'Companions in Christ' - A winner programme

We have run the first part of this programme in three of our Fellowship Groups so far.
It is a wonderful experiential way of engaging the Christian faith in a small group. The content is excellent, the methodology is taken from years of Christian history and the theology is particularly Wesleyan. The group in the picture just finished sharing their life journey through the eyes of prevenient, justifying and sanctifying grace. They also looked at the life journey's of people like St. Augustine, Martin Luther, Mother Theresa and Evelyn Underhill as examples of different ways we experience the grace of God.

It was a privilege to hear the narratives of each persons spiritual journey and to listen to the pain and hardship many had faced. let me close by quoting from the preface of a book I have just started reading, "Man's search for meaning" by Viktor Frankl:

"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering. If there is a purpose in life at all, there must be a purpose in suffering and in dying."

If God is a sending God then to whom are we sent?

This Sunday we are doing things a little different from the normal. We have had a month of sermons focused around the theology that the Trinitarian God is a missionary God. This Sunday we are looking at the Church as a missionary agent sent into the local neighbourhood. We will summarize where we have been over the last Sundays and then we will get the Sunday worshipers into a discussion as to where we feel God is sending us. If God is a sending God then to whom are we sent?

If you have any thoughts about this it would be great to have your comments on this blog and I can weave them into our discussion on Sunday.

This kind of conversation may often end up in generalizations like, “We are sent to the lost” or “We are sent to those in need”. What I think is important is to clearly define whom these people are and what their actual needs are. It would also be important to acknowledge that God is already with the people we are sent to and thus we approach with caution and humility. The other facet to this discussion is the realization that we approach the lost because we were once lost and were found, not because we are any better than them. For those not at Hilton Methodist please keep us in your prayers this coming Sunday.

Amped Society Stewards for God's sake

Last evening the Society Stewards and I spent some quality time discussing the hospitality of our little church. We each have a copy of Robert Schnase’s book ‘Five practices of fruitful congregations’ and we were engaging with the first chapter on radical hospitality. It is always a joy to be a part of a group that is generative in nature and exudes life beyond itself. It is a group that is not settled in perpetuating a habitual Christian faith but is impressed by the Spirit to challenge the norm and grow in grace and knowledge. Conflict is and will remain a necessary part of a generative group dynamic but it will be as Tim Keller says, done with ‘graceful disagreement.’ May we continue to work with purpose and with love to make this church a place that welcomes all but most importantly the stranger.

Synod diaries - Natal West

I got home late yesterday from the Natal West Synod in Gamalakhe near Port Shepstone. 

For many of us Synod is a mixed blessing of watching the church in action and watching parts of the church in the final stages of rigamortis . 

It was the first time that I actually read the 'blue book' (The agenda with resolutions, reports & other such miscellaneous) from cover to cover before arising at the Synod. I must admit this helped me understand the gist of the debate most of the time.  It kept me engaged, that is until last day when the District finances were given.  The finance committee of our district should get a medal for being inept but like all things in Rome they were nominated into position again.  

I promised myself not to lean on the negative but to see the hand of God in the place.  The addresses (bar the Bishops - my humblest apologies) were very good. Alfred Dlamini spoke on John 15 and re-emphasized the need for us not just to 'abide' in this church of ours but to bear fruit.  Alan Bester gave two exhortations on the text from Luke 24 (Emmaus).  The first one emphasized the shattered dreams of the two disciples Jesus met on the road to Emmaus and the second one he focused on 'burning hearts', 'opened minds' and telling witness of once he revealed himself to them. We were given time after the first message to respond as we examined our broken dreams etc.

I was also impressed by our three ordinands and their testimonies.  I think it has been due to the years of having to do deep theological reflection throughout assignments and especially their practical 'transformation assignments' that showed itself at Synod. 

There is no doubt that the Seth Mokitimi Seminary has injected a whole new dynamic to this district. Where once this district use to be a back water it now has representatives from the seminary that have upped the debate on the floor.  

Although leaving with my brain half dead there was indeed light, but you had to look hard.  

A quote from one at my table during Synod "The word became flesh and then the theologians made it words again". 

Grace to you all, 

David 

 

Bringing heaven to earth - Ross Olivier

We enjoyed the company of Ross Olivier, the President of Seth Mokitimi Seminary in PMB on Sunday evening. He spoke about Mission and the local church and used his experience in the church at Galloway United Methodist in Jackson, Mississippi.
If you want some encouragement in your local setting of vision and down to earth thinking then Ross is your guy. What I took away for myself was to bring Hilton Methodist Church’s vision closer to the members of the church. To be encouraged to continue working to bring this vision into effect in every ministry of our church.
I loved his personal vision and now the vision of the Galloway church – to bring heaven to earth.

bits of racism (a poem)

A poem that expresses the racial fear still inherent in South African society. 

The poem inspired by an incident where an aged white couple were taking their regular afternoon stroll

and on seeing a black stranger walking toward them quickly turned back in fear.

BROKEN

Black and white the dreaded mix

A land torn threw with careful eyes 

That walk apart, that pray aside

Two gods of earth ne'er glorified

Two walked an aged slant up hill 

A soulless stride a goal free day. 

