MY PATCH

Covenant

2012-01-08T19:37:00.001Z

The Methodist Covent Service I have a copy of the covent prayer on my office wall. I've had a copy of it for a long time now, this one I picked up from Wesley's House. It's never a easy prayer to say. Wesley would have classes about it to help people think through just what was being said during the covent. This year it was even harder after a difficult year...

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

If your like me right now the words you just read the word that comes to mind is ouch...

the prayer strips away the very core of the thing that we take so strongly our RIGHTS.. To say this prayer is to deny they very thing that drives our world. That last line I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

The first service of January in Baslow I joined friends as we came together to join together in renewing this covent with God.

Just Another Bear!!

2012-01-05T18:43:00.000Z

Earlier this week I posted the photo below on my photo blog. The day I saw it walking the dog it really stopped me. It really isn't something you expect to see. One of the things this blog was about was seeing God in the little patch that I live and work in. To see God in the everyday in the ordinary of life. This image has stayed in my thoughts all week. one comment left saw 'peace offering'. I don't no the story behind why this was done a joke or a remembrance of a accident. So what was the photo

Bear behind barbed wire on the top of a wall. So many of those who live next door or down the road to. Those who are our neighbours and even yes even each of us can be just like this bear at times that wanting to be loved, cared for love me lots. Yet there are hugh sharp barriers around keeping us in and others, and hurting ourselves and others out.

The amnesty international symbol also came to mind with this picture

Hope and light in a dark place in the candle and wire, love and peace comfort behind wire in the image of the bear in both these images is what our communities need.

Today another image spoke to me that of Holy Saturday that saturday between Good Friday and Easter day. Esther De Waal writes about a image of what took place on this day something that artist struggle to show. yet on a font in a English church

is a dramatic and dynamic scene, portrayed with extra- ordinary vigour and richness. Christ is dragging Adam out of a limbo of twisted knots, rather like clinging tentacles. (An antiquarian brochure, written by someone who had no idea of the context, described it as a man being pulled out of a thorny hedge, and somehow I always felt that this homely interpretation was no bad way of catching something of the difficulty and discomfort of how entangled we become and how we need the help of a strong hand to drag us upward.) Seeking Life.p.14-15

The bear at the end of the road here a daily reminder of the mystery and grace of Easter that there is nothing not even a barb wire fence that will stop the Love and grace of God reaching out to His creation. Not matter what the darkness in life may be His light will shine through and the comforter will be there alongside by His Spirit and by His People being Jesus with skin on.

Top moments of 2011

2011-12-31T13:00:00.001Z

A friend posted on her blog her top moments of 2011(here) then sent out a tweet to challenge to do the same and STF posted her 11 for 11 (here)...

So my moments for 2011 Hmmm it's been a really hard year for MyPatch in a lot of ways.. but lets see how far we get.....

1. Hesse (link) with a friend is always good enjoy these trip with this friend a lot...

2. Trip though the Finnish Archipelago over night with STF and had breakfast on the boat looking out over the harbour in Sweden. playing wii bowling in the children deck very funny oh and Playing M&M poker

3. Getting a second merit for a MA assignment which meant I could go on to the full MA at Cliff College. Thanks due here to STF and My/Our friend and mentor Rev Dr P Meadows. Who believed and encouraged.

4. Robes project... talking and serving the homeless who stayed one night a week with us in vauxhall over the winter months. For many there were good news stories of lives renewed starting jobs.and new homes.

5. My New Home and New post in Leicester -

6. Bryan Adams in Concert at the O2 amazing night

7. Cub Camp - eating pizza in Akkalas car that had been smuggled back to camp by her and another leader so the other didn't find out...

8. Little women- Helping with the Lighting at the inner city players production.

9. Tea and home made scones on the patio in wonderful sun in Turku

10. Trip to Greenwich and the docklands museums picnic lunch band in Hyde Park on a hot sunny sunday afternoon Regents park too tea at the teahouse theatre

11. Street party in vauxhall for the royal wedding and wandering round London the night of the wedding chatting and taking in the atmosphere.

Advent 4

2011-12-22T16:32:00.000Z

So we're almost at the end of the journey to Bethlehem and so the ADVENTure is almost over but is it theres much more to the story more of the journey to take.. I'll be sad to leave the advent story behind I've enjoyed leading it and enjoyed seeing the different children engage with the different characters. Comments from other leaders about the wondering we did on the very first story of the Holy Family way back in October. Who went home and discussed it with there significant others.

But today we had the wise men bringing there gifts.. Each week there has been that little phrase that makes me smile todays was this

"The wise men are always late, every year they're late, usually not arriving until January 6th. But we remember them anyway, because like us, they too on our their way to Bethlehem." :)..

Christmas Meal

2011-12-15T16:32:00.000Z

I used to love school dinners esp the sponge cake with pink icing on covered in custard. Today was christmas dinner at Hamilton Community College.

Over the Last few weeks I've been working in the Key stage 3 base ( thats yr 7-8 (11-14's) or to the older readers 1st & 2nd yrs of secondary). Those who come to the base are in need of support in different ways through bad days or need help with social skills. The base is part of the Inclusion facilities at the school

The faculty strongly believes in the College ethos, “Every child should achieve their very best and feel secure,” regardless of their individual needs. The Learning and Life Skills Faculty is dedicated to improving the literacy and numeracy of targeted students, SA, SA+ and Statemented, providing nurture as appropriate and to share information on students with needs to all staff, especially strategies and targets to include in mainstream lessons wherever possible.

Looking back many of those who come through the base when I was at school would have been excluded from education. That now is the last case Scenario each each child's situation is looked at individually. There are many reasons why there are struggles with certain lessons or how we handle situations... for some it's english is a second or even third language, others its difficult settling in to a new environment, a unsettled home life. And those worries and concerns come through in many different ways.

talking to one of the staff they use chocolate buttons instead of counters playing draughts with those who struggle with patients and frustration..not sure i would have the patients not to eat the counters :)..

but this was titled christmas meal.. and today classes for yr 7 finished a few minuets early as we all went down to the dinning hall and lined up for lunch. The dinner was worth the wait.

It would give any restaurant a run for it's money

Advent 3

2011-12-11T13:00:00.004Z

Our favourite part of the Advent story is the changing of the flame. We don't put out the flame we change it.. I love that.. the words are

Look. Do you see how the flame is in just one place now? It is right here. When I change the light, it will no longer be in just one place. You can’t see it after it spreads out all over the room, but it is there.

These words remind me of the opening verses of Johns gospel.. words that will be read at 9 lessons and carols around the world over these next few days.
      the Word present to God,
      God present to the Word.
   The Word was God,
      in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him;
      nothing—not one thing!—
      came into being without him.
   What came into existence was Life,
      and the Life was Light to live by.
   The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
The simpleness of that phrase, unpacks something much deeper and ties together the mystery of Christmas and Easter...

One of the boys changing the light

At the end of our session we don't pack everything away but instead put it on the bench we use for our focal shelf. Why well this is so that there is opportunity for sharing with the wider body of the church.

Waking up the neighbours

2011-12-10T19:23:00.001Z

During the last song the little lights are mobile phone screens

Well last nights trip to the O2 was fantastic.. And a amazing concert by Bryan Adams and Band It's not very often i no all the words or even recognise the words to songs ( thats if you can actually hear them, Hmmm think I'm getting old!!!) last night i did and came away with ringing ears and no voice from singing and shouting for 2.5hours, everything I do I do it for you, Summer of 69, 18 till I die, can't stop this thing we started and more...

2011-12-08T10:21:00.000Z

Last year year bryan adams was in Tampere I was in Turku Finland I thought about going but decided it would be crazy with the weather. Then a call from a friend here in london I know you wanted to go last year but couldn't I've just got two tickets do you want one for london.. So it's been a long wait but I'm just about to leave to go down to london for the night.

Music and Theatre are things that really refill me..

More later :)

Advent 2

2011-12-05T22:30:00.000Z

The table was put away this week at the back of church the bench remained to become our focal shelf and out came the carpet. its not very big but was big enough for the four of us and the the story.. This was a new way of doing junior church for us. And though we cant do a full Godly play session in the time we have we can tell the story have a quiet wonder time and short very short time for reflection ( they normally want to draw ) before joining back with there adults as we break bread.

What was great this week was the retelling of the story of advent one that one of the children had heard twice now and as I put the tile out recounted what it was about.. So the journey continued from the prophets to Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.

I think the best bit for all of us was changing the light more on that another time though...

Christmas fete

2011-12-04T14:39:00.000Z

This weekend was busy here with the christmas fete.. To see the church changed was truly remarkable and for it to be back to normal ready for sunday and the visit of The Bishop was even more so. The fete was fun. The youth ran a stall with some testing games like below( mouse maze) guess the bears birthday and little gifts for sale that the Kids and youth had made over the last few weeks..

then all back to normal for sunday

A King Is comming

2011-11-27T14:04:00.001Z

Maggi Dawn writes

The first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the Church year, the liturgical journey that explores not only the story but the meaning of salvation. Creation as the start of everything is a theme that is often highlighted at this time.

It is also the beginning of our preparations for Christmas—and, as Christmas celebrations are creeping further and further back into December, Advent is focused more on Christmas than it ever used to be. The preparation for Christmas, and the stories of the nativity, are a key part of the later weeks of Advent. (Beginnings and Endings (and What Happens in Between): Daily Bible Readings from Advent to Epiphany P11)

Today in churches around the world the first candle was lit, a candle of hope of promise a candle for the prophets who proclaimed the wonderful message Of what God was going to do. During our Family Eucharist today our first candle was lit.. And we reflected on Advent and used the Godly Play material for Advent. Which we used last week for the story time at our monthly Kids club...

The opening words to today I love almost as much as the words from the Holy Family "wonderful in a Easter kinda way.

A King is coming, but he is not the kind of king that people thought was coming. This King had no army, no great house, and no riches. This King was a baby who was born in a barn.

The King who was coming is still coming. This is full of mystery. You know, a mystery is hard to enter sometimes. That is why this time of Advent is so important. Sometimes people can walk right through a mystery and not even know it is there. This time of year you will see people hurrying in the malls buying things and doing this and that, but they will miss the Mystery. They don’t know how to get ready or maybe they just forgot.

Things were slightly bigger than I'm used too... we had the first tile on the big screen throughout most of the service... which was great to do but I do like sitting in a little circle on the carpet to tell the story.

As part of the service FrM shared this video

It is so easy to miss the what advent is all about..This time of year you will see people hurrying in the malls buying things and doing this and that, but they will miss the Mystery. They don’t know how to get ready or maybe they just forgot. it's not just those who are rushing about in shops that my miss the mystery. I wonder when was the last time you stopped and reflected on what Christmas is about. Maybe this advent take up the challenge for just five (5) mins a day to think about what is this mystery to me...

there are plenty for resources for advent like the one mentioned above (link)

shared briefly about letting the kids touching interacting with the materials and take on the story for themselves to often the nativity set is to be looked at but not touched.....

when we were clearing up last week turning round to see the kids playing with the Holy family and the module of Bethlehem..

