18 Advent

Listen carefully, through the stillness:
listen, hear the songs of angels glorious -
ere long it will be heard
that His foot has reached the earth.

God the Lord has opened a door.
Christ of Hope, door of Joy!

Though laid in a manger,
He came from a throne:
on earth though a stranger
in heaven He was known.

Extract from Christmas Liturgy, Northumbria Community

17 Advent

We had our Christmas event with about 20 young people tonight, it was really wonderful. 5 stations looking at the key characters in the story and a great reworked version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by GKJ sung in between each station.

1. We were met by Mary who told us what it was like to get the news she was expecting and how she decided to trust God- the question was what were we trusting God with this Christmas? We had to write the answer to this on a bauble and take it to hang on the tree.

2. We were thinking about God with a keynote presentation that looked at why God did what he did through Jesus - we then had to text a response to that and were given the picture above for wallpaper on our mobiles. (The picture was created by one of our girls in Cafe led by Nicki and Emma on God as light of the world, using an LED light and slow exposure! Cool)

3. The shepherds risked everything by leaving their sheep, it cost them a lot to go and visit the baby but nothing held them back - what is holding us back from spending time with Jesus this season? We made a pipecleaner symbol of the answer and left it in the field with the sheep.

4. Joseph showed extreme commitment to Mary, defying all the social conventions of the day and then going on the run - what does God want us to be committed to? We wrote it down on a paper chain link and joined them together as a community.

5. The wise men faithfully followed the star in order to worship the baby king - will we worship? We met a new baby and listened to "Light of the world".

It was really magical and the kids clearly had a good time, it very very sacred and real and having a little baby brought the whole thing to life even his cries!

Light of the world you stepped down into darkness,
opened my eyes let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore you,
hope of a life spent with you.

Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down
here I am to say that your my God
You're altogether lovely, all together worthy
All together wonderful to me

Kind of all days oh so highly exulted,
glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came to the earth you created,
all for loves sake became poor.

So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down
here I am to say that your my God
You're altogether lovely, all together worthy
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
And I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
No I'll never know how much it cost to se my sin upon that cross.

16 Advent

Saying "no" is a harder lesson to learn for some than others but this season gives us plenty of chance to practice!

On Thursday as I scrapped ice off the car windscreen I looked longingly down the street at the frosty white fields and the pink sky that hung heavily over them. All of my being wanted to tramp off for a walk but instead I got into the car drove to Luton and spent an unproductive and frustrating day in the office.

I should have said no to all the "I should do's", I have a job that allows me time out and heaven knows I'm always telling the team "if you are giving out you need time to receive, to fill up again". Re-tellling the story of Thursday morning I went for the walk, found peace, space for my tired brain and re-framing for the last week and a half of term. As it was I short changed both my brain and my soul and came down with a cold the next day and feel sure not listening was one of the reasons why. I may be quite good at refusing offers and invitations from people but I need to listen to the inner "no" and learn to trust it.

As we hear about those seeking the baby Jesus, we are reminded it's a good thing for us to do too. Maybe if I'd have followed the example of the shepherd's last Thursday would have been different. The Christ Child has much to teach us about balance right through his life. The adult Jesus would often retreat from all the "should do's", to leave the crowds - no matter how dependent - to seek out a holy space to be and pray.

I hope this advent will give us ears to hear our "no's" above all the "yes's" and a space to look at creative ways we can follow His example.

15 Advent

I've oft been called a 'slugabed' but why not when it's cold and grey outside. Today's post is dedicated to slowing down ... to a stop and reflecting in a way that can only be done under a duvet!

Take it away Jars of Clay...

14 Advent

Celebrating Christmas with the works Christmas Party tonight, so no thoughtful post... just looking forward to great food, wine, company, secret santa presents and pass the parcel. The hall is shimmering with tinsel and lights and the joy of another year together is palpable!

Bringing love to those who lack it is a huge challenge and one that's really taken a toll on the team this year, we're looking forward to a break even though the work never stops. It's amazing to spend time with such brilliant and broken angels...



This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 Advent

I haven't had much time for blog browsing recently but on a quick check of one of my favourites, Simply Simon I found this heart warming tale, enjoy if you're in need of some hope!

Ali and Nathaniel are city kids. Home is on the 12th floor of a high-rise apartment building located in the very heart of Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city.

Though Melbourne’s central business district is home to some 12,000 people, kids like Ali (12) and Nathaniel (10) make up less than 6% of the population. Despite this and the negative clichés that surround city living, they love their neighbourhood.

