Wednesday, December 29, 2004
'our expectations'? more on at-homeness
In the midst of what is summer holidays here in New Zealand there is a very different feel and approach to Christmas/New Year. For us no white Christmas! and thankfully so, though it has been wet. However, that is not to say that people don't feel the rush and pressures.
My friend Craig says this:
One of my favorite Christmas poems comes from W.H. Auden, For the Time Being. It is a fantastic narrative poem that moves through the story of Christmas at many different levels. One of the lines towards the end suggests that what we have done is tried too hard to make Christmas live up to our expectations. (see Craig's Table Talk for more)
Having offered some reflections on Simeon and Anna myself and as we move to New Year in which people (we too) will have new expectations I wonder if we can resist the temptation to merely try and pull our socks up and try harder and better than before, if we can, not just in relation to Christmas, but in our daily living, not try too hard to make church and life or whatever it is to live up to our expectations...otherwise it makes for busy-ness.
(on that note look at Mark Balfour's blog - December 23, 2004'you must be busy...'. He also in November had some stuff re- quiet spaces)
As Craig says,
Christmas isn't about our expectations. I believe my expectations are too low. I'm not cut of the same faithful cloth as Simeon and Anna. I'm not sure I'd last a lifetime waiting and hoping. My expectations are probably too low. They're probably low so I won't be disappointed. I can hear the echo of phrases like "make sure you have realistic expectations." I believe that means "don't hope for too much." I suppose it is a way of bringing solace to children when they don't get what they want. But it's bad advice.
Christmas is about meeting God in the person of Jesus. Anna and Simeon's expectations were very high. And God went beyond even what they could hope for by sending his Son.
Of course Christmas isn't the only time we can be met by God. Any day will do. In fact any day will have to do. How about the day after? And the day after that? God has his own expectations. He expects us to recognize him each day.
As I begin to look ahead into early 2005 and make some 'plans' for Highgate and aspects of mission I have expectations, but I reckon it has to come from doxology/worship and quiet space for us as community of grace and at a personal level. It demands then an at-homeness in Christ to gain the wisdom of the heart to know what to do in ways that are less 'my' busy-ness that only leads to fatigue and relies on my control. The demand to 'wait expectantly' then is the call to exercise a sabbath rhythm.
Friday, December 24, 2004
Christmas Eve - Othering?
This Leunig cartoon gave me much to think about 'Others'
It speaks to me of the sort of questions we ask ourselves. It also seems to me to have the sad sense of wandering lostness that we face in the church fortressed. The sadness in it I think is that this figure reflects on how each "other' one is alone, yet he is no better either. What is it like to be somebody else? - speaks of interpathy. How to connect?
On this eve perhaps we need to consider God's interpathy with us in Christ - the incarnation - God in the neighbourhood! Again we speak much about incarnational theology, we study and research demographics, but the reality is that we need to get connected and relate openly and honestly in our humanity as followers of Christ. We need to be othering in our places!
It speaks to me of the sort of questions we ask ourselves. It also seems to me to have the sad sense of wandering lostness that we face in the church fortressed. The sadness in it I think is that this figure reflects on how each "other' one is alone, yet he is no better either. What is it like to be somebody else? - speaks of interpathy. How to connect?
On this eve perhaps we need to consider God's interpathy with us in Christ - the incarnation - God in the neighbourhood! Again we speak much about incarnational theology, we study and research demographics, but the reality is that we need to get connected and relate openly and honestly in our humanity as followers of Christ. We need to be othering in our places!
Leanabh an aigh
Child in the manger infant of Mary;
outcast and stranger, Lord of all!
Child who inherits all our transgressions,
all our demerits on him fall.
Mary Macdonald 1817-1890
Happy Christmas
agus moran beannachan (many blessings)
agus moran beannachan (many blessings)
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Crowded space
Often I do not do well in crowds that bustle and elbow and well... so tonight we headed down for 5pm to Otago farmer's Market at the old railway station - a special one tonight before Christmas. (Usually it runs Saturdays) Boy was it busy, squeezed along the platform and wonderful smells of sausage and onion.... not good when you are hungry. Met some folks we knew, bumped into others we didn't. Was struck by the lack of grumpiness in most. Long lines for Waimate Strawberries, flowers and veggies galore, kid's playing carols on recorder, northumbrian pipes also and there were even drummers and 2 belly dancers!(representative of the magi from the east?) and lots more. A fun atmosphere and BUSY for Dunedin.
My wife was amazed as we headed home when I said that I really enjoyed the fun of the crowd and stalls... it made a change from trying to negotiate Union Street in Aberdeen, Scotland and worse Mark's & Spencer's! I did hear a Scottish accent say that this reminder her of Scotland. As a Scot I knew what she meant, but then again it really wasn't !( Billy Connolly was right!!) This crowded space of the marketplace. So often the church has used that phrase for being in the world where people are. I wonder more and more about that image and it's relevance for some cities, however, being where people are is also where we live our daily lives too and so we need to challenge the distinctions that creep into our terms of reference and language of 'mission'. Our dislocation perhaps lends itself to such. This was a contrast to the "waiting space provided last week, but I personally feel that therein is the key, that our waiting space for quiet and still reflection was to be catalytic in our service among the crowded places of our daily living.
One challeneg for us on Highgate is not to set in place a 'come to us' approach, rather to find ways to be good neighbours in the crowded places... even perhaps to see if we can get a stall at the market perhaps?
My wife was amazed as we headed home when I said that I really enjoyed the fun of the crowd and stalls... it made a change from trying to negotiate Union Street in Aberdeen, Scotland and worse Mark's & Spencer's! I did hear a Scottish accent say that this reminder her of Scotland. As a Scot I knew what she meant, but then again it really wasn't !( Billy Connolly was right!!) This crowded space of the marketplace. So often the church has used that phrase for being in the world where people are. I wonder more and more about that image and it's relevance for some cities, however, being where people are is also where we live our daily lives too and so we need to challenge the distinctions that creep into our terms of reference and language of 'mission'. Our dislocation perhaps lends itself to such. This was a contrast to the "waiting space provided last week, but I personally feel that therein is the key, that our waiting space for quiet and still reflection was to be catalytic in our service among the crowded places of our daily living.
One challeneg for us on Highgate is not to set in place a 'come to us' approach, rather to find ways to be good neighbours in the crowded places... even perhaps to see if we can get a stall at the market perhaps?
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
'waiting' as resistance - 'at-homeness'
I was asked recently about contentment in old age. The elderly lady who asked me deserved some respect and so I listened, but didn’t feel it appropriate to start suggesting and a-z on it as I was at least half her years. Last week in ‘Waiting’ and Sunday we considered what it was to wait expectantly. Simeon and Anna I felt offered some clues. What was it about these two elderly people that caused them to persevere? To seem so content in their daily life of worship, fasting and praying?
Someone asked me if our ‘waiting art space was open this week as they had thought about it last week and it had gone… they got too busy!!!! I was waiting on someone saying something like that and simply looked at them. What can one say when what was on offer was exactly concerned with all that ensnared them and their week. I hope they got the point!
Me? Well I am actually resting up after the last few weeks and am looking forward to applying the things that had started to run away from me. In fact while I was ‘waiting’ I read
Psalm 90 v12 ‘Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ This verse in particular seemed to hit home and I offered it on Sunday to folks as we pondered Simeon and Anna. I think they cherished God’s promises and they held in hope to it. Hope being as Stringfellow terms it ‘reliance upon grace in the face of death’ More it is ‘living constantly, patiently, expectantly, resiliently, joyously in the effectiveness of the word of God’. I believe that in this hoping is contentment that enabled them to number their days immersed in Christ and gained hearts of wisdom to know that this child was the one. Considering Psalm 90 Brueggemann notes the ‘abiding constancy of Yahweh as home’ being the reality of this psalm. It is the sense of ‘at-homeness’ that Simeon and Anna make reality in their lifestyle – lives not captive to proof, evidence, overly impressed by data or demographic but persistently paying attention to God’s Lordship. Life rooted in faith this way gains ‘a heart of wisdom.’
So I find some way towards an answer for this elderly lady who asked a question , as well as find some lessons from advent myself. Our Highgate mission must continue in the new stages in hope (reliance upon grace in face of all that is deathly) and live out it’s at-homeness that others find home in Christ.
Someone asked me if our ‘waiting art space was open this week as they had thought about it last week and it had gone… they got too busy!!!! I was waiting on someone saying something like that and simply looked at them. What can one say when what was on offer was exactly concerned with all that ensnared them and their week. I hope they got the point!
Me? Well I am actually resting up after the last few weeks and am looking forward to applying the things that had started to run away from me. In fact while I was ‘waiting’ I read
Psalm 90 v12 ‘Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ This verse in particular seemed to hit home and I offered it on Sunday to folks as we pondered Simeon and Anna. I think they cherished God’s promises and they held in hope to it. Hope being as Stringfellow terms it ‘reliance upon grace in the face of death’ More it is ‘living constantly, patiently, expectantly, resiliently, joyously in the effectiveness of the word of God’. I believe that in this hoping is contentment that enabled them to number their days immersed in Christ and gained hearts of wisdom to know that this child was the one. Considering Psalm 90 Brueggemann notes the ‘abiding constancy of Yahweh as home’ being the reality of this psalm. It is the sense of ‘at-homeness’ that Simeon and Anna make reality in their lifestyle – lives not captive to proof, evidence, overly impressed by data or demographic but persistently paying attention to God’s Lordship. Life rooted in faith this way gains ‘a heart of wisdom.’