During advent each sunday morning the rest of the ADVENTure will unfold...

Y@AS

2011-11-24T14:15:00.001Z

Last night saw the launch of the youth club here in Scraptoft. The idea is to have a very relaxed relationship building based group, provide a safe space. To start last night we had the Wii out table top games and a quiet area, a silly game that will run the next four weeks ( till christmas) and not forgetting a tuck shop.

I had expected a very quiet start to the club, three youth were moving up from the monthly kids club. And a few interested from detached work over the last few weeks (Each wednesday morning- yep you read that right a youth worker talking about mornings :)) while the youth waited for the bus. So 6 or so youth were expected.

We wasn't I wasn't expecting to get 18...

So a much busier night than any of us had expected.

In proverbs 16 it says

Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.

The danger is when you do this He could just blow your expectations out of the window. Taking them further than you think.

The prayer now is for next week that they return and relationships are built at the club but also while doing detached in the mornings and We continue to give the plans to God and to listen to His plans and leading. And for more volunteers to come forward...

three months

2011-11-22T20:54:00.000Z

That was this weekend, Its been three months since I began work in the parish here. Since being here my one word answer to the Diocesan Youth Officer(DYO) when asked how it goes has been SLOW. Today things started to speed up as the meetings with schools finally happened. One a primary school the other a community college. So from next week I'll be in both at least twice a week doing reading, pastoral playground games, story time...

between the two meetings nipping into a chip shop and a great chat with the owner about the youth in the area and that they often hang out in the shop in a evening. Not doing anything just a warm welcoming place. 'there good kids just nothing to do' and not having the money to buy anything. From this is another place and contact to meet with the youth with a bag of chips in hand to chat.

it's these "chance" conversations that so much is learnt about place and people.

All Saints Kids

2011-11-20T20:10:00.000Z

We were making the nativity today at Kids club we meet every third sunday last time we met I told the Godly play Story of the Holy family this week we did advent one ( which we will do again during family Eucharist next week) As we finished and we collected the characters together the conversation went like this

Kid: wheres baby Jesus... Me: being made over there... kid: but I thought He was born....

As the other leaders started laughing it then a discussion with a 9yr old about the creed

the end of the conversation was followed by haha you were told by a 9yr old...

MA MA

2011-11-05T13:34:00.002Z

I was watching repeats of dr who (gridlock) and there this really cute bit with a basket of kittens the dr picks one up and it says Mama.

My patches life is often a juggling act.. let me explain Two years ago my friend and mentor encouraged me to apply for a course that I was interested in. The course at cliff college was to be a PostGrad certificate in Wesleyan Theology And Spirituality. What came next totally surprised me but not so my mentor. I never expected to be completeling a Masters degree to be honest I never expected to complete any further study after leaving school. Two years into the part time course and this week attended a dissertation conference at cliff college. Three words really sum up the feelings about this next task exited, scared, overwhelmed. You see i have the same probem as pooh bear

“My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles,

and the letters get in the wrong places.”

-- Winnie the Pooh

This week I'm off upto Cliff college for a dissertation conference scary..

The other part of the juggling act is that I have a full time post as well. Its just over 2 months now since starting here in Leicester and things are about to get busy with going into two schools and the new youth club starting in a couple of weeks and in between a week long course with the diocese so not much on then..

And a some point I need to write a 6000 word essay for the third unit of my course ...

the end of october

2011-10-31T19:33:00.004Z

I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of halloween in this post there's plenty of other places where that is and has taken place..

This year is the first time in many years that my doors been knocked on and the bell rang and standing there in costume are a couple of kids. it's happened a few time now tonight. Until this year I've lived in a flat or been in college so have missed this side of things. What has been so good is seeing the community side of things the small groups of mums (and the odd dad looking a bit out of place) standing chatting to each other at the gate but with eyes guarding their young as they press the bell and wait for the candy... it's not the wild packs of children banging on doors demanding trick or treat some tend to describe. Every knock on the door and questions trick or treat has come politely.. and in the case of a couple of very little ones I'm not sure what they would do if trick was the choice requested...

There was a little catch though tonight every one who came to my door also got a invite postcard to our monthly kids club :)

Last night we did a bright and light party. A alternative to halloween we spent much of the evening in the dark playing games in a spotlight and with glows-ticks and balloons, had a feast and story about living lives full of colour in Jesus.and decorating candles by melting old wax crayons..

there was also much laughter with the apple bobbing

I don't know about the youngsters but i was ready for a cuppa and bed when I got home...

5,000

2011-10-25T19:37:00.002+01:00

When I started my patch I wasn't really expecting 18 months or so later to still be still posting it was started mainly for portfolio I needed to do and a journal wasn't really my thing.. I was semi talked into a blog instead... well this week my patch broke the 5000 views marks :)

Pageviews all time history

5,079

easter Kind of way

2011-10-21T10:27:00.000+01:00

Last sunday was ASK! our monthly kids club and Introduced the children and leaders to the Holy Family. It was great to see everyone get involved and begin to wonder in wonder time. as we were getting ready to get out the parachute for the last 5 mins I turned round to see this. one of the leaders listening as one of the youngest children retold the story in her words and the older ones joined in....

Time fly's having fun fruit fly's love bananas

2011-10-14T10:25:00.002+01:00

Ok that's a silly title for a post but time has flown by this past weekend marked two months since I moved up to Leicester.
I think I'm finally working out where things are.

Things I now know

Its easier to cycle to the supermarket ( almost wrote prisma that will make my finish friends smile) than catch two buses one in the oppersite direction and a long walk, it takes 10-15 mins to cycle though the hill on the way back is a killer :p.
You need money for the bus - got very use to having my oyster card.
Don't eat supper then try to get up the hill to church in 10mins this has very yucky results.
Don't run down the stairs to answer the phone and forget to duck through the arch way at the bottom this leads to missing the phone call and a sore head :)
check the bin men have been before you bring the bin back in two more weeks before it's emptied is a long time...

last week saw the a trip to Leicester Cathedral There are time when your name finishing with the second letter of the english alphabet is helpful. As I sat on the front row scary it was lovely though to see so many new friends from my church come to celebrate too the sad thing on occasions like this is there is little time to spend time with everyone. It was nice to see a friend from london and via cliff college STF was there too....

heres the article from the Diocese website

Called Together

last updated on: 10th Oct 2011

At Leicester Cathedral on Saturday 8th October and whole range of Clergy and Laity came together celebrate Lay Ministry at this years 'Called Together' service.

This service, the fifth of its kind in the Diocese, seeks to bring together the different authorised lay ministries from all across the Diocese and was very well attended.

Those welcomed this year:

Our first Pioneer Ministers, David Boyce, Keith Ellis, Judy Ellis and Janet King.

YP4L workers Caroline Brown, Gillian Gamble, Dan Gardiner, Katy Harris, Ali Goodman, Jayne Lewis, Mads Morgan and Ali Simpson.

Readers, Kathryn Noble and Norma Morris-Chapman.

Pastoral Assistants Edna Curtis and Joan Hawkins.

Pastoral Assistants in Training, Adrienne Saunders, Audrey Hutchin, Marion Porter, Jenny Bickley, Rosemary Griffiths, Alison White, Patricia Wood, Rosalind Barney, Chris Sedman.

Evangelist in Training, Phil Brenner.

Readers re-licensed in a new parish, Jenny Bacon and Elaine Browne.

and yeah thats me in the pink hoodie :)

As youth workers the sign of our office was (drum roll) hoodies

New Haunt

2011-09-26T14:32:00.000+01:00

Fridays used to be spent at Sally's a short train ride from vauxhall to Putney and then wandering round the charity shops (often finding some great bargains) and then for coffee and chocolate taut. Some very happy memories there.

All change over the summer and now mondays are my day off and new things to find and do. I needed to go down to the bank ( thanks to a couple of checks from HMR&C :)) and being a nice day I went on the bike and found a new haunt :) Finding the little cafe wasn't on the list of things to do today but I found it as I pulled over at the pavement as I spied a place to lock up the bike.

it's not Sallys I don't think anyone will ever be able to step into her shoes. But it was very friendly and welcoming.

Humberstone park cafe

Postia Pappi Jaakobille

2011-09-13T21:09:00.002+01:00

Letters to Father Jacob

This I was given this film as a gift by a friend F when he came to stay in the summer. The poor guy was staying with me while I was packing. Every night F came back and had to fight his way to bed as I'd been putting stuff in his room while I packed.

It's in Finish with subtitles

It's a beautiful movie

It's the story of a old blind priest Fr Jacob and a pardoned murderer Laila who takes a job as his assistant, reading the letter asking for prayer and then writing Fr Jacobs response. On leaving prison there was nowhere else for her to go and now the secluded house becomes a new prison.while at the house she belives it was the priest who applied for her pardon and is bitter about it refusing to accept the help that she isn't one of the priest charity cases, after some time she can not take it any more and plans to leave then one day the letters stop coming. Fr Jacobs life is shaken to its core Physically fragile before, now he is spiritually at his breaking point and Leila finds she cant not leave him. when the letters stop coming leila makes up a letter about a dog running away but something much much deeper happens and she opens up to the old Priest about her past

through the journey they travel together both are freed.

it's a journey of forgiveness of hope and grace

the old priest asks a question about who he was doing this for he thought it had been about God but was it about and for himself...

in our patches are we building our own kingdoms where is our heart is it on selfish things or are we living out of love

Mary

2011-09-08T10:40:00.001+01:00

Photo by Mrs.wilsons art room

A little different makes you think.... Today around the world many christians will be celebrating the birth of Mary... It's not something that the traditions I've be part of before have focused on.. I learnt today that three births are celebrated in the church Jesus, Mary and John the baptist. To take time out to just think at the start of the day about the life of a young woman her journey and impact was to be aware of who is there for those in our community to look up to.. when we see the state of the lives of those who are often the focus of admiration by young girls who want to be like "her". Recently in the news here in the UK the news of the tragic death of another young women for who fame and celebrity took it's toll. Yet it sadly to these and many others that teenagers and some much younger long to be like.

There is much to learn from the " saints " and leaders who have gone before us whatever our view on Mary there is a lot for us to learn from her and those other early believers.

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm not really into feminist stuff!! but who are the healthily good godly heros? who are the role models for young women today?

here in mary we find a young woman who stepped out and stepped up to a challenged who was willing to lay aside her own rights and self even the man she was to marry thought to "devoice her quietly "

what about me what about you are our lives worth following can we say like paul in his letter do what I do do our lives reflect Jesus. If not what am I what are you going to do about it.

