We will remember them

I passed Cambridge War Memorial at just the right time to take part in the Act of Remembrance at 11 o'clock. It was just a simple, short service, consisting of a couple of prayers, a short reflection and the act of remembrance. What struck me was the end, after the blessing and dismissal, when people respectfully went their own ways. For me, it was a picture of a city, just for a moment, setting aside all the hustle and bustle of the day, and uniting together. Young and old, rich and poor, child, student, business person, unemployed, construction worker, retired - all together. Those who had served in the forces, and those who hadn't. Those who agreed with the wars we have been, and are involved in; and those that don't. All united. United to remember those who have fallen, those who were injured, in the course of their service to this country. Also, we were united in our praying and hoping for peace in our time.

They shall grow not old,

As we who are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Practical Theism

I'm reading a book at the moment called 'Windows on Wesley'. It's one of these books which has variety of contributors writing on different subjects. The chapter I've just read is by the editor of the book - Philip Meadows. He writes about a faith that is alive and is based on right action and not just sound doctrine, that seeks to know God as well as just know of him, that notices God in the whole of creation and not just in the supposedly spiritual bits. It leads him into a spirit of optimism for the world around. He writes:

"Thus, the pessimism of an Augustinian assessment of human nature, which considers the vast bulk of humankind to be reprobates on their way to damnatino, is overthrown by a Wesleyan optimism of grace which sees every human being as a 'candidate for heaven,' to use (Rev. John) Fletcher's expression, or 'a probationer for a blissful immortality." ('Windows on Wesley', ed. Philip Meadows; Applied Theology Press; 1997, p.40)

Wouldn't it be great if the whole church grasped some of that optimism. That saw all people, not as miserable sinners, but as 'candidates for heaven?' That actually saw something of the grace and image of God in all who we meet. Meadows continues to say that conversion is vital, and is concerned with enabling people to recognise the grace of God in them already. A grace that goes before any commitment to follow God.

It reminded me of a lecture from a few weeks back on 1 Corinthians 1. In the opening verses Paul writes to those 'called to be saints' (v2). Now I don't speak Greek, but our lecturer informs us that the correct translation should be that they are saints. His challenge was, how many people sitting in our congregations think of themselves as saints? So often we focus on the need to confess and repent, and they are both very important, but it is also important that people recognise that, in God's eyes, they are already saints.

It sometimes feels as though our beloved Methodist Church needs life breathed into it. Well I suggest, rather than spending so much energy on restructuring, let's proclaim the message of optimism based on God's grace. Let's see the potential in all and encourage them to recognise the grace of God already in their own lives. Because I'd be willing to bet that it would be pretty infectious.

Light of the World

It was our fortnightly Community Worship at Wesley House this evening. This week the Methodist Lectionary theme is 'Receiving the Light' and so we carved pumpkins and placed tealights in them. It was an activity that all ages could participate in and the creativity of the pumpkins was amazing. Then without the need for a sermon, or even a reflection using words, just by having 8 pumpkins a-glow around the room and the lights off we could reflect on the words of Scripture we had heard:

"...I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life... As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 8:12, & 9:5)

and

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a

lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Photos taken by Revd. Dr. Jane Leach

CPD - A gift of God

At this evening's Methodist Theology and Spirituality seminar each student received their copy of 'The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church' - obviously 2011 edition rather than 2010, but I couldn't find a picture of the 2011 edition! This gift was received with about as much enthusiasm as receiving the last decade's worth of Church Council, Property and Finance and Circuit Meeting minutes all neatly collated and bound!

However, our speaker for the evening was Janet Morley - an Anglican who has worked for the Methodist Church for many years. She was bringing her views of Methodism from an Anglican perspective and was very insightful in her observations - even if some were uncomfortable to hear. However, the thing that stuck with me was her enthusiasm for CPD. Janet stated that Methodism was able to articulate it's faith. We have a document that is updated year by year as we discuss areas which may need updating. From this point of view we have a living, evolving faith. We are able to ask the hard questions of ourselves, to discuss, debate, disagree but ultimately to maintain the Connexion between us. She pointed out that the Anglican church still abides by the 39 Articles, which clergy have to swear to at their ordination and as they start at each new post, which apparently is quite anti ecumenism and supports the death penalty. Janet added that in CPD it states that 'The primary purpose for which the District is constituted is to advance the mission of the Church in a region...' (SO 400A) and that 'The Circuit is the primary unit in which Local Churches express and experience their interconnexion in the Body of Christ, for purposes of mission, mutual encouragement and help.' (SO500) How great would it be for all ministers and congregations to see the practical outworkings of our theology in such a way.

