A Middle Aged Man Blogs

Sustainable and Sustaining?

2012-02-14T14:05:00.001Z

Very interesting WEBA Ministers' Conference last week. David Coffey was excellent on Joseph and though I had heard the sessions last year at a conference, it bears listening to a second time - and more. Communion at the end of the three day shin dig was an unexpectedly emotional affair for me and I've come back with plenty to think about.

Perhaps the most challenging session was from Stuart Murray Williams who asked lots of great questions about how we do church and, rather frustratingly, refused to give us easy answers. His central question, or at least the one that stood out to me and many others, was, "Is what we are doing sustainable and is it sustaining us?" Rather less snappily, can we keep things going the way that they are, or is it killing us? Are we trying to do too much and are we burning people out in the process?

Stuart challenges us to have the courage to review what we are doing and to undertake some judicious pruning. What could we do without doing? One thing we all agreed in our group was that if we were starting church from scratch we wouldn't start from where we currently are. But that is where we find ourselves, so what next? Answers on substantially more than a postcard please!

Top Coffee Shop

2012-02-14T12:56:00.001Z

It didn't look like a Christian Bookshop. In fact, I went in to check because it just didn't look right. It was modern, clean, stylish even and served great coffee, paninis and wonderful soup. The selection of books was good despite the limited space and the staff seemed like they were all from this planet and were very pleasant with it.

Everyone knows a shop like this should be a bit shabby, smell slightly musty and be staffed by well-meaning volunteers who don't really know where things are or how the system works. They have it all wrong at Cornerstone.

Seriously, Cornerstone of Taunton, take a bow. We came away with a bag of books, full tums and sense of peace restored after the trauma of a visit to Sports Direct. Thank you - great job guys!

First one of the year

2012-02-02T20:37:00.001Z

There's plenty wrong with this and it's been quickly processed without looking through all the attempts I made. Still, an enjoyable time spent and I'm going to quickly post this before my first glass of wine (or alcoholic drink of any kind) since about half past midnight on New Year's Day. Cheers!

A good start

2012-02-02T10:27:00.001Z

First competition of the year on Tuesday with the theme "Favourite Image of 2011" and so an even higher standard than normal . Was very pleased to get third place.

Next month the theme is Nightlife. Need to shoot something new for that...

"Bishops stand up for the poor" shock!

2012-01-30T13:24:00.001Z

Very interesting piece in the Observer yesterday by Victoria Coren who argues, quite sensibly in my view, that it's all very well criticising the church for not speaking out more but then to slam it when it does because you don't like what it says isn't necessarily consistent. She is writing specifically about the benefits cap legislation and points out that they are bishops and so they have no option but to speak out for the poor - after all, it's what their book is all about.

A small sample -

"I think the problem they've got is that the New Testament, if read as an economic tract, is innately rather socialist. It's all sharey-sharey. Jesus wanted everyone to get a bit of bread and fish. He was all about the divvying up and the helping one's neighbour. So, if Christianity is going to make itself heard on tax-and-spend policies, it has got to lean towards spreading the spoils around.

There's not much the bishops can do about that. Their hands are tied. The gospels say what they say. If their lordships wanted to support the idea that handing out bread and fish is bad for people because it demotivates them from doing their own baking and fishing, they'd really have to leave the pulpit and get a job on a tabloid".

Click the link above for the whole piece and some very interesting comments by other readers.

Cirencester 12 Burnham on Sea 14

2012-01-28T21:45:00.000Z

Good game of rugby today, I went back to my home town to watch the game between Ciren and Burnham, my current town of residence. As a result wasn't altogether sure who to support but in the end found myself rooting for Burnham. A cold clear day, good to meet up with family and friends and at least attempt my Mum's lunch, somewhere between two and three times larger than it needed to be!

The only try of the game.

Lining up the winning kick, scored about two minutes from time.

Super Sunday

2012-01-22T21:29:00.000Z

That's what they have been calling the big football matches on Sky today. And from what I saw of the Man City vs. Tottenham game it lived up to it's billing. But my Super Sunday started earlier and was, I reckon, more super.

The service this morning was great. From before I arrived here I have been praying for the musicians we needed to form a band who could lead us in church. So, about seven years! This morning we had a band lead us for the first time and they did a terrific job. They led firmly but sensitively and when I got up to preach I felt that they had set things up beautifully and I had a platform to build on. I think I managed not to fumble the ball and people were in great spirits afterwards. Some who were nervous about having a band (drums, bass, piano and voices) were relieved and appreciative afterwards and the feedback was incredibly positive.

It was also our Gift Day - previous posts acknowledge that, like for a lot of churches and organisations, we are feeling the pinch and one outcome of this is that I am currently part-time. Electrical work in the building and a need to replace the lighting pushed us over the edge, hence we had the Gift Day. The response was excellent and we now have enough to cover the work and a good chunk towards addressing the deficit in our budget. To give an idea of the scale of this, the Gift Day brought in more than a quarter of our total offerings for the whole of last year.

We then had a great meal together afterwards. We have been doing these more often recently and numbers have grown as we have gone along. It seemed especially appropriate that we ate together in a mood of celebration today and so Super Sunday was great for me before a ball was kicked. Now we need to pray for a guitarist. I hope and pray it will be less than seven years this time.

Murmurations

2012-01-21T18:41:00.000Z

No, not about any rumours that might be going around, a murmuration is - apparently - the collective name for starlings. They can also been known as a filth, though you can see that this might be less flattering to them.

So I took my camera last week to get some shots of them over the reed beds here on the Somerset Levels and though I had less hits than misses, I was lucky with the colour of the sky with the setting sun and am quite pleased with one or two. The mild winter has meant that only a million and a half are nesting at Shapwick this year, compared with the six and a half that were holidaying with us last year but they were still a brilliant sight.

Bang!

2012-01-21T17:49:00.003Z

Big drama here as a nearby house was raided and a man arrested under the Explosives Act. People living within 100 metres were evacuated and the Community Centre was opened up as a refuge for them. I went down to see if they needed extras spaces for people as it was looking like an overnighter and the church building would have been ideal for them. In the end it wasn't needed, there was a controlled explosion and people were allowed back into their houses at around 10pm, after about 14 hours of the arrest. All happens here!

Behind the times

2012-01-19T14:19:00.002Z

Further proof that you could give a monkey a blue or red rosette in some parts of the country and he'd be elected. On Friday a Private Members Bill will be debated in Parliament to adopt the use of British Summer Time throughout the year. I would like that bill to be passed and maybe, one day, it will.

However, Jacob-Rees Mogg opposes the move and has tabled an amendment to reintroduce GWR time, which uses local time for trains - or at least it did until the 1840s. This would leave Somerset time 15 minutes behind the rest of the country. "Only 15 minutes?", I hear you cry. As one poster on the BOS.com website puts it, currently when it's 6pm in London, in Burnham-on-Sea it's 1972.

Much Appreciated

2012-01-18T21:02:00.002Z

Sunday Morning I returned to my desk at the church building to find a note of appreciation and some chocolates. Much appreciated.

Don't take care, take risks

2012-01-18T13:14:00.000Z

Vicar of Baghdad, there's a job that you probably wouldn't volunteer for. According to the Christian Today Website Iraq once had 5 million Christians, now it has 200,000. Christians in Iraq face financial hardship, political instability and the threat of attacks from extremists, and so many have fled to the relative safety of Kurdistan.

Canon Andrew White is our man in Baghdad, where his Anglican church runs a clinic and relief programme. The church is in a hard situation there and yet his advice to us in the UK is telling:

“Don’t take care, take risks and make sure that the church is totally and utterly relevant. The reason I became a clergyman was because I was too bored sitting in the pews. There are so many churches that aren’t full of life.”

Dear Mariella, Should I go to church?

2012-01-17T21:23:00.003Z

The Baptist Union news service brings to my attention this interesting piece from the Observer last Sunday. A women working 60 hours a week and seemingly getting abuse rather than support from her husband, writes to ask whether church is the answer. Atheist Mariella has some interesting and rather surprising thoughts:

Mariella Frostrup's interesting reply

Dave Gorman v The Rest of the World

2012-01-16T21:46:00.001Z

Having badly failed to blog the books that I read last year, I need to make a start to the ones I am rattling through this year. Not a terribly high-brow selection so far but enjoyable all the same.

This one is a bit of a cheat as I almost completed it in 2011, reading the last twenty pages at 1am on New Year's Day. Dave Gorman comes across, as always, as thoroughly likable, a little obsessive and whimsical but aren't we all? In this book he combines his love of playing games and meeting new people by asking if anyone fancies a game. Thousands replied and in some down time between projects he travels around the UK taking on allcomers at whatever game they fancy.

I came away with a desire to play some new games, and to rediscover taht sense of fun in playing games - why do we hit a certain age when we seem to lack the time or inclination to take pleasure in playing for playings sake? (A friend of mine recently challenged me on how much pleasure I experience in life - a question that Wesley apparently asked of his people).

Gorman meets a whole bunch of really nice people in his travels and three slightly odd ones. One of them nearly puts him off asking to play games with people but thankfully doesn't. Sadly it's someone who seems to have some sort of (odd?) faith but even then I am struck by Dave Gorman's compassion in very trying circumstances.

So, a good read. More whimsical than his America Unchained which has interesting observations on the corporate nature of the USA (read last autumn) but just as much fun.

To tithe or not to tithe, that is the question

2012-01-14T21:43:00.004Z

It's always good when the Bible changes your mind. It is a good reminder that you don't know everything and that you have stuff to learm still.

Last Sunday in church I was talking about giving - partly through necessity and partly because we need to address big questions in church, after all Jesus did. I figured it was fairly straight forward, there is plenty in the Old Testament about giving a tithe (a tenth) to God's work and to support the poor. But having read more it's apparent that the New Testament doesn't talk in terms of tithes. The one place where Jesus seems to commend someone giving a tithe is when the Pharisee (who isn't a Christian) is praised for being so diligent that he tithes the herbs he grows. But then he points out what the Pharisee has forgotten - justice, mercy, faith (Matthew 23.23-24) - all way more important than getting your mixed herbs right.

However – we aren’t off thehook. Far from it! The Bible has plenty to say about followersof Jesus being generous in their giving.