OH and GUYS sorry you don't get off that lightly today either young men need role models just as much will you step up to the mark too

He's a bit heavy

2011-09-04T18:14:00.000+01:00

I did sunday school today for the first time here in my new patch.. we only had one little girl M and M was wonderful such a delight to hang out with. we sat at the table at the back of church and discussed and coloured and made oh then snuck look at what fr Martin was doing by creeping along the back row..

we talked about putting on Jesus and thats where the giggles came as M looking thoughtful but he's big thats silly...

untill....

in whispers the story unfolded we worked out that even a 4yr old can put on Jesus...

when we showed people that we love (heart) we listen (ear) we care (tissue) when people can see these things then we're showing Jesus

and It's not really about giving Jesus a piggy back giggle

what I really loved today was it was M that put the little people all together in the middle of the heart I'd placed them at the edge going round... she just reached over before i'd finished and moved them love that

ASK

2011-09-02T15:44:00.001+01:00

Lets try this again - Having Noticed last night that the time was wrong on the first poster I hope that this is at last right :)

More to follow on this later

Bank Holiday's

2011-08-29T17:42:00.001+01:00

You can tell it's a bank holiday here in the uk - it's been overcast and rained on and off all day .... it put a end to some of my plans but others came about... I made two shelves out of reclaimed wood one for the living-room and one for the office.

reclaimed I like that word :) the wood was reclaimed not recycled... Reclaimed it's been made into something new but it's kept much of what it was. It was part of a blanket box was part of one of the side panels it still looks like it did in the box but has been reclaimed and reused in a new way it's been reshaped just a little to fit where I now have it.

recycled to me means it looses all that it was it's broken down made into something totally new I have a recycled bag. on it it say I used to be a plastic bottle. recycling is great.

but I don't want to be recycled... I want to be reclaimed and reused in a new way...

but being reclaimed isn't always easy it can be hard work... recently STF reclaimed my garden from the weeds... now I've reclaimed it even further and its been taken back to its raw bare self.. I have cuts and bruises and a few scares as I got to close to certain creatures I really don't like but know they have a very good job to do eating other bugs....

to reclaim our villages towns and cities will be like that too... some time there will be the easy bits turning the side panels of a box into a shelf other times to reclaim the places will be hard work it will be slow and painful.. it will be dirty and messy ......we may not see the full results of our labour either.

but we need to be faithful to the vision and call that God has given us....

I have the picture of what I want my garden to look like in my head... it may not work out as I think but I will follow this picture...

we need to do the same with the vision that God has given for our lives our churches and our communities... even when it means going out in the rain and getting mucky....

Time to play

2011-08-26T20:41:00.001+01:00

My friends over see-through- faith and storyteller have been doing Godly play for a while. It was through them that I heard about it and went on a course in June to be a godly play teacher. Yesterday I got to 'play' it's the first time for a long time I have had my paints and craft things out. there was a reason behind this I made my first set of Godly play materials

Set of advent plaques....just missing the Holy family characters. Normally I'm complaining about christmas being in the shops so early but to think about the plaques as they were being prepaied was to let my mind wonder each piece had to be done slowly and with care sometimes we can lose that and rush through the time of advent and christmas and miss just how much care and wonder that actually went into that first christmas..

if your not sure what Godly play is about you can read about what storyteller has to say about it here

I got to play in a different way for a few minutes last night as well. It was a first time I've ever got to have a small go at bell ringing and was a real eye opener I've only ever heard the wonderful results. To see just how much work really goes into it, mentally and physically.

first day

2011-08-21T22:34:00.000+01:00

Today was the first day proper at my new patch.

It was a bit of a strange night waking every half hour or so the service is no different from my last patch 10 am but I thought every time I woke I'd over slept. Silly I know but I'm like that when I travel to. In June I spent the night at heathrow and was worried all night that I'd fall a a sleep and miss my flight due to being asleep somewhere in the departure terminal.

This morning I was commissioned as the children's and you missioner. I have stood before the church in many places and made promises /commitments /vows. The last time was in March as I was welcomed into full plan as a local preacher. Today though was like it was the very first time, I've always taken these times with a great respect and seriousness and do not enter into these lightly. the words today struck me to the core.

Caroline, do you believe that you are called by God, through the church, to ministry among children and young people

I do.

As you commit yourself to this ministry, we ask you these questions: Do you confess Jesus Christ as Lord?

I do.

Do you receive the witness to Christ in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments?

I do.

Do you embrace the faith and unity of the holy, catholic and apostolic Church?

I do.

Will you submit yourself to the Church’s discipline?

With God’s help, I will.

Will you assist the church to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to young people, and to build them up in the faith? With God’s help, I will.Will you encourage young people to offer their faith, gifts and energy to God in the life of the church and the community? With God’s help, I will.

Will you seek opportunities to enhance your gifts and skills in youth ministry?

With God’s help, I will.

May God give you strength to fulfil these vows; and to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus from generation to generation for ever. Amen.

There is something very powerful about declaring aloud in public that makes these words more than just words. How we speak and the intentions of the heart as we do speak carries deep implications.

I stood today in front of new friends to make these vows... it was a safe place even if it was totally scary. In reflecting on this I do think and pray for those members of the body of christ around who make these vows in much different circumstances and where these words can mean even in 2011 a life of struggle hardship and imprisonment.

New home

2011-08-19T21:03:00.000+01:00

They say that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do in life. Thanks to a couple of friends the move was fairly smooth though tiering the heat while cleaning the flat and packing up that end.. a slight detour due to loosing the road signs meant we arrived latter than we hoped but still managed to unload half the van.before collapsing into camp beds.

finding new homes for everything takes time and where they first where put many haven't stayed I guess that will happen for a while as I settle in.

Moving

2011-08-09T17:27:00.000+01:00

I've been quite on here for a few days now that was due to living in chaos. A week ago today it was almost impossible to get into my front room or through the front door because boxes had been stacked in any space we could find. It was only when we drove up to Leicester last thursday evening that another friend who was staying while here studying actually had a room to call his own.

cupbord cleaning by stf

Thankfully it was cooler last thursday as we packed the van and drove up north. Fun and games on the M1 with 15miles of roadworks and then loosing the signs for the A46 and then working off the little I know of the area. We got to the house eventually :) unpacked most of the van then collapsed for the night.

I now have internet and cable installed so all good... Just need the sofas to arrive ( and get through the door :S and will be almost there)

off out now for supper

2011-07-24T21:15:00.001+01:00

It's now just over a week since the sad incident of a shooting on a tuesday lunch time took place on black prince road a few yards from where I live here in vauxhall. Though such a incident take but a few seconds the lasting effects ripple out through time. The boy is still in hospital, and will be for some time to come. Yesterday the world was looking on in shock and horror as news came out of Norway of young man who went out and caused so much hurt and pain. And our thoughts and prayers today go out to the families and friends of all involved as they beginning in the next few days to start the process of coming to terms with what has happened.

This morning the pascal candle was lit, as we were reminded that we don't normally light it in this season but as a sign of hope and remembrance we light it for those in Norway.

on facebook and other social network sites hundreds of people have responded to groups inviting to act and unite out of hope and love

20.58 (Central European Time) Please check your time zone online to see what time that is for you - eg UK is one hour behind so it will be 19.58

Please join in 2 minutes silence on Facebook in memory of the victims of the Norway bombings and shootings, and their loved ones left behind to cope with this horrific and sensless violence. Please post the status "In Memory All Lost and Affected in Norway" at 20.58 (CET) and then cease all activity on Facebook for 2 minutes as a show of respect all around the world for all the people of Norway.Please spread the word and invite your friends.

another group Tenn et lys for de døde og skadde etter tragedien i Oslo og Utøya. writes this

ENGLISH: We light a candle for the victims of the bombing and shootings in Oslo Norway today. Over 92 youth were killed in a holiday camp. In the Capitol, seven are dead so far.

On a day like this it is again important to remember that actions like this are not performed by race or skin color, by states or continents, but of individuals and groups that have lost focus on the importance of the World: Unity, caring, understanding, empathy and love .. spread this on! And take care of your beloved family and frends ♥

NORSK: Tenner et lys for de sårede, døde, pårørende og rednings mannskapet, over 92 døde på Utøya, 7 døde i Oslo sentrum.

På en dag som dette er det igjen viktig å huske på at handlinger som dette ikke blir utført av raser eller hudfarger, av stater eller verdensdeler, men av enkeltpersoner og grupper som har mistet fokus på det viktige i Verden: Samhold, omsorg, forståelse, empati og kjærlighet.. spre dette videre! Og ta vare på dine nære og kjære ♥

Tonight the community here in North Lambeth walked together quietly praying for the area here we left from under the tree of hope a tree that stands at a crossroad. Our prayers were for not just this area for those who were perpetrator and victim bit for all caught up in a life of violence and hurt. for all who are in such a place that they see no way forward than to use force and violence.

Potter

2011-07-16T13:39:00.000+01:00

It all ends, A warm wet evening in Central London and Leicester Square was electric. We were early and the crowd had gathered outside the Cinema. I came to Harry Potter late I did read the first book a long time ago and only watch the first movie for the first time 2yrs ago. I saw deathly hallows pt one on the big screen last summer and had to do the same this time. I've never been on opening night and it was great. I've never been to a film that had the audience so caught up in the action on the screen. What was really amusing was that it was full of those in the 25-35 age group. We turned into a bunch of kids screaming shouting cheering clapping esp at the gringots cart run.

It was a film of good versus bad. And that not all who you right off as being bad are. seeing the characters develop and come alive in their own right on the screen. The struggle in right and wrong of living two lives as with professor Snape. of friendship unity and love and betrayal.

I have favourite moments molly weasley shouting at Bellatrix Lestrange and the link above where Professor McGonagall brings the statues that cover the entrance of Hogworts to life "And now — Piertotum Locomotor! Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!" And then in a childish moment says " I've always wanted to use that spell" there were many more but it would spoil the film

Not for sale

2011-07-14T21:15:00.000+01:00

That was the message that is being sent to the local movement by members of the community and the one of our MPs Kate Hoey.

The site behind is an old school site which the local movement want to sell. Yet on the oppersite side of the road is Archbishop Sumners school (ABS) who want and need to expand into a two tier entry school. School places are limited in Lambeth and steadily rising school age population mean this will continue. Leaving some children with NO school place.

Over 2000 signatures have been collected in support of the bid by ABS.

The wonderful demonstration of the lack of school places with the use of Kate Hoey's mini and getting as many children in as possible.

a sad day in Vauxhall

2011-07-12T17:12:00.008+01:00

Today didn't start out being a sad day well apart from the alarm clock going off. It did start as any other tuesday parents walked their kids to school teenagers dragged their heals and the usual sirens in the distance . Yet at lunch time this pleasant day changed the headlines on BBC London said it all

A man is taken to hospital with bullet wounds

after being shot in a street in south London, police say.

The first that most of the community new there was something happing was the large red Air Ambulance flying low over a four storey block of flats and landing on a small patch of grass.

London has had a fair share of knife and gun crime over recent months. one of the comments heard time after time today was never expected it here you hear of it it things like this happening in other places but here!!

a community rocked yet again it has been over two years not long in many ways but in many ways it is since there was last a serious incident with a stabbing a short distance away. After this the community came together and outside one of the churches there are tiny blue lights in the tree that can be seen from a distance around vauxhall and kennington the tree of hope.