Another day, another time to waste away. 

The route was worn from seasons, yawn 

This day it changed for them aged white 

A black in younger dress than them 

Upon the route the other way 

Came threatening, black and white. 

On heal they spun a history learnt 

Back the way and away they went

Who knows the fear of mix has lent 

A hand in all our broken politics. 

A new time - A new approach -A new paradigm

Gordon McDonald’s book: “Who stole my church” is a very helpful book for all of us struggling to make our message agreeable to a new generation of folk. A generation that is skeptical of too many words and eloquent speeches. In the age of information overload people are not looking for more knowledge but they are looking for authentic life-styles that they can follow. They are judging the words with the actions and will follow those who smack of the authentic. McDonald (note the burger) suggests that ‘belonging’ is the critical value and culture to create in the church. Through an open culture of belonging people freely come in and make up their own minds when the time is ready to believe. Gone are the days of neat packages and tight phraseology that bought you a ticket to that heavenly place. Yes, it is all about the relationship.

"When the rate of change inside an organization is slower than the rate of change outside an organization, the end is in sight" Jack Welch

Quite a thought is it not. The Luther's and the Wesley's of this
world knew this truth so well. The organization cannot stop the
Spirit of Christ moving toward those who need.

Timothy Keller - The Prodigal God

I have just finished this book and it certainly a must read. Tim Keller was called the C.S. Lewis of the twenty first century by Newsweek for what it is work. His insight into the older brother in this story is very informative. It is a very clear call for the 'religious', the 'pious', the 'long time believer' to re-examine their motives and understand grace again. We will definitely preach this and digest it in the Fellowship Groups.

One can only laugh?

The lights are out again in Hilton! They were out for about 27 hours yesterday and they have been out for about 6 hours so far today. I am sitting at my desk that is lit by a paraffin lamp and my computer and modem are powered by a car battery with an inverter. My son is screaming blue murder because of his tonsils and we are meant to have a Companions in Christ meeting tonight - so what else is there to do but laugh.

Heaven - pie in the sky?

In the book "The problem of pain" C.S.Lewis suggests we are sometimes
reticent to talk about heaven as we are quickly accused of 'escapism'.
On the other side of the scale 'heaven' can also be understood as a
bribe that gets us working harder in the now. The third way is the
better way. The pure in motive actually want to meet with God. There
lives are set in knowing more and becoming more like God whom they
love. There is nothing mercenary or escapist about this desire and it
is this Way that builds hearts and nations.

"Each night, when I go to sleep,I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn." Ghandi

I am reading Mitch Albom's first book entitled "Tuesdays with Morrie,
an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson." The Ghandi quote
I got from this remarkable, short, easy to read book. One of the
thoughts of the book is that you cannot live until you have faced your
death. One will always be escaping the inevitable and decieving
yourself with facades of life until you face your frailty. The lesson
learnt is that we will only then begin to change our actions for more
meaningful persutes. Leaving behind vain ambitions for simple
relational giving and offerings.

Leeland Rocks!

I am a neophyte when it comes to contemporary Christian music but thanks to ‘Nokia comes with music I am listening to a greater variety of music these days. The Christian band Leeland was recommended to me by my niece and so it got downloaded. At first it didn’t stick but it has become one of my hit groups. Their earlier album “Opposite Way” I still don’t like but the album “Love is on the move” is almost a different group playing. We will be playing their song “Via dolorosa” tonight at our communion/tenebrae service. Go Leeland!

Why no young people at Holy Week services?

Not sure whether it is my imagination but in conversation with younger folk in the church there is an aversion in attending the services of Holy Week. One person was quite frank about the Good Friday service when he noticed we were using “Listening at Golgotha” by Peter Storey as the theme. He said: “Is that one of those heavy services again. I cannot attend those, they are too much for me.” There seems to be a trend in contemporary worship that denies grief, sorrow and mourning an expression in the liturgy of our worship. The Holy Week services intentionally examine the cost of unconditional love and the price of living in God’s will. It reminds us of God’s embrace of our common human suffering. It is invaluable that at times we examine the depths of our faith and what it really means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It is not a shining set of drums and how high we can raise our voices but how we intentionally wrestle through our Gethsemane and fulfill the love sacrifice despite of the loss incurred.

Everyday resurrection meals

“Our Sunday worship is important. The bible studies we attend are important. The retreats we make are important. But over a lifetime, the unnoticed and unrecognized presence of the risen Christ at our meals may be more formative of the life in Christ in us.” E. Peterson (Living the Resurrection).

It is important to note that some of the most critical spiritual moments of teaching and spiritual experience happen around meals – the Passover meal, the Emmaus meal, the beach in Galilee. It raises all kinds of questions as to how we go about our Eucharist meal and how we ought to meet more often around the common daily meal in Christian Fellowship. It also asks the question – how often we meet around the table as a family and recognize in our discussions that Christ has been with us in our daily recap stories and in our laughter.