So I find some way towards an answer for this elderly lady who asked a question , as well as find some lessons from advent myself. Our Highgate mission must continue in the new stages in hope (reliance upon grace in face of all that is deathly) and live out it’s at-homeness that others find home in Christ.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Defining your day?
Our installation at Roslyn has been up and running a few days now. For those daring to come it seems to have achieved what it offered as a space to wait and be quiet in. "WAITING- the Quiet Place' seems to have offered an experience that has been positive. For those of us on door, so to speak, it has also been defining. In fact I borrow Martin's words - today he commented on how the 'waiting' has also been defining of his day. I agree. It has been that recall to something that I have felt has been rushing away from me in the past few weeks - the rushing of so many things crowds out Christ, leaves little space to hear him.
More deeply though it is a serious reminder of the things that demand of us and so define our days. It asks questions of what drives us? What motivates? is it 'self' importance that denies Christ?
I came upon this from Paul Fromont. While it is directed at clergy (rightly) I think it can apply more widely. I'd direct you to Paul Fromont's Blog(Prodigal Kiwi).
I've taken liberty to pick this part out -
December 14, 2004
Parker Palmer - Leaders and Functional Atheism
Parker Palmer well articulates a recent learning on my part:
“A third shadow common among leaders is “functional atheism,” the belief that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with us. This is the unconscious, unexamined conviction that if anything decent is going to happen here, we are the ones who must make it happen – a conviction held even by people who talk a good game about God.
This shadow causes pathology on every level of our lives. It leads us to impose our will on others, [to get resentful and frustrated], stressing our relationships, sometime to the point of breaking. If often eventuates in burnout, depression, and despair, as we learn the world will not bend to our will and we become embittered about that fact. Functional atheism is the shadow that drives collective [and individual] frenzy as well. It explains why the average group can tolerate no more than 15 seconds of silence: if we are not making noise, we believe, nothing good is happening and something must be dying…
The gift we receive on the inner journey is the knowledge that ours is not the only act in town. Not only are there other acts out there, but some of them are even better than ours, at least occasionally! We learn that we need not carry the whole load but can share it with others, liberating us and empowering them. We learn sometimes that we are free to lay the load down altogether. The great community asks us to do only that what we are able and trust the rest to other hands… ” (Emphasis, mine).
(From Let Your Life Speak, pp.88-89).
It's a kind of "messianic complex!" Often it’s all too easy to think that we’re irreplaceable, that we’re the centre of a church congregation or a workplace etc; that somehow if we’re not around those things will fall down around the ears of those who remain. Sometimes we even quietly hope that will happen so that we can say, “I told you so!” This isn’t good for us. Often we remain somewhere longer than we should; a false sense of our own importance damages both us (we burn out, we grow resentful, we grow arrogant, we feel that we have to be involved, be at the centre, be the “experts” rather than co-learners etc. etc) and those we are amongst (they become reliant upon us, never growing up, never learning to take responsibility, never feeling competent or empowered etc. As Palmer says, on the inner journey – that scary journey where we face and confront the realities of who we are (beneath surface appearances), we learn that “we are not the only act in town.” We free ourselves and we free others when we make this discovery. We learn by experience the meaning of grace. In freeing ourselves we learn to become all that God created us to uniquely be, we begin to flourish, we begin to live adventurously. We free ourselves from fear. We learn to worship our triune God.
More deeply though it is a serious reminder of the things that demand of us and so define our days. It asks questions of what drives us? What motivates? is it 'self' importance that denies Christ?
I came upon this from Paul Fromont. While it is directed at clergy (rightly) I think it can apply more widely. I'd direct you to Paul Fromont's Blog(Prodigal Kiwi).
I've taken liberty to pick this part out -
December 14, 2004
Parker Palmer - Leaders and Functional Atheism
Parker Palmer well articulates a recent learning on my part:
“A third shadow common among leaders is “functional atheism,” the belief that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with us. This is the unconscious, unexamined conviction that if anything decent is going to happen here, we are the ones who must make it happen – a conviction held even by people who talk a good game about God.
This shadow causes pathology on every level of our lives. It leads us to impose our will on others, [to get resentful and frustrated], stressing our relationships, sometime to the point of breaking. If often eventuates in burnout, depression, and despair, as we learn the world will not bend to our will and we become embittered about that fact. Functional atheism is the shadow that drives collective [and individual] frenzy as well. It explains why the average group can tolerate no more than 15 seconds of silence: if we are not making noise, we believe, nothing good is happening and something must be dying…
The gift we receive on the inner journey is the knowledge that ours is not the only act in town. Not only are there other acts out there, but some of them are even better than ours, at least occasionally! We learn that we need not carry the whole load but can share it with others, liberating us and empowering them. We learn sometimes that we are free to lay the load down altogether. The great community asks us to do only that what we are able and trust the rest to other hands… ” (Emphasis, mine).
(From Let Your Life Speak, pp.88-89).
It's a kind of "messianic complex!" Often it’s all too easy to think that we’re irreplaceable, that we’re the centre of a church congregation or a workplace etc; that somehow if we’re not around those things will fall down around the ears of those who remain. Sometimes we even quietly hope that will happen so that we can say, “I told you so!” This isn’t good for us. Often we remain somewhere longer than we should; a false sense of our own importance damages both us (we burn out, we grow resentful, we grow arrogant, we feel that we have to be involved, be at the centre, be the “experts” rather than co-learners etc. etc) and those we are amongst (they become reliant upon us, never growing up, never learning to take responsibility, never feeling competent or empowered etc. As Palmer says, on the inner journey – that scary journey where we face and confront the realities of who we are (beneath surface appearances), we learn that “we are not the only act in town.” We free ourselves and we free others when we make this discovery. We learn by experience the meaning of grace. In freeing ourselves we learn to become all that God created us to uniquely be, we begin to flourish, we begin to live adventurously. We free ourselves from fear. We learn to worship our triune God.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Art space - conversation
Having had the weekend to formally initiate the Highgate in it's mission, it was good today to begin fresh conversations about 'future orientated matters. as 2 of us sat in the waiting place. Reflecting on the weekend and the preaching from Isaiah- Leaving the past behind now and moving through into the newness - what does that really mean NOW?
Among the things I recall from conversation it seems to me that the challenge we face is not empathy, there's almost enough of that, rather it's that little bit more in mission in calling as disciples -
Interpathy = an expansion of empathy relating to thinking with and feeling with a person who is other to us. It is actually to step into and genuinely be involved in the experience of the other and see from their world view. Interpathy is cross cultural and is, I think/suggest what Jesus was doing in relation to all alienated groups/people in his day, therefore what about us?
It isn't so much laying on new things and expecting people to turn up, we need to really get into others shoes, genuinely here Therein lies the immense challenge to go deeper and further into the uncharted spaces and places with 'others'.
Among the things I recall from conversation it seems to me that the challenge we face is not empathy, there's almost enough of that, rather it's that little bit more in mission in calling as disciples -
Interpathy = an expansion of empathy relating to thinking with and feeling with a person who is other to us. It is actually to step into and genuinely be involved in the experience of the other and see from their world view. Interpathy is cross cultural and is, I think/suggest what Jesus was doing in relation to all alienated groups/people in his day, therefore what about us?
It isn't so much laying on new things and expecting people to turn up, we need to really get into others shoes, genuinely here Therein lies the immense challenge to go deeper and further into the uncharted spaces and places with 'others'.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Creating - Art Space
Today was spent juggling several things. The main thing was setting in place our art space in Roslyn facility. There is an intimacy in this building that lends itself. We have Leanne's art and are running with "WAITING' as a place for quiet, following her Quiet Space exhibition as it fits advent well. We're open through Saturday afternoon/evenings. Maybe no-one will come, no-one respond, but then again....
Among the projected images/icons I came across this somewhat haunting image of Mary. On a large screening those eyes draw you.(is it just me?)
Oil and gold leaf on zinc panel. Museum of Russian Art, Kiev. (follow the link Vrubel)
Apparently her face, in Vrubel's eyes, was an epitome of the ideal, spiritual beauty; not only are her eyes large and almond-shaped, like the eyes of the Virgin on many icons, but they show a similar anxiety and sadness. The brows are regular, the nose straight but wider than the traditional thin and long noses on icons, and the slightly puckered lips seem to be a prelude to tears of a mother who will eventually give up her son for the sins of the world. Even though strict Orthodoxy would reject this image for its "earthly" character, from the aesthetic point of view Vrubel's icon is a powerful and haunting image. [S.H.]
Anyway, I also have a funeral of the husband of a christian couple of some 63 years marriage. I sat with them yesterday and called again today. I listened to their stoies of days gone bye as well as recent days and what yesterday was and felt like. Waiting has been a hard task in life the past 2 weeks and I don't like how it all is, yet... today setting up and then this visit and waiting alongside them in their grief ( and even some laughter), pointed me to consider again this image we will use. It points me to the earthy-ness of life for Mary and yet God... it points me to the earthy-ness of mourning, and yet God...
Among the projected images/icons I came across this somewhat haunting image of Mary. On a large screening those eyes draw you.(is it just me?)
Oil and gold leaf on zinc panel. Museum of Russian Art, Kiev. (follow the link Vrubel)
Apparently her face, in Vrubel's eyes, was an epitome of the ideal, spiritual beauty; not only are her eyes large and almond-shaped, like the eyes of the Virgin on many icons, but they show a similar anxiety and sadness. The brows are regular, the nose straight but wider than the traditional thin and long noses on icons, and the slightly puckered lips seem to be a prelude to tears of a mother who will eventually give up her son for the sins of the world. Even though strict Orthodoxy would reject this image for its "earthly" character, from the aesthetic point of view Vrubel's icon is a powerful and haunting image. [S.H.]
