daily life as life goes on . . .

I was laughing at myself yesterday.

A few days ago, with a young friend, I created two snow forts on our vacant lot.  The shapes were arbitrary – the snow had been hard enough that you could create blocks of snow.  Just by standing on an edge, the block would crackly and wrinkle.  We had a great time.

On Sunday someone had viewed my picture on Instagram.  They commented that I had probably snuck out later in the day. 

Not to just view the great creation.  Not to enjoy the night air.

But to chop off the pieces that were a little crooked, or a little out of place or even just not quite right.

I have this feeling they know me fairly well.

While people attend church regularly, not all are involved.

We used to gauge involvement by how active people were in church programs.  Some membership requirements included attended regularly at Sunday services, giving regularly to finance the parish, and adhering to a statement of faith – with commitment to Jesus Christ as the distinguishing focus of one who attends a Christian Church.

The matter of Jesus has not changed.  Being a Christ follower is indicative of being a Christian – or at least it should be.  Unfortunately a superficial brand has become more important than the warp and woof of the weave.

Stepping past the core of belief – which is set forth in documents and regulations – we are often short on finding the central part of our gathering together as a parish.  What makes me rush to fill the whole of life with others who are Jesus followers?

Parish is from the Greek – para (beside) and oikos (house/home/dwelling).  Where a central geographic point is determined as the regional center, the parish becomes all those surrounding that point.  In a new day and age, we may even determine a central point as an internet site or other intangible border.

What is the central part of our gathering together as a parish? 

While the label or brand is often out front in our considerations, there is a small thing called love, respect and honour that needs to be a part as well.  All of these attributes cry for the participants of a parish to reach out to each other, to rejoice and sigh in grief with each other, to see another’s gifting and, in the acknowledgement, to give right of place to their abilities.  

This is living life together.  Parish the thought!

Leadership and management studies are a hobby of mine.  In my retirement a thought will often strikes me in a new way – sometimes with clarity that has taken 60 years to mix and mingle!

The church has often been called the army of God.  For that reason, many have balked at the idea that church meetings are just social clubs.  “The mission is primary.”  We have a great commission which guides our working together, and quells uprisings that could be seen as antisocial or unloving.

For some, the principle of a kingdom has become increasingly prominent in the church.  This is a group of people who join around affinity to a king.  Rebels may arise, and they are invited to leave the kingdom or suffer consequences.  One might call this a social club.

You can walk into a church and sense the overall atmosphere.  Driven churches are program oriented – empathetic churches are people driven.

A well rounded church needs both sides.  The currency of Jesus’ kingdom is balanced – sometimes the coin toss shows one side or the other.  But if we forget that there are two sides, we will set aside our mission or fail to love others.  Neither is acceptable.

I find David Timms to be one of those bloggers who put often read and understood cultural and biblical thoughts into a new light.  His latest blog is an example.  Just a peak read – the rest of the blog is found at https://davidtimms.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/the-gate-of-the-year/

“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” That seems a reasonable and fair prayer. But Minnie Haskins, in her famous poem quoted by King George VI, knew that what we need is not light and understanding, but trust and Presence. Our lives are not transformed by clarity but by confidence. Some of us, of course, believe that clarity is what breeds confidence. But our hope is in the Lord, not any certainties about circumstances.