Aim Lower, Think Smaller ... eh?

At a recent training event, I was struck by this strange message: "Aim Lower. Think Smaller. Give up. Go have a cup of coffee." It is supposed to be a strategy for churches' work with children: but it's also cleverly having a bit of a go at how some churches behave! After all, some do aim low, think small and give up - but the idea is to turn these things into positives!

• Aim lower: In other words, the Church should target more of its work at children, not only because they are often receptive to Good News, but because it is impossible to put a price on the value of children's presence, liveliness, disruptiveness, and inquisitiveness - they prompt adults to practise our faith more hospitably, more generously and more energetically.


• Think smaller: We should recognise that it is not only 'grown-ups' who have gifts, but children too, with so much to offer - and they draw our attention to different ways of seeing the world, to notice smaller details, to care for the voiceless, the un-noticed, the vulnerable.


• Give up: Remember that each local church is not the full extent of the Church, and that there may be things we can and should give up for the sake of the church in another place, just as we can also receive from others - and children help us to make these connections.


• Go have a cup of coffee (or squash!): It's not about resigning ourselves to the default position of 'a time of fellowship', but affirming that we are, first and foremost, a living community of people gathering to support one another - people of all ages, together.

So, let's aim lower, think smaller, give up, and go have a cup of coffee. A good vision for us all!

What to do with a difficult book: the Bible!

Happy New Year! And straight to work - I've noticed a couple of times recently that how we read the Bible is central to how we understand ourselves as a Christian community and how we understand our good news. There are those who find the issue quite easy - they just say, 'Do what the Bible says, because the Bible has all the answers.' And yet I suspect most people who say that are just as inconsistent with their use of the Bible as anyone else, because it's simply not a straightforward 'guide book' or 'manual', but involves some 'getting into'. On the other hand, there are those who say, 'It's just too difficult', so let's pick the bits we like but leave the rest - but that fails to appreciate how even the hard bits can be so fruitful for us, especially in the way they help us to take into account different voices within our community - because different people find different bits hard. So here's an example of a more balanced & fruitful approach:

Mark starts his Gospel (probably the first Gospel to be written) being fully aware that Jewish people were under the impression that God had stopped speaking (it says so in Malachi, at the end of their scriptures), so how can these Christian people dare to say that God has done a new thing? Well, he pumps his opening verses full of Scriptural references, quoting Malachi, who prophesied a new messenger, and Isaiah, who spoke of new things 'in the wilderness', referring to John the Baptist, and showing that he was clothed just like the ancient prophet Elijah - i.e. these are signals that the God of the Jewish Scriptures is still acting. And then there is the explosive idea, when Jesus comes to be baptised, that the heavens are opened - reversing their closure in Malachi - and God's Spirit comes - reflecting the opening of Genesis, where God's Spirit stirs the earth into new life - i.e. a signal that new creation is happening now!

What this tells us is, 1) Mark was a sophisticated writer, piecing together his material in such a way to show the vitality of his new kind of faith; and 2) the Bible refers to itself in a way which often needs de-coding, though different people find different answers, but best of all: 3) it tells of a God who does new things, who gives new insights, new wisdom, new possibilities, so must not be confined within fixed interpretations, because God speaks to every generation, rooted in an ancient history but pouring out into the future too. So what is on the horizon for us?

The X-mas Factor

I know, the title is a bit naff - 'The X-mas Factor' - and probably not very original, but it's hard work always having to try to come up with new ways to talk about Christmas! I sometimes feel that there is this pressure from traditional church - whether or not the pressure is real - to reinforce that the Christmas message always stays the same, in the midst of a changing world. But the more I look at the Bible readings we use during Advent - particularly the words of prophets like Isaiah, but also the 'traditional' nativity stories of Jesus too - the more I feel that 'God is doing a new thing', not just way back when in history, but time and time again ... After all, what we need to realise is that there's something genuinely unexpected about the birth of Jesus - and to 'get' it, every year, we need to witness it as a surprise each time. The Roman Empire taught its people that it was the source of peace, and there were stories about the Emperor being miraculously born, and people being guided to his birth by a mysterious star - so when Matthew and Luke wrote their nativity stories, they were doing something dangerous and unexpected: they were saying God doesn't bless the imperial teachings, but, as the nativity shows, is to be found working through a family for whom 'there is no room' - a very different power at work, and a very different X-mas factor, bringing peace from below, in solidarity with the vulnerable.

