English Synod
English General Synod has started, and ++Rowan has given his “presidential address” . Might comment further on it when I’ve had a chance to digest it. In the meantime Fr Dougal gives a pretty good analysis.
The ABC touches on the Lords debates on equality, freedoms within civilised society, the election or not of bishops who happen to be women, and of course that unsinkable rubber duck – human sexuality and the issues of gay clergy and gay relationships within the church hierarchy.
press reports from C of E Synod can be found on the Thinking Anglicans site, and live audio feeds can be found here.
Anyone know if there are podcasts/video feeds at any point in the proceedings?
Scary Mission!
Following from the Mrs Beamish clip in an earlier post, here’s one of my favourite modern hymns, composed by Marty Haugen. this isnt the best version I’ve heard, but is the best i could find on youtube (and it sounds great on a decent organ at the correct speed!).
Another I love (although it ends rather abruptly in this clip, also composed by Marty Haugen):
Both speak of our need, of God’s love, of our presence and position in society and our need to challenge the things which detract and diminish human life. They speak of hope, service, mission, community, diversity and faith. the one thing I dont like of them (and this goes for most religious music ever written) is the expectation of others to come to us – that we will welcome them and make them feel whole once they are inside our walls and doing what we enjoy doing on a Sunday morning, or at least that is how they are usually percieved. But if we regard “this place” as God’s grace, God’s Kingdom rather than the place defined by our walls and pews, they are most definately a recognition of the fact that our job is not only to minister to those who come to our services, but to those outside our walls, and to equip those who are already in “this place” to do the same. “let us build a place where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone, to heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the word they’ve known” – a call to mission, a recognition that the calling of the whole people of God together is to live and share faith, hope, wisdom and care in the communities in which they live, work and find their solace.
For many in the church (and I’m speaking of clergy as well as congregations) this is threatening – it demands changes in perception of what church is, of what ministry is, and sometimes a letting go of our nice traditions and safe, comfortable liturgies to reach those for whom such things make no sense. Figuring out how to lead in such situations, how to guide a flock to discern the changes they need to encompass, to enable them to envision a future in which the church may be dealing with issues and people and worship styles/liturgies alien or outside of their comfort zone, outside of their buildings even – there is the hard task.
part-day disaster!
yesterday was my scheduled day off, so I’m taking a part day-off today, to recover and reflect some more on yesterday’s CMD event, and to spend some much needed time reading and reflecting on stuff in general. Its only a part-day as there is a service this evening in All Saints (well, in the rectory cos the church is too cold!), at which I will be presiding, but otherwise the phone is off the hook and the computer turned on only for fun, geekery and personal writing.
The disaster? No coffee in the Chezzie house! Such a situation is an abomination! ho hum, off to the supermarket then…
Consecration
news out from the Diocesan Office:
The Consecration of the new Bishop will take place in St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday 23rd April 2010 at 6.30pm. Formal notification and other information regarding the service will follow from the Diocesan Office in due course. Admission to the service will be by ticket only.
On Sunday 25th April at 6.30pm in the Cathedral there will be a Diocesan Service open to all. Further details will follow in due course.
Please continue to pray for Gregor, and for the Diocese as we look forward.
Challenge & Chat (and a pint or 2)
Good day today. CMD (Continuing Ministerial Development) day with the Diocesan Ministry Development Officer, and with Chris Kellock of CPAS, with the theme Discerning Direction in Mission.
I’m never quite sure about such days, what they will contain, how well they will be recieved by me or by others. Also, they always seem to fall on my day off (taking a part-day tomorrow instead)! CPAS isnt an organisation usually associated with the liberal-catholic identity of the SEC or this diocese, so I was surprised to see they had been scheduled for this.
Small turnout, but I think that maybe added to the day, rather than detract from it. The content itself was good – an exploration of how to build and own vision for mission, within yourself and within your congregation – similar stuff to what we’ve been working through in both congregations with Mission Action Planning and Mission Audit over the last several months. So in many ways a reprise of thoughts already aired, but presented in a different manner.
But what made it worthwhile and not one of those “i really could be off enjoying myself on my day off but I’m stuck here” kind of days, was the discussion with colleagues which made the material come alive.
