Monday, 30 January 2012
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Chaplaincy visit
 |
| (source BBC) |
The other week I met up with a couple of our local hospital chaplains. Now I'm not exactly the biggest fan of hospitals, hate needles, blood or anything even remotely medical and I hide under a cushion when there's anything gory happening. So I had been putting off the whole visiting a hospital thing. Yes, I know I'm not there for me, yes, I know I'm there for the people, and yes I know I'm just expressing a bit of God's love to those I'm visiting. I know. I just don't particularly like it.
I'm a big feckin' jessie.
The chaplains that I met were great. Very easy people to talk to, and from walking around, they are liked by patients and the staff. And while they come from a variety of faith backgrounds, they work together to share the love. Something we are often not too great at doing outwith the hospitals.
I'm thinking that if I'm going forwards, I should consider some sort of chaplaincy placement.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Blog Closed
For the next 24 hours, the Gerbil Burrow will be closed in support of the Wikipedia/SOPA blackout.
Monday, 2 January 2012
Brass balls
Clearing landmines. Equipment requirements:
A stick.
A pocket knife.
A well pressed shirt.
Now, would you please put your toys away when you finish playing with them.
A stick.
A pocket knife.
A well pressed shirt.
Now, would you please put your toys away when you finish playing with them.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
A dark spell
Not blogged for a while. This is a bad sign.
I entered a sort of dark period a few weeks ago. Much the same way that I felt I was being called to the OLM, I had a similarly strong feeling telling me to get out. I wasn't sure I was up to carrying out the role of an OLM, and I felt I was wasting everyone's time. Coupled with a very busy period for myself anf Mrs G, and i felt I should try to get out.
The feeling has sort of passed. It's still there in the background, and while I'm not ignoring it, I'm not worrying about it either. I'm carrying on with the original position of throwing my everything into the enquiry process and getting something out of it. If I'm accepted to go on to conference, fine. If not, I'll find something else. Thy Will Be Done etc.
It's a sort of confidence thing....
************************************************************
I was writing this post when Mrs G told me of someone suggesting that OLM's were interfering with their call. Suggesting perhaps that OLM's had a lesser call.
Up yours pal.
It's not your call, it's God's call and everyone he calls will do their part for His kingdom. We won't be set against each other. All the ministers I've spoken to have said they and their congregations would welcome an OLM helping them out and would support OLM's working in their parish. OLM's are not "Diet Coke ministers" (one calorie, not quite the whole minister) and they will have to work hard to fit ministry alongside their working lives. I'm not doing this because i want to, but because I think I'm being called to.
So I wish you well in your calling. I hope to work with you in the future.
And thanks for your anti-OLM comments. You've peeved me enough to throw myself into this, just out of principle. Suddenly I'm feeling invigorated.
I entered a sort of dark period a few weeks ago. Much the same way that I felt I was being called to the OLM, I had a similarly strong feeling telling me to get out. I wasn't sure I was up to carrying out the role of an OLM, and I felt I was wasting everyone's time. Coupled with a very busy period for myself anf Mrs G, and i felt I should try to get out.
The feeling has sort of passed. It's still there in the background, and while I'm not ignoring it, I'm not worrying about it either. I'm carrying on with the original position of throwing my everything into the enquiry process and getting something out of it. If I'm accepted to go on to conference, fine. If not, I'll find something else. Thy Will Be Done etc.
It's a sort of confidence thing....
************************************************************
I was writing this post when Mrs G told me of someone suggesting that OLM's were interfering with their call. Suggesting perhaps that OLM's had a lesser call.
Up yours pal.
It's not your call, it's God's call and everyone he calls will do their part for His kingdom. We won't be set against each other. All the ministers I've spoken to have said they and their congregations would welcome an OLM helping them out and would support OLM's working in their parish. OLM's are not "Diet Coke ministers" (one calorie, not quite the whole minister) and they will have to work hard to fit ministry alongside their working lives. I'm not doing this because i want to, but because I think I'm being called to.
So I wish you well in your calling. I hope to work with you in the future.
And thanks for your anti-OLM comments. You've peeved me enough to throw myself into this, just out of principle. Suddenly I'm feeling invigorated.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Would Jesus be welcome?
Racism sucks.
http://gawker.com/5863878/horrible-hicks-ban-interracial-couples-from-church
Short version. Mixed race couple aren't allowed to marry in the church she has went to for years. Quote:
"Parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services and other church functions, with the exception being funerals"
It gets better:
"This recommendation is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve"
Greater unity?
Permitting funerals probably means that the problem eventually goes away... This is the sort of balatant, backwards racism, where the choir should wear white robes with pointy hats, and the cross outside should be burning.
Has anyone ever pointed out to these half-wits that all those biblical characters that you claim to love, were all from the Middle East? We don't know what the cast of the Testaments looked like, but if you ignore medieval church art, there's little or no chance they were as white as this Gerbil's knees.
