A suprise

Through an e-group I am part of, I heard about 'The Welcome Wagon' who are part of Sufjan Stevens' label -check out http://www.asthmatickitty.com/musicians.php?artistID=22. The album was available as a free download to pastors/worship leaders etc. I guess that is me- especially if there is something free....

Just an excellent album- especially if you like Sufjan Stevens (I do)...I had hear about them before; a husband and wife- he is a minister. If it sounds 'twee' it ain't (I have a morbid and probably unjustified fear of 'christian music'- there is no tension; everything seems to have resolution). If you want a freebie- contact me and I can send you an address to e-mail...

Top quote of the week....

So there I was, it was 8.25 on Monday morning at Kwik Fit in Berwick on Tweed (don't ask) and trying to finish 'Velvet Elvis' (Rob Bell) and I read this, which for you, my multitude of readers (0 is the count for the last 2 weeks) is my top quote of the week......

'That is why it is so toxic for the gospel when Christians picket and boycott and complain how bad the world is.... why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn't as bright as it could be.' (p166).

I also like this- ok it is technically a 2nd quote....

'The church doesn't exist for itself; it exists to serve the world. It is not ultimately about the church; its about all the people God wants to bless through the church. When the church loses sight of this, it loses its heart' (p165)

They are making me think this week. So is half term- I have had approx 25 interruptions from little people since I began this post.....

I only work one day a week....

3-4 weeks back and I am away (again!). It's one of the pieces of advice given when you return from sabbatical..... but it feels like luxury !(Berwick upon Tweed, high winds predicted, no heating in bedrooms and a very large campsite.....ok, I'm cheap and my definition of luxury is maybe different to yours)....

Back again on Tuesday.

3-4 weeks in and, ok I'm busy, but I feel much more relaxed under it; less prone to 'messiah complex' ('It's my church' 'I can solve it' 'Its all crap and its totally my fault'.....or even when you are asked how you are, you don't reply properly but launch into a speech about the 'successes' of your ministry')....hope it continues....

Lovely, postive, church council last night: dreaming some dreams & planning some small acheiveable steps and then some prayer encircling it all in God's hands. A business meeting that felt like worship.... this is the way it should go.

Thought for the day (hat tip http://bishopalan.blogspot.com/).

“I’ll probaby forget what you said; I’ll try and remember what you did; but I may remember for the rest of my life how you made me feel...”

This works for Church, too'

Oh, and if you like the picture at the top, try

http://www.says-it.com/wbc/index.php

or

http://www.churchsigngenerator.com/

and have some fun....

Attempting more technology

One thing that makes what I do potentially the most fascinating thing ever (and believe me- what I do can also from time to time be mind numbing) is the wide variety of 'stuff' I get involved in.

Whilst dealing with someone going through more stuff than I would be able to handle, someone else involved sent me this. I'm thinking on it and sometime I'm going to use it....

still enjoying things.....

I have been toying with this quote for a few days- it is from Maggi Dawn's blog (see links on right):-

Burnout comes not primarily from doing too much, but from doing what we don't really want to do - so that one foot is moving forward and the other foot is trying to run away."
Dennis Linn - Sleeping with Bread, p.13

I think I'm really back in the swing of things, but (at the moment) in a different way. I don't feel so overwhelmed. I'd still like to be on sabbatical, or at least have 'sabbatical moments'.

The Sunday Breakfast? Record crowds- they kept coming & I don't know where from. The challenge now is to work out what 'discipleship' means in this context and I've got a lot to do to find and follow that for myself.......

In the car, following BBC4 documentary on Sunday on the Hammersmith Palais, rediscovered 'The Good, the Bad and the Queen'.......just an excellent, excellent album...

Cartoon...try again

Next time I'll use the 'preview button'. D'oh...

Cartoon

I'm not sure how this is going to paste, definition-wise, but this is a cartoon I was going to use tommorrow for the main service. Never got round to it though..... check out http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/.

I just read this (M.Moynagh 'emergingchurch.intro-Monarch 2004 p25):-

'Emerging church is a mindset ('we'll come to you') rather than a model. It is a direction rather than destination. It rests on principles rather than a plan. It arises out of a culture. It is a mood,scarcely yet a movement.' (p25).

I'd like to think that is where I'm coming from...

The picture is of a breakfast (as a comment that ranks level with 'water comes out of taps' , 'cars go on roads' or 'England didn't play very well' (I watched the 2nd half- despite 5-1 they were poor and slightly less boring than something very boring)). It is 'The Sunday Breakfast' tommorrow in Hutton Rudby.

On and off in 9 years of paid ministry I've been doing stuff like this. I'm never quite sure whether it is emerging from a community or I'm imposing it. Is it God moving or my ego projecting ('look at me, I have an earring, I'm trendy and a vicar, love me...please'). Perhaps a strange mix.

Anyway, its my first since sabbatical and I've heard that so many won't be there....hope it 'works' (and what is 'works' anyway?)...........actually, now I know that I'm back and will be around for ages, will I have the courage to develop it/stop it/ explore what emerging discipleship looks like/add as applicable......

Can you see why my theme song is 'I still haven't found what I'm looking for? I can!

Pray for me!

Back at work...still

I've finally started proper lessons on this...... I am slowly trying to unlearn my bad technique...

My posting is slipping- that is a bad sign.

I made all sorts of informal promises to myself about how I would handle the return and what I would do....blogging was supposed to be a discipline to help that.

So here I am on Friday...the day that I get most stuff done for Sunday, trying to keep that vow.

Here is something from Jonny Baker (see blogs I follow) from a couple of days ago:-

'one of the interesting sections in clay shirky's chapter is a story of a firm that had new management and a piece of research was done to see which managers came up with the most creative solutions. the discovery was that those that were least locked into their own department brought the most creativity i.e. lots of their connections were external. as he put it bridging capital puts people at greater risk of having good ideas. in any network there is a balance to be had. the temptation is to want to keep it tight - i.e. relate to people with similar passions/interests etc as you share concerns, struggles etc. but the network will stifle if it is too tight - it needs random elements and connections that are totally different to bring a creative edge. how you strike that balance i have no idea but for some people i think it's counter intuitive'.

That says to me, don't get sucked in.... keep reading, networking etc etc and make space for that. When I don't I get too serious or suffer from 'Messiah complex' (every minister gets it- 'I can solve your problems' or worse still 'I am the cause of everything, nothing can move without me).

I'm going now, back to preparation hopefully, to paraphrase Leonard Cohen, to leave enough cracks in everything so the light can get in.....

Photos- today

Don't you get sick of blogs where the blogger's family photos keep appearing in the blog? Really cheesy.............

Back to work

First day back....... have I stepped off the island back into the sea, or have I come out of the sea and got back onto the island? I am not really sure.

I intended to blog more from Cliff but I couldn't fathom the wireless connection after a while, so being a bear of very little brain gave up.

Back from Cliff, some writing up, a sabbatical report (could I, couldn't I be a little bit transparent...ok I managed it), lots more time with the family... some drinks with a two friends (last night- toyed with doing my sabbatical questionaire, but that is as far as we got) plus.... I picked up a copy of Terminator 3 for £2 from Woolies!!!! Exactly my kind of film; sensitive characterisation, deep dialogue and subtle nuances.....

Still having trouble locating a guitar teacher who can match the gaps in my schedule although I can now (nearly) play one Belle and Sebastian song and one U2 song.

Tired...