A child's part in spiritual formation

“Children are our first defense against the deadening and flattening effects of disconnecting God and life.” E. Peterson

This was something to digest, having a one year old in my house seems as if my spiritual formation is at an end! Isaiah said: “And a little child shall lead them” (11:6) and we know Christ’s attitude to children (Matt 18). What children do is they break the divisions between private and public and the temptation to make my prayer life a separate, quite, secluded part of my life. A relationship with a child is all encompassing and everything happens in the moment. Only later do they learn to differentiate and compartmentalize their lives. Children break us out of the secluded routines and help us as the psalmist says: “…walk before God in the light of life.” (Ps. 56:13b) But, I be honest, a child’s screaming tests my ‘harmony’ in a big way – maybe it is helping me live my faith in the raw of the emotional day?

“We can’t master spiritual formation” Eugene Peterson

In a small book released in March this year called: “Living the Resurrection” are a few lecture notes E. Peterson gave at Regent College, Vancouver.

The events of the resurrection found in all our Gospels lead Peterson to the conclusion that meeting with the Resurrected Christ is something that we cannot easily put into tight, easy compartments of spiritual progress. We are quick to formalize and strategize our spiritual awakening into programmes that help us feel a sense of achievement and puts us in control of its making. Meeting with the resurrected Christ may change this altogether when like the early disciples meeting the empty tomb face to face experienced the wonder of things out of their control but regardless, a spiritual awakening.

A memorial service for change

“People do not fear change as much as they fear loss, the letting go of comfortable and familiar patterns, behaviours, and attitudes.” Robert Schnase

We often go on about the pains of change and transformation and I have never really considered the pain of loss in all of this. The truth of the matter is that we don’t like to say goodbye to things that keep us in equilibrium. We have an organic instinct to create environments of stability, ‘homeostasis’ if I remember from school days studying biology and chemistry. I suppose as we help people embrace the new things we ought to be having memorial services for those things that are passing away.

Radical hospitality witnessed

It was sighted above Hilton around five o’clock yesterday afternoon and faded almost exactly at nine thirty in the evening. On the side of the metallic hull were the letters RH and the warm glow of the engines was felt by the humans gathered below. It is alien to see hospitality that goes out of its way to connect with strangers but it was happening before our eyes. The junior youth were gathering to play volleyball and the coals of the braais (barbeques) were glowing as church leaders mingled with nervous parents unaccustomed to the church grounds. Later on that very evening another crowd gathered around multi coloured desserts and cups of coffee to welcome new members to the church whilst their riotous children played outside. The warmth of this mother ship Radical Hospitality is welcome anytime and if its captain can hear me, please come back another time.

“The Christ in one’s own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of a brother or sister.”

“The Christ in one’s own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of a brother or sister.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together.

This was quoted in Schnase’s book that I referred to in my previous entry. Somehow in the presence of others we are greater. We struggle to do it alone. In matters of importance we will only be able to go so far without the company of others. Their role in our lives is to encourage us when we are slacking, prompt us when we are being insightful and raise our hopes that we will achieve far more than we expected when we began. Gaining willing company in the various activities of our lives will show ourselves to be the people we were ought to be.

Robert Schnase - 5 Fruitful practices of congregations

I am thoroughly enjoying Robert Schnase's book and I am pleased to see there is a whole ministry around it (website) . As a Methodist in South Africa, with all our cultural differences I can identify with most of what he shares. Although I have not finished the book, it is one of the books that I would like all me leaders and as many of my congregation members to read. It can be bought at Loot.co.za .

My first book on "Kindle" - Yippee

Ok, I admit I don't have an actual kindle but Amazon have now opened their kindle up to 60 or so countries and we are one. I downloaded my kindle application for the iphone (& itouch) and there it was, my first book downloaded and ready to read. It will never be the same as a real book as real books are easy to loan to others. On kindle you can share your book with 6 max kindle registered devices on your account. But, think of it this way... I purchased the book "Five practices of fruitful congregations" by Robert Schnase and it was in my hands in less than 10 seconds. For the "Loot.co.za" addicts it was also cheaper. I think I like!

A 'family church' can be exclusive

"It is not "family churches" but "church families" that the world needs." Peter Storey, Listening at Golgotha

In preparing for Good Friday I am reading Peter Storey's book on the last seven words of Jesus on the cross. He makes the above statement that makes the subtle difference between the fashionable 'family church' that stresses the family unit above else. The danger with this strategy is that those not in a family unit feel left out. Those who chose not to marry feel left out. Those who could never get married feel left out. Those who could not have children feel left out. The true definition is to say that we are a 'church family' in that everybody sees themselves as a child in the family of God the church.

Moving toward greater things

“We simply must come to a place in our lives where we agree to give up old securities which bind us, or painful memories which harm us, or dashed dreams which discourage us, or heartaching wounds which prevent us from discovering new dreams and from coming into fuller life.” Joyce Rupp

Letting go and moving on is the most difficult thing for many of us to do. I don’t believe there is ever a time in our lives when we ought not be moving away from something and moving into something greater. It might be my Methodist root system at work here, the belief that God calls us towards Christian perfection. There are always stagnant, dead, decaying, ungrateful, self-absorbed quagmires within us, and the church that need new skies, new country to leap around in.

