Quote of the Day

How about this on the future of the church?

917. Religion certainly hasn't had its day and spirituality hasn't had its day. The problem with the church is that institutions get calcified, and anything that doesn't bend breaks.
(The World According To... Rex Weyler, The Independent 5/10/04)

Spirituality

I was at clergy meeting the other day at which a guest speaker talked about spirituality. I think, and I lost concentration at about sentence two so I may be wrong, that we were being encouraged to make time for our own spirituality in order to sustain ourselves in our demanding roles.

I used to do a job training youth leaders. From time to time this involved talking to clergy about youth-work. I discovered, quite early on, that if I talked specifics I often got the reply 'That won't work here mate and I'll tell you why.' Not always so politely. So I spoke in general terms and principles and allowed others to do the application to their local situation. This had some success.

I think this is what our guest speaker was doing the other day although her precise generalisations (can't believe I wrote that, sorry) were hard to pin down. Elusive wisps of thoughts and ideas came and went, every one of them, sending my mind off on a journey to a better place. Maybe this is what a spirituality adviser should do. But the result was that when we were asked to respond to what she had said I had no idea what the question was. It seemed that most others in the room, with the exception of some of the more recently ordained clergy, knew what to talk about at this point.

The more they spoke the more I thought I wouldn't because I would seem weird. I get this a lot. So I wrote a bit. This usually helps. Just now I found my notes. It occurs to me that discovering others who saw the world my way might be an encouragement. So here, with a bit of tidying, is what I wrote:

What sort of spirituality do you identify with?
Which do you prefer? I do not engage with life as a series of preferences. My life is not especially binary, digital. If given a series of choices I will often make one, but not out of long-term established principle; merely then and there. Tea or coffee? Chips or mash?  Bath or shower? Silence or company? Read or write? Mercedes or VW? (That one's real, current and hard.)

If given a choice of yellow and any other colour, yellow will usually lose. But asked to choose between any other two colours I will probably not have a favourite.

Our speaker just said, 'If I am not astonished (by the world) I am not paying attention.' What has astonished me this week? Nothing. Some people find this question easy. I am not often shocked (although I don't like horror movies so tend to avoid trying to be shocked) and the opposite is also true. I am rarely astonished. Being astonished has just been equated with paying attention. I think I am permanently curious but rarely astonished. The world has a consistency about it such that only the miraculous and street magic (trickery) astonishes me. Since 'astonished' is such a wrong word for me I find the question hard.

So I won't usually hate a week but neither will I instantly and clearly be able to tell you what was the best bit. I wonder if seeing the world in terms of being rather than doing (which I be) makes it peculiarly difficult to identify the best doings of the week. What was the best bit of last week? Being me. It was great. I have eyes and opposable thumbs. Ain't that the dogs?

So what is my response to questions such as, 'What sort of spirituality do you identify with?' It's difficult. All of them. None of them.

If there are any people out there who understand this and would like to talk about it please get in touch. Use the comments box, tweet @s1eve or pick any other way you know.

And nobody mentioned Jesus, once.

6.00 a.m.

I thought I'd put a brief post on here for those who wish to be kept up-to-date about our August prayer initiative.

One of the things our congregational survey into the vision for the autumn threw up was that people felt the need to be sure the whole thing had been the subject of enough prayer. The vision involves spending a million pounds or so. Now how do you define 'enough.' Pray continually, said Paul to the Thessalonian Christians once. That's a standard isn't it?

So to be sure we were demonstrating clearly that we were doing something extra, we abandoned business meetings in the August evenings (a couple have sneaked through - tut tut) and offered the chance to pray at 6.00 a.m. every week day. We have also made Wednesdays in August a day of prayer. There is breakfast after the early prayers, several 'services' and the church open for prayer all day.

I offered to lead most of the early prayer times. Not out of anything especially holy but a cross between trying to lead by example and wanting to see how I would do at something that was really quite difficult. Maybe that is holy. Who knows? In fact, talking to another person who has been several times, a person I know not to be a morning person, I was told that the reason she had decided to come was 'because it is difficult.' Often we make it as easy as possible for people to come to things - convenient times, refreshments, short meetings. Why not consider doing something hard? The equality of opportunity is that everyone can choose to make the sacrifice.

