When the Apostle Paul planted new churches, he would find a leader, teach a group the truth about Jesus very intentionally for a short or a longer time, commission leaders and then move on.  He wrote them letters responding to their theological and pastoral needs and requests and some of them he managed to visit again.  Sometimes it was a disaster, often not.  This was enough, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to spread and establish faith in Jesus across the world.

Not much of a plan was it?

Golly, when I think how we control and micro-manage and presume things will run off the rails if we don’t sit on them.  What would St Philips look like if there were no “ordained” leaders?  What would you do?  What would you need to take more responsibility for the spiritual life of the community?  You never know, the day may come.

Because “we are who we are”, you will not be abandoned to your own devices.  It is a pleasure to welcome Peter and Christine Brain who will be taking my place for the next ten weeks. (We supported Peter and Christine’s son, Matthew, a pastor in Kalbarri several years ago.) Peter was born and trained in Sydney, moved to the west for over a decade serving in Waneroo and Maddington before going east once more and concluding his full-time ministry as Bishop of Armidale.  He and Christine have” been there and done that”!  I would love to serve alongside Peter and am thrilled he will be your pastor in my absence.

In my job I am constantly aware of my deficiencies – not in a self-critical way; deficiencies in the sense that “we are who we are”.  Most of us would like to have traits and strengths that we just do not have.  As a result we lead, teach, pastor, disciple in the way our character and gifting dictates.  My character and gifting lacks some hues of the spectrum and shines with others.  I often giggle to myself when someone says after the same sermon on a Sunday, “That talk will change my life forever, Vicar!” and someone else says, “I had absolutely no idea what you were on about.  Half an hour wasted!”

We are who we are.

I am excited because Peter will bring you a freshness, a difference, a passion, character and gifting all his own and undoubtedly very different from mine.  I expect to come back to a different church to the one I am leaving and I welcome that.  We will miss you and pray for you AND we do love and appreciate you.

Remember, when the cat is away the mice should have a good old play – for good and in loving service of our great God and King and one another.

Until July 23rd – over to you Peter!

Blessings

Malcolm

Step back out into the filling areas. There he is, straight ahead, face covered in gravel rash. Raw meat looking at me. His eyes are large, rimmed with red, watering, and blue. Pale blue. There is a blob of green pus on the inside corner of his eye.
“Have you got some money?” he asks. 
“I’ll buy you some food,” I say. 
He shakes his head. I stand firm. 
“Must be something you’ll eat?”
“I’ll eat cereal,” he says. 
I want to show him some respect.
“Come with me,” and I lead the way back into the bright neon shop.

As we enter, a man and woman in business clothes turn to me, their faces contorting.
“You can’t bring him in .. what do you think you’re doing?..  don’t give him…..”.  They are almost shouting. Their eyes are glaring, they are confronted, hating us. If those eyes could spit….!  What are they afraid of? I have crossed some unspoken boundary.

I walk peacefully across their line of sight. The man with blue eyes bends over a shelf and grabs a supersize cereal collection and a bag of white sugar.  I feel upset – he’s eating junk! 

“Like a pie?” I ask.
“Don’t eat meat,” he says and crosses himself ostentatiously – a huge cross, top of head to navel, across both shoulders. 
“Like some milk?” I ask. He shakes his head and confronts a quiet Asian businessman with a kind face who comes in the door, holds out his hand for money. The businessman makes a quiet gesture with his hand. As I pay for the cereal, Blue Eyes goes back outside to beg.

I walk out, he is standing there, face so wounded.
“What is your name?” I say.
“Naphtali,” he says.  I am excited.
“One of the original tribes of Israel!” I say. We shake hands firmly.  “Yes, I’m Jewish”, he says. 

As we stand together, the Asian businessman comes by with a smile, puts a $10 note and a few coins in Naphtali’s hand.  He is gentle, discreet.  Naphtali leaves me, hurrying back into the bright lights of the shop. 

What a large barrier is made by a wounded face and red-rimmed eyes. What were they afraid of – that he might want their treasure?