Granted, getting to know the neighbours isn’t easy. As with any suburban street, there are those who are always up for a chat, and others who barely grunt when greeted. The added challenge for Ali and Nathaniel is their building’s security system. Swipe cards provide each resident access to the common areas at ground level and his or her floor...Meeting neighbours happens most often around the mailboxes, on the lift, or across the laneway at the local café. Building relationships takes time and a high degree of creativity.

Undeterred, Ali and Nathaniel decided Christmas was a great excuse for a special effort. “Let’s make cookies,” Ali said to her dad. “For everyone?” he asked, bemused. With 130 apartments over 18 levels, this was no mean feat... Two days were set aside to make the 390 chocolate chip cookies—just three per apartment. Then Ali scoured the reject shops for cellophane paper, ribbon and gift cards. Meanwhile Nathaniel made arrangements with the building manager to get access to each floor for delivery. Come baking day and time was divided between cooking and hand writing 130 gift cards with the simple message, “Happy Christmas, with love from the kids in 1204.”...

Delivery was the highlight. Accompanied by a grinning building manager and his wife, Ali and Nathaniel made their way to every level of the building, one after the other, carefully hanging their Christmas gifts on each door handle as they went.

In retrospect, this was a simple act, but one with profound consequences. In the days following delivery, Ali and Nathaniel’s mailbox was inundated with thank-you cards and little Christmas gifts. They received invitations to visit neighbours in their apartments, to meet their cats and drink hot chocolates. Conversations opened up with people who previously had never even glanced in their direction. About a month later, Ali and Nathaniel received a letter from the Body Corporate--the building's management committee--thanking them for what they had done and highlighting their act as one of the most significant community making events in the history of the building. In reality, something changed in the building from that day on.

Whether we live in a high-rise in the heart of the city, a three-bedroom brick veneer in the suburbs, or a farmhouse in the country, loving our neighbours has never been more challenging or important. More than ever, it requires intention and creativity. Then again, chocolate chip cookies are not rocket science.

12 Advent

Had an early Christmas present this month, the new Jars of Clay cd winged it's way to me thanks to a very on the ball Gingerkid. It's got some fantastic arrangements on it, a couple of brilliant original tracks and some covers with slightly unfortunate parallels - The Little Drummer Boy which sounds like a James Bond remix.

However, it's great to hear a reinterpretation of those songs which we love but which get a little too familiar, it breathes fresh life into them and I have noticed so many different aspects and thought about things in new ways.

The Little Drummer Boy - despite it's licensed to thrill under tones - really pressed home the aspect of what we have individually that we can offer to God and that at this time of year our own ways of marking the events of that first Christmas are important. Yes it's great when we can share traditions but we can't be made to, we also need to recognise our own rituals or even at times to know when it's time to move on from yesteryear.

I was talking to a fairly recently married couple who felt it impossible not to do the family thing and we were thinking about when that might end and how to sow seeds now for future years. It's not an unusual situation and one that luckily I don't have to struggle with thanks to wonderfully supportive and generous parents. Christmas is a time to be together with family but family looks like different things at different times and individuals needs are important too.

I've tried to be wary of that Christmas competitiveness that can creep in too, I am really behind this year in terms of presents and decorations but I am happy with that, I have have had other more important things to focus on and I enjoy the slow build up. But I say I am happy with this until I talk to someone who has done all their shopping, wrapped it, done the cards and got the tree up, then I feel behind and stressed. How ridiculous, advent is a time to slow down and find your own pace and space, to think about what you bring to the season and how.

I played my drum for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I played my best for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Then, He smiled at me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Me and my drum

11 Advent

Yesterday we held an RE day for Year 7 exploring Christmas, with 180 kids we had our work cut out. We had an art session exploring hopes and fears of the season, a game deciding on our beliefs about giving and greed and a drama session imagining how the nightly news would have reported it if Jesus had been born in a garage in Luton!

As ever it was a case of out of the mouths of babes (or devils pre horn and tail formation), my favourite comments were...

"I wish Jesus would be born in Luton today!" "Why?" "Because he can do miracles" - it certainly felt like we could have done with a few of those keeping order!!

In answer to "What gift would you take the baby Jesus?", "Cheese" - along with a neat sketch of a holey slice, a little too much festice Wallace and Grommit?

A particular highlight was the drama group which had a Marsh Farm Chav visiting Jesus and bringing a spliff - can't argue with the characterisation!

