Year 2 Conference

I don't do mornings.  Speaking to me before the second mug of tea is a bad idea.  I don't do conversation before 9am, so conference breakfast can be awkward.  There should be a separate area reserved for grumpy old bastards like myself where we can sit, ignore each other and eat our Weetabix in silence.  So despite getting to the canteen as it opened, and sitting at the far side of the hall from everyone else, and with my back to them, someone will always come over and tell me that I can't have breakfast on my own.  A statement that they then prove by sitting down with me.  I'm happy to talk at lunch, dinner, over coffee, or even in the pub, but please, can I just start the day my way?


This conference was the last time I will be at conference with the third years.  I've known these people since Mrs Gerbil started training, so it will be odd next year not having them around.  But we did get to meet the new trainees, and unlike last year, they were around for the whole weekend, having had their own conference a fortnight or so before.  Next year, I am in the third year.  How did that happen?

There are now four more trainee ministers that have been on the back of the bike.  That's six in a year!  Should my next project be Fifty Pillion Reverends?

The theme of conference for my year group was on worship.  For many of us, we have been leading parts of worship throughout our enquiry process and placements for a number of years, not to mention any worship we have delivered in or former lives.  It could seem a little late in the day to be receiving this training, but I believe that the training in pastoral care I was given in last years conference should be the subject of the first year.  I have had more pastoral encounters over the past 12 months than I have delivered worship, so the order of conference training seems fine.  The content of the worship training was ideal.  We have all had different experience of worship, and it was good to bounce ideas around and really consider why we do things in worship, and in what order they occur. 

When discussing the creation of a worship space, in amongst my notes, scribbled in a hand that never actually writes anything down in pen and ink was a line that said "(interaction of time space and thought? Creates thin spaces?)"  I shared this with a colleague over a pint and they asked if I had came up with that myself.  I had to confess it was partly a Star Trek plot, and partly a sermon that Beachblesser delivered last year.  I'm not sure if I have an original thought in my head, just lots of recycled ideas.  And they are more Sci-fi than theological.  Live long and prosper.

Former moderator Albert Bogle delivered our opening session.  He's a man of great ideas, and had plenty to say about using technology for mission.  While in many ways I agree that the church should not lag too far behind in using modern technology to deliver its message, we may differ in the way we see change being accepted in our congregations.  I have been surprised this year to discover that many younger people prefer more traditional styles of worship, preferring the stability that can be taken from a more structured liturgy. 

In other news, the regular worship was pleasant.  While a band did form by the end of the second day, the first acts of worship saw us singing unaccompanied.  We are a surprisingly tuneful bunch, and the collective human voice is actually a great sound.  Despite having some exceptionally skilled musicians amongst us, including an outstanding harpist with her portable harp (specially commissioned to be lightweight) I think I preferred the unaccompanied singing.

It was one of the final sessions that I got the most out of.  Due to a small communication error, I wasn't even supposed to be around at the preaching workshop which took place after the OLM's were supposed to leave.  But I had a spare sermon in my folder, so I was given the chance to receive feedback on one of my sermons.  It was the one at the end of my post from 18th November 2012 on silence.  I had others on my tablet, but this was the one that seemed to suit a small, reflective audience.  But it was one of my fellow candidates that delivered the most memorable lesson of the weekend.  She was actually at my first enquirers conference back in 2008, but the process of her getting to this stage has taken a long time.  I'm not going to give away more about her, as ministry is a small world.  What I can say is that she read out a letter she had written.  The reading of this letter really took me back to the early churches, where correspondence was the way the churches grew.  On the table before her, there was a few items from her parish, including a small scrap of wood with a bent nail in it.  There are a couple of bent nails in my shed, and a lot of them in my parents garage.  Bent nails are useful things.  They might not be useful for joining things together any more, but they are great for hanging things up.  Or the bent nail that kept the gearbox in my Dad's Mini working.

Lesson for the weekend.  God has a use for bent nails like us.

Fifty Acts 50. At Last, The Methodists.

I've been trying to fit the Methodists into my schedule for a long time, but other congregations got in the way.  The Methodists have the honour of being the fiftieth act.

The reason I wanted to go to this congregation came from an event a few years ago.  I was delivering church flyers round a new housing estate,, and was getting a good response.  Lots of young families interested in the playgroup, toddlers groups and Scouts that were running in the church.  But when we got to one door, the owner was pretty grumpy.  He said...

"I tried Lane End church, and you weren't friendly.  Then I tried the Methodists, but they were too friendly.  Now we don't go at all!"

Well this got me interested and I had to do something.  Not about the unfriendliness of my own church, but instead, I wanted to find out how a church could be branded as too friendly.  So with that gauntlet laid down, I deided to visit the Methodists, albeit with about four years of procrastination. You shouldn't rush these things.

