The potential of small things

A sermon preached on Sunday 24th July at 10:30 Service in St. Columba's Parish Church

Over the past few weeks we have been looking at a few of Jesus' Parables ... the sower and the seed, the wheat and the weeds,

Potential can be defined as capable of being or becoming

Over the course of the past few days I have been looking over the first parable in the set which we read ...The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

The seed is planted with potential .. it is capable of being a bush, or becoming a bush... it has potential.

All seed have the potential. Teachers look at young people in Primary School and say that they have great potential. We look at the world today and see that it has great potential ... it is capable of being or becoming something fantastic.

There is also negative potential ... the human being has also the potential of doing great harm. Yesterday as I was at home I switched on to BBC News Channel as it was covering the events which happened in Oslo. One human being causing so much harm to so many people, as I watched that then news started breaking about a train crash in China, and further news about Singer and Song Writer Amy Winehouse, and then more news about the nurse who is alleged to have tampered with medical products.

Potential ... each and everyone has great potential ... but our God given best potential is to live as citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. To use our gifts and skills, our talents in the way God intended us to, to make an impact for good on the world around us. But he will never force us to make these decisions.

God has always been a God of freedom,

God always has been God of Transformation,

God has always been a God of potential,

When we look down through the pages of History God has used ordinary people to transform this world... and the truth is he still does it today.

Down through the years Christians have been at the forefront of some of the major things we now take for granted ... In Modern Society we could point to Christians

Men and Women who saw thing were not right, that humanity was not living to its full potential and who decided to do something about it.

• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - first laws to protect children from abuse (Rev B Waugh)

• Barnardo's - world's largest orphange system (T.J. Barnardo)

• Richard Oastler campaigned to protect children through the Factory Reform Bill and Anti-Poor movement.

• Almshouses birthed and were the first to offer formal care for the elderly and disabled in society.

• Prison Reform pioneered by the Quakers.

• Braille system for the blind developed by Louis Braille.

• Pioneers of free health care for the terminally ill (Douglas Macmillan)

• Advocates of International Fair Trade (Tearfund)

• International Housing for the poor - Habitat for Humanity (Millard Fuller).

• Leprosy Mission - caring for those no-one else wants (Dr. P.Wilson)
• Abolition of Slave Trade (W.Wilberforce and wider Church)

• Pioneers of Microfinance for poor countries (D.Bussau)

• Pioneers of education for the deaf (Rev. Gallaudet)

• Fathers of modern Foster Care (Charles L. Brace)

Simple Ideas which we now take for granted ... but which came from Christians living out their faith in their own fields of influence.

All of us are called as part of our Christian faith to be involved in the mission of God where we are ... of doing the small things which we can ... even though we think that they are so small and insignificant ... of remaining faithful to the small things and seeing them grow into something which is of great significance, of living lives which mean something ...

situated under the covers of each of the pews ... you will find that there are some seeds really small seed ... but seed which have the potential to grow ...

Sunday by Sunday we come to church ... we read readings, we hear sermons, we receive communion we commit ourselves to be living sacrifices ... and we go out. .... the past few weeks we have heard loads of things about Good soil, about producing a good crop .... there is a real challenge I believe.

As a church we are called to grow ... we are called to develop ... we are called to find out more about God ... we all have potential to do great things for God.

Perhaps we are not called to start a new organisation as some of those people were

Prehaps we are called to find out more about God’s will is for our lives

Perhaps we are called to get involved in something new here

Perhaps there is some particular need / injustice that we are concerned about

Perhaps we would like to get involved in a particular role in church life

The potential is great ... the seed that you have in your hand has the pontential to produce a vegetable, a tree, a flower ... each something different.

The only way we can know what we have got is to plant it and see what happens.

None of us know really what the future will hold, nor what our faith will look like in days weeks or months ahead but we do need to take care of it.

If you are up for a challenge, take the seed, and plant it, give it some water, and see what is produced!

If you are up for a challenge, take the faith which you already have, add a wee bit of Word and Christian Fellowship and see what could be produced

God always has been God of Transformation,

God has always been a God of freedom,

God has always been a God of potential,

It has always been up to us ... either we plant the seed and allow it to fulfill its full potential or we keep it in our pockets and don’t let it grow.