Anyway, I also have a funeral of the husband of a christian couple of some 63 years marriage. I sat with them yesterday and called again today. I listened to their stoies of days gone bye as well as recent days and what yesterday was and felt like. Waiting has been a hard task in life the past 2 weeks and I don't like how it all is, yet... today setting up and then this visit and waiting alongside them in their grief ( and even some laughter), pointed me to consider again this image we will use. It points me to the earthy-ness of life for Mary and yet God... it points me to the earthy-ness of mourning, and yet God...
Hear the Lord say 'Faith'
Hear the Lord say 'Hope'
Hear the Lord say 'Love'
and hear the Lord say this - to you. Amen
Monday, December 13, 2004
Newness- Highgate Particularity
It was the big weekend as we became officially the Highgate Mission. Quite a weekend was had. Hence lack of blogging in recent week. Saturday was a buffet around lots of yummy food! A good place to start we reckon.
food (lots of... as well as some improptu singing by kids, lots of chat and laughter together)
Sunday morning was all 'in house' leadership stuff, and in the evening a worship experience signaling God's work of 'newness' in a PCANZ that like many other churches is in the image of Andrew Bell who was guest preacher like the old Irish man dying and smelling the cheese scones he loved so much, scrambled and crawled with every bit of energy he could sum up, grasping the bannister and nearly at the table, reaches in a stretch to get a scone when he gets whacked on the hand by his wife who says " leave them alone! They're for the funeral!' Cruel perhaps, but he pointed us to this as an image of Pressie church.
Don't misread our delight at the newness we sense. There are huge issues to grapple with and some challenges mission-wise which will take many to dimensions of faith and witness they have not gone before - it will at times be painful, but we will also experience joy together!
celebrations 
music
ONe dynamic that is actually becoming quite fun in a way is the manner in which people around beyond us are very curious about us. They may even be more than curious. We've had all the 'modernity' stuff asked of us and challenge us, but I think we've managed to run the fine line to get us to the juncture now when we can begin to risk newness beyond old paradigms.What's so different? Unlike other tacks on 'mergers', this one has so many unresolved matters of facilities, money... etc. Why? no being blind and nutty, but actually grasping a dream living with it and sharing it and in the oddness beginning to capture and word a vision of mission. Mission is the thrust if this into unknown territory but it happens in our particularity.
It also now means that we create spaces for the new.
food (lots of... as well as some improptu singing by kids, lots of chat and laughter together)
Sunday morning was all 'in house' leadership stuff, and in the evening a worship experience signaling God's work of 'newness' in a PCANZ that like many other churches is in the image of Andrew Bell who was guest preacher like the old Irish man dying and smelling the cheese scones he loved so much, scrambled and crawled with every bit of energy he could sum up, grasping the bannister and nearly at the table, reaches in a stretch to get a scone when he gets whacked on the hand by his wife who says " leave them alone! They're for the funeral!' Cruel perhaps, but he pointed us to this as an image of Pressie church.
Don't misread our delight at the newness we sense. There are huge issues to grapple with and some challenges mission-wise which will take many to dimensions of faith and witness they have not gone before - it will at times be painful, but we will also experience joy together!
celebrations 
music
ONe dynamic that is actually becoming quite fun in a way is the manner in which people around beyond us are very curious about us. They may even be more than curious. We've had all the 'modernity' stuff asked of us and challenge us, but I think we've managed to run the fine line to get us to the juncture now when we can begin to risk newness beyond old paradigms.What's so different? Unlike other tacks on 'mergers', this one has so many unresolved matters of facilities, money... etc. Why? no being blind and nutty, but actually grasping a dream living with it and sharing it and in the oddness beginning to capture and word a vision of mission. Mission is the thrust if this into unknown territory but it happens in our particularity.
It also now means that we create spaces for the new.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Particularity - worship
Forgive my indulgance. But I do believe that praxis means thinking deeply and working hard. Hence some longer delays in blogging as I wrestle for now in this new context of working out our particularity,history and space/place. So......
in thinking further about particularity, we must not neglect the universal intention of God’s Kingdom and coming. To do so would lead to parochial navel gazing. Bauckham says that the New Testament‘ puts all its readers where its first readers stood – between the church’s commissioning by Jesus and the future coming of Jesus. (25) Further, ‘The New Testament gives the church in every age its missionary identity by plunging it into the midst of the biblical story where the words of the great commission still ring in its ears’ (25)
I think that what we are therefore directed to here is to look for the rhythms ‘of grace’ (?) More technically I wonder if there is a vital eschatological aspect we are neglecting.
The other day a few of us chatted around such matters in a way. It was really about contextual issues and we focused upon the implications for worship as one aspect of our identity – our particularity.
Reflecting since, I am reminded that Brueggemann in Cadences of home Chpt 7 ‘Rethinking Church Models through Scripture’, points to how the late community goes back to learn from the early community to find the resources needed to sustain.
In our own worship, while at Cove and latterly here I have begun to apply something developed from Marva Dawn’s book on Sabbath. In it I hope that it resources us and teaches us a rhythm for our weekly daily living. I admit we’ve got some work to do, but mere experience of it will in time change us.
:: Key elements for Worship based upon a Sabbath Rhythm ::
GATHERING
How we make use of the space we have for fellowship-ing (koinonia). Create a user friendly environment for all ages. Time to relax, chat together.
Welcome
CEASING – from work, anxiety, worry, tensions, trying to be God
Image for the day
Personal story/ a thought/reflection/ listen to a song/collect/response prayer
Object lesson for children
RESTING – spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, social
Songs
Prayer – various forms
Quiet – poem, reflective music/song/[offering as Thanksgiving]
[Offering]
Bible
[sacrament]
EMBRACING – Intentional/deliberate in practices/actions, value of one another, one’s call to serve/shalom/ healing wholeness world
Overhearing the Good News
Response activity- song, Alt W liturgy, healing /anoint with oil, lay hands on; [sacrament]
Intercession prayer
CELEBRATION – celebration/joy of new, anticipation of Kingdom, new reality in midst
[Offering]
Song(s)
Blessing & Amen
in thinking further about particularity, we must not neglect the universal intention of God’s Kingdom and coming. To do so would lead to parochial navel gazing. Bauckham says that the New Testament‘ puts all its readers where its first readers stood – between the church’s commissioning by Jesus and the future coming of Jesus. (25) Further, ‘The New Testament gives the church in every age its missionary identity by plunging it into the midst of the biblical story where the words of the great commission still ring in its ears’ (25)
I think that what we are therefore directed to here is to look for the rhythms ‘of grace’ (?) More technically I wonder if there is a vital eschatological aspect we are neglecting.
The other day a few of us chatted around such matters in a way. It was really about contextual issues and we focused upon the implications for worship as one aspect of our identity – our particularity.
Reflecting since, I am reminded that Brueggemann in Cadences of home Chpt 7 ‘Rethinking Church Models through Scripture’, points to how the late community goes back to learn from the early community to find the resources needed to sustain.
In our own worship, while at Cove and latterly here I have begun to apply something developed from Marva Dawn’s book on Sabbath. In it I hope that it resources us and teaches us a rhythm for our weekly daily living. I admit we’ve got some work to do, but mere experience of it will in time change us.
:: Key elements for Worship based upon a Sabbath Rhythm ::
GATHERING
How we make use of the space we have for fellowship-ing (koinonia). Create a user friendly environment for all ages. Time to relax, chat together.
Welcome
CEASING – from work, anxiety, worry, tensions, trying to be God
Image for the day
Personal story/ a thought/reflection/ listen to a song/collect/response prayer
Object lesson for children
RESTING – spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, social
Songs
Prayer – various forms
Quiet – poem, reflective music/song/[offering as Thanksgiving]
[Offering]
Bible
[sacrament]
EMBRACING – Intentional/deliberate in practices/actions, value of one another, one’s call to serve/shalom/ healing wholeness world
Overhearing the Good News
Response activity- song, Alt W liturgy, healing /anoint with oil, lay hands on; [sacrament]
Intercession prayer
CELEBRATION – celebration/joy of new, anticipation of Kingdom, new reality in midst
[Offering]
Song(s)
Blessing & Amen
Perhaps it could be simplified, but it offers some form around which much can flexibly be set. Any suggestions, alternatives?
Saturday, November 27, 2004
History - Particularity
Brueggemann in Texts that Linger, Words that Explode, chapter 5 ‘The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity.’ –
I shall suggest that the maintenance of a self-aware, self-conscious alternative identity in the face of totalism is precisely the practice of character ethics that aims to generate and authorize liberated “agents of their own history”; such practice depends upon the great “thickness” of the community that makes possible such liberated agents on a day-to-day basis. (61)
Israel is seen then, as a counter-community that practiced relentless, dense memory as an alternative to the ‘co-opting amnesia of the empire’. He points to the way the story of exodus is character forming and liturgy becomes a launch pad for conversation, but more creates a different world; finally it is learning your history in which recitation defines the memory for generations to come. Bauckham says it this way, ‘ We are always beginning again and again from the biblical narratives, which still open up unexpected possibilities for our own future within the future of Jesus Christ. (21).
