A Minute for Madeleine

You can do all sorts of things in a minute - you can waste it;  you can send a tweet; make a comment on facebook; switch the kettle on; share a hug; tell someone you love them; or you can wait a minute… But what happens when your minutes add up and you’re in a situation in which there is no end in sight?  

Take a minute out of your day … to watch.  Take a minute to pray.  Take a minute to think.  Take a minute to tell someone how much they mean to you.

 

Unexpected announcements

sunset

I don’t know about you, but one of my favourite pictures to draw when I was younger was a sunset. You know the picture I’m sure – two hills and a sun in between, maybe a beach or a river or a field in the foreground.  I liked to draw that picture maybe because it was the simplest to draw; no humans, nothing elaborate, or maybe it was because I liked the implied peacefulness. Who knows? But I was reminded of it recently while on holiday.

It was late in the day and the train was full of people coming home from work.  We on the other hand had just arrived at San Francisco Airport after an eleven hour flight and were making our way to Walnut Creek to visit family.  People around us looked like I felt – shattered. We’d just come through the tunnel under the Bay when the train came to a stop aboveground; halted by a red light.  People continued to read their books, newspapers, magazines, computer screens, or scroll through their i-pods and tap messages into their mobile phones.  Basically I think the idea was to make sure that you were secure in your own little world; no eye contact therefore no intrusive and unwanted conversations.  The only voice I could trace belonged to a girl who had been talking incessantly to a wide variety of friends on her phone trying to find someone who might want to go out with her that night for a meal.

Moments later the disembodied voice of our lady train driver announced: “That’s really quite a sunset out the right-hand side of the train”. Almost every head turned to look, and true enough, it was a spectacular sunset.  People smiled, and there was a perceptible change in the mood of the passengers in our carriage.  All, that is, except for the girl on the phone, who never flinched from her task of trying to find companionship, and so a beautiful moment in our world was missed. It was a moment when disparate people found a sense of common wonder.  It was a moment when we looked at a visual illustration of beauty and peace in a chaotic and busy world.  It was a moment of community.

And the only person who missed it was the girl seeking company; on the phone telling yet another person in a bright and breezy voice “I’m on the train.  Want to scope out a place to eat tonight?”   The thing is, the voice belied her face and posture, and as I witnessed the continuous phone calls I became aware that I was looking at someone who was essentially lonely and in need of a friend.

Angel announcing Good News

Later, as I thought about that unexpected announcement on the BART, my thoughts turned to other unexpected announcements.  The angel Gabriel made an unexpected announcement to a young girl called Mary: God was going to bring an unexpected addition into her family.  God also used angels to announce to shepherds tending their sheep: “This very day in David’s town your Saviour was born — Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11).  Yet this unexpected announcement, this beautiful moment: the good news that Jesus is Lord and the powers of the world are not, is something that I am convinced so many continue to miss because the are wrapped up in their own little world looking for relationships that will fulfil their immediate wants and needs.

And God said …

When we open our Bible to the very first chapter of Genesis we are confronted by an amazing truth – God speaks.   We are told in Genesis 1:3 – “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”   There then follows seven more powerful utterances and there was not only light, but an expanse to separate water from water.   Then dry ground appeared.   Vegetation grew.   In the sky there were lights to mark the times and the seasons.   Next the water was filled with living creatures, birds flew across the sky and there were living creatures on the land.   Then God said “let’s people this planet”, and he did.   And that could have been the end of it.   He could have withdrawn to watch his creation from a distance, but immediately after he created the people, he spoke to them.   

All through Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, you hear of occasions when God spoke to people both individually and corporately.  Many read those stories and come to the conclusion that God only spoke way back then.   Why?   Well, they argue,  he wanted to have a relationship with the peoples of Old and New Testament times since he was laying a foundation of Scripture that would be used by future generations.   Therefore because we have the Bible, God no longer speaks – His written word had replaced his spoken word.  Others read the stories and come to the conclusion that God only speaks to super-religious people.   While yet others conclude – God spoke creation into being and it is through that, that he speaks to them; “You are never closer to God than in a garden”, they say, or on a golf course. 

But the truth is, because God wants to have an ongoing relationship with his people, he did not stop speaking.   How can we know this?   Well, at its most basic, there is no relationship without communication.   And communication is a two way thing.   God spoke to people in the beginning, and he hasn’t stopped talking since.   It’s us who have withdrawn into the noise of our world.   It is us who have become ‘hard of listening’.  It’s us who have forgotten how to recognise God’s voice.   It’s us who think – we alone come up with good ideas.   

One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people.   So … are we listening, or are we ‘hard of listening’?

Church History in 4 minutes

I found ”Church History in 4 minutes” via Twitter, I’ve retweeted it and thought I’d like to share it with others.   Loved the fact that it was set to ”we didn’t start the fire” lyrics   For those of you who like a different musical style there’s a parody of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Modern Major General covering the entire history of the church.

