Sheep Dogs

Yesterday, one of our members preached on Jesus being the Shepherd and challenged us to who we really follow. After the sermon we have started a time of response from the congregation, this week 4 people responded (a fifth text the word 'woof') and we got onto a discussion during the service of are we sheep or sheep dogs that respond to the masters calls. Like any analogy the image is limited, but it was interesting to think of us not as sheep (who are dumb, not individual, and have no dialogue with the shepherd) but as sheep dogs who listen carefully to what the Shepherd is saying. Both the image of sheep and sheep dog works well in different ways of how we understand our self in the presence of Jesus. Well done Horfield for a great discussion.

Easter over?

If you go to the churches twitter feed @horfieldbc you will see some images of the visuals we used for our Easter services. In response to the answer the title poses, I don't think Easter can ever be over. We constantly live with the resurrection and Easter message at the forefront of our faith.
If Easter is over, then we have to ask the question as to what our faith is based on. I know the date of Easter ends, but Easter itself must live on.
Today I experienced both the joy and pain of church life. Easter is about joy and pain and understanding our faith in the light of what Christ has done for us. He is risen

Maundy Thursday

Tonight we shared in a lovely time, around 20 of us reflected on the meal that Jesus had with his disciples before the unfolding story of the next few life changing days. We reflect on how this meal was the kairos moment, an important moment, that changed their lives forever. This meal was the start of the sending out into the world and starting to understand their ministry in the light of Jesus. This was the meal that changed everything. I find Easter hard, we know the bigger story, but it is good to stop and remember each part, the joy of Easter Sunday needs to be balanced with the darkness of Thursday and Friday. How would the disciple have reacted or what did they think to what Jesus did on Thursday or the cross on the Friday, it is a question I have asked alot recently. Sleep well tonight, but tomorrow will bring a hard day, don't let the cross be sterile, but let the pain of it enable you to reflect on such perfect love.

Hunger Games

Mrs Tim and I went to the cinema the other night for our anniversary. We watched Hunger Games, a brilliant tale about a future trying to forge peace in a post armageddon society (don't know if post armageddon is possible...anyway). I would really recommend it, yes, take it out of context and it is about children killing children, but the background is so well told that you can actually believe why they have got to this point.
Some great clips for use in church or a small group when it comes out DVD and great discussion points as well. Might think about putting a few evenings on to show the film and discuss it.

The danger of gathered worship

Why do we gather to worship?
I imagine we could all give some really great answers that speak of getting closer to God and learning more.
My concern, and the reason for writing these thoughts is that worship, sometimes, can become self indulgent. It is safe and we feel comfortable when each week we sit in our regular seat. But, the point of gathered worship is to scatter, to send us out equipped into the world God has created and to see what we learn when gathered helps and equips us when scattered.
So let's not spend hours upon hours in our services, singing 100 songs 100 times, and preaching for 4 hours, but gather, equip and mobilise.


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Busy times

This is an important week as we start to think through the journey that Christ made. It is a time to reflect on His journey and our own. This week our church has 3 services, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This is not meant to be a comment on other people, just an observation. I have been surprised by the amount of minister and vicar friends who have 8 or 10 services in the next week. Its great to have variety, but there also needs time to rest and reflect. I fear that sometimes as church we pile expectations onto people to turn up to things and it always seems to be the same people that turn up. I want to try and encourage families to spend time together and church to be part of that, not the thing that causes the arguments and takes family time away. For those friends who have many services I am sure that they are in a situation that this is right, however, for the situation I am in I want to encourage you not to have to rush out to loads of different services this Easter, but experience Easter, the joys and the pain and then take time to reflect on how it fits and applies to your life.


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Weekend Away

It's that moment when you wake up and are still tired. That was Monday morning for me, and it was fine, because we had just had the Church Weekend Away to Sidholme. It was a great weekend where Iain Hoskins led us in "Daring to Wonder", asking us to dream dreams, to become like children in our wanting and desire for God to work. It was a great time in getting to know one another better, and I hope this weekend has an impact on everyone, not just those who were there, but the whole community. How can we dare to be different and what does that look like? and how do we achieve it?
I was reminded this morning of how sometimes adults can be so reserved, to their own detriment. I had arranged to meet a friend for breakfast, as I got there I looked in but could not see him, so I waited outside. I waited and waited, sent him a text, but no reply. Then, after 15 minutes, he rang to ask if I was lost. He had been inside the whole time, I had not seen him as his back was to me, and the text never got to him.
If I had been more daring and more childlike and rang to say "where are you?" or not been nervous about going into the restaurant. A child would have enquired straight away what was going on, or ran straight in to find what they wanted.
It's amazing how even a few days after the weekend the practicalities of what was said hit home. Have they for you?

Sharpening the senses

Today, as I drove to church, I looked in my mirror to see I was being followed by a police car. I was doing nothing wrong, so I had nothing to worry about. However, all of a sudden I became very proper in the way I drove (not saying I don't usually) every indicator was done, observing ever so strictly to the speed limit. I was relieved when they overtook me on the dual carriage way (even though they must have been speeding). This made me think.
I wonder how we would live life with a physical Jesus standing behind us watching us, I wonder if we would do anything different. I know Jesus is all around us (like the law of the road is always there) but having a physical reminder (like the police) does sharpen the senses and make us check what we are doing.
Do you live life as if Jesus was watching over your shoulder? Maybe a bit too 'Big Brother' for some, but a police car behind does make you think a bit differently.

Books

Over this last week, whilst on holiday, I read 2 books. Both books we're quite different from one another. Firstly, 'Up Pohnpei' a story of two football fans who decide to find the worst international team in the world and become their managers and then 'Dispatches from the sofa' by Frank Skinner. I was surprised by both books, the first one I was expecting comedy and I found a heart warming and genuine tale, the second I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but certainly not a collection of weekly newspaper columns that argued a strong case for God.
This is not a case of judging the book by its cover, I was more surprised at how my approaches to both books needed to change to really get to grips with them.
If you are one of those people who can approach a book with an open mind, that is great, however I like to know what I am about to let myself in for.
Do our expectations of a situation hinder out ability to be unbiased? Do we sometimes need to shed our preconceptions and listen with ears that have no prejudice? I remember when I was studying at college I was told to use a clean bible (one with no notes) so that we could approach the situation fresh.
Next time you go into a situation ask yourself what preconceptions and history you hold that may bias your thoughts!


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