In many ways New Zealand is in it’s history dealing with this matter of particularity . In many ways it is of vital importance as it seeks to reflect upon and even shake off the shackles of ‘colonial’ past and find its particular, owned story which incorporates the Maori story(along with the wider cultural diversity here today). It is equally the case for the churches here which wrestle in the present tensions of debate much of which is the tension between ‘the co-opted amnesia’ of their heritage of Presbyterianism and how things are done by good order, which buffers up today with what I would say is the ‘Kiwi’ will to have a go! For instance, there is much radical talk about mission and liberating structures, but in the next it seems to me that more legislation and tightening procedures etc. counter the potential. Why? Is it a fear to move from the colonial Presbyterian (empirical) past into the mission Dei ? There is such opportunity here. Perhaps we need to re-discover in the history here and biblically the liberty of the particularity in the story that will help reshape and reform us.
On a more general note, I have had a course to take and write some papers through in Church History in Aotearoa. One I really enjoyed getting into was Parihaka – Te Whiti. It reveals some of what I am reflecting on here. "Parihaka is a moral, political and spiritual provocation to Māori and Pakēha to turn their anger at the past to the pursuit of peace and righting the historic injustices in the present and future.’ (Paul Morris “ The provocation of Parihaka: reflections on spiritual resistance in Aotearoa” In Parihaka: The Art of Passive Resistance p105-116)
I shall suggest that the maintenance of a self-aware, self-conscious alternative identity in the face of totalism is precisely the practice of character ethics that aims to generate and authorize liberated “agents of their own history”; such practice depends upon the great “thickness” of the community that makes possible such liberated agents on a day-to-day basis. (61)
Israel is seen then, as a counter-community that practiced relentless, dense memory as an alternative to the ‘co-opting amnesia of the empire’. He points to the way the story of exodus is character forming and liturgy becomes a launch pad for conversation, but more creates a different world; finally it is learning your history in which recitation defines the memory for generations to come. Bauckham says it this way, ‘ We are always beginning again and again from the biblical narratives, which still open up unexpected possibilities for our own future within the future of Jesus Christ. (21).
In many ways New Zealand is in it’s history dealing with this matter of particularity . In many ways it is of vital importance as it seeks to reflect upon and even shake off the shackles of ‘colonial’ past and find its particular, owned story which incorporates the Maori story(along with the wider cultural diversity here today). It is equally the case for the churches here which wrestle in the present tensions of debate much of which is the tension between ‘the co-opted amnesia’ of their heritage of Presbyterianism and how things are done by good order, which buffers up today with what I would say is the ‘Kiwi’ will to have a go! For instance, there is much radical talk about mission and liberating structures, but in the next it seems to me that more legislation and tightening procedures etc. counter the potential. Why? Is it a fear to move from the colonial Presbyterian (empirical) past into the mission Dei ? There is such opportunity here. Perhaps we need to re-discover in the history here and biblically the liberty of the particularity in the story that will help reshape and reform us.
On a more general note, I have had a course to take and write some papers through in Church History in Aotearoa. One I really enjoyed getting into was Parihaka – Te Whiti. It reveals some of what I am reflecting on here. "Parihaka is a moral, political and spiritual provocation to Māori and Pakēha to turn their anger at the past to the pursuit of peace and righting the historic injustices in the present and future.’ (Paul Morris “ The provocation of Parihaka: reflections on spiritual resistance in Aotearoa” In Parihaka: The Art of Passive Resistance p105-116)
Friday, November 19, 2004
Bible and Mission (1)- more on History
I started reading Matthew. The genealogy seems to flout social boundaries and strata, but more than that it includes women and further the likes of Rahab and Ruth (A Moabite), and on it goes a list of names that tell of God’s dealings with people in time; a selecting that places Jesus as central to God's purposes in time. I think it also asserts the peculiar, odd and dare I say alen identity of Christ and his followers, which sets them directly at odds within society. Does it tell of how God works against all the odds and evidence in the face of death ? I find parts in this genealogy that are less than neat and tidy historical reading, nevermind the morality of some and the failures listed. Like most family trees!
A gospel that is concerned with forming identity and shaping of lifestyle of a community of disciples, a small, yet distinctive community set in an urban, hierarchical society with clearly defined social boundaries and practices, Matthew seeks to give guidance to a community looking for identity in its critical situation on how it should understand its calling and mission – its particularity, which is found in this Christ, identified in this line.
As David Bosch says,
In Matthew’s view Christians find their true identity when they are involved in mission, in communicating to others a new way of life, a new interpretation of reality and of God, and in committing themselves to the liberation and salvation of others. A missionary community is one that understands itself as being both different from and committed to it’s environment; it exists within its context in a way that is both winsome and challenging. In the midst of confusion and uncertainty, Matthew’s community is driven back to it’s roots, to the persons and experiences which gave birth to it, so that it can rediscover and reclaim those persons and events, come to a more appropriate self-understanding, and on the basis of this discern the nature of its existence and calling.
(Bosch, Transforming Mission, p83, my bold)
It seems to me that the temporal/historical discovering and (re-) interpretation becomes a catapult into the new. In another way, the coming of ‘this’ Jesus placed as he is within the genealogy the identity and understanding of ‘Israel’ is ruptured and the new eschatological community is revealed in time/history.
Which parts then are we being driven back to in remembering. In some ways it is back to the Christian mystics, celtic Christianity, Monastic, and so on to rediscover ‘spirituality’ as language, practice and so identity forming. This is surely the semper reformanda demanded of us in these times and urged by the reformation itself, upon which we have rested for too long. Is our concern for the now, present time, too valued, too absolute, taken too seriously that we have been in the way of forgetting?
A gospel that is concerned with forming identity and shaping of lifestyle of a community of disciples, a small, yet distinctive community set in an urban, hierarchical society with clearly defined social boundaries and practices, Matthew seeks to give guidance to a community looking for identity in its critical situation on how it should understand its calling and mission – its particularity, which is found in this Christ, identified in this line.
As David Bosch says,
In Matthew’s view Christians find their true identity when they are involved in mission, in communicating to others a new way of life, a new interpretation of reality and of God, and in committing themselves to the liberation and salvation of others. A missionary community is one that understands itself as being both different from and committed to it’s environment; it exists within its context in a way that is both winsome and challenging. In the midst of confusion and uncertainty, Matthew’s community is driven back to it’s roots, to the persons and experiences which gave birth to it, so that it can rediscover and reclaim those persons and events, come to a more appropriate self-understanding, and on the basis of this discern the nature of its existence and calling.
(Bosch, Transforming Mission, p83, my bold)
It seems to me that the temporal/historical discovering and (re-) interpretation becomes a catapult into the new. In another way, the coming of ‘this’ Jesus placed as he is within the genealogy the identity and understanding of ‘Israel’ is ruptured and the new eschatological community is revealed in time/history.
Which parts then are we being driven back to in remembering. In some ways it is back to the Christian mystics, celtic Christianity, Monastic, and so on to rediscover ‘spirituality’ as language, practice and so identity forming. This is surely the semper reformanda demanded of us in these times and urged by the reformation itself, upon which we have rested for too long. Is our concern for the now, present time, too valued, too absolute, taken too seriously that we have been in the way of forgetting?
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Bible and Mission- (1) History
For Highgate we have worked through some Biblical materials to discern a way and also something of how we need to set up to be a missionary emerging church here in this place. Alongside this we have sought to work hard at listening and gathering story from the churche's local history. It has allowed us to read something of the significance for now in digging around in that. therefore it was good to start to read Richard Bauckham, (2003) Bible and Mission (Paternoster/Baker).
What I hope to do is use it as a start basis for gathering in some of what I’ve been musing and see where he takes me. For some time I have been concerned that in church plant/emergent church we tend to look at the practice of HOW? Without a deeper theological basis for much of it. That’s not to say we need to reason things out all the time, but I believe that our discernment needs some theological work. I am aware that many figures in emergent church circles are beginning to grapple with theological matters which is encouraging. Hopefully we will allow biblical-theological reflection to interact with practice and vice versa so that such a hermeneutic will provide praxis for mission.(for a good understanding and definition of praxis see John Swinton,(2000) From Bedlam to Shalom, (Pastoral theology vol.1. Peter Lang Publishing Inc NY).
A hermeneutic for the Kingdom of God.. chapter 1
Metanarratives are rejected by postmodernism, exposing them as ‘projects of power and domination. (6). Rather it opts for ‘particularity, diversity, localism, relativism’.(7).
Bauckham proposes a hermeneutic ie. How to read the Bible in a way that takes seriously its mission direction , a kind of movement from particular to universal. In this there are 3 dimensions – temporal, spatial and social. In another way, these equate to Soja’s trialectics of Being – historical, social and spatial.(in Thirdspace, Chapter 2). It seems we have actually uplifted the historical and social aspects within missiology, but there is little consideration and application of the spatial. But I’ll come to that again. Firstly, he mentions the Temporal in which he defines ‘Mission is movement into the new future of God.’(13) It concerns where identity is to be found, here in the narrative and memory of the past, but also being turned by narrative to the coming of God’s Kingdom in the future. ‘The possibilities the narrative opens up for them, when they find themselves in it, are those God gives as they live towards God’s future.’(13)
Bauckham seems to want to propose a movement from the particular to universal. I need to read on to see where he goes with this. But I am reminded of Brueggemann in Texts that Linger, Words that Explode, chapter 5 ‘The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity.’ –
I shall suggest that the maintenance of a self-aware, self-conscious alternative identity in the face of totalism is precisely the practice of character ethics that aims to generate and authorize liberated “agents of their own history; such practice depends upon the great “thickness” of the community that makes possible such liberated agents on a day-to-day basis. (61)
Israel is seen then, as a counter-community practiced relentless, dense memory as an alternative to the ‘co-opting amnesia of the empire’. He points to the way story of exodus is character forming and liturgy as a launch pad for conversation, but more create a different world; finally it is learning your history which recitation defines the memory for generations to come.
