Circles

I have been reflecting with a few people in recent days about the changing face of our faith community as it moves forward. When I first arrived here I was asked by some about the vision that I had for a new congregation in this district. My vision I am sure disappointed some because I was unable to nail down a specific plan. You see old church mission planning means you start at Point A and move along a nice neat flow chart to Point whatever at the end. I have this strange theory that God does not quite work like that. Vision grows from local soil, not imported, and I see my task as identifying where God might be at work and perhaps encouraging others to join in the story.

One of my clues on the journey has been to watch the shifting centres of influence within a community. Don’t check out whose name is on the top of the list as boss; but see where the influence flows from. For instance while my business card says Team Leader, I am nowhere near as influential as I once was. I used to be a generator of things while nowadays I tend to be more of a facilitator or a leader of the cheer squad. I am sometimes asked by older people how they can be of assistance to younger adults these days. I usually say that it is handy to be nearby in case help is required but often the best tactic is to hone your skills in getting out of the way! It isn’t that we are not required but to accept that it is a new day and we might have to make way for new things.

Over recent years I have seen our circles of influence move from being older church people, to younger church people, to younger adults who are not as influenced by church process as previous. Many Uniting Churches are influenced by long time UCA people who are the wrong side of 60. Most of our adults have little or no idea of how the Uniting Church operates and indeed many are operating from a base that has little understanding of the church at all! Please don’t hear this as a whinge. I think that it is terrific!! Challenging, but terrific!

For those who like position or control, or even predictability, our present status is very threatening. Stuff tends to happen quite spontaneously and we need to be alert to God doing great things under the radar in unexpected ways.

We have tamed Jesus to be this nice church friendly man who spoke in King James English and depending on his mood sang 18th Century hymns or contemporary Hillsong music, wore flowing white robes and never dribbled in his beautifully clean well combed beard.

The centre of influence in Jesus’ time was the temple so God shifted it to a young woman and a carpenter! There was a child born out of the temple culture; but God shifted him to the desert and turned him into a radical prophet called John the Baptiser. When Jesus moved into ministry he didn’t apply for the High Priest’s job but went instead to a wedding and quietly turned water into wine.

Jesus wasn’t always quiet. He got ticked off with religious hypocrites and once turned over the money changers tables in the Temple courts. He accused the hierarchy of turning what should be a house of prayer into a den of robbers. At a key moment in his ministry we read that:

‘On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of the believers heart shall flow rivers of living water.’”

It strikes me that while the religious of the day had their spiritual radar tuned for the coming Messiah; God sneaked under it with Jesus!? He moved the centre of influence so shockingly that according to Matthews’s gospel, at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion the earth shook! The church keeps trying to drag Jesus back into the Temple; but there is always a remnant silly and courageous enough to join him where he does his best work.

Cheers - John

The gathering

One of the great privileges of ministry for me is being able to preside at the time of Holy Communion. Last Sunday was a typical occasion. We were small in number due no doubt to families celebrating Father’s Day; but looking around as our church family gathered at the table I was struck again by the depth of this service.

In other times and other places I have seen people slip into automatic pilot when the words of institution of the meal begin to be spoken. Not with the NWUC crew! We seem to have found a way of celebrating Holy Communion that allows for smiles – or even laughter – as we see our children ‘do’ communion their particular way and yet this does not detract from the clear depth of thought from others. There is rarely a Communion Sunday goes by where some among us are not clearly deeply moved by this awe filled time.

I think I may have shared before that if I visit another place and am asked to share in Communion I am occasionally asked if I would like the loaf pre-cut. A loaf can sometimes be hard to break on the spot so it might be more convenient to put a surreptitious cut through the base to give you a flying start! From my limited knowledge this is a practice not all that uncommon. I’m sorry; I don’t get that at all. When Jesus said, ‘This is my body given for you’ it wasn’t something gift wrapped with pretty ribbon! There was a cost. Holy Communion is not designed to be convenient for us. If the loaf is hard to break well .. deal with it!

The church is not a club that is handy to belong to for what ever reasons. It is a family who commit their lives to each other under God. I am aware of people who have been a part of us and then for any number of reasons spend a significant time away. On their attempted return they have shared that it is difficult to fit back in and this of course is unfortunate; but I think it is also a spin off from the family stuff.

Whenever Ronnie and I return to our family in Ballarat, it takes a while to settle back in to feeling a part of things. Indeed sometimes we are simply not a part of things anymore! The family has moved on and in that moving forward they have celebrated minor wins and losses along the way that we know little or nothing of.

We are different from the local footy club or service club. We are not motivated by the thrill of a win or the eagerness to see our kids do well, not that there is anything particularly wrong with that. We enjoy doing community stuff but don’t hang out to be recognised or be given pats on the back, nice as that is. We are a part of something that is so much deeper and bigger and the glue that holds us together is recollected and made visible as we gather and share in a sacred meal.
Yes, we can be Christian without being a part of the church gathering; but for all of its flaws – and being full of people like me it has plenty – the church is still the vessel of hope that God continues to bless. Like it or not we belong together. We need each other.

Church is a powerful place. We do a lot of good work in a variety of situations across our community. During the week we find ourselves scattered all over the place; but it is in our gathering together that we can find strength, hope and meaning for all of that scattering.

Cheers - John

Location, location, location!

Time flies when you’re having fun and on Monday Ronnie and I celebrated our sixth year here in ministry at Rouse Hill. That means that Kath has knocked over five years and that we have been meeting as a worshiping congregation for about five and a half years. Like I say, time flies!
When we arrived I knew the seven people who were a part of the committee that appointed me and Ronnie didn’t know one solitary soul. We used to fight over answering the phone because for the first six months it hardly ever rang!

Now of course – and thankfully – things have changed greatly. It is rare to go shopping and not bump into someone that you know and a visit to Rouse Hill PS for Kath and I is a highly sociable occasion! Orange Go MAD caps, Kath and Pastor John are probably some of the better recognised figures – for better or worse - in the immediate community.

When planning was moving along for our possible move to Annangrove Road one of the concerns given was the lack of visibility. It was thought we would be out of the centre of town and also how would we handle the issue of having enough signage. This concern was voiced both locally and from the wider church and I think illustrates that while we like the idea of doing church a new way, we are still struggling to embrace it.

Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase of the Bible called The Message gives a beautiful translation of John 1:14:

‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of- a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.’

Bible speak for this is incarnation or in plainer English, embodiment and in very real terms that is what we are about.

Last Saturday a small team from NWUC hosted our second annual ‘Live with Passion’ Women’s Conference. The organising team plus several others on the day ‘became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood’. Who knows, perhaps in some way the ladies might also have seen a little bit of that ‘one-of-a-kind glory’ that embodies what followers of Jesus would seek to be a part of?

I have said before that many churches live with the 1960’s expectation that if you put up a sign with your name on it and have a building with good visibility and all the lights shining then people will come. Sorry, I don’t believe that to be true anymore. More importantly I don’t even believe that it is a true Biblical model of what we as Christ followers should be about.

We are the signs that people need to see. We are the buildings that will impress with our light and our stature. As with the team last Saturday people saw something that was ‘generous inside and out, true from start to finish’. That is the kind of advertising that I believe in.