Loss & the need for poetry

I visited a man this morning who had lost his speech and other faculties due to a stroke. I was there with his wife when she shaved him with an electric razor, wiped the drool from his mouth and with her hand combed his white hair. I was deeply moved by the experience and felt the incredible sense of loss as he wept whilst I prayed.
Coming home I wrote the following poem. I am no poet so don’t judge me too harshly. It is just sometimes words in straight sentences just don’t make sense.

Loss

Deep within traversing soul
The pain of loss will leave its trail
A sense that all will pass away
Tomorrow is never like this day

The very one I love this hour
Eventually burns to fading sense
Together vowed in dreams now drenched
A fear of two ships or a plaque bench

I know myself in kind this hour
But the mirror tells a common tale
An autumn glance a golden pale
The next a blur and drooling frail

"God-be-with-ye" the real Goodbye

No, I am not saying goodbye! But, I had never actually appreciated the meaning of the word. Joyce Rupp has opened my eyes to the depth of the Christian goodbye whether that be at the airport, bus stop, or pouring tears over a casket. When we say goodbye, the Christian is declaring that although we will miss those we love we acknowledge that God will be with them and they will have the loving presence of God to help them through loneliness. I think we also need to be saying a "God-be-with-me" as we also affirm that God remains with us who grieve the loss of those we love.

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deut 31:8

A commitment worth considering – “Visions of a World Hungry”

These points of declaration written by Thomas G. Pettepiece in a book "Visions of a World Hungry" are worth reflecting upon.  I have not read the book itself but have this declaration as quoted from another book.  From what I fathom it was written in the late 1970's and this in itself is something to consider, as only now has the ecological crisis become everyday knowledge.  The insight of humankind's danger to the environment was understood many years ago.  I think this is a very well rounded commitment of faith that includes personal commitment, commitment to the poor and commitment to the environment.  Here it is:

 

1. I declare myself to be a world citizen.

2. I commit myself to lead an ecologically sound life.

3. I commit myself to lead a life of creative simplicity and to share my personal wealth with the world's poor.

4. I commit myself to join with others in reshaping institutions in order to bring about a more just global society in which each person has full access to the needed resources for their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth.

5. I commit myself to occupational accountability, and in so doing I will seek to avoid the creation of products which cause harm to others.

6. I affirm the gift of my body, and commit myself to its proper nourishment and physical well-being.

7. I commit myself to examine continually my relations with others, and to attempt to relate honestly, morally, and lovingly to those around me.

8. I commit myself to personal renewal through prayer, meditation and study.

9. I commit myself to responsible participation in a community of faith.

 

 

Burning houses - a reflection on grief & loss – Mark Twain

Mark Twain wrote this when his daughter of 24 years died whilst he was away on a lecture circuit:
“A man’s house burns down. The smoking wreckage represents only a ruined home that was dear through years of use and pleasant associations. By and by, as the days and weeks go on, first he misses this, then that, then the other thing. And when he casts about for it he finds that it was in the house. Always it is an essential – there was but one of its kind. It cannot be replaced. It was in that house. It is irrevocably lost. He did not realize that it was an essential when he had it; he only discovers it now when he finds himself balked, hampered by its absence. It will be years before the tale of the lost essentials is complete, and not till then can he truly know the magnitude of the disaster.” Quoted in the book by Frederick Buechner, ‘Speak what we fell – not what we ought to say.’

I think it describes the process of grief very well, the length of the process, the sense of daily loss, and the unique ways in which we miss them at different times.

What do Christianity and a mother in labour have in common?

“… unless we suffer like a woman in travail, we shall not succeed in bringing to birth the spirit of salvation in the ground of our heart.” Theophan the Recluse

We sat, six of us men in meeting last evening. We were missing our fellow leader of the fairer sex who might have given us new light on the subject of Christian suffering. The question before us was: “Does God call us to suffering in our ministry?” The answer was – no, not for suffering sake but in order to fulfill the will of God in Christ we will come to suffering somewhere, somehow. On reflection this morning I am wondering if God has not called us to suffering and we ought not skirt the issue. Theophan the Recluse (A bishop in the Russian orthodox church in the 19th Cent.) makes his point that there is no spiritual salvation without suffering akin to a woman giving birth. The longer I am a Christian the more I realize the importance to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. This will often cost me dearly in my pride, my pocket, my reputation, my time, my patience, my breaking point, and my all. This is no doubt what Jesus meant when he said: “You must be born again.”

Steve de Gruchy - Our prayers for the family

Since I heard the news of Steve's disappearance yesterday I have been very troubled.
Prof. de Gruchy for those who don't was the the head of the UKZN religion and theology department.
From news I heard last night he was still missing and they were continuing the search in the Mooi river today.
A relaxed weekend away with the family has turned into a nightmare as he was supposedly knocked off his tube whilst 'tubing' the river.
I did not know Steve very well, but I know his wife Marian from a book club Anne and I attend.
It is a terrible loss in all ways.