Update: Janet, the producer of the aforementioned video, has recently posted the words to her flick:

Pentecost, Palestine, barbarians, Paul gets a sign
Neglected widows, martyred Stephen, Gentile vs. Jew
New Testament, getting tribal, Gnostic gospels, Holy Bible
Jamnia, Revelation, word of God is true
Martyrs, Diocletian, Polycarp, Domitian
Church learns, Nero burns, Christians underground
Chi-Rho, basilica, Vita Evangelica
Nicea, Who was Jesus, Christians start to rebound

CHORUS: We didn’t start the fire
It’s been always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
Though we didn’t light it
And we cannot fight it

St. Patrick, Monastery, Visigoths are pretty scary
Pope Leo, St. Jerome, forgetting how to read
Mohammed writes the Koran, Convert or die to Islam
Hard to cope, Where’s the Pope, the Venerable Bede
Dark ages, knights and pages, east and west will split in stages
Monks’ skulls, cathedrals, Charlemagne starts to reign,
Methodias, Constantinople, Peasants, clergy, serfs and nobles
Augustine, Irene, everything goes Byzantine

CHORUS: We didn’t start the fire …

Cluny, bubonic plague, Vikings, Saracens invade
William conquers, priests and monks, and Jerusalem gets sacked
Flying buttress, St. Clare, celibacy, worship Mary
Knights Templar, stained glass, Sultan Saladin gets whacked
Mendicants, Avignon, Albertus Magnus, Genghis Khan
Aquinas, Maimonides, Gentle Francis of Assisi
Summa bono , Faith and reason, say God bless you when you’re sneezin’
Just War, Crusades galore, but who are we fighting for?

CHORUS: We didn’t start the fire …

Competing popes, not much hope, Joan of Arc makes her mark
John Wycliff, Thomas Kempis, Canterbury Tales
Michelangelo, Siena, Leonardo and Vienna
Reformation, printing press, Guttenberg prevails
John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, indulgences for the kingly
Martin Luther pounds the door, Here I stand, I’ll do no more

CHORUS: We didn’t start the fire …

King James Bible, John Locke, Galileo, J.S. Bachj
Anabaptists, Guy Fawkes, Blaise Pascal, John Knox
Puritans preach denial, Salem witches go on trial
Enlightenment or transcendence, we declare our independence
Whitfield makes us all Awaken, Pentecostals get us shakin’
Darwin teaches evolution, Marx preaches revolution
Jesus freaks, immigration, nuclear annihilation
Overwhelmed by information, Who will save this generation?

CHORUS: We didn’t start the fire
It’s been always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on …

Back to Church Sunday … every week.

Last year we looked at the Church of England’s national campaign “Back to Church Sunday”, albeit a bit too late to join them on their chosen day.   Instead we focused on the Advent and Christmas Season to be the occasion when we encouraged each member to invite someone along to church. Either someone who had never been before or someone who was returning home. The focus of the service was not to be on those who came (always a great fear), but on the One whom we were preparing to welcome.  Invitations were available to hand out if people found it too difficult to give a verbal invitation.  (They also included our full Christmas programme).    I’m not saying we were inundated with people, but we saw some new and some returning friends. 

Our challenge is getting people to recognise that every Sunday is “Back to Church Sunday”.   Any suggestions on how to do this?

Don’t Worry. Be Happy.

Just over 20 years ago, jazz singer Bobby McFerrin had a huge hit with the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”  The song struck a chord with people not just because it has a catchy tune, but also because it touches on a subject we all struggle with: worry.  His message may seem somewhat simplistic: Don’t Worry. Be Happy. And many would argue that in the real world, it’s not always that simple, especially when they feel that their worries are consuming their every waking moment.

Mr Worry

The strange thing about worry is that instead of motivating us to take action, it often causes us to withdraw and do nothing except focus on our problems, and so our worry grows; becoming bigger, more oppressive and frightening.  It’s true, we can’t always control what happens to us in life, but we can control our actions – how we respond.

Victor Frankl wrote, “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread.   They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

When it comes to dealing with worry, we need to keep in mind a very simple truth: we don’t worry about things we’re sure of, only the things we have no control over.

Think of all the things in life you can never be sure of, the things you can’t control:  your health, the health of those you love, job security, the decisions your family make.   You may have some influence over them, but not complete control.   But the one thing you can control is how you will respond to the situations you face in life.  You can either face them with worry, doubt and self-pity, or with faith, hope, and love.

Paul said  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil 4:6-7)

Mr Happy

When worry creeps in and takes up residence in your mind, don’t feel guilty about it, don’t think that your faith is inadequate,  just pray – chose to hand it over to God.   Because the one thing we can be certain of is that he will listen and respond.   

