confirmation classes

well just got back from the first confirmation class of the year - 8 young people who seem to want to be confirmed..... they all said they believe in God which is better than last years lot on the first day.

I wonder though how many want to do it for themselves? or is it the parents or is they just want to take the bread and wine at the eucharist - like their friends... this is a dilemma that many peple find themselves in is it pressure or is there a longing for more of God in their lives?

Do I show God in my life in the way I accompany them on their journey? do other adults around them help or hinder? Are we welcoming to our children and young people like Jesus was or do we want to turn them away because they aren't as 'holy', or well behaved, or dressed smart, or.....as we would like them to be?

cool day

interesting day today - I spent the day at the Light project observing the teaching and chatting to various folk.

started off with worship which was a real joy to start the week - loking at Eph 1: 1-3. Patience was the thing our small group looked at.... and it challenged me to think about how we want stuff yesterday instead of waiting until we can afford it...another thing it triggered off for me was again the heart of the gospel.....

A song I heard in Ireland and have been singing ever since is Search me, know me, Lord....Create in me a heart thats clean, conquer the power of secret shame....very often we have things we hide from friends and family, but God loves us with such unconditional love that there is complete acceptance of who we are right now, never mind yesterday or tomorrow. That secret shame can lead to us doing all sorts of things to keep it from those who care for us, but there can never be true healing or openness if we hide away...

there is someone I know at the moment who is not wanting to face up to stuff going on in her life, but until she does, no-one can help her move on. It's a bit like for a lot of us I think, hiding this bit away from that group, something else from another group, and yet what we need to do is love ourselves....yes I know easier said than done!! but we need to try

my all

I am no longer my own but yours.Your will, not mine,be done in all things,wherever you may place me, in all that I do and in all that I may endure; when there is work for me and when there is none; when I am troubled and when I am at peace. Your will be done when I am valued and when I am disregarded; when I find fulfilment and when it is lacking; when I have all things, and when I have nothing.I willingly offer all I have and am to serve you, as and where you choose

this is taken from the methodist covenant service, and I think this is something that is a hard thing to pray, but something that is our goal.... I don't always want to do what God wants because it might not suit me to do whatever it is...however I know I need to do what he wants me to. The journey thus far of my going for ordination has been a long sometimes painful one, and I am still uncertain of what will happen but that is ok, (most of the time).... I am offering myself to God and waiting for the answer.

here we are again

So, this morning went to church and although it was lovely to see everyone, I was rather thinking of last sunday..... but I am here and if there is anything I don't like it is when someone is not 'present' even though they might be sitting next to me... so I made myself 'be'

the first reading was from 1 Cor 13 all about love.... and the second was about Simeon and Anna. Two old people who had been faithful all their lives to God and the worship of God, and at the end of their time, God becomes present in human form, come to bring the Gospel of love.

Loving isn't always easy, because of past experiences, because we are scared, because we don't like to be out of control, but at the end of the day the commandments Jesus left are to love God, and love our neighbours as we love ourselves.... yes I know I keep saying it, well perhaps that is because it is at the heart of the gospel...in my opinion!!

Velvet Elvis and Blue like Jazz

Finished velvet elvis last night and there was so much in there that resonates with me, about how I am, what I do and why I do stuff. Perhaps not as much now as it used to be, but I think that is because I take responsibility for my own actions, and want to do what God wants me to rather than what I want to do. That is hard sometimes but at the end of the day it is important to me....

the day before I finished blue like jazz, which is another awesome book, telling the stories from one persons life... People don't like it when new perspectives are written about, or a new understanding, and can be quite cruel in thier critique, however if it is someones experience of God for them, how dare we undervalue or criticise it.... It might not be our experience but it is none the less valid isn't it?

Ireland

so I went to Ireland this weekend, for a break, and it was a fantastic weekend away. Went into Belfast on the friday evening when I got there and had a lovely meal out. Then went onto Tiny's for the evening calling in at Basil and Noreens on the way for a cuppa. Some cool conversations in Tiny's and then 'home' to Neville's. Gorgeous house, didn't expect anything else really, and then in the morning went to Springhill for a walk before going back for lunch and then on to Port Stewart in the afternoon. Louise came for a meal on the evening which was great as I haven't seen her for 3 yrs. In the morning it was church with a slight difference. People didn't want to go home....

All that was a preamble to what is coming!!

Neville spoke about belonging and it is hard to feel you belong sometimes due to all sorts of reasons. What I found refereshing was that Neville was saying to go out into the world instead of staying in the church, to be with those on the edges of society or church, to be like Jesus instead of the pharisees. 10 out of 5!!!

When is the church going to wake up and realise that the church is not meeting the needs of the people outside - because we don't know what it is like to be outside. Who are our friends? who do we get on with do we have any non-christian friends or are they all insiders?

Don Miller has written 'blue like Jazz' which is a must read for anyone struggling with 'christians' or christianity, he speaks so much sense! It also made me want to cry as I recognised myself in there a lot!! Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell is also in my opinion an essential read, however there are others who would dispute my opinion - which is fine, go ahead. I believe that these two guys as well as a whole lot more people are trying to engage people 'out there' with Jesus, not the sanitised Jesus we get preached at us, not the meek and mild Jesus of the christmas carols, but the real Jesus who kept company with the outcasts and strangers - those people who are our neighbours, but who we ignore. Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to Love God with every ounce of our being, and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. But do we love ourselves, or do we continually pile on the guilt and the rubbish and feel that we aren't good enough? I certainly did it for quite a while...