Encouragement to keep going

I’ve been for my weekly commitment on a Monday in London. I don’t know how people commute each day. I’m exhausted after one day doing it a week until my meetings end next month. I’m tired after my first full working Sunday since last October, but I imagine there are many who, on a Monday morning, need huge encouragement to get out of bed, drive to a station, stand on a train and pay horrendous money to do that every day. 

I’m thinking about encouragement today. I’m greatly encouraged that I got through two services yesterday! It’s been a long time. For a while I thought I’d never see my name on a church notice board again. When I last shared a service in May, my lungs ached for two days and I slept for two days; today I feel tired, my lungs ached for a bit last night but they feel mostly okay. We are going the right way. I’ve made a start back. I have a year to get better! I’m beginning to realise what trauma we’ve been through. Leading worship yesterday reminded me of what I’ve had denied me for too long. It was a deep joy to be back. 

The congregation at Upwell were a huge encouragement. Standing at the front of people I mostly didn’t know was a huge moment. I told them I was really glad to be there. A lovely Supernumerary shouted out “and we are glad to have you!” I joked at the end “can I come back?” They all shouted out “yes!” I was “a breath of fresh air” apparently. I’m told that a lot. I never understand why people say it to me. I’m just me. It was brilliant to be for a first time in this recuperative time with an encouraging and responsive community. 

I like to be encouraging back to churches where there are things to celebrate. Two lovely folk, Sally, and her daughter, Jemima, gave us a tour of the gardens round the church, masses of garden and greenery, and a delightful (if slightly damp) prayer chapel. My brain started whirring - ooh quiet days, I thought. I have to remember I’m not in my Circuit to do stuff without permission! But it was good to have a conversation about making church relevant with them as we walked round and I said I hoped they let others know the peace of their gift of their gardens were there. 

My evening congregation at Warboys were equally encouraging. We shared a quiet informal service. I took the same service as I did at Upwell, but I delivered it very differently. I love evening worship. Sadly it’s dying out. Some people just don’t do mornings. I think Circuits need to offer something somewhere on a Sunday evening each week, even if it is a different place each week. It was a blessing to be with them. 

I’m deeply aware of those who over the last year have encouraged me to keep going. I collapsed in the kitchen in the Hastings manse a year ago last night. What a year it has been since then! I’ve never been so physically unwell. The counsellor who I see on a Monday, reminds me each week I’m doing brilliantly after health, ministry, home and relationships were altered for me. 

Yesterday in worship I spoke about remembering those in history who through their example, encourage us to make a difference. 

Octavia Hill was her father’s eighth daughter (hence her name!) and was born in Wisbech in 1838. She is remembered for her campaigns for improving the state of housing for the poor, for her pioneering system of housing management, and for her protection of open spaces. She was one of those who was responsible for preventing developers building on Hampstead Heath. Finally, she was one of the three founders of the National Trust.

She was a fierce campaigner on behalf of the poor and underprivileged. The Bishop of London once said that having listened to her for half an hour was “the worst beating in all his life”. That’s great isn’t it! The model housing estates which she ran were exemplary.

She is still remembered by a London housing estate which bears her name. An Octavia Hill Society (established in 1992) has established a museum in the town of her birth. One example of persistent keeping going knowing doing nothing won’t change anything. 

The great “cloud of witnesses” in Hebrews chapter 11 put their faith in a God who was not on the side of the big military powers. As William Barclay put it, “The honour roll of history is of people who chose to be in God’s minority rather than with the world’s majority.” Who do you thank God for today who by sticking their neck out encourage you to believe in the goodness of humanity again? 

Who are the people who just by being them encourage you to keep going? My dear wife has suffered too much this last year because of my frustrations and dark moments. She stands by me and encourages me to try new things like driving a van or eating salad! Alice the cat has come to live with us. She needs encouraging to live with the others, and not spit at them! We need to remember stages on our journey where people intervene and encourage us to know our worth:

The late Revd Geoff Hawkridge who inspired me as a teenager in my home chapel with his lively and empassioned preaching and challenged me later to candidate...

