way out west

Scouse Guerilla Worship

Our good friends from Dream Liverpool - who incidentally we will be working with at Greenbelt this year on a collaborative worship day (along with Grace and Feig) get featured on Ruth Gledhill's Times Blog doing some Guerilla Worship

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Breathe - written during last nights Table

Breathe • Deep • Still • Wait

Hope • Love • Lasts • Far

Yearn • Dream • Live • Life

Think • Release • Give • Total

Risk • Me • You • Us

Calm • Sea • Swim • Float

Stand • Solid • Firm • Hear

Cry • Out • In • Sky

Pray • Seek • Accept • Receive

Quiet • Scream • Shout • Rest

Bound • Held • Embrace • Free

Wait • Still • Deep • Breathe

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St Patrick's day

I bind to myself today
There really is nothing like being free to call on the complete God, for God is both the nature and bringer of community and harmony… the creator of everything.

The whole story of a God who became one of us and one with us… who was born and named, who died a criminals death and was buried in a rich mans tomb… who was restored to life and left earth still alive and kicking… and who promises to hold me to my words and actions, to forgive me, to value me and to restore me to who I was made to be… to the community of God.

I bind to myself today
Surrounded by the support of God and all who serve God… the Angels and the loyal servants, the faithful and the humble, the teachers and guides, the pure and the good… they continually light the way for me… show me how to try to live and to love… God and humanity.

I bind to myself today
The power of the whole community of God,
The awesome nature of all laid out before me,

The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The density of rocks.

The whole of the wonder of creation… the chaos and the calm.

I bind to myself today
God's authority to keep me on track me when I am confused and lost,
God's strength to hold my arm when I stumble and fall,
God's deep wisdom to bring me a glimpse of understanding and fascinate me,
God's eye to watch over me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's words in my mouth,
God's hand to hold mine,
God's path open before me,
God's shelter to protect me,
God's love to secure me,

Against all those who seek to control, dominate and distract me,
Against everyone who plans and seeks to hurt me,
Whether they are far or near to me,
Whether they are known or unknown to me,
Whether they are strong or weak,
Whether they are human or otherwise,
Whether there are many who hate me or just a few.

I bind to myself today
I call on the whole of God and all that is good,
Against the worst of the world… the terrorists and the imperialists, the criminals and the con-men, the haters and the envious, those who seek to confuse me and lead me from the community of God, my own greed and insecurities.

Christ, protect me today
Protect me from all dangers on my journey and draw me to your heart

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in my home, Christ on my journey,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
To the promise and gift that I am free to call on the complete God, for God is both the nature and bringer of community and harmony… the creator of everything.

Technorati Tags: Christianity: Worship: Celtic: Spirituality: St Patrick

Scraping off the Shit - Maundy Thursday liturgy

Our Foot washing Liturgy from last year seems to be getting a load of hits at the moment... so to be helpful I'm bumping it :)

http://markjberry.blogs.com/scraping.pdf

It's included in "Navigatio" our book published by Proost

Scraping off the Shit
(A large bowl of water and Towels)

Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” Peter persisted, “You're not going to wash my feet-ever!” Jesus said, “If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing.” “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!” Jesus said, “If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher' and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.
John 13v3-17

Scraping off the shit
Where we walk, we walk in the crap left by others, by ourselves, the mess of human lives, the comings and goings of a wasteful, corrupt and selfish world, we wallow in the dirt and the hurt, oblivious to the stink and the stains that we carry with us. God stripped off his finery, stepped in our shit, knelt in it, touched it, held our ugliest bits in his very hands and washed them clean.

Hands which formed matter; Pulse which set the rhythm of the planets; Breath which stirred life into being; Mind which dreamt the diversity of the species; Eyes which bore deep into the heart of humanity; Heart which yearns for us to choose peace; Feet that walk each step with us; Mouth which chides and comforts; Arms which embrace the hurting; Strength which sustains the weak; Life which was given up for love; Creator who scrapes the shit off my feet; God who serves.
Wash me clean

Where I judge others
Where I dismiss others
Where I abuse others
Where I ignore others
Where I ridicule others
Where I use others
Wash me clean

Where I elevate myself
Where I think only of myself
Where I want only for myself
Where I gather to myself
Where I hold to myself
Where I value only myself
Wash me clean

Where I seek for power
Where I seek for control
Where I seek for praise
Where I seek for status
Where I seek for fame
Where I seek for wealth
Wash me clean

This story of service and servant-hood begins by washing the feet of each other; we are a community of service, we serve each other, we serve the people we meet on the road, we serve the town in which we live, we serve the servant God, who as the God who became flesh and blood and lived amongst us chose to get right down and dirty in the shit and stink of human life to wash the feet of those he lived with. So we wash each others feet.
[Washing of feet]

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6v8

The challenge for us is that instead of pointing to the rubbish others have accumulated from a place of “holier than thou” judgment, calling them to lift themselves out of the mire, we like Jesus bend and kneel amongst the dirt and the hurt, we get right amongst it, see it up close, feel it, smell it, risk its contamination… and wash the feet of those we serve.