All our love to the family,
David

Live within the limits - you are programmed to die!

The Greek God Prometheus felt pity on humans so he did three things to make a different. He took away their knowledge of when they were going to die. No longer did they have any sense of limits. They could now attempt anything. Secondly he placed in them blind hope. They could do anything their hearts desired. Just believe in yourself and the world is your oyster. And thirdly, he took fire from the gods and gave it to humans. With this humans began to become industrious and could achieve many technological things. Humans could now change the conditions in which they lived. (Taken from E. Peterson- Working the Angles)

This is the world we live in. A psyche that has no limits nor boundaries and has a sense of limitless resource. The sense that we can achieve anything we can set our minds to. It is this very attitude that invades other lands and plunders resource. It is this very attitude that is tearing our atmosphere in two. The attitude that is dripping the icecaps into the sea. We will learn regrettably too late that we were not made for such limitless power. God has made us genetically frail so that we may die. God has reminded us in Christ that we cannot save ourselves. So why do we keep living as if we can?

At least accept you don't own all the truth?

"It is the mark of an uneducated mind, to be more dogmatic than the subject allows." von Hugel

This quote caught my attention as I dialogued via comments on a blog this week. The subject was on Law and Grace of which I err more on the side of grace than law. My critic got so worked up that they happened to call me 'anti -Christian'. In their eyes I had sold out to the 'other' side by watering down the Gospel. My concern was not that they held different views on how Christianity ought to be fleshed out. The concern was their vehement opposition to my stand. The old cliche comes to mind, "there are none so deaf as those who will not hear." Lets be strong enough in Christ to appreciate none of us have all the answers.

Grind those ashes to heart

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." Thomas a Kempis

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a journey of change and renewal. Sometimes we have to mark the weeks, set the days, and cross off the hours to ensure we are living as God intended. Lent marks such an occasion for us. Our gut emotions often betray our inner needs and unwarranted anger is often the sign of that distress. Let us sort ourselves out this Lent. Let us make repentance something practical, tangible and all together joyful for those in the wake of our transformation in Christ.

Read that which hammers on your skull

The quote below from Kafka emphasizes the need to allow literature challenge our preconceived notions and rattle our temptation to make all things sweet and palatable. The Christian ought to take this quote seriously when reading their bible. The text of the bible can become sentimental if we don't read it with listening hearts and open ears.

"If the book we are reading does not wake us, as with a hammering on our skull, why then do we read it? So that it shall make us happy? Good God, we would also be happy if we had no books, and such books as make us happy we could, if need be, write ourselves. But what we must have are those books which come upon us like ill-fortune, and distress us deeply, like the death of one we love better than ourselves, like suicide. A book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us." Kafka

A naughty one year old!

Is your church a cult?

Church Team Ministeries International is luring young unsuspecting youth into a faith that falls in line with the basic tenets of a so called cult. Usually one associates cults with some wacky American religious group and not one that operates around the corner and are targeting church's in Pietermaritzburg and top schools in the area.

What I find more disturbing is that the basic tenets of a cult show up markedly in many church's I have attended in my life. I will not mention names as this would not be fair. But it is fair to say that many church's around the corner express these criteria:

1. Claim exclusivity that they are the only true church. Whether stated directly or indirectly the the subtle innuendo is that other church's don't have what it takes.
2. The authority of the elders and leaders is sacrosanct. One doesn't challenge them as they are the purveyors of truth. How many services have you attended where the uncritical congregation nod their heads after every utterance from the pulpit.
3. Limit the education of their congregation in order to keep things in house. They never attach themselves to a credible seminary or University for study.
4. Start interfering in how youngsters date and go about courtship. The church takes on a controlling influence in the emotions of youngsters.
5. Start creating barriers between the members and their family members who do not belong to their church. Creating social discourse that alienates and estranges folk from each other.

I don't know about you but I see it everywhere I look?

The Witness - article
Mnet - Carte Blanche research

"God made us in order to use us for his purpose, not ours" Evelyn Underhill

We are coming up for our Covenant service this weekend. The time when we recognize the spiritual depths of whose we are. We remind ourselves that we are not on some spiritual self improvement course to better our lives. We are neither polishing up our self appointed gifts and talents either. We are humbly choosing to do whatever God has for us to do.
"All self-willed choices and obstinacy drained out of what we thought to be our work; so that it becomes more and more God's work in us." E.Underhill

Bruised by the Church? - A prayer for you

“ How baffling you are, oh Church, and yet how I love you! How you have made me suffer, and yet how much I owe you! I should like to see you destroyed, and yet I need your presence. You have given me so much scandal and yet you have made me understand sanctity. I have seen nothing in the world more devoted to obscurity, more compromised, more false, and I have touched nothing more pure, more generous, more beautiful. How often I have wanted to shut the doors of my soul in your face, and how often I have prayed to die in the safety of your arms. No, I cannot free myself from you, because I am you, although not completely. And where should I go?” Carlo Carretto, The God who Comes.