As a church we get the variety and the nourishment when everyone finds their full kingdom potential.

I Look forward to hearing in the next months as to what has been produced!

Pause!

A Sermon Preached at 7pm Late Evening Office in St. Columbas Parish Church 17th July 2011

Text Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, ⁵⁵and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Pause

This evening I would like to consentrate on the first bit of our reading

Our lectionary is great as it causes us to take a balance in our Christian life, sometimes we are caused by our readings to get out and do things, sometimes we are caused to reflect on Sin and then to repent, sometimes we are caused to think about others and other times we are reminded to pause, to take stock of where we are.

Every single one of us needs rest ... we need rest to recharge our batteries, we need rest to re-engage with God, we need rest to remind us where we are and what we are doing. Our american brothers and sisters may call it a “Time Out”.

We are spiritual beings, we are called to take time out, to reflect on how much more there is to life. We are called to mediatate on Scripture, to discover the richness of prayer.

The greatest resource that we have, the most limited resource we have on this planet is time. How we use this time allotted to us speaks so much about our priorities.

Over the past couple of months I have been very concious of this ... I have met lots of people in homes the length and breadth of the parish who are extremely busy either with work or dealing issues within their families.

I also know from speaking with Good school friends that spending time with the important people in their lives is difficult - due to other demands on their time.

It is one of the reasons that I am I running with the idea of Pause. Simply taking “Time out”. Of giving people the excuse to meet up for a picnic lunch, or a cup of coffee and a chat detail of the events are in the magazine.

The whole Idea of Pause is to use it as an excuse ...to be honest ... I’m very happy if nobody turns up ... as I would be glad if 100’s do! if you cant get out to the pause things in the magazine ... please don’t worry ... It is simply an excuse to take a break from the norm. To meet up with friends, to encourage one another.

To do what those disciples were trying to do in that boat ... to get away and pause but pause with a purpose ... to be with Jesus and with one another.

We are called to be people who do pause, If the all powerful Jesus and his disciples needed to take time out how much more do we.

Every single one of us has a spiritual side to our lives ...

Nobody is called to a 24/7 Job, we all need to take time out, to an active rest which can sustain us but as Christians we are called to life in all its fullness. And here in lies the tension of being and doing, of as Mars Bar’s famously.... Working, Resting and Playing

It is my prayer that we discover what this means in our lives. That we would find places in which we can pause, that we can build into our lives a rhythm of places where we can be fed, challenged, where we can process how we are developing in our walk with God and then put into practice what we are thinking.

A couple of practical questions

1. How in the past week, month and year have you rested?
2. How in the past week, month and year have you taken time out with God?
3. How in the past week, month and year have you done something practical for God?

Let us Pray

A season to grow

We are all living in a busy and complicated world

The rhythm of times and seasons in the church calendar is useful

... there are times when we are really busy and there are time when things quieten down

... there are times when we celebrate and times when we are more reflective

... there are times when we remember certain events and times when we look at general points

This sunday sees the beginning of the green colours in church which are ordinary... pastoral ... growth colours reminding us that we are indeed called to grow, to live

In this period between Trinity Sunday and the start of advent we will be reading Bible Passages which are focused on living out the Good News, of applying principles so that we grow as Christians, so that we become wiser in our learning, so that we become a wee bit more like Jesus.

Time and again Jesus used images from agriculture ... seed, roots, vines, wheat to speak about growth.

The readings at this time of year have been chosen to challenge congregations around the world to put into practice the whole of the Gospel - to apply the passages to our everyday situations.

Inspiration for sermons come in all sorts of different circumstances ... from all sorts of different people

I am learning in the curatage garden that there is a need to not only feed and water the plants but I also need to remove things that might damage them. I do love taking advice from people who know what they are talking about. Just this week Jim came and said that the window boxes are looking well but he also said ... look there is something damaging those young plants ... you need to get pellets to remove those pests.

Jim knows what he is talking about ... and sure enough they have gone. I needed to take action.

