I’m not sure about anyone else but I’ve been finding this whole global financial crisis kind of confusing. A couple of others in Loam felt similarly and we’ve stumbled across a few helpful resources online. I thought sharing them might be a good idea.

http://www.crisisofcredit.com/

http://thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=375

I’ve been listening to Pray As You Go which is put out by the British Jesuits. It’s a podcast of guided prayer/reflection/meditation that lasts for about 10 minutes. Normally I’m reasonably sporadic in my listening although my Spiritual Director has encouraged me to try and be a little bit more disciplined.

This morning I listened to the episode for Ash Wednesday and was struck by a reflection on the corporate nature of repentance. The reading that was taken from Joel speaks of the people gathering to repent, there is no call for private repentance.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve found myself watching and wondering about our response to the bushfire disaster. I’ve been encouraged and inspired by people’s compassion and concern for others. Challenged by the generousity shown and proud that I live in a country where helping people is considered honourable and even heroic. One emotion has greatly intrigued me though and that is shock.

I’ve been surprised by the amount of people who have been shocked that this could happen to us. From newspaper headlines and tv newsreader comments all the way through to twitter posts and snatches of conversation overheard on the tram or bus, I’ve heard shock everywhere. Now obviously such an event is deeply shocking, but one twitterer I follow asked the question “How can so many people die in a bushfire in 21st century Australia?”

While I type this my RSS reader flashes up that the death toll from this tragedy has hit 200. Homes, business, schools and livelihoods have all been lost and thousands are homeless. Yet by global standards this is not an unusual tragedy. Most days I read the news and most weeks something terrible, something of a similar scope happens somewhere in the world. Maybe I’m exaggerating, maybe it’s only most months, but still it happens and it happens too often. If that is the case, why are we so shocked that this has happened to us?

Are we shocked because we are rich? Because we are technologically developed? What has made us feel so safe that even though we turn on our TVs and see devastation and destruction in other parts of the world we believe it won’t happen to us? What is it about who we are and where we live that makes us feel safe? Who makes us feel safe from this kind of tragedy? That safety seems like an illusion at the moment. Is it something that I/we should hope in again? Is it a foolishness that must be avoided?

I don’t have answers. I’m sure there are some. Some simple and some profound too no doubt.

I’ve just finished reading my friend Stephen Said’s post on this subject. I couldn’t agree more, although I’m obviously finding it pretty hard to ignore.

I guess I find it pretty hard to understand. What is going on for Danny that makes him think his message, twisted and destructive as it is, would be ‘heard’ by anyone? What kind of view of God does he have if he thinks this?

If this message gets lots of publicity, as I’m sure it will, again I will feel ashamed to call myself a Christian. It’s got nothing to do with who Jesus is or what the kingdom of God is like, it’s about being misrepresented. If ever there was a time for Christians to right some our wrongs of the past and to participate with God in the bringing of peace, hope and justice, it was now. Instead we are represented by Danny. It’s not often I despair, but on this issue I felt it creeping up on me.

Like every human organization the Church is constantly in danger of
corruption. As soon as power and wealth come to the Church,
manipulation, exploitation, misuse of influence, and outright
corruption are not far away. How do we prevent corruption in the
Church? The answer is clear: by focusing on the poor. The poor make the
Church faithful to its vocation. When the Church is no longer a church
for the poor, it loses its spiritual identity. It gets caught up in
disagreements, jealousy, power games, and pettiness. Paul says, “God
has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts
which were without it, and so that there may not be disagreements
inside the body but each part may be equally concerned for all the
others” (1 Corinthians 12:24-25). This is the true vision. The poor are
given to the Church so that the Church as the body of Christ can be and
remain a place of mutual concern, love, and peace.

http://www.henrinouwen.org/home/free_eletters/

via

http://wecan.be/bereflective/540/

Whatever your perspective on the conflict in Gaza at the moment (I sure know what mine is), can you imagine living near this?

Spare a thought and maybe even a prayer for the many innocent men, women and children whose lives are in grave danger of being lost.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we were starting a little experiment with a kind of worship gathering before our regular community dinner on a Sunday evening. Well we’ve had our first two gatherings and I’m pleased to say they’ve been great. Very simple, but also quite significant I think.

The first one consisted of a gathering song, prayers using a Christ candle and little candles people lit to represent their prayers, a reading of Psalm 23 followed by discussion and then a benediction. There was also colouring for the kids and any adults who were keen.

The second gathering also had the Gathering Song to begin. Then a reading from a children’s bible of the story of Jesus calming the sea with some discussion about the storms in our lives. Again prayers using candles and finally the benediction.

We’re going to trial a guys and girls night once a month at Loam over the next little while. I know of a few other missional communities that have them and I think they could be a helpful discipleship tool for us.

We don’t have a strong culture of accountable relationships outside of the depth of relationship that some of us already share. I’m hoping that a monthly chat with the guys/girls might become a space where people feel more comfortable to be open and challenged to be more like Jesus.

Has anyone else had experience of these types of gatherings within small missional communities?

At Loam we’ve been chatting for a while about how we might have a worship gathering that was more inclusive while at the same time continue to meet in such a way that those in the core are nourished and challenged. There have been all kinds of thinking, many different options and ideas but we’ve finally settled on something. At least until we decide it needs changing!

This coming Sunday we are going to have a gathering that starts at 4:30pm (dinner normally runs from 5-7pm on a Sunday evening). This new gathering is going to be an opportunity for anyone in the community who would be interested to come and gather with us. We will probably have some kind of activity with/for the kids, read a passage of scripture, give people a chance to share what they think and how they are going and then pray. It’ll be pretty simple and pretty short, but in our context it’ll need to be if it’s going to connect. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it goes. I feel like it’s another step in the right direction in terms of encouraging others not just to live well but to know and follow God and as a result, live well.

Watching the Olympics these last few days I’ve been struck by how much our culture idolises athletes and sporting acheivement. I’m as keen on sport as the next guy but I’m wondering if this is one of our cultural blind spots.

Surely issues of justice are raised when we spend millions (maybe billions?) on the elite level of sports in our country each year …

Aren’t issues of pride relevant for those performing at this level and are the rest of us being helpful on this front?

What about idolatory? Who is getting the glory for the remarkable capacity of these individuals?

Just a few questions from me early on a Sunday morning as I watch the Dream Team dominate Spain …