ME19four: life, faith and role-playing games
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Shock of the Old?
Just a quick reflection. Here in MLPK there was a "Family Fun Day" today, an event organised by the Traders'/Tenants' Association as a fund-raiser for the local hospice, and, incidentally to raise the profile (and hopefully the income of the traders, despite the presence of a small "market").
I'm not one for fairs, fetes and markets, and yet here we have a re-invention of the community-building event, driven ultimately by free-market enterprise (the motive for profit) rather than "simple" community-mindedness. To build community is to implicitly raise the profile of traders within said community. The tradition of the church-run fete involves the creation of social capital, but with a subtly different objective.
As is often my way, however, that wasn't the intention of this post. What I found most thought-provoking was how in this "rural-idyll" (acknowledged as an over-statement, but nevertheless containing a grain of truth about the precept ions of MLPK), how here we saw a further appropriation of "village tradition" in an attempt to create community. That is in having a group of children from one of the local schools dance around a May (or more specifically, June) Pole.
Here, in a new-build settlement where no house is older than 15 years in age, where the oldest building is an art deco Control Tower, we have nothing less than a reversion to the (allegedly Pre-Christian, pagan fertility) rites around the phallic totem. A point to provoke thought and reflection, perhaps?
I wonder if any other similar (unconscious?) reversions are to be found abroad? Comments and reflections, folks?
I'm not one for fairs, fetes and markets, and yet here we have a re-invention of the community-building event, driven ultimately by free-market enterprise (the motive for profit) rather than "simple" community-mindedness. To build community is to implicitly raise the profile of traders within said community. The tradition of the church-run fete involves the creation of social capital, but with a subtly different objective.
As is often my way, however, that wasn't the intention of this post. What I found most thought-provoking was how in this "rural-idyll" (acknowledged as an over-statement, but nevertheless containing a grain of truth about the precept ions of MLPK), how here we saw a further appropriation of "village tradition" in an attempt to create community. That is in having a group of children from one of the local schools dance around a May (or more specifically, June) Pole.
Here, in a new-build settlement where no house is older than 15 years in age, where the oldest building is an art deco Control Tower, we have nothing less than a reversion to the (allegedly Pre-Christian, pagan fertility) rites around the phallic totem. A point to provoke thought and reflection, perhaps?
I wonder if any other similar (unconscious?) reversions are to be found abroad? Comments and reflections, folks?
Labels: Life, Ponderings
¶ 4:23 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Don't just do something, sit there!
Almost in response to my last post, comes this from the CofE website.
And what are we going to do about it? Where can I get several dozen egg-timers from, and more to the point, would I get up to get those who catch the 0530 train to London?
Guilty as charged?
And what are we going to do about it? Where can I get several dozen egg-timers from, and more to the point, would I get up to get those who catch the 0530 train to London?
Guilty as charged?
Labels: Faith, Life, Recommendations
¶ 8:53 am 0 comments
On the death of a dream, and after
How can you speak of failure in the context of mission? Even in terms of regular ministry? I have had numerous people tell me that there is no such thing as failure in this context - the nearest thing to seems to be to say that you failed to reach your expectations, or that they were unrealistic. Not to mention the truism that we can never truly know the value of our endeavours in the longer term.
All these things are true. And I have failed. I've failed to live up to my potential, and I need to address that.
Now that the Fellowship have appointed their own full-time Minister I can let go properly of any hope of unity in the form I had envisaged when I arrived. Now I can look more reasonably at the contributory factors and decide what constitutes my failure.
I still believe that God called us here. Even if enthusiasm blinded me to any reasonable caution I should have had. Curacy does not train you for mission. I understand that a lot better now than I did then. It teaches you your place within the institution that is the church, whether that is the immediate local, parochial context, the wider structure, and even the physical building that is the church. It does not prepare you for an enthusiastic group of Christians, mainly from outside your "tradition" and all their expectations. Expectations which have arisen in the absence of a Minister, but with just as many implicit preconceptions of how church is to be done and how faith is to be lived out. It does not prepare you for all the issues which come with a lack of focal point in the built environment.