Yes We Can!

It's an inspiring moment in world history. Less than 50 years since black people were not allowed to vote, in some American States, a black man has become President of the USA. But more than than, Barack Obama created a new coalition of people - including many who had never donated to political campaigns, or who had never thought that politics was about them - who led him to the White House on a tidal wave directed towards 'change'. Of course, he knows well that the hard work really begins now, and of course, many people are so used to being disappointed by their leaders that there is nearly always a hint of cynicism around; but surely we can see this moment for what it is: a profound reminder of the possibility of real change. It's not just about the individual, or the family, or even how America must now see itself differently, because its 'first family' represents the nation in a very different way; but is also about the possibility of change itself. So may we encourage each other to believe that real change is possible, and that it begins with us ...

A Different Story to Tell

The news is dominated by bad news - and, particularly at the moment, by stories of anxiety concerning global finance, banking, housing, as well as energy and food prices, which hit the poorest hardest. It would be too glib to say instead that we have good news, as though we are indifferent to the bad news, because we must care deeply about every bit of bad news - and yet we are called to be people of good news, to share a different story, a story of hope in the face of despair, the dignity of people in the face of their belittlement, and love in the face of fear. So let's bear that responsibility gratefully but seriously - we are people of good news, for those who are hungry, for those who are left out ... we believe another world is possible, and it begins even with the small things we do together ... even as we break bread together, so that everyone eats! So let us tell our stories boldly - of people being accepted, valued, loved - stories the world needs to hear.

Cafe Church - our first go

On 20th July, we did our first attempt at "Cafe Church" - a way of doing worship which combines some elements of drinking in a cafe with some elements of a church service - and people of all ages found it a good experience. People were surprised to be offered a drink as soon as they arrived, and wondered if they had gate-crashed a party of some kind, with the church chairs set around several coffee tables, but they soon got the idea that the whole experience was informal ... and during the service, people discussed some questions based on a Bible reading, and the children made some great 'clocks' (because the theme was "Time" - especially looking back, to think about the things that have shaped us, so the Bible reading was Ecclesiastes 3: verses 1-8, "a time for everything ... for planting and pulling up, for weeping and a time for dancing ... a time for searching and giving up ...") And at the end, several people said we should try it again, when more of our members are around, so more people get to experience it - and perhaps we will try it more regularly (something for us to think about at our Church Day - a time to celebrate, to discuss our challenges and to dream new dreams!) But for now, think for yourselves: when have you planted, and when have you pulled up your roots? When have you wept, and when have you danced? When have you searched, and when have you given up? Or: when have you tried something new, and when have you tried it again ...?

Climate Change and Children's Game

On Sunday 27th July, in the later part of our church's morning service, we had a discussion - about Climate Change. Half the church were invited to be Cynics, to play the role of people who aren't convinced we should bother about it, and half were Activists, passionate advocates of the idea that this issue is vital. And it worked quite well - people got in to role, we aired some of the issues, and maybe we even came slightly closer to convincing one or two 'real-life cynics' that human beings are largely responsible for the speed of the world's average temperature increase - and that we can still do things to make a difference. But, although that was the part of the service which took the most planning, there was another moment earlier on, when the children were playing a game, when Good News came to life! It was a game of uncovering pairs of cards, which had pictures of times when we get stuck or of times when we get 'unstuck' - and one girl, getting into it, shouted out, "I like this game!" Of course, the adults' discussion was vital - not a game, but even an issue of life or death for millions of people most vulnerable to the effects of irreversible climate change - and yet it was also vital to hear a child declaring that she liked a game we were playing during worship! It all matters ...

Easter is coming ...

