Crowns

Christ the King was the theme for this sunday in the church calendar the week before the start of Advent. Preparing for the sermon I spent a fair bit of time on youtube looking up clips. Type in coronation and you come across a assortment of things from coronation street to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to Narnia and the Lion King. There are many different symbols of a kings power They include the crowns, sceptres, orbs, rings, swords

I really love it when the congregation become part of the sermon and shout out what they are thinking.  They question I asked 

What do you think of when you see a  crown.  

Ok so theres always one and the pub was mentioned :)

A crown is a symbol of power and authority.

Now there was a young prince who had a idea about what power and authority meant  when he became the King of the Beasts. In the film the "Lion King?" the young prince Simba sings the song  "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."  one of the reasons why Simba was so anxious to become king was that he didn't want anyone telling him what to do. He didn't want to hear anyone saying, "do this" or "stop that." He wanted to be free to run around all day doing everything his way.

It wasn't just that Simba didn't want anyone to tell him what to do, he was also looking forward to telling everyone else what to do. Just listen to what he says! "I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! I'm gonna be the mane event like no king was before. I'm brushing up on looking down. I'm working on my ROAR! Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

A King ruling telling people what to do we see in a lot of films and on the TV no one daring to tell them what to do..

But the Kingship of Christ is so very much different to this picture and the symbols are somewhat different.....

Crown not of gold or silver but of Thorns

This is a reminder of Good Friday, but that wasn’t really a great day for Jesus, was it?  I mean, he was arrested, he was yelled at and hurt, and things just got worse.  Not exactly the glorious kind of day that we usually hear about with kings.

  palm branch or palm cross

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem  People where lining the street and cheering for him, and putting palm branches and cloaks on the ground in front of him.  yet he entered on a donkey a borrowed one not a large powerful horse decked out in the Kings colours.

the bowl and towel? 

Jesus took of his shirt knelt down and did what the lowest servant in the house would be expected to do.  Thats not the behaviour of a King...  They should have been washing his feet. I’m come on anyone who’s a rich have servants to do this sort of thing to, well they did at downtown Abbey and they weren’t Kings and Queens

When we look at Jesus He’s not the kind of King that we typically think of or expect.  He had no elaborate decorated crown and robe. No palace or carriage. The signs of His Authority and Kingdom turn our image upside-down

 The important things in Jesus’ kingdom are not wealth and power, but love and mercy.  In that kingdom Jesus makes the perfect king.  Jesus is even the king over death!  Yes, he died on Good Friday, but he was raised to life on Easter!  So, on this Christ the King Sunday we celebrate the Kingdom of God, and the promise of mercy and love for all.

So as we draw toward advent and the celebration of Christ stepping into the world what image of Him do you carry is it still one of a harmless innocent baby or of the Servant King 

Laying down picking up

Pick up sticks, and age old game that I introduced to one of the junior schools that I go into. It's strange how in the age of the Xbox and other interactive gadgets  this simple game has captured the imagination of so many children. I started with two boxes of these sticks and have since expanded to six. 

To play pick up sticks you first have to lay them down.  Theres two ways of this. Laying the down as precisely as you can so they land neatly. That isn't always the easiest of things. They fall how they want to no matter how you try to get them to land . The other option is just letting go and dropping them not caring how they land. 

It's is not just with this children's game we put things down in these two ways. Our gifts, talents, Ministry , Call and even friends and family. 

We can lay things on a alter before God to leave them in His care gently with care not knowing if or when we may return to lift them back up again. The other option is to almost just drop them like the sticks, not bothering. Laying things down comes through differing reasons but how we respond to the reasons really matters. 

 Its possible that both of these actions are done through anger or despair through struggle. 

Sometime ago it the second option seemed the best choice, not just throwing it down but throwing back at God rather than to  lay things down through prayer. The process was one of not wanting to use or have the call and gifts to go with that. At the time there seemed no way out of the situation that was engulfing  everything. There was no joy or life in the gift something that was once enjoyed now was a chore. 

This week the gift and call that was thrown down in anger and hurt was gently if somewhat scarily given back. 

Picking that gift back up started with the preparation a couple of weeks ago. What was amazing was the way in which the enjoyment of the preparation that revitalises and refreshes came flooding back. 

