St Jude's Uniting Church

   Mark Senter III wrote work leading to 'The Coming Revolution in Youth Ministry and it's Radical Impact on the Church' and released the book at the start of the 1990s. I recall mentor Fuzz Kitto showing me a typed copy and suggested I read some of the manuscript on the couch with a good coffee!!  
   To this day I remember that I didn't fully grasp what I was reading but somehow knew that it was important and would one day speak precisely into a context I did understand.
   Coupled with 'Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church' I believe Senter's work has 'arrived' in terms of our current challenges. But more than that the very titles of the books teach me an important lesson. You see I've been talking about them a lot [I'm not one for including subtitles] but not using the full name. '...And It's Radical Impact on the Church' and '...and the Church' don't shift my understanding of the key points very much but they do make sure the focus is on the community of God's people that is currently commonly represented by a local group or congregation. They are key to the future of mission and ministry with young people. This is true whether they are shaped for mission or for getting out of the way of God's action in the world. What I mean is that whatever Senter's wisdom in these books they reflect on how the church engages in or will be effected by the very issues he's raising

Why do I think his work is now more relevant than ever?

   Because of a little hypothetical Uniting Church known as St Jude's. St Jude's could be a small rural church or a high density urban street corner or a large suburban centre or a neighbourhood group in a building too old or too large for their purposes... The congregation or main Sunday worshipping community aren't getting any younger. They as a group represent only a small slice of the culture/s, backgrounds, educational achievements and history of those in their wider community.
   At St Jude's there are a few under 60s but a huge gap between 25 and 45. There precious few youth or young adults if any alongside the remnant of a small infants and primary aged Sunday School with one volunteer teacher engaging with kids right across the spectrum.
   The older members are concerned about the lack of young people and especially the High School drop off rate. Who will we be without the youth? How can we have young people here again? Should we hire a Youth Ministry Worker?
   This is a common scenario and connects strongly with one of the 'Four Views' explored by Senter and called the 'Preparatory' model. Say what you like but the majority of ministry with young people I've seen over the last thirty years is subtly or strongly aimed at preparing the young people to 'be' the church... to take up where they leave off... BUT the global context of these young people has so radically shifted in the last 40 years that the models of church most encounter are simply contextually irrelevant.
   I don't blame the churches. The context has changed rapidly and radically and the generations who've left mean there are few change role models and we are still trying to share faith, foster discipleship and unpack the good news as it was taught to us...
   We need to totally re-orient the church for engaging in God's mission in the world. We need to develop our ethos and values and live those out in the everyday and shape our life by what God is doing. The goal is not church engagement but discipleship or 'following.' So growing faith to maturity is an additional measure alongside attendance.
   We need to develop skills in appreciative inquiry or at least 'listening' skills to understand the perspective of 'the other' not just our own narrowly expressed goal of 'saving people.' If a congregation is truly able to connect with a few areas where they believe God is active in their community then questions of numbers at worship and money through the offering will in time be irrelevant.
   But one key ingredient in this is leadership. People with contextual skills are used to asking questions, adaptation and experimenting with ideas. What if our view of 'church' was that we exist to serve? Or the very radical idea that we exist to create other communities of faith and so initiate our connected groups to 'plant' missional churches elsewhere. They learn the skills from earlier but apply them to a new community. Even one step shy by engaging young people in activity with which they share an affinity and direct social justice action... we could change St Jude's forever... more soon... what are the practicalities...

Space, Permission and Validity

   A new initiative, new form of church or a missional contextual ministry with young people rely on the interplay of [3] things if they are to have any chance. While we live in a western post modern, post church environment with all it's related challenges, there is an opportunity to join the missio dei [God's mission in the world].

  Outward focused, spirit inspired, gift harnessing creativity will always allow people to come up with amazing ministry with young people BUT unless the existing 'church' makes room for this it is always a bigger challenge than it needs to be.

   Space, permission and validity are all needed to give things the best chance of meeting 'the hurts and hopes' of people in your community. 

SPACE includes facilities [and the keys or access] but also attention, support, resources and awareness

PERMISSION means genuine approval to 'be' without 'gate keeping' and unhelpful constraints

VALIDITY is taking something seriously and understanding it as creating new forms of 'church'

   New initiatives or contextual missional activities are often fragile, fringe or experimental ideas. It can be a contest of ideas around 'what is the gospel?', focus, share of attention and 'open or closed set' thinking. That's all great jargon but it means we are not always good at allowing experiments.