The Feast of St Luke - an Orthodox celebration

As part of life in the Cambridge Theological Federation we have fortnightly Federation Worship led by the various institutes that make up the Federation (I realise that was probably a slight over use of the word 'federation'!). This evening was the turn of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies. This was the first time that I had ever been to an Orthodox service, and it certainly was an interesting experience. There were some aspects I found challenging, standing up for an hour and a half being one! However, there was also the lack of involvement by the members of the congregation. This was very much something that we watched as the priest and a few others participated on our behalf. Added to that there was the lack of singing and the fact that only members of the Orthodox Church were able to take Communion. This did help me get clear in my mind some of the things I value about Methodism.

Having said that, there were a lot of things that I found useful and inspiring. The theatre of the whole service as the priest moved around from the altar, down into the nave, around the church built a sense of drama and anticipation. Maybe it didn't reflect the meal between friends that I like to think of as Communion, but it did portray something of the wonder and awe-someness of God. Their repeated prayers for themselves, their church, their community and those in authority was also something that made me think. While I don't believe that we need to repeat our prayers over and over, Paul does tell us to pray without ceasing, and this was a great expression of that. The homily was short and to the point - we are part of an unbroken chain of witnesses going back to Luke and beyond. It was uplifting and done in about a dozen sentences - do we really need to always have great long complicated sermons when a few well chosen words will do? Finally, there was the point where the congregation said the creed. It was a long way through the service and was the first point for the congregation to speak. At first people were unsure, then gradually it built up and up as more people expressed their faith together. The sound of so many people, from so many different denominations and traditions, professing together a shared faith, for me, is a sign of what ecumenism is all about. We may have gone our separate ways after, but we did so having reminded ourselves of the things that unite rather than divide.

Thin Places

I have heard people talking about 'Thin Places', places where the gap between heaven and earth seems at it's thinnest, places where people feel closest to God. Maybe it is because I am moving away from Thatcham next week, but today I have spent some time reflecting on my thin places here.

The first is my church. It is not a very radical view, but it is true for me. This is the church I grew up in, I remember coming to Sunday School, social occasions, I became a member of the Methodist Church here, I preached my first sermon here, I became an accredited Local Preacher here. And if I walk in to the Sanctuary when no-one else is there, I can look around the chairs and picture the saints of old who used to sit in them, I can close my eyes and hear their voices. And if I walk in on a Sunday morning I look at the people sitting in the chairs now and it is like looking at my family. For me, that is what church is - a family. I don't know if I'll ever have this experience of church again, but it will be with me forever. This is one of the places where I feel closest to God, either listening to the voices of those around me, or hearing the voices of th

ose who have been and gone. We are not a perfect church, but in amongst the imperfections, there is Jesus.

My second thin place is Thatcham Lake. Again it is alive with memories of walks with Dad through childhood right up to the present day. But the reason I feel so close to God around this place is because for me it speaks of life in all it's beauty - and surely that is where God has to be. It is as I walk around it, as I sit on the benches, that I see life going on. Whether it is ducks quacking, children laughing, ripples running over the lake, there is always life. And it is there that I often choose just to go and pray, reflect, be still. It is a place where no words need to be spoken, but I can go and be still, and know that God is there. These are places I am going to miss. But I do trust that when I move to Cambridge next week, God will provide more thin places where I can meet with him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Life Together 5

"He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship in service, may still be left to their loneliness. The final break-through to fellowship does not occur, because, though they have fellowship with one another as believers and as devout people, they do not have fellowship as the undevout, as sinners. The pious fellowship permts no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!"

So starts the beginning of Bonhoeffer's 5th and final chapter. He continues by writing about the need for confession - but not solitary confession but confession to another member of the church. Bonhoeffer believes that this is the only way of ensuring confession to God and not merely to oneself. This did make me wonder about corporate confession during weekly acts of worship. For many this is an important part of the service, but maybe for some it is just an empty routine. It also made me consider how churches could set about establishing a system of trust and accountability for this to take place if it doesn't happen already. I can imagine that many would initially be quite concerned about confessing sins to one another. However, Bonhoeffer argues that it is only when we truly humble ourselves enough to admit our faults to one another that we can have true community. I can see his thinking behind this, but I can also see the need for careful organising and preparation for the people to hear the confessions to ensure that it isn't used for harm rather than good.

Bonhoeffer concludes this chapter and the book by mentioning Communion. This is the perfection of the fellowship when the members of the community are reconciled through confession and then united around the table. I believe that confession is important. As a church I feel we have shied away from it as a subject for fear of offending or being seen to preach at people. However, sin should not be ignored. Maybe the best way of dealing with it is with it out in the open, rather than trying to appear perfect to others, while secretly struggling with sin alone.