If Jesus came knocking on the door, would you let him in?
http://gawker.com/5863878/horrible-hicks-ban-interracial-couples-from-church
Short version. Mixed race couple aren't allowed to marry in the church she has went to for years. Quote:
"Parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services and other church functions, with the exception being funerals"
It gets better:
"This recommendation is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve"
Greater unity?
Permitting funerals probably means that the problem eventually goes away... This is the sort of balatant, backwards racism, where the choir should wear white robes with pointy hats, and the cross outside should be burning.
Has anyone ever pointed out to these half-wits that all those biblical characters that you claim to love, were all from the Middle East? We don't know what the cast of the Testaments looked like, but if you ignore medieval church art, there's little or no chance they were as white as this Gerbil's knees.
If Jesus came knocking on the door, would you let him in?
So you want to work In Cheltenham
From the BBC today, GCHQ has laid down a challenge to codebreakers in order to raise its profile and attract new staff. The website, http://www.canyoucrackit.co.uk/ invites you to break a code, in theory leading you on to another page where you can apply for a job .
And then once you've got your head around all those numbers (is that hex I see before me?), the lucky winner gets presented with this page...
Yes, that is a screenshot of the real page. I would have carried on with the application process, but I'm still trying to get my head around the Kirk enquiry process. And while it's a nice place to visit, I'm not too sure I want to live in Cheltenham. If GCHQ wants to get in touch, you already know where I work. (Sorry chaps, I cheated.)
Things that I learned today...
GCHQ's enquiry process is harder that the C of S.
Q would probably frown on Bond using Google...
And then once you've got your head around all those numbers (is that hex I see before me?), the lucky winner gets presented with this page...
Yes, that is a screenshot of the real page. I would have carried on with the application process, but I'm still trying to get my head around the Kirk enquiry process. And while it's a nice place to visit, I'm not too sure I want to live in Cheltenham. If GCHQ wants to get in touch, you already know where I work. (Sorry chaps, I cheated.)
Things that I learned today...
GCHQ's enquiry process is harder that the C of S.
Q would probably frown on Bond using Google...
Monday, 28 November 2011
Don't make stuff up (part 2)
Back in this post I stated that I didn't like a reflection supposedly by Judas after his death, and in the presence of Jesus. There was something about it I didn't like. Hated it in fact. I Hated it so much that I had to buy the book to find out exactly why I hated it.
The book in question is "Milestones" by Hilary Faith Jones, and the story is entitled "After". It's written from the perspective of Judas, and explores his realisation that he's done something very bad, and is completely alone. Abandoned and cut off from God. As alone as anyone can possibly be - he betrayed God's son, so who can save him?
The story is well written, very reflective, and fitted in well with the service the other week. But there was something made me feel very uncomfortable. I'm not that keen on stuff being made up. There's enough good tales in the Bible without us muddying the waters by trying to put words into the mouths of the main characters.
Last night I was at Hillside and also at Friarsgate at their advent services. At Hillside, there was a couple of dialogues and reflections that fitted in well with the service. They were clearly made up, the Nazareth village gossips discussing Mary, for example, but they felt a bit more comfortable in the service. It was at this point I realised what i didn't like about the Judas reading. It was too real.
There is a theory in the field of robotics and animation called "Uncanny Valley" which holds that when human replicas look and act almost, but not perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers. And I think this describes my feelings towards"After." It's too real, and that's what makes it uncomfortable. We don't know what happened to Judas, or why he did what he did, but the characters in "After" are depicted in such a real way that their actions seem unnatural and uncomfortable, and revulsion was exactly what I felt.
So in a strange sort of doublethink, I actually like the book, and I like it for it's writing, but I can't stand the uncomfortable reality.
But isn't this all about facing some uncomfortable realities.
The book in question is "Milestones" by Hilary Faith Jones, and the story is entitled "After". It's written from the perspective of Judas, and explores his realisation that he's done something very bad, and is completely alone. Abandoned and cut off from God. As alone as anyone can possibly be - he betrayed God's son, so who can save him?
The story is well written, very reflective, and fitted in well with the service the other week. But there was something made me feel very uncomfortable. I'm not that keen on stuff being made up. There's enough good tales in the Bible without us muddying the waters by trying to put words into the mouths of the main characters.
Last night I was at Hillside and also at Friarsgate at their advent services. At Hillside, there was a couple of dialogues and reflections that fitted in well with the service. They were clearly made up, the Nazareth village gossips discussing Mary, for example, but they felt a bit more comfortable in the service. It was at this point I realised what i didn't like about the Judas reading. It was too real.
There is a theory in the field of robotics and animation called "Uncanny Valley" which holds that when human replicas look and act almost, but not perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers. And I think this describes my feelings towards"After." It's too real, and that's what makes it uncomfortable. We don't know what happened to Judas, or why he did what he did, but the characters in "After" are depicted in such a real way that their actions seem unnatural and uncomfortable, and revulsion was exactly what I felt.
So in a strange sort of doublethink, I actually like the book, and I like it for it's writing, but I can't stand the uncomfortable reality.
But isn't this all about facing some uncomfortable realities.
Friday, 25 November 2011
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