Of those seven people that I got to know before coming here I am in occasional contact with just two of them nowadays; but it sure isn’t lonely anymore.

Cheers - John

Lest we forget

During our recent time away we spent a week in a Resort on the Kwai River a couple of hours north of Bangkok. It was very much a Thai resort and clearly Westerners are not common guests there. Very few spoke any English and it was always an interesting time communicating. This particular region had a great deal of natural beauty and was well enough away from the nearest township to be a very peaceful oasis.

One of the key historical interests in the area for us was the knowledge that in this region during World War 2, the Japanese forces had built what became know as the ‘Death Railway’ from Bangkok to Burma, with the ultimate plan to drive through to India and ultimate victory. Ronnie and I were able to visit two of the three War Cemeteries in the region. One in ChungKai held the remains of 1,740 Allied soldiers. This place was particularly sobering as it was the actual burial ground of troops during those awful days of brutality and death. The other main Cemetery was in Kanchanburi and became the central burial ground after the war when special units located bodies up and down the railway and re-interred them at this spot near the prisoner of war camps. Here there are just short of 7,000 men from Australia, Britain and The Netherlands buried. One of the more moving moments of the trip was probably when Ronnie was taking a photo of the gates as I stood outside the Cemetery and an elderly Anglo lady hearing us both talking asked if we were Australian. Entering into conversation and noting that she had flowers in her hand I asked if she had family buried here and she told me, ‘Yes’ My father is here.’ That made it even more personal!

One day we travelled out to Hellfire Pass and walked along the railway cutting where it is said that for every sleeper laid a soldier died. This was in many ways a ‘holy ground’ experience for both Ronnie and I as we walked through deeply mindful of the human cost. It is estimated that 16,000 allied prisoners of war died building this railroad along with a little published fact that some 100,000 Asian labourers also died. Hellfire Pass has not been used as a railway for many years and apart from several hundred metres that are maintained as a permanent memorial the jungle has reclaimed it; but other parts of the death railway are still used today carrying passengers down to Bangkok.

I came across a quote from those terrible days at Hellfire Pass: ‘When you go home, tell them of us and say we gave our tomorrow for your today.’

It has been interesting in recent years to see the growing importance among young people of ANZAC Day. Hundreds gather at ANZAC Cove each year now for ANZAC Day memorial services. This new impetus is a fairly recent phenomenon. I wonder what it is that has provoked this new interest in all things ANZAC? Is there something as a local church that we can learn from this?

One of my theories is that as life becomes more and more packaged, predictable and privatised, many people – and very much the younger population – have an idea that there is something much bigger, and they yearn for it. The spirit of ANZAC and the amazing stories that flow from it inspire and encourage hope. It gives them a vision of something much bigger than themselves. I think we all need that.

I like the bit where Jesus makes his first resurrection appearance to the disciples as a group:
‘On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.’ John 20:19,20

This is an interesting sequence for the ‘cosy, me, me, me’ church of today. Peace does not come through finding a safety zone and staying there. It comes by taking a risk and becoming vulnerable to others. Peace will not be found by saving ourselves; but by giving ourselves to the call of saving others. Peace has a cost. The Bible says that ‘without vision people perish’. Maybe that vision can be our gift to our children and grand children into the future?

Cheers - John

Listening

On Sunday I began a new ‘mini series’ called ‘How then should we live?’ Week one, for those that missed it was focused on Leaving. One of the dangers of any public speaking is that you might throw out some really grand sounding ideas but don’t actually give people something practical to bring the idea into view. I thought as part of my musings this week I might offer a simple practical tool to help us in our spiritual journey.

One of my favourite Psalms is very easy to find and also fairly easy to memorise and work with. Psalm 1 is just before Psalm 2 at the very beginning of the Book of Psalms!! It’s so small that I can even spoil you and put it in right here:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked

or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of
mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and
night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in
season

and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does
prospers.


Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows
away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly
of the
righteous.


For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked
will perish.

A man named Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy once said: ‘As soon as the gospels were written , speech without experience began to dabble with the new facts proposed by the Church … People tried to think the new life without being touched by it first in some form of call , listening, passion or change of heart.’

Psalm 1 is useful for us to slow down and begin the process of ‘spiritual listening’. It begins with ‘Happy’ or ‘Blessed’ are those who do not ..’ There is a progression of ‘follow, take, sit’. Another progression calls us to delight and meditate while one more gives us tree, fruit and prosper.
I would encourage you to spend some time reflecting on this simple little Psalm. You might ask yourself the question: What is it that I give my attention to? What do I follow after, what path do I take and where do I sit and immerse myself most easily? What is it that gives you pleasure and what are the keys that guide and control your life?

This Sunday I am looking at the matter of listening. We sometimes read the Bible without really listening to it. We try to enter into the story when somehow we need to learn how to let the Story enter into us!

Can I encourage you to spend time with Psalm 1? It can be a very useful opening to what is known a ‘lectio divina’ – divine reading. Too often we read the Bible simply as a means of learning something. It is a gathering of information and once gathered we move on. It is worth the effort to learn to chew things over – meditate! Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus in John 3 is a good yarn but is worth ruminating over for more than the few minutes it might take to read the story: ‘The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ It’s worth a few minutes to let your mind wander over these words.

If you are thinking, ‘John, I don’t have time, I’m too busy.’ Then you may be right – you are too busy!

Cheers - John

Wake up o Sleeper!

Ronnie and I have experienced so much in recent weeks while travelling through parts of Vietnam and Thailand that we are probably capable of boring you to death very quickly!! For my first communication in a while, allow me tell you one story and then see where it takes me.

During our first week we were based in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Our guide took us on a tour of the city and at one point we arrived at the War Museum, recollecting the conflict during the 1960’s and 70’s. The Vietnam War has always been an interest of mine, mainly because I was of an age at that time where it was purely the luck of the lottery that my number did not come out for service during the days of conscription. Indeed I know several of my peers who did serve in Vietnam, one of whom did not return.

A common sight in our travels was that of beggars and unfortunately you had to steel yourself to push past them because there are so many needy and sad sights. As we were moving through the grounds of the museum I was aware of someone closing in on me; but typical John, I was focused on where I was going and not taking much notice. It took my lovely wife to pull me up as I pressed forward and point out that it seemed this heavily scarred man wanted to shake my hand.

So I stopped and it was then that I took real notice. Yes, clearly this man did want to shake hands; the only problem was that he didn’t have any hands. Indeed, what was left of his arms ended just before where his elbows should have been. Thankfully and with hopefully very little hesitation I took a hold of his right arm and greeted him and allowed him to share his story in halting English. As a young man he had accidentally triggered a land mine that blew away his hands and arms and disfigured his face. Now he spent his time wandering around the museum selling a variety of trinkets and telling his story to anyone who will take the time to listen.

That day early in our journey has stayed with me and will probably stay with me forever. A couple of things struck me. Firstly, but for fate or whatever you put it down to, I could have been this man’s enemy. I could have put that mine in place. We took hundreds of pictures on our holiday but you will find very few of this museum. Some of the images we found too hard and had to turn away from; such was the horror – on both sides!

