skye and were amazed to see how beautiful the Medway skyline can look during sunset. Going for a walk at that time of day is not something we would naturally do. but now it is going to become a bit of a habit. I’m quite excited to see what things I will notice as the seasons pass. It was also a joy to walk with Skye, who is amazingly good on the lead … lots of adventures ahead I think!

Watch this space …. (but regular readers don’t worry …. SHP is not about to become all doggy diary and stuff!)

trad … pioneer … certainly not boring!

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Yesterday saw an incredibly mixed day that is becoming the norm in the life of a pioneer curate based in a cathedral.

Yesterday was our patronal festival in the cathedral. For those of you that don’t know this means we celebrate the life of our patron saint which happens to be St. Mary the Virgin. So yesterday’s eucharist service was big and long. New choristers and staff members were resented and accepted on the cathedral foundation. It was also a Kings Sunday which means the scholars from Kings school attend. The service was packed with people, very traditional and we finished at 12.15 which is unusual for the well timed cathedral.

The service was good. God was connecting with people and peopled were being changed in some wat through that encounter.

As it was the 10th anniversary of 9/11 we designed a symbolic installation which gives people opportunity to leave comments and reflect. Over the weekend I have found myself in conversation with people who have found this opportunity helpful and painful. We ended our patronal festival yesterday gathered around this memorial and placed the altar candles there.

The afternoon it was a complete change for me as the gathering gathered in the crypt to look at dance as a topic and ask the question ‘what is performance and what is worship’. I think this turned out to be one of the most engaging and fun gatherings we have had for a while.

In John’s gospel when asked about worship Jesus says, ‘God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth’. We talked about this and thought there was something here about partaking, about integrity and about engagement and transformation. We came to an agreement that it’s easy to say that soem styles of worship are performance (e.g. dance, choir, bands), but that these are performance only if we let them be. If we engage with God , even if that engagement is through observation, then it ceases to be a spectator sport and becomes worship.

It was a good time together and we left each other with the challenge of how we ensure that God is the centre of our worship, particularly as we agreed that worship is a lifestyle rather than an activity.

So … a fairly mixed Sunday but one that serves as a good illustration for our worship discussion at the gathering. Yesterday I experienced many different ways of engaging with God through different services, conversations and activities … I had a personal preference and enjoyed some more than others .. but I also strongly believe that all were as valid as the others …. it’s great we have such a big God who designed lots of different people …. if there was only one way to worship imagine how monochromatially boring that would be!

its about dialogue …

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It’s been an interesting couple of days. One of the local papers has heard about Pub Theology and have been trying to arrange an interview for quite a while now. One reporter came to a pub theology session back in June and seemed to enjoy stuff but for some reason the story never happened.

Yesterday another reporter spent some time with me asking for information so that the paper could write a story about pub theology as ‘others may be interested’. Although I am always wary of the press (who is not?) the paper seems genuine and we decided the right thing to do would be to give an interview.

The reporters main interest seemed to be the fact that we were a bunch of people that met to discuss for the pure aim of speaking with and listening to each other, without anyone, whether they have a faith or no faith, trying to convert the other to their way of thinking. The reporter mentioned to me that in other societies he had seen dialogue as the norm but that in this country there were few places for open, agenda free, dialogue. Because of our ‘dialogue thing’ he was very interested in letting other people know so that they have the opportunity to join in.

I think that sums up pub theology quite well – a place for open, genuinely agenda free, dialogue. In fact I think that pretty much sums up what theology is aboutas well. If dialogue is not agenda free then it becomes debate and debate becomes competition and competition means it is all about being right. Dialogue means it is all about hearing each others views and taking those on board as you (re)form your own opinions.

My experience tells me that you never quote know how things will turn out in the newspaper after things have been edited (sometimes not even by the reporter themselves), but I really hope that genuine open dialogue thing will come through.

… 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.

Jesus messes you up!