Todays shooting happened within sight of this sign of hope and standing as a community.

mosaics- the end

2011-07-08T15:22:00.000+01:00

Here's the finished mosaics that the scouts have been doing all term, not all of them made their own but did help with a large group one of the scout badge...

they did really well and I had fun too....

food film and fellowship

2011-07-01T23:02:00.003+01:00

December 2009 I invited the two boys that I spoke to at church round for food and a film we watched the grinch they sat on the sofa and were like mice. Even after the film when we were looking at what advent and Christmas meant to us and how we could live a life that reflected that.

This space twice a month was there space a space that was to be safe and ask questions and NO question was ignored. And whatever they wanted to look at or ask we would.. over the 18 months we've come together many things have been said and explored. From the father heart of God to the Holy Spirit and my notes for the night have been thrown out many nights as they led from where they were and what they saw in the film. I've learnt a lot from the boys, it's been a privilege to have shared these nights with them.

Some night like tonight I gave them the code for pay-per-view and they chose a film they wanted to watch we chatted about life and just shared food and fellowship we laughed and joked. There were threats that if a film wasn't chosen soon this was after nearly 30 minutes of going through every film on there I would choose it's amazing who fast they chose once I said they had 5 minutes or piglet the movie was to go on.

they have made it thier space, and that has been wonderful to watch them open up I'm not sure recently how much of the film we've really watched as the giggling and messing has gone on. my poor teddies that sit on the sofa end up as weapons.

not mice anymore and i wouldn't have it any other way. What is being church what is church this is and has been.

tonights fun was my hammock while we was tidying up one of the boys J escaped on to the balcony and decided to try and get on the hammock then they all escaped to have ago. it was truly comic to see one boy M spin straight over like a cartoon.

they fun was tinged with sadness tonight was the last night all of us will be together as on saturday J and his mum go away for the summer.

M, erm sorta on the Hammock and after a few attempts finally makes it.....

mystic moggy

2011-07-01T18:31:00.003+01:00

A friend posted this on FB

(click on the X to remove adverts)

yeah it's very funny and I do love cats and the very silly things that they do.
But it got me thinking.....What image of God do we give to those in our patches. There are many stories in the world about the con artist. About those who fake the things of God who add things to thier storie of what God has done in them the "amazing" change that took place since they met with God.. But why embellish the work of God.. or the other side and the dumbing down of the gospel message.
Its a sad place to be but I have heard people do both, and people I have know a long time.
More than anything we need to be less like the cat in the video, not giving a performance of "god". We each you and I need to be showing the truth of God day to day in our lives in the little things. Honesty at the till if too much change is given. we are quick enough to complain if the casher gets it wrong and gives us less. Integrity in our speaking in public and in private.
I recently had to get medicenies from the hospital I wasn't expecting to have a perscription made and had no money on me I went to the dispencery and they let me have my meds but took my name and address. three days later i went back to pay. they lady was shcoked and said no one comes back to pay...
It was a chance to share the gospel with her that opened up.
paul tells us in his letter that we are ambassidors for christ in our patches
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
how we live matters... the God we show to people matters ...

mosaics

2011-06-29T23:53:00.000+01:00

Over the last term the scouts have been making their own mosaic pictures from little squares of coloured glass. not all were into it not all enjoyed it but tonight those who wanted to were able to put the finishing touches to theirs.

I helped one young scout who was making his name. to see his picture come alive was great to be part of.

mosaics little tiles making up a bigger picture when your close up all you see are the small squares or whatever shape they have been cut into to fit. but step back step away and look and it opens up a whole new view.

thats why we need others around us on our journey through life sometimes we can all get caught up in such a narrow view we fail to see the beauty of whats opening up before us. as the old saying goes " can't see the wood for the trees''

how we lead others to see the beauty in themselves or maybe how we are led to see it in ourselves need to be done with wisdom and gentleness. coming alongside spending investing time in someone or even a place.

again i'm back to what if what if the body of christ saw past the car the clothes the smell the hurt the money and saw the precious creation that dwells within and see with the eyes of the master what would that do to my patch - your patch vauxhall, lambeth the towns and villages where you live.. for the people you walk past picking up the pace as you do..

egyphoto

12.7/1

2011-06-26T20:27:00.002+01:00

That's the ratio of people per vacancies in Lambeth My current patch falls in to the borough of lambeth (read here)

Region Unfilled Vacancies Total Jobseeker's Ratio
allowance Claimants
Lambeth 932 11.799 12.7

it put's us in the top 40 of the table for the worst place to find a job in the country London as a whole tops the list at almost double the national average

Region Unfilled Vacancies Total Jobseeker's Ratio

allowance Claimants

London 22,401 226,182 10.1

it's hard reading and with the population of lambeth being one of the highest in density in the country and the council looking at selling more land for housing things set to look to continuing to be as hard. Much of the housing many of those in the community i work with would only dream of owning.

I joked today with a friend who had to find a home in the area when her husband relocated here just after I did they have two small children and that the price for my new house to rent in leicester was really expensive we both laughed as she knew I was on a wind up. My two bed house with a garden frount and back two big bedrooms is cheaper per month than the council rented flats in my block.. And is for many of the places to rent a short walk away the same as you will pay a week.

I do wonder what will be the outcome for this patch over the next few years and for those who I have come to know. Some of whom I know work two jobs to make ends meet.....

fete

2011-06-26T15:56:00.001+01:00

I like walking round village fetes and visiting them... well yesterday I was on the other side and was one of a team of helpers to run the north lambeth parish fete... Theres not many parishes that would get such a fantastic place to put up the tea tent than we do here.. the gardens of lambeth palace....

it did start with a bit of er well a possible problem as the team rector and two or the vicars were pulled over as they had ran out of room in the car and two other helpers had jumped in the very large trailer for the short trip between the church hall and the parish.. not long after leaving they were pulled over by a police van and 8 officers got out... and had a bit of a surprise to find it was vicars they had just stopped..

we found out this little tail during the sermon today from one of the guilty party :).......

it was a good day and the rain held off lots of visitors and conversations were had...

and the guides smoothys went down a real treat and used guide made electric to power the blender

and the scouts did well on there hoopla game

and the spot the real wine

Smooooth

2011-06-23T22:41:00.001+01:00

I love smoothies and a favourite place of mine is a little kiosk on the south bank just past lambeth bridge. I didn't know that tonight the Guides were going to be making them either was very funny watching and yeah the leader got to join in and make them too :)....

But why do I write about smoothies.. well I was out today with a friend and walk past a bookshop and book really caught my eye.

So I picked up a copy. The recipes look really good and easy to make one or too will be nice on a could winter night I'm sure...

What I would really like to do is to do what I've come to call prophetic eating a term I picked up with a church planting team in manchester when I did a placement with them. It's not just about eating heathy much more than that.... There is that in there too... This isn't something new in my thinking I did my BA dissertation on the use of table fellowship in church planting.

This isn't new thinking in the Old Testament food plays a important part in the life of Israel and in the life of the people of that time to share a meal and then back stab the person was not taken lightly.

There is one story that really stands out though that is the story of daniel who taken in captivity refuses to eat the fine food of the King and asks the official in charge of them instead that he and his friends eat vegetables and water the the official is scared that if these four are not in the same health as the others in his charge then the King would be angry at him.. after a discussion they were given water and vegetables and after a short time they were fitter than those who ate the Kings rations..( Read here) God blessed them.

What if we,not necessarily eat a vegetarian diet but ate in a way that is prophetically healthy both in the way of budget and balanced eating in fellowship.

It's something that I would like to do with a group of young people children or those who come to be part of a meal.

at a kids club/youth club to give not fizzy drinks or cordial but a fresh healthy drink that they help to make.. may be even grow some of the ingredients in a edible garden... maybe only the size of a window box but something they can aim to grow and be introduced to.

what message would this give to those around us around me... It's not a easy thing to do I know how bad I am for not wanting to cook when I live alone... But it's not the point to put it into place when know one is here for supper is the challenge that this isn't just what is done for others but is a way of life.

I began thinking again about this way of eating when on sunday we had a feast with the children at junior church there at the international congregation in Turku (godlyplay) the parents sent a very different set of foods than I would have expected here in the UK. They sent fresh fruits, peas in the pod, bread sticks there wasn't a sticky cake or crisps or chocolate in sight. and not a single complaint from the children in fact they loved it.. (see a photo and more here)

It's not about dieting or watching watch we eat but about choosing to bring balance. It's about healthy choices ( I'm a chocoholic and so I'm talking to myself here too) and giving time to meals and not using them just as fuel-stops almost in the style of formula 1 pitstop.

A week away

2011-06-23T14:43:00.000+01:00

I got back from a week in Turku last night and had a really wonderful time though the weather didn't want to co-operate with our plans at times we just changed things slightly.. It was great to be back in the city that is the former capital of Finland and as a joke I heard in December said " Turku was the capital of Finland while Helsinki was still just six mud huts " theres no love lost between the two cities.

On one day when the weather did behave we walked along the river aura and past the tall ships mored there..

I love tall ships and it was great to see two in a few yards. I really wanted to be in Turku this august as the tall ships race is coming again as part of the european capital of culture events..

a bit further along the river is the sigyn which is the last wooden bargue in the world and she's a beauty though in this you can't quite see that

We didn't get to sail on one of these but did go on the isabella overnight with viking line through the Finish archipelago to Sweden and had a wonderful breakfast as well left sweden and out to sea.

Fledglings

2011-06-12T13:05:00.000+01:00

Today the service was lead by the young people...

For me it was both joy and sadness... I've called the small group who come and share fellowship at the film and food night my boys... I've seen the grow so much over the last 18 months and they are a real privilege to have journeyed with.

There was the sense of fledging as one of my boys gave the message. His friends called him "pastor " as a joke, yet this young man brought a message that so many of us "older" members of the body of christ miss.. He spoke about unity... the unity of the Spirit... that the Holy Spirit did not come to divided but unit the believers though they were from many backgrounds just like us meeting today are not divided because of the differences but united by the Spirit.

today he fledged the nest and its wonderful to see him wondering and questioning in his faith and sharing those gifts with the church. my prayer is that he will continue to walk in the light listening to the Spirit and sharing that with the church.

The rest of the youth yet again to did wonderfully today they were themselves no masks when they were up front just themselves and that was great too... they didn't pretend it was real and from the heart.. I loved the end of the service as one of the younger youth said the closing prayer with me just three lines but very special.

127 hours

2011-06-11T11:31:00.000+01:00

I'd heard a lot about this film and last night I ordered it pay per view as there was nothing on tv.. The film is a true story of Aron Lee Ralston. In May 2003 while canyoneering in Utah, he was in a freak accident after 127hours trapped he choose to amputate his right arm with a dull knife in order to free himself from a boulder in order to save his life. He writes about his experience in between a rock and a hard place

Ralston did most of his adventures alone and on the day he left had told no one where he would be going and left no note..

The question that ran through the film for me after the boulder fell trapping him was how far are you willing to save life..

How far are we willing to go to save life... to go out into our patches to bring the message of life.