So the first week we had four or five people each morning. Last week it drifted up to five or six. The first two days of this week have seen eight and ten. Wednesdays are different because there is a group that normally meets on a Wednesday who join us. Also, the smell of breakfast has a lure of its own. 17 and 15 people have prayed on Wednesdays at 6.00 a.m. There have been many younger adults with us (for whom 5.30 alarms are not easy) and that is impressive.

There is more information about specifics from lectionary readings (Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Proverbs, Mark and James) and about listening to God at the church web-site.

During this time, dry conditions have prevailed for those wanting to carry out a harvest, ventures and camps have been rain-free, some of the sick seem to be doing especially well and there is a sense of 'we're doing a good thing' amongst the attenders. If you are from the parish why not come once before the end of the month? Show God you are serious. Do a hard thing.

Early Doors

I swear the words never came out of my brain, only my mouth. You see the question was, 'How can we be sure that we've got our vision right?' And the only answer is to be sure we've properly prayed it through - extra prayer, not just redirected existing prayer.

So I voiced a suggestion, just a suggestion mind, that we cancel business meetings in August evenings and make it a month of prayer. Good idea, said everyone. And so that we can make it possible for everyone who is at work to join in we should start really early, say 6.00 a.m. That was the bit that came out of my mouth without bothering to trouble any thought processes on the way through. Wow, said everyone, that's commitment.

Three days later I heard this being talked about by two other people, not as a suggestion but as a decision. And it seemed right that the clergy should lead by example and in August by and large that's me.

Today five people joined me for an hour's Morning Prayer at 6.00 a.m. and the time flew past. I'm quite looking forward to tomorrow. There will, from then, be a prayer journal in church so anyone can write down thoughts and ideas as they pray.

Join me once this month eh?

Today

I'm leading/presiding at three services today. You can't get much more variety than a Book of Common Prayer early communion, an all-age informal communion and a New Wine style evening service with worship, word and response (I wish it was wesponse).

I spend some time in my study before such Sundays, thinking and praying my way in. I have to say that I'm a preacher at heart and not a service leader so I need to pray for grace and gifts to do today well.

This Sunday's extras include two families who are leaving us after many years and an explanation about swine flu with the reduction in touching this will lead to. I have no idea how many (if any) children will be at the all-age service.

That was what was in my head at 7.30 a.m. I'll see what happens later and maybe tell you.

Quiet Days

In a brainstorming session at a new (social) media conference yesterday a few of us came up with the idea of a virtual quiet day. You switch off your phone, stay home alone, disable all devices except one with access to the internet and follow some on-line instructions for using the peace. Some chat, some input, some questions to ponder, some prayers, some reading? Anyone in?

Thoughts from Saitama

I thought you'd be very bored by my holiday stories so I'm going to publish them in short posts. Seems more blog-like to me.

For those who don't know, or haven't kept up, my son Jon lives and works in Japan. Liz and I recently took the opportunity (of a lifetime) to visit before he comes home for good, and have a guided tour. Jon speaks very competent Japanese now. Our ability to have bred successful, independent beings is a source of great joy.

We spent some time experiencing ordinary Japan in and around Jon and his girlfriend Carys' apartment. Whilst we did do the tourist thing of ancient monument and gift shop visiting it was this local stuff (off the tourist track) which we really appreciated. Many visitors would simply miss this.

This is me and the lad in front of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto. Although the structure looks really old it is the same age as me, having been completely rebuilt in 1955. The Japanese tend to describe a building as 'centuries old' and then add, 'In that time it's only needed three new sets of walls and four new roofs.' Like the old joke about the spade you've had for twenty years and has only needed two new heads and three new handles.
As many of these ancient places are made of wood, and the winter temperature plummets, it is no surprise that fire has been the major cause of damage to old buildings in Japan over the years. War and earthquakes have also taken their toll. Some of the grounds around temples, pavilions and shrines are beautiful havens of stillness, especially those with koi-laden pools.

A heron sits at the side of this one, watching for the next course. Pictures all by Liz.

A visit in spring is ideal - I will post some thoughts on blossom some other time though. It's complicated.

Lent Thought

Where I grew up in Birmingham we lived in a huge, detached house. It was one of the last on its side of the street that hadn't been turned into old folks' homes, dentists or offices. We lived between an old people's home and a telephone exchange. The house was built in 1865.

