Comments for the urban pastor

Comment on Christmas Visitors by Dafydd Jones

Dafydd Jones — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:15:31 +0000

I used this idea of yours as the basis for my talk at our informal all age Christmas Day service in 2012 and I’ve been meaning to say thank you ever since. Hopefully you believe in better late than never.
You may like to know how I developed it. To get some humour I got my wife to do a rapid change of my headgear for each of the characters – halo for an angel, traditional tea towel for a shepherd and a turban for a wise man. Fortunately the congregation responded with the laughter I was after. I linked the characters with each of your main ideas of praise, investigate, and offering the best we have.
Then we sang 3 verses of Angels from the realms of glory (as per Mission Praise) drawing people’s attention to the fact that we were going to sing about the angels, shepherds and wise men that we’d just been thinking about.
Next I read verses 1-5, 14 and 18 of John 1 and projected the words on to the screen. I concluded with a short talk saying these words point us to how how hearts long for the God who is deep within us and way beyond us, and a return to the questions are we excited about and praising this God, do we want to investigate and know Jesus better, do we offer him the whole of ourselves?

Comment on Missionary Dating by susan gonzalez

susan gonzalez — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:45:54 +0000

I have a reply for you… I dated an Seventh Day Adventist- I met on line. He listed himself as a Protestant which I guess is technically correct… I was raised a Catholic but consider myself more of a Christian as I don’t believe much of the dogma I was raised with- funny not much different than how SDA’s are brain washed.
Any way in the end it occurs to me he was probably Missionary dating… he cut off the relationship when he figured out I actually had a brain in my head and and had my own mind. I really liked him and thought he was an ethical person. I love the hypocrisy in that these folks think they are better than us “non believers” and that WE will not be saved. I told him in the end that his judgement of me was not exactly christian like in that it was arrogant and ignorant of others. It does not respect us. He entered this relationship dishonestly and did not reveal his true intentions. Isn’t that covered in the commandments …something about “thou shalt not “bear false witness” or what my mother taught me ” don’t lie to people or misrepresent your intentions”- this is exactly what missionary dating is. It hurts people and is is against what god teaches – If that is the only way you can convert- I guess in the end we aren’t the whores – you are.
When I think back on everything he tried to find out what I liked- claimed he liked it as well. He used me emotionally and when it ended one of the last things he asked me is if I wanted him to send me a pamphlet. – I guess you know what you can do with your pamphlets. How can you call yourselves Christians?

Comment on Crumbs by MichaelA

MichaelA — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 01:49:45 +0000

Thanks, Richard+.

The prayer of humble access is a very important part of the service of Holy Communion. Its a shame that its use has tended to diminish in recent years, here in Australia as well as in England.

I hope we will find it and say it in Anglican services all over the world.

Comment on Oxford Brookes Mission Reflections by Robert Stanier

Robert Stanier — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:27:42 +0000

“They weren’t going to die wondering”
There’s something that prompted an alternative reflection on this.
(And it doesn’t underlie your overall point that most of us mostly are too reticent about laying on the Gospel than too pushy butt…)
About four years ago, it was the last day of the Open Championship. It will always actually be known for Tom Watson coming 2nd. I think Stuart Cink won. But I remember Lee Westwood: he came third.
Going up the 18th, with only Cink and Watson behind still to play the hole, Westwood was one shot off the lead. Assuming Watson would go on to make par, Westwood needed a birdie to force a play-off.
He had a 35 foot putt, so it would be a crime to leave it short.
He erred the other way, and knocked it eight feet past.
On the commentary, Ken Brown said,
“Well, he wasn’t going to die wondering.”
Westwood missed the return putt, so bogeying the hole.
Watson went on to bogey the 18th and be in a play-off with Cink, which, broken-hearted, he lost easily.
Westwood would have been in the playoff, if he’d not been so gung-ho with his first putt.
And so, as his stretch without a Major goes on, I suspect Westwood does wonder about that putt alot. it’s as close as he’s been to winning a major: why did he go at it so hard? There was surely a decent chance that Watson would crack under the pressure of the final putts.
What’s this all about?
Well, maybe sometimes, your making friends with people and not going in too heavy with an altar call approach, is actually going to pay off in the long term (and I’m talking eternity).
Not always, and I’m sure it’s possible to be too reticent too.
It was just the wording that triggered something in my mind.
See you on the cricket field this summer, hopefully.
Robert

Comment on Crumbs by Miriam

Miriam — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:21:11 +0000

Nice one!

Comment on Gay marriage, why all the fuss? (II) by MichaelA

MichaelA — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:56:19 +0000

“If straight couples can still get married and still have families, what is being undermined, exactly?”

The institution of marriage. We are signalling to all (and each other) that we no longer believe or practice the fundamental teaching that God laid down for mankind, that marriage is between a man and a woman.

“A social contract between two consenting adults to combine their lives and become family.”

Nice try. Marriage has always meant a social contract between a man and a woman to combine their lives and become a family. You can redefine it if you wish, in the same way that you are free to declare that the sky is green – but you have no right to expect others to agree with you.

“The fact that you have cited no studies is a bit telling.”

You and Phil can argue about self-serving studies until the cows come home. I don’t need studies to replace common sense.

Comment on Gay Marriage – this is NOT our gospel! by MichaelA

MichaelA — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:50:40 +0000

A courageous article Richard. God bless you for it.

Comment on Anglicanism’s Alpha Male by MichaelA

MichaelA — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:46:34 +0000

I suppose this is of some interest. But what ++Welby does is now the important thing.

Comment on Christian Flatshare by Ed Drew

Ed Drew — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:30:51 +0000

Just to comment on Sarah’s observation, “So if they weren’t were type, and a bit ugly you would be fine” – and I’m sure this was typed a little in jest…. But its not that simple. It relates to Perks 2nd point. In a house I lived in, some of us made the selfish decision that because we could not ever foresee a relationship developing, others of us in the house felt the same. We can’t know how another’s heart and mind are working, we can’t say that because we’re not fighting a temptation or developing a crush, that another isn’t either. These things happen in life, but when living together its a very different situation.

Thanks Perks. Practical, Gospel shaped living discussed.

Comment on Oxford Brookes Mission Reflections by Helen Menzies

Helen Menzies — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:30:12 +0000

Thank you for all your work with us last week, it was great!…God is great!