Pentecost... What is going on here?

Today was the culmination of Waiting on Pentecost for us. At our Roslyn worship hub we had a beautifully covered table with swaiths of colourful cloths. The whole service was put in a series of envelopes and people simply had to select this and we did whatever it said. It was a wonderful time as people selected and came in excitement to see what would be done next. We had people play music and read and pray. We had a new song from Brazil with a great rhythm! Participation at all levels and what was happening next hightened our sense of Pentecost. Colourful streamers and pingpong balls with attached streamers to throw at the very end of the praise songs and praise shout!

I preached from under a colourful umbrella a reminder of the puring out of the spirit and life now lived as Christians and as a Church under the umbrella of the Spirit. However, it doesn't work inside where we are safe warm, etc. it is about being sent out! Should have had an umbrella for everyone to go with, especially since it was pretty wet out today.

We had our gathering lunch to follow. Conversation covered several things, but most of all we were concerned with ways in which we as a church lived and moved and witnessed in the public spaces of the communities we are part of. All part of our overcoming of how we perceive gospel and culture's interaction. Only as we live as if it were threat do we build barriers and walls. Yet our sentness as a church means travelling light under the umbrella of the Spirit over us and in us. This will be an ongoing thing for us to now build upon. What IS going on here?
Paul Fromont I see has written this (below) and it struck me as relevant to us here.

I found myself asking, time and time again: “what is gospel,
what is good news in these contexts?” “What would it look, feel, sound, taste,
and smell like to embody gospel in these contexts?” And, “where was the Spirit
at work; where are there hints of gospel?”
The other big questions to reflect on is: “what is it that alienates, isolates, and victimises us in relation to each other; what is the place of the “powers” in this process?” And, “Who is my neighbour, and how do I love my neighbour as myself?”
Henri Nouwen writes:
“…Beneath all the great accomplishments of our time there is
a deep current of despair. While efficiency and control are the great
aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and
intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression,
and a deep sense of uselessness fills the hearts of millions of people in our
success-orientated world… And the cry that [so often] arises from [the
hollow and empty places of our lives] is clearly: ‘Is there anybody who loves
me? Is there anybody who really cares?...Is there anybody who wants to be with
me when I am not in control, when I feel like crying? Is there anybody who can
hold me and give me a sense of belonging?’ From In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (pp. 33-34)

Waiting on Pentecost...10

Day 10. Ephesians 2 v19-22

'Embrace is grace.' (M. Volf, Exclusion and Embrace, p147)

Insider-outsider language prevails so much in many spheres. Within the church such language is surely inadequate it leads to terms such as OUT-reach being used without much thought for the image this conveys. Yet read passages such as this Ephesians text and there is an intensity about the ways in whch the cross breaks barriers and joins us together and gets us to embrace; outsiders are no ooinger outsiders and in a sense insiders no longer insiders.

Organisational theory uses the term autopoiesis to convey an understanding that the environment is to be seen as a part of the system because it is an essential part of the interactions. That is, easch element simultaneously combines the maintenance of itself with that of the others.
Its a bit like seeing a tree in an orchard and recognising that the weather, the soil and the wider orchard all play a part in its growth. They are part of the system to be considered. The tree adjusts and grows accordingly. hence the inner rings will be larger or smaller for instance due to the season it has had.

To begin thinking in such a way forces us to address barriers and a radical change to our thinking and behaviour. What if we were to allow Christ to shape our identity as God's people not determined by social, cultural divisions, but to be a glimpse of and experience of embrace.
What are we so afraid of in the world, societies and cultures we are part of in the environment?

Waiting on Pentecost...9

Day 9. romans 15 v1-13

When you see a job needing done what do you do?

What does servanthood mean for us in truly practical terms?

Paul challenges us today not simply to do what is 'convenient for us.', it isn't about our status and little power plays. Move beyond such things We are rather called upon to look after the good of all those aorund us, asking ourselves " How can I help?'

Seems to me that is the nub and rubbing question we need to keep asking ourselves daily.
In the midst of a society where people tends to express and act according to what is good for me and stuff you sort of ways, I wonder what we might begin to look like and witness to. As Paul also says here "Just think of all the scriptures that will come true in what we do!'
Such service is like the overflowing and brimming over of the hope of Christ within us.

So when we see a need, will we lend a hand? looking after the good of those around us.

Waiting on Pentecost...8

Day 8. Matthew 9.35 - 10.15

Become what you believe was our heading for the day.This, I confess, is a key text that has shaped my missionary calling and one to which I constantly return. It concerns sending out.... no big fund raising..."you don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, all you need to keep you going is three meals a day. Travel light.'

These are words that run deep for me, but the more I consider the church in mission, I long for us to travel light, to realise that beyond all else, it is people who are the equipment.

