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Chocolate Teapots (25th April 2010)

Acts 9:36-43

I like this story of Tabitha/Dorcas: the woman with the two names not for the obvious reason that is it a story of resurrection (though perhaps it is a story of resurrection of the church rather than an individual) but because it's a renewal story about those who are left there, the widows, the ones who have been left behind. We've a General Election coming up here and there is an awful lot of filtration going on: moving wealth around, pulling people out of poverty. Wealth seems to be thought of like a magnet and it draws justice and hope and renewal towards it. Hmmmm. Here's a story of resurrection being attracted to the poor and forgotten, those who have remained while all the rest have gone off to play.

Renewal is from the bottom up, not the top down. It's from the grave up; it's from the poor up; it's from the cross up. It's redistribution of life God's way and it starts with those who have remained behind, stuck in there, worked away in hope and longing and prepared for surprises.

And resurrection of what? Of individuals? Perhaps. Perhaps not. How about this story being a resurrection story of the church, of community, of hope. Or both.

Prayer on that fishing net

Creating God
When we presume to know
may we throw our nets out on the other side

When we presume to know what is best for you
when we presume to know we have answers and understanding
when we presume to know…
surprise us
or may we be surprised
at your breadth

surprised enough to allow the word God to be bigger
the path of belief to be broader
the welcome of the church more generous
the agenda of faith is more social
the justice of heaven more political
the people of God more compassionate

It’s a dangerous place to throw that net
on the other side
It’s not where we normally find ourselves
we have less experience
it goes against our habits
its outside our comfort zones
it moves against the traditions

but there we find the edge of the kingdom

on the alternative side
where the adventure is
where the questions as asked
where growth is possible

May we
in faith
in trust
dare to throw
not the net
but ourselves
onto and into the places
where resurrection dares to meet us

and the spirit of Christ
finds us
surprised
by faith
renewed
by trust
and hungry
for Good News
So be it

A week of lying low

The blog is going to losing it's voice for a week but is going to the doctor and will be fit and well in about 7 days time. You don't need to send get well cards but we will be back next weekend for fairly traded chocolate teapots and various other mucky paws things.

The Manifesto

Just before Gordon Brown and the others get in there, we ought to write our manifesto for the upcoming General Election. Of course, most of it is written in the Bible, Luke 4 especially. But now in the echo of Easter, it's time to turn those promises into reality and I wonder if we can attempt a contemporary manifesto of the kingdom.

If can include all the things we think important. Most politicians go for education, health and economy. Where would we begin...?

Chocolate Teapots (11th April 2010)

John 21:19-31

This is the difference between seeing and believing, or better seeing what is true and believing what is true. For one you need eyes and the other you need your heart and soul.

I wonder if is actually makes one iota of difference if Thomas actually saw Jesus in the flesh and if it was that that made the difference for him. I have met folk who see miracles but don't want to believe them. I know I have done that too: seen thing that I didn't want to believe. But when I see with my heart and soul then I really see. I see that Jesus isn't just standing there in the middle of the dusty room but that life have been returned to the world; I see that Jesus isn't just flesh and bone but that the realm of love has just broken through in the world more powerfully than anything else; I see that Jesus isn't just a ghost or a shadow or a spirit but that justice is on the rise and darkness is on the wain.

What you see with your eyes is physical. What you see with your heart and soul has meaning. These are two different realms of being, and being Thomas' twin, how about living in both.

For more background, worship ideas and age-group resources try a download of Spill the Beans

Surprising Return

These are resurrection stories where you can only be surprised because each story contains so much more. We symbolise this in the breaking open of Easter eggs. Each reader takes a chocolate egg and breaks it open. Inside have been sealed lots of wee chocolate eggs. They let them break over a table. Once all the readers have read the congregation comes forward to take an egg or a piece of broken chocolate.

Bread and wine:
a table in a village,
two travellers journeying to Emmaus
and a stranger between them,
and in the breaking of bread,
and the silent explosion of crumbs,
suddenly it all comes clear:
Jesus is risen!

Fish cooking on the beach,
early at dawn,
from the distance of the lake,
all the disciples could see
was a thin line of smoke,
but in growing closer
everything came into focus,
including the chef on the beach:
Jesus is risen!

Upper room: locked doors,
the disciples pacing,
confused now that Jesus was gone,
yet daring to believe the rumours
of empty tombs and miracles,
and without a lock being turned,
they found the spirit of Jesus was alive among them:
Jesus is risen!

Among the olive trees and garden,
in the yellow light of dawn,
the gardener came to see
what all the noise was about,
a woman frantic, crying, shouting,
and all he said was ‘Mary!’
and all she said was ‘Raboni!’:
Jesus is risen!

In the pews of churches and beaches
and fields and hillsides at dawn,
in cathedrals and chapels,
and hardly noticed by the world,
the loyal faithful who return each week,
today receive a shock.
This might actually be true!
Jesus is risen!

He's Back!

Yes, Dr Who is with us once more. He's back and it's brilliant.

Al-le-lu-ia

Here is an Easter all-age statement. It starts as a whisper and gradually grows louder and louder.

Three days in a tomb
Two angels watching
One resurrection
Al-le-lu-ia

Three days of waiting
Two disciples running
One stone a-rolling
Al-le-lu-ia

Three days of darkness
Two soldiers sleeping
One Jesus risen
Al-le-lu-ia

Three days of weeping
Two nights of hiding
One dawn like this one
Al-le-lu-ia

Three days of rumours
Two Emmaus travellers
One saviour rising
Al-le-lu-ia

Three days of sorrow
Two Mary’s weeping
One resurrection
Al-le-lu-ia

Shhhh, easter already

Because it takes time to prepare for resurrection morning (and we've got to pretend it is spontaneous and also that we live trough Maundy Thursday and Good Friday before we think about Easter Day) here's a wee something for Easter. But don't read it if you aren't preparing yet for Easter.

The word, “Alleluia!” isn’t big enough for Easter
There are not enough letters in the word to spell out God’s promise of new life
But that’s what it means!
There are not enough letters to explain resurrection
but that’s what it means!
There are not enough letters to describe how stones roll
but that’s what it means!
When there aren’t enough letters to explain things
just believe them
and let them shout out from the soul
Notice, it makes the sound:
Alleluia!