Stop. Look. Listen. You're at the edge of the pavement, and it's a busy road. You need to stop. Look. Listen. It's a strange way to start talking about Easter, but I think there's a real sense that the Easter stories in the Bible, stories which the Church can so easily take for granted, are like a busy and dangerous road. So stop. Look. Listen. It's significant that the Gospels tell us that when the women encountered the empty tomb and the angel with the news of Jesus' resurrection, they fled in "terror and amazement" (Mark 16:8) ... terror, because they were genuinely terrified at this new experience, and with the sense of responsibility it gave them, but amazement, because they would now find themselves living in the world in a new way.
But more than that, these stories are dangerous in two other ways: 1) it can be especially dangerous to read these, if not any, Bible stories on your own - you might be likely to think that your interpretation of them is enough, and you are likely to be satisfied that you can possess the truth in your own life - whereas the Bible demands interpretation in community, which is partly the point of the resurrection stories themselves - the good news is to be "shared" with the whole discipleship community; it is not the possession of individuals, but something which comes alive and makes more sense through the testing and enriching process of conversation with fellow travellers ... which is why those who say they can be Christians on their own are a sign of our individualistic times, whereas the counter-cultural thing to do is to go to Bible study!
2) The Easter stories are dangerous, because they challenge our world - where Good Friday teaches the power of violence, Easter says that violence shall be overcome; where Good Friday teaches that goodness and hope can be crushed, Easter says hope strikes back! and where Good Friday teaches that any movement, any idea, any story, any interpretation can be entombed or pinned down or finalised, Easter insists that there is always new life: the story might not be quite as you had thought, the interpretation might be only half an answer, the thing which looked like a full stop might be exposed as a comma, because the story continues, new life strikes again!

We Are A Mosaic

An All-Age Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

I love this picture - Kathleen's smile, Victor's concentration with the hammer, Lewis ready to help out. It says a lot - particularly that, not only are we in the process of creating our second large-scale mosaic ("Faith"), but we are a mosaic ourselves! At Lees Street, we are like different sized, different coloured, different aged pieces, sometimes a bit broken, sometimes shiny, often with rough edges, sometimes difficult to fit together, but still all coming together to make something more beautiful ... but of course, the difference between the mosaics on the wall and the real-life mosaic is that we will never be finished - there is always room for more pieces, with more colours, more rough edges, more unique gifts to add to the overall picture. So let's celebrate our creative mix! Graham.

Shaping the Future - Living it Now

Johannesburg: dusk or dawn?
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

This is going to become a major theme! It matters, because churches are usually playing 'catch-up' - not only in terms of using one bit of technology just as the next one is going out of fashion, but more generally, we tend not to be 'ahead of the game'. (Incidentally, a BIG THANKS to Sheryl for creating this blogsite - a huge leap forward, which really helps us to play the game!) So what would be involved in seizing the initiative, so we once again shape the future?

After all, that's what 'the kingdom of God' is all about - when Jesus urges us to see what a different future looks like, in which the last are first, in which the hungry are fed, the humble inherit the earth, and enemies are loved, and he dares us to live it now. What this means for churches is that we should have a vision, not only for our own church-life, but for our society and the world too - how do we want things to look? And we should say and do things which specifically strive for that vision in the here and now. In some respects, we do this already, but we can be bolder ... so, what is involved in encouraging us to believe in shaping a new future?

Graham

Anne's Diary

Lees Street Amateur and Musical Dramatic Society recently presented a play about the life and diary of Anne Frank.

It was a moving way of bringing to our attention the wisdom and courage of the young writer, Anne, a Jew, who hid with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, though ultimately they were betrayed and she died in Bergen-Belsen, just weeks before the war ended. But it also brought to mind the situations where persecution and hatred persist.

Anne wrote this: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” It is quite a thought for us. So what about the Anne Frank Declaration:

“Anne Frank is a symbol of the millions of children who have been victims of persecution.
Anne’s life and death show us what can happen when prejudice and hatred go unchallenged.
And because prejudice and hatred harm us all, we declare that:
We will stand up for what is right and speak out against what is unfair and wrong.
We will try to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
We will strive for a world in which our differences will make no difference –
a world in which everyone is treated fairly and has an equal chance in life.”