Last night the girls and I went to hear Julian Lloyd-Webber play cello at the Town Hall as part of his NZ concerts with the NZSO. We had great seats and it was a wonderful experience. As I listened, but also as I observed him play, he had no music score, but cliche as it is, he was so much at one with the instrument and lost in that musical zone with the whole orchestra as it played. It was his attention to the instrument, equipment- the little glances up at the conductor, over and around the orchestra as they played together. There appeared such a simplicity, though it was far from it. And of course the years of practice and just sheer giftedness made it an amazing experience to hear him play live. I believe that there was an attentiveness among other things here that teach us something of our part in the church as equipment, each with our particular gifts as part of the whole body and making our unique contribution.

Still travelling light....

Waiting on Pentecost ...7

Day 7. Romans 12

Tonight at Caim we had a Pentecost gathering. We heard the text and people were invited in quiet time to come write up what God may be saying to us on a board(they could write a word, phrase or draw)

Romans 12 seemed to gather some things up: a firm reminder of God in Jesus as central and our all in all, that changed from inside out as we embrace what God has done for us, we are the body and we should just get on with what we are made to be, rather than seek to be something else we are not. There were some quite profound
We concluded with an act of placing ourselves before God. If they wished to come forward and kneel. A prayer was said over each and others could join in laying on hands.

‘As you place yourself before God now,
God to enfold you,
Christ to touch you,
the Spirit to surround you this night and always. Amen.’

There was a waiting around last night that was unrushed.
some comments:
‘Changed from the inside out’;
‘do not be afraid’ ;
‘let go… God will catch you’
‘forgive’
‘see things from another point of view’
‘Bless your enemies and then the sandpaper helping to make things smoother’
‘Lover to the poor, lover to the lost,
Lover to the down hearted
Do these things by the strength, direction, love and ability of your Father.’

Waiting on Pentecost...6

Day 6. 1 Corinthians 12 v1-13

Some stuff we need to know basically. 'Concerning spiritual gifts...' They needed some help to understand the 'body' of Christ and how it worked.

Body building was the image that came to mind on reading this text. But actually, that soesn't completely help, because I recall visiting a gym years back and all you saw were those huge mirrors and people looking at themselves as they flexed their muscles on the weights.
Rather, I think Paul may prefer some exercise that isn't so self-centred. I also think that the nature and purpose of spiritual gifts for the building up of the body is intended in such a way that there are deeper matters such as respecting each other simply because we are 'members of the same body', not because of our particular gifts. Sometimes we are in danger of cur=bing otrhers gifts because we have such a body-building image that is so focussed upon the 'ME' alone sort of stuff, whereas my gifts are only any use when placed alongside others as a whole. When the body of the church exercises in this way the body is built up and made more and more complete as there is space and room and need for other parts still to be added.

1 Corinthians 12:
Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.
All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.
12-13You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you're still one body. It's exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive.

Waiting on Pentecost...5

Day 5. 1 Corinthians 3.

You are God's HOUSE

Just because you're in the kitchen and I'm in the hall doesn't mean we are not at the same party.

(from Small ritual)

Quality foundations are important. But these are the sort of things that take time and involve patience and a standing back at times, as much as participating in just the right ways too. Paul in this text uses a couple of images one being farming and the other building. are we content in our role in the house on the farm? What if I do all the land tilling and another sowing and then someone else comes along and waters it and gets all the benefits and glory of the growth and fruit? Similarly, digging foundations, hard labour... someone else builds on it. In my own expereince I recall several of us in church plants being asked a question to take away and ponder - what oif you were to be called away tomorrow to another place; could you leave? Initially there were plenty reasons for saying No way! so much to do... but then a dawning. I learnt to be content in what I was called to do and do that well, to my utmost... walk away then ? Well yes and content while hpeful that the sower and waterer would do their part well too.

Some other thoughts though reminded me of Small Ritual where there's some interesting stuff that will stimulate in this way more. check it out. The Nolli Plan for one.

Waiting on Pentecost...4

Day 5. 1 corinthians 12:1-13

Today Sunday we met for a gathering time. Over some lunch we chatted informally about the texts we had read and reflected upon so far. Nothing clever, but actually some rich depth of insights were shared. But what was also striking was the chance for people to grow closer and get to know one another better. It was encouraging to hear this expressed too.
I was especially struck by 2 stories. One of a hippie group of young people who came along to a church folks had previously been part of. Half naked they came week after week. Nop one in the church saiud anything nor reacted in shock, until one day the same folks all arrived wearing ties etc. they had been testing the church out and in time many came to key leadership positions and more. They played a part in the building up of that body in all its varied diverse parts. wonderful! What a challenge? I wonder how we would measure up?
I also was struck by another sharing of how they see thoose Christians who have impressed them, they admire and who have had some imprint on thier faith, would be those who have a gentle wisdom and manner. Added to this another spoke in terms of people who made or had 'room' in their lives for others out of the roominess they themselves know abiding in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They were speaking in ways of what it is then to live the life and learn widom from God.
So we broke bread and shared such things, we heard personal stories too and there was an encouraging of each other that was so simple. We then prayed for Highgate Mission and wider.
next Gathering time will be at Wednesday nights Caim.

Waiting on pentecost 3...