What am I willing to give up how far am I willing to go for the gospel message. It interesting that Jesus himself

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

RalstonComments on his experience during one of his speaking engagements

“I didn’t lose something that day. I am here to show you that, yes, I left my hand behind in that canyon, but I gained my life back. I regained the beauty, the joy, the vibrancy and the euphoria of being alive.”

What do we find when were loose our lives into Christ... Life life in all its fulness..

How far are we willing to go to save life to introduce those in our patches the ONE who is able to bring life life that is real that is true that as ralston suggests who is the one who gives us the ability to regain "the beauty, the joy, the vibrancy and the euphoria of being alive.”

the weeks gone by

2011-06-10T20:56:00.000+01:00

I haven't blogged much this week.. thats because yet again I've been away seems to be that my patch is travelling again more. And not just a physical thing but that's another story..... This time it wasn't a trip to my new home or off on a camp... my patch was in my patch but at another patch... bit confusing I was still in London still in lambeth but spent most of the week at the Salvation Army's territorial HQ based near the elephant and castle..

The course was about Godly Play (GP).. my friend over at easterkindofway says a lot about Godly Play and has been doing it for a while and Seethroughfaith helps.

I have to admit to start out I was sceptical about a lot of it and told the leaders of the course that.. it was a good way to start maybe not but it was a very honest and open way to start. And the first day found it hard to really engage with what was being taught at times especially having the space in the response time ... I think in part as there was just too much quiet and silence for me.

I'm used to doing things very creative and very interactive when I get the chance. At first found that the sacred stories those stories like noah, exodus really hard to get into it felt like I was just watching what was taking place. But day two changed things when we were introduced to and started telling the parables.

It wasn't until I got to play that I really got what GP is... during the course which was training for storytellers I did the parable of the sower I really enjoyed playing with the birds as they flew down to eat the seed on the path giving them each characters of their own

This is from the finish Godly play site my little birds were painted bright colours and while preparing spent a long time playing with the birds given them names

A wonderful part is the wonder time after or as part of the story I wonder if the birds had names I wonder which you like best I wonder if the famer was sad to see the birds eat the seed I wonder if the birds where happy to see the farmer I wonder who the farmer is our wonder what the harvest is

its space where no answer is right non is wrong... its a safe space to wonder to wander through bible

One of my favourite parts of the week was a line from the Holy family story

The word became a wordless child

that phrase I loved and it just summed up what took place when Jesus came to earth so simply but so profoundly...

By wednesday evening it was sad to have to finish the course

It was a fun few days very tiering but fun and there are bits that I just aren't me or I don't get that were challenging thats ok too... there was a great encouragement also as I saw some of the principle and ideas I try to work by were modelled here.

I found too some of the confidence that had been stollen from me over the past few months while sitting there in a small group just two others practicing and they read the script words and actions and I played it out.. and then in the larger group the story was mine

I get to help at a GP next week at a friends church I'm really looking forward to that and see for the first time how children engage and respond through GP and how they have so much to teach us through wondering

new home

2011-06-06T21:57:00.000+01:00

I'm not much for silence and stillness.. But spending the time in my new home with no internet no tv in fact it was very like being on camp. When I got there late Thursday night all I had was what was in my rucksack and my camp bed. I did have my ipod and had some music but forgot the attachment for the speakers so only had my headphones...

I actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I think it was in part as I was cleaning and preparing my new home... the house had been empty for a while and so had too gather all my strength and courage to clean as there was a spider convention taking place welcome in the garden but not in my home. so this is my little house

relocating is never a easy thing but moving from a furnished to unfurnished place in a different part of the country is even more fun... but it's gradually coming together and friends and family are lending a hand... Thanks to one friend I have a convection oven come microwave ( if you know how to work one please leave a comment on how as I have know idea) Bedside tables arrive soon as does a cabinet for the living room and I have a dinning table and chairs... and my new fridge-freezer arrived on friday morning... things are slowly coming together...

spider free livingroom :)

repotting underway

2011-06-02T18:24:00.000+01:00

I'm getting to know St. Pancras station and Leicester station really well now. Though I'm not so sure right now about the statement they make on the how to get to St P part of the website

St Pancras International is one of the easiest stations to get to in central London with direct links to 6 underground lines, mainline trains, cycle parking facilities and an on-site multi storey car park. Please refer to the links on the right hand side for more detailed information on how to reach us by your chosen method of transport.

Hmmm only if they work together sometimes it feels like the many parts of transport for London (tfl) are working like magnets and repel each other.........

Each time I've gone recently something has gone wrong almost missing the train 3 times and missing it once due to problems with the tube. The last time when I did miss the train I'd left early very early with the plan of going for coffee. My train was at 9:15am and at 8:35 was still in vauxhall as the victoria line was down.. Hopefully nothing will go wrong tonight though I'm not 100% sure how to get to the bus stop I need to get to my new home :S oh well theres always a taxi :)

No room for books

2011-06-01T09:27:00.003+01:00

I picked up a copy of the evening standard last night but it is only today at breakfast that I gave it more than a quick glance and the story as I read was shocking about how many children in London don't have books at home... the standard opened the article that will run for the next four days of a teacher who asked the class to bring in a book from home they like on child brought in a catalogue for a major retailer it was the only book in the house. A house without a book is really hard to imagine. And really sad to read that there are so many children growing up not reading not owning a book

New research, obtained exclusively by the Standard, reveals that one in three children does not have a book of their own at home. By contrast, a separate survey shows 85 per cent of London children own a computer games console (full article here)

I wonder how many in my patch here in vauxhall this effects how many in my new patch that this will effect in Leicester

A question is forming it's rough not there yet fully how do we respond as a church to this situation. In our call to be a light in the community around us. How can we respond to situation like this... Books are expensive to buy new. But there are many places where they can be picked up at a reasonable price. I recently went into a charity shop and picked up 3 of books in good condition of a well known series for £6. When libraries are closing or like the family in the article never get to go it's always "another time"

Aurella is a captivating young girl, but no amount of charm has been able to persuade her mother to take her to the library. "We pass the library on the bus," she says, "and I always ask, 'Mum, can we go?' but mum says, "Maybe tomorrow, Aurella."

What is our response have a lending library as part of the church... how about a children's book-crossing group or have a shelf in the corner of the church where books can be put and swopped or book-crossed. Have a reading club as part of the church activities get involved with the local schools to go in and read with children.

up from downe

2011-05-31T19:38:00.001+01:00

Over the bank holiday weekend I was away with the 75th Lambeth scouts/cubs. It different a little from normal camp as we took the scouts/cubs families too... it was a great chance to get to know parents better and the younger brothers and sister everyone joined in with chores and the activities that were available... bouncy castles.. grass sledging... circus skills.. crafts a talent show silent disco yep you read that right a silent disco which was fun everyone has headphones on and can chose between tracks was very funny to watch.... and of course you can't have a scout camp without a campfire. It was tinged with a little sadness as it will be my last camp with the 75th though I do have a invite to come back and help i hope I get the chance.. what I really love about the scouts is the opening up of activities that many of the youngsters would not normally get to do.. like the wood, craft pioneering skills learning to cook on open fires.. its the things that often I've taken for granted we had a coal fire at home and would help to light it collect sticks for kindling and chopping the wood to smaller sizes. its the seeing the expressions that come when they get the fire lit or cook the meal get the bridge built getting cold wet and sleep deprived is worth it just for that...

theres more photos over on my photo blog...

one of the cubs learns to stilt walk

One of the mums in deep concentration

The district commissioner try's a unicycle( with much encouragement from a group of onlookers - ok so we were all in fits of laughter)

Sparky goes grass sledging

The DC gets covered in food (akela in the making ) at the talent show

all in all though a little cold at night good fun was had by all and the best bit the cubs feel asleep in the car on the way up from downe

Down to Downe

2011-05-27T09:16:00.001+01:00

I'm off to Downe today for the weekend it's family camp for the scouts.. This is what they have to say about the place

Downe

"A beautiful, wooded 86-acre site situated close to Biggin Hill in rural Kent, only 16 miles from the centre of London. Downe Scout Activity Centre has welcomed young people from all walks of life and corners of the world for almost 80 years."

I was there last year for a weekend too and it rained and er rained and rained a bit more.. I was wondering if the pioneering skills should have been building arks from rope and logs.... and this time well after yesterday and the thunder and rain we had here so bad that heathrow had to stop planes landing and taking off for three hours...I'm hopeing that the tents that were put up earlier in the week are all still standing.

Family camp is a bit different from normal as the cubs and scouts mums,dads, granny's granddads brothers and sister can come along and join in too..

all can come even those few who will come and not have anyone with them and be in tents with their friends

I've not done a camp like this before so and looking forward to seeing how you run this type of camp...

Post again after hopefuly a not too wet and windy weekend

Comment response

2011-05-25T22:13:00.008+01:00

Recently (see Here) I posted about going on retreat I wrote this "I do struggle with them and more often found them a waste of time" a comment left under the post asked this

I would be interested in
a) why and b) what kind of retreats you've actually been on.

So let me try to answer these I probably wont answer in full so I guess that is what the comment tab is for

I've been on a few retreats mostly either day retreats/ quiet days or over a weekend that were part of work/college and were compulsory attendance. The have all been organised ones and led by people who have led many and have a particular way of leading. Quiet days, some with teaching most of them though find me sat at a table or in a group listening to a speaker talk for most of the day and then we have a few moments of reflection. I find myself daydreaming and finding more and more elaborate ways of escaping the day or weekend.

I've also been on a couple that I have found good, but these where more of team away day and we walked the seven sisters and had a picnic and then stopped off for a pub supper that day we just hung out together work talk was banned another was getting together for a morning and each taking a song that meant something then having lunch together. both of these I really enjoyed they were loosely organised we knew where we had to be and what to bring but apart from that it was just time away from work.

The worst one was going away for 3 days this was the one that truly put me off and confirmed for me what a waste of time they were for me. we arrived on the friday evening and had our rooms allocated we had a few moments to settle in then it was supper after supper all our gadgets were " confiscated" until the sunday evening before we left. everything watches, travel clocks, MP3 players mobile phones, Games, everything had to be given in and then it was prayers and silence. I'd kept back my game so I had something and to use in the night, but I had to hand it in too when the person I was with got cross I hadn't. To make matters worse I was in a room with a much much older women who wanted the lights out so there I was alone in the dark awake for all most all the night I was just about asleep when she woke and the lights went on. The next day we sat inside and listened to talk after talk on different things and discussed them in our groups all I wanted to do was be out in the wonderful gardens and by the river that as near by. By the end of that second day I had truly had enough and turned off and tuned out for the rest of my time. I did manage to escape that evening and on the sunday morning. I felt like a caged animal just giving up. we also had a time when we had to go and spend with the chaplain for the weekend which you were told when to go. It was like being told you have a tutorial and thats that.

That has been how many retreat days or weekends have been extremely tight on time and trying to pack as much as possible in in a short time. Organised with no room to be really me, to wander off/ find space and time out to think on or bin things. No time for me to actually engage with being there.