So the welcome was friendly.  Not over friendly, just friendly.  Perhaps they have mellowed...    We were certainly made to feel part of the congregation.  Typically, like so many of the preceding acts, the real minister was elsewhere, so it was a URC minister that lead worship.  Communion was celebrated, and we all gathered round the table, a nice gathering, but may draw attention to those who don't feel they can join in.  Everything seemed to be going well.

Except, it almost went wrong.  The minister had lost her car keys and she arrived very close to the start of the service, apologising to us for the delay. She was sharp, but not late.  And then someone came over to talk to the person behind me to ask if they could remember to pick up a bottle of Communion wine as they had run out.  Someone had been sent out to get a bottle of Ribena which was a blessing, as alcohol free Communion wine is howfing.Grape juice does not need sugar added to it, and yet the last time I had alcohol free wine, this is what it tasted like.

While the minister read from her Ipad, one of the readers used the bible on her phone.  I think I would advise against this, as it meant her reading was a little disjointed and didn't flow.  Although to her credit, at least she was taking an active part in the service, something many people do not feel confident in doing.

So in all, it was a nice congregation, a pleasant service, and a reasonably good cup of tea afterwards.

Fifty Acts 49. When Spot went to Dover.

I remember when all this was fields.  In fact, I remember when my driving instructor was telling me to get the car up towards 60 on a the fun bit of country road.  Now the road has been tamed, and it's a 30 limit and there's shops where there once was fields.  They really have paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

So the church is a brand new building situated in the middle of a new(ish) town.  The church reflects the demographics of the area, so there's a lot of young families, and even though this was a family service following the holiday club, its attendance was pretty typical.  Someone told me of the problems they have on Sunday mornings actually fitting all the children into the Sunday School space, so much so that they use a community centre down the road.

And another thing.  The summer holiday club was run in association with another denomination up the road.  I've heard tales of holicday clubs that will not invite other congregations for fear that the children end up going to the other church.  Isn't there only one church?

This was a fun place to be.People stopped and talked.  People had a brew afterwards.  The praise band was off to one side and not intrusive, and they even had a drummer.  The noticeboards and information table showed a church that had a world view yet were firmly part of their community.

My only concern for a church like this is the evolution of the community.  Right now it is a vibrant young place, but the same was once said about two nearby towns.  The were settled on mass by young families, and pretty soon the schools were full to overflowing, and the church had a massive youth group.  But as the community ages, it is unlikely there will be another mass influx of young families to the area.  At least one of the schools in the area is under threat of closure, while the other has removed all the additional temporary classrooms.  Can a church continue to reach out to new arrivals to the community as the original group of young families gets older?

So in all, a nice place, and perhaps a place I might find myself returning to.

One more to go...

Fifty Acts 48. Doing Things Right.

Today saw me driving into the big city to visit yet another church that I've walked past on a number of occasions but never actually crossed the door.  So today I visited Augustine United Church which is off George IV Bridge.  It's location means that, like so many buildings in Edinburgh, there are a number of levels below that which you would actually consider to be the street level.  How many I didn't, but there's at least two that I know of, although in the middle of Edinburgh, people have been known to find basements they didn't know existed.

So like a number of my visits this year, people have said that the minister is really good, and I really have to visit.  And like all those other occasions, the minister was away that weekend.  Still, this morning's minister was very good.  The act of Communion had little details that made it all the more inclusive.  The bread was circulated on a tray with a separate dish for gluten free bread, and the elders and minister did not take until all had been served.  One of the elders left the sanctuary, and I believe this was to include the Sunday School leaders in Communion.  We were all served with wine, and then all drank together.  And the wine, like so many churches was alcohol free.  It tasted like plain grape juice, which was pleasant.  I have had an experience with commercial non-alcoholic communion wine, which was grape juice with a lot of sugar added.  Even to my sweet tooth it tasted vile, and tasted sweeter than the concentrated grape juice used for home winemaking. 

Unlike some of the churches I have visited this year, this church makes it very clear that LGBT Christians are very welcome, and very much a part of the community.  Having seen the efforts that some "christians" have went to to declare LGBT folk as unclean, I'm surprised they would want anything to do with church.  In addition, the church has facilities for the mentally ill,has good links with other churches in the area of many denominations, and is very outward looking, involved in a number of campaigns.

So far, this seems to be the church that ticks most of my boxes.  I'm aware that as an OLM, I may not have much of a choice where I'm placed and for how long, but I'd like to use this church as an example of how a church can work as a community and also with the world around it..  

In other news, the seagulls have returned from the golf course and seem quite content in the garden.

Fifty Acts 46.When Spot met Leah.

