Ministerial Synod & Dentist

So Ministerial Synod was surprisingly engaging yesterday morning. It was at Bamber Bridge (it is District Law for it to be within the boundary of what is known as Preston) and i felt it differed from its normal effect of being about as stimulating and engaging as the stats for chuffing mission.( the statistics that the Methodist church keeps to show us all who we are engaging with more info http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=465).

However, there was a sense of engaging with reality for probably the first time in my experience. There were a number of stories that linked to the District Straight jacket for Mission http://www.lancashiremethodist.org.uk/library/TLCPolicyfinalcopy16.8.10.pdf that were actually encouraging and inspiring and when totted up it is clear that there is lots of good stuff going on in the District that is engaging people in different ways so that's good.

After coffee we entered into discussions around abuse of clergy when they seek to be agents of change and how the church needs to respond to this, and then a personal hobby-horse of mine - the issue of how our church deals with baptism, especially now we are have realised and admitted that we are responding to a post-christian age rather than just hope that all those who tick the 'Christian' box on the census form really mean what we mean. Without going into details, for the first time there seemed to be a sense of collegiate - a desire to be 'in this together' - whatever 'this' may be and a desire even to put dogma and theology aside in order to respond to the missionary agenda. Long may it continue.

Despite all this above, my afternoon visit to the dentist (dentist and synod in 1 day - penance or what?) was actually briefer, less stressful and tiring, contained less waffle, and actually rated higher in my experiential rating system for the day. Dentist 7, Synod 6.5.

missionary renewal?

and so today i make my long overdue return to the blogosphere. I have reflected for a few moments this afternoon about why i haven't blogged for so long and wondered whether other bloggers can empathize. Is it because i seem to have so little time in paid ministry to reflect and evaluate? Is it because i want to use a blog as a kind of journal but if i'm honest about stuff people would get offended so it all has to be a little false? is it actually because i kept forgetting? Is it because i am devoid of anything remotely engaging to think/write about? Who knows. What i do know is that somethings have shifted in my understanding of the process of chruch renewal.

We have a new superintendent minister in our circuit, he seems driven, passionate, dedicated, and appears totally consumed with the practice of mission and evangelism. Already just two months into this new connexional year with new staffing our circuit and leaders are altering the way they think about church - its great to see - and of course i am also being challenged and shaped by that wonderful gift a new entrant to a sitiation brings - naievity - false or real - about the current situations we are engaged in.

All of this co-incides with our church exploring what it means to be a church engaged in evangelism. (we have separated 'Mission' into social justice/proclamation gospel not because they are disconnected but because its easy to avoid the responsibility to speak of the Gospel when its bound up with practical caring/sharing). Of course as we have focussed on equipping and resourcing our church to reach and engage new people it can't help but allow us to reflect on what type of church we are. Are we welcoming and friendly? Is our church building attractive? Are our events engaging and inspiring? Are we accessible to people who have no church experience? Are our members equipped and suitably discipled enough to feel confident in the missionary task? What is church about anyway? are all questions that have arised directly from this autumnal focus on evangelism.

Perhaps most of all though is the cutting truth that Jesus is about building His church - we are about disciple-making. I reflect on a programme of church renewal and transition which i have driven and led over the last four years and i painfully ask myself - if we had engaged in mission from the first - caring for people and sharing with them good news about Jesus would we be further on in our process of transition? Would our missiology have driven our ecclesiologoical change much quicker? Am i better to get on with disciple-making and let Jesus build the church? - a hard question for someone who has been consumed with building a 'better' church over the last four years.

I love the headline on Andy Frost's book (pic) 'the church has left the buidling'. Could it be that as we are consumed by leaving the building and engaging in a missionary goal that God shapes and remoulds us on that hourney of mission and that its in the going that we ourselves are made more into Christ-like disciples and consequently Jesus is indeed building His church?

Oh my (actual) life...

Today will be my last post from the Philippines and so i decided to include one of our phrases of the week as a title. This phrase has usually been uttered in shear fear as our driver Lito weaves his way between oncoming traffic, occasionally going the wrong way up the carriageway and generally applies the principle that if he doesn't look at other cars they won't hit him! But also, it somes up some of the exasperation at our experiences here together.

I have been asked time and time again in the last few days whether this trip was what i expected. Its hard to answer because i wasn't really sure what to expect. I wasn't looking forward to coming in the least and having been here, i would be a lot keener to return than i was to come intially. I have had more fun than i expected, despite being the but of many jokes, and i have recieved more from the children and staff than i could ever have hoped for. Their joy is infectious and that will stay with me forever, i think.

