...ok I'm going outside again..........

Back from 3 weeks in France:-

Books of theological import read: 0.1
Trashy Books:5

Fun: lots (ok it could have been greater if I had read more theology...honest).

Fantastic!

And now, my interested public, I'm off again in a free caravan to North Wales for just over a week. It is a hard life...

I'm going outside; I may be sometime....

Well, I am going to study France. In a deeply incarnational way. If I can get my tyre repaired (nail discovered this evening- after the shops were shut) in time, we are off sometime tommorrow morning.

No internet, no blogging for some considerable time.....

Window dressing

I managed a picture- here it is......

Still not in the right place, but its a start.

The picture is true though, isn't it?

Miscelaneous

...and don't I need to learn how to spell.....

A pottering few days- but then I never really potter- everything is focussed:-

-Pottering around the house/garden.
-Pottering with the kids.
-Village fun day and some free beer.....
-A day in Bolton Abbey with friends.

Plus... we have our first digital camera. I'm going to have to do a very un bloke thing and read some instructions. Pray for me. Maybe I'll post some photos....

Went to a church on Sunday pm. A bit cheesy. But it set me thinking; cheesy worship, Methodist boredom, high liturgy (I'm Gen X, I use irony)---- at the end of the day does it really matter as long as relationships are growing and journeying towards Acts 2:42-7, as long as the poor are lifted up, as long as we become question marks and signposts? Its really set me thinking as I am 'good' (whatever that means) at leading worship, but poor at motivating and demonstrating the rest.

And that's the dilemma.... and that is what I ned to come out of this sabbatical with...

Hoping to post once more before a long, long long holiday and lots of blog silence.....

Drinking or working? Part 3

'Lets go out for coffee' was the word in the school line today.

Who am I to refuse an invite for caffeine ( or alcohol?!)- so we went.

Great chance for both of us for long, unhurried conversation- loved it.Eventually got round to the questions. Note: my friend 'Dr Foster' is 39, 2 kids. That would be the third conversation with a professional, aged 39-41, with 2 kids. This is highly representative of society at large.....

He went to church from 4 to 14; mainly Methodist with some Anglican. He walked away after he was confirmed (!) and when a Sunday rugby team started. He said he never believed, but what he loved was the 'community feel'. But as soon as he could 'cycle away', he did.

First impressions of the word 'church'- a building. A deeper impression is 'community'.Why would he ever go to a church? He loves buildings and their sense of history. He wouldn't go to a church at worship as he doesn't see belief as valid (or relevant?). However, he would be more than happy to go to the occasional Christain themed thingy if it was an 'outdoor gig.

'Spirituality' is important. 'It is important that you think about your place in the world and its impact on you/your impact on it'. Being part of a group. 'Its just human values'.

There was more, much more...but it was good.

A John Drane book arrived by Amazon today....yippee...

Perhaps may see some cricket tommorrow if weather is good and domestic negotiations (which are at a delicate stage) are successful....... although I did an 11 mile walk yesterday around Battersby/Ingleby incline.....

Drinking or working? Part 2

Out early evening yesterday. Dropped oldest off at Beavers and then to the pub for an hour with the youngest, his friend and her dad. Time for another run at my questions, this time with 'Mr Philby'.

Again, my age (ish)- male, 2 children. As a recap, these are the questions:-

• Did you ever go?
• First impressions of word ‘church?’
• What led to you walking away?
• What kind of church would you go to?
• Is spirituality important?

So.... he was confirmed in a CoWales church and went to a church school. It was a place he valued and felt comfortable in.

The 'c' word- 'childhood', 'nostalgic'. Church was compulsory, but not resented at school. He now describes himself as a 'Creaster' Christian- always there at Christmas and Easter, but no more than that (has appeared at 'Sunday Breakfast' and 'Messy Church' from time to time.) He did start to come more often since the children were born- felt it was important for them to have a Christian framework. Wanted to replicate his childhood for them. This was a 'positive' and not a 'passive' statement.

His training in environmental science has led him to question the existance of God, but not actively. Science and faith contradict- particularly the O.T.

If he went to a church, it would be CoE- nostalgia and knowing the hymns. Feeling safe in the liturgy.

Spirituality is hard to define, but it is important- lies behind all his answers.

Annoyance- why have good human values been hijacked by religion? So, for instance- 'human values' become 'Christian values'.


A lot to think about for me. Again, not least the importance of 'third places'- being in situations where I have no authority- using these questions as jumping off points and listening...,...

Oh well- finally (at 1.30am) the GCSEs have finished- no framework now......

I want to be a rock star: parts 3-5

Ok I should have posted over the weekend, but I didn't. I was 'too busy'.

The Cornshed has finished: what a fantastic time. Fave act: The Wildcats of Kilkenny.

I finally realised what 'loitering with intent' meant. I went for both nights and that was all I did- loitering, talking, praying, drinking.

Reckon I had more God conversations in the 2 nights than I would in 2 months or more. All just by hanging around, having no agendas & being in a space where I had no authority or right to be heard.

There is something about having a God conversation that starts with a half drunk person in an open air gents urinal......

Comments from an ex-Salvationist that would not be sure that he would call himself a Christian.

Him: 'What does a Cornshed chaplain do?'
Me: 'Its like repeatedly digging bore-holes, thousands of them (he worked in construction)- and seeing what's there...'

He compared it to someone he knew in marketing- not all the stuff I do gets a result, 50% is a waste of time, but I don't know which 50%, so I have to keep doing it......

Then the comment- 'I liked the SA- the uniforms had a good reason for them- it gave an identity- no-one knew whether you were rich or poor- you just looked the same. It was good. But- they were trying to reach the really poor, the uniforms were starting to cost too much. And the uniform became so culturally irrelevant that the people they were trying to reach just laughed at them. The worst of it was- SA people got hung up on defending the uniform and not seeing the wider picture'.

Someone else (loosley part of the Sunday Breakfast) about being ex RC and perhaps (self description) being an agnostic- but I want my kids to have a Christian framework- they will be better equipped to make choices, rather than no framework. And the encouragement to keep doing what I'm doing- people notice....

Thought for next year- someone said 'You need to be more visible here'- how about a shirt with 'God squad' on? How about giving away something?

Another thought- people, especially blokes, are open when becoming pickled--- so discuss for implications for mission?