Spring Harvest!

Life has been hectic and I failed to blog about Spring Harvest!
Sarah Evans (not from Fireman Sam, but my friend Sarah!) has been bugging me to post! SO here goes!

Spring harvest was fantastic. It was great to be able to spend time with friends: Sarah, Kieron, Emma and Tedward (that's Sarah's bear, although apparently his real name is George!). We are all rather crazy when we are together! We began a quote book which is rather entertaining, but probably best not broadcast on here!

The theme for this year was One Hope, with lots of use of the word eschatology! At some point I will get round to writing some of the theology up! It was great- one of the things that frustrates me, is Spring Harvest gets labelled with the type of theology it uses, often misrepresented from my experience.

As well as all the worship and teaching there is plenty of entertainment (provided by numerous people as well as Emma, Sarah and Kieron!) We also were good and even went swimming! I returned from Spring Harvest feeling refreshed and energised but had acquired a cough! Fantastic time and it was great to be able to be honest and open with friends! Sometimes its easy to put on a front! It was rather fun at times to play silly games involving acting! Usually when we were supposed to be going to bed, with me and Emma as children and Sarah and Kieron as the parents! What a way to wind Sarah and Kieron up! hehe

Great week! Thanks Emma, Sarah and Kieron!

Fun fun fun technology

Well the network has been playing up! So I haven't blogged for a while. Plus its been busy!

Maundy Thursday was different- we didn't have a service as such but were hosting our night for the night shelter. So as I found myself reflecting on not having Communion as I have done previously on Maundy Thursday, I realised that although we didn't have Communion- we were living out the story of the last supper. As we gathered around the table with the night shelter guests and served them. We were offering hospitality which of course is central to the foot washing we see in the narrative of Maundy Thursday.

On Good Friday we had a walk of witness around Kings Cross. This involved the Methodist, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Salvation Army and the Lutherans. It was a good occasion- at times quite noisy as we stood outside one of the Anglican Churches on the main road opposite Euston Station. It struck me how muck like the first Good Friday this would have been. The way of the cross takes place with the world getting on with life. Not with silence and everyone paying attention- although as people did on Friday I am sure they would glance and watch. Then it was time for hot cross buns and tea- in abundance!

Then in the afternoon there was a three hour service at Hinde St based on 7 words from the cross. It was a powerful service and didn't seem 3 hours at all. There were different reflections from different people. One of the powerful ones for me was one done by a colleague looking the phrase "I am thirsty". Looking at what these words would have meant to Jesus being crucified in Kings Cross. With the longest champagne bar around, with the types of things that go on here. It really made me think. One of the things that struck me about the service was how little it actually dwelt on sin- unlike some services I've previously been at on Good Friday. It made me think about the wider message of the cross. When I am able to access on my laptop I will post some further comments.

I spent Easter Sunday morning in the hospital- having spent Holy Saturday in Cambridge. It was snowy on the journey back. Everything covered in snow and it struck me how that first Easter morning would have been completely covered in the sense of loss from Good Friday.
So I got back to London and headed for the hospital. It was a real privilege to be able to share in the service- it was the first time a Holy Communion had been shared in the Chaplaincy together with Anglicans and Methodists together. It was special to share reflections of Easter with people who I have got to know over recent weeks.

Me and my colleague Mark then shared together as we renewed with the congregation our Baptism vows. At the end we shared "this is the faith of the Church" and of course as we said these words we were expressing the sense of Church in the broadest sense. We were expressing our common unity. My colleague Mark then sprinkled me with Holy Water and I did him, then we both sprinkled the congregation. It really struck home the acknowledgement of "one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins". It was a Special Easter morning. After the service we then did some visits- which again was special but challenging. How do we express the Easter Joy to people who are struggling with pain, suffering and are as my colleague put it, living out the suffering of Good Friday. The following summarises my very short sermon:

One of the things I find so comforting about Holy Week is that God encompasses in Jesus all the human emotions we experience- the heights and depths of humanity. God walked the road in Jesus and God walks the road again with us in our journeys. Therefore although we may not be at the point of the joy of Easter day we can identify with part of the story of the passion and Easter story. Knowing that God shares in this with us can give us joy, hope and peace.

So Easter was very different this year! I remember last year preaching out in the Country- being surrounded by lambs! This year in the capital surrounded by buildings and lots of traffic! in the evening I went to Hinde Street for a Communion Service- that was good and reflective with meditations.
So a very different Easter to last year!