Perhaps they were afraid he might want something more important – heavenly treasure: their help, their compassion, their understanding, a connection – a connection they couldn’t control that might be uneconomical, messy, disturbing, unsafe.  Just like love.

 Judith Dowson

For instance, this week on Tuesday night  over 60 women enjoyed a fantastic evening at St Philips, “encouraging one another all the more as Jesus’ return draws near”.

Then on Wednesday morning another group headed up to the Civic Centre at first light to join me in the annual ANZAC Service.

And, there’s a lot on today at St Philips – a lot of doing!

Firstly, we welcome Michael Stuart from Bush Church Aid. BCA make sure that Christ is present and proclaimed in places that otherwise would not have the resources.

The Potts’ had a great time in Newman in the 1990’s as part of a BCA church.  We all helped run things on Sundays and then would line up the ‘4 wheel drives’ and bash our way out to a pristine water hole somewhere in the ancient Pilbara wilderness.  A great way to support one another spiritually and reach out to others.

And also today, we welcome James and Jane Duff and Willow, Angus and Hugh Duff!  “I hope you have fun looking at us. I am sure you will remember today as a once in a lifetime “weird or surreal” experience.  We welcome you as you consider us and we consider you.”

There are many at St Philips very excited to see and welcome the Duff family. Make sure you join in a cuppa straight after church and meet James and Jane and the boys.

Then, when you we finish morning tea, why not join our Annual Meeting?! We may as well make a real morning of it.  Please come and affirm the elected leaders of this fine community.  Join with me at that meeting in praying for them as they step forward to serve you for the next year.

Congratulations to the 120 who chose to enrol as Members this year.  We know many choose not to and respect that.  For those who have, we welcome your input and participation as you exercise your influence.

I know talking to some of you that your lives too are deeply entwined in what is happening next – houses, gardens, families, kids, grand kids and pets, bookings and sorting.  A lot on!

So……what does all this mean to Jesus?  What would Jesus make of your busy life and mine?

We all know that “busyness can be barren”, though it doesn’t have to be. Where is my heart? Where am I abiding? Where am I recharging? These are the questions I ask myself.  I am much tougher on myself around these questions than on how much I should, ought or need to be doing. That comes naturally, abiding doesn’t!

(cont on back page….)

I go to God/ bible/space/prayer/nature.  If my “doing” is out of balance with my “being” I will become barren.

 When Jesus says in John 12, “Those who serve me must follow me”, it is easy to get caught up by the “serving”.  Jesus is interested in the “following”.  How do I know? Because of the next thing he says; “where I am, that’s where my follower will BE!

Are you where Jesus is?  Or are you just “doing stuff”?

Blessings

Malcolm

I love her matter-of-factness. She is a realist. We live here and she lives way over there; that’s just how God would have it to her. If she can do something she does it; if she can’t do it, she doesn’t. The other day she decided her front garden was a bit mangy so she ripped all the shrubs out, rang Cheryl, and is on track for a complete replanting. A month ago her poor sister said she’d  love to see the UK one last time  before she dies so mum, who doesn’t like overseas travel much, arranged and paid for a three-week trip for them both. She has also taken to widowhood bravely, though I know she feels very isolated at times.  She’s a game bird! I love and respect her.

I am very fortunate to have a Christian mum who models the faith.

She models the faith to me in other vital ways. She  believes the bible. She believes the bible about resurrection. She believes the here and now is not all there is – and she lives like it. She’s busy giving my inheritance away to all and sundry. “Its only money,” she says. She sent me a page with who is who last week: who her doctor, lawyer, accountant is, all the account numbers and so on. “Just in case you need them dear; I don’t want to be any trouble.”

In her view there is a seamless transition between this world and the next.  She recently got my brother and me together with an official health professional and said, “While we are all together, I want us to understand exactly what my wishes are if I am in a state where I can’t do it for myself.”

I was staggered to hear that less than one person in one hundred is proactive in communicating their wishes to family regarding their last days. It’s off the record because we don’t see death as good or even inevitable. I wonder if your faith makes any difference to you in this?

As Christians we have new life in Christ now and then. Do you believe that and live like it? Why? Why not?

