foundation

Over the last 2 years I have blogged about Foundation a lot. If you want to know how many times then do a blog search and you'll see! I love Foundation. Even when I have found it hard I have loved Foundation. Perhaps my longing for it as a community has sometimes led me to be cross or protective or romantic but it has been a significant part of my life in Bristol and I am going to miss it a great deal. I say "it" but actually I mean (in no particular order) the people, the fellowship, the theology, the debate, the craic, the pub, Cotham church.

Last night I went to my last little service admirably led by fellow ordainand Philippa. As we all sat around the church and reflected on our limitations (Philippa's theme for the reflection) I was struck by just how limitless God's love is for us. There we were just 'being' together and there was the limitless love of God reflected in our 'being'. We, the ramshackled people of God, 'doing our do' - and in felt good.

As ends go it was a good one. I was very grateful for Paul Robert's affirming prayer for me and my family. I was pleased to be able to say goodbye to my friends and fellow pilgrims. So, thanks Foundation for everything.

I will see you at Greenbelt (or the 'next place') and will miss you loads. xxx

lunch

I am just about to go into lunch at college and I can't be late today because I want to get on a table that serves Crème brûlée. It's not often that I sit on a main meal table because I am trying to eat less meat and prefer the vegetarian table but unfortunately this table is also a fruit table and I am not prepared to make that sacrifice when it is a Crème brûlée day! I am not sure why I am telling you this or even that you'll be interested!??? Hey ho

Anyway, the fact that I haven't posted anything since Sunday is an indication of how busy and distracted I have been:
- I have done quite a lot of liberation theology reading and am nearly ready to write the essay (but not sure when I will have a window of time to do that!)
- I went back to college and attended a lecture
- I met Ravi Holy (he was taking the lecture on universalism) and we chewed the cud
- Some Foundationers came round for the community meal last night and we had a great time. It seems really odd to think that that was our last community meal together. I have made some significant relationships in Foundation and I really am going to miss the fellowship. It was a good send off. Thanks everyone!
- I am at college again and have a day of meetings and paperwork, tonight is our passover meal so it is also a day of food!

Anyway, lunch is a calling.

mothering sunday

Yesterday was a very busy but rewarding day. I was woken up by Mark and Eva - toast and flowers, homemade cards and a homemade bag. Eva was so lovely and kind, I got a fantastic text of Elise and I really felt loved and cherished.

I was leading and preaching at St Peter's church Lawrence Western. Jenny had very generously allowed me free rein for the service and I had asked a few Trinity friends to come and help me. It was so good to be able to say to all the people who work so hard week in week out at the church that they could have a week off and all they had to do was turn up and worship. The new Church of England Mothering Sunday liturgy, found in New Patterns for Worship was a wonderful resource for the liturgy. I had planed this a few weeks back and it was great to work through it live with the congregation. My biggest challenge was to plan and deliver a service that was accessible enough just in case any children did turn up but not all age because the majority of the congregation is 60+yrs. As it was there were 3 children that just turned up off the street (8year olds on their own with no parents), one family with 3 children, another 11year old who had come with her grandma and Eva (who played the recorder and said the opening blessing). I felt the service went well and there was a great feeling of support and generosity toward myself and the other students. I felt very blessed by the service and the community.

The Trinity team came back for coffee after the service and I got some great feedback (thankfully all seemed well). Geoff stayed for dinner and we chewed the cud for hours and hours...joined by Lizzie May later on and occasionally Mark and Elise. I had a lovely day.

After a brief but necessary doze I went out to Foundation - another fantastic alternative worship service inspired by Babette's Feast. The group showed clips from the film, served food and shared stories. There was some inspired liturgy and creative ideas (including blessings in bottles). It really was the perfect end to a lovely day. I was very tired and happy as I went to bed thinking about writing an essay on Daniel and leading chapel this week at college.

sick

both Mark and I are not well - I have a virus (cold sore, head ache, sickly), Mark is cream crackered - he's been working all week, then sorting Eva out and being in charge of the house and because I am busy and ill he takes the brunt of domestic chores. It is grim when we both are ill. He's gone to bed and I am bathing Eva. It is shame that we aren't firing on all cylinders because we had 2 invites out this evening. Firstly, we were asked overt to the Broadway's to the private view of their exhibition; secondly Steve Tunnicliff and Adam Bond asked if we fancied a curry. We hardly ever get out and we end up doing nothing, going to bed early and, in my case, reading Moltman's The Crucified God (Oh Joy).

