God in the End

Another Wainwright ticked on Wednesday: High Rigg, starting at the lovely little church of St John's in the Vale and the diocesan youth centre there . Quite a challenging walk of 4 1/2 miles, though it felt longer - and certainly took longer than I expected, resulting in my failing to get home in time for an appointment!

I have spent some hours this week, with colleagues, on Safeguarding administration. Mainly trying to coordinate everything so we have all the paperwork in one place, and easy reference to see where all our volunteers are at in terms of their DBS checks etc. So grateful to Cath and others for helping with this.

But the big news of the week is the birth of the latest Butland - Jacob Christopher, born to Chris & Debbie yesterday afternoon, just after 4pm.  I love this particular picture, taken within minutes of his birth, which almost looks as if he's praying!

What made this birth stand out from the previous grandchildren is the running commentary we received via WhatsApp from Chris in the delivery room! So we knew exactly what was going on almost minute by minute, with pictures instantaneously. And here is a photo of the family received earlier this morning, when George and Chloe met their new brother.

Tomorrow we reach the end of the road - that is, the book 'We Make the Road by Walking'. It's chapter 52, having begun the book at the start of September last year. We have followed the story of God's salvation from Genesis to Revelation, and discovered that 'In the beginning, God...' (Genesis 1.1) and at the end, God's grace (Revelation 22.21).  Suitably, the Gospel reading is the story of the Two Sons (Luke 15). I'm sure when I was young, it was always 'the Prodigal Son', and the story ended with the feast upon the return of the younger son.  The elder son literally didn't get a look in. Now, however - thanks maybe to the writing of Henri Nouwen (The Return of the Prodigal Son) and the success of the Emmaus course, we realise there is a lot more to it.

Nouwen describes the parable as A Story of Homecoming and writes about his own experience, late in life, of finally knowing the Father's blessing, so that - blessed - he may be a father, able to bless others. For years, he says, he felt like someone on the outside looking in (the older brother) but was able to move inside (coming home), and look out. Pretty much matches what I also have experienced. Someone said to me only recently, he felt I should see myself as a spiritual father to others.

McLaren summarises the journey thus: '...we walk this road, from the known into the unknown, deeper into the mystery, deeper into light, deeper into love, deeper into joy (p320).

Spirit of Hope

The organ playing seemed to go ok last week. I managed not to make too many obvious mistakes, and people were very complimentary. I enjoyed it: so maybe I could maintain a certain level of competence to retirement.

Last Wednesday, I completed two more 'Wainwrights': Lord's Seat and Barf. Both gave spectacular 360 degree views at the top, and I particularly enjoyed Barf, as it overlooks the A66, which we travel often.  Looking down over it, and Lake Bassenthwaite beyond, was a marvellous experience. On the walk back, through Whinlatter Forest, I spotted a rainbow over the lake, which made my joy complete.

This week has been rather taken over by funerals: 8 in all! Although I only had a hand in 5 of them, they all needed to be organised and logged. The most moving was that of a 32 year old mother of 5, all under 12, whose death from lung cancer affected countless people. She belonged to Kings Church in Cockermouth, and the radiance of her faith had completely transformed her suffering so that her funeral (attended by 100s) was a wonderful witness to the love and mercy of God, with Jesus as her (and our) Good Shepherd.

Tomorrow's theme is Spirit of Hope, this time looking beyond death to the life to come. Our focus is on the book of Revelation, which our author invites us to consider not as a 'roadmap to the future' (i.e. to be taken literally), but rather as 'literature of the oppressed', for it is written for Christians at a time of intense persecution. It is a message of hope, intended to lift them above the fear and terror of their times to a new world which God is creating, where all things are made new. Thus, the key word at the end of the book is not 'wait' or 'not yet' but simply 'come'. For God wants us to be part of the new world which is being made even as we suffer and struggle with this earthly life.

Spirit of LIfe

When we were on holiday last month, I began to think about returning to organ-playing. Something to carry forward into retirement. Might even begin a new 'ministry'!  Coming home, I was met with the discovery that on Sunday, 13th (tomorrow) there was no one available at All Saints to play the organ. And I just happen to be rota'd there for that service. And, as it happens, not preaching - just presiding at Holy Communion. So, sooner rather than later, I find myself playing in public, moving from organ stool to altar table and back again. First time I've played in public for 6 years! I remind myself that this is an offering of worship no less than preaching or presiding at communion; and the time I would have spent preparing a sermon I have been using to practise the organ instead. Just hope the good folks of All Saints aren't distracted by too many uncertain sounds.