Yesterday there was a massacre.  I had the chance to play on the bike for a couple of hundred miles, and along the way I must have killed a couple of hundred thousand midges, which is sod all compared to the 1,684,000 midges caught in a single trap at Loch Ness.  Still, it's pretty satisfying, and I also recorded the wanton destruction of a few moths, which make a large thud when they hit the windscreen.  And we all know what the last thing to go through its mind was...*1    The bike now needs scrubbed so I'm hoping there's a charity car wash near me this weekend.

So after a short stop at a very large sweetie shop, where three teenage girls were being told by their mother to "be sensible" just when I walked towards the counter carrying four large jars of boilings.  Then another stop to catch up with a friend who lives near my planned route, I headed off to my destination.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the ordination of Leahthedog from Clarinda's Journey.  I've been following her blog since the start, so it's nice to finally be able to put the name and the face together. Because we are at different stages in our training, we've not encountered each other at church conferences before.

The church was full, and on a day as hot as yesterday, it made the building absolutely roasting.  I was glad I was positioned near the door to benefit from some of the breeze.  The lady I was sitting next to had made a 120 mile journey to be there, leaving her son behind on his fiftieth birthday, and I heard similar tales from people who had made an effort to be there.  Such was the love they felt for Leah, and the contribution she had made to their lives. 

In the sermon, the minister made reference to the 1978 TV series Connections, asking if we were old enough to remember it.  It's either showing my age, or the fact that I was watching science programming when I was very young, but I remember the series, if not the actual content.  The connections quoted managed to include Bonnie Prince Charlie (The king named after three dogs) the Ordnance Survey and the electric light bulb, with a change in track to include Billy Graham. This was a graphic demonstration of how our actions will serve to influence others, in a long chain of connections that we are unaware of, and through the laying on of hands, shows a connection to a long line of ministers, all the way back to 2,000 years ago.

Going back up the road, i was hit with a feeling of how very real this all is.  I've not even given thought to ordination.

The spread afterwards was very nice, and I was able to catch up with one of the ministers who was my interviewer at my selection, and who I tend to keep bumping into on occasion.

Leah isn't going to be able to put her feet up, as she is going straight into locum this weekend.  So I pray that the future keeps being fresh, and there are plenty of challenges ahead.


*1 Do I really have to explain it?*2

*2. Ok then, I might explain in the comments.

Fifty Acts 45. Nice Service. Ugly Church.

The church I visited today looks like a nice place.  Built in the late 1700's, it stands in a prominent place in the town, amidst a graveyard that has some famous residents.  I have visited here briefly a couple of times, but never really sat and appreciated the place.  On the outside it's quite pleasant, but on the inside, it has a few issues.  Some time in the seventies, the interior was thrown at the ugly tree and it hit every branch when it came down.  The old interior was mostly ripped out, and replaced with something that would have looked cutting edge for the period, and now looks dated, and clashes with the rest of the building. Underneath long expanses of wooden panels, some original cornicing shows through in places, with the cladding round the organ and the pews all matching.  It's actually quite depressing, and I find it hard to believe that someone thought this would be a good idea.

But the service itself was very good.  I've met the minister socially on a number of occasions but never sat through one of her services.  She did the whole lot, sermon, readings, prayers and intimations herself, while I'm more used to seeing some members of the congregation having some sort of involvement.  The service actually flowed very well, and she kept a god pace throughout.  This service flowed along very nicely without the occasional interrruption that can be had when there is a change of speaker for example.

When I spoke to the minister afterwards, she told me that while the congregation are the sort of people that will happily get involved in the life of the church community, there was something about their background as mainly retired professionals that made them unwilling to be involved in worship.  It was their belief that the content and conduct of the service was wholly the responsibility of the minister.

So my lesson from today is that I need to be prepared for congregations that would prefer to sit and listen.  They are still participating, just in their own way. And I'll need to be prepared to make my voice last, as there are two services in this church each Sunday.

Only five more acts to go.  where next...?

Fifty Acts 43 Communion in three parts.

Coming from the central belt, Communion is something carried out four times a year on set Sundays, so i was keen to see how it's done elsewhere.

On Friday I went along to see preparation for Communion, which was to take place on the coming Sunday.  What I was expecting was a group of Elders discussing who will carry the bread, who will carry the wine etc.  What I wasn't expecting was a formal, public act of worship.

Communion is taken very seriously up here, so much so that when Commuion Sunday rolls round, church attendance actually drops, as the adherents decide not to attend.  While I understand that nowadays they are welcome, traditionally you had to be a full member to be at the top table, so only full members will turn out.