“And the peace of God, which transcends all our understanding, guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” 

No socks!

I’m currently in the middle of a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount; this Sunday we are looking at Treasures on Earth and Treasures in Heaven (Mt 6:19-21). I don’t know if the following is a true story or an urban legend, but I share it with you anyway.

One of the wealthiest philanthropists in the Jewish world died, and he left behind one billion dollars and two wills. The instructions left to his children were that one will be opened immediately and the second be opened at the Sh’loshim (30 days after the death). Among the instructions left in the first will was a request the he be buried with a certain pair of socks that he owned. His children immediately brought the socks to the Chevra Kadisha (the group that prepares the body), requesting that their father be buried in them. Of course, the Chevra Kadisha refused, reminding the family that it is against the Halacha (Jewish law). They pleaded, explaining that their father was a very pious and learned man, and he obviously had a very good reason to make this request. The Chevra Kadisha remained firm in their refusal.

The family frantically summoned the Chevra Kadisha to the Beit Din (Jewish court), where the Rabbi gently explained to them, “Although your father left that request when he was on this world, now that he’s in the world of truth, he surely understands that it is in his best interests to be buried without his socks.” And so, he was buried without his socks.

Thirty days later, the second will was opened, and it read something like this:

“My dear children. By now, you must have buried me without my socks. I wanted you to truly understand that a man can have one billion dollars, but in the end, he cannot even take along one pair of socks!”

I thank God every time I think of you

Do you remember this joke? Question: “How do you make time fly?” Answer: “Throw a clock out the window.” Today I had that feeling again – Time flies!

It’s eight years this month since I became minister of Banchory Ternan East, two days after the events of September 11th. For many of the people who lived in the aftermath of that particular day I’m sure that their perspective on time will be different, just as their perspective on life might now be different.

In the movie “Love Actually” Hugh Grant’s character says in the introduction, “When the planes hit the twin towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge. They were all messages of love.”

There’s something about tragedy that gives us insight to what really matters and what we value most, as individuals. But we seldom ever share those thoughts and feelings before a tragedy draws us up short.

There are some things in life that you cannot influence or change. Like accidents and terrorist attacks. There are some things in life you cannot influence or change by yourself, like governments and their policies. But there are some really big, important things you can do single-handedly: You can make sure the special people in your life know who they are and what they mean to you.

Take some time today to send a message of love. If you don’t know how to say it, maybe you can begin with Paul’s words to his friends in Philippi, “I thank God every time I think of you.” (Philippians 1:3)

Keeping the community attentive to God

Today I was part of a group of around 70-80 who were at Inverurie West Parish Church to hear Eugene Peterson speak about “Working for the Lord of the Sabbath” – about being a Pastor and being faithful to God while fulfilling that calling. Eugene is the author of several books on pastoral theology, but is probably best known by countless Christians across the globe for his translation/paraphrase of the Bible using everyday language – The Message. The main question of the day was ‘what difference does it make that we work for the one who calls us to rest and not become addicted to our work?’

The stories, discussions and the questions were diverse and informative and as Eugene reflected on ministry, life, faithfulness, community and culture we were reminded of what it is we are actually called to do.
In a subtle way he reminded those there that their calling

• wasn’t to focus on statistics and start up every programme that was launched, as – “the way forward”.
• wasn’t to be preoccupied with keeping everyone happy.
• wasn’t about taking on so much that they were constantly on the move, afraid to slow down in case they were left behind.
• wasn’t to become so addicted to, and focused on, the fruit of their labours; being the best or having the biggest church membership, that they would lose sight of the fact that they had been given a specific responsibility.

Their calling and responsibility was to focus the community on Christ.

It was a great day, and I came away with not only lots to think about in relation to ministry and calling, but also with some amazing bite-sized pieces of information and wisdom to mull over.

Discipleship … ministry …

It’s funny how some things come to mind at just the right moment.   I was talking to someone today about ministry.  They were speaking about how much we try to cram into the day; the week; the month; actually life in general, when it comes to church and ministry.  And a dim memory of something I read and used to have inside my Bible came to mind – about how it’s not all about high activity, that there has to be waiting, listening, noticing, and paying attention.   Sure enough there it was, unread for a number of years, but still relevant and a timely reminder.

It comes from Mike Yaconelli, who was a writer, pastor, theologian and satirist, who although he was writing about youth ministry when he summarized Jesus’ methods of discipling people, I feel it is relevant to all ministry.   Here’s part of what he wrote …

Hang out with the disciples…
Let them see you at your best and your worst…
Teach truths that none of your disciples can grasp at the moment…
Spend lots of time alone…
Go slowly…
Spend hours in solitude…
Don’t worry about opposition…
Ignore criticism…
Don’t expect immediate results…

Mike Yaconelli  “YouthWorker Magazine” Jan/Feb 2001