Jesus tells us that when we give money we aren't to make a song and dance about it – do it quietly and without telling others about it. Matthew 6.1-4 Notice too that Jesus says when you give – not if you give. He also observes and commends radical acts of generosity on the occasion of the widow who gave all she had. Mark 12.41-43. Jesus also says that whatever we do for the least of these youdo for me – feed the hungry, clothe the poor, give the thirsty something todrink, tend to the sick. Matthew 25.31-46.

So giving isn't off the agenda for Christians, just that tithing isn't taught for us. In the longest passage about giving in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 8 & 9), Paul tells the church to be generous because they are grateful for the grace they have recieved. And it makes a metric tonne of sense for Christians who are grateful for God's generosity to be grateful in turn to the church and to others.

Thing is, despite our spiritual sensitivities, giving is a spiritual activity. Our budgets are spiritual documents – theyshow what we think are important and where our priorities lay. That’s the case whether we are settingbudgets for our own spending or working out our finances as a church. That’s why I fear our church is ina difficult place financially, and perhaps, spiritually; because our budgets,individually and corporately, reveal something of our hearts.

For some the tithe is too much of a stretch, for others it isn't enough of a challenge. What we mustn't do is use the freedom I believe we have to hide from our responsibilities. I saw a statistic that said the average American Evangelical gives away 3% of what they earn. I dare say the Brits aren't too far off this figure, though it's a complete guess on my part. Which would suggest that some are less grateful than the Pharisees.

But don't let me or anyone else twist your arm. As Paul makes clear:

2 Cor 9⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Whatever we do, we should do so cheerfully before God.

366 challenge

2012-01-07T22:07:00.002Z

Been taking pictures as part of the 366 challenge, one a day. This week I spent a great couple of days in the New Forest with friends and as well as much appreciated laughter and discussion and prayer there was the chance to explore a new place and get a picture in the sunshine.

In case you thought I have given up already , I haven't! I'm posting them each day on my Flickr account and at 365Project. Really enjoying it so far, it's going to be harder on the dull days but the fact I have to take something is a great motivation.
If you want to see them each day it's either:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55737292@N06/sets/72157628651174701/

This is where I have more pictures.

Or

http://365project.org/revlovejoy/365

This is where lots of people are taking the challenge and we all post one a day.

Thanks for the positive feedback! Will try and blog about something else next time.

A tough day

2012-01-03T20:04:00.000Z

Partly a tough day because I was back at work after the long break and it always takes a while to get your bearings again. Have to remember that we are not machines and to forgive ourselves if we don't slot straight back in.

But in photo challenge terms it was a really stinker. Lots of heavy rain and dark skies and wind, the other two I am doing the challenge with played it safe and took pictures indoors. However there was a brief respite from the elements and I struck lucky when a friend from church passed by. 6 down, 360 to go!

Happy New Challenge

2012-01-01T21:20:00.001Z

Spent a lovely time seeing in the New Year with friends and now it's back for a further day off before work, once again, beckons. The Cotswolds were very mild and very grey which made picture taking a bit of a challenge. But here is evidence, taken this morning, that spring seems to be very early this year, these snowdrops shouldn't be here yet.

While I was away I decided to embark on a very silly photo challange to take a photo each day to post up on my flickr account. It will probably result in a lot of ordinary pictures but practice makes perfect as they say. This one is today's, the series can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55737292@N06/sets/72157628651174701/

Happy New Year everyone!

Pesky Baptists!

2011-12-28T11:57:00.000Z

"At many of the pivotal points in my life I've found that the best way to make a decision is to find out what a Baptist would do, then do the opposite." Alan Partridge.

(It's from "I, Partridge: We need to talk about Alan", page 288. A Christmas present from my favourite parishioner - already finished.)

Favourite Image of 2011

2011-12-27T12:29:00.003Z

Brixham Lighthouse

The last temptation

Somerset Sunrise

They will rise on wings like eagles

Apologies for the rather self-indulgent nature of this post (like that's new!). The first print competition of 2012 is simply entitled "My Favourite Image of 2011", the idea being you pick what you liked best of what you took. I think it is one of these - any feedback on which I should enter?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T21:18:00.002Z

Had a great Christmas Eve service with the puppets and lots of families visited us. Dropped by some houses with lots of decorations on the way home (in case you think this is our house).

Just wanted to wish the regulars who drop by here a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year; have a great one!

Crook Peak

2011-12-23T15:19:00.001Z

Yesterday was a dry day and my day off this week so we went to breath some fresh air and get away from phones and screens and computers for an hour or so. Inspired after reading Bear Grylls' account of climbing Everest, we set out. Crook Peak is the hill near Weston Super Mare that you see on the left as you pass by on the M5. Good to get out.

Only 191 feet tall (and we parked part way up as it was) but the walk was rather spoiled by the thought in the back of my mind that each section of the Cotswold way would be five or six times further.

The light was pretty hopeless and this was the best I could do.

Richard Dawkins' tribute to Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-17T00:20:00.002Z

Christopher Hitchens lost his battle with cancer today at the age of 62. It's sad for anyone of his age in the Western world to die so young and you feel for his friends and family. I have to confess to not having read him really, unless you count 15 minutes in Waterstones while waiting for the rest of the family to finish looking for books. I was looking through God Is Not Great and thought it was a bit flimsy to be honest. But then you would probably expect me to say that.

I heard of his death on the radio this morning when Richard Dawkins was interviewed about him by Nicky Campbell on Radio Five Live. I checked out the interview again on the BBC website when I was more awake to verify that I wasn't misquoting at all.

Dawkins described Hitchens as...

“Awonderful orator, a great thinker, a great intellect, a great atheist”.

He went on to say...

“Hehated tyranny of all kinds. He wasagainst Stalin, he was against Mao, he was against Kim Il Sung and he wasagainst God. He hated tyrants of allkinds, whether real or imaginary”.

“God,he saw, as a supernatural tyrant, a supernatural dictator”.

I can understand that some people do believe and some don't. What I struggle with is that a few (certainly not all) of the new atheists are so set against religious faith that they attack it so forcefully. To bracket God with Stalin and Mao and Kim Il Sung is very odd to me. People like Dawkins ppear to be very angry about faith and yet their atheism doesn't seem to bring them any happiness. Sometimes they come across as the superior boy on school who sneers and looks down at the others and then wonder why they have so few friends.

This is not a fresh or new or clever opinion. I find myself echoing the thoughts of Marcus Brigstocke (who I very much like) who says the same in his book God Collar. He may tend to agree with much of Dawkins says but he ackowledges that Dawkins doesn't do atheism many favours in the way he comes across as a know it all. I think I'd like a debate over a pint of lemonade with Marcus (who is teetotal) where as I don't really fancy the thought of seeing Dawkins for a drink.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Cardinal Sin

2011-12-16T13:48:00.000Z

Banksy's latest is this sculpture for the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. It's called 'Cardinal Sin', and he offers this Christmas greeting, “At this time of year it’s easy to forget the true meaning ofChristianity – the lies, the corruption, the abuse.”

Merry Christmas everyone!

Footnote - Cardinal Sin was the real name of the head of the Catholic Church in the Philippines at the time of the overthrow of Marcos after crowds of people refused to accept the corrupt elections. Some of those leading the line were nuns who sat in the path of tanks. Grrrrrr - those pesky Christians, nothing but trouble!

Snack Man...

2011-12-14T12:58:00.000Z

... or should it be 'Pac Lunch'? I wasn't sure, to be honest, but the thing is that only a month after my first placing in a monthly competition I managed to go one better and was the joint winner of the Food themed competition at the club last night.

The only way is down....

An Interesting Pastoral Situation

2011-12-07T22:27:00.000Z

In common with a lot of organisations these days, the church is facing a hole in the budget that will take quite a lot of filling. It was already looking grim and then on having our electrics examined we find that we are not earthed and suddenly the question of what to do about the lighting in the main hall becomes a more pressing and more costly concern. We have little in the way of reserves to fall back on and no central body to bail us out.

So last night we voted through a budget with a deficit that is larger than our reserves with the huge provisos that we all need to reconsider our giving and that we need to monitor the situation monthly and take even more drastic action if necessary. One of the savings we are making is that I will be paid as part-time from January 1st. As a family this is fine, we are able to do that. It is for an initial three months period, though I suspect it will be for longer. We'll see.

The interesting pastoral situation? I suspect that I need to help people to come to terms with the decision. I think there is a tendency for some to feel that the church is failing because they can no longer afford a full-time or "proper" minister but actually, perhaps what we need to do is find a new way of doing church.

We face an uncertain future as a church and I suspect that a number of churches will face this in time as well. Suddenly we are forced to consider things from a completely different viewpoint, what the buildings are used for, what we are about as a church, and who does what. It's a little bit scary. And it's quite exciting to. Who knows what God will bring out of this?

Wonder what 2012 will hold for us.

MiracleMaker - Delirious?

2011-12-03T16:24:00.000Z

And here is another. Less successful due to some poor sound mixing but as I don't know what I'm doing with these it's not too surprising.

This is the Delirious song Miracle Maker and clips from the film of the same name.

MiracleMaker - In Christ Alone

2011-12-03T16:18:00.000Z

Had a minor crisis yesterday (one of a series) when all the videos disappeared from the database of the computer we use for projection in the church building. So I've been hunting round for stray copies of things and lo and behold found this. Hardly remember doing this four years ago and then showed it once in a service. Since then it's laid forgotten and neglected on a hard drive.

So, time to let it fly (or flop) on the interweb. It's a series of scenes from the film Miracle Maker together with Stuart Townend singing In Christ Alone. Very much an Easter piece rather Christmas but I was surprised at the job I did on this. Not at all shabby.

The Cotswold Way

2011-12-01T18:10:00.001Z

I've been thinking about it for a while and it's time to put it into print. That way I can't chicken out. Next spring I get a sabbatical for three months from my day to day responsibilities and as well as visiting other churches and researching new ideas for ministry here, I get to do some things that will replenish me.

Hence I have decided to spend some of the time walking the Cotswold Way. This doesn't involve mincing around or wandering around with a vacant stare whilst sucking on grass stems. It's the 102 mile route which runs from Chipping Camden down to Bath. I've wanted to do it since I was a kid and so here's my chance. Nothing heroic (unlike my friend Natalie who walked the 630 mile South West Coastal Path with barely a day off) but I plan to take it in two day sections, taking eight days to cover the whole thing. Having said that, I will be taking my camera and knowing me that will slow me down considerably, so it might take longer.