And one of the liveliest characters (for which read I haven't taken my ritalin today)turned to me and said "I wish I could be a Christian" when I asked him why he said "then I could come to church!" "Oh, you don't have to be a Christian to go to church" I said somewhat taken aback, "Really?" he said wide eyed, "then I'm going to come at Christmas."

Then I read the following ...

In The Challenge of Cultural Influence, John Seel writes: The cultural crisis is first and foremost a church crisis—a crisis of discipleship. It is a scandal that nonbelievers perceive Christians as just another special interest group or market niche rather than those who are drawing on the resources of the kingdom of heaven in order to demonstrate the power of truth lived with overwhelming love.

Our challenge this advent season, almost makes 80 miles, pregnant, on a donkey look easy!

10 Advent

Aunty and Uncle Flower recently headed off to the Lakes for a break and as Mr Flower and I had been there in the not too distant we recommended some attractions to visit. One of those was the spectacular Grizedale Forest and sculpture trail, it really is one of the best of it's kind. The relatives duly took our advice and took advantage of a dry spell to wander one of the trails. Amongst the views and the artistic endeavours they came across the somewhat surprising sign below!

Not something left from our visit but maybe from angels who couldn't know the many meanings of their message! And in a season of thinking about the unexpected, signs, wonder and most of all love it just seemed good to share the serendipitous story that somehow covers all those things...

Love came down at christmas
Love all lovely, love divine
Love was born at christmas
Stars and angels gave the sign

Love will be our token
Love be yours and love be mine
Love from God to all of us love
Love for plea and gift and sign

09 Advent

Mr Flower and I went to a brilliantly packed and chaotic Christingle at All Saints this afternoon, about 150 people filled the church and the majority of those were children.

It was great to remember the symbolism behind the Christingle and I especially loved the four sticks for the seasons and the fruits of creation, something I value so much about living here in the UK. The service also gave us chance to give thanks for the village and to think about how we can make it an even better place to live for future generations.

The highlight of the service though was when the children came and stood in the aisles which make a cross in the centre of the church. Christingles were lit and the church lights turned out. In the flickering candle light we sang Away in a Manger, the children leading the singing. It was all I could do to hold back tears, a very special moment which raised the Christmas spirit for the first time this year!

08 Advent

Waiting

God, so much of faith is waiting

like a pregnant woman
waiting in hope

like a people under siege
holding out till relief comes

like the soul lost in the darkness
unable to see even a glimmer of light
yet stumbling through the night
because somewhere,
out ahead,
day will surely break

God be in our waiting.


Kathy Galloway

07 Advent

Hot on the heels on the Manchester Passion comes the Liverpool Nativity. Marking it's place as this year's city of culture.

It will be aired on BBC Three on Sun 16 Dec, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

"The Christmas story live in Liverpool as you've never seen it before. Liverpool's great musical heritage is the soundtrack to this contemporary music drama set in a fictitious state. It is a tale as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago - an intimate personal story of a pregnant young girl set against a backdrop of political tension and unrest. Starring Geoffrey Hughes as the Angel Gabriel, Jodie McNee as Mary, Kenny Thompson as Joseph, Jennifer Ellison as an Angel and other well known Liverpool personalities turning up in unexpected places".

06 Advent

I found this photo on flickr the other day and it was a perfect prompt that this advent season amid all the craziness, we must keep looking for the source of the light.

05 Advent

Confession

In the beginning was the word
but we refused to listen
In the beginning was the word
but we were illiterate
In the beginning was the word
but we miss spelt him
In the beginning was the word
but we didn't speak his language
In the beginning was the word
but we turned him into a sentence
In the beginning was the word
but we preferred our own words
In the beginning was the word
but we were into moving pictures
In the beginning was the word
but we abbreviated him
In the beginning was the word
but we changed the subject
In the beginning was the word
but we put him in a powerpoint presentation
In the beginning was the word
but he became an expletive
In the beginning was the word
but we queried his grammar
In the beginning was the word
but we deleted him from our vocabulary

Author unknown.

04 Advent

Last year I had an advent candle and each night I would use the time it burned to think about and to bring to God someone who was far away from me, either geographically or through life's business. It was a sacred time and I may pop out for one this weekend.

03 Advent

Midwinter Prayer

God of all creation
of bare forest and low northern skies
of paths unknown and never to be taken
of bramble, sparrow and damp, dark earth

we thank you for loss, for the breaking of the dimming year
we thank you for light, even in it's seeming midwinter failing
we thanks you for life, for it's hope and resistance
like a seed dying and living.