Communion weekend starts on the Friday with a short service which is intended as a start to the weekend.  The Sunday commences with the session being convened before the service, and while nobody appeared to have been turned away, it is my understanding that traditionally if you hadn't been at the Friday service, or if there was some other questionable stain on your character, then you would be barred from receiving Communion.  Nobody at the door asked for proof of my moral or spiritual fibre.  This is probably a good thing.  Finally, Sunday evening had another service to bring the weekend to a close.

In amongst the tradition, there was certainly a reverence for the occasion, from members and adherents alike.  Should there be more ceremony around Communion?  Or more reverence? Certainly there's a lot to be taken in about the importance the congregation places in the Sacraments. 

Interesting indeed.

Fifty Acts 41. Small Act at the Big Kirk

I was asked by a friend if I would be able to do their lunchtime prayer service this week as they are off to the General Assembly.  Well I was flattered to be asked, it's the biggest building I've ever spoken in, and I particularly like shorter acts of worship.  Last week I went along to hear the normal service, so i had a pattern to work from.

Today met with the Church officer who set me up with the radio mic.  I then had a few minutes to wait before noon.  I was informed that a tour group was going to be visiting, so of course, one of them cornered me and started asking questions about the history of the building.  I bluffed a couple (Is it still a church? Yes. Do they do weddings? Yes. etc) of answers before handing over to Mrs G for the finer points of Scottish church history.

12 noon arrived and I started off.  It was a small audience in the side chapel, but I was aware that I was also preaching to some people who were in the main part of the church, and the radio mic covered the whole building.  It's just a bit unusual to be in a position where you don't have the undivided attention of everyone present. 

So I think it went well, and I was thanked by a couple of those present - I've not been there often enough to know if they were regulars or just visiting.  I'm certainly grateful for the experience.

My rough script is below.

**************************************************************

Every Wednesday at twelve noon there is a short service of prayer and reflection in the memorial chapel, to the right of the pulpit.  You are invited to join with us or to continue to explore and absorb the atmosphere of the building.

Good afternoon,

Our minister is attending the General Assembly in Edinburgh today, and I am privileged to have been asked to lead worship this morning.  My name is [spotthegerbil] and I am currently training for ministry within the church.

Let us come before God in prayer.

Almighty and eternal God,

You are great beyond our understanding, we cannot seek to understand your magnificence.

All glorious God,  We give you thanks that,

You chose us as your holy people, even before the world was made.

You adopted us as your children in Christ, and through his blood, you set us free from the burden of sin.   All praise and glory be to you o God.

And yet we know that we fall far short from the example that Christ showed us.

We fail to live up to his standards

We have not loved our neighbours

And we have not honoured your holy name.

We struggle with the pressures of life, when,

You would unburden us if only we turned to you in prayer.

So Lord,  Help us to change what we have been,

And set us on a new path

That we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways.

To the greater glory of your name.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

We hear from Psalm 119:

¹⁶¹ Rulers persecute me without cause,
    but my heart trembles at your word.
¹⁶² I rejoice in your promise
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³ I hate and detest falsehood
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous laws.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law,
    and nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, Lord,
    and I follow your commands.
¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes,
    for I love them greatly.
¹⁶⁸ I obey your precepts and your statutes,
    for all my ways are known to you.

And from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses 38 to 40:

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

And may God add his blessing to these readings from His holy word.

Let us come again before God in prayer.

We give thanks this week for all those you have called to serve your church.  To the parish workers, Missionaries, Deacons, Readers, Ministers, Priests and lay members, regardless of their denomination.  Bless the work they undertake, and help us to recognise that anyone who works in your name is not against you. 

And as our Ministers gather in Edinburgh for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, bless the Church as it struggles with all the conflicting cries upon it and within it. Ease its tensions. Calm its fears. Give it strength. Bring reconciliation where personalities argue and differences of opinion distract it from its purpose of showing Your grace to the world. Help it to find true unity in Christ and, where there is division bring healing and the ability to live in Christ’s love in harmony with those who hold alternative views.

May the Church be truly the Body of Christ, continuing to hold his love and forgiveness out to a world desperately in need of them.

Lord, we pray for those in the community around us who may not realise this church exists not just for those in the congregation, but for everyone that is in the parish.  Bless those who live around us, those who work in offices or shops, or those who have their own reasons for visiting this place of pilgrimage.  May this place be truly somewhere they may receive comfort.

Lord, look after those in our communities who suffer illness, whether they are in hospital, or bearing up at home.  Support those who care for the sick and frail in our communities and bring comfort and strength to all who are affected by illness.

We remember those who at some times feel

detached from you at this moment. Those who feel that
you may not be present in their daily lives, or find it difficult to
turn their thoughts towards to you. We pray that they are able to once
again experience your ever present and glorifying nature and realise
that you had never left them, but were always there waiting.