I have a busy weekend ahead of me. It is academic awards at Trinity on Saturday - I can't get to the ceremony because there isn't childcare and Eva has her penultimate dance class before she has the Christmas show. I have a very large shopping trip to do - we haven't been to the shop since last Fri and have been living on Birthday leftovers for a week (tonight's pasta bake whilst being quite tasty used up all the remaining veg). Jenny Low is coming over for afternoon tea, as she is a vicar I shall we uttering the immortal lines (More tea vicar) with relish (though milk is traditional - see what I did there?). Sunday I might skive off morning church because I think I need a rest but I am just as likely to decide to get up and go. In the evening is Foundation middle sized service - all things in common? which I hope I will get to (as long as I have completed my sermon, read some stuff on Paul's attitude to the cross, and had at least 3 hours cuddling with Eva).

t'internet

Cheers! (not sure about this photo - I hadn't even had a drink and I have boss eyes, my hair is also flat. Hey ho)





Had a low tech weekend because the internet broke down at our house. So, I couldn't email or blog. It was very strange but liberating.

Anyway, I had a great party on Friday - as you know, because you were there...weren't you? - I haven't been up that late for ages and I danced and danced until my feet swelled up and my back ached (actually that didn't happen until the next day). I ate too much cake. I still have one more cake to eat - let me know if you'd like a piece - but it's shop bought!!! It was great to see so many people from out of town and witness Foundation, Trinity and Liverpool people mixing. I think we did very well.

Saturday was a very chilled out recovery day - Andrea and I spent most of it (when we eventually got up) on the sofas putting the world to rights. Sunday was back to normal(ish) with preaching teams in the evening (Geoff's turn at St Mary's Shirehampton). He was very good.

So, that was the edited version of the weekend. The full version is available in person.

Today is back to normal. I have some chores to do, a lot of reading to get through and the next edition of Wholly Trinity to publish. So, I'd best be off.

foundation little service

Becky and Marc did a great little service last night - 'a new commandment'. They played this dan le sac vs scroobius pip video - which I couldn't upload properly on the Foundation website (technical hitch I am trying to iron out). So I will post it here.



Had a really interesting conversation with Maggie about people being judged by what they do and not who they are. We decided our new commandment would be:
'respect difference - don't judge it!'

what would yours be?

Greenbelt

We are just about to leave - well not exactly true. All the stuff is in the hall and I am still in my PJ's but the intention is to be off very very soon. So, unless I post from Greenbelt itself - which seems very unlikely - I won't be posting for a few days. I am sure the world will keep turning and you will find something interesting to do with your time while I am away. If you are going to Greenbelt I am venue managing at New Forms so do pop in, or perhaps you'd like to come over to our tent for veggie stew on sat evening? All welcome. Foundation Service is at 8pm Fri at New forms!

Elise is at Bristol Loudon HQ and Barry next door is feeding Benny so hopefully we won't come back to too much chaos (though I am not holding my breath).

see ya

greenbelt

Tonight Tim and I did some work on the artefacts for the Foundation Greenbelt service - in New Forms, 8pm Friday (put it in your day planner). I also made a fruit cake for Greenbelt - so it will have at least a week to 'mature'. It was a new recipe so it was a risk, but I think it has worked out very well. It smells lovely and is laced with rum so will have a good kick. You'll have to come a visit us to get a piece - it one of three cakes I plan to make for Greenbelt.

I took the liberty of checking out the weather forecast for Greenbelt weekend and all looks good at the moment. It got me thinking about how we should pray about such things. What do you think? Should we pray for good weather? Do these sorts of prayers feel like folk religion? When some people are suffering extreme weather conditions do our prayers for nice weather so we can have better fun seem a bit crass? or do you think it is a natural thing to take our concerns to God in a faithful and innocent way? I don't really know...I worry about bothering God about the weather but I am ok about asking for God's help in dealing with whatever happens. Of course it would be great (really great) if it was a fine weekend but I wonder if God can really 'fix it for us'. Not sure that I like the idea of a Jim'll fix it God!