The other thing that I had to consider was just how easily I can force unpleasant truths onto the periphery of life. Our trip was great for a whole bunch of reasons but a major learning curve was to discover what it is like to be among the marginalised. We were very much foreigners, through appearance, language and culture, yet enjoyed so much through the grace, care and patience of others.

The time away has been very fruitful in reaffirming my ministry. I believe very deeply in the church but also recognise that we have been asleep for way too long and at times almost totally unaware of what is going on right under our noses. I commit myself once again to being a part of a faith community that is willing to risk living the way of Jesus in our local places, whatever that might look like.

Paul Mercurio plays the part of a brilliant young dancer named Scott in that great film Strictly Ballroom. Scott is intensely frustrated by the old rules of the ballroom dancing competitions and yearns to dance his own steps. In one highly charged scene Scott screams out ‘What we dance is crap!’ It was an Aussie film, but in pure Hollywood it of course ends with Scott and his partner dancing their own steps.

I may not be as young as I was but I am frustrated and tired of dancing to someone else’s steps. I am seeking to be even more aware of those on our edges and am keen to find out just what steps they might be dancing.

Cheers - John

In doing some early preparation for this coming Sunday’s message I was struck again by some of Jesus’ great skills in connecting and inspiring. The first part of my text for Sunday is the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14. I love the bit where the disciples are clearly a little tired and basically overwhelmed by the great crowds and ask Jesus to send the people away. I often say to people, ‘Look for the parts of the gospels where Jesus smiles.’ I reckon that this is one of those moments.

Jesus turns to his harassed and bewildered troops and says, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ We have here only five loaves of bread and two fishes,’ say the disciples.

I think that the world has very effectively harnessed us into the ‘we have here only’ way of thinking and so we do nothing, considering ourselves powerless and impotent against all that confronts us. I think that Christians (me very much included!) need to remember that we follow one who says that less is good! We are part of the ‘where two or three are gathered’ movement. We belong to Him who says if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to that mountain “move” and it will!’

I have been wearing glasses to assist my eye sight for a number of years now; but I have been using spiritual lenses for a fair while also. One of my favourite Old Testament passages is in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Here we have the prophet Elisha – a guy who shared my tonsorial splendour (check 2 Kings 2:23-25 and beware of riled prophets!) – and his servant surrounded by a great army. The servant is terrified; but Elisha comes out with a classic line; ‘Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ I don’t know if this was much encouragement to the servant, so Elisha prayed; ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ And we read that the Lord did open his eyes and as he looked he ‘saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’

When I return from leave I am going to be doing a great deal of teaching about ‘the kingdom of God.’ Jesus was often asked about this kingdom and I believe it is a journey that must be taken for us to truly be people who make a difference in this community. At the very beginning of his ministry Jesus announced; ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.’ I have this strange theory that following the ministry of Jesus 2,000 years ago the kingdom of God is MUCH nearer than we think.

I see the kingdom of God at work so much among our children. I was inspired last Sunday witnessing the growth of our kids as a number of them lead us in the Oasis celebration. Theses kids have so much to teach us about the kingdom of God if we will only pay attention. I see the kingdom of God at work in our various ministries to adults. I have enjoyed seeing it at work over the past seven weeks of the Marriage Course. The growth of our ladies networks are another inspiring example.

So, Jesus says to his tired and harassed disciples, ‘They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ The world is full of experts nowadays with degrees up to their eye balls in various areas of people skills and therapies. Experts are good and useful from time to time; but what the world could really use right now is a whole bunch of authentic, vulnerable and transparent Jesus followers who are foolish or brave enough to get fitted for some new lenses!
People won’t need to go away for help if we can begin to view things in a new way. The problem today is not a lack of resources or skills. It is a lack of vision! Our eyesight needs sorting!

The disciples brought what little they had to Jesus and he blessed it and broke it and gave it back to the disciples to serve the people. And at the end the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of scraps!! I reckon that made Jesus smile? It could even make a community smile?

Cheers - John

So, what does church look like?

In just a few weeks from now Ronnie and I are taking four weeks leave to rest and recharge the batteries. At first my main intention was to take my lovely wife away after 18 months of hard slog at Aberdoon House; but increasingly I am realising how important the break might be for me.

Over the past six months there has been a significant change going on among us. Several key people who were a part of the very start of this journey have moved on and at the same time a number of newer people have put their hand up to be involved. This new cohort of people is younger and less experienced in the way of church structures or policy which makes for some interesting dynamics.

Sometime ago I used the picture of a new building site to make sense of the changes going on among us. In our beginnings we had a bit of a concrete slab of faith upon which to consider building; but we needed some scaffolding to give us something upon which to begin the journey. We have been blessed with people who were eager to be part of that scaffold and give some shape to the journey. However, there comes a time when you can begin to remove the framework and begin to see what the building might really look like. I believe that this is where we are at right now.

The problem for me right now – and this is why a holiday is going to be good – is that I am having difficulty adjusting to the new look. I quite liked the scaffold!!

As with just about everybody I have never done this kind of thing before and it is scary being seen as the ‘expert’ who doesn’t really know all that much himself! I don’t know much, but I do know that we have the nucleus of something very exciting indeed, and I want to make sure that I am in the right shape physically, mentally and spiritually to see it through.

Some of our best stuff that happens occurs away from Sunday morning. For so many congregations the Sunday worship defines who they are. I am not sure that this is so for us. Sunday is simply a component part of a whole bunch of things that define us. Some of these things are very regular such as our ministry at Aberdoon House our children’s work and home groups, others semi regular in Pub Chat, Thank God You’re Here, Family lunches, Movies and Martini’s, Dinner and Daquiri’s etc. Then we have our Big Day Out, Trivia Night, Shopping Trip, Marriage Course, Church Camp, Melbourne Cup, ANZAC Day and Christmas Eve.

I am occasionally asked by others who hear of our ministry, “John, where or what is the bridge that connects them into the church? You know, you are doing this great stuff; but when do they join the church?” My response is that we don’t have any bridges, as our belief is that they are already a part of us and that the church is much bigger than the church!

Lot’s of people don’t get that or if they do, they don’t agree with it or like it.

So the scaffolding is gone. What do you see emerging out of the mist? What do you think we will look like into the future? What are your hopes and dreams? What do you expect of my leadership for the next stage of the journey? What are some of the things that you would like me to be addressing when we do gather together on Sunday? These are not rhetorical questions; I would love to get some responses so that I can return from a break well equipped for what lies ahead.

All feedback will be gratefully received and prayerfully reflected on so that the next twelve months will be our best yet and see a great new church emerging from our corporate hopes and dreams.

Cheers - John

'A funny thing happened ..

Life is full of lovely moments that keep you humble. Those of you in worship last Sunday experienced an example of that when the best laid plans came to something of a shambles.
Opening worship was good and even the kid’s address went okay followed by a nice quiet and – I think – even helpful time of prayer. Then the preacher was all set to give what he thought was an important and perhaps even timely reflection on ‘A few things I have learned about the church.’ After setting the scene quite nicely everything came to a grinding halt when our other church friends in room 4 found that they needed chairs which were all stored in room 1. Praise God in all things and in all things give thanks!