Rachel Mann

Taken from Doing December Differently

02 Advent

The Christmas term is always busy for us, it's assemblies in particular this week during which I tell the story of Jim and his family and how they experimented with Christmas celebrations...

Last year Jim and his family decided to celebrate in a different way. The names of each family member were put into a hat and they took turns to draw one name out. They no longer had to buy loads of presents for all their relatives but they had to do something extra special for the name they picked. Something that showed they loved that person, they knew their likes and dislikes and was a gift that cost the giver something of them self. This is what Jim writes...

Last year our youngest daugther, Amanda, drew my name. I've been a runner for most of my life, and she has never been one. For Christmas, she registered both of us for a 10K fun run that was scheduled for the following February. [We] then spent the time between Christmas and the run training together. When the day came, we ran the entire 10K together. On the wall in my bedroom, I have a picture of us crossing the finish line. It is one of my treasures because my little girl, thought about who I was, and took some time to give something of herself to me.

He says “I can't stop the world from making Christmas what it makes it. But, I can - and I will - spend the Advent Season this year slowing down, spending time with family and friends, giving myself to them, celebrating their presence in my life.

Find more of Jim's thoughts on his post of 19th Nov 06 www.faithwalking.blogpot.com

Advent is here...

I love the idea of trying to post every day in advent as a way to reflect on the season and to prepare for Christmas. I'm sure it will be very much like opening a calendar; missing days and opening two on others but we'll see.

Aunty Flower kicks us off with this...

A Christmas Thought

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things;
If we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill our lives with action;
When will we have the time to make the long journey across the desert as did the Magi?
Or sit and watch the stars as did the Shepherds?
Or brood over the coming of the Child, as did Mary?

For each of us there is a desert to travel,
A star to discover,
And a being within ourselves to bring to life!

Blessed are the cracked...

Had a whole week back in sunny (and somewhat freezing) Luton and no dashing off anywhere to advertise the brilliant world that is schoolswork.co.uk - check it out!

And it's been a great week. Had appraisal; not fired! Seen one of my chaplains doing her thing in school and been blown away watching classes thinking about Peace and it's role in their lives, seen the awesome creative work another is doing getting kids to think about prayer whilst the others are going to take whole year groups on to engage them in thinking about God and where faith fits in their worlds. Honoured to work with these amazing individuals.

Met a brilliant youth worker from Chelmsford (we met so many more when we were away too)who just confirmed for me how blessed we are at LCET with all the support and fantastic management we have.

Went into London to Patio - THE best Polish restaurant, like eating good school dinners in an aging aunts dinning room! Probably not the best way to sell it and not referring to my aunt, who was there and looking younger than ever in a very funky hat it has to be said! Early celebs of Uncle's birthday too (rock on!).

Then off to Bush Hall to see Duke Special. Oh my word, one of the most fun gigs I've been too! The song sheets were handed round Music Hall style, fitting to the venue but these sheets included 'I predict a riot', 'Wuthering Heights', 'Jump', and 'Maps' not exactly the good old days but brilliantly funny. And I just loved watching everyone singing, and people love to sing, I think we're designed to do it (something to do with worship me thinks?!)but many of us don't get the chance!

Anyway, it was cool because it felt beautiful and sad and laugh-out-loud-funny all at once. The band have a unique mission. Then there was an angelic moment when he sang about "sometimes we need to be broken, to let the light out". Shivers ran down my spine because Aunty Flower had sent me a card last week after my 'dead woman walking' post and it had a badge on which said "Blessed are the cracked for they let in the light"! Two different angles on the same theme; treasure in clay pots an' all and this whole time has been so much about that - even today helping out a friend who is both beautiful and broken right now.

I love how God speaks to us, alway gentle, always creative, always expansive never restrictive, often with laughter, tears and the unexpected.

Dead woman walking

So here I am manning (or womaning ?) The schoolswork stand at the Youthwork conference and it's fair to say I am totally shattered!

BUT, and it's a big one, it has been totally brilliant and well worth it. It's a total rollercoaster, from despair - trying to put the scaffold stand together; not understanding the plans, it having too many bolts and us all being too short to just brilliant times of sharing; amazing youthworkers who were really encouraging about the project and just so willing to share about their stories.

I think we've probably all found new strengths in ourselves that we didn't know existed before!

Will take some reflection and much recovery but good, good, good!