The cadged feeling trapped inside all day and being talked at isn't away for me to engage with being away or with God and others.

Being in a lecture style environment I go into that style of thinking and being, taking notes and trying to concentrate takes a lot of energy and focus. Another side of many of the retreats has been being told when I was to go and see the chaplain. I do not find it easy to just go and talk to someone because I've been expected to. There are very few people who have that place of being where instantly there is a connection more often relationship and trust has to be built and earned before real sharing can begin.

One style I did find was Good was being on Iona though it was work and I was in work mode for much of the time it parish pilgrimage where I was Co leader.It would be somewhere I would return to it was a style of retreat I could take to and did take to.... the format for the day was simple space and thought came together. We slept in dorms with people from around the world we ate together 3 times a day. We had chores todo together and morning and evening prayer. During the day there were activities or focused times you could join if you wanted to. There were no demands apart from you be at meals, but most of all there was space...there was space time to wander the island or go sit in one of the churches go for coffee to the beach. Time to meet with God just be

I'm not sure I fully answer the questions but its a start I'm sure...

no more heroes any more

2011-05-24T21:46:00.001+01:00

This was one of the headlines on the news feed of one of my e-mail accounts today. To be honest seeing that title was really very sad " no more heroes any more'' Heros where there when I was a kid I know I had a few Terry Butcher and Stuart Pearce, Edmond Hillary, Jonathan Edwards (the triple jumper), George Mallory and Andrew Irvine and of course The Doctor ... But really no more heroes any more thats a scary thought.

There were others too, if you look back in history just a few years the answer would be the local police officer, fireman or teacher for some it would be a train driver, a capt of a plane or ship. Maybe the likes of, Amelia Earhart, Martin Luther King,

Neil Armstrong or Pele, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, JESUS?

There was a song that speaks of this wanting a hero The world is looking for a hero the opening verse

Hillary

The world is looking for a hero. We know the greatest one of all. The mighty ruler of the nations King of kings and Lord of lords. Who took the nature of a servant. And gave his life to save us all

The news feed was pointing to the fall of yet another fallen hero who it has been claimed had been unfaithful to his family. It's coursed a great deal of interest in the UK in the media and in other places. What has really come to surprise is how the UK has respond to the claims and to the life of a hero. It wasn't all that long ago when the National team coach striped a player of the captains role due to his unfaithfulness.. It seems that though as a country we accept a lot of things there is still something very distasteful in being deemed unfaithful.

Are there really no more heros any more? what does that mean then for the patches we live in? for the young lives that are in those patches. Who are the young lives looking up to if there are no more heros the villains? those who will lead them in the wrong directions?

It is a hard question but one we need to answer and not just in light of the title of the new link. It's a serious question for all of us as potential Heros rolemodles mentors, whether we think we are or not.. what way of life do we by our actions and words show to others does public and private show the same thing.

we all look for heros in some way, a rolemodel, mentor. Not to be like them a carbon copy as it where but a person that inspires us by there life and action. Paul in new testament urges people to follow his example in life as he tried to live a life that reflected Jesus...

Can I can we do the same, if not what needs to change for us to reflect the life of Jesus and point others to him. To a hero that won't fall that is never unfaithful...

The Lord Almighty is our hero
He breaks the stranglehold of sin
Through Jesus' love we fear no evil
Pow'rs of darkness flee from him
His light will shine in ev'ry nation
A sword of justice he will bring

Meerkat or Opera

2011-05-22T23:30:00.001+01:00

Meerkat or Opera

That was the question at the start of one of the best sermons I’ve heard for a while on Sunday.

I was at Westminster Central Hall (photo here) for the Gathering: ‘Opera and Oratorios’. We heard Haydn, Handle, Mozart and Fauré

It may come as a surprise to some who know me well that actually I love Opera and classical music I’m not one for Boom, Boom, Boom. Though I do like a wide range of Music. It was wonderful evening with Hymns peppered in along side Interviews (testimony) with members of the choir.

So back to the sermon Rev Martin Turner was doing the concluding words to the evening he went on to talk about how the opera singer ad is for go compare

and the song says about saving money ( which he sung to us.. I use the word sung lightly but the bible does say about joyful noises so I guess God was smiling). The light heart of the opening was brought to a much more meaningful and deeper level and the actual impact that ‘Go Compare’ can have on our lives.

He went on to speak about how if we try to go compare,

With God then you wont save anything with Christ. For following Christ

It will cost you

It cost God

The only way you save is by choosing Jesus and it is his saving grace.

He challenged at the end if you have stepped away from a living relationship with Father Son and Holy Spirit then go, go compare your life now and when you were close to God and choose HIM again.

And the challenge for those if you never had the relationship with God then go compare the life that he is offering and the promises He gives and choose HIM

I Haven’t done Martin justice here… but I hope the challenge and meaning hasn’t been lost

Boys

2011-05-20T23:59:00.010+01:00

I had to laugh tonight, the boys were round to watch a movie and a meal.. they've had a rough week it's exam time two doing their leaving exams and one his A levels. We had gooey BBQ food and cola. the funniest thing was my bears on top of the sofas I have bears a dog and a mouse I had to go upstairs and get another one these guys fight and then sit and hold them while watching the film.

when we first started to meet 18months ago they would come in and sit still quiet be so polite ask if they could leave the room...

now well they steal the bears walk in and out and treat here as home... they are still so polite :)

I love too that they tell me what they want recently we had tortillas for one of the boys it was their first time and had so much fun trying to make them. I asked before they went what things they would like the next time we meet the answer from this boy those things again :)

so the next time we meet during the school holidays when they're coming over for a film marathon. where gonna make food together not sure what my kitchen will make of it but I'm sure it will be fun

I don't care

2011-05-18T17:07:00.000+01:00

I don't really I don't No you may not get it but I don't care.... I don't care I'm not trying to be a wind up merchant honest but thats how I really do feel... I DON'T CARE. I don't care what colour the toilet role is, I don't care if there's rubbish in the car park, I don't care who left the lights on, I don't care that something normally done in the morning was done in the afternoon. I don't care that someone sat in "YOUR" seat... I really don't care

I do care that you walked past and din't pick the rubbish up, I do care the lights were left on and you saw and did nothing. I care that there is toilet role. and I care that the job got done. I do care that a stranger came in today I care about how the stranger was made to feel...

what do we spend out time caring about people about how we look after those in our patches a friend posted this first thing this morning

URGENT! i have just received a Phone call to tell me that there is a family in Brid who have lost all their possessions in a house fire, they are insured so they will get most of it back but they have a 4 year old little girl who needs clothes and toys..... If you can help please drop anything you have off at Emmanuel church or my house and we will get it to the family ASAP!

thank you

I do care about how we respond to those around us!!!!

Filled with compassion

2011-05-14T15:54:00.002+01:00

I'm preaching tomorrow on marks account of the feeding of the four thousand- and was looking for a illustration about compassion. The point being Jesus' being extended to us to be his hands and feet this story stopped me in my tracks.

a song that really hit me as a young christian was by noal richards

Filled with compassion

Filled with compassion
For all creation
Jesus came into a world that was lost
There was but one way
That He could save us
Only through suffering death on a cross

God You are waiting,
Your heart is breaking
For all the people who live on the earth
Stir us to action,
Filled with Your passion
For all the people who live on the earth

Great is Your passion
For all the people
Living and dying without knowing You
Having no saviour
They're lost forever
If we don't speak out and lead them to You

From every nation
We shall be gathered
Millions redeemed shall be Jesus' reward
Then He will turn and say to His Father
"Truly my suffering was worth it all"

what really has surprised and in a sad way was the amount of sites that say they have sermon illustrations that have nothing under compassion as a link in fact looking at there sites there isn't even a tag marked compassion.

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun ofchim, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling, her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me to you."

if we are not touching Jesus feeling being moved by his compassion then are we walking with him. Are we willing to be open to be his hands and feet to sit with the unlovable to sit with the teenage alcoholic or the older person who's given up.. to be Jesus with skin on.. to be there to hold back the hair of a person being sick as they have been out all night. To fall into bed shattered and do it all again.

news flash thats what we are called to do.

it's not about putting money in the pot outs side the station or supporting via direct-debit that helps but actively getting involved.....

midlands calling

2011-05-11T07:30:00.001+01:00

My patch is off for a few days today- in four mins actually last cuppa and checking last few things ready like wheres my tickets...

I'm off for a retreat not my normal activity and something i'm not really all that fond of. I know that they are good and many people find them useful but I do struggle with them and more often found them a waste of time.

but today I am off to newbuildingsfarm in Derbyshire with the youth team from Leicester who I will be joining in the summer...

ok signing off now

Maze

2011-05-08T14:50:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I was out and about in london with the Guides they were taking part in a challenge toward a badge where they got points for different transport used and the things they did or saw around london... we finished up at crystal palace - known in the athletics world for the stadium there.

It's a park and was the first time i've been there and had a fab time I also got given by the girls a guide name they decided while on the train to Crystal palace that I needed one like the other leaders. the guides use Disney names for the leaders it was a great moment when they decided and a honour in away that they wanted to do it... so my guide name is now Perry the Platypus, also known as Agent P or simply Perry

What really got me though was the maze at the end of the day, as part of the centenary the maze at crystal palace was refurbished in the centre is a wonderful message to those who journey through the maze a compass rose design with the guide symbol in the centre

the words at the centre of the maze celebrating 100 years of guiding

pause here for a while

past,present and future

follow in their footsteps

listen for the echos

repotting

2011-05-07T21:15:00.002+01:00

I called a recent post "replanting" I spoke about a time of repotting replanting. Its something that you need to do to a potted plant every once in a while. if you don't it will struggle the roots will grow out of the pot... try wearing shoes too small and you'll get the idea of how the plant feels.. sometimes a plant will stay happy in it's pot for many years others will need to be changed more often.

In the previous post I mention that the little patch of vauxhall that has been my patch since october 2009 will be left behind. the patch will become home for someone else. and I have been looking and praying as to where God is looking to replant me.

Well two weeks ago I went for a interview at St Annes and All Saints in the Parish of Scraptoft and Netherhall in Leicester and this will be my new patch from the summer.

I will be the Children's and Youth Missioniar

street party

2011-04-29T11:49:00.000+01:00

This was great I wondered down to the street party and met up with friends we ate cake and sausages cooked by the local butcher and his team..

what was great about the past few days is how everyone came together there was a really feeling in the community of hope celebration and joy... the weather has helped in this... I've found it very different in London that people though often friendly when you get to know them don't talk in the street or at the checkout ( a few brake this idea) which I've been used to in the midlands and north. so to walk and be greeted in the street and people doing life together instead of alone behind there front door bring and sharing food together laughing and joking with new friends has been fantastic..

but it has left me with questions...
questions of why the church isn't part of this bring the community together in more ways... why not just as seeing it as a event to get people into church but to be there doing life together with the communities we live in.