On the opposite side of the street were pleasant, but more modest, three and four bedroom detached and semi-detached houses from the 1930s or so. My parents identified them as the homes of labour-voting university lecturers. 'They are not one of us,' was the message I received.

All the tradesmen (largely men in those days but called men whatever their gender) who visited our house were known to my parents by their occupations - milkman, coalman, postie, window cleaner.

My sister and I made friends with the children of the houses opposite and one day, when two such were in our house, the milkman came to the door. I guess I was about 8 or 9 years old. 'It's only Barry,' the other children shouted.

It was a seminal moment. The idea that the milkman had a name was fantastic to me. I didn't know milkmen had names. Furthermore the possibility that you could call him by that name - you could use an adult's Christian name - changed me. I wanted, from then on, to be the sort of person who called people by their names as soon as possible, whatever they did and whoever they were.

I think I was a bit of a let down to my parents from then on who had a complex alarm system which alerted them to any use of Brummie accent, any hanging around with the lower classes and any left-wing tendencies. I was never beaten. It was all psychological.

I think my life from then on has been a journey into ordinariness. I was told I was special. I'm not. I was told I was superior. I'm not. I was told to be suspicious of the children of left-leaning lecturers and anyone who lived in a terraced home. I learned not to be.

At the start of Lent I wonder what other accidental prejudice I picked up as a child of which I remain unaware. Negligence, weakness and deliberate fault are often given as the conditions from which we have to repent. How about conditioning, miseducation and striving for acceptance as their understudies?

Quiet Days at Home

One or two people have asked me about these with a view to setting up something elsewhere. Delighted to share the franchise. Here's how it works in Nailsea.

I am fortunate to live in a large, comfortable house in a quiet area.

I advertise through local churches that I will be holding quiet days, usually about nine a year. I don't do them when church life gets hectic which means missing December and April. I try to do them in blocks of three successive months but it doesn't always work out like that.

I place a maximum of 12 on participants. This is because, if it is wet, there is room in my house for about 12 people to find a bit of space. I make two bedrooms available by leaving the doors open and ask people to close the door when they are using it.

Quiet Days have evolved into a more ecumenical thing than I expected. Today I had ten guests from two Anglican churches, two free churches and one non-church member with whom I have spoken about whether we are her church. We may be. We are certainly her Christian supportive community.

The programme is simple:

1000 Coffee and welcome
1030 Bible study, sharing expectations, house rules
1115 Quiet for reading, praying, walking
1300 Simple lunch (not in silence). Soup and bread in winter; salad in summer
1400 Bible study 2 (shorter) and sharing
1430 Quiet slot 2
1530 Tea and chat

I put on some music at the end of the quiet periods and during food and drinks. I tell people when my next appointment is so they know if they can stay and talk to me.

When I started I decided we would read through Mark's gospel, a chapter at a time, not with full exposition but dipping in from time to time with thoughts. I don't do much more preparation than reading the passage and a commentary, but I chose Mark because I know it best of the Gospels. Today we read Mark 14.

At first I spoke a lot in the studies but now we have a lot of inter-action. If I throw out a textual question for consideration normally someone will read a commentary and report back.

There is no set liturgy, singing or open prayer. I leave a pile of devotional books, various Bible translations and commentaries on the dining table. I keep quiet myself but tell people where they can find me if they want to talk to someone. Today I fell asleep after lunch, which tells you how relaxed it is.

Quiet day would be cancelled if there was only one other participant and they were female. People understand this.

I try to make sure each year has one or two at half-term or school holidays for the benefit of teachers.

Ask me to say more about anything unclear.

Weird Thing

Talking to a new acquaintance the other day I asked, just in passing, what her husband's occupation was. Has anyone else noticed goose pimples of holiness creep across their flesh when they find out someone is a carpenter? Just me then. Thought so.

Innovation

One of the things I find about being someone who is, from time to time, responsible for innovation, is how hard it is to define the moment when an idea becomes reality. At one level an idea only becomes reality when the event, or whatever was presaged, happens. The greatest test of a prophecy is whether or not it comes true. Perhaps it's the only test. But for me, when setting up something new, there will come a point in the preparation when I will know that it will come to pass. Maybe it's the energy level the project develops that prompts it? Possibly it's being surrounded by a group of other people who have caught the vision? Or even it's that you notice you have tipped from if to when?