So now I am 1 and a 1/2 days away from finishing work for holidays! I am feeling ready for a break- there has been so much going on. So I head off on Thursday to Cambridge- Friday to Lancaster- where I shall go out for Lunch with Steve, then Friday night I am staying with the Charmans and we shall head off to Iona very early on Saturday morning. I am then back the following Friday to Lancaster and off to Skeggy with Emma, Sarah and Kieron for Spring Harvest on the Saturday! So I shall be without Internet access for 2 weeks! So won't update for a while! Lots of packing to do before I head off! But I am very excited and looking very much to the break!

Its quite scary how little time I have left in London once I am back - my final day in the West London Mission Circuit is Sunday 29th June!

So long, farewell!

yet another week over

Well I haven't blogged this week! Its been a very strange week, lots going on placement wise and in life in general.

I am looking forward to just under three weeks time when I will have two weeks off! I am looking forward to having some time and space with friends. Going away for both weeks! First week I will spend on Iona (www.iona.org.uk) it is Student week and should be fun. I was there last year for Student week too. So it will be my third time on Iona. I think the contrast between Kings Cross and Iona will be stark. It will be a much needed break and will be good to catch up with people (there is a group from Lancaster going for the same week). I like Iona alot- it gives space from daily life, without internet access and also without much phone signal! The food is always good- lots of home made bread and scones! I really appreciate the worship too- the music is always good- with lots of singing! Who knows how long I might sing Mayenziewe for! It has been known for me to sing it for 4 hours constantly! The fellowship is good too! Last year when I was on Iona it was just before Candidates cttee and I came back refreshed and rested. SO am hoping to come back rested!

The last few weeks have been challenging with work for various reasons, so a rest is needed! The second week I am going to Spring Harvest with Emma S, Kieron and Sarah E! Should be a fun week too! Although much craziness I am sure! This will hopefully energise me! Spring Harvest gives lots of teaching and worship! Catching up with friends there too will be good. At Christmas we got together and it was crazy! Think we will be rationed on sugar- or Skegness may not be able to cope for 5 days!

So three working weeks and then break! Its scary how little time I will have left in London. I am learning soo much, I have surprised myself how much I am actually missing academic work though! Have spoken with Formation in Ministry this week and all things being equal I will be at Wesley House from September as posted previously.

So exciting holidays and times of refreshment coming up with God and friends! One of the lessons I am learning for ministry is that times such as these are much needed! Rest, recharge and the oppurtunity to have space to think and be nurtured.

New Year!

It's been a while since updating my blog- So HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Part of the reason that I was away for a week and then in at the deep end with work!
Last time I posted I had just arrived home for Christmas. Christmas was good- Church in the morning and then 15 people at my parents house for dnner! Was good fun and great to all be together! Even if I had only had 4 hours sleep! I still get excited at my age!

Any way just after Christmas I headed up to Lancaster for 6 days, for new year. It was great to see people and catch up with people. New Years Eve itself I spent with some university friends- we gathered, ate, played games, shared favourite moments of 2007 and hopes for 2008. I miss my university friends! New Years day morning (as in 5:30am!) some of my friends decided it would be good to climb a hill in the Lake District- so after 3 hours sleep we all got up, sorted and headed for the Lakes! It was dark and rainy. The hill that my friends Jez and Adam had thought we would climb turned out to be impossible because of poor visibility. So we chatted for a bit and then instead we drove down to Lake Windermere and walked around part of that- still crazy o'clock in the morning! We also prayed for one another and for 2008. Although it was extremely early, grey and drizzly it was good to start the year this way. The picture here was taken on our walk! Then it was back to where Lois and Ali's (friends who I stayed with for 4 nights). There we played DUTCH BLITZ! A favourite card game of mine! I hadn't played it for a while, so it was good to play again.
I spent an evening with some other friends! How crazy they are! We were all very hyperactive on sugar and am looking forward to seeing them all again at Spring Harvest! Five days of complete craziness!
I finished off my time in Lancaster by visiting the Charman family- Steve was my mentor last year, Jennie was a colleague in Junior Church and Hannah and Peter were both in my Junior Church class.
Was great to be able to catch up with people again, I miss Lancaster very much.

Another great thing whilst I was in Lancaster was the air! Over the past few months I have had a cough- a result of my asthma- whilst in Lancaster my asthma seemed to be really good. Back in London- it seems to not be so good again!

So it was back to Cambridge on the Saturday, out for a meal with a friend then back to London early on Sunday morning!

Ready for work!