The late Revd Graham Slater, my beloved college Principal in Manchester who convinced me I was not thick! 

Those lovely church members in the six Circuits I’ve shared in in 23 years who just remind you why you do this when planet church goes into freefall...

My current Chair who has been superbly pastoral to us since we landed in our new situation and who is helping us with whatever comes next. 

And others! 

We need a new commitment to be encouraging because that is the Gospel. My Chair of District is reading some Rowan Williams. I’ve asked his permission to nick this quote: 

‘To talk of ourselves as redeemed sinners is to talk of ourselves as having learned how to tell our story differently. Or to put it in a rather condensed way, the unredeemed sinner is the person who has not yet learned how to tell a different story about themselves, but only the story of failure, the story of loss, the story of guilt.......’

The quote is taken from Rowan Williams’ new book “Luminaries: Twenty Lives that illuminate the Christian way” (SPCK 2019) I’ve been this afternoon in Southwark Cathedral shop and bought a copy. 

So often the Church concentrates on keeping the Church going. I’m not sure we’ve got it right anymore. The call is to encourage the lost, to value people in a mess, to fight a cause. I imagine depressed and stressed commuters on a Monday need some encouragement to keep going! 

We also need a new commitment to be an encouraging community or form community again. I rather like this cafe in Islington where I was at lunchtime writing this. There are benches so strangers sit next to strangers. The sad thing is we were in absolute silence, all of us are on our smartphones! We need them banned sometimes and we need to start conversation again!

And finally, we need to be encouraged that we are okay... beloved even.

Today

be all that you can be,

be okay with

who that is,

because you are God’s perfection.

  Celebrate who you are.

Dance to the

rhythm of your heart,

and let the wind chimes of your soul

empower you.

Realize that who you are

right now is enough,

and all this day

requires of you,

is that you show up.

All are welcome

How hospitable are we when new friends come and join us? Alice has come to live here. There’s a bit of spitting as the other four in the menagerie adapt to her being here. She’s doing fine. It’s those who were here before her who aren’t sure! 

How much is this like we are when our circle is suddenly widened? Do we spit or do we make room for the new arrivals so they feel at home with us? 

It’s fun at the moment to play mystery worshipper  before I’m welcomed formally to this Circuit on September 1st and share in our Circuit Covenant Service so people will know who I am then. 

We went to two services this morning dropping into two churches we haven’t been to before in our Circuit. The first, in Emneth, had an informal breakfast service. We walked in just as it was about to start, were made warmly welcome being greeted by some really friendly folk. We were told to sit where we like, were given coffee and were chatted to. The local preacher, Sue, was fab. We had an excellent exploration on hospitality in the Gospels. Part of her service involved getting people to think how as a church they are welcoming through their ministry. A lady on our table shared what we had told her. “This young couple have come in and they think we’ve really welcomed them.” Young couple!! The worship, the sense of community, the state of the building, telling us what they do, really impressed me. I’m looking forward to leading them in worship on September 22nd. 

We went on, mad people that we are, to another service up the road at Terrington St John. This was a much smaller congregation. We made it 8. The preacher had her husband and two year old daughter with her so I guess the normal number there is 4. A woman came in at the end to collect up the hymn books and left. Quite bizarre! The local preacher leading us, Elaine, was excellent: really down to earth and warm. She, like Sue, in the service before this one, engaged me and I look forward to hearing them both again. 

This little place despite really good modern premises seems to be struggling. Two ladies spoke to us about past glories and their gloom about today. They thought I was the new Superintendent of the West Norfolk Circuit and Lis was their new minister! Debbie who is their new minister is married to Robert who is the Superintendent of the West Norfolk Circuit. We were not them! But despite this, we were welcomed and we would return. Getting your hospitality right is an important step in sharing the Gospel. 

