way out west

A short midnight-mass liturgy

hear the call of heaven

lift up your eyes to the clear cold sky and the beauty of the world
we lift them up to god
lift up your heads to your brothers and sisters sat beside you
we lift them up to god
lift up your voices to speak words of peace to all humanity
we lift them up to god
lift up your hearts to the child, the vulnerable ruler, the humble king
we lift them up to god
lift up your bodies to go to him, to worship him, to walk with him
we lift them up to god

god of paradox
god of complexity
god of power and might
god of the human touch
god of the swirling cloud and the birth of planets
god of the manger and the dust floor
god announced by angels
god welcomed by shepherds
god seen in the stars
god lying in the straw 
god who shaped the earth
god who breathed it’s air

we do not understand you, but we welcome you

we thank you that in love you flung wide the gates of heaven and brought it’s glory to the hillside.  we thank you that you took pity on our feeble efforts to reach you through religion and came instead to touch us.
so we join with the angels singing
holy holy holy
lord god almighty
heaven and earth are full of your glory
hosanna in the highest

so began a story.  born in mercy.  lived in justice. died in humility.  raised again in love.

Luke 2 v 1-20

on this night we remember a beginning in the past and the beginning of the future.

a lifetime later, on the very night he was betrayed christ took bread, broke is and gave it to his friends saying take eat this is my body which is broken for you.
after supper he took the cup saying drink this all of you. this is my blood which is shed for the forgiveness of sins. do this to remember me. send down your spirit on these gifts of bread and wine that they may be to us christ’s body and blood.

christ was born
christ walked amongst us
christ has died
christ is risen
christ will come again

they came, they bowed they gave to him
gold given to one who will be honoured
myrrh given to one who will be mourned
frankincense given to one who will be worshipped
glory and praise given to the one who lives beyond reason, loves beyond logic, is beyond understanding

the christ is born, the world can never be the same again. Amen

 

2 interesting parallels with the stories of Jesus' Birth and Death (seeing the whole story)

A couple Christmas eve thoughts...

 

1) In the Birth narrative we hear that there was no room in the "Kataluma" - this is not likely to be an "Inn", "Kataluma" normally refers to the guest room of a house.  Joseph would not have to stay at an Inn, he/his family were from Bethlehem so he would have a right to stay in a house belonging to any of his relatives.  So they would have stayed in a "Kataluma" but, as we read it was full so they were given space under the guest room where normally the animals were housed and/or food was stored... where there would normally be a manger.  (NB. when the Magi visit the text says they entered a "House")

 

In the "Passion" the story of the events leading up to and surrounding Jesus' death, we hear about the Seder/Passover meal they share in an "Upper room" or "Kataluma"... at the start of his life Jesus is born in a place which does not belong to him/his family - not even in the guest quarters to which he has a right to.  At the end of his life Jesus and the disciples have no place to share the passover meal of their own so they eat in a "Kataluma" - Jesus at the start, during and the end of his life exists with this tension between being fully here and and also a stranger/guest... he is at home here but in some ways he is never at home.

 

2) When the Angel visits the Shepherds we are told that "the glory of the Lord shone around them [the shepherds]".  But we know from the Jewish faith that there was only one place that the glory of God was present on Earth - the Holy of Holies in the Temple.  

 

As Jesus dies we are told that the Temple Curtain ripped.  This Curtain was what separated the Holy of Holies from the people - and even the High Priests had to undertake thorough cleansing rituals before they could enter it.  So the death of Jesus rips the fabric of Religion, it ruptures the structures and blows wide the gates!  The glory of God is now immanent - it is here, there and everywhere, within everybody's reach (as Paul says to the Athenians in the Areopagus)... but if we go back to the Birth narrative, we find the glory of God present on Earth outside of the Temple/religious system already!  So it seems that Jesus incarnation as well as his death is part of this action - by his Birth, not just by his death the system becomes defunct, by his birth we are able to exist within the glory of God, by his birth we are forgiven, and by his death it is completed and open to everyone.

 

So I guess, we have to see the whole story not just the Baby Jesus but also not just the Man on the Cross - neither stand alone - both and all that lies between them are vital to grapple with the story of God on Earth.

