Bits and pieces of redemption

Part 1
This week is an experiment at church - open 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week for prayer & reflection, in conjunction with Peace week. It has been little pieces of redemption that stand out, I think. One of our church members who has been struggling a lot with addiction volunteering to stay all the time, and staggered when we said yes. The indefatigible Tommy, hauling up and making coffee. The young people popping in to pray, taking candles and sitting still - and silent - for several minutes... (though they then tried to nick them!). And that was just day one. I've often lamented that churches lost their sanctuary status - and their door-open status. Partly because once when I was quite ill with depression, I was in the Lake District, and wandered into an open and empty church. I feel asleep on one of the pews for hours, and woke refreshed, and, I think, whole again.

Part 2
Our poinsetta (which we've nurtured along since Christmas a couple (?) of years ago - The Hendricks brought us this lovely little plant) is now over a foot tall, and is flowering! It is wonderful to see its red leaves appear.

Part 3
Andrew and I went to see Tsotsi If you haven't seen it- you should! It is a wonderful & powerful film. (It made me laugh when we went to get the tickets, since the lady serving asked us several times if we realised it was "a foreign film with subtitles". I imagined people walking out in a huff...) What an evocative film.


And lastly, the assembly. I survived. Partly because I sat at the back and made doves on the first day. Then, on the second day I was more than entertained by a combination of old friends and a lot of ideas that kept popping into my head about ways to do things differently. (Now, Rev. x, present your report in the style of... would liven things up a bit, or - Now, Rev. x, tell us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or - well, you get the picture).

Et, c'est ca.

rushed and random

Well, I am snatching fifteen minutes to 'blog' - which I suppose is often really a stream of consciousness type of affair!

At the beginning of the week I thought it was going to be one of THOSE weeks! But, actually, it has been a mix. I set fire to soup (best not asking really), Andrew's bike was stolen, the replacement soup we made was rank, (:(), and so far, no climbing...
On the other hand, Andrew got into his module (hoorah!), our pregnant-asylum lady was rehoused, we had a really good pastoral team meeting, our church will hopefully making a difference (and on ALL FM this Friday's news) with a 24/7 prayer & vigil next week (the police know as well :-)), and I just survived my first meeting as PST dept. head. Phew.

Again on the other hand though, it's District Assembly weekend. I am torn. I want very, very much to not go. I don't want to let people down, not do my duty, and so, I want to go. Hmm. I'll use this blog as a confession, shall I? I am not at all sure about structure - I am not at all sure about the way we make decisions, and I am not always very sure about the decisions that we make. I love our DS however, and there are often times for friends to catch up, and for the CHURCH to be together in some way, but so often that way makes God seem small. ... But still, the jury is in: I would rather not go, but I will. So, now that challenge is to go with a good and gracious attitude. I've now moved from the confession, to plea - for prayers I suppose.

One of our friends sent a really thought provoking exploration of holiness, and the notion of journey. An area that I find endlessly fascinating. The tension between our expectations, conformity, understanding of holiness, personal & corporate aspects, all are fascinating to think through, and challenging to put into practice.

And, at the same time of thinking about holiness I am reading a book that reminds me of the unholy alleigance I offer to money, and those kind of things... So, there we have it.

What else? got a new fish tank (with a filter) and socrates is really happy in it. Discovered some of the iniquities of the benefits system, found no time for Phd, (I know, I know, why am I blogging then? Because in 20 minutes I can't even begin to PhD well... it is an art I need to learn), listened to some new-to-me music, and celebrated with friends on the birth of a baby (Ian & Carolyn's latest), the arrival of visas (people we'll miss), and the completion of an interview (Sue and Iulia). That's all for now folks.

Life in motion

I've just eaten the most wonderful blood orange, which made me realise how much I miss taste.

Andrew and I have been reading the book Shopped, by Joanna Blythman, it is as Andrew says: 'life-changing, an expose [sorry about no accent, I don't know how to do it]of the systematic evil that supermarkets are. They destroy British food culture, destroy species, all the while pulling the wool over people's eyes, persuading them that they are help-ful, time saving and healthy businesses that care about their customers, suppliers and the community, when in fact they prostrate themselves before the God of mammon like servile sycophants.' So, the curse of employment continues.

Apart from that: in meetings, not PhDing well, reading Fergal Keane's Letter to Daniel, and counting down to the Sigur Ros concert... shopped in Unicorn, and... got a piano (not in Unicorn, they only sell food...)!! Wonderful.

Last night we had a really encouraging conversation with some friends from Church, about fellowhship,intimacy and community. They feel that they are closer now to people than they were before, that barriers are transcended, and that they are able to minister to others - which was good. It was a challenge to my perspective (always necessary). I've been wrestling a lot like that recently though. The sense of needed to be moving forward, to be rejoicing in others gifts, to be celebrating the diversity of our community, to be willing to be less, that others can be more, is a constant tussel for me. And I grow in my admiration of humble saints more and more...

A last thought is that we are constantly grappling right now with the issues people face in our community and in Britain. We're short-term housing a new lady - who at seven months pregnant has been made destitute. Who was it who says that you can tell a lot about a culture by the way they treat their elderly? I'd add, their vulnerable. It makes my blood boil. Then again, there are others around that we see - often - who are 'playing the system' which equally frustrates me. So... the questions of life continue.

The breath of God...

The imposition of the ashes was last night. I found it a profoundly moving service (I think it was for almost everyone). I was struck by the great equalising of our faith, as father knelt before son, as husband knelt before wife, as people from different races knelt before one another. Very moved.

We heard this from Theophilus of Antioch:

God has given to the earth the breath which feeds it. It is his breath that gives life to all things and if he were to hold his breath, everything would be annihilated. His breath vibrates in yours, in your voice. It is the breath of God that you breathe - and you are unaware of it.

The crocuses and snowdrops are up - though today we had snow! I love this time of year - and the cold, crisp days. I wandered around the estate yesterday afternoon, and went to visit people. It was really fascinating the lives that people live. A woman I'm very fond of told me that one of her sons had 'looked like Donald Duck when he came out - honestly Dee, I love him, but ~*!"$ he was ugly'... the poor lad! She also asked me about 'being religious.' I often think of the estate as a good example of a place where we have to be rooted for the long-haul. There are no quick solutions really. No easy answers. Challenging to theology, methinks.

Have been PhDing today - not very well, since somehow I've lost my chapter. Yes, THE CHAPTER. I hope it is at home on that pen doodah, but in the meantime I've been reading Wesley... he is pithy, and surprisingly makes me laugh.

These days we've been able to catch up with some friends - not as much as we'd like. Louise has moved out, which means no more late night DVDS :-( But she's not very far, so maybe we can still do something... I sense that we need to somehow change time, so that it goes more slowly! It is hard to believe it is March.

Climbing has been okay for me [stop reading now if you want to avoid the technical stuff] (A top-rope 5+ with relative ease, and I've been leading 5s), but Andrew has been frustrated by an enormously long lead-climb... but completes 6a#s with no hassle on a top rope). I've recently discovered though that on the very long lead-climbing walls I suddenly have a VERY IRRATIONAL, but extrememly violent, fear reaction. I almost have to stop climbing, and then talk myself through it. It's completely about confidence and the mind. But OH MY, my mind is stubborn! (I know, I know, you know that!)

And so... back to work!