Soul Space

Last night I attended Soul Space, which some might describe as a "fresh expression"  though I like its self identity as "a time for encounter".
Just over a dozen of us met in the church hall at 6.30 and shared a pot-luck meal. Then from seven to eight we sat in a circle and most of us shared something inspiring that we had brought with us. We had been given the theme on the flyer sent out by email "One World - many faiths and cultures".

I took a short meditation from Jan Such Pickard that I had read very recently to share. One person shared a short video, others poems and others various reflections. It was not overtly Christian though it happened in a Methodist building. It was a space where people could be themselves and bring and share and listen to others at a level that is not possible in a  normal church service. 
One of the people present was an ex-minister now describing them self as a person of no faith.  
It was perhaps like a Quaker meeting - many small contributions interspersed by periods of silence - there was no planning though the structure was planned to be open and inclusive. (Of course the person who wanted to share a video had made preparations for it to be projected!) There were many connections between the contributions made. There was a spirit of peace and calm during the hour of sharing.
This meeting met the criteria outlined by Ron Sebring for healthy religion (As quoted in Ann Morisy's book "Bothered and Bewildered")

• Healthy religion does not indoctrinate, but teaches people to think for themselves
• Healthy religion invites us to be humble about what we believe and what we know
• Healthy religion does not invest in negativity; it does not major on what it is against but rather on what it is for
• Healthy beliefs stay in tune with reality, never filling in gaps for what we don't know.

It also resonates with the four hallmarks of healthy religion identified in the 2006 report from the English Anglicans and British Methodists called "Faithful Cities"

• It will enlarge the imagination
• It will teach and encourage the practice of wisdom and holiness
• It will open us to the new
• It will deepen our sympathies

The next soul space will be in six weeks time. I have already marked it in on my calendar. It will be on the theme of "Inspirational women half forgotten in our traditions".

Image courtesy of foto76 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Change

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. " 

Reinhold Niebuhr's prayer dating from 1943 was written at a time of great change, conflict and uncertainty that puts into perspective the changes and worries we have about our own times.

Most people are anxious about change - we are all comfortable with what we know.  You sometimes find enthusiasts for change per se but I often feel that they are disconcerting people to be with. It is almost as if they are running away from something!

Change is inevitable. Everything changes!  If you refuse to change you end up like Charles Dickens' Miss Haversham - an anachronism in a time warp.

Change should be the way of life for the Christian. The bible is continually exhorting it:

The Old testament Prophets continually call for the people to change their ways.

John the Baptist came preaching a message of "repent - turn around"

Jesus teaching as we have it is all an instruction not to follow the way of the world but change and follow a different counter cultural path!

The church has the Orthodox tradition of theosis (growing into the likeness of God) and our own Methodist tradition of holiness sanctification and perfection. Change should be in the DNA of Christians but perhaps it is because it isn't that there is so much in our tradtions to encourage it.

Change is a journey and journeys can be good in themselves not just for the destination that is aimed for. To journey together people need to agree that they want to be somewhere different to where they are now. Once there is consensus on the need to move then all it takes to start is one small step. A trajectory can be set without a distinctly defined destination.

My vision of the church is of a group of friends out for a hike

1. They meet up
2. they agree to walk together
3. they agree on the direction of travel
4. they set off at a pace that is right for the slowest
5. some may want to dash ahead - they go with the groups blessing
6. some may wish to explore side paths or different directions - they too go with the groups blessing
7. the group continually and transparently reviews the progress made and the decision to be made at every junction
8. no one is excluded from what is happening
9. the leader may not always be at the front
10. they share their resources one may have a map another a gps another a compass another a set of walking poles another a water bottle and another some energy bars
11. they share and find they all have enough
12. the group will allow others to join in the journey
13. they look back and see where they have come from and recognise the changes which may have happened gradually so they missed them.

When dealing with change must remember that:

1. Different people react differently to change

2. Everyone has a need to feel in control, to know that they are included and that there is openness in the process.

3. Change often involves a loss and people will go through a grief process

4. Expectations need to be treated realistically- no one change is going to make everything perfect!

5. Fears have to be faced.

 

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama

This post is based on a short presentation I made on change this week. 

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Modern Mainstream Methodist

Thomas Jones has written the following which I want to share with the world. (And with his permission I do...)

With sincere apologies to messieurs Gilbert, Sullivan, and most of all, to yourselves:

I am the very model of a modern mainstream Methodist,
I find myself under attack both by the fundamentalist,
And the growing number who are all completely secular,

And claim that the whole universe is solely molecular,
The one lot think I’m stupid and the rest that I’m a heretic,
Despite my finest reasoning and arguments so very quick
And so I play the middle line against the pull of each extreme
Whilst they all think that I am on the evil and opposing team!

We still think Wesley’s sermons are the pinnacle rhetorical
And our Eucharistic wine is still non-alcoholical,
But at least our bread is bread unlike the Ordinariate,
Who can keep their rotten wafers, even when they transubstantiate!

I am the very model of a modern mainstream Methodist,
We tend to be quite open and aren’t really over-prejudiced
We’ve got female ministers and have a preaching laity
And think that they are equal in the sight of our deity,
We are still debating on the issue homosexual,
Is it that immoral; is it socially contextual?
But you’ll never find us being a little bit disparaging,
And we give them blessing services as we discuss gay marriaging.

People think I’m properly supposed to shun the demon drink,
But I enjoy a pint or four and I must say I really think
That all God’s gifts are good for you when used in moderation,
After all ‘twas God Himself invented fermentation!

In fact when I know off by heart ‘And Can It Be’ and ‘Love Divine’
And don’t believe you’re justified ahead of time by pre-design,
And when I think God tends towards being fairly lenient,
By making sure His grace is free and totally prevenient.
When we arrange our churches in an order circuituitous,
And know that to be Methodist is really most fortuitous.
It means we know that we are right when holding forth doctrinally,
Though our congregation sizes tend to trend declinally.

And when I know of what you speak by Wesleyan and Primitive,
And think that my theology is totally definitive,
And when I’m really rather rude about the poor old Calvinist,
You'll say I am the model of a modern mainstream Methodist!