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
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
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
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
Sunday, April 6, 2008
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
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
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