abbotsford.org.uk

What are we

Needing major help here. Dedication service on Sunday. I'm trying to gather people's thoughts on the congregation. When I say Abbotsford, what do you think of? It can be serious and funny (even at the same time). I'm mainly looking for one word answers, but as many one word answers as possible. So there you go: homework for the next day: think up as many one word answers that describe Abbotsford from leaking roofs (okay, you're allowed two word answers too) to tea bar.

Be are cryptic, humourous, serious, challenging, honest, diplomatic as you like. Let's write the service together on Sunday again...

Creative Paws

Our wee monthly emailing of various liturgies and contemporary moments from our services over September has just been sent out. It's a collection of stuff emailed out at the end of each month that collates some of the things that have been written for our worship here in Abbotsford. It comes out every month and there is a long story why this emailing is put together but my thought every month is that it suggests that people are always on the lookout for creativity yet I've found that creative services tend to be a minority sport. We like talking about being creative in the church and imagine that more is better (personally that is true for me) but it is not the style of worship that appeals to the majority of God's church going folk in my experience. Has anyone found different?

We always have a creative piece and for some it is the highlight of the service (I know because they have told me) but I imagine that if it wasn't there most wouldn't notice. How can we let creativity speak into our faith again. Especially when as Presbyterians we base our whole faith on just three symbols: water, bread and wine. As soon as you have a symbol, you've got creativity. Perhaps the more we engage creatively the more we think round about it and reinterpret it rather than take the official line. Is that dangerous. Is creativity dangerous for the church at the same time as life-giving..?

If you'd like Mucky Paws email and we'll send it to you. Then you can unsubscribe just as quickly!

Chocolate Teapots (3rd October 2010)

Luke 17:5-10

Mustard seeds and faith. You know, I don't think size is at all important. Can you have different sizes of faith? And anyway if you can, what size must my faith be if a mustard seed size an move mountains and trees. Taking this literally just causes heartache and hurt. That illness, that relationship, that live that has crumpled because I didn't have the faith to make a difference, and all I needed was faith the size of a seed. That isn't Jesus style to cause hurt like that and promise what cannot be promised, even by God.

Perhaps Jesus was saying something else though. It is total exaggeration. And that's the point. We see Jesus getting fed up with the lack of faith of his disciples, tearing his hair out at times. It is as if Jesus is saying, 'Can you not see it? Do you not get it?' We're all so limited in what we expect. We don't dream the impossible, or have visions big enough. This relationship with Jesus can let us to work for what we imagine to be impossible despite the huge odds stacked against us. Work for something bigger than you can imagine and then you are getting into the realm of God's reign. We're talking big change here, that's what we are in this game for.

When the system that keeps the poor poor and the rich grow more wealthy, then a vision of equity and generosity towards each other is the vision. 'Impossible!' you say. 'That's more like it!' says Jesus. 'Impossible' is the right area for kingdom visions. At times it is more important not to be able to move mountains but assert that they will be moved by justice, grace and right living.

Jeremiah's Intercession

Here's our intercessory prayer this week. it is a symbolic action based on Jeremiah's field buying. The specific prayers are local to us (and have yet to be reworded/rewritten) but hopefully you'll get the idea. Already bread, wine and water have been revealed on the communion table during the service and been referred to in the sermon as acts of hope. This carries on from there.

There comes a point in faith when belief becomes less of what is necessary and action has to take over… The story of Jeremiah and his field… making this public statement of hope… leads us to ask: what public acts of hope are we called to perform… that offers not a word because words run out… but a sign that trusts futures are reshaping around God’s promises… Gods way and life and intent is invested in that future… that will one day bring all people into the kind of reign that is God’s… We are in an age that is long past the time of preaching hope… We need now to act in hope…

So our prayers for others is also our symbolic action today… and is in two parts… part one takes place today… and part two… next week at our service of dedication.

In response to that need to act… we prepare the earth, our own field here… ready to plant hope next week… Today we reflect briefly on only some of the things we do that are public acts of hope…  in so doing let us let these symbols of hope: water, bread and wine, take root, and grow..