Today I was in Taunton with my favourite parishioner and while searching the shelves at Waterstones for a walking guide to the Cotswold Way I found Part One of a two volume work on the walk from Canterbury to Rome. Felt like my stroll was very small beer in comparison but then it's probably frowned upon for Baptist ministers to go to make the journey to Rome on a sabbatical.

Looking forward to it immensely though and just wanted to tell people in case I felt like backing out nearer the time.

How many Baptists does it take to change a lightbulb?

2011-11-29T21:48:00.001Z

Called out to do a favour for a parishioner, last night. Light bulbs blown and she was unable to get up to the light fitting to replace them; all the sort of thing that you get taught at Bible College. Still, so easy that even a Baptist Pastor could fix it.

As I left she thanked me and joked, "Let there be light". Then she stopped and looked genuinely puzzled. "Now who was it who said that?", she asked.

I'm having a great impact here....

A great weekend

2011-11-29T21:38:00.001Z

After clocking off from youth club on Friday night I had a really great weekend this week.

Saturday: Breakfast with the family, met a friend to pray, met up with family and friends to watch my team win 3-0, food at Nandos and wine and talk with an old friend.

Sunday: Enjoyed church with no responsibilities in the knowledge that I was in the safe hands of good leaders and preachers, huge lunch, watched the big game and then missed the evening service to take the teenagers group bowling. And won. Drop or two more wine and more great conversation. Fall asleep grateful for the weekend, a day of rest that actually felt like one and, I admit it, just a tiny bit envious of others who have weekends off on a regular basis and perhaps take the blessing for granted.

Beatbox Nativity

2011-11-25T12:42:00.001Z

What's not to love? The Nativity as you've never heard it before, explained by a real-life vicar. Already think about how I can use this in a service. This was pointed out to me at 607 views on YouTube - think there will be a lot more before Christmas is over!

Dice

2011-11-22T23:17:00.001Z

Hey, after a year of trying, for the first time I was actually placed in the top five in the monthly competition. Tonight's competition had the theme Numbers and it was a stretch to know what to actually try to photograph. This was the best I could come up with and I got placed second.

Next month the theme is Food.

Mystery Worshippers

2011-11-18T18:20:00.001Z

Some time ago we employed a researcher to come to church and give us some honest feedback, we did this through the Church Check scheme run by Christian Research. I was contacted recently by The Baptist Times for comments on the scheme, so the article appears in this week's edition.

http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/news4.htm

As does the news that the paper will cease publication at the end of next month.

Not my fault - honest!

Let's Get Married

2011-11-18T14:20:00.001Z

Going through Ephesians in church and the chance to preach on Ephesians 5.21-33 this week - it's dangerous stuff folks! Wonderfully, Tim Keller publishes his book on this very passage (The Meaning of Marriage) next week. Or so it says on the websites. I pre-ordered mine and got sent it last week. As a result I have had the chance to read most of it before Sunday. A true pleasure.

Enjoyed putting this together as well. It's a sequence of pictures and great marriage quotes that I have done for service. All with the uplifting sounds of The Proclaimers too, can't be bad. Take a look and see what you think.

It is on YouTube here... http://youtu.be/9wfjU6sIOR8

Rugby - a first

2011-11-12T17:10:00.001Z

Did something yesterday that I had never done before and watched a live game of rugby. Only ventured round the corner for Burnham-on-Sea's game against Matson but had a great time. 17-0 to the home side and got a few pictures into the bargain.

Another small planet

2011-11-12T17:05:00.001Z

This is a shot of Cheltenham Cricket Festival taken this summer. Probably works better than most of my attempts at a small planet.

I want to be a clone...

2011-11-03T20:41:00.000Z

...or at least learn how to use the clone tool in Photoshop better. A friend at camera club blew us all away with a Little Planet view of the sea front and so I have been trying to work out how. It isn't actually all that hard. What is hard is to do it well. I'd never used the cloning tool before and clearly need a great deal of practice. Meanwhile, here are two of my first efforts.

This is taken from a bird hide on the Somerset levels just this afternoon...

This is the cricket ground at Taunton, taken earlier this summer...

Not great, but the germ of an idea?

It seems God is limited by our prayer life - that he can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks him - John Wesley

2011-11-02T15:45:00.003Z

Kenneth Hagin - not John Wesley.

I know, I know, snappy title for a blog entry...
But anyone know where this quote comes from? Is it even Wesley? I see it attributed to him all over the place but cannot find a reference for it. Most of the references I have found on the internet are from people like Kenneth Hagin, Creslo Dollar, and others, who, frankly, are the kind of word of faith / prosperity teachers that make extremely cross.

Thing is, I don't think the sentiment of the quote is true. I'm all for spurring people to pray but God can't do anything unless we ask him to?! I find that hard to accept if God is all sovereign and all powerful.

Hence I want to find out if anyone knows where the quote is from as I think I would like to see it in context. It's a long shot... but you never know.

Half-term

2011-10-25T20:29:00.003+01:00

Back in the garden of England for a few days this week, catching up with old friends. A lovely thing, to be able to pick up where you left off without any apparent effort.

Breaking bread and slurping soup with people you have shared so much of life with is a great pleasure. Thanks guys!

Exeter City 3 Rochdale 1

2011-10-22T23:40:00.001+01:00

Finances being an issue this year, this was the first league game I've attended this year. A bit scrappy at times this one until the end when Exeter played some good football. The general consensus is that, in a game of two halves, the scoreline flattered Exeter a bit. However, the win sees us soar to 23rd in League 1.

I have no goals to show you as I had an interesting conversation with the Head of Security at the ground about 20 minutes into the game which resulted in me having to put my camera away. He was very polite and reasonable but apparently my zoom lens is too big to be allowed. Ordinary cameras and smaller lenses are permitted, which will be a challenge for future games, but a challenge I am ready to embrace. The concern was that I could be selling the shots tonight. Sure there's a huge market!

Bit frustrated as I have never had a problem before but on checking the ground rules you aren't allowed to take any kind of camera in and so will have to abide by smaller lens rule next time. Especially frustrated as I was perfectly positioned for Nardiello's penalty for 2-1 and the final goal for the particularly impressive Jake Taylor.

So what do I hear bid for the final pictures I managed with a zoom lens...

Stephen Darby - on loan from Liverpool

Troy Archibald-Henville is comprehensively outjumped by Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro. Great names!

All City can do is watch as the ball hits the post as 0-0

Messy Toddlers

2011-10-22T11:30:00.001+01:00

As I haven't been under pressure to produce a sermon this week I have been able to take it a bit easier this week. Do some reading, visit a few people, make arrangements for when I am away, and play an atrocious round of golf. Oh yes, and we started a new congregation which attracted about 55 brand new people to the church.

We started a variation on the Messy Church model of church, which centres around whole families coming to do craft and games together, a short (typically 20 minute) worship service and then tea or some sort of food afterwards. We are aiming to do this in the new year. In the meantime we have started with half-termly Messy Toddlers.

Most of the work came from a committed team of people at the church here who planned about ten different craft activities and catered for the food afterwards. All the activities were based around the theme of light and so was the completely chaotic service part of the morning, though how many heard a word, I wonder - especially when the musical instruments came out. As I tried to make myself heard above 30 toddlers I couldn't help thinking how different it was to the old pram services that I was taken to as a child. One of the great ideas for the service was to take photos (with permission) of the children as they did their craft and games and put them up on the screen at the beginning. It worked really well.

But, you know what? Lots of Mums thanked us for doing it. Some commented that they had done more with their child that morning than in the previous week and hopefully they went home with the feeling that church could be fun and informal and welcoming. That's quite a barrier to overcome for a lot of them. They also took home a lot of craft!

So we have a new congregation of 55 (plus the team which takes it to just under 70) and I'd wager that 90% of them have no other congregation. It's an occasional thing at the moment but who knows? And when we start our monthly Messy Church....

Exciting times!

First impressions count

2011-10-22T11:08:00.001+01:00

They say that you only get one chance to make a first impression and the importance of this was shown to me again over the last couple of weeks. We have been doing the rounds of options that my daughter has for next year and sixth form college, and the first two colleges provided a great contrast.

College at Weston didn't have her name on the list despite her preregistering (though they later sent her an email saying it was a shame that she hadn't come). Of the five options for A level she was looking at, two of her favourites were not attending the evening at all and everyone kept apologising for the lack of literature which was still being printed by the office an hour after we had arrived (though to be fair we had got there early). A couple of very enthusiastic lecturers there although one simply started the conversation without introducing herself or anything about the course by asking, "so, any questions?"

First impressions at Bridgwater College very different. It started in the car park where the attendants helped us find a space to park - mine even ran off, beckoning me to follow him, to find a space. Impressed I wound down the window to thank him and he replied, "It's a pleasure sir". This is not typical behaviour in the UK.

There was quite a queue at the entrance to register but there was a woman at then end of the queue to greet us and apologise for the queue and explain that if we had preregistered we could join the fast track queue. Their preregistration system worked and we were on the list and from there we were given the first of our detailed directions as to where we wanted to go. Every time we needed to ask staff or students we were given friendly, helpful and excellent directions. So impressive on every level. All the lecturers bar one that we wanted to see were there and were, overall, probably just a bit more helpful than the guys at Weston.

Two questions rise from this for me.

How good are we as a church at welcoming people on a Sunday, or to anything that we put on? Speaking for me and mine, we have some way to go on this. It's particularly important given the second question.

Where do you think my daughter wants to go?

Having said that, none of them compare with the college she visited at Oxford University the same week though. Having visited the Great Hall there she came back giggling, "I've been to Hogwarts". Not sure she's quite cut out for the dreaming spires.

Elim @ Bristol

2011-10-09T19:11:00.000+01:00

Spent a couple of days at a good conference in the heart of Bristol this week, in Stokes Croft. More details in a future blog. Stokes Scroft is best known recently for the recent riots after Tesco opened a Tesco Express there - which was kind of asking for it - the place has a vibrant culture of street art.

This is the only one that I knew anything of, an original Banksy on the side of a building just down the road from where we were meeting. Didn't know it was there before I stumbled upon it during a lunchtime stroll.

All of the following photos were taken within about 20 yards of each other, on one of the junctions of Jamaica Street and a couple of side streets.

The great thing is that on the same crossroads you had the Elim @ Bristol church building displaying this reproduction of a Banksy. Thought that this was so cool, as it fits with the street art around it and at the same time gives something of the Christian message of love, peace and hope in an area which has seen people throwing more than flowers around recently. Very cool.