foundation litlle service

Last night I led the Foundation little service. It was a bit of a last minute call to lead but that was fine. I felt that I couldn't do anything too technically flash - really pushed for prep time and putting a presentation together seemed inappropriately. I felt I wanted to offer something far more meditative and reflective. Paul's letter to the Ephesians came to mind as a way to reflect on how Christian living should be. The letter has been referred to as 'the Gospel of the Church' and it offers a blueprint for ‘God’s new society’. The focus of the service was Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

I tried to draw out the five key words:
· Strength
· Love
· Knowledge
· Fullness
· Power

Strength
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith

This part of the prayer serves both as a reminder of our status as the people of God, but it also acts as a call for more strength, more power through his spirit. It reminds us that we should not remain complacent but need to be pressing on, moving deeper into our faith.

Love
rooted and grounded in love.

The purpose of this strengthening is not to simply to prepare us for bad stuff or to protect us from evil. In this prayer it is to root and ground us in love. Love for each other and love for God. The two metaphors being combined here – the one of gardening and the other architectural – serve to demonstrate that the unseen cause of our stability will be the same: LOVE. Our love is to be both radical and a fundamental nature of our experience.

Knowledge
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge

The writer now shifts from our love (in which we are to be rooted and is our foundation) to Christ’s love (which he prays we may know). Indeed he acknowledges that we need strength or power for both – strength to love and power to comprehend Christ’s love. What is significant here is that this knowledge is only accessible ‘with all the saints’. Alone, we can know something of the love of Jesus. But the grasp of it is bound to be limited to our own experience. It takes the whole people of God to understand the whole love of God. Even then there is mystery in the phrase ‘know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge’ – it seems that this love is beyond the breadth and length and height and depth for all the saints combined to comprehend and know. This unknowable love is what keeps us exploring the riches of Gods grace!

Fullness
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

This is one of those phrases that appear to be in the continuous present. That is, in order for us to be full we need to be continuously filled up – filled up by the Spirit with strength, love and knowledge. We can’t sit back and rest on past spiritual experiences we need to be constantly sitting under Gods spiritual tap – being filled up day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute.

Power
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Just a couple of words of warning before we end: firstly, if we pray like this (with strength, love and knowledge) things will happen, because this is powerful stuff. It’s not the power of government and kings, the rich and famous, or leaders, teachers or those who are clever. This is Gods power that is at work within us - it is for everyone, no matter what our status is. We all can pray this prayer for each other.

Secondly, don’t be limited by what you can imagine will happen or by what you have the desire to ask for. If you shift beyond this you will accomplish abundantly far more. Don’t limit yourself to your own capacity.

Third warning: This is not just for you or me or us. This prayer is forever. This is for glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. We are important, we are significant but we are only part of the picture. We are called to be visionaries. Seers. Prophets.

Can you pray this prayer? Lets say it together and see what happens…


I had made some paper people - with the names of each of the members of Foundation on them. So, we all took a few of the paper people and prayed the prayer for the Ephesians for these people. Silently we thought of each person. We lingered on this time of prayer for a while and lit candles for each other and the Foundation community. Everyone at the service took some of the paper people home to continue to pray for them throughout the week.

sunburnt

I must start this post with a correction - my last blog on hymn singing at Greenbelt requires alteration. The Big Sing will take place on Sunday 26 August at 2.30pm at The Arena. Thanks to Gayle for pointing this out - Just shows I wasn't paying attention!

I am going to be working at Greenbelt as part of the venue managing team in New Forms, worship/cafe. My shifts do allow me to take part in the Foundation worship session, which is due to take place on Fri evening, Billy Bragg - also on Friday and the Big Sing on Sunday. Obviously this is not all I want to do at Greenbelt, but it is a start!


Yesterday Mark, Eva, Elise and I went to the Gower Peninsular with Foundation friends. It didn't start off promising to be a good weather day - raining and very winy as we left Bristol. Nearly 100miles later the sun was out and the whole world looked very different. We made our way to the beach at Rhossili Bay, the others got wet suits and body boards and off we went to find a spot on the beach. It was beautiful. Really beautiful. I, of course, didn't go anywhere near the water but sat quite happily in the England beach chair watching and being pass remarkable. Anyway, despite the wind and the clouds I still seem to have got really quite sunburnt. Also, because I was too cold to take my t shirt off I have shirt marks - typically English suntan will emerge. My forehead (which is very large and always catches the sun) is red and shiny. A lovely look for summer. Hey ho.