Let’s not just think about it

Easter: putting us together again

Easter Cross
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

On Good Friday, we marked the way in which the breaking of Jesus' body was mirrored in the breaking of his community. This was signalled most clearly by Peter's denial of his Teacher - he was cutting himself off from 'the body of Christ'. And as Jesus died, we read that the women 'stood at a distance'. Others fled, or hid, and stayed silent. But Easter signals the healing of the body - just as Jesus is risen, so his community rises to new life. The disciples on the road to Emmaus start talking things through; they are open to the wisdom of an apparent outsider; they are hospitable again, despite their inevitable fears; they share bread; and they go and share good news, once their eyes are 'opened'. The body is being restored! And so it is with Peter - in John's Gospel, chapter 21, Jesus gives him chance to put right each of his three denials, and he re-commits to feeding Jesus' sheep ... the journey can go on; for the body is restored. This is good news: Even through the very worst things, there is hope as God chooses and uses broken and fragile people to be agents of good news. So it is that, in 1 Corinthians 15 (vs 12-20, 42-44), we are encouraged because 'what is sown in weakness is raised in strength, what is sown in dishonour is raised in glory, what is sown physically is raised spiritually.' The risen Christ is 'the first-fruits' of this hope: so there is more to come ... each time we are broken, we can be restored, to go on and share good news. Otherwise, we are left with nothing; so thank God, who puts us together again, and again, to carry on being compassionate, forgiving, as wounded travellers seeking peace and justice together.

Abolition Act - act against slavery again

One of the best things in the resources for the commemoration of the abolition of the British Empire's slave trade (in 1807) has been the information about the lesser known "abolitionists". William Wilberforce did not achieve it on his own. We have rediscovered Olaudah Equiano, the former slave who travelled Britain, telling his story. We have rediscovered Harriet Tubman who escaped slavery but returned to help free a further 300 people through the 'Underground Railroad', the network of secret contacts and safe houses. Also there was Hannah More, a British writer who inspired many women to join the movement. They remind us of Shiphrah and Puah in the Book of Exodus, chapter 2: Egyptian midwives who undermined the Pharaoh's instructions to kill the newborn male Hewbrews. For freedom was not won by Moses acting alone! So, on 25th March, the anniversary date, Lees Street looked at the call of Moses: faced with a burning bush, revealing God's presence, he 'hid his face'. How true that we want to hide our faces from the realities of slavery - which still goes on - and from God's call to us to act, again and again. But faced with God's call, the God who has been there throughout the ages, the God who hears the people's cries and seeks a way for freedom to be brought into being, Moses found himself saying, "Here I am." So we too must hear the cries, hear the call, and see where we are ... here we are! So we made our paper chains, symbols of enslavement, joining with other churches doing the same thing, and we signed the 'stop the traffik' petition, and our remembrance of one 'abolition act' became a commitment to abolition today. Moses and Wilberforce did not act alone; Shiphrah, Puah, Equiano, Tubman, More, countless others ... and now, hopefully, we add our own names to the movement for human freedom, again and again.

Click on these links for more info. Set All Free or Stop the Traffik

Controversy about Diversity!

I recently gave a talk about Islam to a church group - for two reasons, I suppose: 1) because it's a contemporary subject which deserves some attention, not least because most news coverage is negative; and 2) because I believe it is a Christian responsibility to listen to others; after all, Jesus practised such hospitality that he would welcome even the people who were feared and avoided by most others. And the responses were interesting! Most were fascinated; they appreciated the need to understand better the religious tradition of Muslims. But someone thought I was "preaching Islam" - I'm not sure how, because I kept emphasising that we have differences, even as we also considered some of the interesting areas of overlap (e.g. Jesus is deeply respected in the Qur'an as a Great Prophet and a revelation of peace.)
Of course, it is always risky for someone of one faith to describe the beliefs of another faith - we can't help but over-simplify things and see them through our own eyes. But it's still important to try to understand where different people are coming from, just as the ecumenical movement has helped different church traditions to understand each other better. It is possible, too, to stand up for what you believe in while also listening to what others say. And in some respects, it is essential.

Happy New Year vision!

Happy New Year to you all! Even though it can be said without much thought, it's still a greeting of goodwill. It's not just words; it's a way of reaching out to one another. So, for us at Lees Street church at the beginning of 2007, where will our hopes and goodwill lead us? In Proverbs 29, verse 18, in the old Authorised Version of the Bible, it says "where there is no vision, the people perish." Later, more accurate translations put it this way: "where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint." The idea is that, 'prophecy' - or the discernment of God's word, God's ways - encourages people to be 'restrained', to 'stay true' to their calling. The alternative is: without vision, without prophecy, without God's word, people become reckless - they head off 'doing their own thing'. Obviously, people disagree greatly about the implications of this - one person's restraint is another person's recklessness! - but still there's the crucial idea that, as people of faith, we're called to root what we do in the vision God offers to us ... a vision of happiness, yes, but more importantly a vision of compassion, justice, peace, healing and hope.