Jesus was about with people he picnicked with them, the biggest of all street party's and one boy with bread and fish supplied the food. What if we took this approach to life and journeyed with our committee through life. not just with those we connect with but with all of our community those who live under the railway bridge and those who live in the big gated house. what if we lived as Jesus called the church to live.

eve of the wedding

2011-04-29T00:16:00.002+01:00

I had to go just to say I was there.. just to see... to hear... to be part....

It was a long walk 2.5 hrs stopping to talk to people and just take in the atmosphere it seems the whole world has its focus on a small patch that I can just about see from my window... I can hear the helecopters flying over head and see the sky lit up by the many lights.

so I had to take the short walk over to the other side of the thames to see.. what was going on.... people I haven't seen so many people out and about at 930pm in I don't know how long... Oxford street on a saturday had nothing on Parliament Square or The mall. I chatted with people from Australia, Canada who waved their flags and sat chatting with them for some time after geting a photo of them camped out, North of Scotland, Wales saw flags and messages from Cuba, South africa, oh and even a guy carrying the cornish flag... and stopped to chat with a group of guides from Streatham who offered me a place to stay with them over night.... but alas I had to decline... as I told them my kingsize bed was calling me home...

people decked out in red white and blue...walking along the mall singing I'm getting married in the morning was a amazing atmosphere to take in. People just wanting to be part of something special enjoying a time of hope and joy...

even the London eye tonight is not its usual blue or green or purple but is a hugh red white and blue ring that looks great against the dark sky.

later I will go down to the street party in vauxhall and properly watch the wedding on tv.

School assembly

2011-04-28T11:31:00.003+01:00

I'm doing the assembly at Archbishop Sumners school today... and following on from easter and other assemblies I've done this year on building your life on the right things as I was looking at ideas I came across this wonderfully simple video (I've got it ready to use at the school hope it works I think they would enjoy it I know I did when I saw it.)

Either way

I'm gonna use flash paper and strong paper to show that when we build our lives on God even when we're shaken (strong paper is hard to tear but it does happen) the base of our lives are in God and though knocked we can deeped on God..

flash paper is cool it burns in an instant and leave no ash or any sign it was ever there... when we base our lives on things not based in the truth of God just like the house on the sand there is nothing to hold on too.....

I'm not saying about using God as a crutch but as a climber I know that if you don't have a strong anchor for your rope there is only one result if you find a loose rock or slip and fall.....

What this day are you building your life on what I am I building my life on...

How is that lead out into what we building into the patch's that God has given each of us to tend...

Easter day

2011-04-24T06:00:00.006+01:00

In March over on 365-my patch I took a photo of one of the allotments just down from my flat. The ground was stating to be prepared for planting it was towards the beginning of lent then. Today I went past the same allotment and it looks very different. Laid out each plant and vegetable in its patch in a place where it can grow and develop. I'd spoken to the tender of the allotment and he said to watch out for something he had just built a frame a frame that looked like a gallows.

Thursday at the globe I heard Esther recited. A gallows was built in there for much darker reason as someone who wanted power plotted to do evil in order to get it and ended up hanging from the gallows he built for another. Friday, Good Friday saw another image used for destruction the Cross.

Yet both were used so very differently both the gallows and the Cross saw in them the beautiful.

The tender of the allotment used for growing tomato's.

The cross a sign of suffering and pain and shame. bring forth the beauty of new life new hope through the resurrection of the one who died who shed his blood upon it.

¹ Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. ² But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. ³ Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ And it happened, as they were greatly^[b] perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. ⁵ Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, ⁷ saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”⁸ And they remembered His words. ⁹ Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

What this easter day is there in your life in my life that can be changed from something that is a seemingly harmless past time or a object that as you read this you recongnise as being like the gallows or the cross and needs that change that turning over to God so that He can reshape it into somthing beautiful.

How does that allotment that was being prepared look now well....

Reepicheep

2011-04-23T14:35:00.001+01:00

Unhand the tail. Aslan the Great gave me this tail and no one, repeat, no one, touches the tail. Period, exclamation mark!

narniaweb.com

You gotta love Reepicheep..... little mouse big heart

an he has a real point, That tail was a gift a from Aslan and he guarded it no-one would be allowed to take that gift from him..

How do we treat the gift and call that Aslan has given to each of us. Do we allow the gift of God to be touched or taken by another.

Reepicheep uses his gift- not hiding it away but uses it day to day

Reepicheep a little mouse in a film on a Saturday afternoon just a bit of entertainment!!!!

nothing to do with our my daily lives our walk with God our discipleship.....

The globe

2011-04-22T21:03:00.000+01:00

I'm still not sure really what I had expected last night going to the globe to hear three books of the bible read Esther, Job and the Psalms.

To hear the word read in a semi dramatic way ( I say semi dramatic as it was through those reciting own engagement that made it dramatic) it was more than just being read there was a real engagement it was truly to be part of the story. We I think has lost something by no longer being a oral community we write down our stories and really if ever tell them.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening I loved the way that Esther came alive and the psalms job was the book for me I wasn't to worried about missing but was en captured by the recital. But the Psalms that was for me worth more than I can really begin to share. 8 people recited I loved the way in which the two actors above all most egged each other on to say greater things of the Lord. There was sarcasm and desperation love and hate.

It was a dangerous occasion too dangerous as to think that as this version created to be recited to be heard was a gateway for the masses to have the word to hear and meditate on. That as parts of the psalms came up you found yourself joining in with the spoken word.

How much more is there in what took place this Holy week.. As a friend reminded me today how great that the word of good has been proclaimed over the capital of this nation this week.

Maundy Thursday

2011-04-21T16:45:00.000+01:00

This morning I was at Southwark cathedral for the service there which was great was so glad I went the opening Hymn was sung with such power and truth that you thought the roof really would be shaken. I'd never sung this before but was hit by the words

Refrain:

Lift high the cross,
the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore
his sacred Name.

Come, brethren, follow where our Captain trod,
our King victorious, Christ the Son of God. Refrain

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. Refrain

Each newborn soldier of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died. Refrain

This is the sign which Satan's legions fear
and angels veil their faces to rever. Refrain

Saved by this Cross whereon their Lord was slain,
the sons of Adam their lost home regain. Refrain

From north and south, from east and west they raise
in growing unison their songs of praise. Refrain

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
as thou hast promised, draw the world to thee. Refrain

Let every race and every language tell
of him who saves our souls from death and hell. Refrain

From farthest regions let their homage bring,
and on his Cross adore their Savior King. Refrain

Set up thy throne, that earth's despair may cease
beneath the shadow of its healing peace. Refrain

For thy blest Cross which doth for all atone
creation's praises rise before thy throne. Refrain

I'm missing a service tonight at St Peters vauxhall one I'm sad to miss last year it was a amazing service and the first time i had witnessed the stripping of a church and was very much looking forward a agin to being part of it again this year.....

but I will be at another place and my first visit to the famous globe theatre and will be hearing the King james bible read...

THURSDAY 21 APRIL

6pm – Midnight: Esther, Job and Psalms

Free tea and coffee will provided after 11pm.

This session features the book of Psalms containing 150 beautifully written hymns, psalms and prayers covering the whole range of human emotions from joy to anger, from hope to despair. Many famous verses have roots in the psalms including, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, ‘The Rivers of Babylon’, ‘Handel’s Messiah’. The book of Job explores the problem of sufferance in an unjust world, where God appears not to care about the fate of the just.

Two of my favourite books will be read Esther and psalms and yeah I'm very much planning to listen to the whole evening not sure what it is going to be like but I'm sure it will be a wonderful evening though the expectation is that people will drop in and drop out throughout the sessions. its suggested it will take a team of actors 69 hours to read through the bible in Holy week and will conclude on easter tuesday. What I found really interesting is that there will be no reading on Holy saturday. That it was actually called by the theatre Holy saturday the real name for the time of waiting and not easter saturday as it's often miss called.

I like the statement in a interview too that The Globe's artistic director, Dominic Dromgoole

"We are celebrating the word," he says. Whatever one's spiritual convictions, the anniversary is significant; it is hard to think of any other work that has played such a large role in shaping English-speaking culture.

celebrating the word.

Tonight I just plan to sit and listen no distraction no phone or gadgets this Maundy Thursday no words of my own just the words inspired by God written down by man to wash over

Love wins......

2011-04-18T22:47:00.001+01:00

There's been a lot said and written about the contains of Rob Bells latest book Love wins... I haven't read it yet have my copy on the desk in a pile of to reads. I had a ticket for a evening with rob bell tonight at westminster central hall, I missed the first part of the evening as I was returning from viewing a new patch in the midlands but I did get there to here the questions and answers session...

Something that stood out in all that was said was a image of what a leader or pastor should be doing first and for most.

Rob used the image of the emergency information given on a plane. That you always put your mask on before helping anyone else.

that is the same with out spiritual lives we need to be spending time first with God, that we don't get burnt out or work from a place of empty.

I really like that image of the plane safety it really challenges though... what does it mean for those in my patch when you try to put there mask on while not wearing on first and slowly being suffocated.

what would it mean in our churches is pastors (or whatever term your denomination uses) worked from this place....

Palm sunday

2011-04-17T21:14:00.000+01:00

This week starts and finishes with celebration yet the week itself becomes more contemplative as we close in on Maundy Thursday and the striping of the church and good friday. this week sees two walks in the parish today we walked from two of the churches to a joint celebration at the third. friday we walk from the imperial war museum to waterloo station in silence as we think and pray out way round stations on the way and hear the passion read.

we sand Hosanna and give me joy and ride on ride as we walk in the sun palms waving and a white pony leading the way

Short service to start the walk outside St Peter's Vauxhall

Walking up Kennington Lane

Inside the church with perugin ( courtesy of vauxhall city farm )

Celebrating in the SUN as we closed the time together outside singing we are marching in the light of God 4 churches today met together as one a LEP ( local ecumenical partnership methodist /CofE) Methodist church and two CofE we broke bread together too I love this aspect of the north lambeth we come from many traditions within the church from many countries and languages oh for a thousand tongues to sign our great redeemers praise today a small glimpse of that was shown who wonderful it is when Gods children meet together to celebrate HIM and HIM alone.

Phantom of the opera

2011-04-14T22:23:00.006+01:00

Ok not quite but a similar mask is being worn.

Phantom hand mask

Last week in a moment of madness I managed to brake my hand. Since then a rainbow of colours has greeted me over the past week. ( ok that's two west-end shows refered too in just a few words should stop there I think (over the rainbow is a show about Julie Garland) )

I mentioned in a earlier post that I had been on my MA week during the week we were asked what happens when we loose sight of God my friend tapped me on the arm. A innocent jester of teasing or something much much deeper when we take our eyes of god wether as a disciple or as a community it is then that we start to wither. Wesley comments in his sermon on the wilderness state (sermon 46)

4. With loss of faith, and love, and joy there is also joined, Fourthly, the loss of that peace which once passed all understanding. That sweet tranquillity of mind, that composure of spirit, is gone. Painful doubt returns; doubt, whether we ever did, and perhaps whether we ever shall, believe. We begin to doubt, whether we ever did find in our hearts the real testimony of the Spirit; whether we did not rather deceive our own souls, and mistake the voice of nature for the voice of God. Nay, and perhaps, whether we shall ever hear his voice, and find favour in his sight. And these doubts are again joined with servile fear, with that fear which hath torment. We fear the wrath of God, even as before we believed: We fear, lest we should be cast out of his presence; and thence sink again into that fear of death, from which we were before wholly delivered.