Today I am resting (sunstroke and the drive have taken it all out of me). I am leading the little service tonight with a meditation on Ephesians 3: 14-21 so have some preparation for that to do. So, a quiet day with blips of spiritual insight (I hope).

the Pope and Michelangelo

In a recent Foundation liturgy discussion it was suggested that I should play Michelangelo to Paul Robert's Pope. I was a bit confused so made it my business to seek out the Monty Python sketch. I am a bit concerned that I might be considered, in liturgical circles, an artistic heretic...Surely not! Anyway, here it is.

three is the magic number

Blind Melon - three is the magic number






Last night I led the Foundation little service. It was Trinity sunday so I worked with the power of three. I made some cakes and we prayed with our threes - lighting the candles as a reminder of our understanding of God in the trinity.




Take a look at the Foundation site for more information about the service

trinity sunday

We have had a busy weekend and today we are exhausted. Mark and Eva have got got colds. Eva is very grumpy and Mark is asleep. Attempts to get to church this morning failed. It is Trinity Sunday and I have been preparing a service for Foundation tonight. It has taken me ages to try to devise a service that is meditative, liturgically correct (I wanted a Eucharist service and the 'official' prayers have to be fitted in) and allows for the doctrine of the Trinity to be explored without limiting possible images of God. I have found myself being distracted by the doctrine - losing sight of the point of the trinity. God was getting lost in the doctrine and I was getting muddled. The resolution has been to not even try to explain but to offer a time for reflection and meditation. Anyway, we will see what happens.

We have had visitors from Liverpool (Matt and Kate and their three children - Maddie, Gracie and Sonny). Friday evening was fantastic time for chilling out, catching up and sorting the world out. All this was done over a fair few bottles of wine. So, I had a headache on Saturday. Nevertheless we hung out here and there and played with the children and drank tea and ate nice food. It was hard to let them go home. Liverpool does seem so far away, especially when there is so much to do here.

Saturday night Mark and I went to see the Manic Street Preachers (thanks to Phil for babysitting). Ian Evans is working with the manics so we got some sticky passes. Hobnobbing with the stars was out of the question - I had a headache and it was late - we really are getting old. In the past the chance of impressing famous people with my wit and charm would have cured a headache and overcome all apathy. hey ho.

It was great to see Ian - busy though he was. We had a good dose of Liverpool people this weekend. Made us think about the future - my ministry in Liverpool, our friends, the city, what Mark is going to do when we go back, where Eva is going to go to school. All in the future. But it made us think.

After the manics I decided to read my church times in bed. I was surprised to see that Tim was on the front over of the Greenbelt CD that came free inside it. This really made us laugh. Mark posted it on his blog too. Oh Joy. Wonder what they were watching?
If you look very carefully you will see the profile of Paul Roberts just entering the bottom right of the picture.

unknowing god

Last night's Foundation Big service is still going around in my head. I am really tired - having been busy all weekend with prep and trying to keep the family running as well (Mark was so involved with the service prep so it was very tricky). But, like a well oilded machine we managed to keep it all going. Though this morning we did realise that Eva hadn't done her homework. So it was a last minute dash to get her 'who was St Patrick?' homework done this morning.

Anyway, last night has had a big effect on me, not least because of the way the group of us who participated in the service have got to know each other over the last few weeks. Sharing all those difficult things, admitting to the lament, working with the stories and tracking the way we moved through them, has shifted not only the way I think about the group but also the way I feel about preparing for this sort of worship. It was an immense privilege to be part of the team. Who were:

'the voice of the psalms' - richard T
DJ Hoyland
the mac bros - Mark and Paul
the fabulous foundation singers (writers and producers) - Richard W, Jez, Tracey W, Anna, Paul
theo hazard disposal squad - Revd and Mrs Davies
designer, maker, sticker, stapler - Lizzie
magic lantern - Mr and Mrs Kissell
stories that will never end - (in order of appearance) Ellen, Dylan, Lizzie, Tim
refreshments - Debbie F
Liturgy maker - Jenny L
Holiday makers and idea generators - Mr and Mrs McColl
Continuity (and understudy for the mac bros) - Bruce Foreman
Bits and Bobs - Ellen