And inside we were greeted by the friendliest welcome team ever, a group of black, white and oriental brothers and sisters. The conference was off to a good start before the first session kicked off!

Paul et Paolo

2011-10-04T23:39:00.001+01:00

Johnstones Paint Trophy

Exeter City 1 Swindon Town 2

Due to reasons of budget this was my first game of the season, but the promise of an early kick off (a good move to get some kids in) and reduced prices made it worthwhile to come down to the game.

What a contrast in styles it was too. I made the mistake of not bringing my camera and the getting seats behind the dugouts. One cultured, measured, calm and collected, the other passionate, demonstrative, fiery and, at times, comical. Not talking about the teams but the managers and their contrasting styles. It must be a good job that Paolo Di Canio eats a healthy Mediterranean diet, otherwise he'd be a surefire candidate for a heart attack. I think he put in more effort than some of his players.

Actually, not true. His side deservedly came out on top tonight and on this showing things are looking good for the side - if he can contain his frustration with his side. I get the impression that as a genius on the football pitch he might struggle with lesser players who cannot do what might have been instinctive to him.

Exeter, on the other hand, have a bit of a job on this season. They have lost the spine of their team - captain Matt Taylor, playmaker Ryan Harley and last season's top scorer Jamie Cureton, and are clearly struggling. Early days and there are worse teams than us in this division but Paul Tisdale has his work cut out. With Keith Millen being given the boot at Bristol City there is talk of Tisdale being one of the people on their list. They'd be daft not to look seriously at him and I fear it might be a good move for him. We certainly don't owe him anything but immense gratitude if and when he leaves. But I do fear that the task will be much, much harder without him at the helm. We'll see how it all pans out.

At least this wasn't a league game so nothing really lost in the end. Though a small boy behind me was heard to bemoan the fact that we only have the FA Cup to play for now this season. So, no pressure Paul!

An Indian Summer

2011-10-03T20:05:00.000+01:00

The lighthouse on the beach at Burnham on Sea

We have just had the most ridiculous (and welcome) weather to start off October this year. Over the weekend the temperature was in the eighties both days, with the local website saying it reached 27 degrees in the shade and 30 degrees C (86 degrees) F on the sunny beach here - the hottest October days since records began.

Not surprisingly the beach was busy as we walked it with friends who were visiting for the weekend and more ice cream was consumed than you would normally expect. I now have a summer cold in October - a first!

The forecast for later this week is 14 degrees - back to normal!

Somerset Sunrise

2011-09-30T14:09:00.000+01:00

Inspired by a visiting speaker at Camera Club recently, David Clapp was urging us to get up and about to capture pictures of the mist at sun rise. So yesterday I got up very early try. I've been yawning ever since.

Missed the mist (as it were), I really must plan a vantage point before I leave next time (Duh!). Found this instead but suspect that I need too much sleep to ever make it as a landscape photographer.

Depression and stress

2011-09-29T21:45:00.000+01:00

My friendly local iron man is visiting us for the weekend to run a half-marathon here and so I have been reading Marcus Trescothick's autobiography in order to finish and return it as I have had it for about two years now.

Found the battle of Marcus' depression especially interesting and these words which he paraphrases from something he read to make sense of his condition:

"Depressive illness, or at least the commonest form, which is caused by stress, nearly always happens to one type of person. He or she will have the following characteristics; (moral) strength, reliability, diligence, strong conscience, strong sense of responsibility, a tendency to focus on the needs of others before one's own, sensitivity, vulnerability to criticism, self-esteem dependent on the evaluation of others.

This person is the sort to whom you would turn if you had a problem to sort out upon which your house depended, a safe pair of hands you can trust with your life, though often somewhat taken for granted. People are usually very surprised when he gets ill, indeed he is the last person you would expect to have a breakdown.

But it isn't so surprising when you consider that depressive illness is a physical condition. Think about it; give a set of stresses to a person who is weak, cynical or lazy and he will quickly give up. So he will never get stressed enough to become ill. A strong person, on the other hand, will react to these pressures by trying to overcome them. After all, he has overcome every challenge he has faced in the past through diligence and effort. So he keeps going, absorbing more and more until, inevitably, symptoms emerge. At this point most people will say, "Hang on this is ridiculous. I'm doing too much." So they pull back from the brink before it is too late. But the sensitive person, without a very solid sense of self-esteem, can't stop struggling, because he fears other people being disappointed in him. Even more than this he fears being disappointed in himself. So he keeps on going, on and on and on, until suddenly: BANG! the fuse blows" (pages 253-4 in the hardback).

This rings true of my one (very old) experience of a moderate depression and is, I think, a clear warning to all of us. I guess, reading it from the point of view of a pastor in a church, it is a reminder of how dangerous it is to our health if we think that we can fix everyone and forget that only God can, and how it is equally dangerous to look to other people for approval when it is actually only God's approval that truly matters. And you don't earn that, it's a gift. Sometimes we know that in our heads but it gets stuck before it hits our hearts.

A lesson from a cricket batsman with a Test average just shy of 44. I think it would be wise to take note.

Nature Photo Competition

2011-09-28T14:08:00.001+01:00

Had my worst result so far in the monthly competition last night, 15th out of 21. Knew I wasn't going to win but thought it was better than other people did. Shows what I know. I don't think I helped myself by covering the mount and edges of the picture with glue mind you, made a real pig's ear of it.

The standard was particularly high last night, nature photography being the strong suit of a number of the members.

Here is the winner from Ian, a very talented chap who spends a lot of his time with his camera on Exmoor:

Second place went to a picture taken by my friend Mark in his back garden:

Back to the drawing board for me - I have so much progress to make! But maybe one day.

Help - which DVD is it?

2011-09-28T13:53:00.001+01:00

In anticipation of the next Reel Issues film, Minority Report, the owner of our local cinema asked to borrow my DVD copy in case the 35mm version that he has booked isn't up to scratch - or, more to the point, is very scratched. So I popped it round and left it with the helpful person on the desk.

About an hour later, I got a phone call from the cinema owner - who does all the projection, has a laptop and DVD projectors in the room that he is calling from, and is clearly reasonably technical - asking for help. You see my copy of Minority Report has a bonus disc with it and he was ringing to ask which disc had the film on it.

Tough one, how are we going to figure this one out?

Fiction - Big Things

2011-09-23T16:46:00.001+01:00

It's an age thing. Another sure sign of middle age. I have taken to buying music from adverts on the TV. Not the K-Tel type "remember this record is not available in the shops" kind of music. Things that I hear in an advert and want to investigate further.

Anyone who knows me in 'real life' will be unsurprised by my love of Big Things by Fiction. Someone on You Tube describes it as The Talking Heads meets China Crisis, which is pretty darned accurate. It was used to advertise a car or petrol or something. As you can tell it, it worked on me. The link in the top right hand sized box will take you there. Enjoy!

Magic moments in church

2011-09-21T20:08:00.000+01:00

Laughing With Tom

The church took a bit of a punt on Saturday night and booked Tom Elliott, a magician and comedian who also does a nice line in telling people why he believes in Jesus. It was a bit of a punt as we hadn't seen him perform before but it turned out really well.

Right from the off he had the audience engaged and his combination of jokes and tricks kept everyone entertained. He did about three quarters of an hour followed by a break and a further twenty minutes afterwards when he simply explained, in an engaging and very clear way, why he was a Christian.

We were really pleased with him and - in common with most of the people we have had for something like this in church - he was a delight to deal with. I was half expecting objections along the lines of the dark arts in a sacred building but as Tom made clear right at the start of his act, he's not into Black Magic, much preferring Quality Street.

It was also pleasing that we had more than 90 people come along, lots from outside the church. We'd timed the booking to come quite soon after the Mission Rescue week - see earlier posts with the intention of inviting families and children from that week. We kept the tickets ridiculously cheap and planned to make a loss. It was worth it. Tom is working on a new show and we plan to book him again when that show is ready.

Its his church, he can handle it

2011-09-13T16:34:00.003+01:00

It sometimes feels like two of my great loves are aging fast and in danger of extinction. Look around any county cricket ground and the age profile will have you fearing for the future of the four day county championship. Visit a lot of churches and its even more worrying. And in the church we don't the option of selling hospitality packages in marquees.

The follow up to the Mission Rescue Holiday Club has been very encouraging: record numbers of Primary School kids at our Friday club, more than ever in Lighthouse Club on Sunday Morning and plenty of interest in the magician / comedian we have booked for Saturday evening.

Like plenty of churches we have a lack of people of my generation and the generation below it. Which means that, not far shy of fifty, I am one of the younger people in my church. A bizarre thought. So I confess to some excitement that a couple of younger couples with families have just announced that they want to join us. It feels like we are beginning to take small steps of growth.

But then a loved and valued family announced that after seven years with us they are going to go somewhere else. They handled it really well but its still a blow. Two steps forward, one back?

We part as friends and I'll still see lots of him, for a start he works in a sandwich shop down the road. Last Sunday they came for the last time and it gave us the chance to thank them publicly and pray for their blessing as they begin the next stage of their journey. It gives everyone the chance to hear why they are leaving, that we part as family who still love each other, and, of course, people get to say goodbye. Something I learned from a wiser pastor a few years ago, it was good way to round things off.

My fear is the couples just joining will be discouraged by one of their own leaving. You need a few people of that age if others of that age are to stick. In the lead up to the service I did begin to wonder about the wisdom of what I was doing, even though I was pretty sure it was the right thing to do.

I need not have worried. We are eating with one of the couples after the service and they compare us favourably with their previous larger, far groovier church, saying that they didn't think the leaving of a family would have been handled like that where they were from.

I'm humbled. Trying to do the right thing doesn't always work out but this was a good reminder to try to be as faithful and as true as you can and leave the rest in safe hands.

Playing around with post processing

2011-09-07T20:28:00.000+01:00

I bought Photoshop Elements 9 a while back and, if used well, it seems to give a real punch to some pictures. Usually the effect that I am after is far more subtle than this but I nevertheless enjoyed playing with these two. I don't really know what I am doing but fiddle around and see what happens. I like these but appreciate they won't be to everybody's liking.

Splashing Around - Pop Art

Geese

The Tree of Life - some thoughts

2011-09-06T18:45:00.000+01:00

Contains spoilers...