 This week a fresh and new understanding of the words of Jesus 'I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly' (John 10:10) opened up for the first time since throwing down that gift and call once again life felt truly full.

Interesting

I was telling the Godly Play Holy family today at Kids Club we got to the time of wondering

Me: I wonder which of these you could remove and the story still work.
Kid 1: grown up Jesus..
Kid 2: if you remove grown up Jesus then take away baby Jesus too. There would be no need for Him. You need both.




Love the way these young lives question and think...

click here for answers

If only it was as simple as that, 

I don't know if you remember there was a real crazy several years ago for those 8balls you asked it a question it gave you a answer. That sorta fitted your question.  

Yesterday during the youth time before we rejoined the service for a baptism and the Communion. We and a interesting time of question and discussion. We're using the UCB word4u2day as a ay of introducing daily time with God and getting them to read the bible in small steps. It's a challenge to for me to make sure I am reading the notes they have. The notes from yesterday we did together.  During the week the questions or things that they want to talk about or share from there reading they make a note off and bring with them on a sunday or Thursday and we loo at them together. The questions are getting back to basics things we would take for granted. The simplest question this week was, Why are capitals used for He Him and  His when theres no full stop.  The answer the group came up with well is a written way of kneeling or  standing to show  respect and honour .   I like that don't know about you :). What I truly love about this group is they come as they are, they ask questions, they think about  they share and expect that back from each other...  and from whoever is leading... Asking questions is learning. Not every question thats asked will get a press here response, but working out the answer together weighing cup different ways of thinking and making it their own as they grapple with the questions they own. 

Expedition Force

ASK!! and Y@AS for a week this week.. well a four day week.  Today was the first day of our holiday club. A club for those who attend our Kids club once a month on a saturday.. that's until some of the youth club asked if they could come... and so today we had 17 4-13's in church,crafts, games,drama song,story and fun. 

It wasn't the usual type of holiday club because of the mix.. two boys came along and they had a great time with a pair of secateurs and branches i'm not sure the trees did :). As they helped prepare for the easter garden.

a few minuets of quite after a game was the moment that was for me the moment of the day to day as we sat together with a box of plastic eggs in a box.. Resurrection eggs - each day we choose three eggs, in each of the eggs has a bible passage and a little something. Today the three eggs chosen were

   5. Piece of rope, twine, or thick string (a scourge) 
“Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he    set Barabbas free for
them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed Him over to be
crucified.” Mark 15:15

11. Rock 
“Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, and
placed it in his own new tomb, which he had just recently dug
out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the
entrance to the tomb and went away.” Matthew 27:59-60

12. Nothing (the tomb is empty)
“He is not here. He has risen just as He said.” Matthew 28:6

before we opened the folded paper I wonder what the thing inside your egg has to do with the story..Hands shot up..  as the first egg was opened. A rock - " it's just a guess but could it have any thing to do with the stone and the grave. The next was empty lots of ideas as to why it might be a empty egg. 

In a simple way today we started a new expedition together. and we journey through Holy week. 

palm sunday

Palm sunday has to be one of the days of the year for me that I look forward too. Here in the new patch there lots of firsts and today was another of these. There was no little white stallion leading the procession or causing church wardens a near heart attack when the vicar brought him right into the church. Walking the short walk from the village hall to the church in the cool but sunny spring morning. 

 two of the young people joined us this morning and it was their first time so a lot of excitement and questions and parts of the gospel story falling into place. they came out this week with the best description of a disciple I've heard in a while at house group on Thursday. 

those people you know the ones that were with Jesus they just followed him his footsteps like and learnt things then past them on so we can do it...

such a simple but wonderful way to explain what we so often over complicate. Today there were more great moments of laughter and excited comments on the front row as they turned and commented about recognising parts of the service from the gospel story we have been looking at over lent. 

Just Another Bear!!

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.

Advent 4

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."  :).. 

Advent 3

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.

A King Is comming

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

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...

All Saints Kids

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...

easter Kind of way

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

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

1. 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. 
2. You need money for the bus - got very use to having my oyster card. 
3. Don't eat supper then try to get up the hill to church in 10mins this has very yucky results.
4. 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 :)
5. 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