It seems that most exodus communities throughout history have actually gone and dug deep into the temporal past to (re-) discover identity and find I suppose those resources that can sustain.
This is a much needed process for the emerging churches today. Indeed, it is what many are doing. The temptations to cultural syncretism are huge though. I find myself questioning of church plants and others more and more who do not appear to listen to the story from a mission Dei stance. I.e from a position that sees where we are at as part of the ongoing God story in a place. The danger of missing this is that we lose the particular identity God given us, our rootedness and connection. Significantly here I am called back to those genealogies, eg. In Matthew that I for one tend to glance and skim through. As advent approaches I will pay more attention in reading Matthew 1.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Art Space
The Watch House, Catterline, Scotland
Mainland Art Exhibition started. I made an attempt to paint something and give it a go out here. Good news was it was accepted. So last Saturday we went along to the opening. There were some very good paintings, so I was really delighted to be in. Chris the framer was a great help and I have had some great chats with him. (including about good beer - he's from England) Even got to see some early Jeffrey Harris (for you Kiwis who know his status) which he was framing. Dunedin is pretty amazing for the art enclave it has.
My painting was one that I held as a photograph for some time. The Watch House is a significant place memory for me as I recall scottish artist Joan Eardley (follow this link via Creel Inn) who painted there and the small fishing village where several other artists gathered in time with her. I also recall a wonderful day it is bi-ennial art exhibit in which you got to wander around Catterline into church and peoples front rooms to view art and meet the artist too.
So inspired, I found some time to paint the Watch House (above). In a way, I find you need such inspiration to a thing/place to motivate and take you to the depths of concentration and enagagement with the subject. Having been inside it and seen sketch books of work and stood on the cliff there it made all the difference. A little nostalgic perhaps, yet something that is a part of who I am. I just love her almost absract landscapes. She has also done street kids in Glasgow which are also worthy of looking at.
Beehives, Sundown; 48 x 48, Oil on Board, c.1961
Joan Eardley Salmon Net Posts, 1962, Oil on board, 43" x 70"
[See both at http://www.christopherwood.co.uk/bib/eardley.html]
I need to get painting!
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Spacious space
new Coffee shop coming at Roslyn
Among the many changes in the area recently this shop is now being revamped and the sign I noticed went up today - "OPENING SOON". A new coffee shop and Deli. Its a good spot and perhaps one of the significant new places within the Highgate. It will be interesting to see if it is well frequented - will it be good coffee? Can it be a spacious space for our interaction with people in the area?
It seems to me that it is an emergent space for the church in mission. A place where we could quietly and subversively embed ourselves in the wider community in some small way. I know I'll try the place and get a feel for it! Where to meet/gather and worship and be the church in a new ecclesiology (emergent) is a wide area of discussion these days and vitally important. [Michael Moynagh(UK) has a simple, yet useful piece in www.emergingchurch.info/reflection/michaelmoynagh/index.htm]
But I believe it also carries the challenge of a spatial approach and appreciation, if not understanding, about missio Dei, and the local environment. The new parish carries a sense of opening soon. Some might misread us initially as the Presbyterian language is 'amalgamation'. But we are clear that with a mission priority, then this is not a straight old fashioned notion of that. Rather for instance, we are challenged in thinking through the matter of duplication of worship 10am Sundays at centres as we now have Presbytery go ahead to be the Highgate Presbyterian Church. A hard question if you have worshiped for a long time in one place. We aleady have an 8.30am Sunday in Coronation hall and doing good stuff there under Barry's ministry. We are going to step out, break the mould and expectations and do Sundays 1 & 3 at Roslyn 10am and Maori Hill, with 2 & 4 Sundays together in Maori Hill. I hope to do simple communion fellowship worship one and all together all age one the 3rd. Between times we wil therefore open up some space to do new things. The temptation is to set it out times and all, but actually we have a growing sense of the need to let it develop in an organic manner that is a work of the Spirit and where we detect 'Christ's action' in our context. Such is the encouraging emergent spirit among us and a sense of what God is doing. At times I can't get my head round it. Doesn't mean we are all comfortable in it, but we are emergent. We intend to have a very different worship time on the evening of the 12th December when we initiate the new... we want it really to be a spacious space that if anything makes the church folk feel more awkward, not deliberately so), but one also in which the local invitees discover something about church that is new and doesn't jar. Highgate is 'opening soon'! We hope it will, like the coffee shop be a potential spacious space for faith and culture - life to interact in meaningful and constructive ways that lives may be changed, even our own - SURPRISE! And I think we need to realise and be open for that just as much as Peter had to be in Acts 10 when he visited Cornelius. Indeed, it was tougher for him in the whole process.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Trinity and place?
Steve Taylor has asked on his Blog recently a very deep and stretching theological and missiological question. (Have a read yourself there).
::
However, this presents the possibility of the Trinity as an abstract meta-narrative, a model for human relationships. And I wonder how such a potentially abstract model is shaped by place. How do the contours of land, of land displacement, shape a Trinitarian theology.
The typical answer is that in Jesus the Trinity becomes "placed"? As Jesus walks, so the Triune God walks. This makes all place important, as a localised, Jewish place, is universalized. However, there is a nagging sense that once again the Trinity has become an abstract meta-narrative, a model for human relationships; as God in one place becomes God in all places.
::
I think it is important to consider the difference between ‘place’ and ‘space’. Brueggemann states it well:
Place is space which has historical meanings, in which important words have been spoken which have established identity, defined vocation, envisioned destiny… Place is indeed a protest against the unpromising pursuit of space. It is a declaration that our humanness cannot be found in escape, detachment, absence of commitment and undefined freedom. (The Land:185)
A sense of place gives a sense belonging, space doesn’t. I think it means that we may sit in a space at a café table. This space has potential to have a special, distinct character. More plainly, this café table will form part of the story and take meaning as a place for you. In turn this ‘place’ will have some sense of sacred to us as a result, in memory, as something significant happened at that table.
As someone 'displaced' beyond the land contours I once knew and all the sense of belonging that was there these are very relevant and real issues that are more than theological/philosophical abstarctions
"Rather than measuring the church by its attendance, we will measure it by its deployment," McLaren said. "One of the greatest enemies of evangelism is the church as fortress or social club; it sucks Christians out of their neighborhoods, clubs, workplaces, schools, and other social networks and isolates them in a religious ghetto. There it must entertain them (through various means, many of them masquerading as education) and hold them (through various means, many of them epitomized by the words guilt and fear). Thus Christians are warehoused as merchandise for heaven, kept safe in a protected space to prevent spillage, leakage, damage, or loss until their delivery."
Rather, he said, the church should be an open community, welcoming strangers as Jesus welcomed sinners.
Relatively few churches will change from the fortress model to something else, he said, but even as new church forms sprout and grow, their leaders must honor other forms. "These new hives of Christian vitality could be abuzz in all sectors, forms, styles, or 'models' of the church," he said. "They would in this sense be catholic—honoring and receiving rather than protesting and rejecting one another, with no sense at all that there's one model or one 'right way' of living as the church."
::
However, this presents the possibility of the Trinity as an abstract meta-narrative, a model for human relationships. And I wonder how such a potentially abstract model is shaped by place. How do the contours of land, of land displacement, shape a Trinitarian theology.
The typical answer is that in Jesus the Trinity becomes "placed"? As Jesus walks, so the Triune God walks. This makes all place important, as a localised, Jewish place, is universalized. However, there is a nagging sense that once again the Trinity has become an abstract meta-narrative, a model for human relationships; as God in one place becomes God in all places.
::
I think it is important to consider the difference between ‘place’ and ‘space’. Brueggemann states it well:
Place is space which has historical meanings, in which important words have been spoken which have established identity, defined vocation, envisioned destiny… Place is indeed a protest against the unpromising pursuit of space. It is a declaration that our humanness cannot be found in escape, detachment, absence of commitment and undefined freedom. (The Land:185)
A sense of place gives a sense belonging, space doesn’t. I think it means that we may sit in a space at a café table. This space has potential to have a special, distinct character. More plainly, this café table will form part of the story and take meaning as a place for you. In turn this ‘place’ will have some sense of sacred to us as a result, in memory, as something significant happened at that table.
As someone 'displaced' beyond the land contours I once knew and all the sense of belonging that was there these are very relevant and real issues that are more than theological/philosophical abstarctions
As to Trinity and place therefore, I think the patristic Fathers had different concepts of space and time in more relational terms. Celtic Christianity had a real sense of whole. Further, I came upon Jan von Ruysbroeck, Flemish 14th Century contemplative. For him, the Trinity is never at rest, there is a perichoretic relationship that unfolds, that is there is a dancine-like movement and flow in relatuionships) and ‘we’ in relationship enter into that ‘dance relationship’. Trinity is a dynamic interpersonal relationship. In this way I think Trinity is to be seen more than some abstract meta-narrative, which I think is how we have somehow perceived the static the Trinity, sacred, secular in some dualistic, binary fashion. Sheldrake (Spaces for the Sacred. p129) writes ‘Yet God is to be thought of as both in no place alone and yet in every place at once.’ Does a relational movement begin to enable us to hold this sense of God and relationship/communion?
What do others reckon with Steve's questions? It's a subject that is raised when you move beyond Flatland. Is the Trinity Placeless and what of our understandings? What does this do for a spirituality of Place?
