Christmas - over

I am sorry my daily blog never really got going this year. December turned out to be extremely busy and er, Christmas sort of took over.

We've reached the end of Christmas really. We have eaten so much rich food, finishing it up as we have tried to do tonight has been a challenge. There is only so much mackerel pate you can take let alone mince pies and chocolates! We've sung our last carol today at Messy Church. We are Christmased out.

But we forget at our peril the length of the Christmas season, it runs until February 2nd, the feast of Candlemas. I didn't put any decorations up until Christmas Eve to people's amazement. I will take them down on January 6th apart from a nativity set which will remain in my lounge until the end of the season. I remember sharing a funeral with the vicar in our united church in Heighington near Darlington some years ago in the middle of January. He lit the Christmas candle and reminded people that Christ who came on earth is still on earth in mid January in the gloom and despondency and pain of life. I have never forgotten that. We act as though he comes and then we put him away with the glitter until next year rather than remembering the stable and all of that is merely the introduction to the story of God on earth permanently.

I am beginning to ponder 2017 - a huge year for me as I marry the love of my life in just over two months, an unexpected blessing and joy despite it feeling huge and a little scary. We've had a lovely first Christmas together sorting what will be our home here, including transforming my kitchen cupboards where nothing is logically placed anywhere into OUR kitchen! The saucepans are now near the oven, and the mugs are near the kettle and random rubbish has been binned. Other people are sensing 2017 might be diffcult, with the implications of Brexit and a move towards isolationism rather than community and the shuddering thought of President Trump. We need to remember our resources and our faith more than ever. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot put it out. God's love is steadfast. Read Psalm 136 for fun! Og, King of  Bashan is smited. A mountain falls on his head according to legend. We act as though God is not enough and we are not enough. We need to be more confident in him and in ourselves. Sunday's Gospel reminds us he dwells among us not just as long as mince pies are in season, but for always.

So, yes, I am confused and unsure of the day of the week but as the year ends and another opens I am trying to step out assured all will be well.
I wish it could be Christmas every day? Well, no more rich food but more confidence I am not alone. I will settle for that.                    

Blogging through Advent - Providing space for people...

I love this poster. I spotted it in one of our rural chapels yesterday. Clearly there has been a problem with noise while others wanted to prepare for worship quietly.  

Everyone needs people to shut up and be quiet sometimes and everyone needs space for quiet contemplation or to come together for a celebration. I've seen both today in an amazing busy day but one of the loveliest days I've had recently in my work here. 

In our morning service some twelve hours now, we thought about John the Baptist ranting to people to create space, to think again about God's intervention. I suggested he is an interruption to our Christmas planning but a necessary one. He confronts us about repentance and resetting of life. It was good to preach a fiery prophetic sermon and use some Jim Wallis in my service. I love Jim Wallis. You might like to read this article he wrote reflecting on the new world of American politics: 

www.sojo.net/articles/advent-2016-not-normal-not-now-not-come

This afternoon I was privileged to lead the local hospice Lights of Love service at St Mary's Church in Ninfield. St Michael's Hospice is an important place in this area and holds several of these services at the same time today. The church was full and afterwards everyone placed stars on a Christmas tree outside our Methodist chapel before it was lit for the season. It was good to give people space to remember, grieve and celebrate loved ones that have died. My words were appreciated by many. 

I then arrived at an amazing party at my largest church where we had invited the community and our own church family to an event which involved Messy Church activities, loads of food, a little talk on angels by me and then a carol and Christmas music singalong. The place was buzzing when I walked in and the atmosphere created by a gathering of all ages having fun and working together was very special. People were given space to celebrate with others. New friends were made and everyone left feeling good. 

Finally I went to my village chapel in Pett to lead a very quiet Taize Service in candlelight. The chants were very special tonight and I led some reflections about taking time to see the light of Christ in between them. The candlelight was very peaceful and lovely until I missed my footing coming out of the pulpit and managed narrowly to miss a music stand in front of me and staggered about like I was worse for wear! 

