The light shines in the darkness

Have you ever noticed that when you get together with your family and start telling stories about when you were growing up, or what happened years ago, the same events sound very different as different people tell the story. I watched the film "Lady in the Van' recently, with Maggie Smith and thought it was a moving and funny film, perhaps the best I have seen this year. But I have spoken to others who did not like the film for various reasons. Same event, different points of view.

Try thinking about this very human business of memory and story telling in light of the wonderful poetry of the first 14 verses of John's Gospel. This is the Christmas story, the third time the Bible tells it. It is the same story we heard in Luke's Gospel - the story of the manger and the shepherds and the angels. It is the same story Matthew tells in his Gospel, with Joseph's dreams and the wise men - but the point of view is different. John's Gospel sounds strange to ears more accustomed to descriptions of crowded inns and angel choirs. That is because different people are telling the same story.

You see, Luke, who wrote the familiar story, was keen on locating everything in time and space. He was almost certainly a Gentile, and was very concerned about the role of people who, like him, were considered outsiders. So he is more concerned with shepherds, who were social outcasts, than about kings. And Luke tells the story from the perspective of Mary, a radical move in itself, since women were even lower on the social ladder than shepherds!

Matthew was a Jew and was very concerned with making it clear that Jesus fulfilled all that was required by the ancient prophets for him to be the promised Messiah. So shepherds did not interest him as much as royal wise men. And he wrote about the flight to Egypt, the return to Israel paralleling the Exodus. Matthew told the story of Jesus' birth from Joseph's perspective.

And then came John. John knew, in one way or another, about the stories in Matthew and Luke, and he assumes that we know about them as well. But John is a theologian,a philosopher. and a mystic. So since he (and we) already know the 'historical' details of Jesus' birth, John writes of its meaning, and writes from his knowledge of philosophy, theology and a from a lifetime of prayer.

But it is the same story, all three are talking about the same birth. John does  begin the story earlier, he reminds us that Christmas really begins just before the dawn of creation. So using language reminiscent of Genesis, John begins by talking about the Word of God. The Word of God here is God in action, God creating and revealing. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Then he tells the Christmas story in nine words, 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' Jesus was as completely human as you and me. Poetic words for the most down to earth thing that ever happened. But still the Christmas story. Matthew, Luke and John may approach the event in different ways but there is one image, one symbol, that all three use to talk about Christmas.

They all talk about light, the light of a star, the light that shone around the shepherds, the true light that enlightens every person. They all combine Isaiah's vision of light shining on those who live in darkness.

The light shines in the darkness John proclaims. We all know what it is light to live in and with darkness. I often get up in the night and wander around the house in darkness. I can get disorientated and bump into things or misjudge the number of steps on the stairs.

We also know what is is like live in broad daylight.What John, Luke and Matthew all say about Christmas is that a night begins to shine, suddenly, quietly, but absolutely certainly. And by that light we can begin to see. By that light we can begin to see who we are and who we were created to be. Because it is in the person of Jesus that what it means to be a human being is finally made clear. In him we see that our lives are made whole as we give ourselves in love and service. In him we see that really being alive means risking everything for the love of God and the kIngdom of God.

By that light that has come into the world we begin to see God clearly for the first time. 'No-one has ever seen God' John reminds us but God is made known in Jesus. Who God is, in relationship to us, is fully revealed in Jesus. Not in one saying, or one parable, or one sign, but in all of them. In his life, death and resurrection we finally have the light to see God.

The light of Christ, the Word made flesh, comes among us at Christmas. That first Christmas, the light shone, and continues to shine so we can show the world what we have seen. By that light we have been given power to become children of God. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

Christmas sermon 2015 based on John 1 v 1-14

Carols, carols and more carols

Friday's rehearsal of our Community Choir was the last one before Christmas and also the last one before carol singing in Barnard Castle the following day. With mulled wine prepared and served by Gary our Director, singing was not a priority at that rehearsal.