I went to a third service in the little church near us this afternoon. I was glad a couple who’ve had a bad week felt able to share with me. We’ve been invited to their home. It’s good to begin to make friends here. I love their little stall outside their house. It’s fun round here you can buy fresh fruit and veg and put your pennies in an honesty box. 

Everyone has the right to a home. We all need to be welcome somewhere, sheltered, included, experience hospitality. We have begun to call where we live home, and we are glad to share it with others when we can. To be spat at for wanting to be part of community is an all too common experience for so many. I’m encouraged today having experienced church life in three of our Circuit churches that at least in them, all are welcome in this place. We need to watch for the newcomer and those who need shelter because as the letter to Hebrews warns us: 

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Meanwhile the challenge of welcoming the new continues here. There is progress: we are all asleep in the same room and the spitting has stopped for now! 

Being on the edge

How good are we at including those who are different from us? 

I wandered round Wisbech yesterday and took time to look at this memorial to Thomas Clarkson who, along with William Wilberforce, was an agitator in the campaign to abolish slavery. He was born in Wisbech. 

Here’s a speech given by Thomas Clarkson in Ipswich in 1840.

"Perhaps many of you here are not acquainted with the subject of slavery. I will therefore explain to you what it is. First, let us imagine a child to have been born of Slave - Parents. Poor unfortunate child! From that very Day his Birthday he is considered and classed as a Brute. From that very Day he becomes Property, the Property of a Master, who may sell him, and do with him what he pleases. 

Let us now look at him as a grown up Man at his Labour in the Field. He works there, but he is not paid for his Labour. He works there, but not freely and willingly, as our labourers do, but he is followed by a driver, whose whip leaves the marks of its severity on his back during the remainder of his life, but if he is found to be what is brutally called sulky or obstinate, there is yet in store for him - the Chain - the Iron Neck - Collar with its frightful spikes - the Dungeon - and other modes of punishment. But let us now look at him in another Situation.

 Weary of his Life he flies from Oppression and he runs away from the Estate; but he is almost sure of being brought back and returned to an enraged master; and have who can imagine, but they, who live in Slave Countries, what further Punishment awaits him. Perhaps he dies in consequence of the Cruelties then inflicted upon him; But the Murderer escapes. The Matter is hushed up. Who on the Estate dares to reveal it? 

………Perhaps a Slave has a Wife and Family. So much the worse; for He may be sold at any moment to go to a Plantation perhaps a hundred Miles off, never to see them more. The Wife may be severed from her Husband and Children in like Manner, and the Children may be severed from their Parents, one after another, or all together, as it suits the Purchaser. This is not an ideal Case, but a case of every Days' Occurrence. These are some of the Evils which you are called upon this Night to try to put an End to. 

I do not doubt your Humanity. I do not doubt your Willingness to pity and befriend the oppressed at home, and can you overlook this monstrous oppression, these monstrous Outrages upon human Nature, which have been brought before you, because they take place in a foreign Land. Christianity, true Christianity, does not confine her Sympathy to Country or Colour, but feels for all who are persecuted wherever they may live.”

I wonder whether we have learnt very much since 1840. Yes, slavery has been abolished but people are still trafficked and used as a commodity rather than a child of God with dignity and worth.

We are hopeless at including people who society perceives as “different”. We belong to a church that says we have to live with “contradictory convictions” but I know there are some who find that impossible believing passionately in what they believe. We see it not only in sexual orientation but in race still, in ageism, in political viewpoint, in disability discrimInation, in denomination, in is the EU good or evil, in where we live... (I’ve discovered Outwell and Upwell! They are on the same road and that’s about it!) We even see it in lifestyle choices. My wife rings ahead to ask if restaurants and pubs do vegan food. Sometimes it’s like she has some disease! We see it in tolerating noisy children. I’m sitting in a St Leonards on Sea hotel writing this, a child is screaming. A well heeled lady has just said loudly “why don’t they take that f***ing child to bed?” President Trump condemns the latest shootings in America, but fails to realise his “send them back” rhetoric is inciting extremism.