Having settled down after a few minutes delay my fellow room 4 Pastor had obviously realised that he had left something in his car and in pushing his remote lock, turned on the car alarm. Following this the benediction might have been a good plan but Pastor J pressed on only to be usurped by the antics of Layla and Holly. I reckon that when the Apostle Paul spoke about rejoicing ‘in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope,’ it was after a service just like last Sunday.

It is times such as the above that make us realise that we are not in control and that should be a useful lesson for us all. Having been involved in leadership of some sort or another for over 30 years now I have had more than enough examples of this to be convinced that all we can do at such times is to roll with the punches, retain a sense of humour and adapt!

We have done an awful lot of this over five or so years of establishing ourselves in this district. It is almost a daily exercise as we bob and weave along the road. Part of what I hope I said on Sunday was that I am greatly encouraged by that Matthew reading where Jesus says – I will build my church –not ‘I might’ or ‘I will think about it’; but ‘I WILL’. It doesn’t matter how often Pastor John stuffs up, I will still build it. It is not my church or your church, it is God’s to build as he sees fit. Increasingly a key part of my ministry is learning more and more to get out of the way!

Another thing that I have learned since I knew it all is that the more I know, the less I realise that I know. I was annoyed some months ago now as I watched a show on the ABC about the Uniting Church and found that the two key speakers were a gentleman from the conservative far right of the church’s theology and another gent’ from the liberal far left. I wrote into the ABC protesting that neither of these guys spoke for the vast majority of the church who have to live out their lives somewhere in the messy middle! Oh that it was so easy.

This week’s musings are in some way a thank you note to those of you who are bold, courageous and perhaps even foolish enough to continue the journey with us. I am aware that it is not an easy road and that there may well be easier options; but I believe that we are shaping something very exciting here and thank you for your loyalty.

I heard a quote this week from the great German Physicist Max Planck – interestingly enough a very committed Christian – who once said ‘If you want to find something new go and find someone new.’ In our creating something new in this district we are often finding new things as we continue to connect with new people. It can be dangerous ground at times but it sure beats boredom!

Cheers - John

At my ordination interview back in April I was asked to define what my ministry was about. Faced with four people whose formal theological training was way ahead of mine, I was a little unsure of how to respond; or more accurately perhaps, what kind of answer they were after. Figuring that the truth is always a good way forward I began to talk about making space for people to discover God and making sacred the spaces and places that we inhabit.

When I first began this journey evangelism was much more easily defined. I can recall being the guest speaker at a Youth for Christ rally in Victoria and after my message I gave an invitation to the more than 600 kids present to come to the front of the auditorium if they wanted to give their lives to Christ. It was most gratifying that night to see so many young people accept that invitation. During those early days it was relatively easy to monitor the progress of your ministry in terms of numbers ‘saved’.

Times change and so do we and in my case it has been exciting to see my ministry of evangelism develop in ways that I would never have considered way back when. I am still a great believer in the power to be found in preaching a Christian message; but now see just as much value in a variety of other facets of the Christian journey. For me the most important evolution of my ministry has been in the discovery of the importance of making sacred space and place. It is the main focus of my ministry here in North West Sydney.

In these days of incessant pace and pressure I have found great value in providing people with space to simply be. As a local congregation we do this in any number of different ways.

Melbourne Cup Day is all about space. So are our Church Camp, the Women’s Conference, Pub Chat and Movie’s and Martini’s. No, we don’t go into these ventures with New Testaments at the ready, all set to bring people to their knees so that we can pray the magic prayer over them. We do provide a space where just maybe we provide room for God to be discovered among us.

Years ago a town would be built around public places. In Australia the most common two places were Pubs and churches. In the recent past new development was created by the ‘politically correct’ without the necessity of religious buildings (We always find room for a Pub or Club!) as a part of new community. Interestingly these days Town Planners and community gurus have now discovered again the importance of a sacred space or place; but most of these are quite sterile because we can’t mention God!!

I have this strange theory that whenever followers of Jesus Christ inhabit a place they are part of the process of making a place sacred. It doesn’t need a building – just people. Remember that bit in Matthew 28 where Jesus says: ‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ Well, I think he meant it!

Where we go He goes and where He goes makes a difference!

Cheers - John

Just a thought

I have told the story before but many will not have heard it so let me share with you the story of Princess and Coco.

In 1991 most of the Thornton clan was heading north from Melton in Victoria, to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. Our eldest daughter Michelle, having already left home, was remaining in her home state; but the rest of us, John, Veronica, Jeremy, Amanda and our two cats, Princess and Coco were about to set off. Now, you will all know that some forward planning is always advisable, particularly when animals are involved. We have learnt since but at the time considering the two creatures – cats not children – we decided to make do with just the one pet cage. Logically we decided that the older critter, Princess by name and Princess by nature, would be in the cage to keep her from the very placid and gentle young Cocoa. A good plan does not always have a happy ending.

The moment Princess was placed in the cage in the boot all hell broke loose! She was not a happy Feline. As we began to back out the driveway, Coco safely ensconced on my wife’s lap, leapt across me and began clawing at the window to get out. As Veronica reached across to pull her back, our dear sweet, placid Coco did number ones all over her skirt. But worse was to come as only a couple of kilometres along the way and some 1,600 kilometres to travel; our young, now thoroughly angry kitten, having cleared her bladder made her final protest by clearing something else!

An enduring memory of that trip was of Amanda spraying hair spray around to sweeten the air! At the first service station that we came to mother headed off to clean up and while all doors and windows were opened, the manic cat in the cage was taken out and the ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ youngster took her place. For the rest of the trip Princess curled up under Veronica’s seat and was a contented little pussy while our sweet gentle Coco was more than happy with her private suite in the boot. Go figure.

I share the story because in a kind of way it makes some sense of my journey here in the North West of Sydney as we go about establishing a new Christian community in the area. The first and obvious thing that comes to mind is that when you do something new you have to expect some occasions where the poop hits the fan. The thing about this is not only the mess that the fan can make; but the simple fact is that it doesn’t stop the minute you hit the off switch! Sometimes doing something new is really messy.

Another learning point is that just when you have things figured out someone switches the script! We put the wrong cats in the wrong places. Sometimes what seems to be the obvious turns out to be something bordering on disaster and you find yourself questioning your own sanity.

One of the other things that I have learnt over a number of years now is not to pre-judge or make long term plans about people. When I first started this church planting caper I read a book that said that within five years most of those who began the journey with us would have moved on. I was puzzled by that statistic and somewhat doubtful about it; but here we are five plus years down the road and most that commenced the journey have now left us. I have learnt over twenty years of ministry that it is great to build friendships and grow community networks; but the best place that you can put your confidence and hope is in God!

To finish the story of our long journey north, we did arrive safely and the Princess seemed to very quickly accept her new palace and settled quite well. Coco; the one who almost scratched through glass to be released from her steel coffin of a car took much longer. As a matter of fact so fearful was she of her new surroundings that for many weeks after our arrival I had to be careful when taking the car out of the garage. Coco had found that the car wasn’t so bad after all and was regularly discovered sprawled across the top of the drivers side tyre snug and safe from the world.