Saturday's post brought with it a letter from DVLA in response to my application to renew my driving licence, which expires in February. Their return of post reply was atypical of government departmemts and it comtained the news dhat my licence had been revoked with effect from the previous day. So that's it. I will never drive again, apart from my trusty mobility scooter. Looking on the positive side, I have enjoyed 50 years of driving, on business and for pleasure, in this country and in France, Spain, Belgium, Denmark and Italy. I shall remember those times with gratitude as I am chauffered here and there by Kathy and the many friends who have offered to help.

It was on with the day's carol singimg in Barnard Castle. Tony Kennan was my first chauffeur and he arrived in the afternoon as a few flakes of snow settled on the ground. Those few flakes were the advance party for a major snow storm which was the signal to turn back towards home.

The snow lay like Good King Wenceslas' pizza, deep and crisp and even, on Sunday morning as  we walked down to church; I had a day off from Winston, so an easy day.  Home for a quick coffee before Peter and Anne-Marie picked us up to go to Newcastle's Sage concert hall.

We were at the Sage to listen to the 300 strong community choir, directed by our neighbour, Gary. They were accompanied by the Royal Northern Sinfonia and was a joyful start to Christmas. On our way home Peter and Anne-Marie introduced us to Bistro Italiano, a very authentic restaurant in Durham, another one to add to growing list of good eating places.

Tuesday was Christingle Day and the children from school delighted us with their singing, prayers and readings. The Christingles were lit and, because it was a dark morning, 'the light shone in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.'

And so to Saturday, the day of the Village Hall Christmas Party. Expecting around 50 people, to our surprise, 90 tickets were sold. The hall was packed, The Copycats, another of our local bands lead by friend Peter, were great. St Mary's Band led the singing carols and our hard working ladies prepared a meal for everyone. It was exhausting, but a wonderful village celebration.

Nativity plays

This week I went to our little theatre, The Academy Theatre, to see the KS1 children from Gainford Church of England Primary School present their nativity play. Over the years I must have been to hundreds of such occasions and I love to see the children dress up, act and sing as they tell the well known story of the birth of Jesus.

As much as I enjoy these occasions they do worry me a little, The story is  always the same: Angel Gabriel tells Mary she is to have a baby, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, the inn is full, they find a stable, Jesus is born, angels tell shepherds about the birth, they visit the stable. Meanwhile, miles away three kings follow a star which leads them to Bethlehem. Period, as our American friends would say.

On that story is based all our celebrations over the next couple of weeks.  But on what is that simple story based? Certainly not on history, The story we know is a compilation from different sources in the Gospels. Mark did not include it at all and his was the first Gospel. Matthew has the angel tell Joseph, not Mary, about the birth. He has no shepherds but magi or wise men (number not specified) who travel own camels from a distant country. Luke has the annunciation to Mary and shepherds. John does not tell a story but begins his Gospel with a beautiful prologue which speaks of Jesus as the Word made flesh.

So you see, the traditional story as we know it is nowhere recorded as a whole, but is a mixture of Luke's and Matthew's accounts. There are other problems about the birth stories, for example it is highly unlikely that the 'Virgin birth' means that Mary conceived without intercourse.  God does not work by suspending the laws of nature. And although various explanations have been put forward about the star which guided the magi, stars do not move across the sky.

Christmas is a celebration of the presence of God in all human beings, but especially in Jesus whose power and presence inspired the Gospel writers to put into their own words the events of the life of Jesus as they had heard them, passed down from generations of people. That does not imply the story is meaningless; on the contrary they still have a message to convey which we all need to hear.

I look forward to Christmas, to singing the carols, hearing the stories again, giving and receiving presents and worshipping the God who is born in each of us.

Advent, the Waitig Place

It is ironic that Advent should be a time for reflection, time to pause in the stress dominated lives we all seem to lead. Instead, Advent Sunday acts as a starting gun for the mere 4 weeks we have to work through an impossibly long 'to do' list.

It was refreshing, in view of this`, that our Family Service at St Mary's was so well supported and we were able to counter the trend. Then, in late afteroon, the people of Winston  gathered in the village hall for a cafe style act of worship. Here, the number of young people present was heartwarming and Methodist Minister, Bev Hollings, included them in her well planned and thoughtful service.