Wine

Wine speaks of community. We are community, into which we grow hope. In community we reveal the promise hidden in everyone. It is a chaotic thing to do, but no longer do we preach about it, we act upon it… Creating God… may we act in hope… and in trust…  shape a future shaped by your dream… through what we do in our community… In CAOS… in our work for others… our support for those who care… each an act of hope… May we prepare the field… for planting… (place soil round goblet)

Bread

Bread speaks of creation. We are creation, a rich balance of life… enough for all… In creation we reveal the promise of God to all… a diversity and generosity that can only be heaven’s… Creating God… may we act in hope… and in trust shape a future shaped by your dream… through how we live in balance with creation… as an eco-congregation… as people who have signed up to your justice… who in communion set free that justice of equity… of sharing what we have… each an act of hope… May we prepare the field… for planting… (place soil round bread)

Water

Water speaks of welcome… We are welcome, a generosity extended to  neighbour… In welcome we reveal the promise that names each person God’s own… a barrier breaker… a prejudice destroyer… Creating God… may we act in hope… and in trust, shape a future shaped by your dream… in extending that hand of companionship to every traveller… in our newest saint today in Matthew.. to every guest… to our friends and family… and to everyone needing healing… patience… peace… acceptance… May we prepare the field… for planting (place soil round water)

But this prayer is not complete… each one of us has our own way of making a public act of hope… in how we live towards others… that like Jeremiah’s field buying… defies what seems inevitable… creating and living into different kind of future for others in God’s name … This public act of hope is not any individuals… but all of ours… so all are invited to be part of this field… this act of defiant hope… by you seeker… guest… or member… and after the blessing this morning… instead of going straight out… come to the front here… and take a scoop of earth… and be part of creating our field round these signs of hope… Act in that hope this week… then come back next week… for the field needs planting.

 

Field of dreams

This is an opening piece for the Jeremiah text.

Three people are needed for this. Two hold a large piece of green cloth at either end of the communion table. Once it is unfolded, hold diagonally in front of communion table so no one can see the table top but because it is diagonal paper flowers can slowly slide down the front of it. Once the cloth is unfolded and being held up place a goblet of wine and a loaf of bread on the table behind the cloth so no one can see. at the end of the piece, place the cloth on the table covering the goblet and bread so only their rough form can be seen. The reader is behind the cloth so everyone focuses on that)

Once there was a field (unfold material and hold diagonally in front of table so the surface of the table cannot be seen), and it lay there, quietly, secretly. People passed by it, people walked over it, people even lived on it. But it held a mystery that no one knew about.

It wasn’t a particularly beautiful field. It was flooded half the year and the soil wasn’t brilliant (reader sprays water on the field). No farmer ploughed and only a few lived on it. It stood there, quietly. But it held a mystery, a big mystery.

In the summer wild flowers grew in it (reader throws some flowers over the cloth and lets them slide down slowly). In the winter it died back (let the flowers slide off). It looked just like every other field in the area. In fact it was exactly the same as every other field in the area. But there was a mystery surrounding it that no one yet knew about.

One day a great army invaded the area. It destroyed the town that was near by, it destroyed the houses people lived in, it destroyed their livelihood, and it took the people away to another land. But the field didn’t move (shimmer the cloth). It too was churned up and destroyed, it too was not able to produce crops because of the marching feet of the army, but they couldn’t take it away. So it stayed there. Waiting. Silently. Holding on to the mystery.

And after many years and many generations, the field still waited, and slowly and finally began to reveal its mystery…  (place the cloth on the table covering the bread and wine so only their form can be see under the cloth)

Haircut 100

It probably isn't my 100th haircut but not far off it. I don't get it cut very often. But it's one of these days when everyone says 'You've had your hair cut' as if I didn't notice never mind probably being the first to know about it.

I suppose it is a bit like being tall. How many people state the obvious: 'You're tall!' when the person you're talking to probably realises that.

I know that's being a bit unfair because it is just an exclamation of surprise or they want you to notice they notice. Which is nice. But only once has someone ever exclaimed: "You're a Christian!"

Hmmmm...

£50,000 pounds worth of happiness

In the UK there has been a report over the last week about happiness. The report says that while excessive amounts of money doesn't make you happy, £50,000 is the optimum level that makes you happy. It affords you to do things you wouldn't otherwise but any more than that, the benefits tailor off very quickly because after that it is essentially too much money to make any difference. If you are starving then a little food is a god-send. But the more you eat then the less you need to keep you healthy. Everything levels out and there comes a point where you have too much.

So you're definition of happiness?

In Bhutan instead of GDP they have GNH or something like that. GNH is Gross National Happiness. It's about a philosophy of life and they measure things against the GNH. Wouldn't that be a fabulous way to build a whole economic system...