Having said all this there were just some things that no-one could be prepared for. Our trip to Smokey Mountain on Day 1 (which seeems a lifetime ago now) was horrific as people lived among the rubbish and sewage and formed a community. Disturbingly Sol, told us happily this week that it "...used to be an awful place, its come on so much in the last few years" (!!!!!!!) The other shanty villages we visited and the street communities lived in horredous conditions with the smell making my stomach do somersalts and it has amazed us that there are not more obvious signs of disease, but the village near Laguna we visited on Tuesday where over 1/2 of the poultry income of the families go to buy clean water leaving them the equivalent of 2pounds fifty pence to live on for the rest of the week left the biggest impression on me. I will never forget the children happily playing and washing in the toxic stream flowing from the pharmaceutical factory just yards away, oblivious to the apparent dangers.

Last tuesday was perhaps the most touching day. I was inspired by Michelle, an ambitious 15 year old with her life ahead of her and full of dreams for her future. Her possible blindness within 5 years was shattering to hear, just minutes after being inspired by her drive and determination. Like so many of the other children that we have met, she may well have suffered incredibly in former circumstances. Many of the children we have met are victims of abuse, not to mention poverty and neglect. The inspirational story of Kanlungan is that out of the incredibly damaged 'raw material' of the children they meet there are so many stories of joy and hope and the children discover humanity again as well as growing in the love that God has for them.

If i'm honest there was a degree of scepticism in me when i came here as to what the ethos of the charity was and how money was used. Kanlungan are an incredibly professional organisation. You can hardly say hello to the administrator without it being noted and a reciept issued!! Everything is above board, everything is managed through case files, everything is monitored with Professional staff who are training other agencies. It is my firm conviction, that no matter what horrors the past may have held, it is a great blessing for these children to pass through Kanlungan's care. Whether its meeting Roel & Wilmar on the streets at night, or popping into the drop in centre, whether its at Benitez House recieving intial alternative education and therapy or whether its living in Laguna or at the Boys Home or Farm receiving schooling to be in Kanlungan's 'system' is to recieve an incredible start to life for i am convinced beyond doubt that this is an organisation that God is using incredibly and it is an honour to be associated with them.

Sistine Chapel takes four years, only two days for Kanlungan Mural

And so it is that the mural is complete! I added nothing to todays efforst as the detail and intricacy was way above my pay grade. The highlight of today's artistry was Stella's free-hand painting of Nemo in the sea, something that was quite amazing to witness and watch, at least so thought little Christian who was squatted motionless in awe of Mrs B's talents!

The mural has been compiled from designs from school children from Wheatley Lane. There was a competition in school to design a mural based on Lancashire and the winning ideas have been merged to make the final design. Sadly i can't post pics yet as we have no way of connecting camera's/phones to the computer in our hotel, but no dobut they will be available soon. The final design consists of familiar Lancashire symbols - Pendle Hill, Wheatley Lane Methodist Church, sheep, a Lancashire Rose, flowers, butterflies, snow, a big sunshine, a lightning cloud suspiciously close to the top of the church and, of course, that famous lancashire fish - nemo??!!!

The centrepiece is a huge rainbow that has on it, 'Joy in the Lord' and it looks fantastic, although i cannot claim much credit - my colleagues doing the lion's share of the work.

I instead spent my time sticking! First letters for the banner and then people's hand cut-outs and the banner that we have now presented to Kanlungan of hands from Wheatley Lane looks pretty spectacular it has to be said. Kanlungan are sending with us a set of hand cut outs of all their children so as they have a banner from us, we shall hang in our church (not sure where as yet!!) a reciprocal banner with the children's hands - its a nice physical exoression of the link that am sure has grown and will continue to grow over the next few months.

Tomorrow is a shopping day for souvenirs and gifts and then we begin our return on Friday so i expect tomorrow to be the last post until after the weekend. I realise that this week's blogs have been far more light and frothy, and perhaps not as engaging, i will try and paint the whole experience in some sort of balance and context tomorrow when i wrap up my impressions of the whole trip.

a close encounter with ants....

So, first of all, i used the title to capture your attention! We have been painting the mural today under Stella's gentle supervision and encouragement (she is back with avengance!!) and i have to say, it is 90% done and looks pretty good. We all helped but due to the height and situe of the wall it meant squaltting or lying on the floor amid dozens of ants in order to get this done - it actually wasn't as bad as it sounds, but it was nice to feel like we were giving something tangible back to these children and staff who have given us so much.