"I am shocked" - in a good way!

Our Christmas Carol service was a good occasion when members of both the church and the Musical Society came together, sang traditional and new carols, took part in Christmas sketches, and prepared a simple cradle with strips of cloth. One highlight was the Nativity Play performed mostly by adults, but they did it as though they were infant school children, with Joseph's catchphrase being "I am shocked" as the events unfolded. It's easy to forget the shocking message - that God did not come to us with force and power, or with big boots on, but even through the cries of a vulnerable baby we witness God's relationship with us - and it's easy to squander the hope of such a message, burying it under busy-ness, tinsel and seasonal stress, but the hope remains: a new world is possible, if we follow the example of the Prince of Peace, if we love our enemies, if we forgive one another and put the needs of 'the last' first. Shocking, eh?

Christmas at Lees Street

You are warmly invited to join us to for our Christmas services.

21st December - 7pm
Cloth for the Cradle Carol service

Christmas Eve - 11am
Christingle Service

Christmas Day - 10.30am
Christmas Morning service

Living in the new world today

This is one of the hardest things to believe: that "the kingdom of God" is not something in the distant future, or in another place altogether, but that it starts here and now. We are invited to live as though it is already here, and this is possible if we practise what Jesus preached and did. Of course it's hard, because it involves "going against the grain" of so many of our 'natural' reactions (or we're told that they're natural??). Take the example of being hurt by what someone says to you. When it happens to me, I get upset - don't you? And there's nothing wrong with being upset or saying you're upset. But then there's the challenge: Jesus says pray for those who hurt you. In 'worldly' terms, it sounds crazy! But in terms of 'living in the new world today', it's an important first-step towards breaking the age-old cycles, and making God's kingdom a reality. Of course, what helps to make this happen is other people who walk with you: so I give thanks to God wholeheartedly for those people who listen to me when I'm upset, who allow me to be angry, who give me the space, and who pray for me. It's because of them, that I can begin to find the strength to pray for those who hurt or misunderstand me.

The Church as a House

We're used to thinking of a church as "the house of God", but I've been reading a book called "Congregation: Stories and Structures" which recommends that we think of a church much like any house. The point is that we already behave this way; we just need to recognise it. So what does this mean? Well, if we think about it, we'll realise that we do treat the church like a house - and not just the building; it's about 'the family' who gather together. Like all the best homes, we try to demonstrate hospitality, to make people feel welcome, but it's not always easy - after all, every 'house' has its own rules, doesn't it? They may not be written down anywhere. They may not even be spoken. But people find their place in the house according to certain standards of behaviour, certain ways of doing things, particular "understandings" about who is in charge of what, who is responsible for what. Every house is a bit like this, and each church has its own unique "understandings" as well. We can't help it. But the question is: can we see what we're doing? There's also the question about who is the head of the household? Like most houses, it will depend what issue you're talking about - some people are in charge of the shopping and kitchen, others in charge of the fixtures and fittings, etc. But as a church, the true head should not be any individual or the minister, but the Spirit of Christ - which reminds us to always check out how well the running of our house accords with Christ's Spirit ... which isn't primarily about maintaining the structures, but is about showing particular concern for 'outsiders' ... Mmm.

Movers and Shakers

Who'd have thought it? Not just that our Sunday worship seems to have been enhanced by the use of musical instruments ... but that it is not only children who take the shakers out of the box! It is fantastic - to see people of a wide range of ages taking a shaker or seed-filled egg or tambourine! Without meaning to sound over-the-top, it's one of the best things about being the minister of this church! Why? Because it's not just about making the singing better than before - with people contributing to the overall sound in new ways. It's also about worship being a community activity - it's something we all do - and a bodily activity - it involves not just our mouths, or ears, but our arms and hips! And to play instruments, along with the organ, with three-year olds and seventy-three year olds, we certainly need our ears, but also our arms - and our smiles (because sometimes it's really funny), as well as our patience (because sometimes the shakers are shaken at the "wrong" time!) But more than that - may be it also helps us to think of ourselves as "movers and shakers" out in the world, too ... to see that our worship of God leads us to be people of hope and joy, justice and peace in the world. That's a thought.