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BlogHere are the thoughts and news of the people in our community. Leave a comment as you wish. If you want to join the blogging ask Mark.
Friday, July 22, 2005Trinity
 I have just started reading a Eugene Peterson [of 'The Message' fame] book on 'spiritual theology' called Christ Plays in Ten Thousand places. To be honest, I find Peterson's books quite hard to read - I think it is because he has long chapters. I read a brief section today on the Trinity. It captured my imagination a little. Peterson says: "Perichoresis is the greek word for dance and was used by the Greek fathers as a metaphor for the trinity. The theologian Karl Barth said "perichoresis asserts that the divine modes of existence condition and permeate one another mutually with such perfection, that one is as invariably in the other two as the other two are in the one"." Peterson goes on to compare it to a folk dance with three people moving and intertwining to such a pace that it is hard to track the individual movements or actions within it. The trinity is a mystery. It is supposed to be. I had heard the metaphor of a dance before but not really taken it seriously. Perichoresis I think is better described as 'interpenetration' - very much as the Barth quote indicates. But it reminded me of the Celtic Trinitarian symbols - three 'points' but clearly one line [see the picture]. If you add the idea of a dynamic dance to that picture - like lines indicating the 'path' of the 'persons' of the trinity, you get a very dynamic picture of God. One of the things I have thought something about is what it means for God to be outside of time. It sounds so static - how do you 'persuade' a god like that to break out and do something. But the understanding there is faulty. The great "I AM" is God in the eternal present, everything that God is, worked out, the totality of being and action is taking place in the eternal present. And it is in our present, our 'now', that we connect and engage with that God. Add to that this picture of the Trinitarian dance, a dynamic interpenetration, and we begin to get the concept that God is not static and distant, but a working, moving, loving community. A working, moving, loving community that we also can participate in as we are drawn into the dance, into the life of God, through the Son and by means of the Spirit. Can we live in that reality? This life of the Trinitarian community is our life source. It is the crucial basis of our understanding of the God we call upon to act in our lives and in the world. Right now, in the present. Posted by: Mark | 11:31 am |
An unsettling weekI have spent time with 3 interesting challenging sets of people over the last week: 1) A friend of mine who is planting a church amongst asylum seekers and refugees in Derby. They have amazing opportunities to help and bless people in nightmare situations. There have also been some amazing opportunity through a community arts project to help refugees and asylum seekers express themselves through art, including art festivals, that they have been heavily involved in. They have looked into opening a community cafe, and have just been offered a building from the council for use as a cafe at a low rent in the area they are working into. These guys challenge me greatly on their pursuing of everything that God has for them, and their trust and faith that God will provide along the way. 2) Another friend of mine from Derby has pretty much decided to take his family to Uganda to work at an orphanage there [his kids are 5 and 3]. They want to up sticks and go [whilst raising funding of £1000 per month]. I find this hugely exciting. I find it hugely challenging. How quickly is it possible to settle down into an existence that removes the radical call of God from our expectations? 3) More friends who are relocating to New Zealand, cos they feel God has said it. They leave in 4 weeks and there are so many unknowns on houses, schools, culture change, leaving family [some of which they know they will never see again...]. Again the singular focus of obedience to God, the constant ear open to God's leading and moving. The belief that they can be part of the mission of God. These three encounters unsettle me. Partly because I too am desperate to see my life in service of God for the glory of his kingdom. Partly because I am constantly evaluating whether my ears are open to hear anything from God. Partly because in two cases I am loosing close friends. But let me say this. I believe in the church being involved in the nations. I believe that is God's heart. I believe that our involvement at many levels is crucial to remove our parochialism, our focus on the here and now of our 'hard lives' and lift them up to God's worldwide purpose, the big picture, our ability to get excited what God might even do through one of us. I don't care what the 'excuse' is, what has to justify it - we must be involved we must put our small offering on the altar of God's great purposes in the world. Let me tell you there are people out there in many parts of the world making a huge difference for the people around them and for the kingdom. Could that be you? Labels: mission Posted by: Mark | 11:25 am |
Friday, July 08, 2005Goodbye KBCTC students
 Today we would normally have our 4 KBCTC students for tea. They are not here, their term is over ... and we miss them [no, really we do!].Maddy and I were privileged to be there at their graduation banquet on Wednesday - a really great do. Here is a photo of them all togged up to the nines. Who is that dapper young man?! And that gorgeous young girl in he red dress - oh that's my wife... See more photos here! Posted by: Mark | 4:18 pm |
Thursday, July 07, 2005The BBQ weekendLast weekend was the major BBQ weekend. It started on Friday evening with JFC. This was the second annual [?!] JFC BBQ! For those not aware JFC is our Kid's Club for 5-11 year olds that meets every Friday evening. It is a great thing and draws 35-40 kids each week and we have somewhere around 60 on the books. The BBQ was for all the kids and families. Some fantastic BBQ'ing was done by ... errrr ... oh yeah, me and Chris [the singing plasterer ;o)], amongst others. It was a great fun event. not sure on numbers 80 with kids...? The other BBQ event was the end of Alpha celebration. Again a great fun event, with a classic game of volleyball to finish. Adrian and Ivet were the consummate hosts, and John N made a great barman!! I just love these inclusive parties!! let's have more of them! Photos of this BBQ can be found here. Here are a couple of my favourites:  This, Debbie, is what "Foliage setting" does. Pretty eh? Yes it is the White's garden!  Adrian fools us into thinking he actually managed it...  Just about managed to catch a certain young lady upside down on the trampoline... Posted by: Mark | 8:33 am |
Wednesday, July 06, 2005Tom Wright at Salt and Light Leaders Conference
 At the 2004 Salt and Light Leaders conference Bishop Tom Wright took two of the main sessions. They were fast-talking, mind-blowing gold dust kind of stuff. At the time i bought the CD's and lent them out to a number of people. But I am sure not everybody. Well now they are on-line!! Yep, downloadable!! Listen, don't hesitate, download them and prepare for an experience. And while you are at it also listen to Rob Parsons on "Bringing back the Prodigals". Excellent drawing out of the parable of the lost son and how we as churches can be more like the older brother to returnign prodigals - prepare to cry... Session 2 | Rob Parsons and Jonathan Booth | The return of the prodigal Session 4 | Bishop Tom Wright | Jesus' resurrection and God's new creation Session 5 | Bishop Tom Wright | God's power, God's salvation, God's justice [I should say this is a relief 'cos i have been battling with my conscience about putting htem up here anyway!] The fantastic news is that Tom Wright is back at the leaders conference 23-26 Feb 2006, on Jesus's message and mission. That is a must see. Downloads from the 2005 conference can be found here. I would recommend Steve Thomas - The secret life of the prophetic leader & Dave Gilpin - Cheeky Beggar [for the biggest incredulous laugh you'll ever have, if it works without his video] Posted by: Mark | 2:56 pm |
Webstats Blogging in June has been a bit slack hasn't it... Sorry about that everyone! Especially those who actually expect to find something interesting here! I have had things to blog about at various points, but not the time, it seems. Still it also seems as if it is worth blogging my webstats - as i said, it could become monthly from now on! Unique Vistors:225 Visits: 800 Hits:4670 Most popular day: 23rd June Most interesting country visited form: Pakistan Strangest search phrase that found us: "the guardian angel with the addition of wings david beckham tattoo" Strangest link to us: www.on-linenorthampton.com/ Northampton-night-out.asp Well isn't this fun!! Posted by: Mark | 2:37 pm |
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