Lectionary Feed

Anyone know of a rss feed or daily email service for daily readings of the Revised Common Lectionary?

Blog Reading

I was talking today with a friend about some people who don't normally read blogs reaction to some stuff that another friend wrote on their blog. Brought us to a point in the convo where we wondered whether there was anything around to help some new to reading blogs understand blog etiquette. From my brief looking around there is stuff for people new to writing blogs and much on commenting etiquette but where would you send people to understand the subtleties of blog world and a grid to read through???

6000 kms since Christmas

Just thought I'd write a little on what life has been for me over the last month and a half. Most of you will know that I am Missions Coordinator for Scripture Union Victoria - which means overseeing a range of mostly holiday programs that happen all over Victoria, most of which are in January. My goal for this year was to get to every program/team which I haven't seen in action previously, because actually having been part of the dynamics of the team and seeing where they run programs/where they connect with people makes a huge difference in how I can support and train directors, and help them in training their teams and the many other things involved in directing one of these teams. And I've almost made it! I've had two summers in the job and I've covered everything other than one of the youth/young adult mission teams (Theos) - as this part of my job was just added to me a couple of weeks before Christmas. I feel way more equipped for my role with these teams having been part of their life for a day or so. In each location too I tried to walk with God and have eyes to see what he might have for me specifically to do in that place - led to some ace stuff.
So I went to (in this order) Barwon Heads, Portarlington, Queenscliff, Mallacoota, Inverloch, Portland, Warrnambool, Cowes, McCrae and Tidal River. In some of those places we have more than one team.
After all that I went and spent a week (or so) at a campsite that Scripture Union owns down on the Gippsland lakes. The camps coordinator had had a serious accident a few weeks before that so I was down covering his role that week. It was a great time of understanding a bit more of the issues around our camps and the campsite, very useful since a restructure at work now means that camps are in the team that I head up in Scripture Union Victoria.
And now I've started meeting with directors to debrief their time over summer and talk about/vision together the coming year, as well as meeting with people doing stuff during the year and plan training for the year. My aim is to have met with the directors of each of the 24 teams before I go on holidays mid March!
I'm exhausted - and this weekend having a weekend collapsing at my mum's while she is away, but in myself I'm quite good and got goosebumps as to what God is doing in me ... there's some pretty amazing and deep stuff already happening and my sense is more to come.

Concern - Influence - Focus

Been thinking a bit over the last few days about a leadership / time usage / focus idea that I've heard lots times - not sure where from.
The idea is that there are three concentric circles - on the outside circle of concern, the next one in circle of influence, and the central one being circle of focus.
The circle of concern is all the things you are "concerned" about.
The circle of influence is all the things you are in a position to influence.
The circle of focus is the things you want to fucus on.

Make sense? Quite simple really but you wouldn't think so from how we live!!!
Historically when I have heard this, it's been useful in helping me concentrate my efforts in my circle of influence rather than my circle of concern - very important indeed.
But the reason it came to mind for me at the moment is that in many places in my life my circle of influence is so large I couldn't possibly influence it all and the effect of not being focused in that is that it is easy to go from influencing one thing over to influecing another thing over here - good things to influence, definately within my circle of concern and influence ... but actually distracting from where my circle of focus is being called to be.
So I've been thinking how important it is not to just influence wherever I can, but to choose what am I called to focus on within my circle of influence AND GET ON WITH IT!

Version of the Lord's prayer

Here's a version of the Lord's prayer - which I got from jonnybakers site:

O Breathing Life, your Name shines everywhere!
Release a space to plant your Presence here.
Imagine your possibilities now.
Embody your desire in every light and form.
Grow through us this moment's bread and wisdom.
Untie the knots of failure binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others' faults.
Help us not forget our Source,
Yet free us from not being in the Present.
From you arises every Vision, Power and Song
from gathering to gathering.
Amen -
May our future actions grow from here!

Grief and Relief

A co-worker resigned and left this week. I'm really grieving he's going. But there are other ways in which I'm relieved too. These last few months have been a hard journey for all of us - and I'm glad that at one level some of that is over. There is too a sense of relief over now being sure of some of the details of the role that we shared. Those things are all deeply true and real.

But tonight I am feeling the grief:

You'll be missed,
You're not there
Across the table
Knowing what I'll be thinking.

You'll be missed
You're not there
To take a walk, down the park
To sort through those thoughts.

You'll be missed
You're not there
with the shared understanding of organisations
and the depth of theological thinking.

You'll be missed
You're not there
To seep those values
into the culture.

You'll be missed
You're not there
To sort through what is happening
and work out ways forward.

You'll be missed
You're not there
To cringe together
to sigh together.

You'll be missed,
You're not there
to dream of the future for which we long,
to create that future together.

You'll be missed
You're not there
For those breakfasts
and other events.