Take time to read 1 Corinthians 15 right through. Take heart and courage and be prepared to be inspired. Perhaps you need to have “family chat” about some important issues?

Blessings

Malcolm

I was trying to explain to Malcolm one day how God showed how much He belonged in my workplace. I pulled out a rather tattered bit of paper with about 200 words on it and said that this is where I run to so often and God reassures me that He IS with me. 

The words on the paper were not mine or scripture but a written prayer. Being Pentecostal this was a bit confronting for me. However, when I read the words it felt like they were written on my heart and God wanted me to invite Him to join with me in my workplace.

The man who gave them to me was a successful academic lawyer, relocated to UWA from central Africa. For about two years his life was in turmoil: Every paper he presented was rejected, projects failed, he struggled to get students to his lectures. Gradually things changed because one day he cried out asking His Heavenly Father to help him, guide him and anoint him for the tasks ahead. He invited God to be with him in the workplace and made a space for him.

I thought I would try it. Over the years, I have pulled out this tattered bit of paper when my mind was feeling fragmented with 20,000 different demands on it and as I leapt into my car or threw myself onto a plane, I would STOP and make a space for My Heavenly Father and spend 45 seconds reflecting on these words….

My Heavenly Father, I ask for Your presence to be with me today in this workplace. I seek Your peace, grace, mercy and perfect order in this office. I acknowledge Your power over all that will be spoken, thought and done within this workplace.

Lord, I thank You for the gifts you have blessed me with. I commit to using them responsibly in Your honour. Please give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job. Anoint my projects, ideas and energy so that even the smallest accomplishment will bring You glory.

Lord, when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energise me. When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of Your Holy Spirit. May the work that I will do and the way I will do it, bring faith, joy and a smile to all that I will come into contact with today. Bless my family and relationships to be in Godly order.

Lord, I thank You for everything You have done, everything You are doing and everything You are going to do in my career. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray with much love and thanksgiving.

What God did was enter my space and fill  me with His peace in busyness, His steadiness in turmoil. So often I did (do) feel as though God was (is) giving me the words to say in tough negotiations or when presenting something complex to an audience.

Yes, God knows where He fits in the workplace. Just ask Him to be there.

Blessings and joy

Margaret

If Christmas is about peace on earth and goodwill to all people, what is Easter about?

I was reading the account of Jesus’ death in Matthew’s gospel the other day and all manner of things are reported as happening – extra normal things: Earthquake, total solar eclipse, temple curtains collapsing to the ground, ghost- like figures of great sages and saints being seen in and around Jerusalem.  If it were a Star Wars movie it would be described as a disturbance in The Force.

If Christmas is about the coming of The Prince of Peace, Easter is about that same Prince bringing his kingdom into being.  How?  Through disturbance!  Jesus is the Great Disturber.  In the gospel reading for Good Friday Jesus’ accusers argue for the death penalty.  On what grounds? That he “stirs up the people”.

If you are unwilling to have the living God disturb your status quo you probably won’t like Jesus.  You’ll blame the church but it’s Jesus you’ll really have the problem with.

Why does Jesus disturb us?  The bible is unequivocal: He does it because he loves us.  Why do parents stir up their kids to make their beds, get part-time jobs, study hard, contribute around the home, be civil, caring, fair, honourable, truth-telling etc.?  Because we love our kids.  And whether we know it or not, we want them to mirror God-like characteristics.  Our kids need the stress and tension of responsibility; they need to be disturbed – not coddled – just like we do!

The fact is, however hard we work at guarding ourselves from divine disturbance, it just does not work.  I have been astounded at the deeply challenging things the good people of Cottesloe have to negotiate and endure.  Being low-profile, under the radar and “good” doesn’t protect us from anything much.  We still find ourselves out of control and often drawing on brute basic instincts to survive.

Easter teaches us that Jesus is lovingly available to us in every single out-of-control place.  How do I know that?  Three reasons:

Firstly, He’s been there! The bible tells us [Hebrews 5:8,9] that Jesus’ suffering taught him what the world is like; also who loved him and who he could trust, even to death: His heavenly Father.

