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Lent, Uncategorized

“Worship … needs to be the best it possibly can be” – Really?

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worship is a unique one-off never to be repeated beautiful offering, and so needs to be the best it possibly can be

https://www.leadingyourchurchintogrowth.org.uk/keep-sunday-special

I recently saw this quote and initially found myself wanting to challenge it.  Having revisited it I find myself almost letting it off the hook because of the “possibly”.

My challenge to it is around the definition of “best it can possibly be”.  We used to have a diocesan advisor who used to say “if a thing is worth doing it is worth doing badly”!  But of course the question is “whose definition of badly”?  Is it the accurate reading, the “proper” pronunciation and the audibility that make a reading the best it possibly can be?  Or is it someone prepared to step out in faith and offer the reading as best they can?

Is worship something performed “perfectly” by the few for the many or is it something that all of God’s people do for God?

There is probably no definitive answer to this (as with most things Anglican).

So, a couple of stories…

Many years ago I used to attend Chelmsford Cathedral, usually the 9:30 Parish Eucharist.  One Sunday I didn’t get up in time, so instead went to the 11:00 Cathedral Eucharist, during which I said or sung very little.  Afterwards I asked the Provost about this and he said that the aim of that service was for the choir and clergy to do the worship giving us space to have our own meeting with God (I paraphrase somewhat, and as with all preachers it may not be what he said, but what I heard).

At one of our churches we have no rotas (not quite true, but almost) and as people come in they pick up a card on which is written a role in the service.  The president doesn’t know who has which card, and sometimes the person with the card isn’t quite sure when their bit comes.  A culture of collaboration has developed and at various points in the service a member of the congregation might join in – particularly during the sermon.

It strikes me that perhaps the first service suits introverts more, and the second extroverts.  What worried me about the quote was that it was privileging the first kind of worship over the second, but perhaps the second is “the best it possibly can be”.

Leadership, Lent

Styles of Leadership

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When I was a curate part of the training we were given was about styles of leadership, and again in industry our styles of leadership were tested for to see whether we fitted with the corporate culture.  There are many different models of leadership (and I will write in a minute about one), but my main argument is that to be healthy an organisation needs different styles represented in its leadership.

The model we were taught was one which separated leaders into:

Engineers – use strategies and visions to come up with plans which everyone is then expected to execute.

 

Gardeners – use trial and error, they plant something and see whether it works, and if it doesn’t they plant something else, or plant the first thing elsewhere as it may have been in the wrong place.

 

Surfers – spend time waxing their surfboard, so that when the big wave comes along they are ready to ride it.

 

Diplomats – use their connections to network and negotiate solutions – often behind the scenes.

In industry I had lots of experience working with Engineers, and discovered that one of the traits is an attachment to an idea.  They have started so they will finish – however bad an idea something is.  However, without that drive from the Engineer the others are less likely to get things done.

Why, you may ask, am I blogging about this in Lent on a church blog?  The reason is that I believe that the church is becoming monochrome in its leadership style.  Bishops are increasingly interested in defining strategies and visions, and are encouraging clergy to do the same.  If like me you believe that there is a place for multiple styles of leadership this is a concern.

It is also a concern in a religious setting, as with a solely Engineering focus there is a danger that we get caught up in today’s plans and visions, and without other leadership styles may lose sight of the main thing – God.

In industry a new meaning for the acronym FIFO was introduced – Fit In or …. leave.  For a denomination that was founded to allow for differences of opinion this is not an option, yet I see many who are hurt by the current emphasis.

I am sure that God can sort things out – but how long, O Lord?

Lent

Lent Thoughts

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As in some previous years I am proposing to blog through Lent this year – taking my day off.  I thought I would start by looking at how we might use Lent.

During Lent we are traditionally invited to Pray, to give Alms and to Penance.  I have a suspicion that the attention given to these is in the reverse order, and penance often means giving up something trivial like chocolate (guilty as charged).

This Lent I want to look at Prayer, because I think that if we take Lent seriously then it is about changing ourselves (for the better), and the way that we do that is through prayer.

One of the Desert Fathers said:

I think there is no labour greater than that of prayer to God. For every time we want to pray, our enemies, the demons, want to prevent us, for they know that it is only by turning us from prayer that they can hinder our journey.

We may, perhaps, hold different views of demons, but I think that the idea that praying is difficult holds good, and I think it can be explained by the fact that in praying we are opening ourselves to change, and most of us don’t like change.  Not only do we not like it, but at times when we are ill, or tired, or … change is hard, and that means that at these times prayer is hard too.

The ancients tell the story of the distressed person who came to the Holy One for help. “Do you really want a cure?” the Holy One asked. “If I did not, would I bother to come to you?” the disciple answered. “Oh, yes,” the Master said. “Most people do.” And the disciple said, incredulously, “But what for then?” And the Holy One answered, “Well, not for a cure. That’s painful. They come for relief.”

This story points us to the same conclusion – that change is painful.  Most clergy I know ran away from the call to ordination – the training is a process which is designed to change you, and if you don’t let it you are not letting God shape you for his purposes.  But it doesn’t stop there.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48

Not in the sense of being ideal or spotless, but in the sense of being mature.  We are all called to continue growing throughout our life.

So this Lent, I suggest that you might like to focus on prayer.  Prayer with the aim of letting God change you.  There are lots of different types of prayer, and some are more open to changing you than others.  Praying set prayers might help – but probably only if you give yourself some time to reflect on what it is you have prayed, and on what impact it might have on you.  Prayers for others are good too, but again without some time for reflection are less likely to change you.

There are a number of web sites which can help you to pray in this reflective way, listed below.

What are you going to do this Lent?  Whatever it is I wish you a holy and joyful one.

https://pray-as-you-go.org/

https://www.sacredspace.ie/

https://www.churchofengland.org/ set prayer – but with time for reflection.  You can also join us at 9:30am on a Tuesday at St John’s.

https://www.movement.org.uk/

Image by congerdesign on Pixabay

Belief, Uncategorized

Humility

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Joan Chittister has written a commentary on the Rule of Benedict, and this is serialised on the web with a daily reading from it http://www.eriebenedictines.org/daily-rule.  Today (22nd September) the chapters on Obedience and Humility start.  I find these a most inspiring set of chapters and would suggest that they are a good place to start with this.  If you don’t see this post in time, it is possible to see the previous days reading by clicking on the date above the image.

Uncategorized

Annual Report on Church Activities – 15/4

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Sunday 15th April at St Mark’s we have the Annual Meetings. Please try and attend to hear about how much our Parish has achieved over the last year. All may attend the Annual meeting of parishioners, but only those on the electoral roll may attend the APCM. This year we will be introducing material from a course “Leading your Church into growth”.

Please find below the annual report on church activities.

REPORT DOCUMENT 2017 V2