We had a great response last night for Reel Issues, when the church hires the local cinema and puts on a film with discussion afterwards. Terrence Mallick's The Tree of Life is a film to divide people.   Booed and jeered at in the Cannes Film Festival this year, it also won the Palme D'or - go figure. Some critics give it 5 stars, some 2. One comment we had last night was that 2 seemed generous. Empire Magazine's verdict is: "There is simply nothing like it out there: profound, idiosyncratic, complex, sincere and magical; a confirmation that cinema can aspire to art."

And it truly is beautiful to watch. I'm so glad that I saw it on the big screen, I'm sure that on DVD it will inevitably lose some of it's punch. It is beautifully and expansive photographically and real treat, as Mallick explores the every day glory of the world. One of the character's laments about life is that he "dishonoured it all and didn't see the glory".

It looks lovely, but what does it mean? Peter Bradshaw, reviewing the film in The Guardian, comments, "The Tree of Life may well come to be seen as this decade's great Christian artwork." It opens with a quote from the book of Job. In Job 38: 4,7 God asks Job "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth ... when the morning stars sang together?"   The context is that Job has lost pretty much everything and is asking God why. God basically pulls rank and reminds Job that he doesn't know nearly as much as he thinks - who died and put him in charge? God alone knows the answers to some things. The question of suffering in the film is mainly in connection to the death of a boy and the effect that it has on the surviving family. "Lord, where were you?"

So Mallick looks at the question of suffering and meaning - not to mention where we come from and where we will end up. You can't say that he is unambitious. His 17 minute sequence showing the creation of the world is quite something to see on the big screen. Where we go after our life on this planet seemed more confused to me but I would be the first to admit that I didn't understand everything in this film.

I've not seen it mentioned elsewhere in the few critics I have read but it should be noted that The Tree of Life is first encountered in the Bible. Mainly at the beginning and end of the Bible (Genesis and Revelation) with some less important references with regard to the film (I think) in Proverbs.

In Genesis the tree of life stood in the centre of the Garden of Eden (2.9), but once human beings started doing their own thing and ate from the neighbouring tree (of good and evil) they needed to be kept away from the tree of life.  So in 3.22-24, God expels Adam and Eve from the garden and places a guard on the tree of life, it's now off limits.

At the end of the Bible it's clear that believers in Jesus have access to the tree of life as part of their reward. (Rev. 2.7, 22.2, 22.14).  In other words, the tree of life symbolises eternal life with God. We lost it in the garden, we can get it back in the end, so long as we are on the right side.

But how do we know we are on the right side - what do we have to do. A strong theme of the film was of two different ways to live. The way of grace and the way of nature. The film explains grace as to carry on loving, giving, helping - whatever and to whoever.   A memorable line is that "The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by". We see the Mother very close to her children, giving a drink of water to a man in handcuffs - an allusion to Jesus' words - and forgiving and loving pretty much throughout the film.  Nature is the way of Dad, seemingly distant from the kids and instructing them to get ahead by their own means, even at the expense of others. It brings them into conflict with each other.

The film contrasts grace and nature and makes a strong case for grace. It's the word the Bible uses for the kind of love and kindness that we get even if we don't deserve it. It's what the Bible says we get from God if we accept that Jesus was punished instead of us for the wrong, dumb, and dirty things we have done. And we all need that - even the mother in the film messes up sometimes.

I'm sure there is much more that could be said, it was certainly interesting to get up and try to lead the discussion afterwards - the first time I have had to do so without having seen the film first. If you haven't seen it on the big screen I would say it is well worth it. Others, of course, might disagree!

Playlist for 'The Tree of Life'

2011-09-05T14:32:00.000+01:00

Tonight we kick off a new series of Reel Issues (a monthly film and discussion at the local cinema) with 'The Tree of Life', which I am really excited about. The critics are deeply divided on the film, so it should be very interesting. I am leading the discussion not having seen the film before so slightly nervous. Makes for fun in putting together a playlist but here goes anyway:

Boo Hewerdine - Graceland (Live)
Jellyfish - Family Tree (Demo)
Terence Trent D'Arby - I'll Never turn My Back On You
Peter Gabriel - Shaking The Tree
U2 - Grace
Gary Clail - Human Nature

I'll report back on the film tomorrow.

Mission Rescue - Sunday Service

2011-09-04T15:14:00.004+01:00

Last week we followed up the Mission Rescue Holiday Club with our Mission Rescue Sunday Service. It has been our practice for the last six years to give the following Sunday service completely over to Holiday Club. Feel this is very important, the rest of the church get to see what we have been up to and many of the kids come back and bring their parents to see what they have been doing.

So on Sunday morning we only sang songs that we had been singing at Holiday Club - complete with actions and jumping around - silly sketches, games (taking jelly babies out of cold porridge with your teeth), puppets etc. My talk was just ten minutes trying to make the link between Moses as a rescuer and Jesus. One of our teenagers made an amazing cake for everyone to share afterwards and we had a great time. This is often our biggest service of the year, attracting even more than our most popular Christmas service, though this year numbers were a bit lower.

Today - one week on - we carry on with the first 30 minutes of the 75 minute service given over to very child friendly activities. We sang one of the Mission Rescue songs, read to them from the wonderful Jesus Story Book Bible and played a game with coloured balls and hula-hoops. Not sure the game worked very well (that was down to me) but over the years have come to the realisation that we need to be lively and attractive to kids and families through the year, not just once every 52 weeks.

As a footnote, my biggest fear was that such a move would alienate and upset the more elderly in the congregation, so I took it slowly at first. Realised a couple of years ago when no-one complained about the custard pies that they didn't mind at all. In fact, they love it. They love to see children in the church and a bit of life about the place.

Mission Rescue

2011-09-03T13:59:00.000+01:00

As I try to start back blogging after the best part of a month away from it, time to catch up on what I should of blogged about.

First up is one of my favourite weeks of the year, kid's Holiday Club.

This is the club the church runs for 5-11 year olds on five mornings and then cap off with a related service on the Sunday. This year we ran through the last week in August (which was a cool way to celebrate a birthday) and the theme was spies - Mission Rescue being the title.

Through the songs, messy games (taking jelly babies out of bowls of custard, rice pudding, cold baked beans, mushy peas and cold porridge - without using hands) craft, drama, dvd and general mayhem we tried to communicate something of the story of Moses and the way that God helped him rescue the people of Israel out of Egypt.

It was a great week! We had between 62 and 67 kids each day which is a little down on previous years but actually makes for a better week in many ways; you get to interact with them rather than spend all your time trying to get them to listen / calm down / stop hitting.

Part of what I love about the week is working together with a large team - 26 volunteers aged between 13 and 78 (I think - it would be rude to ask). So much of my work is pretty solitary and so this is something I particularly appreciate. I also like the fact that I am not leading the team. Someone much more capable does that! My role this year was to co-host the session when we were all together and to lead the 9 year olds. They were a terrific group of girls - we had one boy but for some reason he didn't come back on the Tuesday.

The week was really good. If I had one criticism of it (or of myself) it was that having learned so much about Moses as a rescuer from Monday to Thursday, it was a big leap for them to learn about Jesus as an even better rescuer on the final morning. With hindsight I would have sowed in little bits and pieces throughout the week.

Tomorrow I want to blog about the Mission Rescue Sunday service that we followed up the week with.

A day in the life

2011-09-02T21:56:00.003+01:00

Sometimes I get asked what I do on a typical day. Truth is there is no such thing but this is what this minister did today.

Get up, exercise bike, breakfast, shower, read a chapter of a good book.
In the office for 8.15, answer emails, finalise ceremony for lunchtime burial of ashes. Final touches to Sunday Morning's service.
Meet with church secretary, home, change, burial of ashes.
Have lunch with widow and family.
Phone calls including quite a long one with another deacon.
Visit to a woman going into hospital (she is out), a woman who has just come out of hospital (I wake her up), and a family that has just moved to the town and seem keen to join us.
Twenty minutes in the garden with a cup of tea at 4.15 - the first break of the day.
Then more phone calls, some admin and a good couple of hours on a sermon. Eat tea and watch the first half of the England game. Put together the first draft of the PPT for Sunday morning. Complete a twelve hour day when the sermon for the week is about life being too busy. Hmmm.
Glasses of wine, episodes of House.
Blog. Bed.

Christmas!

2011-09-01T20:21:00.002+01:00

And so it came to pass that today, the first of September, saw the blogger take a day off and spend the morning in hot sunshine at the beach with his family. In ten short minutes he passed three separate advertisements for Christmas meals in different pubs.

The kids go back to school tomorrow.

The big match

2011-08-24T19:34:00.003+01:00

Back from holiday to find out that Exeter City host Liverpool in the League Cup this evening. No chance of a ticket but the bonus is that it's on Sky. Just seen the line ups - an incredibly strong Liverpool side and an Exeter side that seem to be struggling having lost the spine of last season's team. Be good to keep it to 3 or 4, I reckon. Let's see...

Kop this!

2011-08-05T18:40:00.004+01:00

On the way home from our trip to Lancaster I cashed in a raffle prize that friends in the church had passed on to us. They won passes for the Liverpool Anfield tour and museum. So I booked it up on the sly and kept it quiet until we were in Lancaster.

On arrival at Anfield - which is in a shockingly deprived part of the city - we waited by the Shankley memorial under The Kop and then had a splendid time touring the stadium, press room, changing rooms, managerial dugout, Kop and all. Then we ate at the Boot Room cafe and went to see all the bling in the trophy cabinets - and Liverpool have won a lot of trophies! Found out that the Kop holds 12,300 I think, which is nearly half as much again as the entire stadium at Exeter City. It was really well done with very friendly guides and we spent longer there than we expected, a good day out.

A brush with fame

2011-08-05T18:08:00.002+01:00

Start of the football season tonight with Blackpool v Hull on Sky this evening. I spent some time in Lancaster earlier this week with my favourite parishioner and on Monday evening, after a wet day in the Lakes we dropped into an old haunt for a pint. Who should we find ourselves bumping into but Ian Holloway, Blackpool manager, partaking of a sandwich and a glass of white wine before seeing his Blackpool XI defeated 3-1 by Lancaster City (who are gloriously nicknamed The Dolly Blues). So, how many other people can claim to have heard his dulcit Bristol tones crooning away to Al Green's, Let's Stay Together? Hope it isn't an omen for a meeting with his chairman this season, everyone likes Ian Holloway, even if he was once Argyle manager.