We remember today the families in Oklahoma affected by the Monday’s tornado, and also those affected by the cyclone in southeast Asia. Bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones, and give strength to those involved in the rescue operation. 

And as we are here gathered, Lord, we pause together in silence to reflect on the troubles laid heavy on our hearts and known unto you. 

Paws

Heavenly Father, help us to remember, that, even in our darkest times, of worry, doubt and pain, you are there for us, and you are accompanying us at all times along life’s journey. 

These and all our prayers are offered in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, who taught us when we pray to say :

Our Father, who art in heaven,           hallowed by thy name;            thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;          on earth as it is in heaven.      Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,        as we forgive our debtors.      And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.            For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,             for ever.          Amen.

I was given this prayer card at the Heart and Soul event and asked to pass it on....

May God watch over you
and be your shade and shelter
so that the sun may not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

May God guard you from all harm
and watch over you
all the dayys of your life
both now and forever more
amen. 

Fifty Acts 39. OK I suppose

Sunday saw me following Mrs G again for a bit of probation research.  I've not got a lot to add to what she said.  It was just not really me.  It was a pleasant enough looking church, but with the regular minister being absent, that does make the dynamic of the congregation somewhat different, so perhaps this one is worth a re-visit. 

Fifty Acts 38. Research (Part One)

Ditto

I wasn't that keen either.  Nice stained glass though.)

Fifty Acts 37. A Look Behind 3:16

I've been to the Salvation Army's 3:16 cafe in Perth on a number of occasions, but I've never worshipped with them until yesterday.  Now Mrs G is off placement, she was able to come along for the ride.

The building is fairly modern, sitting to the back of the cafe and shop.  We had a warm welcome at the door and were taken through to a bright and airy sanctuary.  It wasn't the largest of congregations, although it was the bank holiday weekend. They were certainly welcoming and genuinely friendly.

The service was a good mix of old and new tunes, some new to us, some favourites, and one in particular that has a "special" significance for Mrs G and I.  The preacher spoke with a consistent theme throughout the service and sermon and was genuinely enthused by her subject of "When Worlds Collide*" about the coming together of Heaven and Earth based on Acts 1:1-8

Of particular note was the use of hymns within a prayer setting as a mens to establish a mood.  As with so many things, it's something that depends on the congregation.  The same with the open prayer section.  Open prayer is good for some groups, preferably small ones.  In a large group, you may not be able to hear what someone is saying, and it could be distracting.

My only criticism, and I would level this at many congregations that I've visited, is that your website should list the times of your regular meetings.  Not everywhere meets at 11am on a Sunday.

In speaking to people after the service, it was noted that congregations are getting smaller, and there are not as many people coming through to leadership roles.  Nothing different from the CofS then.  But what is clear about the Salvation Army is that they have a strong brand, and it is the place where people come to in an emergency.  There's a lot to be learned from the Salvation Army about doing God's work on earth.

And I'msure Mrs G will be along soon with her thoughts...

* When Worlds Collide, is also a 1951 sci-fi film about the end of the world through a rogue star passing through the galaxy and hitting the earth.  It considers the collapse of society at the end of the world, and the saving of a select group of people.  There's a sermon in there somewhere...

Essays and Original Thought

Last essay of the year is in progress.  The question is about Paul's theology of the cross and resurrection.  So there's plenty of genuine theologians have thought about this before me, so it's unlikely I'm going to say anything new.  And even if I did, I'm not going to be able to give a cite for my outstanding bit of theological creativity.

This year I studied Mark's gospel, Sacramental Theology, Exodus and New Testament Theology.  When I was enquiring, I did the early Church, more to prove to myself that I had it in me to do a bit of study.  Seeing the learning alongside the placement felt good, and the two seemed to compliment each other.  This year has been a bit too accademic, with not much practical training.  So in that, the study has felt like a bit of a slog, a bit of an imposition without any benefit.  I've nothing against my tutors and the university, and i have learned a lot, but I've been missing the placement side of things.  The few weekends pulpit supply I've done have served to re-focus me and remind me why I'm doing this.  And it's been the pastoral, not the preaching that has done that.

So I'm hoping that I'm going to be a bit more energised in my studies from September when I get to placement.

Now, to find an original thought about Paul.

Fifty Acts 35. Up a Close.

"Hello, have you been before?  Would you like a cup of tea?"

So that's two criteria ticked off the list.  Warm welcome and a pleasant brew. 

I've been aware of this church for quite some time, as it's off a close between the high street and a pleasant coffee shop.  I wasn't aware it had been there for so long, as it looks like next year they will celebrate their centenary.  They follow the Brethren tradition of worship, although what that is exactly, I'm yet to find out.  Certainly the service was familiar, with hymns from Mission Praise, Gospel readings and a lesson, this morning from a guest speaker.  As I understand it, there's no minister, as the preachers are drawn from the congregations.