What did I say about business? A truncated band practice in church on Monday was followed by a village hall meeting and Tuesday began with a Christingle planning meeting at school and ended with a marriage preparation meeting with a lovely couple from Gateshead who are doctors. In between, we managed to have some lunch out at Whorlton.

I spent most of Wednesday teaching myself to build a web site and somehow managed to publish the site, though there is a lot more to do. have a look: www.gainfordwinstonanglican.com. The evening was taken up by the house group, where 'anger managemesnt' was the theme. It was an interesting discussion although a Nicky Gumbell video was not vey helpful. Inevitably, we talked about the vote in parliament and opinions varied.

I must make a start on the Christmas card list!

Thursday, after a schol assembly, there was space for visiting, both in hospital and home visits, always one of the joys of minstry. It was back to the school in the evening for the Christmas Fayre - good to see so man people there.

Today was devoted to Gegenforde (band), Scherzo (choir) and now I am settling down to watch Hartlepool take on Salford in the FA cup.

Advent Sunday

                                                                                     Advent: A Carol

                                                 What did you hear?        Who then shall hear them?

                                                 Said stone to echo:        Said stone to echo:

                                                 All that you told me        All people on earth,

                                                Said echo to stone.         Said echo to stone.

                                                 Tidings, said echo           Turned into one,

                                                 Tidings, said stone,         Echo and stone,

                                                 Tidings of wonder           The word for all coming

                                                 Said echo to stone.         Turned into one.

                                                 Patric Dickinson

That was the week that was

A weekend in Glasgow was a little truncated because we could not miss Bill Goyder's jazz evening at the village hall. It was worth the delay and Bill and his quartet played a wide selection of music to listen to or even to dance to. The bonus was a lovely super provided by the ladies (yes, sorry, all ladies) of St Mary's congregation.  It is amazing how shepherd's pies and tempting desserts just appear.

A leisurely journey by train to Lenzie on Sunday gave us the opportunity of catching up with family news over lunch and on Monday, after yet another lunch, this time at a superb Italian restaurant, Nonna's Kitchen in Kirkintilloch, we caught the train home. I fear this blog is rapidly becoming a food and restaurant blog but that may not be a bad thing.

So to mention food for the last time this week I picked up a leaflet from the hairdresser. Even my thin head of hair needs the occasional trim and Angel Hair in Gainford is very convenient. The leaflet was from an enterprising couple who run a mobile delicatessen business, 'Deli to your door' based in the local village of Caldwell. They have a rota for visiting  neighbouring villages and we will catch up with them. I am sure they won't mind me copying their web site picture.

'The lady in the van' is one of the 'must see' films of 2015. The DailyTelegraph says:

'Maggie Smith is a tottering, staggering force of nature in this cherishable adaptation of Alan Bennett's beloved play'. 

Directed by Nicholas Hytner you would expect it to be good and it is a funny, yet poignant, story  based on fact. Richmond Station Cinema is also a very comfortable cinema to enjoy the  film.

So perhaps the theme of tis week is 'vans' as well as food.

On then to prepare for Sunday's services. It is Advent and we begin the time of waiting for Christmas. I will be talking about the play 'Waiting for Godot' by  Samuel Becket which is a rather cynical dig by Becket at Christians who are waiting for a God who does not come. The Christian has a more hopeful outlook because he or she knows that God has already come and in Jesus we see signs of that coming. Advent gives us time to reflect on what we know is to come and the joy, peace and hope of the incarnation.

The week in Gainford and beyond

Friday, after band practice, we headed towards Linconlnshire, to familiar places, and to meet up with friends. It was our friend, Jan Marshall's 70th birthday and her family had organised a surprise party.

We had decided to make a weekend of it and wandered down narrow country roads near Grantham to a tiny village, Burton Coggles, where we had booked a room in the village pub, The Cholmeley Arms. Greeted at the door by a golden labrador we gravitated towards a log fire in the bar. Before we allowed ourselves to fall asleep we found our room, one of four purpose built ones in the grounds. The room could have graced a 5* hotel, and the Trip Advisor reviews were not exagerating when previous guests had waxed lyrical about this country inn.