Secondly, the historical claim of the Christian faith is one of divine miracle.  There is no escaping it. If Jesus did not rise from death bodily, three days after being crucified on a Roman cross, we of all people are most to be pitied, says St Paul.  Why? Because we have believed a lie and all our hopes in a death- defeating Saviour are vain.  But he did rise!  It happened. He is in control,  however out of control you feel.

Thirdly, my personal experience and that of many, many others: It is in coming to the end of ourselves and, ‘like one crying out in the wilderness’, calling for help, that God in Christ finds us, forgives us, holds us and resurrects us. He promises that.  Check out the website www.stphilips.net.au  for people’s death and resurrection stories.

Cheers in your disturbance

Malcolm

I’m a yay person!   Although along with this I certainly admit that worship with all ages together is easy to do badly and hard to do well.    BUT this doesn’t mean we should give up in the name of a quiet life!

So why should we worship all together, Liz? (“I hear you ask”)   Isn’t it better if we are hearing God’s word at an age-appropriate level?

Well, yes, if church was only about cerebral learning.  But perhaps being at church is actually about being with God and each other, learning how to love God and each other better and then doing it with God’s help.  If so, do we do this better by usually being separate or by learning to live together?

I’ve been reading a book by Lucy Moore who started ‘Messy Church’ in the UK (an all-age fresh expression of church) and she wonders why it has always been age that has been the separation point in churches.  She notes that we don’t split into groups based on such things as reading age, learning-style preference, concentration span, spiritual maturity, personality type or by whether we prefer to stay in our chairs or move around.    

She also says, “How can we best learn together how to worship God – by usually sending out one particular group of people who reflect his glory through their energy, imagination, lack of inhibitions and readiness to express awe and wonder OR by staying together and modelling worship and discipleship to each other?   Jesus’ disciples learned by listening to him but also by being close to him and living close to each other.”

Some of this thinking is one of the reasons behind our new 5 O’clock Church service on Saturdays!  We are going to have a go at worshipping all together – which won’t be without it’s challenges I’m sure – but will, I trust, also offer many blessings and opportunities to learn  from both God and each other.  Although some might wonder about lost opportunity for deeper learning, I hope such people might be downloading sermons onto ipods and participating in other learning, and also recognise the opportunity for a deep experience of God as we share and pray together and see God at work in each other.  

What will 5 O’clock church look like?    It’s still a work in progress, but there will definitely be sharing around God’s word, praying,  learning, eating together and having fun.    It’s for families but not just for families – all people, all ages are welcome!  We’d love to have you join us.

And I also look forward to some more opportunities now and then for All-age Worship on Sundays at 9.30 where we can all worship together, learn from each other and celebrate being God’s family!

With love and blessings

Liz

While the Arch claimed on radio to have been roundly misquoted, in today’s instantly-published-opinion-piece world, opinions are out there irrespective of accuracy or context. And you cannot unfold the power and majesty of 6000 years of the evolution of Christian marriage in a 10-second sound-byte.  It’s rather frustrating really!

So what about baptism?  I’m not sure if there are more or less opinions about baptism?  Perhaps we should ask the West to do a piece on what secular Australia is doing by way of rites of initiation/passage – like baptism?

My hunch is baptism would suffer from “the sound-byte challenge” much like marriage does. Does it mean the same today as it did in Jesus’ day?  What is it about?

I was talking to one of our numerous St Pips theology students this week who has an assignment due on the changes in baptism practices up until the Roman Emperor Constantine christianised the world and changed everything.  He’s discovered that baptism practices were driven by all manner of things: persecution, plagues, schisms [splits] and heresy [false teaching].  And what about baptised people who walk away from the faith?  That was a big one back then.  And rebaptism?  Another hot topic.  And who should do it?  And when? People have been elevated to sainthood and burned at the stake over questions such as these. 

Jesus was baptised by John but it was different to what we will do today; Paul denied baptising many people because it was regarded as a status thing; some Christians reckon there are two baptisms, one in water and another in the Holy Spirit.  It’s complex but seems really important.  Some back there believe, “no baptism, no heaven”!  Today it’s “no baptism, no posh school”! (Perhaps as important as no heaven??) Big issues; more than a sound-byte needed to grasp it.