Chocolate Teapots (26th September 2010)

Jeremiah 32:1-15

Invest in the future (but don't turn yourself into a stock market). Stock markets are the pest guess in the present about the future. When God invests in the future it is a different beast. Jeremiah buys a field. It is taken as a sign of hope. Everything is collapsing around him: the Babylonians have taken over the asylum and shares have plummeted.

The perfect time for investment. Obviously. Not because you can buy cheap now and sell for a huge profit in the future. God's investment in the future is about seeing opportunity to change things now. It's a time of creativity, of renewal, of resurrection. Take the church at the moment coming to the dreaded 2033 when there will be no one left. That's one way of looking at it. Alternatively it is about investing now in creativity, dreaming big with this opportunity to let the faith community become something else. Indeed it is the whole community because buying a field has a sense of being for the whole community rather than an individual. It's a perfect gift to the community because his community is about resurrection. The field is a base line, a canvas, a blank sheet of paper. What shall we do with it?

Soundscape II

There have been great suggestions for this. In fact I think they are so good we need to put it into our advertising stuff. It's a far better description of the congregation than any presumptions piece of prose. This is how it really is. So in that vain, why not have another look through the list and add to it so I can print it and put it into the welcome packs. There may be a group or two I've missed out or you have fresh suggestions for the songs. I'll just ass tem to the whole thing. And anyway, there isn't much else to do on a lazy wet Sunday afternoon...

Discussion Groups - Yakety Yak! (Coasters)
Newspaper headline chats - Good News Week (Hedge Hoppers Anonymous)
Midweek blethers - Poison (Alice Cooper) or Another One Bites the Dust (Queen)…"think about it!"
Worship - Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2)
Sunday School - School's out for Summer (Alice Cooper)
Community Project - C'mon Everybody! (Eddie Cochrane) (or Sex Pistols version(Cash from Chaos!))
Choir - Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers) or Silence is Golden (Tremeloes) ………… :-) :-) :-) only kidding, honest!!!!
Meetings (Session, Board etc) - Never Let You Go. (New Kids on the Block) or Never Again! (Happy Clappers) or Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. (Smiths)
Big Sings - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing. (New Seekers)
Quiz Nights - There are More Questions than Answers. (Johnny Nash)
Social Events - Mrs Robinson. (Simon & Garfunkel)
Lunch (regularly) - Food for Thought. (UB40) or Two Pints of Lager & a Packet of Crisps. (Splodgeenessabounds)...Well maybe not!
Tea Bar - 'Right!' Said Fred. (Bernard Cribbins)
Boys' Brigade - Shaddap You Face. (Joe Dolce)
Brownies - Girls Just Want to have Fun. (Cyndi Lauper)
Eco Group - Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth. (Sparks)
Walking Group - Walking on Sunshine. (Katrina & the Waves)
Contemporary Communion - Heaven is a Place On Earth. (Belinda Carlisle)
Rainbows - Chasing Rainbows. (Shed Seven)
Line dancing - Achy Breaky Heart. (Billy Ray Cyrus) or (more to the point) Why? (Bronski Beat)
Badminton - Breathless. (Jerry Lee Lewis)
Craft Daft - Careless Hands. (Des O'Connor)
Trips - Day Tripper / Ticket to Ride. (Beatles)
Look who's coming to dinner - Oh No! (Commodores)

And for the whole congregation: a little help from my friends (Beatles)

Welcoming Place

This is for a conference tomorrow on discovering new ways to care and support congregations.

Five symbols of welcoming are used: bowl of water, towel, bible, bread and wine. Each are placed in a central place in turn and together they form a cross.

Here is water,
heaven’s symbol of welcoming
for all those on tired journeys,
and who need a place to rest.
Come now,
shape this space with us:
a welcoming place,
filled with God-light.

Here is a towel,
heaven’s symbol of hospitality
for all whose wounds need bound,
and need the hands of the servant to hold them.
Come now,
shape this space with us:
a healing place,
filled with God-light.

Here is a story,
heaven’s symbol of unfolding truth
for those who have been silenced here,
yet know their story is heard in the corridor’s of the Almighty.
Come now,
shape this space with us:
a living place,
filled to God-light.

Here is bread,
a symbol of feasting
for all who are hungry
for food and for justice.
Come now,
shape this space with us:
a changing place,
filled with God-light.

Here is wine,
a symbol of covenant
for all who seek out God’s dream,
and long for the community’s renewal.
Come now,
shape this space with us:
a thirsty place,
filled with God-light.