I came upon this article in which Brian McLaren in Christianity Today(November 2004) says:
Church is not a place one attends but a community to which one belongs, he said. The community shares in mission and spiritual practice. It is rooted in a common story whose emphasis is on the continuing work here and now, always drawing from our past."Rather than measuring the church by its attendance, we will measure it by its deployment," McLaren said. "One of the greatest enemies of evangelism is the church as fortress or social club; it sucks Christians out of their neighborhoods, clubs, workplaces, schools, and other social networks and isolates them in a religious ghetto. There it must entertain them (through various means, many of them masquerading as education) and hold them (through various means, many of them epitomized by the words guilt and fear). Thus Christians are warehoused as merchandise for heaven, kept safe in a protected space to prevent spillage, leakage, damage, or loss until their delivery."
Rather, he said, the church should be an open community, welcoming strangers as Jesus welcomed sinners.
Relatively few churches will change from the fortress model to something else, he said, but even as new church forms sprout and grow, their leaders must honor other forms. "These new hives of Christian vitality could be abuzz in all sectors, forms, styles, or 'models' of the church," he said. "They would in this sense be catholic—honoring and receiving rather than protesting and rejecting one another, with no sense at all that there's one model or one 'right way' of living as the church."
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Proximity spaces
We're busy working through some future shape issues for Highgate. What is so encouraging is the mess really! By that I mean we have a missionary calling that has been heard and liberated us in some respects. I never cease to be amazed at the ways in which poeple are so up for whatever it is lies ahead. Some hard and difficult questions lie ahead of us, but there is a real desire to be a whole with a smorgasbord of things happening and th4e opening up of some proximity spaces ie 'places or events where Christians and not-yet-Christians can interact meaningfully with each other.' (The Shaping of things to come, p24). Again for me there is something in this spatial aspect to do with the church embedded or immersed in the local context for mission by its presence.
Simon Fogg writes on his blog provising notes from the conference-
1. Think in terms of proximity. Worship is not a proximity space between Christians and non-Christians. Need to go to them rather than them coming to us. It is not about creating a sacred space. Do not just do the same as you do in church somewhere else.Be incarnational (cf Jesus)For periods of time abandon the sacred space to get that proximity for engagement[Story about the waterski-ing on a Sunday ending with “I think I may have accidentally planted a church”]Not setting up a programmeIf your sacred space is the sum of it all, it is not enough[Story about the model car club]
2. Practise the presence of Christ in proximity with non-believers. Christians work with people but have shallow relationships. Beware social relationships in church and nowhere elseSend people back into those contexts. Teach them how to do that: equip people to be little Jesuses where they live, work and play. Dualism is a key issue. Christians have difficulty comprehending Jesus outside the church[Shoe shop story]What percentage of time do you spend with non-Christians
I am challenged here by what they say, as I see on one hand what they are getting at with proximity and worship separation. In the book the challenge from them I think is to think beyond traditional worship changes and modes. This I agree with, yet I note too how much emerging church involves 'worship' formats of sorts. Maybe I'm missing some things here. Seems, at least from their book on this topic, that it has more to do with creating and establishing 'other' spaces, such as running cafe's etc and creating ambience and places to talk off the back of relationships and people growing familiar and comfortable with the place they are in and people they are among. This is proximity space!
Pete Philips also gives a very useful critique though of the conference stuff and I reckon that this will be fruitful. On comment I find especially interesting
But then there was the sneezing thing. I am afraid that I cannot cope with the idea of the Gospel spreading like a virus that has been sneezed out of God. Get a life. Jesus has a much better image which Richard Bauckham explores much better in his little book on mission – the parable of the sower. There we have the sheer wastefulness of grace; there we have the randomness; there we have the dependency on the soils; there we have the idea of the seed and the fruit. And all this without any need to reference virus replication science, complexity theory or any attempt to make the Gospel into a bogey...anyway aren’t most viruses self-limiting organisms? Great – we grow the church to a certain size and it dies!
What do you think?
I have slowly been picking my way through Frost and Hirsch's book The Shaping of Things to Come. On which note I have followed, with interest, some of the responses to their time over in the UK. You can also check out Jonny Baker on my links.(which appear to be way down just now for some reason sorry for that) I will maybe read on now and offer some thoughts as I go, especially as it relates to us on Highgate at the crucial juncture we are at and the future ahead of us.
Simon Fogg writes on his blog provising notes from the conference-
1. Think in terms of proximity. Worship is not a proximity space between Christians and non-Christians. Need to go to them rather than them coming to us. It is not about creating a sacred space. Do not just do the same as you do in church somewhere else.Be incarnational (cf Jesus)For periods of time abandon the sacred space to get that proximity for engagement[Story about the waterski-ing on a Sunday ending with “I think I may have accidentally planted a church”]Not setting up a programmeIf your sacred space is the sum of it all, it is not enough[Story about the model car club]
2. Practise the presence of Christ in proximity with non-believers. Christians work with people but have shallow relationships. Beware social relationships in church and nowhere elseSend people back into those contexts. Teach them how to do that: equip people to be little Jesuses where they live, work and play. Dualism is a key issue. Christians have difficulty comprehending Jesus outside the church[Shoe shop story]What percentage of time do you spend with non-Christians
I am challenged here by what they say, as I see on one hand what they are getting at with proximity and worship separation. In the book the challenge from them I think is to think beyond traditional worship changes and modes. This I agree with, yet I note too how much emerging church involves 'worship' formats of sorts. Maybe I'm missing some things here. Seems, at least from their book on this topic, that it has more to do with creating and establishing 'other' spaces, such as running cafe's etc and creating ambience and places to talk off the back of relationships and people growing familiar and comfortable with the place they are in and people they are among. This is proximity space!
Pete Philips also gives a very useful critique though of the conference stuff and I reckon that this will be fruitful. On comment I find especially interesting
But then there was the sneezing thing. I am afraid that I cannot cope with the idea of the Gospel spreading like a virus that has been sneezed out of God. Get a life. Jesus has a much better image which Richard Bauckham explores much better in his little book on mission – the parable of the sower. There we have the sheer wastefulness of grace; there we have the randomness; there we have the dependency on the soils; there we have the idea of the seed and the fruit. And all this without any need to reference virus replication science, complexity theory or any attempt to make the Gospel into a bogey...anyway aren’t most viruses self-limiting organisms? Great – we grow the church to a certain size and it dies!
What do you think?
I have slowly been picking my way through Frost and Hirsch's book The Shaping of Things to Come. On which note I have followed, with interest, some of the responses to their time over in the UK. You can also check out Jonny Baker on my links.(which appear to be way down just now for some reason sorry for that) I will maybe read on now and offer some thoughts as I go, especially as it relates to us on Highgate at the crucial juncture we are at and the future ahead of us.
Friday, October 15, 2004
Places and beyond
This week I have been in several new places and met various new people as well as get to know some people better. Last Sunday I went along to the opening service at St John's Anglican on Highgate for their new complex (very nice too!). Tuesday among many other things I got my haircut by Catherine at Roslyn Village. I conversation she shared how her partner ran a studio where he framed pictures. Ah! Says I I was looking for someone to do that here and had been wondering. I have a painting for an exhibition next month. Wednesday I met at St Lees someone who is looking to do some Children's event next April. We had a creative chat over a nice coffee. Thursday for an hour I was invited to bowls at Roslyn Club. A good bit of fun and chance to meet some folks and get to know others better. It was also another beautiful day which added to the pleasure. I also visited Knox Church as I'm preaching(!?!) at College Sunday when Columba girls and McGlashan boys and parents descend there. I previewed the dramatic dance about prejudice etc. So I'm going to follow up with something on labels and Shrek and the Gospel. Anyway, walking this labyrinth throughout the area has been interesting. It took me to reflect on places I would likely only walk past and never think of entering. But I continue to reflect on Colossians 3 "Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Peterson trans.) So much can be around us or church and our little world, but I have been challenged to discover what is going on around Christ - the action is there and more I can begin to see from HIS perspective. For me this is highlighted in two ways.1) I had a long distance chat with a close friend in a situation. In looking at what was going on around Christ, it began to offer a new perspective and in a way was like seeing the 'quiet centre' in the midst of the storm. 2) with students today the theme coming through was the tension of being in pastoral situations where we become more conscious of ourselves and struggle inside for answers that we default to being rationalistic in approach and forget the person. In other words there are points at which, with best intentions, we bring the action around us. Hence, we fail to see things from Christ's perspective.
In many ways I may have drifted through the week, but I sought to reflect as I went,amidst all the other stuff I won't bore you with, on the immersive places where people work, play, study, reflect, interact, learn. Even at the hairdressers a call came to cancel a hairdo. Turns out there was a pastoral conversation, the woman at thr other end had had a funeral of a grandparent. I also did go today and see about my painting being framed and had a good chat with Chris. All this is not so much about what was going on around me as I think I was caught up in and around where Christ was active. So who knows where these things will go in time.
Finally, Martin has been raving about Tim Lowly this week and so I too share him here. Go on the link and see more. It is iconic and invites you to reflect deeply. For me this image below spoke a great deal about some of these musings above. In particular the sense of humanity here that we can/cannot ignore to go through to the door and the light. Can we ignore even the most frail of persons and those least like us ? What does it mean to share Christ ? To speak of God in a pastoral context?
http://www.timlowly.com
"Lowly's "TDL" series comprises five material interpretations of a little girl lying prone on the gallery floor. Turned on her side, her head tilting back her lips parted, her arms folded awkwardly across her body, the image of the young girl reflects the physical incapacitation of Lowly's own child, yet becomes a symbol for all individual's physically challenge and seemingly separated from their environment" from review by John Brunetti
Tim Lowly Installation Wheaton
In many ways I may have drifted through the week, but I sought to reflect as I went,amidst all the other stuff I won't bore you with, on the immersive places where people work, play, study, reflect, interact, learn. Even at the hairdressers a call came to cancel a hairdo. Turns out there was a pastoral conversation, the woman at thr other end had had a funeral of a grandparent. I also did go today and see about my painting being framed and had a good chat with Chris. All this is not so much about what was going on around me as I think I was caught up in and around where Christ was active. So who knows where these things will go in time.
