Temple Mount and Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, looking over the Kidron Vallay
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One Last Night
This poem has been slowly emerging since I walked the route described on my last full day in Jerusalem. Some was what was going through my head as I walked it. Some was written on the journey home, and some in the quiet times since I got home. Those of you who know Jerusalem will notice it is set both in Jerusalem 2000 years ago and today. In a sense that is what we as the story tellers of today need to do, tell the story in both settings. One Last Night Jesus and the gang met up for Passover drinks. We'd booked a room above King David's Tomb but it was too draughty and cold and the service was pretty slow. So we went down the hill, through Zion Gate, still marked by recent fighting, to a nice little place in a sun soaked square. There we sat around several tables, enjoying each others company and the day, talking of all that had happened over the last week or so. Jesus seemed distant, preoccupied, not really taking part, till he took some bread and divided it amongst us. ...
Why I Love Liturgy?
Why do I get so frustrated at most youth events? Well, a whole lot of reasons that I hope to explore as part of this blog. But to start with, the issue of liturgy is one that is dear to my heart. And most youth worship events have little or no written liturgy in it. And that worries me. Not because I am an Anglican, and we love liturgy for the sake of it. It worries me because I think good liturgy, well prepared and done well can be life changing, and is certainly spirit moving. So what is good about liturgy? Well, to start, in the New Zealand Anglican Prayer Book – He Karakia Mihinare is written using mostly the words of scripture. What an amazing thing to speak scripture and to hear the words of scripture and to memorise such big chunks of scripture. I think that is life changing. Now I know that most of the time we use those words in a very rote and boring way. So I am not suggesting that what goes on in many Anglican parishes Sunday after Sunday is good liturgy. But when I am in ch...