Tradition – the only true democracy

“Tradition is the only true democracy because it means giving a vote to your ancestors” G.K Chesterton

This quote was used in Eugene Peterson’s book, “Working the Angles”. It is an interesting quote in the light of contemporary notions of tradition and forebears. It is not fashionable today to listen to those who went before us. We are far better at challenging the verity of our ancestors in the light of enlightened, technologically advanced and scientific viewpoints. But when it comes to matters of the soul, matters of ministry to broken hearts do we short change ourselves if we are reliant solely upon psychological analysis and better understanding of social behaviour? As Peterson points out we ought to be careful to uproot what Christian’s throughout the ages have regarded as fundamentals and the bedrock of our faith. Why? Simply, we are responding to God’s Creation from our analysis and viewpoint and not responding to the way and manner the Creator has shared life with us from the beginning.

“A walloping great congregation is fine, and fun but what most communities really need is a couple of saints” Martin Thornton

We might have bought into the mediocre when it comes to our Christian walk. It looks even better when there are a whole lot of us doing the mediocre thing. It kind of justifies it. Saints are harder to find, they are not doing things to be seen or noticed. They are not concerned if the minister is away that Sunday or if it be ‘Hymn’ or ‘Gospel Gold.’ They are usually found at the funerals of the unnoticed, giving lifts to the house bound and many other ‘unnecessary’ things.

L’chaim – to life

We lift our glasses to celebrate community life. We raise our glasses around the simplest pot of stew to the toast we lift for the new bride and groom. The gesture is taken for granted and is something we often just do. As we clink glasses together we declare we will live this in concert, together, this experience - this cup of life.Life is scarce at times, the resources are few, but as we raise those glasses we toast to life and together we give it its due.

“Thus as we lift up our cup in a fearless gesture, proclaiming that we will support each other in our common journey, we create community.” Henri Nouwen “Can you drink the cup"

Why art work? I just like it.

The full picture of friendship

Some folk who I have spent prayerful time with have complained that they are lonely and unloved. Nine times out of ten the problem does not lie with other people but with the person themselves. Too often the attempts of making friends have been futile because they have made sure others only see their photogenic side. In doing so we are thwarting friendship by holding unfinished portraits of ourselves before others. Nobody is a fool. We know the vicissitudes of our own soul. We are fearful of those who cannot accept the darker sides of themselves lest they don’t accept the darker side in us.

“We have to be willing to let others know us if we want them to celebrate life with us.” Henri Nouwen “Can you drink the cup”

Biblical trivia – the curse of spiritual growth

Working with small groups in the church I have come to realize how seldom we reflect adequately on our lives with the intention of spiritual growth. For many the Christian gathering is about the accumulation of biblical data that is used either as a means to impress the neophyte or control the discussion. The traditional bible study has become just that, a study, not of the soul but of biblical trivia that brings on a yawn. The art of the small group leader is to help others find the intersect between the gospel light and the dark recessed fears of our human experience. Helping the good news wind pop open the contorted vacuum-sealed parts of the soul.

“… just living life is not enough. We must know what we are living. A life that is not reflected upon isn’t worth living. It belongs to the essence of being human that we contemplate our life, think about it, discuss it, evaluate it, and form opinions about it. Half of living is reflecting on what is being lived. Is it worth it? Is it good? Is it bad? Is it old? Is it new? What is it all about? … Reflection is essential for growth, development, and change. It is the unique power of the human being.” Henri Nouwen,"Can you drink the cup?"

Here's to a cup worth drinking

What can one add to the words and spiritual thoughts of Henri Nouwen?
I re-read his book “Can you drink the cup?” yesterday and I was moved deeply by his spiritual perception and knowledge of he human soul. What I appreciated most was the call to drink our life’s sorrows and joys to the bottom of the cup. Through inner reflection to decipher our identity, through fellowship with those we trust with our deepest life issues and the ability to act out our call and nothing else we drink life to the full. This book will make an excellent Lent series for congregations based around the question Jesus asked – “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” Matt 20:20-23.

Shattered glass heals a heart

I have been up in Johannesburg this last week to help with the
training of Methodist ministers in Southern Africa. With some
colleagues I had a chance to sneak out for some 'caffeine' one
morning and we went to the coffee shop at Northfield Methodist
Church. To all Methodists in Southern Africa take note – Northfield
know what real coffee is about. Ok, moving on… we went to the youth
hall (twice the size of Hilton Methodist main hall) and they have on
the one wall a mirror that is broken up into at least twenty pieces.
The moment I saw myself broken up in these reflective fragments the
message was clear. "You, yes you long one, how many pieces are you
broken into?" Well it took no prophet, no poet, nor any fire
breathing preacher to convince me that my life is in parts, pieces
and many pretences. I was reminded in that split second that the
purpose of God in Christ is integrity of the soul. Salvation brings
wholeness and reconciliation between all the 'push me pull you'
energies in life. The way one thinks with the way one acts, the way
one is and the way one ought to be, the self we hate and the self we
love, the hope we profess with the doubt we fear. Those glass
fragments shattered the words – Integrity in all you do.