Every single one of us is called to grow, we are called on an amazing journey to know God better, we are called to develop, to become more like Jesus. Our reading this morning calls this sanctification ... a process of development ... Sunday by Sunday we come to church to worship, to hear the word of God proclaimed, to be strengthened when we hear it, to recieve Holy Communion, to be reminded the length Jesus has gone to for us and to be sent out our way, to wherever and whoever we are serving this week.

In our Epistle reading this morning we are reminded of the things which could so easily prevent us from growing up in the faith. Paul writing to the Church in Rome reminds them of sin and all that that word conjours up in our minds.

Not one of us are perfect ... all of us need to hear the message that we are all called to reflect on the stuff in our lives which we need to get rid of. If we don’t take action like my little flowers we may be hurt, we will be damaged by it.

When we talk about sin ... we could rhyme of a whole list of ways to sin ... but as we were preparing the current all age worship service sheet

we found the wording

Forgive us Lord

when we do the wrong thing,

when we say the wrong thing

even when we think the wrong thing

None of us have to look too far to see things that we have done, said or thought which are not of God’s will

When we compare our love to that of 1 Cor or our actions to that of what the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us

As we begin this period of growth over the summer period how are you and I going to grow, how are we going to put into place in our lives places of spiritual food, reflection, challenge and indeed community.

In St. Columba’s our prayer has been and will continue to be that all ages would be welcomed, would recieve love and fellowship. That all envy, pride and hatred would not be found here. That those who are tempted would find help, that those who are grieving would recieve comfort, that there would be mercy and place of growth

It is to this end that we want to provide Bible Study right through the summer on a wednesday evening ... currently looking at a book called Knowing God. Each Chapter is a stand alone study so if you want to come along please do let myself or the rector know ... copies of the chapters will be available

We also want to provide during the summer months dates, times & places to meet and be together, ... for all ages... Today we are heading to Tollymore. Other times will appear in the mid summer magazine

We simply want to give people the excuse, the space and time to pause, to chat, to be together and to renew strength and go on their way in hope and Joy.

We do live in a busy and complicated world ... church is called to stand out, to be a place where all can belong to a loving and caring community. It is our prayer in this community would grow into and would know that we are here for one another through good and bad. For this to happen we all need to play our part.

I do believe that this is Faith and Growth in action

Let us pray

Help us Lord to grow, to become more like you in our attitudes, in our words and deeds. Amen

Holy Land Series - 2 Bethlehem

From here we Jumped on the bus and headed to the town of Bethlehem

Not a little town now but a big city, a divided city. It is amazing to catch our first glimpse of the peace wall ... the check point. When we were driving through one of the most poignant images was that of a bankzy graffiti icon ... that of the dove of peace under threat.

What an Irony!, in the place where the Prince of Peace was born there is so much conflict.

In Bethlehem we headed to manger square, queued in the church of the nativity and vistited the cave where Jesus is supposed to have been born.

A very special place.

Church of the Nativity

Matthew 2: 1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

O God, our gracious heavenly Father, Creator and Sustainer, and yet our Father, we thank you on this wonderful day for that little child who would make us all your children. As we remember his lowly, humble birth, take away our pride. as we remember his pure life, take away our sins, as we remember how he came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, help us to serve more unselfishly, give more generously, and love more devotedly. For his sake. Amen (adapted from Leslie Weatherhead)

My lasting memory of this place will be the group getting together and singing ... Away in a manger ...

Shepherd’s Fields

After lunch (still on the first day!) we headed off to The Shepherds fields where we looked out over the hill country and spotted some modern day shepherds in the fields.

Luke 2

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Almighty God,

in the birth of your Son

you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word,

and shown us the fullness of your love:

help us to walk in this light and dwell in his love

that we may know the fullness of his joy;

who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and ever. Amen

Internet and church

An interesting item ....


Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

Pastors should use, not ignore, IT - Anglican priest

Posted On : June 22, 2011 12:02 PM | Posted By : Admin ACO
Related Categories: South East Asia
By Nathanael Ng writing in The Christian Post

Attitudes of uncertainty, fear and ignorance still dominate among church leaders on the advent of the digital revolution.