Some people, after initial fears and even trauma, find that the new place is okay after all. While others will find some safe place to hide away and take a long time to feel secure again. We are all different and all need be treated as unique individuals.

Incidentally, 11.5 years later we travelled south to Sydney and a new adventure. Our Princess had gone to Pussy heaven some years previously; but Coco lived on, her sweet placid nature unchanged. We still had two cats for the journey as we had inherited Minty and Coco was now the senior Feline. Had we learnt from our previous journey?

We had two cages and two cats travelled peacefully south after a visit to the Vet made sure that they were well drugged for an eight hour journey. Now that’s a thought?? NO!! You can’t do that to humans!

Cheers - John

Ch, ch, ch changes!

Breakfast at the Thornton’s is hardly the most exciting time of day. Ronnie wakes up and is immediately into the day, whereas I take time to move into things. As one who can talk a bit, the time from out of bed through to breakfast is usually a very quiet time indeed. There is also a set routine about this early morning so that words are not really necessary for people such as me who don’t really speak English until after 9.00. Put simply, I don’t do mornings all that well.

Take this morning for instance. Ronnie – who does not suffer with morningitis at all – was about to do something that would have thrown out her husbands boring and dull routine; but she wisely chose not to as change is another thing I don’t do well, particularly in the mornings!

Change!? None of us like it but reality is that the one unchangeable thing is change. I can recall arriving at Sawtell some 17 years ago to begin a ministry there. In Victoria I had previously been involved in working with street kids and had also done some open air preaching, drama and musical presentations. On my arrival on the north coast there was a strong expectation that I would continue to follow this style of ministry in my new placement. It never happened! Things change and so do people – hopefully.

When I arrived here in 2002 there was no one here who had an expectation of my following a previous ministry style because there was no one here! However, because this ministry commenced in something of a vacuum (can you have ‘something’ of a vacuum?) I was the one who found myself reverting to the style of ministry that had worked previously.

It seems to me that anything new has to have some kind of framework upon which to build; but the key for the future is to be courageous / silly enough to allow the new thing to find its own shape. I have seen way too many people try to shape their children in their own image, or in the image that they would have liked to have known.

I get the occasional invitation to speak about my ministry journey and this occurs more often nowadays as people are excited and interested in what we are doing here in the North West of Sydney. Invariably I will get the question that goes a little like this: ‘How does what you have experienced and shared today fit into my ministry context at St Lulu’s Thirty First Calathumpians Church?’

My answer is usually two fold. Part one is a word of confession - I don’t know! Increasingly I am finding that it is darned near impossible to break down this stuff into bits and pieces that can be taken away and put together elsewhere. So I don’t really know. The second part is to point out that this is the experience of one community of people, who have tried as best as they know how to engage with others in a transparent, open and vulnerable way, so that their faith journey might find life and perhaps give life to others.

Any possible answer lies within our willingness to engage with others. Life is not just about finding a certain set of principles and deciding to live by them. Oh that it was so easy. I love following the life of Jesus through the gospel narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Yes, there is no doubt that Jesus had a set of principles; but there is equally little doubt that, as much as he shaped the lives of others, his life was shaped as he engaged with others.

The fascinating thing for me is that I see Jesus’ life taking shape as he gives himself to the sick, the lepers, the down trodden and oppressed. As I reflect on those that shaped my life I think of the many good and true men and women who have walked with me for varying periods of time. However, I know for a fact that my life and ministry has just as powerfully being shaped by many who do not fit the ‘good and true’ mold. Stuff has happened as I have journeyed and risked giving myself into people and situations a little outside the comfort zone.

Change? It’s as painful as all heck at times; but I don’t think that you can truly live without embracing it.

Cheers - John

Doing and being

Today was the big day for me personally as after many months of thought, prayer and process I got to meet with the panel of people who will decide my fate as far as my aim toward ordination is concerned. It has been a strange 24 hours, as this time yesterday (4.00ish) and through to bed time I was a nervous wreck! Despite this onslaught of nerves I was able to sleep very well and found that this morning – while still a little edgy – I had a great sense of peace. I can only put this down to the fact that a whole bunch of people from a variety of places have been in prayer for me in a very focused way. Seeing as how these musings go mainly to the flock that I serve let me thank you so much for the messages of support and prayers over the last day or so. It does make a HUGE difference!

How did it go I hear you ask? Well I was able to have my Presbytery mentor with me who – like me – is a football (round ball!) lover. His assessment of the meeting that lasted a little over an hour was that I won 5-2! He thought that I got on top very early and before half time I was 4-0 up; but I got a little over confident and loose in the second half, letting a couple of sloppy goals past. What did the panel think? I am promised an answer within 48 hours, so I will let you all know.

All of the above brings me to my musings, which reasonably enough I think are based on issues of ordination and other aspects of the church. Some wonder why I am doing what I am doing ordination wise when nothing will change in the functioning of my ministry. This has been part of the revelation for me in recent times. The Christian faith is not simply about functional ‘doing’ type stuff.

A couple of Sundays back we celebrated a special Holy Communion service with 6 of our children. I hope that people did not see this as simply a functional thing that occurs when people attain a certain age. It was much more than that. Let’s consider some of the things about Holy Communion.

· Gratitude – Jesus took some bread – the staff of life – blessed it and gave thanks! Sometimes when I ask people how they are going, an occasional comment is, ‘Oh, I’m surviving.’ Or ‘I’m getting there.’ Life is more than enduring one thing after another; it is hopefully stirred up and given some pizzazz by the Holy Spirit of Jesus present among us!

· Brokenness – Jesus takes the bread blesses it and then breaks it – Too many today are attracted to a gospel message that denies suffering and pain. I don’t want to suggest that we become a bunch of masochists welcoming pain; but pain does come. As followers of Christ we stand on the fringes ever ready to take up the pain for others, so that, by the grace of God, they might find a place of healing and transformation.

· Love poured out – Jesus took the cup and said ‘this cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.’ I would like to see churches praise God more! I would like to see churches overflowing with gratitude for what God has done for us! I read a story this morning of members of the Moravians church in the 18th century, based in Europe, who on hearing the plight of slaves in the Virgin Islands offered themselves to be sold as slaves in the Virgin Islands so that the Christian message could be shared with the people held there. To this day the largest per capita membership of the Moravian Church is at St Thomas on the Virgin Islands. A living memorial to their sacrifice.

This is all important stuff that goes beyond functional. It is deeply connected to BEING as much as to doing. Over the past two weeks I have been privileged to baptize three children. When I put the mark of the cross on their foreheads I mean it! It is not just a symbol. From time to time I will ask adults who have been baptized to trace their finger across that cross on their foreheads; because it is still their! God’s mark is on us! We are branded as belonging to God. That’s big!!