A sort of homecoming

2011-08-04T11:41:00.011+01:00

Ashton Memorial at Williamson Park, Lancaster

Alexandria Square, Lancaster University - now it has a learning zone!

Street scene, very close to where we stayed

Me and my favourite parishioner have just spent a few days back in the place where it all started for us this week, Lancaster. We both studied there - well she did and I got a degree too and this being twenty years since we said, "I do", it was a perfect excuse to return to the scene of the crime. We stayed in the Sun Hotel, a really great place to stay, spending about a term's rent in old student money on four days.

Being child free for the time, we did plenty of reminiscing without protestations of boredom from smaller folk and enjoyed being back for the first time in many a year. Inevitably much had changed, my old college has been uprooted and cast into the outer reaches of the campus, and Crows is not a patch on the restaurant that we had our first meal as a couple at.

But then you realise again that it's more about the people than the place and we were heartened to see some old faces in St Thomas', the church we used to attend. One of them was jokingly called the ancient of days when we were there and now, there he is just shy of 100 and still worshipping in the place where I often heard him preach. Best of all was catching up with a couple of couples who stayed in Lancaster after their degrees. They have put down roots and it was brilliant to eat a very leisurely Sunday lunch at the Waterwitch sat by the canal and to sit around a table with old friends (though they didn't look any older) in nearby Galgate.

Great to see them and although Lancaster will always hold a place in our hearts, it really is about the people - they are what make a place. Must be better at staying in touch in future.

new life, new lifestyle

2011-07-28T21:27:00.004+01:00

Wonderful picture of what the Bible means by repentance in the recent case of a Bradford couple. Yesterday's headline for this in the Halifax Courier says it all: "We found God ... and left the BNP"

John Stott

2011-07-28T20:14:00.003+01:00

Sad news that John Stott died yesterday, not sad for him but sad for others. Such an influential figure in the evangelical world, his work and his person will be an influence for many a long year in the future.

I did meet him once. We were eating lunch at All Souls when we were in a meeting there as part of a UCCF team. He came over to talk to the table and shake each of us by the hand. In my ignorance I barely knew who he was, but we came across as gentle and humble and interesting in what we were doing.

Found out in his biography that he went to school in the same town as me too, though mine was the comprehensive, his was the prep school. Less than a mile apart but miles apart.

A good man, he is reported to have died while listening to Handel's Messiah. What a way to go!

It's Oh So Quiet

2011-07-26T21:56:00.002+01:00

I am on a short break to read and be quiet and get back to being a little more grounded for a few days. This involves taking myself away for some time and means that I hardly speak to a soul all day. Other than calling my family today, my only significant conversation was about how I wanted my fish and chips at lunchtime. I know, hardly suffering, but it's not something I relish.

Yesterday was my first day of this and I hated it and felt like coming home. But today was easier and I won't be jumping into the car at the first opportunity in the morning - though I am due home tomorrow.

I think it is probably good for me, slowing down and photographing the roses, and that fact that it doesn't come naturally doesn't mean it is a bad thing for me to do. While I have been here I have been reading about sabbatical and whilst the promise of this wonderful oasis is shimmering over the horizon next year for me, I need to think about how to practice sabbath each week and even for a short time every day. That needs to start now.

Question is, how to rearrange my time to do this?

More from Fish Town

2011-07-26T21:13:00.009+01:00

Glorious weather today and I spent a few hours out with camera and book in warm sunshine - a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. The lighthouse picture is from last night, the other one that was shot at dusk was taken from the bedroom window a few minutes ago. It's a wonder that I do any reading in such beautiful surroundings.

Fish Town

2011-07-25T22:16:00.006+01:00

Sky Atlantic have just started showing a ten part documentary on Brixham, entitled Fish Town, and I have the good fortune to be spending a few days down there at the moment. They are still filming and the town seem to be quite excited by it.

Lovely evening and because I have my copy of PSE on a different laptop, these are all without any PP. Took these pictures on the breakwater this evening.

As I was saying...

2011-07-25T16:14:00.005+01:00

Yesterday was my last preaching engagement for four weeks and, I have to say, I am probably even more pleased than the congregation. It has been a bit of a struggle to make it over the finishing line but now I have a week's study leave to read, walk and try to catch up on my sleep, and then three weeks holiday - can't wait.

Yesterday my text was the last section of Ephesians 3 where Paul prays for the church not in terms of their physical needs but that they might be strengthened in their inner being. So I talked a lot about how the inside is much more important than the outside and how we should be focussed on that.

Three lots of feedback. One that someone was glad I had shaved off the beard I had been growing and two people who tell me that I have put on weight. Mmmm.... the irony.

Only at Exeter City.....

2011-07-19T08:35:00.005+01:00

Exeter City usually only play pre-season games in the south west and, as per usual, this year sees them in such exotic places as Dorchester, Clevedon, Mangotsfield United (only one Man. Utd, hey?). But in a break with tradition this year they also played three games abroad, touring Norway. There is - honestly - a branch of Norwegian Grecians who make regular trips to Exeter to watch their team. Damned glory hunters!

Pre-season are never terribly serious games, more about getting back to match fitness and fitting in new players. This year the third game of the tour took "relaxed" to new levels!

With the score at 1-1 after 70 minutes, both Exeter City and Follese made 11 substitutions each. Exeter included manager Paul Tisdale and coach Rob Edwards in their new line up. Follese, in a tremendous gesture between the two clubs, withdrew their footballers in order to play the last twenty minutes with a combination of Norwegian supporters of Exeter City and some of the fans that had travelled from England to follow their team on the tour.

At Exeter the fans are proud to chant "We own our football club." The bond between club and fans could hardly be better illustrated. I suspect that no other club would do this. Only at Exeter City...

Thanks to Mike Blackstone for bringing this to my attention through his blog.

They Might Be Giants - Live in London

2011-07-16T10:56:00.010+01:00

Great to see them back in Blighty, again playing to a partisan crowd. There is something rather lovely as a fan to be with a crowd of people who sing along to the words when most friends will say, "Who?" when TMBG come up in casual conversation - as they frequently seem to. Reference to "Birdhouse in Your Soul" ususally rings a distant bell but that is usually as far as it goes. People - there is so much more to know!

KOKO (the former Camden Palace) was packed last night. Reference was made by the band to the huge numbers on the manager's guest list and I do wonder if the capacity of 1410 was stretched - it certainly felt very full. Or perhaps middle aged men take up more space, the crowd was mostly guys my age.

They started with "Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head", followed with "Particle Man" and we were away. As energetic as you'd expect. The new stuff sounds good. They are running an offer on the website to download the new album for $9.99. The relase date is Monday but by pre-ordering you get four advance tracks so the real nerds sang along anyway. Guilty m'lud. A personal favourite was "Turn Around" which I suspect isn't always on the live set.

Had to leave just before the end to catch the last train west but, overall, great dad/daughter bonding time. We tried photos with little success but also tried to film with slightly better results. We have a couple of songs but the files are too big for here. TMBG play Latitude in Suffolk today - albeit criminally low down on the bill. Sky Arts are covering the festival though the best we can probably hope for is a quick "Birdhouse" in the highlights programme.

Jim nearly fixed it for me

2011-07-13T21:51:00.002+01:00

On Sunday I came so close to the kind of experience that only normally comes along courtesy of Jim'll Fix It. A football website I follow was asking if a keen photographer wanted to go to Exeter City to photograph players and fans at the unveiling of the new kit. The regular club photographer was taking advantage of the brief close season to go on holiday and he was even offering a day with him at a home match in return for helping him out.

Commented on this to family saying it was a shame I couldn't do it to which they asked me, why not? And I worked out that I could just about do it with some careful planning and a slightly earlier than usual departure from church after the morning service. The announcement said to just make yourself known on the day but as it is a 100 mile round trip I didn't want to get there to find they already had someone, so I emailed the guy in question. I also prayed that if this was a silly idea then it wouldn't happen.

Long story short, it didn't happen. Sent email does not equal read email and the guy opened it too late. Was probably for the best as nerves and camera shake don't go together well. It would be a dream to sit with the others on the sidelines and snap away but best not think about giving up the day job!

Great church day trips of our time

2011-07-09T20:44:00.003+01:00

Bit of fun today with the church day trip to Bournemouth clashing with the annual gay pride party just yards from where the coach dropped us off. Astonishingly, I'm not sure some people even noticed. Maybe they were in shock and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.

There was another pride event going on in the town too, various painted lions around the place, in the same way that they are doing gorillas at the moment in Bristol and I think they did sheep (or was it pigs?) in Bath one time. We saw a few, my favourite being one painted to resemble the album cover for Aladdin Sane in HMV's window.

"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles". Isaiah 40:31

2011-07-07T16:15:00.008+01:00

Really had no time for time out today. In an ironic move I was nominated, as the least reflective person gathered there, to lead some thoughts on on a day of reflection for some local ministers. It is all very low key, involving some coffee, cake, reflection and prayer, spending a couple of hours alone, the food at the pub, followed by coffee, cake, and a bit more reflection and prayer. Not terribly taxing fare, it has to be said.

Yet something I do so little of. To the extent that I was actually nervous of spending the time out of the usual routine - if indeed you could call it a routine.

Came away with a better attitude and a quieter spirit. And a couple of nice pictures and some things to ponder. I should do this more often.

But I remember telling myself that last year too.

PS - Have no idea if the bird in the picture is an eagle or not but caught it with a 55mm lens as it circled around.

Fame - of sorts

2011-07-07T16:09:00.003+01:00

I am Pastor Steve Burnham. Apparently. That's the label I've got from the Leprosy Mission website, where they have posted some of my pictures of Natalie's walk.

You can see them at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Leprosy-Mission-England-Wales/114062201961557

Actually, I've always wanted a stage name and this one isn't bad.

By the way, the Town Crier of Poole is as mad as a squirrel.

South West Coast Path - 630 Miles - She did it!

2011-07-01T09:50:00.016+01:00

Back in May I blogged about the great day that I spent with Natalie Husk and my friend Brian walking a leg of the South West Coast Path. Natalie was walking the 630 miles in the small matter of 53 days with the odd rest day thrown in. I cannot imagine doing that kind of distance, according to the AA routeplanner this would be the equivalent of me setting off today from Somerset and finishing in Frankfurt. She did it to raise money and awareness of the work of the Leprosy Mission. What a woman!

And yesterday she finished! It was a pleasure to walk the final 8 miles from Swanage to Poole with her and a band of supporters yesterday and to take some pictures along the way.

