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