You'll be missed
You're not there
with your icons,
with your broader spirituality.

You're not there
But your impact lingers on
Things are different because of you
You'll be missed.

Dreams

I've just had an evening that it's been a real privelge to participate in. It was a night of sharing dreams that are on our hearts - a group of us met, shared dreams, listened to dreams and looked for and found amazing connections in all of that. It was a good night - in the strongest sense of the word; a "sacred" night.
Yet I've come away somewhat frustrated (as well as delighting in an amazing night). While some of that has nothing to do with the evening and a stack to do with tiredness and other factors in my life I can isolate two factors of connected with the evening that I'm aware of:
Firstly, a bizarre thing to be frustrated by - people that I'm around seem to be spun out by times like tonight. I certainly am! But people around me also seem to think it's "unique" - whereas my life is full of times like tonight. Now I reckon I should feel like that's a real privelge - and I do really believe that as the truth - but tonight I'm grumpy that somehow others see that as special and don't see that I experience that on a very regular basis.
Secondly, I have various dreams, some very much of my own, some of which are shared with others. Some of those dreams get excitement and energy from others in this environment, some really don't. I came away reflecting on my dream of establishing an "intentional discipleship missional community" and how those dreams just seem too "Christian" for the comfort of many people I'm around whereas my dreams around op shops, community development, spirituality more broadly are much more accessible to people in some of my contexts.

Guilt

I've been conscious recently of a range of situations where I know I've joined with the Spirit ... but where I feel some level of guilt afterwards. I know deeply this guilt is not that of conviction but comes from what it means to be inviting people into what the Spirit is doing doesn't always fit the "nice formula" that we as Christians have often been taught. This has often been the case in these situations and the guilt comes from going against what have been held and taught formulas of sorts. But the freedom that joining with the Spirit's work brings to me and to others is sure better than any outcomes of formulas - so I think I'll keep at it!

Question of the Week

A question that I'm adding to my Examen questions that came up in a conversation with someone yesterday:
"How have I stifled what God is doing in someone?"

Question of the Weekend

A great weekend filled with many amazing moments - I must share some of them!
But the one I wanted to share right now was a question that a 14 year old friend asked me on Saturday night:
"So what is it about Christianity that draws you at the moment?"

Ace question, from an ace bloke! And great conversation followed.

Being Seen

The next step in my journey of questions from God:
after: "Being squashed by the body of Christ or not letting yourself be seen by the body of Christ?" and living a bit in the call to live in a way that let's myself be seen and finding myself in the place of "but people don't see me even when I'm living in a way that let's myself be seen".
And the question is: "What does it matter whether people see you or not".
Ouch but good and freeing.

Slave nor free

Over the last while I've been increasingly aware of the way in which I "classify" people. A whole range of categories: age, class, stage of life ... I could go on. In many ways it doesn't mean I relate to them less but it does make a very real difference. Some stuff has been happening in me that has caused me to reflect on "there is no Greek nor Jew, slave nor free" (Gal. 3:28)and this has cut to the core. In so many ways I don't distinguish between people, yet in so many ways I do and in ways that mean that identity speaks stronger to me about them than their identity as people made in the image of God, people who are "one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28 again). My perceptions definately mean that I often don't relate to people in the freedom that God would long for me to and not in ways that offer the life in me to them (and receive from life in them).

Threads of my Week

It's been a tiring week but one full of life in many ways. One full of strands coming together too. There are many strands, let me share a few.

A few days ago I sahred about getting to a point of saying "squashed by the body of Chirst" - the next question that rose inside me (I reckon by the Spirit) was: "squashed by the body of Christ or not letting yourself be seen by the body of Christ?" Ouch! I think both are true but it's very obvious to me that the invitation to me is to let myself be seen, no matter how people respond. It's a hard call for me, definately a call for me to move from "communinity for myself" to "myself for the community", definately a "death to self" kind of invitation. One that has been tested this week too. And one that I also know has much life.

Last Sunday night at our gospel reflection in the Communion service I participate in as I thought about what the reading of the day was inviting me to for the coming week I said: I think the invitation for me is to let God silence my questions.

Over the last week I have read Job in two sittings with some others. It's so powerful and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. It's been interesting to do that in the context of the above statement about questions and to go "that is so what happens in that story". The thing that has lasted with me is part of Job's answer to God (in The Message): "I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand - from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry - forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor." It's being met by God that we all need and this is the place we need to live out of, it's the only place of life and it's only when we let God silence us that we are able to be fully in that place, able to live fully out of that place.

Henri Nouwen Reading of yesterday!

Meeting Christ in the Church

Loving the Church does not require romantic emotions. It requires the will to see the living Christ among his people and to love them as we want to love Christ himself. This is true not only for the "little" people - the poor, the oppressed, the forgotten - but also for the "big" people who exercise authority in the Church.