   Young people often encounter low or no expectations and are not taken seriously in faith shaping and discipleship. Faith communities can be afraid for the future or guilty of seeing young people as 'the church of tomorrow.' Sometimes SPACE is clearly not free and complaints about how it's left or padlocks on cupboards make that clear. PERMISSION can be conditional on meeting generational or committee expectations. Lots of things are barely tolerated and what we do know is that leaders and young people have good 'antennae' for sensing whether or not they are included.

   St Laurence, Reading is the best example I've seen of all these things being evident just from entering their building and hearing their story. It's not about the billions of pounds spent but the space, permission and validity given to their mission. The same could be done with a flat screen TV, a coat of paint and a set of keys.

SPACE, PERMISSION & VALIDITY can facilitate:

- Healthy School Breakfast Programs

- Computer Game Parties

- Homework Centre

- Social Justice Club

- Holiday Clubs for Kids

- Missional Contextual Worship

- Leadership Programs

- Hall Games

- Sports Comps

- Skaters

- Bible Study Groups

- Day Camping

- Theme Nights

- Big Screen Movies

- alt.worship
- Art, Craft & Photography

Re-reading "The Shaping of Things to Come"

   Yes, I'm re-reading the Frost/Hirsch 'textbook' exploring innovation and mission for the 21st C! It's helpful because it's thorough, grounding and references the original works from which most of our current popcorn versions draw their inspiration.
   The challenges of contextual mission and ministry and the ideas here are some of the reasons people tell me I speak a different language to them in some workshops and presentations... that won't be changing... but hopefully more people are beginning to grapple with the issues an increasingly irrelevant institution is facing.
   This is diametrically opposed to the 'good news' we believe we share and our hopes for a world lived differently. If people don't see 'the church' as a place to explore their spirituality and life then we are going to find 'attractional ministry' difficult... being seen and helpful , connected and serving communities of people is actually doing and being our faithful selves differently and opens up opportunities for people to encounter God on their territory.
   That said, I laugh every time I read about San Fransisco's 'Subterranean Shoe Room' knowing that he was trying to get a message to Michael Frost, asking him to stop telling the story. The shop ends up being full of Aussie and Kiwi backpackers 'cramping his style'!! whoops... keep it to yourselves!!
 

'Space, Permission and Validity'

Ministry and mission with young people [and new forms of church or contextual missional experiments] are given 'oxygen' and the chance to grow when they are given SPACE, PERMISSION and VALIDITY. This thought struck at least one peer this week at our 'Messy Ministry Context' Inservice this week at Nth Parramatta!! Graham suggested I submit a guest post to 'More Than Dodgeball' and I may yet do that... but in my current tired state I'll try a 'rewind' with a wordy reminder to help me sharpen my thoughts...

These three elements became clear to me in the lead up and during my 2008 participation in our Youth Unit 'Greenbelt Festival/UK Fresh Expressions' trip. It was true of a number of 'new experimental faith communities' including some exemplary ministry with young people. Many learnings on that trip echoed the same needs for youth ministry.

SPACE

Any group, event, program or activity involving 'gathering' needs dedicated space in which to happen... not a damp room the size of a box, not the locked crockery cupboard or anywhere you need to borrow keys to access. Shared use is fine if it's marked by generosity, resourcing and a willingness to 'live and let live'.

PERMISSION

With space comes the need for permission to 'be' and to use it. Is it easier to seek 'forgiveness' than permission... it's often said BUT is it true?

Your using the hall, but is it a hassle? Are you always 'copping grief' for tidyness, the power bill, leaving things alone, the 'special' cups or tension over scheduling...

Alternatively, permission means respect, genuine access and shared enthusiasm for your use of the space. You have keys, alarm codes and space to store what you need. Permission is about genuine ACCESS to SPACE.

VALIDITY

Without this the other two are only ideas!! If ministry with young people is genuinely embraced and valued then equal partners will thrive in a shared space. If on the other hand, even space and permission are given begrudgingly and withdrawn at every opportunity... if what's happening is viewed as not 'real' ministry, then lack of being seen as valid will limit the long term possibilities!!