May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.

In that moment at the table Jesus was host and servant, head of the table and servant, honoured guest and lowest member of staff, holy and humble one. Stripping himself of all status and authority he calls us to a humility that flies in the face of modern culture and human logic, to a holiness that follows his pattern, to love in the name of the Servant God.

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Ignatius of Loyola

Warning blatant blog plagiarism below ;-)

Paul Fromont (Prodigal Kiwi - and long time friend of ours) posts this from Ignatius of Loyola...

insisting on God’s presence in all things, [Ignatious] denied a group of Jesuit students in his day, permission to prolong their morning meditation time. Instead he reminded them that rather than spending lengthy time in prayer, “they should strive to seek the presence of God in all things – for instance, in association with others, in walking, looking, tasting, hearing, thinking, indeed, in all that they do. It is certain”, he said, “that the majesty of God’s presence, activity, and essence” is in all of these things. 

...great quote & more ancient missional thinking! Cheers Paul.

Technorati Tags: Blogging: Christianity: Culture: Emerging Church: Missional: Spirituality: theology

Stations of the Cross meditations

CPAS Leadership magazine have published a meditation I have written to accompany a set of illustrations from Si Smith.  They are both available for download but you need to subscribe for a measly sum of £24.95 per year... having been sent a copy of the magazine I have to say there are some worthwhile resources to be had... Si's images are worth the money alone!

Here's a couple of samples from the meditation...

Intro

Stillness, Quiet, Space, Peace.

Stillness, let there be stillness
Quiet, let there be quiet
Space, let there be space
Peace, let there be peace

Celebration turning into confusion, a party left behind with disturbing words of a friends betrayal, a broken body, spilled blood, words that hang in the air… too much to think about now, too tired to know what they mean, too many conflicting thoughts and feelings, too much time spent together to contemplate the end… a pause, an unsettled exhaustion creeps closer in the sweet overpowering scent of the evening garden.  For now, at least there is rest.

Stillness, Quiet, Space, Peace.

7. Jesus carries his cross

one among many
an ordinary man
a simple statistic
one foot after the other
looked down on with the rest
spat at and laughed at
then just passed by
with those who don’t deserve to live
with those others believe should die
one among many
an ordinary man
on his way to his end
just like all the rest
on a path countless have taken
and on which many will follow
just another on the way to a brutal death
just another tally on the register
tomorrow He will be gone with all the rest
one among many
an ordinary man

8. Simon helps carry the cross (Matthew 27:32)

An innocent man helps an innocent man. An innocent man caught up in something that is none of his business. A look into His eyes reveals, for a second, something beyond the pain of the physical struggle, beyond the now.  Nothing is said between the innocent men.

He, who brought healing to others, accepts the help but gains no relief.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

He, who invited us to share our load with Him, to come to Him for rest, shares his load, but for Him there is no rest.

“Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

He, who challenged us to take up a cross, to lose our lives, shares his cross with another and begins to walk willingly toward the end of his life.

Technorati Tags: alt.worship: Christianity: Poetry: Prayer: Spirituality: Worship

Missional Rhythms

A few communities have been working on simple rhythms (we have ours here) Today I came across another from Tim Chester of The Edge Network...

B. We bless Each week we aspire to bless others in our Christian community and local neighbourhood in word, action or gift at least three times.

L. We listen
Each week we aspire to listen to God, looking for him to guide us through his word and Spirit. And we listen to people around us to understand their stories and the story of our culture.

E. We eat
Each week we aspire to eat or have a drink with people outside our immediate family at least three times, offering friendship and community.

S. We speak
Each week we aspire to tell people the story of Jesus and our story of Jesus, making Jesus a normal part of our conversations. And we speak to God through prayer, recognising our dependence on him in all things.

S. We sabbath
Each week we aspire to spend time in rest, praise, play, partying and creativity.

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Created to be creative

Love this short prayer written by Mark Scandrette and Adam Klein:

Created to be creative
We enact our destiny
Embracing the energy of the Spirit
To risk making beauty
With our whole lives
- Amen

It really chimes with my sense of seeking to be creative rather than simply productive... that the process of creating can be much richer and more beautiful than the end product... for example anyone can make Art if the aim is to create whereas not everyone can produce a work of Art that others would wish to hang in their living room... knowing a number of "professional" artists many say that once a piece is finished it has gone from their consciousness and their are on to creating/dreaming the next piece.  I want to encourage people to express and explore their God reflecting creativity rather than judging it against human standards... so go on take some risks.

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safespace on smallfire

photos from a number of our worship/meditations at Grace and Greenbelt on smallfire.org

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on "The Manners of the Christians"

The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus Chapter V.--The Manners of the Christians

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

This cropped up in our reflections today, fascinating stuff... especially the section about being a native in a foreign land and an alien in your native land, the simple living, the experience of persecution/hatred and the instinct to bless others in the midst of struggle and suffering... some good aspirations for missional living!

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