Devil worship to the swirl of organ music

Eugene H. Peterson writes in "Under the unpredictable plant" 

"The commonest forms of devil-inspired worship do not take place furtively at black masses with decapitated cats but flourish under the bright lights of acclaim and glory, in a swirl of organ worship." 

Oh boy! Beneath the veneer of Christian charity, nice smiles, and good behaviour may lie the ever subtle vice of pride, prestige and vanity that rule the roost. I suppose an honest motive check may do us all a world of good.  

Caution - Skypilot is online again

I have missed the online community and their varied and inspirational thoughts. So here goes again. I hope to review books that I have read and share whatever I have found helpful and empowering for anybody interested in listening to the movements of God in their world. Here goes…

Excellent article on Celtic Spirituality and Ecology

clipped from www.frankamills.com Celtic Spirituality & Culture

Local green news website

clipped from www.greenclippings.co.za

Creation Carnival - Live Lite

The Hilton Methodists are hosting a Creation Carnival on the 9th & 10th of August. Amongst our guest speakers are the following:

Dr. David Everard (Environmental manager Sappi)
Topic: "Can We save the earth? (Focus on what we as individuals can & should be doing to 'save the earth.'

Prof. Gerry. Swan (Dean of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria)
Topic: "Some interesting veterinary issues related to the interface between humans, domestic animals and wildlife".

Dr. Michael Cassidy (Founder of African Enterprise)
Topic: "What on Earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? (The Christian's Ecological Responsibility)".

Dr. Allan Manson (Birder)
Topic: "What can we learn about birds?"

Mr. Drummond Densham (Wilderness Action Group of South Africa )
Topic: "Wilderness an approach to conservation"

We will be having many stalls and exhibitors from various environmental groups, organic picnics, music in the park, art exhibitions etc.
There will be some fun with a Jazz Cafe on the Saturday evening.
May the Church be a leader in helping the community meet our greatest challenge yet.

The Quest for a Deeper Spirituality

This website "Explore Faith" is a wealth of information for you to deepen your prayer and meditative life by using different means to lead you into prayer etc. Worth a visit.

clipped from www.explorefaith.org

John Wesley & Social Holiness

This document is a summary of John Wesley's understanding of "social holiness" as opposed to private, isolated, individualistic holiness. In our world of food shortages and the rich getting richer it is a very important doctrine to understand.

clipped from 64.233.183.104 WESLEY ON SOCIAL HOLINESS

Whirlwind People

Death, the inevitable party pooper is himself a real blight in coming to terms with the extremities of our life. Is the hope that singed hair on burning pyre, tore skin by pawing lion and sat in cold barred rooms alive today? The hope that sings of the other place an eternal dream that dies not here. The way we pray - our existence save, indicative of who we are, shallow, blind, a gust of wind, a whirlwind about to end.

A brave new world

clipped from www.russiatoday.ru First GM human embryo raises fears of designer babies Scientists from Cornell University in New York have produced what is believed to be the first genetically modified (GM) human embryo, the British Times Online edition reports. It was destroyed after five days. The announcement of the experiment’s results have already sparked controversy in the scientific community, with some saying this is a way to a new eugenics.

What do Oprah Madonna and Irena Sendlerowa have in common?

I got quite emotional over the last week reading different articles in “The Witness” (local rag). The one article was an obituary of a 98 year old woman by the name of Irena Sendlerowa. There is a very small and seemingly insignificant photo of her but looks are deceiving. This lady was a Polish resistance fighter during the Second World War who organized the rescue of 2500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation. She smuggled these children through sewers, in ambulances, under her skirt and she hid them in monasteries, with foster parents and in orphanages. She was later arrested and tortured by the Gestapo, but never gave details of the resistance movements work, nor revealed the children’s name. She was saved on the day over scheduled execution. I also read an article about Madonna the pop star diva who plans to build a multi-million- dollar girl’s school in Malawi for underprivileged children this year. It is on the same scale of what Oprah Winfrey has done in South Africa. Which boasts a state of the art facilities, laboratories, a yoga studio and beauty salon. The latter took my breath away for a moment as I tried to see the importance of a Yoga Studio and Beauty Salon for underprivileged children, but maybe I am way too Methodist! The question is – Who gave the most? The answer is quite obvious in my eyes – the one who sacrificed the most.

Undeserved Justice a Contradiction in terms

A young person in our confirmation class this week made a statement that I think is important to unpack. We were appreciating the characteristics of God especially as understood in the Old Testament and we came to the notion that this God we believe in must be a God of Justice. And we started to unravel what Justice means. I tied it into our understanding of God’s call to love our neighbour. And one youngster posed the question, “Why should we love somebody if they don’t deserve it, if they have made bad choices or are lazy. Lets say I have worked hard to achieve what I have got – why should I have to give to those who don’t deserve it?” A good lawyer this young man will make but not a good lover I am afraid to say! I don’t think it is a question of the young but it is a question of any hard working, law abiding, moral seeking person seeking to understand why others don’t pull up their socks. Justice should be to reward the hard working, the righteous, the upstanding! But, this God of the Old Testament continue to bring undeserved Justice again and again. It is especially difficult for a young person to appreciate how privileged they are. They haven’t yet come to see the deprivation of other peoples beginnings and the lack of resources available to them, not of their own choosing, but of their unfortunate circumstances. I thank God, that Jesus claimed to be God. That Jesus was able to give us another take on this God who loved the most undeserving. Sometimes there is no more undeserving than those who think they are deserving but God loves them nonetheless.