My EXAMPLE is St Laurence, Reading. A regional review, hierarchy and finance were crucial in allowing a heritage church with 9 parishioners to be transformed through the catalyst of a Minister and a Young Adult mission team. Over ten years later its a reinvigorated all age congregation in mission and ministry with young people, building a new form of church and impacting it's local community and the world.

BUT it's not about the millions of pounds as the key factors have still been space, permission & validity. Any congregation willing to dedicate some hall space and a bbq, finance/training/promotion/website and who see what's happening as their call and mission... could do likewise with a coat of paint and an LCD TV...

Latest Creative Idea

OK two happenings have inspired my latest thinking about something I'd enjoy spending time on and would find refreshing. The first was a decision that this might be the time to invest in a new digital camera and the second complicates the choice as I have been so drawn to Louise Hawson's "52 Suburbs".
Originally the camera choice was a 'no brainer' with the Panasonic Lumix TZ20 a standout compact digital and it's 16x optical zoom still makes it an option up against:
SONY NEX 5
Nikon D3100
Panasonic 3/4 camera with interchangeable lenses
To name a few...
Which form a choice for uses from multiple quick family snaps, travel and yet specific projects which might benefit from some pixel and lens grunt. Of course if money were no object I'd buy the TZ20 and one other... All the time knowing any option will be firmly set on 'auto' and hence entry level DSLR is fine as well as affordable.

AND the current idea... Is not quite 52 Suburbs but a search for faith/spirit in the community. it probably meshes with my recent thinking about the question 'where is God?' and whether that photographic search could become an exhibition to raise funds for a worthy cause?
Maybe the upcoming UCA Synod meeting in late September could be a task oriented timeline for the first display as an associated event?

So, there you have it... leisure time spent seeking images from buildings, landscape, activity and people... asking whatever question emerges from my thinking so far... maybe a blog along the way...

What I like about this idea is it's lack of reliance on inspiring others to contribute (I've never been deluged with shoe donations for Meaningful Soles or contributions for We Believe, despite lots of invitations) but this one is me and a camera... hmm!!

'52 Suburbs'

Louise Hawson spent 52 weeks photographing and blogging about a different Sydney suburb every week and this has led to a 'simple but brilliant' display at the Museum of Sydney [cnr of Phillip and Bridge Sts in the city]. It's $10 entry with several other exhibitions onsite at Sydney's original Government House.

I finally got there today [and resisted the $40 coffee table book version at least so far] and it fits my measure of creative ideas that really work as 'simple things done well!'

The photos are collaged with a simple white backboard, numbered and named as their suburb around a large room with a few on back to back boards in the centre to create an intimate space.

As well as appreciating it for it's own sake I always enjoy thinking about how/what I'd do along similar lines and in missional frame of mind for any local Uniting Church e.g. photo essays, exposes of local characters [ala Trinity Church Wall St in New York which I visited to check out their 'our neighbours' series], iconic spaces and buildings, promoted to the local neighbourhood and either displayed in a community space or if you think people would come then at your property. Staffed by congregational volunteers with the only agenda being one of celebrating community and story where you are...

Imagine a local Newcastle suburb, for arguments sake Hamilton, chose to do something like this... iconic Beaumont St buildings, the local Barber, a character who still frequents the Kent Hotel all these years after the earthquake, Gregson Park, the boys at the Gallipoli Club, the Italian Centre and so on.... [especially including a couple of the UC's older congregants and their story of the suburb] blow up the collage of images around different themes on matt photo paper A3 sized with very simple labels.

Affix them to homemade mdf display boards painted white on each side and set up in the hall or in the worship space beyond 'Bill's Place Fairtrade Cafe' and suddenly a whole new group of people are exposed to the space, the people, the vibe and the creativity and celebration of Hamilton's multi-cultural life.

Expand it further to include all the suburbs of Newcastle and advertise accordingly, maybe using a space from 'Renew Newcastle' in the city or the University OR TRANSLATE THESE TO YOUR OWN LOCATION!!

It would even be worth buying someone a Canon EOS camera to go out and use and encouraging their development... money well spent!! Wallsend's coal history, Adamstown's mix of anglo, sudanese and Macedonian citizens, The Junction/Merewether or the beaches and suburbs...