The demographic was broadly similar to that of an average CofS gathering.  Older, with a sprinkling of young families.  What you noticed immediately was the sense of community, with people circulating ad chatting. 

I was feeling a little under-dressed.  Everyone was in their Sunday best.  The women mostly wore hats, and the men were mainly in suits.  I was in my Sunday comfortable, which bears a striking similarity to the rest of my wardrobe.   Besides, I only wear a suit when I'm using the Halo effect to skew a situation in my favour. 

I did get one of my favourite questions this morning.  When you mention a CofS connection, occasionally someone will ask "Oh...  Are you saved?"  Apparently there is a perception that some ministers aren't, although isn't it God that's the judge of all that?  Do people think we're in this gig for the money or something?

I would have liked to have had a bit more time to chat this morning, but after the service, people headed off to the rest of their Sunday. I was asked to their bible study, but unfortunately I had other plans for this evening.  Perhaps that's an act for another time.

Fifty Acts 34. Opening Up

This was the second of my two stints at Fieldside and Lane End.

Today just seemed to flow, everything felt right, and I felt that God really had a role for me this morning.  Yes, the rain and wind mad the ride on the bike unpleasant, but after I had got into Fieldside, something just lifted.  If there's one thing I need to do, it's to remember to remove the chair from the pulpit in Fieldside.  The lectern sits quite low, and the height adjuster seems to have went astray.  So you are forced to look down on your notes.  By removing the chair I'd be able to stand back and feel less like I'm looking down.

But it was after Lane End that something odd happened.  As I met people after the service, one person asked if he could have a quiet word.   I invited him to stay for a brew and we got talking.  He was aware that I wasn't the real minister, and we agreed that the real minister would be better placed to help him out.  The actual content of the conversation is one of those pastoral things, so it's not getting written down, but it was a privilege that he trusted me with his story. 

So while I'd like to be able to help more, with his consent, I've put him in contact with the people best placed to give him the advice he needs.  The important part of today was not me talking at 200+ folk, but in listening to 1 person.  I pray he finds the answer he needs.

Fifty Acts 33. In Which a Gerbil Becomes an International Broadcaster

I've known what I was going to say this week for a while now.  I knew that when this particular set of readings came round, exactly what I'd talk about.  So that made it all the harder to write the sermon.

The problem was, I just couldn't find a way to say exactly what I wanted to say.  Coupled with the fact that I can't write anything at all when faced with a blank page.  So this was a slow sermon to write.  Once I had written something on the page, the words started to flow, but until I've written something then nothing will be written.  This usually means that the first paragraph to be written is a stream of consciousness that rarely, if ever reaches the final cut. 

The lesson for next week is to drink more.  I probably gave it a bit much when doing the 9.30 at Fieldside, so I was a little dry at Lane End, leading to a pause for a coughing fit mid way through the sermon. 

So the question is, would I have changed anything if I knew I was being broadcast?  I received an email saying the local hospital radio broadcasts the recording of the Lane End service in the evening.  So it was really odd going to their streaming service and hearing myself.  I'm a well known figure in British broadcasting circles, having once appeared in the crowd for Songs of Praise, but this was the first time the international audience has had the chance to dump me and tune to something more interesting.  And I've often been told I have a face for radio.

I'm sorry, but just like Ringo Star, I won't be answering any fan mail.  :-)

Fifty Acts 30. Free? All Right Now.

This morning I visited the local Free Church.  Starting off a decade ago, meeting monthly in hotels, they now meet in one of the local schools every Sunday.

The service was a mix of psalms and hymns.  The psalms were unaccompanied, lead by a singer who told us which tune we would be using.  When set against the mix of organists and bands I've heard this past few months, it made for a refreshing experience.  In a strange sort of way, it felt more pure than the couple of accompanied hymns we had later on.  This is filed away in the folder of things I'll try some day when I've really got the measure of a congregation.

The congregation was a good mix of ages.I was told that this may be partly to do with the venue, there being a connection between pupils, school and parents, so the Sunday School was strong in number.

So I think it was all right.  Had I been new to the area, based on first impressions alone, I would have been tempted to give this congregation a few more visits, with a view to joining.  It just had a good vibe to it.  Although, if you find a church that is perfect, leave or don't join.  You'll only spoil it!

This week I'm going undercover and infiltrating an organisation that I don't exactly share a viewpoint with.  If I can blog it, I will blog it.

Fifty Acts 27. When to finish

Last week I sat myself down in front of the PC to write a service.  I had agreed to do pulpit supply for Fieldside and Lane End, and I was basing the service on the lectionary.  While I'm sure there's loads of topics  would like to preach upon, using the lectionary as my base means that I am challenged to explore the readings rather than have a rant about my pet theme.