But for churches to impact society, pastors need to understand the changes and maximise their use of IT, highlighted an Anglican priest.

Writing for the latest issue of Trinity Theological College's Church & Society in Asia Today magazine, the Reverend Canon Terry Wong of St. James' Church said: "The Church should not relegate IT issues to technicians and hobbyist.

"Leaders, pastors, theologians and thinkers need to give leadership to these matters."

Key to pastoral ministry is regular communication between pastors and their church members and fellow leaders, Canon Wong pointed out.

Current IT tools can help pastors enhance that communication. And these tools are neutral, the priest emphasised.

"A pastor who wants to communicate will use whatever tools there are at his disposal," he said.

Giving specific examples, he highlighted that email communication provides a 'great' avenue for teams to work together.

"Our teams include lay leaders who do not share our work premises and work with us remotely," he said. "They receive inspirational ideas during the week and are encouraged when they know their pastor enjoys listening to them."

Twitter, Facebook, e-prayer letters or web logs are a convenient means for church members to be updated on the work and ministry trips of their pastors.

Church websites are important. This is because today many will first visit a church's website before turning up in church or at its office, the priest highlighted.

It is challenging to design or redesign the church website and to keep it updated, he acknowledged. For this reason, collective efforts could be made within a denomination to help each church do that.

It is advantageous for pastors to be knowledgeable about and comfortable with IT. Even if they are not, they can give space and encouragement for lay leaders or younger staff to contribute.

Web logs can supplement pulpit ministry to help church members know and understand the Christian perspective on devotional, moral or social issues.

Moving to another subject, Canon Wong encouraged churches to offer sermons online without charge. This will make the resources easily available for those from Third World countries.

Teaching journals or magazines should be made available online, the priest proposed.

As things stand, however, the Church appears to be 'losing the race' in terms of shaping beliefs and culture, he observed.

The issue is not a lack of relevant voices, he pointed out. Rather, it is one of churches not making good use of the digital medium and being slow to adapt.

"The Church has almost become a ghetto, speaking only to herself," said Canon Wong.

Many churches still bear vestiges of the era of the Reformation, with truth usually communicated semantically. Some attend churches where the Gospel is merely re-enacted.

It is not surprising then that youths are leaving traditional churches by droves in most societies, the priest noted.

"On Sundays, they enter a church singing formal songs and listening to the sole preacher," he said. "On weekdays, the world engages them in a whirlwind of networking, self-expression, meaningful interactions where truth and reality are experienced collaboratively, viscerally and relationally."

Consequently, Christianity is in danger of becoming irrelevant to them, he warned. "By ignoring the digital revolution and failing to connect with our youths today, the church has practically chosen to stay out of their lives," he said.

Moreover, people today are gathering in the cyber-world according to their hobbies and interests rather than political or religious lines.

And yet churches are seeking to establish their denominational distinctive or work in isolation from other Christian bodies.

"People on the street... are seeking for spiritual reality," said the priest. "And many of the terms used to classify denominational distinctive mean very little to them."

How does God guide us

This blog has been prepared for a Bible study based on Chapter 20 of Knowing God by J I Packer

Some are afraid that they might miss God's plan for their lives.

Gods guidance is based upon two facts ...

1. The reality of God's plan
2. The ability of God to communicate that plan

The reality of these two facts are seen time and again throughout the pages of scripture

How does God today?

Packer gives us a class of problems which we may seek for guidance ... All of which are good (p265) but between which we may have to decide

They cannot be chosen by a direct reading of scripture
There does in this case need some sort of discernment ... How is this to be achieved?

Packer points to common sense ... Rational thought! ... Principles of bible teaching

I do like the comment at the bottom of page 268 'he guides me in the paths of righteousness' but not anywhere else!