Why get baptised?  The answer is, as usual, simple but hard.  People of faith get baptised because Jesus tells us to [Matthew 28:19]!  That’s it.  If you’re a Christian and you’re not baptised you are disobedient – either actively or ignorantly.  But it’s easily fixed : Come and see me and we’ll rectify the problem in no time.

If you are not a Christian and you have been baptised, what does that mean? It means that someone, knowingly or unknowingly, has cast you in the river of God’s blessing.  God is knocking at your door, perhaps even this minute. Act on it! 

Does baptism save you?  No; but it doesn’t hurt you either.  Baptism symbolises you putting your faith in Jesus. It depicts death, cleansing forgiveness and resurrection – Jesus’ work for you.  He saves you, not baptism.  Like I said, way more than a sound-byte.

In the learning Adventure

Malcolm

 PS. Did you know that only 1% of Australians give a hoot about all this stuff anyway?

After prayerfully and accountably arriving at the decision to change career direction, this year I find myself with a little more time on my hands than before. Actually, that’s not strictly true: what I have a bit more of is both flexibility and the headspace to engage with prayer. Resisting the temptation to read 101 books on prayer and intercession, I came to God and told him that I would like to learn how to pray more effectively and I asked him to lead me and teach me as he saw fit. I was conscious that I could read books, feel encouraged or condemned and actually never move forward in this area. I was also concerned to not limit how God might lead me to pray.

This week has been a week of breakthrough. In different areas of my life I have reached a point where there is absolutely nothing I can do to change certain things. For example my dad is still very sick in hospital 5 months after an operation; certain relationships are proving challenging. God’s response to my prayers has been clear – “Leave it with me.” I’ve found this an uncomfortable and yet comforting response, an invitation to trust that God is who he says he is and stop trying to control situations that are, quite frankly, beyond my control. Simple but hard, yet strangely liberating and in this place of recognised helplessness I am seeing God break through.

The situations themselves don’t seem to be changing (at least not as quickly as I think they should) but I can clearly see that he is changing and strengthening me and giving me the grace to trust him. Let’s be clear, this is a daily, sometimes hourly choice and at times feels too hard.

The really cool thing is what else is happening almost on the side as I relinquish control to God. He has given me words of knowledge about eyes that are impaired or torsos that are aching and, as I stepped out and prayed for these things,  people have been healed…just like in the Bible!!! A non-Christian friend calmly announced the other week that she would like to read the Bible with me, so we’re reading Matthew together and God is meeting both her and me in that place. In a particularly tumultuous week, friends and strangers alike have commented on the sense of peace that I seem to carry. 

In all of this, all I can say is “Praise God!!!” I know beyond doubt that it is he who is at work in me and is transforming me. And I know that I have done nothing, other than to come to him and surrender.

In prayer

Disie

This was not some insidious plot by evil people; this was just good people doing what they thought was right but I was so-oo frustrated.

I have often wished that frustration was one of the Holy Spirit’s fruit, but it isn’t. Have you ever read Paul’s list of the Spirit’s fruit(Galatians 5)?  The inner characteristics of love, joy and peace express themselves outwardly as patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness – and the clincher, self control. Ha! Paul also lists in Galatians 5 the “fruits of the flesh” – the person following the world’s way. That was me!

My frustration this week was, on reflection, born out of a lack of control. Self control is very different from just wanting to be in control.  It’s being in control of self.

You may recall last Sunday in Mark 8, Peter proclaims that Jesus is not just the messenger of God’s salvation plan, he is the Christ, the giver and executor of the plan. Then Jesus (Mark 8:31) spells the plan out plainly: relinquishing control, suffering, misunderstanding, judgment, shameful death – but three days later, resurrection.

Peter decides Jesus’ plan sucks and tells him so.  Jesus says, “Peter, that’s Satan-thinking”.

I sat in my frustration with a member of the Parish Council who helped me process my Satan-thinking. After a while I saw it clearly. It was as though Jesus was saying to me,

“Bit frustrated are you? It won’t do you
 any good. You said you want to be my disciple but I’m not sure you do?”