No PP done on any of the pictures yet, just wanted to whack them up here.

Start of the last leg with her support crew.

The last temptation of Natalie? Inviting looking deckchairs on Swanage beach.

Striding out

Natalie walked alone for 9 days of the challenge.

For the last leg a dozen others joined her for the full eight miles.

The final few steps of a two mile finish across the sand of Studland beach.

Relief, elation, joy, who knows?

Natalie with the walkers who walked the final miles with her.

Now it's time for her and Toby the dog to get a well earned rest!

I should KOKO

2011-06-23T23:15:00.005+01:00

The internet is a wonderful thing. Some casual browsing reveals that They Might Be Giants are back in London only a year after their last visit and despite it being a bit of a cross country trek, I have no hesitation in booking tickets. So on the 15th July I'm off to KOKO in Camden Town with half the family to attend what I hope is a gig that is just as joyful and exuberant and funky and daft as the one I attended last year. And all this just days before the new album comes out. Life is sweet! Anyone care to join us?

I spoke too soon....

2011-06-12T16:11:00.002+01:00

Having blogged on 31st May that I had missed out on Olympic tickets it was a nice surprise yesterday to find that they had actually taken some money out of my account after all. The transaction claims to have taken place on 27th May but certainly didn't show up on my credit card until June and my detective skills would suggest that we have either got tickets for the Men's Football Quarter Final at Cardiff or some preliminary rounds of Basketball in London. cardiff seems more likely given the size of the venue but either is fine by us!

Splash!

2011-06-10T14:06:00.005+01:00

We had a great service on Sunday with a double baptism; my daughter and one of her friends. It was a very full building with at least 69 visitors - including a virtual visitor who watched the service via Skype from Toronto. We were blown away by the effort friends and family made to travel across and to send messages of support to us as a family and all of us feel very lifted up by the whole experience. It was a very special day - albeit rather exhausting!

Following that we had a sit-down meal for 125 people - great to be able to do that in the church building after some quick rearranging of furniture. Another advantage of taking the pews out!

I invited my friend Drew from camera club to come and photograph the event and he did a terrific job in difficult circumstances. And we got an extra visitor into the bargain! He took the photos that appear in the video below.

Martin Rushent - A Top 9

2011-06-10T08:16:00.019+01:00

Picked up on the news a little late that Martin Rushent died last weekend. Best known for the production he did on Dare by the Human League - which still sounds excellent today - as this list shows he was no one trick pony. Some great things on here.

I was aiming for a top ten and then decided to limit myself to one track per artist (and then cheated by including something from the remix album, Love and Dancing. They are all tracks I have owned at some stage (except Love and Dancing which was my sister's but much played). They are also in order. The Buzzcocks would certainly come with me onto my desert island and Sound of the Crowd would make it most weeks too.

Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love With Someone (You shouldn't have fallen in love with)
Human League - Sound of the Crowd
Dr Feelgood - Milk and Alcohol
Altered Images - Happy Birthday
Stranglers - No More Heroes
The League Unlimited Orchestra - Hard Times
Hey Elastica! - Party Games
XTC - Are You Receiving Me?
The Associates - Waiting For The Loveboat

Love and Dancing can be listened to it's entirety here in Friends Eclectic on the top right hand side of this blog.

Wishing I had more money on my credit card

2011-05-31T20:28:00.003+01:00

Along with lots of others I have been checking my details on-line to see if we had been successful in getting Olympic tickets. Applied for a couple of days tennis, some men's football, and some basketball. So far, zilch. Unless it happens in the next three and a half hours it looks like we were unsuccessful.

Shooting in the RAW

2011-05-31T20:17:00.005+01:00

Not what you think, way too cold for that on Saturday. Basically (and I don't understand it in any more detail than this), RAW is a mode that proper photographers talk about the rest of us needing to shot pictures in rather than the JPEG format. RAW produces bigger files with less thrown away in the camera so the picture quality is better. Proper photographers could explain it better and in more detail.

So, anyway, I tried it for the first time on Saturday. I went along to a village game down the road and I think I can see what they mean. I think the quality is better in this, although I am aware that the boundary was a lot shorter here than at Taunton (itself one of the smaller grounds). You need to double click on the image to see it bigger.

Somerset v Yorkshire, May 2011

2011-05-31T20:04:00.005+01:00

Had a great day out with my Dad watching cricket last week. We always try (weather permitting) to see a game or two each season, a good excuse to overeat and catch up on the latest news. Putting the world to rights a speciality!

This time I took my camera along and took way too many photgraphs. But you have to take a lot in the hope that something photo-worthy will take place!

We were there for the first day of four and were well entertained. The final day saw a thrilling finish and Somerset go marching on! Looking forward to our next fixture, which is at the Cheltenham festival as Gloucestershire host Kent.

Eating Together

2011-05-20T09:58:00.007+01:00

We had a fab lunch last week after the church service. Slow cookers were dusted down, salads tossed and puddings provided by the plateful. And a great time was had by all. This is the second time we have done this as a church and this time 59 people stayed to eat - about 60% of those there.

There really is something good about something as easy and as basic as eating together. Sitting and talking with people you sort of know but sort of don't. Even conversations over the washing up - and there was a lot of that!

People get to know each other better.

Single people get to eat with others, a rare treat so some of them say.

Church is supposed to be a family - and functional families eat together.

I've blogged before here - http://amiddleagedmanblogs.blogspot.com/2011/03/make-meal-of-it.html about how few families still eat together around a table. Recently my favourite parishoner has been reading the Bible with some teenage girls in the church and one remarked last night that her family all choose different ready meals and eat them whenever and wherever. She also said that what she had never had what I cooked before but that it was "lush", so she's always welcome! I think the girls are sometimes a bit bemused by the conversation and joking that takes place around the table amongst us but they learn to join in. It seems like they like it.

Seriously, the combination of bible reading and being with a family close up has great potential. We could really help or really hinder them! It's an exciting opportunity to help. I just mustn't give them food poisoning.

Picture posed by models!

Africa United

2011-05-19T21:27:00.004+01:00

We had a great time watching this film together at the latest Reel Issues film night. And due to the generosity of the cinema owner, all the proceeds went to The Grace School and Orphanage in South Africa. So we raised just over £220 as well as enjoying ourselves.

A lovely film, about a group of children who travel from Rwanda to try to get to the start of the World Cup. More road movie than football movie, so don't be too alarmed if you aren't a soccer fan. It skilfully and subtly brings out some of the issues facing kids in Africa today. One to both laugh and cry at.

The playlist for the evening:

Taking Islands In Africa - Japan
It's Nearly Africa - XTC
Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) - Shakira
Radio Africa - Latin Quarter
South African National Anthem - Abaligani Brothers
Akehlulek Ubaba - Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Charlie Peacock

Reel Issues will take a break now until the autumn.

Reasons to be cheerful - 1,2,3

2011-05-19T20:36:00.007+01:00

Sorry to be silent for a while. Have a whole host of things to catch up on, starting with three reasons to be cheerful that I had today.

1) The new dates and venue for New Word Alive next year and the excellent line up of speakers that they have announced. http://newwordalive.org/news/src/archive/05-2011/title/New-Word-Alive-May-2011-Update Already trying to decide whether I go to hear Rebecca Manley-Pippert or Richard Pratt when it comes to choosing seminars. Both are awesome.

2) The new Christianity Explored material came yesterday. I've used the older versions about a dozen times and rate the course very highly. From dipping into the new material, I am struck by the superb production on the new DVD and can't wait for the new course to start (straight after half-term).

3) The pigeons have eaten my brassicas. Admittedly, cheerfulness was not my first reaction but I was able to thank God that it really doesn't matter - we will still eat broccoli whenever we want it.

Woolacoombe to Braunton ~ 15.1 miles

2011-05-07T17:23:00.010+01:00

Yesterday was the big day, I joined Natalie Husk on a leg of her 630 mile walk around the South West Coast Path for The Leprosy Mission. A beautiful walk along the coast in great walking conditions, dry, clear, warm but not hot. One of the congregation, a great old boy (early to mid-70s) joined me for it and all credit to him - he made it. Though he did worry me at one point after quite a few steps from beach to the road above us just as we left Croyde Bay.

Given the years I had on him I had to finish and I was surprised that it wasn't harder than it was. Having said that I had very heavy legs at the end of it. Probably longer than I have ever walked before. My favourite parishoner laughed at the way I got up off the floor last night but after a good sleep I was much refreshed this morning. I think I could possibly have done a stage today as well (as it was shorter and dead flat) and it makes me think I would like to do some more walking.

My overwhelming feeling at the end of it though (even more so than fatigue) was one of admiration for Natalie. It's all very well me doing a day and thinking I might have managed one today as well. But she did walk today - perhaps in rain. And she will walk again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. Each day chipping about a dozen miles off her target of completing the whole thing. So much respect is due! She was a pleasure to walk with and easy company and if you want to sponsor her, there's a link on the Leprosy Mission page.

Fun to funky

2011-05-05T20:24:00.004+01:00

Another occasion where I wonder what they teach in schools these days. I have a wonderful woman who has started as my administrator and two months in I was delighted by her great work.

Then today I played her Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie and she said she had never heard of it before. True she is still under forty, but I ask you. No wonder the clown looks sad.

I assured her that I would write a good reference.

Causing Trouble

2011-05-05T20:13:00.004+01:00

Yesterday I went into an old people's home, which I do in a couple of places once a month to take a short service. In the course of talking to them I told them about the walk I am doing tomorrow and the reason Natalie is doing it was to raise money and awareness of the problem of leprosy.

All seemed to be going well until just after the end of the service when one old fellow asked if he could say something. Well, of course he could, it was his home after all. he said he wanted to comment on something the vicar (!) had said.

It soon became apparent that he hadn't quite grasped what it was I had been trying to explain because he launched into a pretty long diatribe of about 4 minutes or so (aided by an apparent ability to talk without pausing for breath) in which he told us that people shouldn't waste their time running 600 miles in the underpants but should use their energy to help old people look after their gardens or to do the church flowers or trim hedges instead.

After a while some of the other residents started on at him and I simply smiled at the woman who worked there and said, "Look what I've started. Bye." A fun time had by all?

Walkies

2011-05-03T20:18:00.006+01:00

Can I refer you to a blog that I am following? Natalie Husk works for Leprosy Mission and is walking the entire South West Coast Path during May and June. That's 630 miles! I'm so impressed with her for doing this, she is raising awareness and money for those still suffering the effects of leprosy.