Increasingly symbols and words in worship are becoming important to me as powerful reminders of who we are and whose we are! I had a word thrown at me today that I think was a bit of a test. That word was ontology – the science or study of being. Followers of Jesus are in the first instance people who know how to ‘BE’ ahead of do. If we are forever doing we can so easily lose track of simply being. As I shared on Good Friday; Jesus’ words on the cross ‘It is finished’ are incredibly important. We cannot add to the work of Jesus. We cannot impress Jesus by our acts or sophistication. It’s finished and sometimes the best thing we can do is stop and reflect on how important that truth is for us. We can’t earn more love, more grace, more forgiveness or acceptance. It’s all been done.

Symbols such as water, candles, bread and wine, a cross, nails or a crown of thorns can be powerful reminders of what is important in our Christian journey. It might be an excuse to be even more grateful for the many blessings that we have.

Cheers - John

Fruit from the tree

Let me open my meanderings this week by saying just how much I appreciate the support of our continually growing community. I reckon that I am one of the most blessed of local church pastors! Oh, I concede that the journey is anything but a bed of roses; but when I look around at other places and situations, I would not want to swap. I was involved in several conversations throughout yesterday and I got to thinking about what makes this new and emerging Christian community different to some others?

FRESHNESS – Some places and even people can give off a kind of mildew smell! We are not at all mildewed or showing any signs of going stale. I like to think that there is a general openness to new things, even when some of that new stuff sounds a little bit on the radical side.

CAN DO ATTITUDE – I have been around churches and other organizations long enough to know that the world has more than enough wet blankets to go around. What a blessing to have such a positive group who are ready and willing to just get in and do it! This morning I ran across someone who spoke to me about something that I thought was presently just a ‘good idea’ only to find that some were already well advanced in the realization of it! I have to confess that I did put something of a brake on things but just loved the CAN DO thinking.

OUTSIDE THE BOX – I can recall in my previous appointment when an ageing congregation used to faithfully run a cake stall in the main street each month to raise funds. This was something that they had done for many years and it was as much a social occasion as a money spinner. When I was able to give permission for people to think more broadly we came up with the idea of one really BIG annual occasion that finished up making more money in its first year than the previous ten years cake stalls! In recent weeks I have been thrilled – and somewhat challenged – as I have listened in to some of the fund raising ideas being bounced around. Please keep dreaming outside that box.

ENCOURAGEMENT – One of the greatest gifts that any organization can have is to be blessed with a good smattering of encouragers. A companion of Paul in the New Testament was a guy called Barnabas. Now old Barney was clearly a very gifted man; but his name was also his greatest gift. Barnabas means ‘son of encouragement’ and he was clearly that. When Paul was having a little trouble early on it was Barnabas that stuck with him and got his ministry under way. Later, when Paul was having a little trouble with a guy called John Mark, it was Barney again who took the young John Mark under his wing. We have more than our fair share of sons and daughters of encouragement right now.

OPENNESS – In the very early weeks of 2002 as Ronnie and I settled into life in this neck of the woods I recall travelling into Castle Hill one day and seeing a sign advertising the Castle Hill RSL. In very big letters it read ‘Visitors Welcome – Conditions apply’. Some churches that I have visited are a bit like that. We are the church of course we are welcoming! Welcoming as long as you look like us, act like us and think like us! Visitors are welcome but it doesn’t take long to find that conditions apply. No church has this part of their life down perfectly but we seem to have a fairly good handle on it right now and don’t worry I will continue to push this little matter, because it isn’t a little matter.

Our mission tag is that we are on about – ‘Building Communities of Care and Hope.’ Often these sorts of things are clichés that never really seem to manifest themselves in reality. I believe that we are very well advanced in our desire to be a people who actively advance this cause and add value to the many and varied communities that we are all involved in. This is not about a group of different programs, but rather something that is in many ways a very organic thing. I mentioned on Sunday that you don’t see apple trees grunting and straining to produce apples – they just do it! And when they are in season they can’t turn off producing, they just keep spitting out apples. It is what apple trees do. Perhaps naively, I think that we should be the same as the apple tree – it’s just what we do.

Cheers - John

Some of you will be aware that I am big on the merits of creating a positive atmosphere. I really do believe that there is something called ‘a vibe’ and the more positive it is the better things can be. I have been to lots of different places and organizations and I am always alert to the feel of a place. When I was in industry my position had me travelling around many different factories in the course of a normal week and each visit was a study in picking up the atmosphere of a place.

That preamble is to lead into my saying that I am overwhelmed right now by the highly positive atmosphere at NWUC! It is a buzz just to be a part of it. Last Sunday morning as we celebrated Palm Sunday and our World Premiere’ launch of Brad’s new single the level of excitement, acceptance and openness was terrific. I made no secret of the fact that due to some property issues I was not exactly at the top of my game that morning; but people need to know the healing power of a positive place!

I have had a number of people ask me how I am travelling since Sunday morning and I don’t think that people believe me when I say that I am fine. The spirit of Sunday’s service has given cause to remind me just what we are on about. Our call is to ‘build communities of care and hope’ and it strikes me that right now we are doing it quite well thank you very much.

Next Sunday is a great example of what I am burbling about today. Many months ago now a couple of ladies came to me and talked about the possibility of having Holy Communion classes for our older Primary school kids. Kath and I bounced the idea around and decided to give it a fly; neither of us having done such a thing before. Flowing out of those conversations last year, on Easter Sunday we will be baptizing two children and bringing six into closer community with God and the church as we celebrate one of our most important Holy Communion services.

There is such a buzz of excitement about this day that I am having sleepless nights worrying about getting it wrong!! Just kidding.

Another word that sums up our gathering right now is that of anticipation. Yes, we are anticipating a great day on Sunday but it is much deeper and longer term than that. I am seeing it in our revamped home groups and in the ever growing relationships. Of late I am seeing it in our social gatherings and the sense of fun that permeates so much of what we do. This kind of atmosphere becomes quite seductive and before you know it others will want to know what is going and even against their better judgment will come along to check it out.

Summing up it is a very good place to be and my dream is that the vibe will grow even more as we journey on.

This will come about if we remain committed to one another and have a strong sense of loyalty, care and support of each other. In doing this we will find ourselves drawn into the whole mission of God for us across our own communities. Yes, it might be in the formal stuff that we do; Playgroup, Go M.A.D, ANZAC Day etc; but the miracle comes when we see that mission of ‘building communities of care and hope’ happening in our immediate communities! Across the fence, at work, school or in casual encounters at sport, over a cup of coffee or at a party. You see, it really isn’t rocket science!

Cheers - John

Famous for being famous

It might just be me but don’t you think that we are all getting a little bit petty? I am so tired of the childish antics of both Australian and Indian cricketers that this former lover of the game has simply lost all interest in it! I don’t care if we are calling people names, spitting, or making all manner of weird gestures; right now I am so over it.

I fully support the ongoing fight against Japanese whaling but when we start lobbing bottles of blood at people my interest wanes. Protest or harass if you must; but must we lower ourselves to such levels. What exactly are we seeking achieve by this tactic?

Something is wrong here. I heard an interview today about the celebrity fascination in society. One person said that people are now famous just because they are famous. I hadn’t thought about that before. In the past you had to be somebody or be exceptional at something, while nowadays it is enough to just be. I mean, just what does Paris Hilton actually DO!!??