The theme in McLaren's book this week is death, and I must say he makes it sound most attractive, from the perspective of Christian faith.  In light of Jesus' death and resurrection, we can expect to experience death as a passage, like birth, the end of one life stage and the beginning of another (p306). On the other side, we can expect to experience as never before the unimaginable light or energy of God's presence. We will enter a goodness so good, a richness so rich, a holiness so holy, a mercy and love so strong and true that all our pride, lust, greed, resentment and fear will instantly be melted out of us (p307). You may imagine that dying will be like diving or falling or stepping into a big wave on the beach. You feel yourself lifted off your feet and taken up into a swirl and curl and spin more powerful than you can imagine. But there will be no fear, because the motion and flow will be the dance of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The rising tide will be life and joy (p308).

Seeing death in this way, we are freed from the fear of it and therefore able to live this life more fully.

Spirit of Holiness

Soon, I shall need a new theme, as our 'We Make the Road by Walking' (Brian McLaren) enters its final month!

I must confess I have felt rather bombarded with Gay Pride broadcasting this week!  I need to understand, I know, the significance of the change in the law 50 years ago, which decriminalised gay relationships in private between consenting males over 21. With it began the long and continuing journey towards outlawing the sometimes vicious prejudice against gay people of both sexes. The thing that troubles me, however, is the evident assumption that sexual freedom and multiple relationships (sometimes with either sex, in the case of bi-sexual people) are somehow 'normal'. Which is why, for a long time, I have felt that Christians who get hung up on homosexuality are tilting at the wrong target. It is not homosexuality which is the enemy of faith, it is promiscuity and infidelity - the loss of the connection between sexual expression and committed relationship.

Today's title does not entirely match the subject matter of the relevant chapter, which makes the case for a fresh understanding of 'judgment.'  In common parlance, we make a close association between judgement and punishment as in a criminal court where a judge passes sentence. And when we 'judge' other people, there is a negative connotation. However, in the Bible, a judge is one who doesn't condemn but puts things right. The obvious example of this is Solomon in 1 Kings 3.16-28, where he is petitioned by a prostitute who claims that another woman has stolen her baby, having accidentally killed her own. Rather than judge the rightness of her claim, and possibly punishing the offender, Solomon's concern is for the child that he should be with his rightful mother. In modern parlance, this is restorative rather than punitive justice.

Just so, when we talk of 'final' judgement, this is not about God condemning and destroying the wicked, but righting the wrongs which have spoiled his creation. Likewise (says our author), hellfire is more about purifying than consuming.  This changes the way we see the trials and difficulties of this life...not as punishment for our wrongs but a refining fire to strengthen and purify us (p302). So we may have a better understanding of the direction in which this world is heading, under a just and merciful God; and a better understanding of how we might cope with our own trials and tribulations.

Spirit of Power

Today, I have been to the Cockermouth (Agricultural) Show - a major event in the local calendar.  It's the first time I have been, as in the past two years here I have been away on the day.  I entered another world - that of farmers, and real Cumbrian culture. And I loved it. We saw varieties of sheep and cattle being judged, and I learned from a farmer-member of one of our churches what the judges are looking for. Including, for example, 'a leg in each corner'! We saw show-jumping and Cumbrian wrestling, which is different from any other as the combatants must remain in contact with each other at all times, with arms around each other, and hands clasped. We also saw a large amount of very expensive machinery: tractors and implements, Land Rovers and other suitable vehicles for off-road transport. The most expensive tractor on view cost £80,000!

And of course we had to sample the brews of our own Cockermouth brewery, Jennings. Not that I haven't tasted them before!

Tomorrow's theme is 'Spirit of Power, and the key text is from 2 Timothy: 'God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and love and of self-discipline.' It reminds me of what is stated at a baptism service, that we should fight against 'the world, the flesh and the devil.'  Militancy is something that we tend to eschew as Christians these days, but I have always been impressed that Iona community members are encouraged to see themselves as 'soldiers of Christ' - fighting against evil and injustice in all its forms. We are not meant to be push-overs as Christians, and there are certain things we must resist, whether in terms of our personal morality, or in terms of social trends. For example, McLaren reminds us that there are invisible realities like racism, greed, fear, ambition, nationalism, religious supremacy and the like - forces that capture people and pull their strings as if they were puppets to make them do terrible things. (p256)

The Holy Spirit gives us the 'power' to stand against these things, inspiring compassion and understanding.  Nowhere is this more obvious today than in social media. This somehow seems to give people permission to give vent to a whole torrent of abusive and hateful language, which needs to be assuaged by bold, truthful, compassionate responses.