“What do you mean?”, says I.

“Discipleship and real freedom start with denying yourself not having a plonker when things don’t go your way. Who are your eyes on?”

“Me and my situation I suppose!”

“No kidding. Your frustration is just control denied. This is your cross today. If you’re my disciple, pick it up!” 
(Mexican standoff ensues.)

“Ok, if I stop sulking (coz I was) and pick it up, what’s in it for me?” 

“You’ll only know that if you pick it up.”

Well, I’m not sure if I picked up my cross or laid down my right to control, take offence and feel irritated and frustrated but something inside me just gave up – gave up the right to hold on to my right.

“Now follow me,” Jesus said.

The result was that the frustration (believe me or not) in an instant, stopped being my problem. It was as though Jesus took it and said, “Don’t you worry about that; that belongs to me. Now you just get with my programme and follow me”. Very strange but very true.

This is when preaching is fun: when you preach Mark 8 and it’s just what the preacher needs to hear. (See, it is all about me after all.)

With you in your adventure.

Malcolm

Firstly, a privilege to host Peter Adam last Sunday.  Peter has been so influential for so long in my life.  It delights me that if he is ‘chalk’, I am ‘cheese’, yet I have devoured his example and wisdom and teaching most of my Christian life. Do you have any Peters?  If you do, I think  it’s worth telling them what they mean to you.

Peter challenged me with four statements:

1: ‘My times are in your hand’ – For such a time as this I have a God who knows and loves and cares about me totally.  Every hair on my greying head matters to him; in him everything past, present and future holds together.  What can people do to you when you are so intimately God’s?

2: ‘For such a time as this’ – What is this time in my life? Is there something happening that God is presenting to me at this time as his opportunity?  Am I open to him in it?  Do I believe my ‘now’ is ordained by Him?

3: ‘Hope lies amidst the ruin of our expectations.’ – Where does my hope lie?  What are my expectations of myself, of you?  What does success look like to me and to God? Are we likely to embrace the ruins of our lives as the place where God is working or is wanting to work?  God’s hope is an assurance that we belong to him, that we are redeemed and that we will be with him in glory forever.  Where is your ‘hope’?

4: ‘The future [yours and mine] is as bright as the promises of God’ – This statement was made by a missionary about to be murdered by Burmese tribes people.  I don’t think I have dwelt on the promises of God quite as long as this missionary. Have you?  What is a promise of God you hang on to?  Do you really believe God keeps his promises?  Have you experienced him being true to his word?  Worth sharing, I think.

Second great one came courtesy of Rod Eagleton.  A Fin Review article entitled Why the World Needs Religion by Jonathan Sachs.

In the 19th century smart people thought religion was going to die out.  But it didn’t and it hasn’t. In fact, quality research indicates unequivocally that in the USA, “There is no good deed ….that is practised more by secular Americans than by their religious counterparts.”  It is people of faith “who turn up, get involved and lead – and the margin of difference between them and secular Americans is large.”

Q: What is the best indicator of civic involvement in the US? A: That you have faith!
British research indicates the same thing. Yet religion does not provide anything today that science, technology, economics, liberal democracy, doctors, psychotherapists, pharmacology or shopping malls cannot provide.

“Why does something as superfluous as religion survive?”  Sachs asks. “Because only religion tackles ‘ultimate questions’: Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? [and I’d add, Where am I going?].  While science takes things apart to see how they work,” Sachs says, “religion puts things together to see what they mean.”

Peter’s four statements echo these questions:
1. Who am I? 2. Why am I here? 3. How should I live? 4. Where am I going?  Only your faith broaches these questions effectively.

“Faith remains the necessary gravitational force that stops us spinning off into independent [meaningless – my edit] orbits,” Sachs says. He concludes with, “A society without faith is like one without art, music, beauty or grace, and no society without faith can endure for long.”

Blessings Malcolm

This week’s musing must be read in conjunction with last week’s  in which I referred to an article from The Melbourne Anglican, written by a Baptist, entitled “Church Will Perish if We Wait For Youth to Come”. You can read it on line at http://stphilips.net.au/musings/2012/02/19/
or you might find a spare at the back of the church.