So I got started off into the temptation of Jesus in the desert.  And as I wrote about Jesus in the desert, I had to keep going back to correct myself, as for someone on a fast, he often ended up in the dessert.  

And then I got on a bit of a roll.  Over the course of the week, I kept going back to the sermon and moved things, removed things and inserted things.  It was the insertions that I was most aware of.  While I don't think I went too far, anything over 15 minutes and a CofS congregation gets twitchy.  I have sat through a 45 minute sermon before, illustrated with handy annotations on a whiteboard, but the congregation as used to a long sermon.  In fact, many of them were taking notes as they went.  Somehow I don't think I could get away with that, especially since the Lane End service follows on after Fieldside, and there's roadworks, potentially requiring a considerable diversion.

So when do you stop?  Well I suppose the obvious answer is "when you are finished" but it's knowing when that finish is that's important.  I suppose that, if the topic was good enough, if I had a regular preaching role, I could do an occasional series of services based around a central theme.  But I'm not confident enough to do that yet, especially in Lent, and when I'm only covering for a friend.

I'd like to think that, in some way  God is giving me a bit of a steer as to what to say, but I'd also not like to be leaving out the bits he would like me to get over.

I need practice.  Bring on a placement.

Fifty Acts 23. An Evangelical Church (Part one)

I had been to this particular church a long time ago, when a friend asked me along to hear a particular speaker.  Twenty or so years later and I've finally made a return visit.  You shouldn't rush these things.

I was welcomed at the door where I was told that today wasn't a normal day, as once a month, they focus on one theme for the whole service.  The most important thing, for me at least, was that they started with tea and pastries.

I was taken in to be introduced to a few members of the congregation, so there was no chance of anyone feeling unwelcome.  They certainly know how to admit a stranger into their midst.  Like many congregations I have visited, they are between pastors, however the new pastor takes post pretty soon.

The topic for the morning was evolution, so the service started off with a video showing the wonders of creation (I think it was the trail for the BBC "Africa" series) before the pastor started his lesson.  He had said that he finds it hard to believe that we are descended from apes, and used a number of examples of how he believed this was improbable.  At one point there was an image showing the timeline from the big bang to present.  The pastor said that he did find trouble understandig some of this, and for a lot of the science, I can't say I blame him.

Mid way through the presentation there was a video where Richard Dawkins was asked to explain how bacteria could evolve into something as complex as an ape.  Dawkins gave some possible examples of how complex life could have evolved, and he gave general examples of how life could have evolved.  It's hard to compress billions of years of life evolving into a few sentences, however Dawkins gave a good account suggesting this could have happened.  But it was this pretty insignificant uncertainty that was latched upon as supposed proof that Science is wrong and only religion is right.

One thing I did agree with him though was when he said there's a lot of people who won't approach God because they feel they are too imperfect.  God loves us just the way we are.

 I was chatting with the pastor afterwards, along with a few members of the congregation and I found them to be very nice people, and I would like to go back.  I'm not convinced that he prepared for a talk of this magnitude.

I have given a lot of thought to our existence, and I do like hearing about the physics of the big bang, and evolution.  This doesn't shake my faith, it only makes it stronger.  I thought the evolution "debate" was mainly confined to Kansas school books, so it's not something I expected to encounter directly in the UK, a developed nation.

The thing about a scientific theory is that it is an idea that is used to explain a set of observed evidence.  The evidence is the facts, not the theory.  So when a scientific theory is explained by someone saying "we believe that X happened..." religion jumps on this by saying "you aren't sure, so it must be wrong.  Only the Bible is fact!"    All the person that proposes the theory is saying is that this theory fits observations.  come up  with a better set of observations and the theory may be changed.  Even gravity is only a theory which we are not entirely sure of.

The thing is, I don't see anything wrong with a universe of  nearly 14bn years old, and evolution.  If God kicked off the universe with a big bang, it's his playing field, so he can set all the rules leading up to this point.  What if it turned out that God really did make us the pinnacle of his creation, but he used a chimp as a prototype?  Let's get over it, and remember we're loved the way we are.

To be continued.

Fifty Acts 21. The End of the Road

The road conditions today would make my plan of taking the bike for a spin just a little too accurate a description.  And next door's cat has taken up residence underneath the cover.  So today I'm leaving the cat in peace and taking a walk to my local church.

We've been living in Minehead* for about ten years now, but this was the first time I had been to Sunday worship at the Parish Church.  It's at the end of the street, and it's likely that, wherever Mrs G ends up, the manse is going to be further away from her kirk than we are from the Parish Church.  Like so many other people, the church I'm a member of is a good few miles away, in the next presbytery.  We've never really got round to finding a more local church of our own.  We've been to the end of the road a few times to vote, and we did the Watch Night service there once, but never actually visited on a Sunday.  Should we take more time to support our local congregations, even though we might want to worship elsewhere?