Finally, Martin has been raving about Tim Lowly this week and so I too share him here. Go on the link and see more. It is iconic and invites you to reflect deeply. For me this image below spoke a great deal about some of these musings above. In particular the sense of humanity here that we can/cannot ignore to go through to the door and the light. Can we ignore even the most frail of persons and those least like us ? What does it mean to share Christ ? To speak of God in a pastoral context?
http://www.timlowly.com
"Lowly's "TDL" series comprises five material interpretations of a little girl lying prone on the gallery floor. Turned on her side, her head tilting back her lips parted, her arms folded awkwardly across her body, the image of the young girl reflects the physical incapacitation of Lowly's own child, yet becomes a symbol for all individual's physically challenge and seemingly separated from their environment" from review by John Brunetti
Tim Lowly Installation Wheaton
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Immersive environments?
In pondering this week about the luminarium I came upon this piece in Emerging Church. (go to http://www.emergingchurch.info/stories/vaux/index.htm )
This seems to share something of my wrestlings for now.
"Vaux is an experiment in 'Total Worship'. I winced when we used the term 'Worship Architects', yet, I've not found a better description. What happens if you get a group of artists and organise their talent towards creating sacred spaces. Spaces that are conducive to experiencing 'Numinous'- What the architect Tado Ando describes as places 'to reclaim yourself'. Or, what composer John Tavener might describe as, a place to experience the 'Divine voice'. When viewed like this, Gesamtkunstwerk becomes less totalitarian and more akin to Shaker or Zen models of production. With the former, everything has spiritual content, a kind of 'explosive design' that permeates your whole lifestyle."
On Highgate it isn't just about spaces of/for worship, but also gathering/engagement throughout our community.
In ther same paragraph on Vaux we read,
"The latter with the Tea Room, an 'implosive design' where every object within the space undergoes a rigorous selection process and through the ceremony boundaries between art and life are abolished. Vaux was intended to work within similar traditions, creating immersive environments, where every detail would be considered. Spaces built from surface, idea, sound, word, image and woven together to create a seamless whole- A place where a flyer is no different from a Liturgy, or 35mm Slide from a prayer. All are important, all constitute the whole act of worship. "
I like the expression of 'creating immersive environments' as I think we cannot section off life from faith as much as tradition has tended to do. Maybe I need to scope the places that already exist that way around us here as much as looking to open up such space creatively in the resources we already have.
Pondering on...
by the way it was a beautiful day here today and the sun shone and there was that big blue sky.... mmmmmmm! those open spaces!
This seems to share something of my wrestlings for now.
"Vaux is an experiment in 'Total Worship'. I winced when we used the term 'Worship Architects', yet, I've not found a better description. What happens if you get a group of artists and organise their talent towards creating sacred spaces. Spaces that are conducive to experiencing 'Numinous'- What the architect Tado Ando describes as places 'to reclaim yourself'. Or, what composer John Tavener might describe as, a place to experience the 'Divine voice'. When viewed like this, Gesamtkunstwerk becomes less totalitarian and more akin to Shaker or Zen models of production. With the former, everything has spiritual content, a kind of 'explosive design' that permeates your whole lifestyle."
On Highgate it isn't just about spaces of/for worship, but also gathering/engagement throughout our community.
In ther same paragraph on Vaux we read,
"The latter with the Tea Room, an 'implosive design' where every object within the space undergoes a rigorous selection process and through the ceremony boundaries between art and life are abolished. Vaux was intended to work within similar traditions, creating immersive environments, where every detail would be considered. Spaces built from surface, idea, sound, word, image and woven together to create a seamless whole- A place where a flyer is no different from a Liturgy, or 35mm Slide from a prayer. All are important, all constitute the whole act of worship. "
I like the expression of 'creating immersive environments' as I think we cannot section off life from faith as much as tradition has tended to do. Maybe I need to scope the places that already exist that way around us here as much as looking to open up such space creatively in the resources we already have.
Pondering on...
by the way it was a beautiful day here today and the sun shone and there was that big blue sky.... mmmmmmm! those open spaces!
Monday, October 04, 2004
space of Transfiguration
As part of the Festival of the Arts in Dunedin, First Presbyterian Church(above) had in its grounds an installation by ‘Architects of the Air’ (Called a Luminarium, it cost many $’s to get it out here from England.) It is an interactive, walk through piece of art. Basically you walk through the various coloured rooms/domes and tunnels each with different colours –red, green, blue.. but the effect is in the PVC and natural light from outside. An amazing effect and experience, with ambient music in the background.
::
The line took an hour to get us in… but that was part of it all for me… watching people line up, kids running about, climb trees and even try the walls of First Church. Overhearing comments about ‘patience’ and people express their frustration, humf and groan. Waiting… grabbing a coffee…waiting… you could sense the tension and frustration. People passing having been in almost came out with a serene look; ‘It was so peaceful’, ‘a wonderful experience’, one little boy came out and shouted over enthusiastically ‘It was great!’.
::
So we entered the ante-chamber and walked in. It was a whole new world and we sat, we waited and enjoyed this odd space full of light. Under a dome of blue some girls had worked out that if you spun looking up at it then it made things feel even stranger. I confess I gave it a go and it was fun. There were little alcoves everywhere and people could be found sitting in them or lying down simply taking time to soak things in. Suddenly the world outside seemed to be forgotten, we had all been transported into a whole other world of light. No longer did you hear the moans, grumbles and bickering of waiting. Everyone smiled and had eyes wide open in amazement at this 'new world'.
::
There was an odd contrast of this long line of people up into the church grounds and the spatial light experience they had placed right next to a place where I wonder what our experience of God is like. I mean that as the church at large, not simply First Church. How do we make space for people to experience the living God in Christ, in ways that allow their life experience to be transformed and on leaving have something longer lasting than what the luminarium clearly was for some? Again in mission we always seem to be in the ‘active’ mode, yet spatially I wonder how we create the sort of space and worship sufficiently.
::
In 'Beholding the Glory: Incarnation through the Arts' (Ed.) Jeremy Begbie (Baker Books 2000) Chapter 1 by Trevor Hart exlores something of art's transcendence. He cites RG Collingwood who regards art as a work that exists firs in the artist's imagination and then the imaginations of those who appreciate his work. It never exists physically, but is an interplay between imagination and emotion. He then turns to Kant who sees it as a 'freeplay' between imagination and understanding. Whatever philosophical debates we may have, I find his 'escaping into another world (p12) helpful as he explores Kandinsky's view of art; for whom artistic creativity is a discernment of the true meaning of a world existing beyond the artist's subjectivity.
In 'Beholding the Glory: Incarnation through the Arts' (Ed.) Jeremy Begbie (Baker Books 2000) Chapter 1 by Trevor Hart exlores something of art's transcendence. He cites RG Collingwood who regards art as a work that exists firs in the artist's imagination and then the imaginations of those who appreciate his work. It never exists physically, but is an interplay between imagination and emotion. He then turns to Kant who sees it as a 'freeplay' between imagination and understanding. Whatever philosophical debates we may have, I find his 'escaping into another world (p12) helpful as he explores Kandinsky's view of art; for whom artistic creativity is a discernment of the true meaning of a world existing beyond the artist's subjectivity.
I like what Hart says here, 'in the epiphanies which art grants us through it's transfigurations of the commonplace, we know more than is presented to us at the level of the physical or historical.'
::
I read today Colossians 3 "So if you're serious about living this new resurection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Peterson trans.) The Luminarium experience seemed to create a space of 'transfiguration' with that sense of seeing in a new way. I realise that we couldn't stay there, but it did highlight the need to pay attention to being alert to what is going on around Christ - I find that phrase interesting for therein is our mission. Not what is going pon around US, as we so often think and see, or around the church, but Christ! As we are early stages in mission on Highgate we need to be alert, look up see from Christ's perspective too. For me this means not rushing about being busy crowd pleasing, which I am all too easily tempted to do. I also think that it means exploring ways in which spaces of transfiguration, eschatological spaces can be placed throughout the community that 'transfigure the commonplace for people and offer an experience of God that causes people to look up and be transformed little by little as we go. Mmm! Lots to ponder.
transfiguration space
I read today Colossians 3 "So if you're serious about living this new resurection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Peterson trans.) The Luminarium experience seemed to create a space of 'transfiguration' with that sense of seeing in a new way. I realise that we couldn't stay there, but it did highlight the need to pay attention to being alert to what is going on around Christ - I find that phrase interesting for therein is our mission. Not what is going pon around US, as we so often think and see, or around the church, but Christ! As we are early stages in mission on Highgate we need to be alert, look up see from Christ's perspective too. For me this means not rushing about being busy crowd pleasing, which I am all too easily tempted to do. I also think that it means exploring ways in which spaces of transfiguration, eschatological spaces can be placed throughout the community that 'transfigure the commonplace for people and offer an experience of God that causes people to look up and be transformed little by little as we go. Mmm! Lots to ponder.
transfiguration space
Sunday, September 26, 2004
living the paradox
It was draining… it was energizing… it was challenging …it flowed from intense business to prayerfulness, from powerful blessings in worship, in meeting many new people and hearing their stories. I had asked myself how I would manage in the demanding chaos of Assembly, how I might find the quiet space/place.
