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Not really new year resolutions:2

2 January 2010 4 Comments

This is more a kind of parable to where I find myself right now than a resolution…

choir

A few weeks before Christmas, I was in a local pub (I am often in a local pub- but that is another story) and I saw advertised that the pub was to have carol singing just a few days before Christmas. I knew the landlord: wouldn’t it be good if there could be a blessing at the carol singing? Sure- he agreed.

Things snowballed; the local church choir were asked to be involved and run it. However; there arose a problem: there was to be ecumenical carol singing that night and there was a slight clash of times. Now before you get the picture that I don’t like stuff like ecumenical carol singing, well on this occasion I do- it is in the streets, it is culturally appropriate to this village and is appreciated by the community.

However, it had been agreed by the churches to begin at 7……. yet the landlord wanted them to stay longer…when he realised they couldn’t do the whole thing he got someone else in.

So the carol singing in the pub began…. a crowd of anywhere between 80-120…and then at the height, the choir left…. I dutifully followed, regretting this missed opportunity and what it I thought it communicated, inadvertently to the crowd.

The landlord bumped into me: ‘Have you done your blessing…I want you to. And can you wish them happy Christmas from the pub?’. I went back, on his invitation; sang a few more carols, gave a blessing, wished happy Christmas. Then I spent some time, sipping mulled wine and walking around talking in the space that had been opened up by the invitation and the blessing. I think I made some good connections there.

And that is my parable: I often find myself in this space, or seeking to be in this space and (admittedly not in this case) in friction within churches cos I am in this space and want others to be in this space between ‘church’ and ‘world’ (and ok…there should not be this border, but I find that many want to make it and keep it).

In this setting, in this village, that is where I sense God…I get really excited…. I want to be present here more and more…. and that is a kind of new year dream/awareness.


4 Comments »

  • Tony Buglass said:

    There will always be those folks who want the minister to be a Private Methodist Chaplain, visit the members and drink tea with the old ladies. Sometimes, that is the right thing to do. The system assumes the minister will be the Manager, and make sure everything is done properly. Sometimes that is the right thing to do. Our ordination is to be a Representative Person, being a living symbol of the Church and the Faith, both inside the community of the Church and outside. There should be a shelf of hats, so that you can change and wear the appropriate one. The only problem comes when someone wants you ALWAYS wearing one particular hat…

    - 2 January 2010 at 09:49
  • Eric Morris said:

    I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

    - 2 January 2010 at 16:22
  • jim said:

    I find myself in deep thought with this one. Personally, I don’t drink much other than coffee, tea, or something like tomato/orange juice, don’t encourage others to engage in stronger brew, but openly admit that I don’t the Bible condemning anything but getting drunk. Your culture there is not familiar to me, but I do know that, here in the stated, alcoholism is a big factor in family abuse and a huge factor in deaths on the highway each and every year. Still, while I would not frequent any local “pub”, nor would I barge into such arena with tracts and Biblical witness to “repent!”, I certainly would not have any hesitation to sit with people there and simply allow God to show up in conversation as He sees fit. Having said that, I’ll only add that I leave your own conscience to you, your witness here in what you write giving me reason enough to believe God could well use you there….

    - 2 January 2010 at 20:15
  • graham (author) said:

    I’m with you there Tony…sometimes though, the pull to ’stay with what you know/look after what we have’ is the stronger…I’m pulled more towards what Eric quotes..

    Jim- I think you are right to think about this- is is estimated that around 10 million in this country drink too much (on a recent survey)- that is a frightening proportion of our adult population. I am conniving in this…I’m not sure (is the Christian in the large SUV conniving with our consumerist culture?)… but it is where I find myself right now. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

    - 2 January 2010 at 21:00

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