The Spirit Conspiracy

I've been 'home alone' this week, while Les went with a friend to a Hymn Society conference in South Wales. While there, they visited Ffald-y-Brenin - a Christian retreat centre in the remote Welsh hills outside Fishguard. See www.ffald-y-brenin.org to get the story. Amazing experiences of healing and transformation for some who have been there. As I type this, I'm awaiting Les' return to hear about the week.

The week has been very full, and I realise when you're on your own, you have to make your own space as you don't have your spouse around to spend time with. To be honest, I have been watching Fawlty Towers on DVD at the end of the evening. Great way to relax, and I still laugh as if it was the first time of viewing.

There's been an interesting conundrum on the news this week, which I'm surprised (at least to my knowledge) no one has picked up. There has been the tragic case of baby Charlie Gard, whose parents are fighting through the courts to keep him alive with possible new treatments; while at the other end of 'life', Noel Conway (67) continues his legal battle for the right to die before he dies as a consequence of his motor neurone disease. It seems strange to me that, on the one hand, there seems to be no acceptance that such a poor quality of life (even in the best case scenario) should be a reason for nature to take its course; while on the other there seems no reason to hope that medicine can actually enhance life expectancy. In both cases, it seems to be more to do with 'my rights' than anything else. A complicated world we live in, where so much more is possible and complex choices need to be made.

Our theme tomorrow is 'the Spirit conspiracy' with an invitation from our author, Brian McLaren, to conspire with the Spirit to bless others. 'Conspire' means to breathe together, so the first consequence of this idea is the need for cooperation if the world is to be changed in a Christ-like direction. Conspiracy also implies secrecy, because of the risk of being found out. Secrecy features often in Jesus's parables (seeds, yeast etc) and I love that sense that, as Christians, we do not seek publicity but quietly speak and act to bring God's kingdom. The word also implies risk: it's a dangerous business, working together in secret, and sometimes being found out can be costly. Ask Tim Farron!

Spirit of Service

A whole month has gone by since the last blog! This is largely because Les and I have had a fortnight's holiday up in Northumberland, which was restful and refreshing. We so much love that part of the country, with its wide open spaces and wonderful coastline. Once again we did the Farne Islands boat trip, and returned to Lindisfarne.

We also returned to Durham, where we met (can it be?) 47 years ago, and walked the city walls of Berwick for the first time. Maybe another North-eastern holiday next year? Perhaps back in Alnmouth, which we slightly preferred to the property we rented is Alnwick this year. Needless to say, Barter Books - a huge second-hand bookshop in Alnwick, was one of our first ports of call. Unfortunately, the box of books I intended to try and sell back to them remained on our kitchen floor when we left. So they will go to a charity shop instead.

Just before we left, we had a brilliant parish conference, where each of our four churches reported to members of the other three where they were at, in terms of our recent 'conversations'. I have to say it was one of the best meetings I have ever attended, with thoughtful, honest and colourful presentations from each church. There were 8 tables, and on each one were 4 sheets of paper, so members could doodle or write their thoughts and comments about each church in turn. Thus, each had 8 sheets of encouragement to take away with them for further thought, prayer and discussion.  Vision is emerging!

Today, we completed our 'Worship4Today' course, which has been running since last September. 20 people have seen it through to the end, and we are hopeful that in each church, this will lead to a refreshing and greater creativity in our worship, as well as the releasing of these wonderful people into their own ministry.

We are coming to the end of Brian McLaren's book. Tomorrow we think about how 'the Holy Spirit leads us downwards', in contrast to the upward mobility many seek in today's culture. Just today, I was reading how celebrity couples now seem to be trying to outdo each other in the luxuries they lavish upon their children, so that these little ones become part of the accoutrements of their parents' success. Learning to accept a lower place in society, to promote others rather than ourselves, to stand up for the weak and powerless - these are signs of the Spirit of God.