Packer proceeds to highlight 6 common pitfalls

1. Forgetting to think ... To consider the implications of the choice
2. Forgetting to think ahead .... To weigh up the long term consequences of a decision
3. Not willing to take advice ... There are always people around about us who know the Bible, us, our own giftings and limitations better than we do and it is indeed biblical to take their advice, to ask them, to get their opinion ... Even if we end up rejecting what they say we can weigh up their opinions ... To look at a decision from a different angle is helpful
4. Forgetting to suspect oneself ... By this is to look at ourselves and ask why we are feeling this is the right course of action ... These feelings can sometimes be leading us in our own way ... Can we justify what we are deciding or not?
5. Forgetting to Discount personal magnetism ... Are we taking this decision to make us popular or because people will put us on a proverbial pedestal
6. Forgetting to wait ... 'wait on the Lord' is something which the psalmist is continually reminding us to do

The thing about all of this is that even though we have taken all of the above into consideration packer reminds us that there are no simple answers

We may well have to evaluate as we go along but there is no easy problem free life ... Look at the Bible characters ... No one has ever been completely guided by God in all decisions that made a carefree life... All came up against problems

'I simply had to bow in the knowledge that God was his own interpreter... We must allow God to do what he wants to do. And if you are thinking that you know the will of God for your life and you are anxious to do that, you are probably in for a very rude awakening because nobody knows the will of God for his entire life...'

When we miss the road

If we end up going the wrong way . It is usually a good idea to turn around ...even if it will take a bit of effort to make that turning. God is a god who takes all of us and makes good out of the mistakes. This is part of the overall sovereignty of God

He wills that whatever happens, whatever mistakes we make that we shall come safe home. Slip pings and strings there will be but the everlasting arms are beneath us; we shall be caught, rescued restored.

How freeing all of this is

Robert says ...

I think all of the above is completely great teaching and advice ... However i wonder for a wee bit of discussion on facebook / blog /email a couple of questions

1. How to the work of the Holy Spirit impact into all of this
2. Do you agree with all of the above ... Is there any other advice you would give to someone who is seeking to know whether decision x y or z is the right way to go?

The incarnation ...

Two Blogs in One today ... Holy Land number 2 and Bible Study Chapter 5

Whilst in the Holy Land, directly after the Garden of Gethsemane we boarded the bus and headed to Bethlehem to visit the church of the Nativity.

Matthew 2: 1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

O God, our gracious heavenly Father, Creator and Sustainer, and yet our Father, we thank you on this wonderful day for that little child who would make us all your children. As we remember his lowly, humble birth, take away our pride. as we remember his pure life, take away our sins, as we remember how he came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, help us to serve more unselfishly, give more generously, and love more devotedly. For his sake. Amen (adapted from Leslie Weatherhead)

The Incarnation has huge implications for our lives and ministry ... A dark cave, in a far away land. The Son of God was born.

In our Bible Study this evening we are looking at what the Incarnation means to us.

JI Packer on Page 62 looks at 7 things which the prologue to Johns Gospels says about this child born in a manger

IN THE BEGINNING WAS the word

And the word was WITH God

And the word WAS God

THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE

In him was LIFE

and that life was the LIGHT OF MEN

The word BECAME FLESH

These few verses when we analyse them speak so much of what we believe as Christians about Jesus.

He has always been, He is in a relationship with the Father and He is God, he became one of us and he is the Life and Light for us all.

There are loads of ways to understand what Jesus did in becoming Fully Human whilst also reamining fully God. Packer in our Bible Study reminds us that he emptied himself (Kenosis) means laying aside his Glory - He voluntarily restrained his power; and acceptance of hardship, isolation and eventually death on the cross.

So what does this mean for us ?

The incarnation speaks of God's love for each and every one of us. It Speaks of God identifying with his world, it reminds us that he identified with all our failings and faults. It means that God know what it is to be tempted, humiliated .... and the rest.

He knows what it is like to mourn at funerals, to rejoice at weddings

What if God was one of us? ... actually he was!

Holy Land Series #1 - Jerusalem at a glance and Mount of Olives

It is only now that I have had time to sit back and reflect on Holy Land Trip.

This wee mini Series hopefully will recall some of the sights of my recent Pilgrimage with 25 others to the Holy Land, the sights, sounds, readings and prayers as well as meditations upon the readings which we used whilst out in the Land of so much history and faith story.