I was reflecting on a recent experience of setting up a course that was cancelled - I guess the overriding reason being lack of interest. This may have been due to my failure to enthuse. I normally blame myself first. But I now realise I never had that moment when I knew it would happen. I didn't notice at the time that I hadn't, but I hadn't. So the nearer the event came (without having had my 'moment') the more energy I put into cancelling it.

In spiritual terms it is possible to see this as a matter of guidance. I believe there is a God who frustrates those things that are ungodly and prospers the opposite. Indeed I pray that this would happen. In more modern (oops, do I really think spiritual isn't modern?) terms this is about Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point. There comes a time when things can't help but happen. A good aim in life, for an innovator, is to get things to the point not where they happen, but where you can't stop them happening. The innovation job is then done and it is time to hand on to the managers.

Always remembering, of course, to take the innovators to the review and learn session afterwards so they can compare what actually happened with their vision. Do allow them to leave the meeting before all the monitor evaluators get going on dissecting the detail. Innovators will surely go bonkers at this point. Unless they're scribbling on a piece of paper in the corner of the room. For that will be the next big idea.

Retreat Houses

As Mike and I sat in Morley Rectory this week we took a moment or two to gaze round the room we had been given in which to meet. Since the aim of most people in a retreat house is to get away from busyness it seemed remarkable to us that the room was so, well, busy. Striped wallpaper (I'm not normally averse to blue and white stripes as you know, long-suffering followers) over orange/brown carpets next to three or four differently patterned comfy chairs and sofas. Walls had shelves with an array of old books and some ornaments.

Mike said, rightly, that even if you didn't know where you were you'd know you were in an Anglican retreat house. He's right. We call, jointly (although I haven't told him yet), on retreat houses to declutter.

Quiet Days

It is quiet round here. No traffic during the day. Few casual callers. And everyone I meet is very busy, including me.

So the last Thursday of the month will be, starting today until Easter as an experiment, a quiet day. Fax and phone unplugged. Computer off.

I invited anyone who wanted to join me to come round for the middle part of the day for some peace. Six did.

In case people are wondering what happens, here is my briefing letter to today's guests:

Quiet Day January 2007
Welcome to the first of what I hope will be a series of quiet days here. As it is the first you are, to some intent, being experimented upon. Please let me have any feedback at the end which will help me improve it.

After the initial drinks feel free to help yourself to coffee, tea, juice, biscuits, fruit or cake at any time of the day. I suggest using the electric kettle rather than the hob one to avoid the whistle.

In the quiet times find yourself space in the house wherever you can. There are two bedrooms available upstairs for privacy (sleep if you want). I have left the doors closed on rooms I would prefer you not to use. If you use a bedroom just close the door to indicate it’s in use. Leave the door open when you leave. There is a toilet by the front door and another upstairs.

The front door will be on the latch all day. Go straight on down the road opposite to reach open countryside or wander the pavements and pathways. The programme will be as follows:

10.00 a.m. Coffee and chat
10.30 a.m. Introduction, Prayer, Bible Study
11.15 Quiet to think, pray, walk.
13.00 Lunch together
14.00 Bible Study and chance to share
14.30 Quiet
15.00 Tea and finish

I will indicate the end of quiet by putting some music on.

Please do not try to engage in conversation in the house during the quiet, however weird that may feel. You have permission to ignore each other. If two people feel they must talk then go for a walk together. I will be in my study (off the kitchen) in the quiet if you need anything. Talking to me is fine. Books and Bibles to borrow are on the conservatory table. I have no further appointments today. Stay to debrief if you wish.

Hope you enjoy it.

St

I decided to work through Mark's Gospel - the gospel of a man in a hurry we might sub-title it - and we did chapter one today.

Like the once a month dinner party idea I may throw it open wider than the Christian community to see if there is interest. I may also change the day of the week after Easter if I continue since some people may never be able to make Thursdays.

Let's see shall we.

Richism

Forgot to mention the best bit of today. A Richism - the man with the best collection of bons mots I've ever met:

'We're going through a period in College Chapel where you can't have silence. You're only allowed to meditate if someone is playing in the background the sort of music that means somebody has died on Neighbours.'

Respect to the Burley man.