The picture above is the one I got in my envelope in the wilderness. Another one of Antonia Rolls pictures. Poor old Mary looks very tired and in desperate need of a cuppa and a good nights sleep. Someone mentioned to me that she also appears to have prepared for a baby girl - given the frock in the background. Jesus looks perky though.

mothering sunday

This is a simnel cake (which I didn't make). It is one of my favourite cakes. But unfortunately it is unlikely that I will have access to one tomorrow (no time to make one, no time to find one - but if one turned up I am sure I would find time to eat one)!




Eva is planning something with her brownie pack which she is preparing as I write. She has gone off to some secret pack meeting to develop it. Whatever it is will be presented at the morning service at St Edths Church, Sea Mills. So, we will miss Cotham's Mothering Sunday offerings. The day will be a bit hectic as both Mark and I are heavily involved in the preparation for Foundation Big Service. We have spent most of the day preparing stuff, creating PowerPoint presentations, editing films and measuring the church for installations. All very exciting. I am cream crackered. Going to have a cup of tea and a little something and chill out for a bit.

mixing it up





Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Since I have been in Bristol I have been hanging out with all sorts of Christians (actually in the last 7 months I have met more Christians than the whole of the rest of my life put together). Anyway, I have tried very hard to give all sorts of spiritual expression and worship style a go - to get a sense of what everyone is into and see if it helps me to get closer to God. I have genuinely had a great time - but I am starting to get quite exhausted. It was a heavy week last week (what with visiting Hardwicke and experiencing their Eucharist, Book of Common Prayer - all week in Chapel, anglo-catholic Eucharist Sunday Morning - Cotham, fresh expression compline - Foundation Sunday night and today Cafe Worship in the dinning hall at Trinity). To be honest I feel like I need a little bit more continuity. Not that I am going to get it! Hey ho!


Foundation Big Service - publicity out

As planning moves into the final stages the publicity was launched today.

mission

The Church of St Nicholas,
Hardwicke









As part of my ordination training I have to go on a college led mission.
If someone had told me a year ago that I would be going on a mission to a rural village in Gloucester with a bunch of Christians I had only just met I think I have thought they were bonkers. Those of you who have known me for a long time would think it an unlikely prospect. I am not shy about my faith but the concept of mission in this context sends shudders through me. But there you go. This is what has to happen.

By some cruel further twist of the knife I have been assigned the role of mission leader (along with Patrick - one boy one girl leader!). Oh joy. Actually I have enjoyed it so far. I love the parish, the incumbent Andrew James, and after our visit to the parish today the people are great to. Very warm and welcoming. So, a week of school visits, sheltered accommodation, door-to-door inviting to a special service, the service itself, coffee mornings, suppers with testimonies and Easter Sunday events don't seem so intimidating.

I went, with my fellow missioners, to Hardwicke Church this morning. Eva came too and we had a nice lunch in a local pub by the canal after the service. When I got back I still had work to do on the creation and salvation essay and then finish off essay number two ready for the handing in ritual tomorrow at mid-day. I have just finished so trying to get to Foundation tonight is out of the question. Shame - but then someting had to give this weekend. A glass of something white and a few nibbles and I will be off to the land of nod.

on my own

I have spent last night and today on my own.
Mark went for a walk in the Brecon Beakons with some Trinity people and Eva spent the night over with Joe and Vannessa in Bath. Eva has been dying to stay with Vannessa since we moved down here and last night she got her chance. I have been a bit lonely. I have finished my essay though so some good has come out of it.

Nothing on the telly so I am now going to do some work on the plan for the next big Foundation service - which is happening at Cotham Church on March 18. Put the date in your diaries because it is going to be well worth coming to. The theme is Unknowing God.

blogging

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I really am too busy to blog; but it doesn't seem to stop me. Today I have done three bits of blogtastic blogging. I have written a small posting for re:jesus, I have uploaded a posting about last nights Foundation service led by Steve, and now I have written this. Consequently I now have to spend the rest of the evening reading for my essay which I have planned but needs some serious content before I start to write it. If I am a bit skimpy on the blogging over the next few days it is because I am concentrating on other things. The things I should be concentrating on.