Monday 22 May 2006

Jesus calms a storm...

They say seven days is a long time in politics. Well, ditto for a church. This last week's had everything. First I had the tranquil retreat with 6 other souls-in-need-of-a-rest, 24 hours of 'deep massage' for the spirit, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I met some good people who were majorly encouraging. We shared joys and sorrows, dreams and frustrations, we prayed together, ate together, talked, laughed, sang, even had a memorable boys v. girls 'pub quiz.'(Boys were victorious!).

I received the best piece of advice I've heard in a while; if you're reading a book that you're really not enjoying, there is no law that says you must finish it. No-one's keeping score. How liberating).

I read about Naaman and how he received God's
shalom before he went back to serve the king of Aram in the temple of Rimmon. He received the blessing of God even though some of the things he had to do related to his job were compromising his belief in the one true God. How liberating. I wanted some of that shalom.

So from that I returned feeling strengthened and soothed, ready for a busy week ahead. Within 24 hours I was involved in a deeply troubling and complex pastoral situation. Every now and again you come across a situation which seems to have no quick-fix or even long-term fix. This was one of those. A real mess. Yet in the midst of the chaos of people's lives, I sensed the shalom.

The weekend was looming large by now with two busy church services to prepare for and co-ordinate. As two of our own kids were being baptised we also had a load of family descending on us so I needed to be ultra organised, and well on top of things. I'm not normally a panicker but this schedule would have made me tense normally. Not this time. Shalom again.

And yesterday, in the midst of my busiest Sunday so far this year, not a skipped heartbeat, not a hint of a sore head, just a happy tiredness at the end of the day borne of contentedness at the way the day had gone. God was there in it all.

Shalom.

Tuesday 16 May 2006

Retreat


(this beautiful photo was taken by my brother Paul in his garden)

Today I go off for 24 hours retreat and reflection. Never quite sure what to expect on these occasions, but the timing of this one is excellent. I'm looking forward to just 'zoning out' and 'tuning in'. Zoning out from all the busyness that swamps the normal day, all the 'phone calls, the weekly deadlines, the unexpected pastoral situations, the ongoing pastoral situations, the different issues that drain my energies. Tuning in to God, His voice, which all too easily gets drowned out by the other 'traffic.'



There will be a few others (16 or fewer) on retreat with me so I'm looking forward to some quality times of worship and sharing as well as some solitude with Bible, books and MP3 player. I've been really impacted recently by the teaching of Rob Bell of Mars Hill church in Michigan. His book 'Velvet Elvis' ought to be compulsory reading for 21st century Christians. I've also got a CD of a message at Spring Harvest by Gerard Kelly to listen to, that a friend sent me.


24 hours? Maybe I need a little longer...

Unfortunately, life can only be put on hold for 24 hours. But when I get back, it's going to be go, go, go. I have a busy programme at church this Sunday with a baptismal service for three of our young people. Exciting times. 21 of them crammed into our small front room last night for their weekly nurture group, 'Deeper.' They're a great bunch of kids (12-17 yrs) and have grown so much this last year in particular. Several baptisms, loads of commitment and love between the group, 3 of them going off on summer mission, 1 going to Camp America. Watch out church, the next generation of leaders is on the way...


Shalom.

Friday 5 May 2006

Stick to one roadmap


Here I am in familiar surroundings, leading at church. We're a church used to change and lots of it. Sometimes it's hard to catch a breath.

Seven years ago, just after I'd arrived here, the minister (and my boss!) called me up one December morning and asked if I had any plans for lunch. I didn't so he picked me up a few minutes later and we went out to a local hotel for lunch. I asked what the occasion was, and he replied that this was the Christmas staff lunch!

Things have changed and grown since then, with almost 20 attending last year's Christmas staff lunch. Sometimes I have to be primed on the names of the latest staff! The children's area of ministry has grown healthily year on year and the youth scene has exploded, particularly over the last 18 months or so.

That minister, Alan, has now moved on to pastures new (ironically to my home church) and that could have caused sizeable tremors in some churches. However, we have a good team in place, and know that God doesn't abandon us. Along with my colleagues Rob and Margaret (associate pastor and community centre co-ordinator respectively), I look forward to painting on a fresh canvas.

John Lennon once wrote, 'Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans'. As a church leadership team, it's essential to stay focussed on what God's roadmap is saying. It would be easy at a time of transition to allow distractions to blur the view ahead. All sorts of distractions; one's own ideas, ambitions, hobby-horses. Others' attempts to seize a little infuence or empire. Ultimately God is a master builder and only He has the blueprint for us as a church and for us as individuals. Daft to tune in anywhere else really.

Thursday 4 May 2006

Rob Lacey: one of the good guys





It saddened me greatly to hear the news of the passing of Rob Lacey on Monday 1st May after a prolonged fight against cancer. He was 43. Rob was best known as author of 'Word on the Street' aka The Street Bible, also recently published 'The Liberator'. He was also an accomplished actor and established communicator. His insight and innovative approach to communicating God's Word to a new generation made him someone always worth listening to.

The first time I met Rob was when he came to perform his one-man show 'The Prodigal Son' in Dumfries. His dynamic performance blew me away. I met Rob on several occasions over the years after that, at Spring Harvest or various conferences etc, and he always was quick to deflect any kind words about his performance or latest project back , always showing a keen interest in what I was up to. I learnt later that some of these times when we spoke, he would have been in the midst of some of his battles with the cancer that would eventually take him. His paraphrase of Job in The Street Bible was written right in the middle of one such episode. Worth reading.

Remember Sandra, his widow, and their two small children Lukas, 5 and baby Magdalena, only born in April.

Thank you God for Rob. At rest now. No more disease.