It seems to me that we sway between two different ends of the pendulum these days. We appear to be either completely self possessed or seek to live our lives vicariously through the lives of the rich, famous and / or dead! Why is it so? Why do we either hold everything so close that we strangle it or seek identity through personalities that we are highly unlikely ever to meet and probably wouldn’t like much if we did?

One of the big interests of mine is that of this thing called self image. We speak of people having a poor self image and indeed I would have put myself in that category not too many years ago. I have now come to a place of realising that having a good ‘self image’ begins with having the courage to look beyond oneself.

A wonderful gift to me some years ago now was the discovery in the Old Testament of something the Latin refers to as ‘Imago Dei.’ In the creation story found in Genesis
‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.’ Genesis 1:26,27

What are the implications of humankind being created in the image of God? I wonder what would happen if every person on earth: Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, Jew or 32nd Day Calathumpian, actually committed to live that way? It doesn’t matter if you actually believed it or not. Just to pretend that you believed it for six months might be enough to convince?!

It is a very dangerous world when we are allowed to work out our self image in isolation from anyone else. I am just finishing reading a book on the Jewish Holocaust of World War 2 and am struck by the fact that Adolf Hitler – a small dark haired man – created an image of the true Aryan race being tall and blond. In this process certain people were decreed to be non-persons and plans for their destruction were put in place. Of course we don’t do this kind of thing anymore do we?

Imago Dei! We are created in the image of God. When the creation process was just about done – however you wish to interpret the story – God looked to the pinnacle of his creation journey and made us in his image.

What if we claimed this as truth just for a week of our lives? We could make it our next project after giving up giving up what we gave up for Lent!

Imagine the image of God in our lives and in the lives of every person that we connect with each day. We might even think twice about spitting at them, or throwing something at them, or even calling them obnoxious little weeds? We might stop listening to gossip about people and instead think the best of people.

What was it that Jesus said when asked about the most important commandments? ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no command greater than these.’

Maybe; just maybe, he had something there?

Cheers - John

We're one but we're not the same

A quote that grabbed me some year ago now is that of Pastor Bill Hybel’s:

‘There is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.’

It is interesting to look through the Scriptures to get some ideas about what the church might look like at its best.

'..you know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the bulwark of the truth.’ 1 Timothy 3:15 - New Revised Standard Version.

The word pillar is relatively easy to explain as a support; but bulwark might need some clarification. A bulwark is a defensive wall to hold out the enemy or in naval terms a wall above the deck for protection. So the church has to be the support and defender of God’s truth. History might reveal a different side of things where we too often we have been the betrayer and perhaps even the enemy of God’s truth.

Part of my personal musings of late has been the issue of oneness. We can best be a pillar and bulwark if we are one. Not one in the sense of never disagreeing, or getting frustrated and annoyed with each other from time to time; but one in a commitment to the road ahead and a deep desire to see lives changed for good.

One of the most commonly asked questions of Christianity is a request to explain the Holy Trinity! Now, I have my fair share of goes at it and have experienced enough train wrecks to know that I fail just about every time. Nowadays rather than explain, I like to get people reflecting on the ONENESS of the Triune God.

In the first three verses of the Book of Genesis we have all three aspects of God mentioned. Verse one ‘when God created’ and then verse two ‘while the SPIRIT of God, followed by verse three, ‘Then God said (a WORD is spoken). In John’s gospel we read:

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ John1:1
So rather than focus on explanations it is exciting (for me anyway!) to think about this oneness in God. This incredible unity that I believe is held out to us.

‘Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness..”’

Genesis 1:26

So the Genesis story gives us this amazing picture of the creative, life giving and love giving God deciding to create on planet Earth beings that are ‘according to our likeness’! That rates fairly high on the WOW scale.

The thing is, when this is done God decides – according to Genesis 2:18 - that it is not good!! Something is missing and that thing was a companion. We cannot exist in isolation. We are designed for unity and oneness. We tend to shrink this down to the act of marriage but I think that we cheapen this concept by simply holding it inside the rites of a wedding ceremony.

The church of the living God is called to reflect the image of God. I think that this becomes excitingly real when we understand the centrality of oneness. It is easily disrupted; but when it is given room to flourish, it can become a powerful force for change. Who knows, we might even begin to transform the world. There really is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.

Cheers - John

Location, location, location!

This coming Sunday we celebrate four years since our official launch as a new congregation on the 14th of December 2003. At that time we had managed to gather some 24 or 25 adults around us. That is not bad when you consider that 15 months previous we were no more than a good idea. Today, four years on, the number of adults who see themselves as connected to our worship life is now around the 70 mark. We would certainly get a shock if everyone turned up at once! Of course if you add in the kids we can put another 60 onto the list at least!

Then of course you begin to consider our ‘others’ list which sees us in contact with another 50 or 60 families through our various ministries? So, after a few years of hard work maybe we can be kind to each other on our birthday and give all concerned a well earned pat on the back. From me; well done and thank you so much for your support.

Nothing particularly ‘museish’ about the above; but it has got me thinking about how we have gone about forming this very special community of ours. My thinking is also related to our latest foray into the property market and the concern that we are being seen to be moving to the fringe of our area. You know the old Real Estate cry – LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

I believe in the location thing and make the point that we have grown precisely because of that truth. However, it has not been the location of a building that has seen us grow so well; but rather the location of our people. Growth has not come from people being attracted to a building or a particular style of worship; but by people connecting with people, and for this to happen we have had to be located with them! Of course I have made the point a hundred times before but that is how Jesus did it.

‘The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood.’ John 1:14 The Message

That’s how we went about it and continue to work this model. I have to say that for Ronnie and I this has been at some cost because among our variety of different gifts, hospitality has never rated all that high! Now, we get on with people okay (I think?), but we are not natural entertainers or hosts. So for two people – one of whom is extremely shy and the other as much an introvert as an extrovert – it has been an interesting journey. As a for instance we would have had more than double the amount of events at our home in five years here than we had in eleven and a half in our previous place.

Location, location, location is a great mission statement as long as we realize that it’s all about people. Jesus went where they were and connected with them. He did it at their workplace, their homes, at family celebrations and wakes, at religious gatherings and even took time out from his own parades to connect with people. These times of interruption stand out for me as the most impressive stuff of all. Here he connects with the unclean, the sick, blind deaf, ostracized and oppressed. It was while Jesus was just going about his daily stuff that healing, hope and life came to others. Here is the thing for me. I can see this happening today right across the different things that we do.

Location is all about being where people are at, rather than where we would like them to be. Life would be so much easier if we arrived in a district, let people know our church times and just waited for the crowds to flock right on in. Here is a news flash. That hasn’t happened for a VERY long time. So we go where they are and provide a variety of opportunities to connect. There are two things that stop our nation and neither of them is religious. Well... I guess they are a bit! ANZAC Day and Melbourne Cup are two key Australian moments and each year we provide a local place for people to reflect and celebrate these occasions.

