No time to blog!

I have so much I want to blog about, but I don't seem to have the time!

Huddles

A few weeks ago I said I would blog about out discipleship plans. I may fill this out sometime, but essentially we have decided to convert our cell leaders meetings into huddles along the lines of the leadership development model used by St.Thoms in Sheffield. This will help us to apply and develop the use of the Lifeshapes which we began last year with the circle and taught about after Christmas.

Vision for St.Mark's

As you know, I have been struggling to know whether I can in all good conscience continue as a vicar of an attractional church. For the moment I hear God telling me to stay and treat this as my "day job" while working at pioneering mission in my spare time. In addition I hear God calling me to give St.Mark's some clear leadership. The vision of the tree and the sapling is still valid. Also the Lord has given me Isaiah 54:2 as a verse for the church. I may post a church magazine article to explain this. In essence the call is to allow fresh expressions of church to grow up on the fringe of the St.Mark's family under the "tent flaps". I blogged a bit about this in March. see link

Leadership

As Moses was called to lead the Hebrew slaves in a journey with the LORD, so I sense God calling me to lead the church here to have faith in God's ability to provide. This means I will be trying to wean the church away from fund-raising. I have heard the Lord say so much about this in recent days that I need to buy new pages for my prayer journal!

The Gentiles

What about the Gentiles? Well praise the Lord! On Tuesday night I went to see Woodley Sports give Stockport County a worrying 89 minutes. As the match ended I spotted a family who I believe will be the first "people of peace" that I will spend more time with in the Mill Lane area of Woodley. We had a lovely chat for about 15 minutes and then I helped push mum's wheelchair up the hill home. I met this wonderful family a few years ago when I did Dad's funeral. There are 7 children and more grandchildren than can be remembered. Mum is a real matriarch and her home is the hub of a huge community. I now need to pray about who will come with me when I visit after New Wine.

Emerging Church

I am going to an Emerging Church day on Monday in Manchester. What is emerging church you ask? It is something that happens (a bit like the fungus that springs up in the woods - but generally more pleasant) because there are people out there being moved by the Holy Spirit to become church rather than to attend church.

For an interesting blog about "ermergent theology for emerging churches" have a read of this article by Dr Ray Anderson.

There is however a certain pretentiousness about parts of the emerging church network (a bit like the fungus that springs up in the woods) especially those parts that blog a lot. However it is good that there is some self awareness about this as the following joke displays: so, How many Emerging Church bloggers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Hobnobbing with the Gentiles

On Saturday I went to see Woodley Sports play Stalybridge Celtic in a pre-season friendly. I have been vicar of Woodley and Bredbury for 10 years this month and this was the first time I had been to see the local team play.

The club steward treated me to a complimentary coffee in the Executive box. I promised to attend more often. I'll be back next Tuesday when Woodley take on Stockport County.

Listless

The wind has been taken out of our sails. We are all hot and weary. We need a time of refreshing.

I think I will give up the fantasy football and spend more time blogging!