It seems to me that the work of Christianity as the 21st century progresses is to work hard on including everyone. There are people on the edge  who yearn for inclusion. It’s almost as bad as being derided as a nobody as a slave that Clarkson spent his life trying to irradiate. How good are we at making people welcome? What’s your church notice board like? Do you speak to people who walk in off the street or have you forgotten that people might walk in??

Last Sunday, we went to evening service at St Giles Church in Tydd St Giles. St Giles is the patron saint of refugees and people on the boundaries. It’s fitting that his church at Tydd St Giles is on the boundary of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire and the church is on the edge of the Diocese of Ely, it’s furthest north. We were warmly welcomed as strangers joining the worship, and afterwards, we went to a fun quiz in the pub run each month in aid of the church. We played with two lay readers, who told us that people who don’t go to church mix with people who do, and it’s broken down barriers in an informal way. This is an excellent way to include everyone and we will return.

It’s so hard to be “outside” and “on the edge” - I’ve been there this past year away from what I know and value. We don’t do long term illness, or mental anguish, or anything that challenges what we are comfortable with. But people “outside” and “on the edge” need to know they matter no matter what they are facing or who they are. In a society which is in many ways as bad as Clarkson’s day, we need a new commitment to work for justice, dignity and respect for all. Where the Church is growing, it has found new life in inclusion, where it is dying (fast) it expects people to come to what is dated, and laments why people aren’t coming because it isn’t investing in community. 

Are all really included? Madly, we are about to take in two more rescue cats. Lis has another one: an abbasynian, and I’m using some of mums estate to have a little black cat of my own. Will Meena and Jasper and Dru and Rupert (who can bully) accept Alice and Velvet? Sweet Velvet. She’s so cute! There may be spitting, but we hope they will all settle down in their diversity and form community. We shall see!!

I was horrified to see this flyer in the hotel foyer. Can you imagine what a fundamental, evangelical, non politically correct, no messing church says? I don’t think the Jesus I know will be there. 

Jesus lived on the edge. He went to people others wouldn’t touch: a blind man, a woman with unthinkable disease, lepers, a woman of another race. He chose unlikely characters for his team. He worked in the world, not raising funds to keep a building open for four people, which seems to be the lot of many places in today’s church. Surely where we are struggling there are other ways to do it? Sharing community resources has to be at least investigated. 

I’ve spent a lovely afternoon with my lovely former ecumenical colleagues in Rye. We proved over seven years that working together can work! We learnt to respect our differences but develop a huge trust. David, the Rector wrote this to me:

“We are both so sorry that your time here has come to an end.   The three of us made a good team, and the level of friendship and trust between us is something I will always treasure.”

I think our call in 21st century Britain where some politicians don’t give a damn, and the DWP treats people like they are less than human, and we stand up for our rights at the expense of others, is to be radical. What would Jesus do today? He’d be where we would rather not be. And there’s the challenge. I see social deprivation in Wisbech today. Can I be as vocal as Thomas Clarkson as a Christian today or will I, as an easy option, retreat and then wonder why planet church is failing?

I can do no better to remind us of our task than blog again the fab Shane Claiborne:

Image: David Hayward / naskedpastor.com

A few years ago I remember a pastor friend telling me they tried something a little different for their Christmas services. Instead of the usual holiday décor and clutter of the sanctuary, they brought in a bunch of manure and hay and scattered it under the pews so the place would really smell like the stank manger where it all began. I laughed hysterically as he described everyone coming in, in all their best Christmas attire, only to sit in the rank smell of a barn.

They even brought a donkey in during the opening of the service that dropped a special gift as it moseyed down the aisle. Folks looked awkwardly at each other. Some were offended, some snickered, and some left. But for those who stayed… it was something like they’d never seen before. It was one of the most memorable services they’ve ever had.

They were reminded of the real meaning of Christmas — God entered the crap.

Are we prepared to be on the edge and deal with the crap? It’s the only way the church we try to keep going can be credible.