Local bitter with dinner, in front of the now roaring fire, all following a long drive, persuaded us to return and watch the increasingly bizarre  things people do to raise money for Children in Need.

The events in Paris greeted us on the TV on Saturday morning. Enough has been said about the horror of it all, but Children in Need seems to have been forgotten. In the inhumanity of human beings in Paris we have witnessed the evil we are capable of.  But in Children in Need we see how others can push the boundaries of selfless love and courage.

On Saturday morning we had to apologise for not being able to make much of an impression on the feast spread out on the breakfast table. Lunch was too close.

Before setting our for Fotheringhay, we wandered around the corner to St Thomas' Church, recently renovated but still with a notice of October's services on the notice board, but not those for this month. Out of date notices do not inspire confidence, and will fail to draw visitors to worship

Fotheringhay is an important village in Northamptonshire. Once the site of a castle it now boasts a smallish church with a large tower, seen for many miles across the gently undulating countryside. Richard lll was born in the castle and Mary Queen of Scots was executed there. We spent some time in the church reading the history boards and thought of Kim Hardings's talk at the breakfast about Richard and the controversy about his place of burial.

But we found the Falcon, the pub where the birthday celebrations were to take, The plan was to secretly gather in the bar and surprise Jan when she came in with husband Len. As friends arrived, we chatted about past times until silence was ordered. In walked Jan and the look on her was somewhere along the scale of horror, surprise and joy, but with plenty of tears.

We travelled back to our pub and, exhausted, went to bed. The next morning we did do justice o the breakfast and set out for Gainford early, The journey was perfect until we reached there Teeside turn-off and discovered the A1 was closed to Scotch corner. We diverted to Northallerton and Croft, only to discover the river had burst its banks at Croft. Fortunately,  the water only reached the hub caps and we slowly drove through.

The rest of the week has been uneventful and included an evening with the house group. This group originally studied the Alpha course and decided to carry on meeting. They are attracted (theologically of course) to Nicky Gumbell who I don't think I have heard for 20 years. Like all of us, he has aged a little but still has that smile which can be quite disarming. The DVD the group is watching is based on the Beatitudes and there was plenty of material for discussion. Despite our differing theologies, there were many points where we were in agreement.

At the risk of this blog becoming and Egon Ronay pub guide, I will just mention that we enjoyed a super lunch yesterday at Farnaville's Rest in Whorlton, former The Bridge. The pub has been tastefully converted, and again a log fire offered a warm welcome. A 3 course lunch for £5 was excellent and incredible value for money.

The Cholmely Arms at Burton Coggles, The Falcon at Fotheringham and Farnaville's Rest at Whorlton, my recommendations of the week.

And to end...

“the search for meaning is really the search for the lost chord. When the lost chord is discovered by humankind, the discord in the world will be healed and the symphony of the universe will come into complete harmony with itself.” 
― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

The week in Gainford

Preparations are in progress for a journey south for the weekend, but not before band and choir practice for me and a meeting Kathy has to help a friend with an employment issue. Her NHS mangement experience is coming in useful.

Last Saturday was Gainford's annual bonfire and firewords display.The Green was packed and the display was the best yet. We had been invited to a post bonfire party at a neighbour's home. It included the 'Great Gainford Bake-off' where the men bake 12 biscuits and the women judged them. My macaroons looked good but were chewy and I expected to receive the wooden spoon. In announcing the results our host took that honour and I have a strong suspicion that he was being gallant.

Remembrance Sunday was busy. Two morning services were followed by an afternnon showing the local community the new Village Hall kitchen. Treasurer's wife, Maire had prepared a lovely supper which we shared with friends, and at 10-00am se were ready for bed.

On Wednesday I went to fhe Annual Forum of The Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership. The background to this project is that it was established in 2010 following a successful  bid to The Heritage Lottery Fund. In 2011, a successful second bid enabled the Partnership to implement a number of projects which benefit the local Teesdale community. The projects are varied and include work on the river and its surrounds, forests, footpaths, ponds and the restoration of farm buildings. Also as part of the project was the installation of history display boards in Gainford church.