Our Pilgrimage began in Jerusalem, a fascinating city

A City which is Holy to Christian, Jew and Muslim where many middle eastern cultures meet and live together within the city walls. Where there is tension, where there is creativity. It is hard to capture the heart of this city ... it is unlike anywhere else in the world today.

As we entered the city by coach late at night we read Psalm 122 ... what an awesome experience it was to be in a city where so much of our faith is centred. When we think of Jerusalem we think of the temple, the streets where Jesus walked, the cross, the tomb, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the miracles.

Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’
Our feet are standingwithin your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together.

To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

For there the thrones for judgement were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.

Peace be within your walls,and security within your towers.’
For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.

Prayer:

God of our joy and gladness,

as we prepare to enter the city of Jerusalem

help us to take to our hearts its modern bustle, busy traffic, bright lights and at the same time to remember its divisions and ancient ways, its centres of faith for Jew and Muslim,

and all that it means to us and to all Christian people.

Protect all who live here from everything that makes for violence and hatred and keep all who visit from prejudice and self-centredness.

Bless us, who come to this holy place as pilgrims on a journey of faith.

In your mercy and love, inspire us by your Holy Spirit and speak to us through your Son, as we follow his steps to the cross and place of resurrection.

Give us joy in our hearts, keep us praising!

- and in your mercy hear our prayer –

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

_____________

As Pilgrims on our journey we set out the next day (First Full day) to explore the Mount of Olives ... What a hillside, when the bus leaves you at the top of the hill you have no idea what lies before you ... a complete mix of emotions, stories and teaching. This is the mount of olives, the real mountain.

We began when the bus left us at the top of the hill.

Churches seem to be built on every location ... more about that as we go along but as we begin we begin at the top of the Mount of Olives with the Church of the Ascension ... which has been turned into a mosque, looked after by the muslims but allowed access by the Christians.

As we progressed down the mountain we discovered many churches ... The Church of Pater Noster --- the Lord's Prayer. A wonderful church which around its walls has the Lord's Prayer in so many different languages.

The Benedictine Monastery was our next port of call, an awesome place of tranquility, peace and worship. As we sat in that place our first singing as a group took place ... Father, we adore you, lay our lives before you, how we love you ... Jesus ... Spirit.

From here we progressed into exploring the sights of the vista of the Kidron Valley overlooking Jerusalem.

The graves of those Jews who desire to see Messiah entering Jerusalem

As we progressed down this mountain side we encountered our next church, the church of dominus Flevit Where Jesus is supposed to have wept over .

Reading at Dominus Flevit: Luke 19: 41-44

As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.’

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,

Today we share your tears for the cities of the world;

Still we have not loved the things that make for peace.

We weep for the divided cities;

where brother fights with brother,

where anger feeds on hatred,

where prejudice blinds the eyes of compassion,

and even religion divides,

where children are taught to hate,

and old men relish ancient wrongs.

We weep for cities of oppression:

where iron law imprisons freedom,

where thought is curbed and conscience stifled,

where the questioning spirit is called a traitor,

where art and civilising truth grow barren,

and each must think in manner as his neighbour.

We weep for cities of poverty:

where children live, but die too soon,

where eager hands can find no work,

where hunger rules and aid is short,

where mothers clutch uncomprehending young,

and where the little we could do, we fail to do.

We weep for our cities and for ourselves;

we have not learned the things that make for peace.

Lord,

turn tears to love, and love to work.

Turn work to justice,

and all that makes for peace. Amen.

(Donald Hilton)

There is something extremely moving about this place, a place where Jerusalem can be seen in all its complexity and frustration. In its religiousity, and poverty, in its wealth and in its hussle and bustle.

As we progress into the Valley, we encounter the Garden of Gethsemane

Once again we need to in this place strip away the church and the tourist side of this site and look at the 1st Century olive trees, the garden where Jesus himself was arrested, where we saw the failure of the disciples to keep watch. Where he was betrayed by a kiss.

Mark 14: 32-41

They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’

Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him

In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father

through Christ the Saviour of the world.