The Church is very similar to, but a mirror image of, one along the road.  The sanctuary is trapezoidal in shape, and the three sides that are in front of you are brick with small skylights at the top.   To me it feels pretty uncomfortable. I like curves, or ninety degree bends, not funny angles.  I worked in an office building that was a series of stacked hexagons, and it was a relief to leave there to move into an office with precise ninety degree bends. 

Like many congregations, this one was in vacancy, and the service was conducted by an Auxiliary Minister I had last met when he was a probationer, some time in 1993.  He's a pleasant chap that spoke in a very broad Scots, and was great with the children, inviting them to dance in the aisles during their hymn.

The welcome was good, both at the door, inside by the Session Clerk, and later by members of the congregation.  I have heard some interesting gossip...  But the person  was chatting with over a brew told me that they had plans, but they had put everything on hold until they got a new minister.  I've never been in a vacancy situation, but I did say that they shouldn't stop everything, and they should still try to be an active congregation.  He also complained about the website looking a bit dated, but I told him that they had got that right.  The front page of their website had the important details of where they are and when they worshiped.  And it seemed to be updated weekly with the latest news and the order of service.  I told him that it's all very well having a flashy front page, but if the content isn't there, then people find it frustrating. 

So they are an active congregation, keen to do things, if feeling a little on hold.  Will I go back?  Probably, but it's unlikely to become my regular place of worship.  At least I'll be assured of a warm welcome.

*Another Minehead, not this one.

Fifty Acts 9. Joining the Choir.

So finally I got along to the Catholic (capital C) church after my attempt from last week.  This is another first for me, as I've never been to a Mass before, although I have been to two Catholic weddings.

The Catholic church is located just along the road from the Episcopal and Baptist churches that I've been welcomed to in previous weeks.  Now I know there's a little bit more ceremony than I'm used to in worship, so I'm just going to have to pay attention and do what everyone else is doing.  I take a seat just in front of the organ, and just behind a pillar so I'm out of the way.

The building has a Norman feel to it, (apparently it's Norman with a hint of Gothic) with statuary all around, and some amazingly detailed stations of the cross.  I'm not too big a fan of human sculpture in churches, as it's always a bunch of European white guys carved to depict some Middle Eastern figures.  That said, they were very well done, and the stone altarpiece carvings had a hint of Henry Moore.

The congregation was a complete mix of ages, from the very youngest to the very oldest, and the children were clearly welcomed.  There was not the hissed intakes of breath when one of them dared make a sound, and even when one escaped and started crawling up the aisle, the reaction was more "awww" than "eeew."

So the service begins, and I'm doing quite well following along.  The sermon was on a theme of the greatest commandment, and the priest said that keeping the two greatest commandments is far more important than how many masses you attend.  He did observe that Scottish Catholics were often a dour bunch, not aspiring to much in the afterlife and hoping that the best they could wish for would be a place in purgatory. This sounds like many CofS members I have met!  It's good to know we are all alike.  We need to set our aim higher.

(The whole idea of purgatory and saints intervening for our redemption just isn't me.  Souls are not like Scrabble tiles, stored on a rack until a triple word score comes into play.  You're dead.  God alone decides whether it's the stairway or the highway.)

So I'm following the service up to the point that people start going forward to receive Communion.  The rows in front of me have emptied, as everyone queues in the aisle.  The organ starts up and a hymn begins, so, like the person behind me, I stand too, but she gave me a puzzled look.  I start singing along, only realising that the front row has been served the elements, and when they return to their pews, they kneel back down.  Well there was nothing for it, I just sang along with, what I now know was the choir...  We got to the end of the hymn, and the choir lady behind me thanked me for the support.  At the end of the service, the ladies behind me thanked me for joining in, and asked if I would like to join the choir!  I had to let them down gently, telling them that I wasn't a Catholic (not a problem) I can't sing (apparently that is optional) and I'm training for the CofS ministry.  Even that wasn't enough to dissuade them!

I was chatting with the priest (and my new choir mates) after the service, and yet again, it showed that we have so much in common, although a deeper understanding of each others position would go a long way.  While I was aware that I may not receive Communion, although I could have gone up and received a blessing, my choir friend wasn't aware that CofS communion is open to all Christians.  She now knows that she would be welcomed into a CofS church when she is on holiday, rather than driving 14 miles on a single track road to go to the nearest Catholic church where she may be welcomed.  In the same way that I was welcomed today, I hope she finds a welcome wherever she travels.

Because wherever you are, the two greatest commandments remain the same.