I am especially interested in 'Music at the Heart of Teesdale', run by Gegenforde member Neil Diment.The success of this project is focussed on the young folk band, the 'Cream Tees', who have delighted local audiences with their fiddle playing.

Last night  I joined other parishioners on a coach for the induction of Martin Jacques at Tynemouth. It was a splendid service followed by a  welcome buffet  and Martin and Louise looked very much at home The only thing I was disappointed with was that the Bishop substituted 'Receive this cure of souls which is yours and mine' with 'Receive this ministry....' I do think 'cure of souls' is a wonderful encapsulation of a priest's vocation.

The weather is looking threatening and our friends on Barra seem to be at the centre of the gales. I am hoping that our journey south we will not encounter them? I leave Sunday's services in the capable hands of the Archdeacon.
  

Russellings in Gainford

“Beannacht / Blessing

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.” 
― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

 A tale of two Parkinsons

Friday and Saturday were days of imposed inactivity as the pleasure of Thursday's trip to the theatre was succeded by one of those periods when brain asnd muscles refuse to talk to each other. Still, every cloud.....I was able to finish Bill Bryson's book snd join him in the Lake District, Yorks Dales, Teesdale and Scotland. It was in Scotland that his journey ended, at Cape Wrath. 

Having spent the day walking near Leyburn, Bryson writes 'I spent the night in Barnard Castle, a pleasant market town on the River Tees in County Durham. I arrived much too late to go to the famous Bowes Museum there, a disappointment. So instead  I had a walk around the town as darkness fell, and found it entirely agreeable. C. Northcote Parkinson, I was interested to see, was  born at no 45 Galgate....Never has anyone milked a single thought more vigorously and successfully than he did.'

The line for which he is remembered was 'Work expands to fill the time available for its completion'. The line was first published in a comic essay in 1955 which he stretched into a thin book, which became known as 'Parkinson's Law'.  He was unrelated to Dr James Parkinson sho in 1817 began research into a disease of the brain which became known as 'Parkinson's Disease'.

Water that really sparkles

We ordered a bottle of sparkling water with a meal in Cafe Rouge in Newcastle last week.It was sourced and bottled by Belu (www.belu.org.uk). I read fthe label and discovered that Belu give 100% of their profits to Wateraid and have pledged to give £1m by 2020. Their products are also carbon neutral. I am now trying to find out who sells their products.

Rob

Rob is resealing the paving on our drive. I first heard about Rob from a neighbour and he is not your usual 'i've got some spare materials left over from a previous job' sort of man. Rob is a young man who lives in Darlington and travels everywhere on his bike, His most distant destination was China, so Darlington to Gainford is a short hop. All he needs is carried in a small trailer attached to the bike and he is very thorough.

Iyanla Vanzant

I was recently told about Iyanla Vanzant and share with you some words she recently wrote:

'People cannot change who you are and what you were born to be. They can create obstacles in your path. They can do things that make you believe you are other than what you are, but people cannot change, alter, or in any way hinder the truth of your being. The truth is you are divine.'

http://www.iyanla.com

The week in Gainford

Sunday

Martin only left us on Friday but last Sunday felt rather like being in a time capsule. Getting up early to make those final preparations for today's three services took me back a few years. But now those preparations take three times longer, with injection, medication and a built in slowing down process,  courtesy of Parkinson's.

I was prepared for a flurry of ' have you taken over from Martin?' questions to which my now spot answer is 'no, the churchwardens have, but I am helping where I can'. Perhaps churchwardens should wear a dog collar when undertaking onerous responsibilities in an interregnum!

News that St Andrew's made over £600 at the harvest auction was good news indeed, made possible by spendthrifts like me who bid £20 for a basket of fruit...or a cheese. In addition to that a collection of £200 will supply much needed seed to Africa. All this from a village which boasts a population of little more than 200.

