The Reluctant Ordained » grace

Woodfest

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:57:57 +0000

Woodfest again at St. Asaph, don’t miss it! Or try to remember next year… There seem to be a number of different types of people exhibiting or competing. Most working in their field and making a living the way most of us do, wood things being a profitable sideline. There are the commercial firms whose machined products look out of place next to the hand crafted ones. There are also the minority of excellent craftsmen and women making their living solely from their craft, these are the ones one admires the most. Often the craft comes first, financial gain second. They do it for the love of the creating and the pleasure of the wood. I have to say that of all the very good and worthy people showing their skills there is none like the mushroom man, earning a living by turning wooden mushrooms out of yew. I imagine one day, he like others, was turning and demonstrating. Made a wooden mushroom and sold it there and then. Then he did another and chatted to those he was making them for as his chizzles effortlessly cut away the wood. Where others put up safety screen and sat behind desks, he was stood up outside, nothing to stop the endless waves of wood chippings covering those watching. A few children at the front started to dance in the wood confetti tossing it over their heads in some mock wedding ritual, child meets wood, perhaps touching it for the first time in it’s raw state, ‘feel the wood’ he says ‘it’s wet, isn’t it?’ the youngsters learn this is green wood, straight from the tree, the best for turning, soft and supple it bends to the will of the blade. As the mushroom is finished, complete with ring, furry bits and cone topping, the crowd shifts slightly, those going away clutching a newly carved work of love. For the love of it, and with good humour, is the better path. There are few who can tread the narrow road, but theirs is the path to be travelled!

There is but one way…

stubiedoo — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:58:36 +0000

… to get rid of the snow, and that it to build a sled for the children. When I have finished it, (June or July sometime) the snow will be gone! Whilst deciding whether or not to clear the drive and risk the car this morning – (nah, walk!) I was browsing a few books that need finishing. See my not quite a new year resolution. At the back of Rowan Williams’ Silence and Honey cakes there is an interesting question and answer section. In one he expands a little on Vladimir Lossky’s idea of individual and person.

He suggests:

“For every person there is one way in which they can show God, and only they can do it like that.”

I like this attitude very much. It is respectful of personal distinctiveness. It allows for a diversity seldom approached in the church. If reflects the sermon I chickened out of a week or so ago on John 1:10-18. It was mainly on verse 17 and the meaning of the words from which are derived the phrase ‘Grace and Truth’ mainly in the Hebrew word Chesed. The part at which I stopped short would have said that we have created anew the law and are living in subservience to that, rather than in witness to the ‘Grace and Truth’. If you take this to its (I’ll have to say ‘perhaps’ here because I’m part of the problem) logical conclusion the structures and organisation or business based Church (basically control) which we run is putting into a small box something that was never intended to be contained and until we let go of control and allow people to be ruled by the heart we will always be smothering something beautiful. To be continued, after another book I’ve not yet finished - A Celtic Model of Ministry.

Off to GB09

stubiedoo — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:19:10 +0000

I think Pip Wilson’s prayer sums it all up for this weekend!

A Festival Prayer

Small joys

stubiedoo — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:54:46 +0000

It is the little things that count!

And sometimes there are not many to count, however at the end of a manic morning, the final baptism was a quiet affair, only about 20 people – just how I like them!!

It wasn’t that that made it special. The family were related to people I knew from a recent funeral, the granddaughter of the recently departed had just been born, I ‘met her’ as it were before her birth, and now with mum and dad as godparents to the baptise-ee.

I’ll be ~~buying~~ burying (thanks Dot!!) the ashes of said departed later this week. The whole of life caught up in one small moment and for those families the connections and relatedness made the act of baptism even more special.

These small blessings make all the difference and certainly give me hope for community life!

the way, was slightly diverted for a time

stubiedoo — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:52:27 +0000

I was distracted from writing by an excellent few days, but I did pen this – almost as it was happening.

The course material started this train of thought, focusing on who we are…

There is a chapel atop a rocky outcrop near St. Beuno’s, the key to which is normally on the hook in the boot room, or so we were informed.

No key…

But the sign said something about a sticky lock and not to lock it.

I climbed the hill full of expectation about what the chapel might be like, the views, the nature on the way and was pleased to arrive at the chapel’s east end, a stone building, small and well formed. It stood waiting to be explored.

I investigated the door, it was locked – no way in.

I was in a little despair, what now?

I sat on the step looking away from the chapel, contemplating – writing!

The key arrives, my heart leaps, I can go in, but I can’t turn around, I can’t look, it has been built up to now it is too much.

Forcing myself up I turn and go in. I hate it.

It is full of tat, rubbish, too many trappings for God. An ugly tatty crucifix, incense sticks, prayer cards, statues, candles, modern art paintings, loud noisy clutter. I close my eyes to rid myself of the images and sink to my knees in silence.

I bow my head to the floor, it is cold, beautifully cold, the fresh stone makes me wish the whole chapel had been like that, plain cold stone, refreshing.

I kneel for what seems like ages before getting up and very quietly going out, (the nun is in silence)

As I step out of the door, the sound hits me, the light is too bright, the volume has been turned up fully, children, cows, birds, the wind, a horse. I heard it all inside the church of course, but dully as if through earmuffs, but now it is as bright as the sun. I am fully awake, alive to the sounds of God walking though the garden, waiting for me to emerge from the gloom to enliven me with the spirit.

The useful Romany

stubiedoo — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:15:44 +0000

Whilst walking quietly along to an internment (observing not doing) I was accosted by a delightful lady who wanted to know where the friary was – well, I told her, but of course she saw the collar – oh reverend, would you just… …half an hour of life story, of trials and tribulations, you would imagine she was the most wealthy – unlucky woman in the world … and so I was late and didn’t catch my lift. Arriving home the phone went – A lady was dying in hospital and the family wanted a priest, well I had to do. Strange how these things happen!

In the Middle

stubiedoo — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:57:33 +0000

I was duly given the stern advice that one should get one’s priorities right – especially in ministry.
God first, then the church, all else follows.
My immediate response was of God third at least!!
A much better response however was given by means of a meditation in chapel yesterday.
God in the middle. Strangely, this was echoed from a very surprising source. While getting frustrated and annoyed at the original comment I was reminded that really the ministry of those ordained or such was based on the biblical understanding of things and that the life and teachings of Jesus were all about people, rather than about God so much. Not bad for a reluctant ordinand’s wife casually commenting over a hot saucepan!
So no priority for ‘God’, just God in and through everything – in the midst of it all with dirty hands!

Valentines

stubiedoo — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:00:51 +0000

We shared a truly odd service last night.
It was Valentines day. St. Valentine the (probably) most well known saint, yet to celebrate it in the context of the Eucharist was strange.
I’m not sure why though, there were no pagan overtones, nothing to suggest a ritual sacrifice on the altar, but still, the images that were projected of hearts, roses and embracing couples was discordant with the nature of Eucharist.

It is probably just me, I have been reading and studying about Eucharistic celebrations both for college and a week on Iona I am involved with, so to focus on this in that context I guess was a bit strange.

It is a shared experience of the outpouring of Grace, for me at least, echoed in the blessing and sharing of the sacrament. I am still puzzled and have yet to link this agape, the love of God, with what is more traditionally associated with Eros, the love of desire. I am reminded of a sermon I gave two years ago to students on Iona.
You should have been able to read it here, maybe I will post it tomorrow!!