Her blog is at http://leprosyvoice.wordpress.com/ should you wish to follow her progress.

She asked for people to join her for a leg of the trip and walk with her and raise some money too. So, rather recklessly, I emailed her to join her for a day. She called my bluff and on Friday I am joining her in walking from Woolacombe to Braunton, 15 miles worth. I chose it because the drive there and back is a little shorter (a three and a half hour round trip all the same though), because it is described as a cross between moderate and easy and because it is breathtakingly beautiful. It won't let me show you an example but follow this link to see what I mean: http://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestcoastpath/5260558410/in/faves-55737292@N06/

I hope to post some pictures of my own afterwards but in the meantime I have frightened myself a little by measuring 15 miles on a car trip. It's a jolly long way!

Exeter City 2 Oldham Athletic 0

2011-04-23T19:53:00.011+01:00

This was Exeter's second to last home fixture of the season unless they manage to make the play-offs and so we went to see what will probably be our last game of the season on Good Friday.

Exeter started a little nerously but a Scott Golbourne goal settled the nerves and a second from Jamie Cureton settled it. Given that last year we stayed up through a goal eight minutes from time on the last day of the season, to be ninth with three games to play is further proof of the impressive progress made under manager Paul Tisdale (who yesterday looked as if he had stepped out from playing crown green bowls judging from his attire).

Scott Golbourne scored the first.

Jamie Cureton scores - again. He's been a major reason for our improved showing this season.

Paul Tisdale - fresh from his bowls match.

I see that back on 21st August I wrote on this here blog that we'd finish somewhere between half way and the play-off places, falling a little short. After Saturday's results it is looking that, with Exeter on of three teams three points behind the team in that last spot and having the worst goal difference of the four teams in contention. But you never know and I would be love to be wrong!

Ryan Harley - signed by Swansea City and so might be a Premiership player next season. Not bad for someone we signed from Weston-Super-Mare. He's been terrific to watch.

Keeper Ben Hamer is officially leaving because his loan finished after this game. I reckon he might just be fed up with the players who mock him behind his back. He's been a great loan.

Exeter's final home league fixture is against local rivals Plymouth Argyle. A combination of cowardice and a family party mean we won't be going. At the time the fixtures came out there was speculation that this could be the day that Plymouth sent us down into League 2. It's not impossible that the very opposite might happen. One things for certain, both will need 3 points and it should be a cracker!

You can be too religious

2011-04-23T19:10:00.006+01:00

This might be a bit of a mind stretch for some but Good Friday was another reminder to me that you can be too religious. In fact it always is. Let me explain.

1980s
When I first became a Christian I used to drop into the big church building in my town on Good Friday for part of their service. It went on for three hours and consisted of readings and silent meditations. I don't recall that we sang but perhaps we did. Looking back (and it's a lot of years ago so I may have it wrong) the impression I have is we sat around feeling more and more sorry for Jesus and the terrible things that were done to him. Always came home feeling a bit miserable.

1990s
Fast forward to a different sort of church which met in a school hall. Went, as usual, to the Good Friday service, where we did some of the same things but with a sermon and some singing. Over coffee afterwards the Pastor tells us that some of them are going to the pub for lunch and did we want to come along? I'm a bit non-plussed by this and say something about it being Good Friday. Later in conversation he points out to me that it's Good Friday because Jesus went to the cross for our sins, his death was our death and so, while it's a serious and sobering thing it's also to be celebrated. Dwelling on the events of Good Friday is a good thing to do - but if we leave with an overwhelming sense of misery and no joy then there is something askew.

2011
Yesterday we sang some traditional and modern songs about the cross and what happened there. Fifty of us took bread and wine together and knew that we were only able to do so because Jesus did everything to make us acceptable. It doesn't - thank God - depend on my religious performance, my service, or my merits. If it did I would be sunk.

I didn't go to the pub afterwards, I watched a football match instead. It is, perhaps, a sign of an increased spiritual maturity amongst us as a group that no-one expressed horror at the irreligious nature of their minister doing such a thing. Hopefully we are understanding together that these human rules regarding how to be religious are simply that, human rules. The Bible says - "don't let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival... or a Sabbath day." (Colossians 2.16).

No good trying to be more religious than the Bible!

What's Easter about?

2011-04-22T09:19:00.003+01:00

Some of our church youth group spent some of yesterday in town asking 100 people, "Name something to do with Easter". We are using the results for a Family Fortunes style game in our Easter Service and I thought if I shared them then it might be of use to someone else.

Eggs 48

Rabbits 20

Chicks 7

Chocolate 5

Jesus 5

Crucufuxion / cross 5

Religion 3

Resurrection 2

Hot Cross Buns 2

Holy week 1

Don't know 1

No 1

Mmmmmm. Seems we have a lot of work to do.

More books that I've read in 2011

2011-04-21T23:40:00.003+01:00

I've been slack in updating this list but then, I have been busy reading! A good batch of books too.

Living the Cross Centred Life - C.J.Mahaney

This was given me by a friend (thanks Stu!) and was a good solid read. In a time and place where some people get their knickers in a twist over the display of palm crosses in vans (according to the news today, anyway) this book reminds you of the centrality of the cross to faith. 8/10

Glory Days - Julian Hardyman

A book about living all of life as a follower of Jesus which highlights not only the need to bring all of life under his command but also enjoying the pleasures of life as well. In a book that celebrates beauty in life it is, fittingly, beautifully written. 8/10

Church Planting is for Wimps - by Mike McKinley

The idea is that church planting is for w imps because the really hard task is in revitalising a church that is on death's door. His situation was really extreme but I could identify with parts of it and it was an encouraging read. 7/10

The Work of the Pastor - William Still

I've heard this described as a modern classic and "unputdownable" but I managed to quite easily. Some gems in here but the style was probably a little old when written in the sixties and now much of it comes across as rather eccentric. Many great men love this book. I don't. 2/10

Respectable Sins - Jerry Bridges

Included here because I must have re-read it in the course of preaching a series based on it. It's been very well received by the congregation who - like me - have been very challenged by it's contents. Basically, there are no respectable sins, just those that we think don't matter. Great book. 9/10

Fortune's Always Hiding - John Lyall

Those of a theological nature may well be scratching their heads at this point, John was manager of West Ham United during their most successful league campaign - finishing third. Comes across as likable and decent, if a little bit Ron Manager in places. Needed to read something less heavy after William Still. 6/10

Worship Matters - Bob Kauflin

This is a book written for worship leaders in churches but as someone who - by default - often ends up doing this I still benefited greatly from reading it. The emphasis is on the character of the people called to the role rather than just their skills and that applies just as much to Pastors. 8/10

Sowing the seeds of love

2011-04-21T23:10:00.005+01:00

Last night I went to the pub for a brief pint with my favourite parishioner and overheard on the next table someone telling his mates, "My dad was a Mod, he used to listen to things like The Jam."

Felt very old....

25 years (and a bit) ago

2011-04-16T22:09:00.005+01:00

Somehow I managed to miss it but earlier this year I should have remembered what was for me a very significant trip. 25 years ago I went to the Philippines to help build a playschool at an orphanage. It was only a six week trip but it was an amazing time - physically demanding, heart breaking, eye-opening. I was reminded of it when was looking through old slides recently. The two best pictures I have from that trip I've uploaded on my Flickr account and I include them here with the blurb. The Lost Boys This was taken in a compound in Manila. I was taken here 25 years ago to get an idea of the background of some of the kids that were in the orphanage I helped out in for six weeks. This and the endless slums were a rude awakening to a lad from the Cotswolds. These street children would be rounded up from the streets of Manila and be kept here until... when? The lucky ones, like Ruth (see other picture) ended up in a great orphanage and had a crack at happiness in life. These boys? Who knows. Cameras were strictly prohibited in here the authorities being less than keen to have conditions photographed but I had to risk it. It had a profound effect on me back then and it would probably do me good to go back and be involved in something similar again. Ruth Been looking at some very old pictures, this was taken 25 years ago. Ruth was a little girl who found a refuge in the orphanage that I briefly helped out at in San Antonio, a place on the west coast of the main island in the Philippines. I was there helping build a playschool in the orphanage and was there during the Marcos / Aquino election when Marcos was finally ousted - though it took Catholic nuns sitting in front of tanks to achieve it when he refused to accept the result. I wonder what Ruth is doing today, she would be in her early / mid thirties. It would do me good to go and help somewhere again and be reminded of some of the lessons I learnt all those years ago. I have a sabbatical in just over a years time. Maybe a few days doing something in the developing world might be called for. Thanks to Bob for scanning my slides and to Drew for a quick bit of PP work.

NWA 2011

2011-04-15T16:25:00.004+01:00

Another good New Word Alive conference, just got back today. Highlights include singing acapella verses of hymns with 2,500 people in a big tent, David Cook's masterly expositions of Acts in the mornings, Archbishop Ben Kwashi speaking of faith in the midst of horrific persecution in his churches in Nigeria, eating chips while watching Masterchef (which has to be a metaphor for something) and meeting old friends and family, including someone we hadn't seen for nearly ten years and had no idea would be there. It was a good NWA without being a classic and we certainly intend being there - wherever it is held - in 2012. Now to plough through emails and try and remember what needs to be done and how much I have already done for Sunday.

Away for a bit

2011-04-09T22:35:00.003+01:00

Just a quick note to warn you not to expect anything from me for a few days. Tomorrow morning we head north west for New Word Alive. This has been a very significant week for me in previous years and I am looking forward to the rest and refeshment that I am hoping it will bring again this year. A chance to think, chill, pray, talk, see old friends, make new ones and enjoy coffee, beach and scenary. Also five or six days away from a computer! More to follow on our return.

Pictures for an exhibition?

2011-04-08T09:28:00.010+01:00

Wondering if you can help me here? We have our camera club exhibition in just over a week's time and we are all asked to exhibit four prints of A4 size and one of A3. If you have time would you rank these (some old and some new) for me and help me make the final choice? I am keen to know which you like best as I can only print one at A3. Thanks.

Sunset Now - Burnham Beach in November

Substituted - Steve Tully, Exeter City

Water Colours - Reflections of Cottages in Brixham

Misty Rocks - Kilve Beach, February

Joy! Drew and Anna's Wedding Day

A Shadow of Ourselves - From the Eiffel Tower, January

A Bit Peckish