I'm not sure which really comes first but do understand what wesley is saying. It is easy to slip into that place where we loose peace.. for what ever reason that may be loss of hope and peace is something that is a day to day reality not just behind the front doors on the estate but behind the long gated driveways of the rich.

Theres many reasons why we end in a place that we loose faith, and love, and joy and peace. How do we get back to the place of having our eyes on jesus is what matters. it may be through seeking forgiveness from another and Going to God in prayer. It may mean letting others those mature and trusted into you life to hold you in prayer to challenge and guide to help you focus again on the truth on God's truth that then stops the dripping tap that ground you down.

Are you am I willing in your patch to be the person to come along side and be that still small voice to another, or to be at times that rush of thunder both are needed but wisdom as to when is needed to.

Are you am I willing to let another be the voice of truth and let them speak in to you my life.....

Replanting

2011-04-13T18:58:00.006+01:00

houseplants.com

My patch on the move, Later this summer the little patch of vauxhall that has been where I've been planted since october 2009 will be left behind. Just as with plants it's time for me to be repotted, it's said but also a good time as I seek to find where God wants me to go next.

As I googled a site today to look at more info about a patch I've applied to today I came across this job title on the rejesus site which was one of their links.....

Job title

Follower of the way

Disciple

Employer details

Jesus of Nazareth

Location

Flexible. You will essentially be a field worker fulfilling the requirements of the role in your local community. You will be prepared to leave the security of home behind at certain times.

Role and purpose

You are to live as Jesus taught, and follow his example.

I've just finished a intensive MA week over at cliff college which was one of the reasons why blogging was non excitant last week. my MA is in mission Wesleyan Theology and Spirituality and spent a lot of time looking at what it meant to be a real follower of jesus.

whatever happens patch wise this is the job description the way of life that is first and foremost

Stand Still in London

2011-03-27T00:35:00.000Z

Today traffic was brought to a halt in central London. Roads normally full of traffic were empty. As 250,000 people march through the streets to voice their concerns over the latest government cuts. We are in a time where we need to all tighten our purses a little but how we do that MATTERS. How what is taking place effects those in my patch I don't really know right now. But they will and some will be struggling even more. The march brought together people from all ages from all over the UK. Will it have made a difference I really am not sure.

Here's a few photo's of the day that show the different people that where there

At the table

2011-03-13T14:32:00.002Z

I had to smile today, I really did not want to go to church today as wesley once wrote in the famous journal entry "I went very unwillingly". I haven't been all that well again this week, and had been ill during the night and again during the service. But I was acting steward today so went. Toward the end of the service just as we came together to read the liturgy for communion our youngest member who's about 18months wandered over to the communion rail reached up and almost danced along the rail and played under the table. I was wonderful to see... then his older brother joined him it was great to see the freedom of these two young lives free at the table free to crawl and play and dance... in their fathers house. I came to remember the verse from Song of Solomon 2:4

He brought me to the banqueting house,

And his banner over me was love.

There is a song called his banner over me that I was singing to my self as I sat there just watching the boys part of the words go

He brought me to his banqueting table

And his banner over me is love

I am my beloved’s and he is mine

And his banner over me is love

We delight ourselves at your table oh God

we delight ourselves at your table oh God I love that phrase but it also comes with a "ouch" the ouch do I really delight my self at HIS table like the two young lives did today.....

who's pulling your Strings......

2011-03-09T23:18:00.000Z

The 1967 Uk entry to the Eurovision song contest was puppet on a string Last night I got to meet one of my all time favourite puppets from childhood sooty.....

I loved this cheeky little bear. So there was a reason to be playing with puppets well at cubs tonight we had a visit from a puppeteer. The cubs were mesmerised by them. Now I'm not always a fan of puppets I hate the ones that look human so the old guys off the muppet show are out... but cuddly ones like sooty sweep and sue

Though there is much fun and laughter with puppets. What I got to thinking about was the string puppets I have a few of these. the ones that work by strings that make it move. The question was who's pulling your strings. Who is it that guides your motives and actions.

This can be taken further who is pulling the string on the street, in the flats or over the estate that we live in. Who is it that is being allowed to run things. Is there a time for a change a time to bring about a new way of thinking a new way of being.

By placing my hand inside sooty I could control to guide the bears actions... am I as willing as the bear to allow my actions to be guided by God. To allow those action and ways to make a difference on my patch....

A new friend

2011-03-04T21:49:00.001Z

There are many things that take over our towns and city's at night, I love watching the BBC's two series spring and autumn watch. These programmes look at the different animals that are around a live documentary that the viewer can join in with. I had not got my camera with me as i walked home last night but did manage to get this

A young fox who more or less walked me home, I sat watching it for a while till it got too cold for me, to get this close was so good. I really was as close as the picture seems to suggests. many of those who live alongside us have had to adapt and overcome. Some have done it better than others. Urban foxes often get a bad press, but I'm really glad to have them around.

scouts and pancakes

2011-03-02T22:09:00.002Z

Tonight was pancake night at scouts.. yes a week early.. well be prepared and all that :) and it wasn't done the way you would have expected.... these little burners had a tea light inside...

no it's not a egg .... it's a mini pancake :)

the fun started when they decided they wanted to flip the pancakes it all started so well

yup they ended on the floor

it was a good night and some very interesting creations were made and eaten :)

Though I think I'll have someone else cooks the pancakes for next tuesday :)

on the tube...

2011-02-20T16:54:00.001Z

saw this on the tube today... And got me thinking... it's a advert for a uk cable channel. The words at the bottom were what struck me.. its not going to change your life but thats not what we're about you got God channel for that... as part of my studies and coming from a background outside of the church one of the questions that I've asked and many more people are asking is what is church how do we define that word. When church is the people who are disciples of Jesus. encouraging seeking journeying together into a closer relationship with God becoming more like Him. What the advert here says is what they are and are not. they are there for entertainment - not to change life.. they are one of many channels bidding for our time.. putting on different programmes aiming at different groups of people... sounds very like the way the "church" does things. The tv channel are very aware of who they are and what they are about. I think that has a major challenge for the "church" are we just another group/organisation that is vying for peoples time or is there more is the church the place where lives are transformed. Not just putting on programmes but leading each other deeper in life changing encounters with the living God..

Shalom

2011-02-19T23:36:00.005Z

Evening Prayer: karin leonard

I saw this while messing around looking up peace.. The title of this post in Hebrew. It would be a photo I'd have taken given the chance walking along the shore. The painting isn't s well known as the one I posted earlier this week and spoke about in that post. It is a strange place to be talking about peace right now.. when everything says I should be angry, when the world would say you should be angry. This painting for me is peace, is my idea of peace.

I put on my Facebook status yesterday that I was amused by a situation that I found myself in. It should have hurt, been like putting salt on a wound or pressing a bruise to have continued to feed into how I was doing. But to use amuse surly not not just a few days after being found in the darkest of shadows. A friend noted they were not amused but livid at what had happened. I wrote amused having spent time listening - listening to what God was saying to me, I was on retreat, not a retreat in a normal sense and not something I do very often.. space, conversation, questions (Hard questions at times),friends, food and prayer and love.

The timing wasn't the most easy for any of us to be going through this ( work and family for my friends) and for me to be doing a hedgehog impression.

I'm not saying that it has just gone away it's still a hard place to be in. To be writing about peace feels as I started the post as being very wrong. This though is the reality of the place that I find myself in.

The words of Bill Johnson tonight rang so true and resonate with what I was being asked to refocus on while away he writes

"You can only hold on to one thing at a time - the promise of God or disappointment. You'll have to drop one to embrace the other."

To live in this goes against the very nature of man against self, we want to live in the disappointment and hurt.to justify the how we are feeling and almost keep ourselves in the position of being disappointed or hurt. We have been promised life by God... not just any type of life but life in all fullness..

Coming back from the retreat carrying this peace that the promises of God are still strong, that the family that He has given are there to cary and support. The hedgehog isn't unfurled yet there is a though unlike this time last week a pin prick of light at the end of the tunnel. The peace I have I can not begin to explain to truly describe to you it can't be Earned, or brought it is freely given . I know where this peace comes from

"the peace of God, which transcends all understanding"

Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?

2011-02-16T12:49:00.003Z

I guess many will instantly know the painting here, the scream by Edvard Munch yes thats right not Vincent Willem van Gogh. It has been used time and time again as a illustration of pain and anguish that is suffered. Its in many ways a good friday picture. so what do I mean by that. I part to be very honest here I don't know. It's a place that for each of us is very different. A place of soul searching of a place where the end of the tunnel seems so distant there is not even a pin prick of light at the end of it. A place of loneliness, of betrayal (very real not always true) a place where you cant even breath a place that seems like drowning. For jesus he went through this too, the feeling of abandonment, the gospels recount those last hours and words,

“At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

(Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46).

there on the cross Jesus was praying the words of psalm 22 a psalm that starts with pain with sorrow and ends with praise to God, to his father. He Knew the such a deep suffering and anguish. Yet did not give up on His father did not let go that relationship.

yet the writer of the psalm asks that ever present question in time of grief and pain "why" "why have you forsaken" what is being experienced by the writer is how we find ourselves , with situations and places that makes no sense; where things do not fit together."Why" God seems very distant in both space and time theres a emptiness left. The wandering through trust and question, hanging on by finger tips to faith. blistered,sore and bleeding finger tips but hanging on.

yet sometimes we need others being Jesus with skin on to help us hold on even if at the time we seem to think that we don't want it. And are doing our best to be horrid to those who are around us. Doing the very best impression of a hedgehog prickles out and curled up into a tight ball.. but you know even when a hedgehog does that if you hold it right.. have patience when it feels safe and trusts who's doing the holding then it will unfurl again and slowly venture out again... but it takes time.

why say all this today, because I am that hedgehog right now .... A decision on saturday left me in a place that makes no sense and left me walking through the shadows and anguish.

Urban farm

2011-02-08T15:48:00.001Z

I wrote a few time now about the local city farm here in vauxhall it's been great to get to know the team that works there over the last few months. Today coming back from visiting in the community there was a sight I wasn't expecting. Now i am used to seeing the pony and horses being walked around the estate or even ridden. but to see two cows walking down the middle of the street was something very new. I love it :). whats so great is that in a inner city area the children get to touch and see so many different animals. I grew up going away on holiday or getting out of the city some weekends so saw animals in the feilds or on the farms. many children and families don't get that when most weeks they are finding it difficult to make ends meet. having the farm in the community brings them a place to go and meet the animals and for a short time get a brake form the city. a brief respite from the daily grind.