Category: church

who knew?

wonderfulexchange27 Comments

Well, it has been a girly week, hasn’t it? Posts on

  • pink hot water bottles
  • home made jam
  • high-heel races
  • rabbits
  • ‘beauty tips for ministers’

And tonight, while bravely purchasing women’s clergy shirts on line, I found my way to a web site/ community for young women clergy. I can think of only two other people in Scotland eligible to join the group (one of whom is Methodist). Oh, and a few who meet the category ‘women in waiting’ for those not yet ordained.

Most of the time, I would say that the double jeopardy of being young and a women in the priesthood doesn’t bother me. But tonight, my wistfulness at seeing the group photo at Fidelia’s Sisters suggests otherwise.

Time to curl up with a cat, a cup of tea and a silly magazine, I think.

Then hopefully back to proper theological posts soon.

another revealing moment

wonderfulexchange6 Comments

Much trauma, and one vestry meeting down. One vestry meeting (and hopefully no more trauma) yet to come.

So, a bit of frivolity as I ate dinner.

I have just discovered the most wonderful blog.  Don’t let the most recent post mislead you.  Dig around a bit, especially in the clergy category.  Once again, this one is mostly (but certainly not entirely) for the girls…

http://www.peacebang.com/beautytipsforministers/

in your own time

wonderfulexchange8 Comments

sourdough starter

This morning I’ve been pondering sourdough starter as a model for church growth. The process works like this:

  • prepare a warm hospitable place for things to grow
  • stir in the basic ingredients
  • leave it alone for a while
  • check on it after a few days and give it a stir
  • when it has grown sufficiently, use some of it and replenish the rest
  • so long as you keep feeding it, you can give away quite a lot and still have all that you need

Two other observations:

  • at first it seems to take forever for things to get going
  • give it long enough to mature and it grows quickly without losing depth.

Unfortunately, the whole process is much more predictable with bread than with congregations.

The starter itself is now thriving at the rectory. Bring a jar if you want some.

undique

wonderfulexchange3 Comments

One of the questions that recurs in Christian life is, ‘where is God in this?’ It is a simple question. It can be an infuriating question. It took me a long time to learn to be thankful for the person who asked me it at the most provoking and irritating times; and even longer to learn to ask it for myself.

As a priest, the ‘where is God in this’ question often hovers around the relationship between what I do and who I am in relation to God. How do you separate out the prayer you need to engage in to grow and sustain a relationship with God from the prayer that is part of what you are called and required to do? How do you find time to read the bible or study theology for its own sake rather than as sermon fodder, teaching resource, or pastoral aid? Where is the line between ‘private’ and ‘professional’? Does it, or should it, exist?

When life gets busy (when isn’t it busy?), it’s too easy to go through the motions — to churn out sermons and discussion plans and agendas and prayers without ever knowing if I’ve connected with God at all. No that’s not right. It isn’t easy at all. Because as soon as I begin to slip down that path, I know it’s wrong. It’s not what I want, what I have chosen or been called to. But it can so easily happen despite that.

So, there is always the question: ‘where is God in this?’ A ruthless quest for honesty and integrity.

But something is just dawning on me on day 9 of my holidays. I am beginning to miss all that stuff that has been driving me crazy. No, I’m not ready to go back to work. No, I haven’t been thinking about my sermon for Sunday. But I am beginning to feel an absence.

And absence is good.

Absence is longing.

And longing provokes prayer and growth and more longing.

Maybe God is in the endless round of sermons more than I realise. Maybe all the things that seem to get in the way of God — or get in my way of God — are indeed a part of how God gives himself, part of my learning faithfulness.

Of course, I would have claimed to know that all along.
But sometimes I forget.

So in a week’s time, when I’m lost under the 6 page to-do list and all the un-filed filing, someone remind me please.