Day 3. 1 Corinthians 2

Once on the ‘firm spiritual ground’ (seems to relate to our earlier reading reflections too) Paul speaks of wisdom

but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that
will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that
goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on
the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God
determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived
on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan
is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life
on a cross. (The Message)

Strikes me that we, and as the Church, are all too often in the last decade or so turned on by the sort of wisdom that is fashionable, popularist, trendy and high priced. Such simulated faith though is all surface while he points and directs us to a Godly wisdom that is none of these, it is ‘Old’ and ‘goes deep into the interior of his purposes’. Now that is really something! Taught us in a personal way through Jesus Christ. Seems to me that we need to spend more time in such relationship and lessons than in seeking to be too clever or smart in our own terms with ‘fancy mental and emotional footwork’. In step with the Spirit we learn so much deeper things – this is wisdom –ears to hear and eyes to see and a knowing therefore what to do. The mind of Christ in us!

The way to this is by learning to indwell scripture, taking time daily to place ourselves there and wait so that in turn we live it out. Our wisdom will excite us, but...how far will it get us. Recently I have been reading Hans Urs von Balthasar and related books. Balthasar notes that often a Christian's whole life can be seen as living out just one verse of scripture. This can be vital to our calling/vocation as we revisit the text again and again and keep finding new dimensions to it. In this way we inhabit the text and it us.

What texts have shaped or are shaping you ? (providing that firm spiritual ground for missionary calling.)

You might like to visit Steve Taylor (Wednesday 25th May) who is asking -

What are the Scriptures that have shaped your emerging mission? What are the texts that have "read" you and formed who you are becoming in this postmodern culture ?

Waiting on Pentecost... 2

From yesterday… ANSWER- The man had hiccups. The barman recognised this from his speech and drew the gun in order to give him a shock. It worked and cured the hiccups - so the man no longer needed the water.

This puzzle has claims to be the best of the genre. It is simple in its statement, absolutely baffling and yet with a completely satisfying solution. Most people struggle very hard to solve this one yet they like the answer when they hear it or have the satisfaction of figuring it out.
It is a simple puzzle to state but a difficult one to solve. It is a perfect example of a seemingly irrational and incongruous situation having a simple and complete explanation. [from -mycoted]

I think so many things can be this way in life- left staring up at the sky too often and consumed about the wrong things, asking the wrong questions. Take yourself to the space/place of waiting and receive in order to share the good news to the ends of the earth. The answer again is so simple!

Day 2. Galatians 5:13-26

The film “Shall we dance” with Richard Gere and J-Lo sees a middle aged man drawn to a dance class with others as beginners. Dancing with the Stars too has highlighted a renewed dance craze. It isn’t easy to begin to learn the steps, to be ‘led’ in time to the rhythm of the music. There seems to much to co-ordinate with your body. In the film J-Lo takes Gere and shows something of the freedoms within the constraints of the steps and the music to give expression to that freedom and the deeper ‘passion’ evoked in the rhythms/beats. Gradually he and the other ‘2-left footers’ truly learn to dance. It becomes something from deep in their soul.
Strikes me that to be free as a Christian, to be empowered in life in the Spirit to live and walk and keep in step with the Spirit, then there are some ‘dance’ lessons I need to learn the steps to begin with (The Greek for 'walk' used here concerns ‘keeping in line, in tune, in step with), but then it goes deeper, there is a fruitfulness – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. All of these are of the essence of the Christ-like life in us and expression of faith in every Christian.
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit”

Waiting on Pentecost...1

We provide a simple daily text and Psalm for those who wish across Highgate. Last month our breakfast congregation (B@tch) held a day of prayer. I thought that this time we'd raise our prayer focus by waiting on Pentecost as a combination of daily reading and contemplation and Sunday lunches and Caim time Wednesdays.

Day 1. Acts 1:6-11 - the pattern is wait - receive - share.

one of the questions we asked how this pattern might change our life pattern, our church ? Probably like most I had a busy day. It is not easy to have such a pattern in your life in the face of all that is thrown at you, bombardments and all. It is especially hard for churches to exhibit this in the experience of decline and its atached crises. In this Acts instance a question is asked, but Jesus reply says 'it is not for you to know..." In other words some things are just not in our control and we needen't get worried or try and manage/control them. Rather, Jesus speaks of giving the Spirit; it is wisdom therefore to have a relationship, for this relationship will take us beyond ourselves and further than we could manage.

Left staring at the sky, fixated... their first task now was to wait. Many assume waiting means doing nothing and empty headed, no brain or energy life. that is not so. Waiting is a discipline that sets us in the right place in relation to God that we might receive and so go and share. Simply put. At Caim this week we read Colossians 2:20-3:5 (and went back to Col.1 as well) I think Paul gives expression to where we should be placed in relationship to Christ (see below)

Came across this as a teaser - have a think and I'll post again the answer, so that you get the lesson too.

A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says 'Thank you' and walks out.

:: ::

We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
21-23You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.(Message Trans)

20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this
world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
21"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? ... 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (NIV)