I was permitted the white and so i have proudly contributed to the mural, general white snow, three sheep and a white house. I am proud of what i have acheived but sad that Stella didn't give me a gold star at the end of the afternoon but not a bad acheievement in 35 degrees all afternoon while fending off exciteable but mischeivous children!

Tomorrow will be finishing off the mural and banner, thursday will be souvenir shopping and friday we will begin our journey home. I cannot belive there are only 3 sleeps left, it means that i will have to begin to think up a way, somehow of communicating our experiences when we get back. We'll chat tomorrow!

"...for the joy of the Lord will be your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Today we had a slightly later start which was lovely and headed out after breakfast to Benitez House for the staff team meeting for prayer and devotions. I had been asked to share on the way to the meal last night and been told to speak for anything up to 2 hours! (for some reason Kath seemed to think this would be easy for me!)

Now, as i explained to the staff, i have preached hundreds of sermons in doxens of different settings, to 2/3 people or to 1500. In 12 years of preaching, rarely have i felt so unworthy and nervous as i stood to speak this morning. As i have said before i feel so spiritually bankrupt compared to the giants in the Lord that sat around me this morning but
from nowhere really, the scripture above "...for the joy of the Lord will be your strength" came to mind and i spoke briefly on that theme. It seemed so appropriate as i was preparing because the overwhelming gift of Kanlunagn to me has been the joy we have experienced throughout the projects - children and staff alike. We worshipped and prayed together with delightful passion and fervour once again, and without any apology i have to say that this staff meeting put to shame the many i have attended within my own setting.

We headed out next with all the children from Benitez House to dinner at a kind of chinese version of McDonalds - the food was about as pleasant as you can imagine! - and then on to oceanworld with the children. It was great to see the thrill and exitement on their faces as we saw all the differnt kinds of fish and sea life and i have to say, the children were delightful. Here we were with children, most of which have suffered unspeakable horrors at the hands of other people and they were brilliantly behaved, without meaning this at all critically, i expect a group of  UK children would have been rather more chaotic! 

And then we were done for the day. Plenty of space to reflect and share together as a group which was also a great blessing and an encouragement. It has been great to be a part of this small group over the last few days but please pray for us as emotions become more stretched, tiredness takes its toll and we begin to prepare to come home. 

Just a final note on Stella, she had the day off with Esther as cheif nurse today - we were all very jealous! - but news is she is feeling a whole lot better and has sent us strict instructions not to start the mural without her supervision so some signs that she's getting back to normal!

Church, chat and a chuffing good time!

This morning began at some ridiculous hour when we set off for church which started at 8:30am!!!! The church was Union Church, Manila (pictured) which Esther & Frank attend. The service was cool, but for a big church the people were incredibly welcoming. We shared greetings in the service also which was a nice thing to do.

After coffee we headed to a mall and had breakfast and more coffee, a nice time together and then headed back to Esther & Frank's apartment complex for the afternoon. Today was our day off and it was spent in near luxury. Esther & Frank were amazing hosts as we swam in the pool and spent the afternoon relaxing and chatting. It was great when some of the Kanlungan staff joined us and we were able to share with them also. Before too long Joe Wilson rang from Radio Lancs and we chatted briefly on air about our experiences which if nothing else, perhaps has raised the profile of Kanlungan in Lancashire.

Not long after this we spent the evening courtesy of Frank & Esther at a Filipino restaurant and honestly i can say i had the most fun for a long while. It was great to laugh and share with more of the staff and they have asked me to share at devotions tomorrow - something which is a priviledge but also frightening as they all seem to know and love the Lord far more than i do!! However, just to prove their normality - all the women fled at once from the restaurant to see Derek Ramsay (below) who is a famous film star in the Philippines. Apparently he was more of an attraction than Tony, Frank or i.

Its great to be with the Filipino's, they are so much fun and so compassionate - whcih i wish i could say was the case with our group. After stubbing my toe badly on getting out of the pool, what i recieved from my fellow travellers wasn't sympathy but howling laughter. They could all leanr something from our hosts me thinks!

Finally, for thos reading this at Wheatley Lane, Stella hasn't been very well for the last couple of days, nothing serious just a tummy bug. Please pray for her recovery and revitalisation.

Back to the trip proper tomorrow and feeling really refreshed and positive about the week ahead!