Thursday, December 22, 2016

Ministry in Urban Priority parishes - day conference in Taunton 22/2/17

Coming up soon, this looks good:

Mission and evangelism in ‘priority parishes’
In March 2016, the Archbishop of York with Bishop Philip North, convened a consultation in York that looked at Church of England’s ministry and evangelism in parishes that had concentrated areas of deprivation. This day conference provides an equivalent for the South West, helping to inform and continue thinking, looking from a perspective of dioceses where ‘priority parishes’ (both urban and rural) are in the minority.
Who is it for?
- Clergy and lay people who work in parishes which have significant areas of deprivation.
- Representatives from diocesan synods, rural deans and lay chairs, diocesan advisers (evangelism, mission, vocation, discipleship)

Day outline includes
Keynote address - Rt Revd Philip North, Bishop of BurnleyTheological reflection: The story so far - Revd Dr Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs, Archbishops’ CouncilStories from clergy on the ground - including Tanya Lord (Diocese of Bristol) and Wendy Ruffle (Diocese of Gloucester)‘Jesus Shaped People’ - Revd Andy Delmege (Diocese of Birmingham) on the ‘Jesus Shaped People’ resource, from his perspective as new chair of the National Estate Churches Network

Booking and more information here .

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

The vicars 12 days of Christmas

12 bright christingles
11 visual aids
10 dentious sermons (can be swapped for 10 uous links)
9 lessons and carols
8 all the pies
7 choristers
6 seats remaining 
5 more sings!
4 shepherds and 
3 wise men
2 Bethlehem
And the Holy Nativity

Christmas clips: hate cannot drive out hate



short and powerful vid from the Churches Advertising Network, very good.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Kid Stuff

Kid Stuff

December, 1942
The wise guys
tell me
that Christmas
is Kid Stuff . . .
Maybe they've got
something there——
Two thousand years ago
three wise guys
chased a star
across a continent
to bring
frankincense and myrrh
to a Kid
born in a manger
with an idea in his head . . .

And as the bombs
crash
all over the world
today
the real wise guys
know
that we've all
got to go chasing stars
again
in the hope
that we can get back
some of that
Kid Stuff
born two thousand years ago—

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Ian McCaskill - a musical tribute (of sorts)



There should be more musical tributes to Ian McCaskill, but for the moment this will do (need to watch to the end). Still time for it to make Christmas no.1.  

Thursday, December 08, 2016

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

Christmas Clips: He Came Down

'If you've ever felt rejected, excluded or a stranger
Remember the One who came down in the manger.'

this is lovely

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Christmas Clips: Christmas in a Nutshell



There's a bit of a trend for this sort of thing in Christian circles (e.g. This is Discipleship, which is also very good)

Sunday, December 04, 2016

Christmas Clips: Ephiphany Meets the Apprentice



love this, we're following 'The Apprentice' this year and these guys are roughly on the same level of competence and teamwork.

Saturday, December 03, 2016

Christmas Clips: 'Joseph' (Dai Woolridge)



great meditation on the story from Josephs point of view, from the gifted wordsmith Dai Woolridge

Friday, December 02, 2016

Christmas Clips: Joseph goes to the Registry Office

so unrealistic - when did you last see a government form that simple?

Thursday, December 01, 2016

Christmas Clips: 'Silent Night' Sixpence None the Richer

This works really well just before a Christmas service, especially with younger children present, just to settle everyone and bring a sense of peace and stillness. I still haven't yet graduated to using 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence before a wedding, but you never know...


'Dethroning Mammon' - timely book by Justin Welby

Justin Welbys first book goes straight for the jugular of consumer society. 'Dethroning Mammon', the AB of C's Lent book, is published today in the midst of the jingling bells of Christmas checkouts.

The BBC has an extensive piece on the book and its background:

Intended as a companion for lent, this is Archbishop Welby's first book and a call for Christians to examine who it is that sits upon the throne of their lives: are they following the self-sacrificing example of Christ, who gave his life for others? Or have they succumbed, perhaps unconsciously, to the rule of Mammon?These are the recurrent questions that feature through a series of six short chapters, each taking what the archbishop describes as "key texts" from the Bible, which he then applies to the common settings of contemporary life.
(the chapters are...)
  • What we see we value
  • What we measure controls us
  • What we have we hold
  • What we receive we treat as ours
  • What we give we gain
  • What we master brings us joy
Welby has a bit of a track record when it comes to talking about money - Wonga has never recovered from the (seemingly throwaway but widely reported) comment that he wanted to put them out of business. I also like the tie-in: the CofE has a big push on the 'Thy Kingdom Come' prayer initiative, and this book demonstrates that this isn't all about private piety.  Taken seriously, the kingdom of God is an axe at the root of the tree of Mammon and consumer capitalism.