Monday

Mondays would not be the same without the inevitable phone call from the lunch club in the village hall. This time the boiler had cut out and it was quickly fixed. Strange, when I worked, pleading ignorance of anything that looked like DIY, resulting in someone else doing the job. I suppose some might say moving so close to the village hall was divine intervention.

I am reading Bill Bryson's latest book 'The Road to Little Dribbling', a sequel to his hugely popular book 'Notes from a Small Island'. So far he has travelled from the south coast, London, Cambridge, East Anglia and Oxford and I have reached the point where he has arrived in Skegness. This seaside is well known to me, being the nearest one from Boston where we lived when our children were small. In its favour, it does have a good nature and bird reserve but, as for the town and promenade, well, give me Saltburn any day. However, it is, apparently, the 3rd largest seaside in the the country in terms of visitors. Most of then come by direct train from Nottingham and the Midlands.

Skegness' fame revolves around the trademark 'Jolly Fisherman'.

This was originally a railway poster designed by artist John Hassall in 1913 so it has stood the test of time.

Skegness was also the site of the first Butlin's holiday camp, which Bryson soon discovered was 4 miles outside Skegness.

Wednesday 

Today has been a typical autumn day, with a clinging mist most of the day, prompting the leaves still on trees to hasten their descent to the ground. A walk to to the surgery for a flu jab and a trip to Barnard Castle Market exemplified the life of those of us in retirement, following which a nap was obligatory. Wednesday's house group again explored 'where do we go from here' but is still puzzling that one out.

Thursday

Funny, tragic and rivettding, Moira Buffini's play 'Handbaggibg' tells the story of what might have been said in the meetings between the Queen and Margaet Thacher, in the process she reminds usof some of the details of Thatcher's controversial  premiershp. It is at The Theatre Royal Newcastle and we were at the matinee. The ending was especially poignant as HM recalled that her press secretary, Michael Shea had died of dementia. In the very last line of the play Thatcher says ' You don't die from dementia, you live with it'  Very true of that and other long term illneses.

The week in Gainford

Sad farewells

On Sunday we said our farewells to Martin and Louise and sent them with our best wishes to Tynemouth.'Will you now be our Vicar' was the repeated question. 'No', I said, 'I am old'. i pointed out that our experienced churchwardens are in charge and I will lend a hand as health permits. The morning family service was joyfully chaotic and the band coped well with a congregation who decided not to follow the speed of the band and a large group of children banging drums, obliviously unaware of anyone else. It was fun! The evening service attracted a nearly full church and  there were the usual presentations, speeches, tears, laughter, buffet and, allelluia, the congregation took their lead from organ and band.

Folk weekend

All this was proceeded by a lively weekend of dancing and song, showing the wealth of musical talent in the village and Dale. Gegenforde gave one its best performances and Scherzo (community choir) sang as though they were in the Albert Hall.

A bit of vicaring
Having denied being 'in charge', I must admit I will be taking my dog collar out of the collar box in which ny father used to keep his shirt collars, and take a few services. REV 1, my mobility scooter may be seen flying through the village when my joints fail to interpret messages from my brain to get going. So many folk have said 'don't do too much' I may have to revert to undercover work. No, Kathy has got that one covered as well.

Gainford History Group

Monday's talk was by Gary Bankhead, a full-time fireman, diver and post graduate student at Durham. His talk was fascinating as he described his diving experiences in the River Wear near Prebends bridge. One chance discovery of a trowel led to the discovery of over 5000 objects going back many centuries. The collection is extraordinary, of national importance, and part of it is displayed in the museum on Palace Green. Must be worth a visit next time we are in Durham.

Addicted to sheep

Tuesday afternoon is the time for we 'seniors' to go to the cinema at Richmond Station. We saw a lovely film called 'Addicted to Sheep'. In the North Pennines, tenant farmers of Raby Estates Tom and Kay spend their days looking after their flock of prized sheep. The film follows a year in their lives, capturing both the stark, stunning beauty of the landscape, and the brutally hard work it takes just to survive. Their three children are growing up close to the land, attending a school, Forest in Teesdale entirely comprised of farmers’ children, thoroughly immersed in their remote rural world. As the seasons change the couple help birth, groom, nurture and sell their sheep – even when the odds often seems stacked against them. Addicted to Sheep allows us to experience life on a hill farm in Teesdale.