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Went to hear Shane Claiborne the other night in Bromley Baptist Church. Shane was an excellent communicator and I found him both inspiring and challenging. It was refreshing to hear someone on a Christian platform saying it as it is, reminding us that as Christians we are called to be involved in making the world a better place (that’s, after all, what building the Kingdom of God is all about).

I particularly related to Shane’s comment along the lines of; ‘My life was fine, I met Jesus and he really screwed my life up!’ To be perfectly honest I feel like that a lot of the time.

Maybe I am jaded or becoming cynical in my old age; but I am really tired of hearing people say from the platform that Jesus will make everything better and that if you follow Jesus your life will be ok. These people forget there are Christians starving in the Horn of Africa, that there are Christians dying from war in Iraq, that there are Christians persecuted in Zimbabwe by other Christians!

Jesus does not take the crap away. Jesus dwells in the crap with you … that is, actually, what I find quite exciting. The fact that the world is in a mess and yet, rather than washing hands of us, God says … ‘okay, if that’s the way they’ve made it I best go experience it with them!’

Following Jesus, for me has been weird but exciting. I’ve got involved with ome wacky events, some crazy people. Sometimes I have felt at risk of my life, other times I have laughed until I cried. I have done things, seen things and felt things I would never had done seen or felt otherwise. I have never known what is coming next and at this very point in time most of my life I don’t even know what I should be doing now let alone next! Following Jesus is an adventure!

So – yes I agree with Shane, Jesus messed my life up in the choices I have felt led to make since becoming a Christian.
Do I regret this – no!
Would I change any of this – no!
Do I feel sorry for myself because of this – no?
Would I do anything else with my life – no!

I love my life and my role and the family and friends that Jesus has brought around me.

But … it’s still true to say …. if you choose to follow Jesus, he’ll really mess your life up!

the ‘flavour’ of Antigua

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Well … it’s been a few weeks since writing here. Most of you will know this is because of some wonderfully generous friends enabling us to have an amazing holiday in Antigua. This may be my only reflection on my time there, but it may be the first of a few or of many …. I am just not too sure yet!

In a very short space of time I fell in love with the island of Antigua. The island has an incredibly relaxed atmosphere which is difficult for me to explain.  Something can be expressed in the words of reggae and heat. Life has a slow rhythmic style due, I guess, to the heat.

I love to people watch and there were a number of things I noticed when watching the people of Antigua. People there seemed to walk proudly and calmly; due to the climate it was mad to rush about and so everything was done at a pace that seemed verrrry slow and took a little time of adjusting to. Some people adjusted to this fairly quickly and others seemed to have  difficulty with the slower pace.

I also noticed that people were interested in other people and they would chat for ages, no matter what they were doing, and they smiled easily and regularly. (in fact one of the the first things that hit me when we landed at gatwick was that people rushed and lacked a smile). Antiguan people particularly gave loads of time to children and young people, which hit me as a stark contrats to how children and young people are often portrayed in our media. Children were valued and encouraged.

The holiday was amazing and will be our ‘holiday of a lifetime’. The island is a very special place and the ‘flavour’ of Antigua, which I loved so much, has challenged me in how I should live now I am back home.
It has re-challenged my priorities of tasks vs people.
It has re-challenged my speed and aim of life.
It has challenged me to really consider what is important in life.

Now that I am back I am not embarrassed to admit that I am envious of the Antiguan lifestyle and, in many ways,  I wish I could still be there . The people there have managed to maintain something about life, people, relationships and priorities that we seem to have lost in the UK; and I think the most worrying thing is that most of us don’t even realise that we have lost them and are aware that there is an alternative. Although, I openly admit, I am not sure what that alternative is other than slow down, re-think …but our deadlines refuse us that grace!

Sadly I know the feelings and lessons from my time here will fade fairly rapidly as I adjust back to south east England living …. but I pray it does not all go and that I can carry within me some of the islands beauty that simply says ‘I have time ……..’