I came with ideas, but no clearly articulated vision. Instead I had hoped to spend time meeting people, learning about the opportunities, the expectations, that lay on the ground. With hindsight I allowed myself to be rushed into action. My insecurity in the face of a different vision and 'institution' set me on a confrontational/competitive course almost immediately. I'm not saying I'm the only one who made mistakes: there have been (unintentional, and dare I say those whch look frightening close to deliberate) mistakes by all parties. I'm not enough of a spiritual masochist to say it's all my own fault, but there are things I have to take responsibility for.
For an unwillingness to stand my ground a lot earlier than I did, as much as the places where I buckled under the pressure of expectations.
For the creeping apathy which sees the cause as lost and an attendant unwillingness to really ask for help, or to act upon the offers made.
For failing to perceive the way ahead in nurturing those I have care of, as much as seeking to spark interest in the pastoral enquirers.
For seeing the negative in the situations, "the iceberg rather than the promised land."
For failing to act on so many bright ideas (even if some other discerning individuals around would be helpful rather than the ovine tendency to say "if you say so").
I'm sure there's more of the same. Maybe there is no such thing as failure in toto, but I have failed. I have failed to truly live my calling. I have failed to live the life that marks out Christian faith as distinctive and so failed to draw others closer to Christ.
Maybe this is all part of the grief process, of letting go for that which is not to be.
Thank God that we believe in forgiveness and restoration, or more to the point that he has already demonstrated it in Jesus.
"If we confess our sins he is faithful and just. He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
And to live that means to continually confront and battle with my own fallible nature, which will find this stream-of-consciousness theological reflection preferable to the important tasks of the day!
Somehow the Collect for today seemed to help crystalise these ponderings, and it never does any harm to end with a prayer...
...although maybe ending in response to prayer might be even better! So how am I going to live the Gospel today?
All these things are true. And I have failed. I've failed to live up to my potential, and I need to address that.
Now that the Fellowship have appointed their own full-time Minister I can let go properly of any hope of unity in the form I had envisaged when I arrived. Now I can look more reasonably at the contributory factors and decide what constitutes my failure.
I still believe that God called us here. Even if enthusiasm blinded me to any reasonable caution I should have had. Curacy does not train you for mission. I understand that a lot better now than I did then. It teaches you your place within the institution that is the church, whether that is the immediate local, parochial context, the wider structure, and even the physical building that is the church. It does not prepare you for an enthusiastic group of Christians, mainly from outside your "tradition" and all their expectations. Expectations which have arisen in the absence of a Minister, but with just as many implicit preconceptions of how church is to be done and how faith is to be lived out. It does not prepare you for all the issues which come with a lack of focal point in the built environment.
I came with ideas, but no clearly articulated vision. Instead I had hoped to spend time meeting people, learning about the opportunities, the expectations, that lay on the ground. With hindsight I allowed myself to be rushed into action. My insecurity in the face of a different vision and 'institution' set me on a confrontational/competitive course almost immediately. I'm not saying I'm the only one who made mistakes: there have been (unintentional, and dare I say those whch look frightening close to deliberate) mistakes by all parties. I'm not enough of a spiritual masochist to say it's all my own fault, but there are things I have to take responsibility for.
For an unwillingness to stand my ground a lot earlier than I did, as much as the places where I buckled under the pressure of expectations.
For the creeping apathy which sees the cause as lost and an attendant unwillingness to really ask for help, or to act upon the offers made.
For failing to perceive the way ahead in nurturing those I have care of, as much as seeking to spark interest in the pastoral enquirers.
For seeing the negative in the situations, "the iceberg rather than the promised land."
For failing to act on so many bright ideas (even if some other discerning individuals around would be helpful rather than the ovine tendency to say "if you say so").
I'm sure there's more of the same. Maybe there is no such thing as failure in toto, but I have failed. I have failed to truly live my calling. I have failed to live the life that marks out Christian faith as distinctive and so failed to draw others closer to Christ.
Maybe this is all part of the grief process, of letting go for that which is not to be.