House group

The parishes have two house groups and I joined one of them last night. We discussed material they might use and, having started as an Alpha Group, they like that style of study. I left them with some ideas to think through and share with other group members. They are quite self sufficient and will continue to meet weekly and I will join them from time to time.

Autumn has arrived

The trees have been beautiful for the last month, the leaves turning into golds and browns. Walking along the river path yesterday it was warm and sunny but the path was carpeted with leaves. In just a few days the trees will be bare and the temperature will drop. We have winter to face but in the knowledge that spring is round the corner. For those who are finding life a struggle at the moment it is important to remember that the harshness of the winter winds will give way to the buds and flowers of spring.

 

 

Preparing for the "Big Weekend'

 No, you haven't got the wrong month, but this weekend is a 'big' one in the village; in fact you could say it is a huge weekend.

Firstly, there's our folk and beer weekend organised by Gegenforde, which starts with a ceilidh tonight and continues with music tomorrow night: Gegenforde,The Savage Myrtles and Scherzo. I nearly forgot that Cream Teas, the young fiddle band from Barney are playing tonight.

It is a big weekend as well because our Vicar, Martin, is leaving us to take up a post in Tynemouth. So tomorrow is a day for goodbyes to him and Louise. We have a Family Service in the morning and a Praise Service in the evening with a presentation. Our Church band will be playing at both.

Before all of that there is band practice this morning and choir practice this afternoon.
I am exhausted just writing about it.

Why am I writing a blog about the weekend anyway? Well, Martin has a written a weekly email which had a big circulation and was well received, and I thought it might  be an idea to use my blog as means of sharing information and expressing the occasional viewpoint. It will not be like Martin's, nor will it be in competition. I shall be doing a little more in the parish during the vacancy so it will be good to use the blog as a kind of diary.

I hope to publish one a week, usually Fridays and will be happy to include in the blog anything you want to reach a wider audience. I say 'wider audience' but that might only be half a dozen people.

That was a quick intro but time now to gird up my loins, gather my accordion and whistle and get in some practice.

Neil

Barra bound

We are now looking forward to spending three Sundays on the island of Barra, providing ministry to the Church of Scotland as we did last year. This year we will be joined by our village folk group, Gegenforde, who are looking forward to playing and enjoying a holiday.

Last year I wrote a daily blog which people seemed to enjoy and I will do the same this year but with a difference. The blog will be a weekly one, published on Saturdays, and will continue on our return. This year marks the 34th year since my ordination and I was 34 when I was ordained. A couple of weeks ago I spoke to our breakfast club about my life and ministry but soon realised there was too little time to say all that I wanted. In particular, I wanted to say more about my faith journey, so, in order to reflect on that, I will use the blog. I hope you mighty enjoy some of it, but accept that much of it may be quite boring!

I will look back over those 34 years and try and piece together what has changed in my theological views and how these relate to the wider field of theology. I want to take a dispassionate look at scripture (if that is possible), and think about why so few people, including regular churchgoers, rarely read the bible, and probably can't remember Sunday's readings by the time they have eaten Sunday lunch. I shall be making good use of 3 books, 'Things hidden: Scripture as Spirituality' by Richard Rohr, published in 2010, 'The Bible' by Karen Armstrong, published in 2007 and 'The Book of the people of God',  by A N Wilson, published on the 7th May this year.

Religious tradition has also played an important part in my life and I will be reflecting on how that helps or hinders church growth, including the possibility that there are now so many Christian denominations that the message is being diluted.

In order to keep some focus I will try and use one one of the Sunday lectionary readings as a starting point and the first blog will be on the 17th May, Ascension Sunday. That's a challenging theological perspective to begin with.