I did. Dean Drayton (Uniting Church of Australia) was the speaker. His opening address “Which God?’ began with reference to Elijah who was addressed in a new way by God: in the silence. In exploring the reality of god in our midst he exposed Numbers 20 v1-15 [Exodus 17]. The story of Moses and Aaron in leadership, the opposition of the people and quarrelling. The story too of God’s holiness. God calls them to listen as leaders and follow instructions – take staff, gather the people; ‘speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out it’s water.’ What happens is they go out and make judgment on the people- rebels. Moses and Aaron move centre stage and the drama unfolds with great dramatic effect they strike the rock, not once, but twice and sure enough water does come. The people and animals are watered. So what was the problem? It all came good. BUT, God then says ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’ (v12).
How quick in leadership do we make judgments on the people around us?
How much in anything we do to we move to the centre of attention? Furthermore, how do we over dramatise in ways that try to sensationalise?
What was called for was TRUST: you see they trusted enough that god would give water from the rock but they had to add a bit for effect. Old habits die hard. HONOUR: giving God his right place and HOLY: the way the living reality of God provides for our need.
Living the paradox is the hard road to take. Nothing is neat, tidy. Moses was called to live in that space, but grasped it as his own. I was left with probing questions from this quiet space in the midst of much else. There were the various conversations with new people, the listening to debate. I was humbled in wrestling with many matters, but I heard and saw God’s voice in new ways in various ways that provided the ‘quiet space’ in amongst the busy-ness – live the paradox!
I did. Dean Drayton (Uniting Church of Australia) was the speaker. His opening address “Which God?’ began with reference to Elijah who was addressed in a new way by God: in the silence. In exploring the reality of god in our midst he exposed Numbers 20 v1-15 [Exodus 17]. The story of Moses and Aaron in leadership, the opposition of the people and quarrelling. The story too of God’s holiness. God calls them to listen as leaders and follow instructions – take staff, gather the people; ‘speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out it’s water.’ What happens is they go out and make judgment on the people- rebels. Moses and Aaron move centre stage and the drama unfolds with great dramatic effect they strike the rock, not once, but twice and sure enough water does come. The people and animals are watered. So what was the problem? It all came good. BUT, God then says ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’ (v12).
How quick in leadership do we make judgments on the people around us?
How much in anything we do to we move to the centre of attention? Furthermore, how do we over dramatise in ways that try to sensationalise?
What was called for was TRUST: you see they trusted enough that god would give water from the rock but they had to add a bit for effect. Old habits die hard. HONOUR: giving God his right place and HOLY: the way the living reality of God provides for our need.
Living the paradox is the hard road to take. Nothing is neat, tidy. Moses was called to live in that space, but grasped it as his own. I was left with probing questions from this quiet space in the midst of much else. There were the various conversations with new people, the listening to debate. I was humbled in wrestling with many matters, but I heard and saw God’s voice in new ways in various ways that provided the ‘quiet space’ in amongst the busy-ness – live the paradox!
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Paradox?
Having been exploring some quiet space, the next week may be rather interesting. There is constant paradox between quiet and daily interactions etc. But now it's General Assembly in Christchurch. Sitting on my cushion... listening!.... meeting new people (a good thing)... but not so sure about the physical challenge and brain deadness such times can create. Perhaps it's the clergy version of 'Survivor' ... in fact... would it make a contribution the the mass of reality TV shows ?- Big Brother... Average Joe Hawaii... or whatever!
Anyway, perhaps such thoughts might privately entertain at some stage. I have a seminar to give as well and am looking forward to interaction between Scottish church plant story/ lessons and how folks engage with it. I hope to get some insights. Martin and I are also meeting up with Steve Taylor ( a good blog to follow - http://emergentkiwi.org.nz) while up there and looking forward to sharing together.
Off then to the twilight zone, entering the paradox... so long as it isn't 'lineland' and hopefully it will be a chance to go beyond Flatland dimensions. It does have a mission theme - we live in h0pe.
Anyway, perhaps such thoughts might privately entertain at some stage. I have a seminar to give as well and am looking forward to interaction between Scottish church plant story/ lessons and how folks engage with it. I hope to get some insights. Martin and I are also meeting up with Steve Taylor ( a good blog to follow - http://emergentkiwi.org.nz) while up there and looking forward to sharing together.
Off then to the twilight zone, entering the paradox... so long as it isn't 'lineland' and hopefully it will be a chance to go beyond Flatland dimensions. It does have a mission theme - we live in h0pe.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Quiet Place...
The Quiet Place
‘The Quiet Place’ though was the overall title of the exhibition. Not surprisingly through her art Leanne is perhaps wrestling to that end and provided opportunity for those who cared in passing to discover for themselves.
The past week I have had occasion to be challenged to begin thinking about a ‘quiet place’ a place to stand, so to speak, with Christ. (The Maori word is Turangawaewae)
As I walk about and discover more about where we have arrived our sense of place is getting stronger… we no longer drive past the same house having taken a round trip by mistake. More seriously though the need to find the quiet place is important and I’m getting there with that. Don’t misunderstand I don’t mean it purely in the sense that it’s that get away from it all ‘escapism’. (My friend Craig Williams has written some reflections from his Sabbatical recently that may add to this for you, if you care to - Lewis and Spiritual Awareness http://tabletalk.typepad.com)
Some people are down shifting from the ‘rat race’ to the ‘mouse race’. As Christians we need to find again, recover the quiet means God has given us in Sabbath as a means to sustain ourselves in the world and enjoy it! Furthermore, to discover in the midst the quiet place where it may mean some solitude, but also the sort of quiet place that actually drives us out into the world as witness, martyrs, missionaries who will put our life in the line as much as our words. Some of the places that strike me as ‘quiet places’ just for me to go and at times for others to share in are the beaches around here, the botanic gardens. But I also had coffee in yet another new coffee place with someone. It too a place that would allow for some conversation with others, as it’s ambience connected for me as a quiet place.
We’ve been in huge transition lately. But my life in recent years has been overhauled anyway and I’ve been discovering and trying to learn more about what it means to take seriously Matthew 10 ‘You are the equipment’ (Peterson trans.) in/for ministry. In the past few months we’ve worked really intensely on the Highgate Mission. This past week both congregations were unanimous in pursuing our mission task. So we will become one parish by the New Year and we give thanks for this mandate and vision to begin taking some risks with God.
No doubt there is expectation to perform, to act and get going. It’s a real temptation and yet as we wrestle that one, I know I struggle personally to find the quiet place that allows me (and others) to discover God’s purposes and directions and ‘stay tuned’ to the Spirit. However, this doesn’t just mean sitting back and doing nothing, I actually think that a vital part of mission is the need to BE the quiet place for people today, rather than understand mission as a frantic busy DOING/ACTING all the time. So thank you Leanne for art that help gather some reflections from the past wee while.
How can the church be the quiet place in mission?
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Beyond Flatland
Wanaka
Love this photo that I think just captures New Zealand.... our new home. We've been in New Zealand now for 5 months. It's been truly amazing! So many new experiences. There hasn't been too much culture shock coming down here from Aberdeen, Scotland. UK. After all, as I am daily reminded, this is the "Edinburgh of the South". But there is a great deal to find your way with and come to terms with. Even in such a short period though, we have experienced wonderful hospitality and friendship. We've ejoyed soaking up the scenery of course too. While it has snowed, days are generally brighter. Big blue skies, whispy clouds and some warmth.... spring is on its way again too!
Now here in Dunedin, on the Highgate we are seeking to create new spaces/places for critical exchange with the community.
And so I want to start this blog to explore and reflect on the journey beyond flatland and as Abbott hoped for (somewhat paraphrased and adapted) ::
Love this photo that I think just captures New Zealand.... our new home. We've been in New Zealand now for 5 months. It's been truly amazing! So many new experiences. There hasn't been too much culture shock coming down here from Aberdeen, Scotland. UK. After all, as I am daily reminded, this is the "Edinburgh of the South". But there is a great deal to find your way with and come to terms with. Even in such a short period though, we have experienced wonderful hospitality and friendship. We've ejoyed soaking up the scenery of course too. While it has snowed, days are generally brighter. Big blue skies, whispy clouds and some warmth.... spring is on its way again too!
::
We had spent the past 6 and half years church planting in Cove (Aberdeen, Scotland). And what great years they were. That was perhaps the beginning of what has been a journeying to new dimensions of personal faith, church, mission and more. And it continues. Having undertaken an immense move, as a family to the other side of the world to pursue some mission in the PCANZ, in particular the Highgate Mission with my friend Martin, it has been and continues to be 'a stirring adventure' in faith.
::
In Cove I had started to consider the importance of the spatial dynamic to mission and the significance of place. Such thinking started from a small book written in 1880's by Edwin Abbott Abbott: Flatland: A romance in many dimensions. Its about maths, its a social critique of his day and describes the rules of society in it's 2 dimensions. However the square is taken to Spaceland where he sees the amazing 3 dimensional aspects of a new world. He then begins to image other dimensions and speaks of that 'more spacious space' beyond. On return to Flatland all that happens is, his radical thinking and speaking place him in prison and cherishing - thoughtland. Anyway, it stimulated me to begin think of the 'emergent' scene as a setting out beyond flatland to the spacious places. I want to learn more of what this means not just in thoughtland, but in practical terms to live in the beyond , in the in-between places.
Now here in Dunedin, on the Highgate we are seeking to create new spaces/places for critical exchange with the community.
And so I want to start this blog to explore and reflect on the journey beyond flatland and as Abbott hoped for (somewhat paraphrased and adapted) ::
so that we may aspire yet higher and higher,
thereby contributing to the enlargement
of the imagination and the possible
development of missionary churches::
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