To love the Church means to be willing to meet Jesus wherever we go in the Church. This love doesn't mean agreeing with or approving of everyone's ideas or behavior. On the contrary, it can call us to confront those who hide Christ from us. But whether we confront or affirm, criticize or praise, we can only become fruitful when our words and actions come from hearts that love the Church.

Quote of the Day

"I don’t have a voice in your life until I have a stake in your life, cultivated and genuine."

From this post via Julie

Squashed

Had a very mixed day and as I arrived at "Remaking", our spiritual formations night I was quite excited. I'd been over at a friends telling her about some stuff that God is bringing together - that is spinning both of us out - I'm sure you'll hear more of that in due course. But tonight we were doing some stuff around contemplation - great stuff, centering prayer. As we were discussing afterwards I was reflecting on how so often when I'm excited and celebrating I end up in a situation where it's reflective and I feel like that excited and celebrating part of me is "squashed" - someone in the group commented "squashed by God" and as I've reflected on it I have thought no - it feels like I'm "squashed by the body of Christ". That's a very normal experience for me - the lack of ability to be myself around "the church".

Reconciliation

Over the last day or so I've had a great story of reconciliation. Again can't really talk about it in detail - but it's made me think about how I've learnt lots this year about reconciliation and about some processes of it that I haven't really known before.

I'm such a "let's figure this out" kind of person (anyone who knows me well will be going "really! how surprising to hear that - NOT!") but I've been learning lots about letting God figure it and me and others out. Not about withdrawing (although stepping back or letting others step back is often the thing I might need to do) but rather staying in the relationship at whatever level the Spirit seems to be leading me too and seems helpful and do-able and in that letting God do the work in me and in the other/s that needs to be done for true reconciliation. That may mean stuff needs to be verbalised, often way less than I might have thought was necessary (or than I might have used to in actual fact avoid the work God might be wanting to do in me or in another). It may mean leaving some space (sometimes minutes/sometimes years) for healing to occur deep within each person. It may mean relating through the tension, trusting that God will work deeply in each person; letting him do that in me and making choices along the way which offer healing and love to others. It is most likely about simple choices of love, relationship and actions which are true to both yourself and others and these are the things that speak volumes.
Finally, and most importantly, I'm learning that true reconciliation is definately a gift of grace and something that goes way deeper than anything that we could manufacture or strive for. It is always about choosing love over being right and choosing for relationship and for the things that matter over things that seem to matter but really just distract from the things that matter. It is about staying true to who you are and letting someone else stay true to who they are but about letting something far greater than any differences that raises to have the final say.
True reconciliation is a deep, precious, wonderful gift and I'm thankful both for the gift of that in many places in my life and also for the growth in a deep lived experience and knowledge of this precious, mysterious gift of grace.

Hard Stuff

In many ways it's been a hard week. It's not stuff that I can really talk about but it is wearing and demanding at every level. The thing though that I've been enjoying the experience of is that it's not consuming. There's a level that I am really experiencing a difference between now and the past in a tricky, hard situation. I'm very thankful for being able to sense the work that God has done in me that means that I'm in a different place to how I previously have been.

Heart wrenching Truth

There are times when great, amazing words are spoken - that are very wise and true and truth far deeper than any words that are spoken is spoken into your heart. This truth is beyond words - it is a meeting with The Truth himself.
That was my experience of yesterday.

Festival Weekend

Well I'm having a bit of a struggle getting into my day today - am way tireder than I thought I would be.
It's been a good weekend. The first of the Solace festivals - a weekend away in Woodend ... some of you will know that it's a place that brings back lots of memories! Even spent quite a bit of the weekend in a pub that I have had dinner numerous times - so loads of interesting trips down memory lane to quite a different time.
The weekend itself had nurerous sacred moments, as we shared life together in many ways. We stayed in various places and came together for a number of "festival wide" events. About 12 of us stayed in a caravan park nearby in Macedon, while others stayed in B & B's in the area and other accomadation. It was a good time of such "being" together and of building stronger relationships with people you know well and see a bit as well as people you don't know very well at all.
A group of us read thru the second half of Job together on Saturday morning - a great experience, continuing on from a tiem a few weeks ago. Someone keeps saying we should make a musical of it - only half jokingly. Great discussion and powerful time of reading.
Saturday night was a powerful time of sharing from who we are. People sang songs, shared stories, discussed some art work. I spoke about some "art" I'd done - with the word Allegiance in the centre and some words from a book called Community and Growth all around the canvas. I'll try and take a photo of it soon and put it up. The art had a coffee background - an idea taken from a Sydney friend and symbolising the way that there are many people beyond the Solace community who feed me and feed into what I bring into Solace ... you reading this are probably one of them!
God was definately honoured through the sharing of ourselves and the honouring of each other that happened over the weekend.