 

New Book - Starting from Zero with $0

 

Just received a copy of "Starting from Zero with $0" written by Becky Garrison - Available from Amazon

Churches everywhere are suffering from draconian funding cuts, so how do leaders with a heart for alternative ministries fund their passion and build communities that will last? Journalist and commentator Becky Garrison looks deep into the experience of nearly a dozen ministries in the United States and United Kingdom - all of them geared to the growing spiritual-but-not-religious demographic, and all of them highly creative ventures doing a lot with a little money. How did these ministries start from zero with $0? And how could you?

We are one of the featured communities, along with "The Church on the Corner", "Grace", "The Crossing", "St Marks in the Bowery" amongst others.  I haven't had time to read it all - will post more when I have had chance to.

 

Order of Saint Brendan

I heard this week from Karen Ward from the Church of the Apostles in Seattle - http://www.apostleschurch.org/ - that they are starting a Mission Order called "The Order of Saint Brendan the Navigator" - http://episcopalvillage.org/index.php/pioneer-order/

The idea is that Chapters can be formed by any group of Christians who can hold to the values and vision of the Order...

 

Missional Development' via the start up of new, renewed, and contextual Christian churches and ministries that are capable of connecting emerging generations to life and community around Jesus Christ. Especially connecting with: people with no previous church experience, people with prior negative experiences of Christianity, people in urban areas, people from non European cultures, and people from subcultures amonst whom the church rarely engages.

'Wholistic Mission' which engages all dimensions of mission: the contextual, the cross-cultural, the trans-cultural, and the counter cultural ways in which the Gospel relates to culture.

'The Reign of God Horizon' which unites us in common cause with all those working for justice and compassion in culture and society. We will develop partnerships, and work collaboratively with people of different faiths and those with no particular faith tradition, towards the renewal of human community and relationships within our various localities, because the Reign of God extends beyond the bounds of the church.

'Spiritual Stability' within a particular Christian tradition We hold that spiritual depth within Christian life and practice is most often found by living within a particular Christian tribe or spiritual tradition with integrity. Being fully part of a tradition calls for being 'under authority' within the tradition (to your Bishop, or equivalent oversight or accountability). Claiming any Christian tradition with integrity involves allowing that tradition to claim you.

I've known Karen for a few years and we've been on a few panels together at Greenbelt and met at other gatherings and we have spoken at depth about St. Brendan and new-Monasticism.  Clearly the new Order shares both the values and story of Safespace, and I am beginning to wonder wether the re-gathering and re-focussing we are going through as we try to discern the way ahead is pointing us in this direction - to connect with the order and perhaps to become a chapter?   What may be interesting is that it re-opens the possibility of growing two aspects of Safespace - the living community here in Telford but also a wider dispersed "membership" to the Order through us.  I'm hoping, if I can find the necessary funds, to join the Order in February to share stories and explore the future together.

The Magnificat - not just a nice tune!

The wonderfully poetic, spiritually and politically mindblowing Magnificat...

 

My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;

for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Because he that is mighty,

hath done great things to me;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generations,

to them that fear him.

He hath shewed might in his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat,

and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel his servant,

being mindful of his mercy:

As he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

Book Launch: Ancient Faith Future Mission: New Monasticism as Fresh Expressions of Church

The combination of Fresh Expressions of Church and the explosion of interest in monastic spirituality is resulting in the emergence of new monastic communities inspired by historic patterns of religious life, but reframed for the contemporary world.  In this book, leaders of traditional religious communities and emerging 'new monastic' communities tell their stories and reflect on how an ancient expression of being church is inspiring and shaping a very new one.

Thursday 3rd Feb.  18:00 - 21:00 

Location: Church House, 90 Deansgate, Manchester.

Free Tickets: http://newmonasticism1.eventbrite.com/

Panel for the Manchester Book Launch

(Chair) Ben Edson, Diocesan Fresh Expressions Missioner & Associate Missioner of the National Fresh Expressions Team

Ray Simpson, Aidan and Hilda Community Lindisfarne

Philip Roderick, Spirituality Advisor to the Bishop of Sheffield and Leader for Contemplative Fire Community

Mark Berry, Safe Space Community Telford

Ian Mobsby, Moot Community London