Colourful Dreamer

These thoughts will be slightly shaped by the Tikanga Pakeha presentation which suggests our theological college offers a school, formation and bicultural site in three Tikanga context. So here are my random thoughts for this morning. I see the theological college as a place that offers training for key people who will help our church engage with our missional task, and discern god’s ongoing mission in our society. So this is two groups, those who will work within the structure primarily to help it focus more outward, and those who will be the point persons for our developing missional work beyond the traditional edges of church, who will be much less interested in keeping the church going, and more interested in living out God’s infinite love for all people in a way that brings them into that love, and allows them to develop worshipping communities that honour their cultural context as well as the gospel. (Ok, this is very wishy washy and pie in the sky, but hey, it is morning)  P...

So the next question is: What kind of leadership for 2020? Here are some initial thoughts: I guess first of all , a younger leadership that is less moulded by church as it was and is A leadership that if focussed on mission, and who understanding Anglicanism as what undergirds that mission. Not working to preserve Anglicanism per se Steeped in the Anglican tradition as something that gives life and through which God works to give life and to change the world Lives out of a profoundly prayerful place Willing to take risks and to fail Is innovative Is filled with God’s love for all people including those we often struggle to love Is more interested in living the gospel than preaching the gospel Is willing to question and not take for granted Loves people can take a community of people with them rather than being a lone ranger Works with teams Helps groups of people develop a vision and ways of working that out Resources people in their ministry Works hard to engage all ages...

What will mission look like? In the coming weeks there is a very important meeting happening about the future shape of our theological college. Our three Tikanga Youth Commission has been asked to contribute. To help us prepare we are thinking about different questions, contributing ideas, and then skype calling on a Thursday. Last week the question was w hat will mission look like? This is my answer. Any thoughts? To be honest I do not know. But I hope: it will be much more natural than it is now. we will do it instinctively rather than have to think about how to do it. we will remember it is God’s mission not ours it will be much less about telling people about God and God’s love, and much more about living God’s love (preach the gospel at all times, use words when necessary) as we offer our best for the least people will see God at work. – are we willing to embrace and kiss the leper? rather than have to go out and try to offer God’s love we will recognise the risen Christ ...

I have just finished reading this really good book on discernment by David Lonsdale. As a spiritual director I felt like I should know more about discernment. I have now read this book twice. It offers a really good introduction to discernment, both on a daily basis and for the big stuff. He basis this way of making choices on a profound sense of our being loved unconditionally by God, a sense that comes out of regular prayer and reading and reflecting on the scriptures. He explores how good discernment holds together both the affective, in particular whether we are being led to God or away from God, and our head. He also explores the obstacles to good discernment. This is a really easy to read and informative book which I recommend to any interested in this basic Christian discipline

I have to wonder where the anglican church is in this in Uganda

I have been at a meeting of ministry educators in Nelson, well a retreat, led by Justin Duckworth. During the last day we have spent time exploring the exodus story, leaving Egypt and entering the wilderness as a way of exploring our current context as a church. We have been in Egypt. In many ways it has been good, and in others it has been bad. But it is and was known, and comfortable. And now we are leaving Egypt, leaving what is known, and leaving what is comfortable.  We built Duplo pyramids, each piece with a word on it, each side representing politics, religion, economics or media. So many of those words were negative, which in a sense is an aspect of being in Egypt, we focus so easily on the negative. So much was about the individual, either as individuals or as individual groups, and those individuals protecting what is “theirs” and trying to attain more, be that wealth, power or prestige. WE were then invited to stand at the Mountain top along with Martin Luther King, ...

I was put on to this blog posting this morning. It is a common question. It is the wrong question really. It assumes that what we are about is attracting young people, or any people to church. Actually, I think it is about living out the gospel, living out God's undeserved and infinite love for all people as God's people. It is about being authentic, rahter than hip or relevant (I got that one from Mission-Shaped Spirituality.) Anyhow I think this posting is worth a read, and a think about. Be interested in hearing any thoughts