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!

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.

Quiet Place...

The Quiet Place

Tonight I went to see an opening exhibition at the Rosslyn Gallery (Dunedin) with art by Leanne Trbuhovic. Throughout the varied works was a sense of quiet reflectiveness and serenity. In fact there was almost an angelic iconography in the faces of these ‘angels’. Other works showed a bud about to burst in hope of spring perhaps, while some reflected the subtlety of a Christian message with a simple Cross and text from John 15 just perceptible. One offered an artistic impression of Trinity which indeed did draw you in.
‘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?

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!

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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.

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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::