We tend to forget that our colleagues often face the same difficulties and challenges of small and often multiple church ministry, the same concerns of isolation, of lack of resourcing, of worry for their flocks. To know “I’m not alone”, to be reaffirmed as a priest, friend and colleage – that is where the deep value lies. That we were able to share so openly, to pray for each other and be challenged by each other – there is the blessing. There is value too (as Kenny points out) in the reminder that we are embedded in something bigger than the immediacy of our local setting.
The day was topped of when two of us (my good pal, neighbour and occasional drinking buddy Dave AKA gadgetvicar) continued the conversation over a pint in our local, and were then joined GadgetVicar’s eldest son and my hubby in the same hostelry for food before going our seperate ways. Of course, as ever when 4 people with geekish tendencies get together over beer, major geekery ensued: movies, music, games, phones, little bits of tech to keep us amused. I sense a Wii night in the offing at some point in the not too dim & distant!
At the end of the day, finally home and ready to collapse in a tired heap, I had a few difficulties forwarding an email to Englandshire – something to do with the HTML/PHP coding embedded in the email. Screenshot, trimmed and sent as a Jpeg file instead (with a wee explanation to what had been done and why). The response I got made me smile – efficient and intimidating!
Only geekily intimidating – honest 
(Oh – and thanks to our vegetarian MDO for finding bacon butties for Dave and myself on arrival this morning – your sacrifice will give extra brownie points somewhere I’m sure!)
here’s one of the video clips used in the day:
Firefighting…
…metaphorically speaking at least – January has been a month of drama and crises. Dramatic elections, pipes bursting in both the church and (the other, empty) rectory, bereavements, family illness and so on – the list is pretty long. I’ve been leaping from one situation to another, dealing with them as much as possible, seeking diocesan and other help where possible. In terms of all that has happened, January has been a pretty awful month, and I’m glad to see the back of it!
However, in terms of health/coping/managing stress and anxiety – January has been a very good month. No crumbling in an anxious tearful heap in the corner, no panic. I’ve even managed to take time for me, not to hide away in a wee dark room somewhere, but to join in some good discussion with colleagues and academics over a glass or 2 of wine (and the of course the post-discussion curry!) This time last year, any additional stress was unbearable and for a wee while the cracks were very much evident. Now? Its all good. Even when circumstance tries to dictate otherwise. Praise be!
His name is Charlie
he’s 7 years old, and the wee guy is a brilliant young chap. He signed on to the “just giving” donation site, and wrote the following:
My name is Charlie Simpson, I want to do a Sponsored Bike Ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti. I am going to cycle around South Park as many times as possible…. (at least 10 laps, I hope!). Please can you sponsor me and all your money will go to UNICEF who are collecting for Haiti. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH! Charlie.
He hoped to raise £500, and so far he has managed to get £151, 892.45! No mean feat for a 7 year old. If you havent given already to the Haiti relief efforts, then head on over to Charlie’s Just Giving page and make a donation, and leave an encouraging note for the kid – he’s done extremely well.
More tea?
from Newsbiscuit:
Church fetes ‘radicalising Anglicans’ claim
An extremist Anglican group is infiltrating church fetes and vicarage tea parties in a plot to radicalise churchgoers, according to the anti-terrorist squad.
The group, MoreT4Uvicar, is believed to have close links with Al-cester, with some members allegedly attending training camps in the town.
But the group says that the training camps only provide religious instruction, choir practice and bell-ringing classes.
It’s alleged that the money raised at the events is laundered and used to build and maintain strategically placed fortified stone towers throughout the country.
‘We’re concerned about MoreT4Uvicar and the paramilitary infrastructure being built right under our noses,’ said the head of the anti-terrorist squad. ‘We want to ensure that innocent church-going folk understand the dangers of paying 20p for a slice of Victoria Sponge to these people.’
God chat Rick Roll
Couldnt get the video to embed, so you will have to visit here
Haiti Fundraising…
if you’re anywhere nearby tomorrow, head on over to St Augustine’s, Dumbarton where Fr Kenny’s lot are having a fundraising bash for Haiti. St Auggies events are usually fun-filled madness. Go on – check it out!
