Methodism - what will become of us?

I agree with David Gamble, in 100 years the Methodist Church might be part of a new church. What might that church look like?

People will love each other and the world, this will be seen in active caring and the creating of safe spaces to be themselves, to worship with freedom and integrity. It will be seen in the amount of time the work of that church is done away from chapels, churches and cathedrals, taking place rather in art galleries, prisons, hospitals, on rubbish tips, in estates and tenements, in theatres, on farms, in villages, in rain-forests and deserts.... in political engagement, on marches and rallies, campsites and mines...

All food and drink served, consumed and given out by the church will be fairly traded.

All power used will be from sustainable sources.

Worship will be a place where people feel safe to be themselves and to celebrate tastes and styles that are not their favourite but are part of a patchwork of wonder, love and praise.

It won't need the following:

"Sub-dean designate of St Albans. Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiffs; bishops, the Lord Mayor Locum Tenens, the State Trumpeters of the Band of Blues and Royals; ..., the City Marshall, the Sheriffs, the Aldermen, the Ceremoniarius (?), the Dean and Chapter, the Sword Bearer, the Serjeant at Arms, the Archbishop of Wales " as were present at a service for the 'Sons of Clergymen' at St Paul's Cathedral today.

It will be a church where women, men, children of any colour, culture, sexuality, language, psychological, physical and mental ability are not just welcome but are able to fully participate in the life of the church and in working out what kind of church it should be.

The leadership of this church will be shared and the structures of each local expression of the church will be formed according to the gifts of those who worship there. Church leaders will not burn out from overwork and will not be defensive about the way they spend their time because all feel valued, supported and loved, whatever their responsibilities.

That's just my starter for ten - and just one more thing.... is church the right word? Can we again become a movement within the realm of God?

Body of Christ doing our job properly!

There are occasions when one wonders why we bother with evening services in many churches. Numbers are low, sometimes only those with jobs to do turn up and a lot of heat, light, service planning, etc goes into the event.

Not tonight though. Five minutes before the service was due to start two women came into church, both in tears and asked if they could light a candle. The steward made a stirling effort and found some tea-lights and holders and even matches (non of these being out for the casual visitor's use).

The younger woman's sister's baby had just died, only a few days old, following a very difficult labour and birth. The older woman was her mother-in-law and had come along to support her in praying. 

They stayed for the service, surrounded by church members who had never met them before but who quickly put flowers into a vase next to the candles (and gave flowers afterwards), who sensitively offered support without being overwhelming. 

The prayers and hymns I had prepared were worryingly appropriate! To the point where at times my heart sank as we sang another hymn that talked about God's children, life out of death, joy out of grief - all perfectly standard hymns but suddenly much more pointed and meaningful.

My own niece was still born at 39 weeks gestation and, though some years ago, there was no escaping the pain that washed over me in the face of this desperately sad story. I struggled to preach and singing 'abide with me' as the planned last hymn was almost too much - but somehow facing the pain was better than changing at the last minute to choose something less meaningful.

I was so proud that the church was open and able to support these two women. We may never see them again (they may associate us with this painful incident too strongly - as well as with care and compassion). The Kingdom of God broke through in the welcome, the hospitality and even in the 'too appropriate' liturgy and hymns. 

Who knows how many people walk to locked churches looking for a comfort or space that is not there?

Church Magazine Articles

I seem to have to write a lot of them and my problem is I'm not sure what they are for. Is it a chance for me to share with folk what I've been up to (boring!), some vision for the church, some news (there are others who do that better)? Should it be a spiritual pondering or something to inspire action (both?). One Church steward thinks I should do them because I'm clearly 'too busy to see people, so it's a way of keeping in touch' - please I don't even keep in touch with friends and family by writing a monthly article!!

There are times when I feel inspired to offer some witty story - but quite a lot of the time I sit down and think 'what on earth shall I put this time?'. What worries me about all this is (apart from a sense of being a bit useless) that I am a writer - I have books published for goodness sake. I guess they came out of a process of living, learning and reflecting and maybe that's not what I'm doing enough of to produce the newsletter articles.

So - why do we do them? Who are we aiming at and... got any ideas?

Women In Theology

The Church needs more WIT

It's been buzzing like an irritating fly for some time - the realisation that I can't wait around for the church (whoever that might be) to provide me with everything I want and need in order to grow as a Christian, a woman, a minister, a human being.... I perhaps have to be a tiny bit proactive!

I've finally worked out that one of the unsettling, constant inner naggings (which some might call the Holy Spirit and others indigestion) is to do with how to help women feel confident in discussing things of a theological nature. I perceive barriers that prevent women from describing themselves as 'theologians' - these include:

1. the idea that such things can only be discussed in the 'academy' and despite significant steps - academia is still a male dominated environment 

2. a resistance to ask 'silly questions' in case we look silly - whilst those who appear to be in the 'know' are making it up as they go along

3. the multi-tasking and ball-juggling lifestyle of many women connected to Church does not make it easy to pause for breath, let alone attend conferences, talks, take up study, etc, etc.

Please suggest further barriers!

There are so many areas in which women and the church and, dare I say, the world are poorer because of these barriers - mainstream theology remains schewed to the male as 'normative'. Christian publishing, academic and non-academic, remains dominated by male authors. The bodies in church life which act as filters to 'orthodoxy' and 'heresy' (i.e. what's allowed and what's not) remain largely male. 

Please suggest further consequences of these barriers!

SO I'm being proactive! Yes, really! Via Facebook - but not limited to it I am beginning a group called 'Women In Theology'. Open to women of any tradition who want to talk about, think about, learn about, write about God, the Church and life.

I'm hoping to have a day's gathering in the Autumn for those who want to shape this group. If you would like to be part of this, have ideas about what we might share together and who it would be good to invite, do get in touch - via comments here, the Facebook Group, or by emailing me at michaela.youngson@mac.com

This is a beginning, a germ of a seed of an idea. The question that is at the heart of this is 'how can women be given confidence in talking about and writing about theology?'.

Looking forward to hearing from you and seeing what you think!

Post Chrimble Slump

Not a comment on the financial state of the world, but a reflection of the kind of week I've had! There are a quantity of Christmas baubles and tinsel on the lounge floor waiting for the tallest person in the house (not me - I have two strapping guys at 6'3" and 5'11" to fit that bill - and one is still growing) to get the boxes down from the loft. My bedroom looks like a disaster in a clothing factory, the kitchen floor.... well it's best to wear shoes in there if you want to get across it without sticking and so it goes on. The pile of good intentions that sits upon my desk has grown in an inverse proportion to the amount of enthusiasm I have for tackling any of it.

I attended a meeting last night where the most energetic part of the whole thing was around whether the carols in the Carol Service had been traditional enough (not one was less than 100 years old - ye gads). Apparently, people 'come a long way to sing their favourite carols' and there's me thinking that we gathered to worship God and re-tell the story of the incarnation of Christ. I think I'm probably being a bit prickly about this because I was so very ill before Christmas and had to plan and deliver services when I just wanted to curl up and die in a blaze of Night Nurse and hot toddy glory. In a moment of inspired democracy I suggested that people list their favourite carols for me, so that we might form a group and work together to plan next Christmas's services. I think I may have gone too far when someone said we hadn't sung enough carols in early  December and I pointed out that 'Advent is not Christmas' .

Is church about comfort and 'our favourite things'? I think there is a place for the familiar (there was a lot of it at Christmas - nothing at all radical I'm ashamed to confess) but what about mission, about change, growth....? The incarnation is hardly comfortable.

What do you think?