Time goes too quickly

I can't believe that it has been over 3 months since I last blogged. Life has been hectic over the last few weeks. At the beginning of January I had the Circuit meeting where they voted to send me forward into candidating. It was a tremendous feeling to know that over the last few years the members of my circuit have noticed the same sense of calling that I have felt. I was told that it would give me a boost as I go into the rest of the Candidating process. While I wasn't aware of it at the time, looking back now I can see that it did.

In February I had the District Candidates Committee - this was a much tougher ordeal and drained me physically and emotionally. Thankfully I managed to get through but it has led me to reflect even more on who I am and what I believe. Many of the questions were centered around my understanding and experience of Jesus and the Trinity. While I'm still not much closer to an answer about the Trinity it did make me realise that I took Jesus too much for granted. I liked Jesus the friend, and Jesus the radical who challenged the establishment and society of his time, but what did it mean to me as Jesus my Saviour or Jesus my Lord? And if I took either/both of those ideas seriously how did they affect my life and why wasn't I talking about them more?

I am now preparing for the Connexional stage. I have been asked to prepare a 5 minute presentation on Methodism and discipleship. So I am reading Martyn Atkins' book on the subject as that was recommended. Although some of it does come across as a history book, there are some really important themes and ideas that we, as Methodists seem to have lost (well, certainly in my experience). The idea of being a movement geared towards mission and holiness should be where we head back towards. Not telling everyone that they are awful people going to hell, but that there is a God who loves them and there is a better life to be lived. It is a message that does involve challenge because it does mean living a life with and for Jesus - taking on his priorities rather than just living for ourselves. Added to that I was taken by the idea of Connexion being more than just a structure for an organisation and rather being a tool for mission and an expression of God and community to our world. This is something we should value and engage with, rather than just whinge about. My big question is - how, in 5 minutes, can you bring some of that out to a church fellowship group in a way that will encourage discussion and lead to deeper discipleship (the challenge set by Connexion)??? Answers on a postcard please!!