Marcus Borg 1942-2015

 

I had just finished reading his book 'The heart of Christianity' when I learned of the death at the age of 72 of American theologian, Marcus Borg. Alongside John Robinson, Don Cupitt, Richard Holloway, John Spong, John Dominic Croissan, Borg has played a major role in the development of my own theology over the past 35 years.


Borg polarised opinions. The New Testament scholar was both praised for his independent thinking and attempts to make the gospel credible, as he saw it, to the modern age, and vilified for his radical departures from Christian orthodoxy.


He was one of a group of scholars known as the Jesus Seminar. Borg, like the other Jesus Seminar participants, rejected the miraculous. An example of his approach is in a piece he wrote on his blog during Advent last year, in which lamented that "Advent and Christmas have virtually been swallowed up by the miraculous", such as the stories of the visits of angels and the wise men being guided by a star. "To be candid, I do not think that any of this happened," he wrote. "Of course, there is some historical memory in the stories. Jesus was born. He really lived. He was Jewish. His parents' names were Mary and Joseph. They lived in Nazareth, a very small peasant village, perhaps as small as a few hundred. But I do not think that there was an annunciation by an angel to Mary, or a virginal conception, or a special star, or wise men from the East visiting the infant Jesus, or angels filling the night with glory as they sang to shepherds."

However, he denied being a "debunker" of the stories and said there was a "third way" between regarding them as fact or fable: "Rather, they are early Christian testimony, written roughly a hundred years after Jesus' birth. They testify to the significance that Jesus had come to have in their lives and experience and thought. The stories are parabolic, metaphorical narratives that can be true without being factual." Advent and Christmas, he said, "are about the biblical hope and way, the path, to a new kind of world. They are about our rebirth and the world's rebirth."

Unlike some other 'progressive Christians', he was respected both for his personal spirituality and for his willingness to engage courteously with orthodox believers. The former Bishop of Durham, academic N T Wright, took part in public debates with him and paid tribute to him saying that despite their disagreements, he and Borg shared "a deep and rich mutual affection and friendship".

Theologian Brian D McClaren wrote: "Hardly the hard-bitten 'liberal theologian' out to eviscerate Christianity of any actual faith, he impressed me as a fellow Christian seeking an honest, thoughtful, and vital faith, ready to dialogue respectfully with people who see things differently."

Borg also wrote on his blog that he sought to be "an evangelist to those in the Christian middle – people who are still in churches but who are troubled by some and perhaps many of conventional Christian beliefs that were taken for granted not so long ago".

Progressive Christianity Network

 

The Progressive Christianity Network Britain (A Registered Charity No 1102164) works to promote and support open and contemporary Christian understanding. It provides a network of local groups across the country, publishes a radical quarterly newsletter, and organises regular conferences and events. Members come from all denominations.

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The Network recognises the value and significance of tradition and the scriptures in the shaping of Christian faith. But faith must be of today, not just the past. It values the Eight Points first formulated by the Centre for Progressive Christianity in America and adapted for the UK by PCN Britain, not as a creed or a statement of faith, but as an expression of how we live as Christians.

The eight points

We are Christians who…

1. Have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus;
2. Recognise the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the gateway to God’s realm, and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us;
3. Understand the sharing of bread and wine in Jesus’ name to be a representation of an ancient vision of God’s feast for all peoples;
4. Invite all people to participate in our community and worship life without insisting that they become like us in order to be acceptable (including but not limited to):
   • believers and agnostics
   • conventional Christians and questioning sceptics
   • women and men
   • those of all sexual orientations and gender identities
   • those of all races and cultures
   • those of all classes and abilities
   • those who hope for a better world and those who have lost hope;
5. Know that the way we behave toward one another and toward other people is the fullest expression of what we believe;
6. Find more grace in the search for understanding than we do in dogmatic certainty, more value in questioning than in absolutes;
7. Form ourselves into communities dedicated to equipping one another for the work we feel called to do: striving for peace and justice among all people; protecting and restoring the integrity of all God’s creation; and bringing hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers;
8. Recognise that being followers of Jesus is costly, and entails selfless love, conscientious resistance to evil, and renunciation of privilege.

http://www.pcnbritain.org.uk