The Cable Guy aka Christian Guy

Lets be objective for a moment. If somebody comes to you and says, “I sacrifice my life for you,” or if they give you a gift or do something for you that costs them dearly, what is your true view of them? “Weird”, “Psycho”, maybe terms that come to mind. Bringing over a Pizza when you return from a long journey may be considered kind and thoughtful but sending over a catering company to do your dining room up with candle light, serving Peking Duck with Crème Brulee for desert might make you wish you never came to live in that particular neighbourhood. Christian love may seem for some to be way out of line and embarrassing and we need to be careful how we “Love our Neighbour.” Our needs and motives to be loved ourselves can easily get in the way of loving our neighbour effectively. Our dependence for love, care, and acceptance might lump us in the weirdo category if we don’t watch out. Our love is from a love that is given freely with no strings attached. We ‘truly’ don’t want the glory and so it is easy to give space when space is due, just wave when a wave will do, but be able to surrender everything when everything is due. Those who have seen the movie the "The Cable Guy" will understand.

Is all scripture reading biased – does God speak to us through it?

The search for spiritual direction in a group of people is somewhat troublesome to say the least. We all have our different opinions on things, we have different impressions as to where it lead us and depending on our exposure to historical tradition and scholarship we read it at different literal levels. I like the term ‘selective literalism’ (not sure where it comes from) to describe the way we engage with this ancient giant of literary writings - the bible. We love to read those parts we like and hardly ever read those sections that contradict our impression of God and God’s ultimate desire. So when we come together as leaders or people who are concerned about doing things in ‘Godly’ ways we are often forced into a conflicting situation due to our alternative ‘God directed’ views. What normally happens is that all who think this way congregate in this camp and those who think differently in the other. Stalemate! How certain can we be that our’ take’ is the right one? I believe the more invigorated we become that we are ‘right’ and they are ‘wrong’ is the first step to becoming a religious exclusivist. So how do we do it? How do we help a group of people ‘listen’ to God and make plans to do ‘God’s will’. I would love to hear how diverse our approaches may be.

What I feel like this week!

Environmental Graffiti

Great site to collect environmental bits and pieces and newsworthy events of the planet

clipped from www.environmentalgraffiti.com

Demonination differences

Folk often ask me what some of the basic differences are between the denominations.. this is rather scant but useful nonetheless

clipped from www.religionfacts.com Comparison of Christian Denominations' Beliefs The following chart compares the similarities and differences between the beliefs, doctrine and theology of major Christian denominations. Please note that the brief summaries and excerpts provided here do not reflect all individuals or churches in each denomination, but they are believed to represent the majority view and taken from official statements where available. For an excellent printed comparison chart similar to this one, click here.

Genocide, God and The Bloody Followers

Just read chapters 6-10 of Joshua and I have been horrified by the slaughter and religious justification to horde the wealth of the nations destroyed by Israel. In fact it is very off putting to think that this is even in a book that some regard as sacred as God himself. There is no justification in my conscience to slaughter men, woman and children because you think God wants their property and land. We see this today in countries like Zimbabwe and Iraq where people are abused because of the ideals, religious bigotry and the political aspirations of their leaders. It is even worse, the hypocrisy of those who use God as an excuse to justify genocide. Lets be very careful when we use this term “biblical” as God's word to justify our next genocide!

Know your Religions - Internet site

Many folk are curious to know about other Religions. Here is an 'unbiased' site with links and resources to help the inquirer.

clipped from www.religionfacts.com

The Power of Words - Desmond Tutu

Yesterday somebody phoned and hesitantly told me that they felt led to tell me that ‘God loves me.’ They felt rather awkward and concerned whether they would sound like a fool. At the time I was not sure how this well worn Christian cliché was going to make sense in my immediate life. I have a family member who is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. She is often quoting scriptures and prophesying all kinds of things over my life and I have had to learn a healthy sense of what to take seriously and what not. One has to be so careful not to allow others to manipulate you emotionally with what they deem is happening in your life. On the other hand it is unwise not to listen to those who honestly come to your door with words of encouragement. This morning I was reading the chapter in Trevor Hudson’s book “Touched by Resurrection Love” entitled “Experiencing Resurrection Love.” It shares how Christ calls out Mary’s name and this awakens in her again her masters love. It speaks of the God who really affirms and cares about your life. He quotes from Desmond Tutu who was being interviewed and Desmond turns to the journalist and says, “ God loves you as you are, with your doubts, with your intellectual reservations, with your inability to make the leap of faith… I made you actually, and I made you as you are because I love you. Don’t try to titivate yourself. Just be you and know that I affirm you. You matter enormously to me. You matter as if you were the only human being..”