The biggest challenge with respect to engaging the next generation for Jesus is that we see the difficulties and cannot see what role the mature have to play.

To conclude, The Melbourne Anglican article makes four strategic points about engaging the younger generation.

Firstly, am I prepared to cross a barrier, sacrifice anything of myself or be inconvenienced in any way?  Because, our friend says, unless I look something like Jesus in the way I live my life out there, forget it!  And don’t use excuses! Call it what it is – I’m just not interested; it’s too hard; too scary, get lost! Now, I’m not talking about you here, that’s how I feel.  Young people terrify me!  Let’s at least have a chat about why we don’t like the thought of engaging younger people, or, if we love it, how do you do it?

Secondly, open your eyes to halfway people who work with youth – a teacher, chaplain, outreach or youth worker, even a parent who likes and appreciates you – your ‘people of peace’ [Luke 10:1-12].  Converse with them as to what they see the issues being, their issues and needs.  Is there something you can offer to “insert yourself into the scars of their world to bring life and hope”? [Cool phrase, eh?].

Thirdly, when you’ve done your pastoral surveying, bring what you have discovered – where is the need, what is lacking, is there something our parish needs now that we might be able to do?  In your small group at church, commit to sustained prayer.  What can you [plural] do that is easy; manageable; supportive?

Fourthly, have a church discussion about priorities.  Should you be spending more time outside the church investing in those that God has or seems to be leading you towards?

Let’s try and learn by talking it roud the cirle with many others how you can ‘gossip’ the good news into the new places you’ve allowed Jesus to open to you.  Connect their story and experience with God’s bigger story that includes them. If you listen well, you will hear loads of “God” touch-points. 

The good news?  I see this happening everywhere amongst you – grannies taking up RE in schools; men’s groups and bike groups including others so belonging comes before believing; Connectors and play groups making life with faith a no-brainer; grandparents making discipling the young part of their everyday life; a church that does its absolute best to welcome people.

But what about the flame spreading to youth with no Christian contact points at all?  Please talk it around.

In the Adventure.

Chicken Little [Malcolm]

There is an article in the February edition that addresses a key issue that bothers me continuously.

The attention grabbing text box reads, “Suppose I’m a local minister and our congregation is ageing. We have a few younger families, but by the time the kids reach high school, they tend to drift off. We have no youth group, and struggle to attract teens to anything we do. Without youth and young adults, we’ll eventually fade away. How could our local parish connect with youth outside our church walls?”

Despite Linda Hirst’s best efforts and Cheryl’s before her this issue keeps me awake at night. Am I alone?

The author says that the best that the best churches manage is fifty or sixty kids meeting on a Friday night with a few of their friends coming along if there is something of interest on offer.

With young people being driven by on the spot organisation, frantic school schedules, saturation media, an options focus and little or no spiritual community formation there is no ‘one size fits all’, the author says.

He then says he googled the word ‘parish’ to help him with Anglicans [he’s a Baptist, you see]. He discovers that ‘parish’ get used as shorthand for local church.  But more research reveals that ‘parish’ is a geographical unit under the care of one parish priest.  A parish, therefore, includes ALL people in that area and their cultural diversities.  The parish church seemed to be a centre for spiritual and social activities of the parish.  The building is just a focal point, the people, all of them, are the parish!

Now take an often used statement like, “How could our parish connect with youth outside our church walls?” If the parish =local church, then it’s people, not a building, so there shouldn’t be any walls.

Youth ministry [any ministry, I suppose], this chap says, is God’s people, of all ages, empowered by God’s Spirit [the parish church] taking responsibility for their local area by going to young people where they are with Jesus.  The church, he says, exists to serve the parish.  Shoring up our own numbers is never a part of it.  He says, it’s ironic that the word ‘parochial’ relates both to ‘parish’ and ‘being narrow in scope’.

I’m not sure I like this Baptist!

He says, the bottom line is Parish or Perish.  If we will not take spiritual responsibility for our own Parish we will perish and this is right, for to fail in this responsibility is to abandon the mission of God.