I think today has shown me we need to offer people space to remember the story. It can be done in different ways. I love my work here so much because of its diversity. Even if I am shattered now, it has been a very special day. 

Blogging through Advent - being seen by those passing by...

It's very easy to be a holy huddle when you live on planet church. We are comfortable in our cosiness and safety and in doing what we know. It's very easy to think heaven is inside a church building and looks like 1950. The whole point of incarnation and second coming is that heaven touches earth, that God comes into the world as it is and transforms it. Christianity is all about getting involved and meeting people where they are, else it isn't really Christianity, is it? 

Tonight I've been to support the folk of Sackville Road Methodist Church in Bexhill Town Centre open for two hours as Bexhill's lights were switched on for Christmas. They were serving free tea and coffee and mince pies. It was good to stand on the steps, despite it being freezing, to chat to people passing by and getting off the bus (Sackville Road's bus stop is right outside the church.) It was good to see the church open and people coming in. We are as a Circuit trying to encourage churches to get their doors open far more. I have also been after this tonight to plan Messy Church with my Rye congregation.  As church is freezing, as our property man doesn't enjoy resetting the timer for the heating for odd meetings, we meet to plan Messy Church with a coffee in the coffee shop of the local cinema. We don't hide what we are doing and we are known by the folk there. I encourage church meetings to be held on secular premises far more. 

We forget that Jesus came into the world where ordinary people were, in filth, squalor, a refugee, an asylum seeker, a person who grew to understand real life and will come again to bring his Kingdom where we are. Some people are very reticient to do church outside or be seen by the world, or even interact with anything but their church inner life and think that church will grow by people magically just turning up. We need to get out there! It is fun if you are brave enough to try it.

God who came in Jesus outside,  encourage us to leave our comfort zone and see what you are doing in the world.  May we have good conversations, be welcoming, be patient and listen and yes, sometimes be ignored. Help us to be dirty and messy and not to give glib answers to difficult questions. God of the church, may your church be brave and relevant. 1950 was a good year I guess, but it has little to do with today and it is today you need to be met by people. Lead us out to be surprised. Amen.   

      

Blogging through Advent - Journeying

Mary and Joseph are setting out tonight on their journey to Christmas, staying overnight in twenty four places around our church family at Calvert beginning with me tonight. I took them to local preachers meeting and they survived!!

I always ponder reading the story of a heavily pregnant and frightened Mary and an exhausted mentally and physically Joseph that journeying can be hard. And even the destination might not be easy!  

I am shattered after working a ten hour day today, driving over 80 miles from my home this morning to Rye for coffee and carols, which turned out not to be the easiest of mornings for me. Then I had via a quick stop for lunch bought in a Co-op at Polegate, a drive to Chyngton near Seaford for a supervision session with the Assistant Chair, Rose, who I will miss very much when she moves on next summer. Then I drove to a layby to watch the sun set over the sea below me and then drove to a pub for some dinner as it was daft to drive home and come out again as I was nearer my evening meeting venue then going home and coming out again. Finally I have journied to the preachers meeting at Battle which was a good meeting. Now after a long day I have journeying home, to deal with phone calls and e-mails and post and the debris in my house before I go to bed.

I like to blog and journal my day and to pray it through towards the end of a day's journey of life. What highs and lows, joys and sorrows have there been? What do I celebrate the journey today has brought and what do I want to forget (about an hour of this morning actually!) I wonder what Mary and Joseph were thinking as they journied slowly into uncertainty? We shall enjoy them travelling round our church folk for the next few weeks. I hope as people receive them they will think about their journey and their own journey and what it brings for them. Every journey is different. I wonder if we are aware God travels with us on each one and helps us through the difficult bits and always surprises us on the way.

Joseph looks very tubby doesn't he? A long walk might help him lose some weight!

God of journeys, thank you for the holy family who journeyed into the unknown with pregnancy, poverty and unpredictability real issues for them. 

Be with us when we face trouble. Assure us this Advent we are never alone. Amen.