Aberdoon House, Story Time, Playgroup, Go M.A.D, State of Origin, Ginger Bread Houses, Ladies Day, Christmas Eve, Pub Chat, Movies & Martinis are all attempts at meeting people in a non-threatening place and by stealth BEING the good news that Jesus calls us to be. We do look after ourselves by home groups, 50+, TGYH and other in house things and these are vital to our well being; but our focus has always been outward looking.

Of course in today's diverse society location is also connected to communication. I am old enough to remember when you rang someone and the first question you asked was ‘How are you?’ Nowadays you ring and the question is more likely to be ‘Where are you?’ So we have to connect with people no matter what their location. That is why we have an SMS Network on the go these days, plus these musings, plus our blog address and our website and our bulletin. Someone kindly passed on a word of encouragement about my musings last week and wondered how I found the time to do it. It is imperative that I make time for these things!

So, if you can’t make it next Sunday, let me wish you a Happy Birthday ahead of time. If you are relatively new on the block it makes no difference – you’re part of the family – what’s ours is yours. If you’ve been around from the beginning you deserve a medal. But the best I can do is say thanks and I’m sorry we don’t see as much of each other as we used to.

Are there plastic golf balls in heaven?

This coming Sunday is the First of Advent. In real terms it is the beginning of the church year. For the Christian church Advent is a season of preparation. It is not preparation for Christmas with all of the planning of what to buy, what to eat and what you might like to receive; but a time to reflect upon what the Advent (coming) of Christ – past present and future might mean for us.

Advent is very important to me and I make every effort, despite the time of year, to slow myself down and reflect on what this time really means. So many of us – me included – occasionally refer to this time as the ‘silly season’. It’s a bit sad really that the time of celebrating God’s divine intervention into history is so often an occasion of great stress and turmoil.

It is a regular frustration to me that the one time of the year when our Christian presence might really have an impact among others, we actually abandon our post and simply join the crowd rushing madly around complaining about how little time and money we have and how much we have to do.

One of the Bible readings that I will be looking at on Sunday is Isaiah 2:1-5:

‘The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

In days to come the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.

Many people shall come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths .”

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.’

Isaiah didn’t write this when all was well with him and his nation. Indeed they were in exile and things probably could not have been worse. The prophet Isaiah – as is the role of a true prophet – was not ruled by what the eye could see or what his mind might tell him; he was ruled by what he felt God was saying and showing to him. We can learn a lot from Isaiah.

What if we as the people of God in our local communities determined to do what Isaiah suggests in the last part of the above reading? We have just come through a time when people have been offering us a whole bunch of ways forward; what if we chose God’s? What if we chose – against all the odds – to ‘walk in the light of the Lord’? Christmas is supposed to be a time of hope. What if we chose to walk in that hope? It is also supposed to be about peace, joy and love. What if we made a conscious decision this Advent and Christmas to not only light Advent candles and flip through Advent calendars; but make real the promises of God by bringing these things into view through our own lives of worship, witness and service? What if we as a local church committed to offering these things to each other and to others? Come; let us walk in the light of the Lord.

It is a personal theory of mine; but if you are reading this and have already decided that you are too busy for it; you’re right – you are too busy!

Today I was given a lesson in theology by a pre-schooler. Some months ago the families pet dog died and for whatever reason he had been pondering on this and was missing his little mate. He decided that he wanted to give his pet something to play with in heaven. When he suggested that he wanted to give a ball his dad thought that perhaps God already some balls in heaven already; but our little friend had worked out that they were probably hard ones and his pup needed a soft ball. On arrival at Playgroup I was handed a white plastic golf ball with a simple enough request; ‘Pastor John, could you give this ball to God and ask him to give it to my little dog?’

From another part of Isaiah: ‘The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.’
It’s hardly surprising that Jesus calls us to become like little children.

Buying in

Over the years I have seen some strange things go on in churches but seeing a whole bunch of women turn up last Sunday morning with their slippers on was something a little different!

How many conferences have you been to where upon arrival you are presented with a pair of slippers? Well, it happened on Saturday at our first ever ‘Live with Passion – A day for Women.’ It was a very special day where our female guests were very much pampered and made to feel special. So much so that some of our ladies were still wearing those darned slippers on Sunday morning.

These past four weeks have been for me some of the most exciting and uplifting of times. The wonderful success of our first Church Camp, closely followed by a very stormy (weather wise) but highly encouraging Melbourne Cup celebration was a good start to November; and then last weekend’s activities really nailed things. In recent days we seem to have moved to another level of ministry in this place and we should be feeling highly encouraged as we move toward Christmas and the New Year.

Some years ago I was asked by someone if it would be okay if they started coming along to our church even if they did not necessarily hold with some of the stuff we believed. Interesting; I was asked a very similar question this past weekend.

One of my favourite Christian authors is a guy called Gordon McDonald. A few years back he wrote a book called ‘Mid-Course Correction’ which Gordon wrote as he headed into his sixties and was wondering what might lie ahead for him and others of us who have passed the half way mark. He referred to some research by Anthropologists (people who study anthrops) who had found that people in various cultures align themselves in two different ways. One is a circle that is defined by its outer circumference. In this scheme a person is either in or out of the circle. Those inside the circle define what it takes for people outside to get in. Many will of course recognise this as a very common model in a whole bunch of situations, very much including church. The other alternative is not concerned with the circle, its circumference, or who is in our out. The question is not are you in or out but ‘are you moving toward the centre or away from it?’

Now, depending on a whole bunch of things any organisation will have movements toward and away from the centre and I recognise that we are not immune from that movement and some people choose or circumstance dictates a move away from the centre. However, alongside this is the fact that a whole bunch of people are now moving toward the centre and that excites me.

A number of people are now pulling together our big Christmas Eve event (including a kids’ choir!) and other ministry areas such as Playgroup, Ginger Bread House, finance and property matters are all being infiltrated – in the nicest possible way - by different people. At the beginning of this year I identified one of my key areas of focus in 2007 has encouraging new leadership across the life of the church. It isn’t all that often that a good plan really comes together but I have been very happy to see this come to fruition over these past months. Praise God! People are moving toward the centre.

Remember that classic Aussie movie – The Castle? Daryl’s Lawyer is stuck for words as he faces the court and the best he can do is ‘It’s the vibe - it’s all about the vibe’. Well, the vibe around here right now appears to be pretty good. There is a wonderful spirit about the different ways in which NorthWest Uniting Church is going about stuff of late. There is a strong sense of hope, optimism and energy that is quite infectious. Good grief even I’m catching it!

Just today I had cause to reflect on just what it means to be about following Christ in today’s world. I think that Jesus’ illustration of being salt is a good way of looking at it: ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ In the days of Jesus salt was vital to preserve food and give taste. The thing was though; the salt had to be absorbed - disappear - to be most effective. Much of what we do cannot easily be defined and has no obvious spiritual agenda. It’s a bit like the vibe really. You can’t quite pin down what it is or why it is; but nevertheless it IS!

This coming Sunday I will be finishing my four week series – ‘An Infectious Faith’ with a talk titled ‘Shine like stars – A life worth Catching’. Those of you who have kept up (a chocolate bar to anyone hears all four) will know that we started with Courage, then Compassion and last week Credibility. So this week to keep up with the C’s theme we have Catching. Hope you can!