Now, I think we show a steady interest and spiritual concern for our parish.  There is always more to do and I would love more people to experience the ‘I’ve been rescued!” love of Jesus – but what about ‘youth’?

Let me break this author’s devastating news.  No teenagers or young adults in this generation will grace the door of St Philips as it is currently! We have nothing of interest for the myriad youth cultures out there.  Most of us don’t even know what ‘youth culture’ is?  They won’t come, so we must go! What?!

But don’t despair.  Next week my Baptist friend has some very ‘doable’ suggestions.

 Awake at Night In the Adventure

 Malcolm

The bible is a dreamer’s book. One of its biggest themes is a people looking for what is “not yet” a reality. We are a dreaming people.

This year already we have dreamt about a new evening prayer service where people who are keen for God can receive love and spiritual nourishment but can also learn and practise safely their own spiritual gifts.

Liz is dreaming about other ways for families to worship together. Excitingly, she is sharing her dream with others who are joining in.  Ask her about it.

Another person’s dream  for 2012 is simply to “come closer to God”. Simple maybe, but hard to do. This person is dreaming about how to do this  because they know everything that matters comes out of the level to which they are successful in coming closer to God.

Someone else shared a dream about encouraging the spiritual growth of women in our community. The way groups of men and women come together to learn and pray and support one another through life is really something and encourages me greatly.

One woman even shared a dream of converting a section of the hall to become much more like a lounge room but still maintain its flexibility. What a great dream to make sharing life and faith easier.

Another dreamer is thinking about how to engage more with the wider Cottesloe community. They call it “joining our dots”.

Another person’s dream challenged me recently. Their dream is of the church as a truly supportive family. What is the difference  between the church as a community and a family. Which is it? Which should it be and why?

I constantly dream about every person being empowered and equipped in their faith to be released confidently to be everything God would have you be. Now there’s a dream!

Most people’s dreams are of more concrete stuff – jobs, kids, finances, health. Bless your dreams.

Whatever your dream is for 2012, I pray for your prosperity and blessing in it. In my performance review recently (I just scraped through) it was suggested I make a night a month where I hold “Office Hours” between 7:30pm and 9:00pm for people to share what God is doing, wrestles and joys and DREAMS.

What do you think about that idea?

With you in your adventure with Jesus.

 Malcolm

 I’m musing today from the emergency department in Charlie’s all trussed up in a white gown with my shoulder in a sling. Yes, it could have  been worse!

 A barrister, waste management specialist, town planner, engineer, policeman and two vicars were riding around the river Thursday morning. We had enough human resource to build a small town! It was all getting a bit fast and frenzied when a car just suddenly turned left in front of our bikes. We were in the bike lane with nowhere to go. One vicar slammed into the side of the car. The town planner, forever vigilant, guessed correctly and missed everything and the second vicar hit the road hard and went for a slow motion slide on the bitumen. The rest had time to stop.

 If you do things, like live your life, things happen! But here is the disturbing thing: if you try to do nothing that will risk anything, things still happen.

 The two vicars are all right—sore and aware that it could have been even worse. But the wonderful thing is reflecting on what God is up to “in” the situations that befall us – like Mildred sharing in church last week that aggressive cancer has taught her that there are people who truly love her and are her family as much as her kin are.

 Sharing our struggles and letting others in actually brings us closer. A bike crash unfolds all sorts of acts of kindness, generous relationships, coincidental connections and servant-hearted professionals if we have eyes to see them. I give thanks to God for them and, when I remember, tell them they remind me of Jesus.

 The Apostle Paul was smarter than everyone else, better connected than everyone else and in a more privileged position than anyone else  but in 2 Corinthians 5 he glories in his absolute weakness. Why?  Because, he says, it’s when he is weak and has his eyes open, that he sees the strength of God working in the situation in ways he cannot even begin to imagine.

 I pray that, as things happen to you, you will exercise his ears and his eyes and, with Paul, give thanks in Christ Jesus for what the will of God is producing in you and those around you.

 With you in your adventure.

 Malcolm