Thank God that we believe in forgiveness and restoration, or more to the point that he has already demonstrated it in Jesus.
"If we confess our sins he is faithful and just. He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
And to live that means to continually confront and battle with my own fallible nature, which will find this stream-of-consciousness theological reflection preferable to the important tasks of the day!
Somehow the Collect for today seemed to help crystalise these ponderings, and it never does any harm to end with a prayer...
God our redeemer,
who called your servant Boniface
to preach the gospel among the German people
and to build up your Church in holiness:
grant that we may preserve in our hearts
that faith which he taught with his words
and sealed with his blood,
and profess it in lives dedicated to your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
...although maybe ending in response to prayer might be even better! So how am I going to live the Gospel today?
Labels: Faith, Ponderings
¶ 8:29 am 1 comments
Monday, June 04, 2007
Stories and Values
I have an aversion to Enid Blyton. Don't ask me why. I don't know. I have never knowlingly as a child read any of her stories, nor had them read to me. They seemed pretty old fashioned when I was growing up. Biggles, yes. And if I could get them all cheap I would (and I mean cheap!) But not Enid Blyton.
Nevertheless when LM is due a bedtime story it's hard to refuse her choices, unless they are obviously books way to young for her. We have plenty of hand-downs, including the wonderfully illustrated Ladybird Books I remember as a child, as well as plenty of things we have not bought. Which explains how I came across The China Rabbit. If the copyright dates are to be believed its from 1923.
It's a little twee - a story set in the nursery about the antics of the toys and what happens when an imp appears out of a mousehole and comes to abduct the talking-doll. Despite the best efforts of sailor to protect her the only way the imp is defeated is when the China Rabbit tells sailor to throw him at the imp. From the mantlepiece. With the inevitable consequences. The villain is defeated not by strength but by sacrifice. There's restorative justice too, since the imp happens to have some magical glue and is not released until he has restored the thousands of tiny pieces of china back into place and returned the rabbit to life.
It just struck me that I haven't read any similar stories to LM at all. In 5 years. Fun stories. Enjoyable stories. Lots of them. Plenty of valuable stuff about sharing. Stuff about cunning defeating bad and naughty people. But nothing about sacrifice, about elevating others needs above your own. And, come to think about it, nothing about putting things right either, unless I'm greatly mistaken.
I wonder what other similar stories there are around, or maybe, used to be around. How many "mainstream" attitudes of former generations have been lost or bowdlerised beyond recognition. And of course, without trying to sound like a fuddy-duddy, what effect they have had on our communal nurture and ensuing common life? (And I include myself in that too!)
Nevertheless when LM is due a bedtime story it's hard to refuse her choices, unless they are obviously books way to young for her. We have plenty of hand-downs, including the wonderfully illustrated Ladybird Books I remember as a child, as well as plenty of things we have not bought. Which explains how I came across The China Rabbit. If the copyright dates are to be believed its from 1923.
It's a little twee - a story set in the nursery about the antics of the toys and what happens when an imp appears out of a mousehole and comes to abduct the talking-doll. Despite the best efforts of sailor to protect her the only way the imp is defeated is when the China Rabbit tells sailor to throw him at the imp. From the mantlepiece. With the inevitable consequences. The villain is defeated not by strength but by sacrifice. There's restorative justice too, since the imp happens to have some magical glue and is not released until he has restored the thousands of tiny pieces of china back into place and returned the rabbit to life.
It just struck me that I haven't read any similar stories to LM at all. In 5 years. Fun stories. Enjoyable stories. Lots of them. Plenty of valuable stuff about sharing. Stuff about cunning defeating bad and naughty people. But nothing about sacrifice, about elevating others needs above your own. And, come to think about it, nothing about putting things right either, unless I'm greatly mistaken.
I wonder what other similar stories there are around, or maybe, used to be around. How many "mainstream" attitudes of former generations have been lost or bowdlerised beyond recognition. And of course, without trying to sound like a fuddy-duddy, what effect they have had on our communal nurture and ensuing common life? (And I include myself in that too!)
Labels: Faith, Life, Ponderings
¶ 9:30 am 1 comments