Father, in this place you Son was betrayed,

earlier that evening he had washed his disciples’ feet.

We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service.

Lord, hear us

and humble us.

At the Last Supper, he prayed for his disciples to be one.

We pray for the unity of the Church

Lord, hear us

and unite us.

On that same day he prayed here for the cup to pass from him.

His disciples slept, but his mission was fulfilled.

We pray for courage

Lord, hear us

and renew our zeal.

In this place your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cup of death

and looked forward to the new wine of the Kingdom.

We remember those persecuted for their faith and for all who have died in the peace of Christ.

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Being in this Garden, a filled with grief, burden and failure, turmoil and struggle, not a happy or plesent place to be but a place where we do find ourselves sometimes.

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And this is just the morning of the first day in Jerusalem.

Marathon Updates

Our Parish Team are setting off to walk the marathon, hopefully via twitter we'll have updates on how things are progressing during each leg of it.

Watch the twitter feed to the right hand side of this post and we will let you know once the batton is passed on!

and our official finishing time!

Daniel

A sermon preached at Choral Evensong, Sunday 1st May 2011 in St. Columbas

Daniel and the Lions Den ... another Childhood Bible story, a serene comic book story

Daniel at his window praying
King ordering Daniel into a den of lions
Lions being like pussy cats
King being shocked in the morning when Daniel is still alive

I just wonder do we need to re-discover the horror of this story, the sacrifice which Daniel faced, the faith which was bold enough to stand up to Government, the wisdom of choosing the battles to fight, where we need to witness to our faith.

Daniel was living at at time of great upset for the Jewish People, people who had been carried away into exile by Babylon and now living in what was Persian exile after the conquest . Under the regime of King Darius. However Daniel had risen through the ranks and had kept his faith in God, despite ridicule and persecution .. he had interpreted Dreams for previous kings, he had interpreted the handwritting on the wall, he had been thrown into the firey furnace with collegues for not recognising and worshipping the King Nebuchadnezzar as God.

Daniel had been through all of this and still had found favor with the king. He had risen to heights within the Persian Empire

So we see he had seen much through his life ... Ups and Downs but God was remaining faithful even in the most desparate of circumstances.

How could he make sense of all of this?

He was faced with lions ... sure and certain danger and death

He knew what it was to face fire, he knew what it was to face an angry king, he knew what it was to speak to royalty, he had been prepared by God.

From this story, and from most, if not all stories in the Bible there is a continuity, a gradual learning to deal with situations, of learning, of taking what has happened in the past and build upon it in order to face the future.

Think of David as a Shepherd, rescued sheep ... to being the rescuer of nations
In the new Testament The disciples from fishermen to fishers of men

I am sure there would indeed have been terror in Daniel mind thinking about what was going to happen to him, but there would have also been a memory of how God had been faithful in the past - through other experiences.

One of the privelliges of parish ministry is chatting with people about their experiences of God today, of hearing in the happy as well as the darkest moments of life. I am convinced that God is a God of experience, of learning, of allowing us to experience stuff in our own time. I know over the past two years in particular there have been situations I have faced which 4 or 5 years ago I would not have coped with the same way but God has been equipping me to deal with those situations.

The same is true I believe for all of us here ... what has happened in our past, God uses for Good, perhaps so that we can understand and support others going through the same. There is a great verse which I love

1 Cor 10:13 ... No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Daniel was called to withstand a great temptation, to give up on praying ... in fear of his Life, he didn’t give in to that temptation but rather relied on his God, took God’s promise to heart and dared to believe.

I wonder when we are faced with anykind of challenge, opposition, circumstance Which all of us will be at some time or another, do we have enough experience of God to rely upon to get us through, do we have that dependancy upon God that will sustain us.

Are we prepared to pray in the good times as well as the tough times, are we prepared to allow God to guide us to do what his will is in the less scary times, in the ordinariness of life and then depend upon him when the winds blow and the storms of life do come.

Let us pray

In darkness and in light, In trouble and in joy help us O Lord to focus on your word and be about the things which help us. In Jesus name we pray Amen