52 suburbs blog is here

'Chocolat' A missiological Fable

One of my favorite film stories for thinking about the struggling and displaced organisation I feel called to be part of [the church] is 'Chocolat' The film adaptation of the original story sees Vianne and her daughter literally blown into the town by the wind and they land right in the middle of 'Lent' (or the time of going without) over 40 days.
Vianne rents a space and opens a chocolatery at this time and immediately causes a stir and earns the ire of the Compte or Mayor who is the Senior Priest in the original story.
This disrupts the community value of 'tranquility' so important to the Compte yet so stifling to true community and doing a poor job of papering over: the Compte's marital difficulties; domestic violence; moving on from grief; and appearances. The river Gypsies stretch the villages facade to breaking point as all the fear, anger and certainty shake everything up.
The story speaks to: the challenge of societal and values change; the hypocrisy of retaining a holy image in the face of understandable human frailty; and the threat of the new... Which demands SPACE, PERMISSION and VALIDITY and bring new life the old cannot domesticate easily... Tending to the lowest common denominator in response...

- How does someone perceived as being from the edges give leadership in the middle
- how does someone whose heart is in change and the new make a case for working with what exists
- why is it so often what exists which holds up the new
- &@$!? it

addition:
- I know they can stay on the edge but when what exists attempts to squash, domesticate or castrate the new it's missing out on regrowth, resurection etc the move might be necessitated by opportunity, funding, to begin to work at what stands in the way of the new and bring a fresh perspective.... Or because the edge is always uncomfortable on some level and that wears you out or becomes too fragile so often...
- I'm always disappointed when opportunities are missed, by me, by others, by working groups or communities of faith, by structural reviews, by committees or again by me
- peripheral stuff so often seems to take up the oxygen when a little bit of creative difference would be actually about giving the space, permission and validity to the new...

OK just thinking aloud... In the words of my neighbor "I'm over it!!" today that is...

"A New Culture of Learning"

For a couple of years I have been trying to track down the name of a guest on ABC Radio 702 'Conversation Hour' [now known as 'Conversations'] who worked in Schools in western Sydney. My memory of the dialogue was not so much about schools and education but the framework he advocated for learner centred education and creating spaces for engagement. I particularly recalled talk of designing and redesigning schools, refurbing foyers, atriums and libraries as inviting learning spaces...

I had trawled the podcast list but was 'looking for a needle in a haystack' and just this week stumbled on the right one which while labelled with a topic sentence, didn't step out and hit me, previously... I'm talking about Greg Whitby and I've re-engaged with his podcast and am even more sure that his contextual skills and insights have direct relationship to the task of faith formation, discipleship and engagement with young people. Greg would be a great resource for thinking about what kind of environment you'd want to create for ministry and mission with young people where you are!!

For ministry, mission and indeed discipleship to grow I am convinced there needs to be 'space', permission and validity... Greg speaks to all [3] in a school education setting and I believe would be an excellent catalyst to our conversations.

To this end I was pursuing him to come and share his insights with a bunch of Youth Workers in August... we have since hatched a slightly different plan, just as I've found Greg... now I'm thinking how else this might work...

In the meantime his website included a post about a book which I thought could similarly speak to our discipleship task... many Christian books are caught up in where they sit on the theological spectrum more than the idea they are attempting to address and this one would lead to a process of asking how it informs or challenges your existing ideas or something new you hope to hatch... you can then bring your own biases onboard!!

It's called "A New Culture of Learning" by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown and you can read more here or Greg's post here

To mark this theme I have just downloaded the book via the Kindle Store to my iPad!!

'Judgement Day' May 21st begins 'the rapture'

Harold Camping of the Family Radio Christian broadcasting radio network is having a second stab at predicting the end of the world on October 21st with 'judgement' beginning on May 21st!! This has created a media frenzy in an otherwise pretty antagonistic context here in Oz... the twitter-verse and media outlets are filled with talk of 'what you'd do if it was the last day tomorrow... fascinating... read more here from the source of all wisdom wikipedia!!
I would love to have the clarity and motivation to write something meaningful about this but there are plenty of those reflections around too and I'm too weary today... I hope that doesn't count against me!!

For now I'd be disappointed 'if the world ended tomorrow' even though if you read carefully it's October 21 we need to watch out for... that'll be tricky for me as I'll be mid air on the way to the Rugby World Cup play off and Final that day... whoops!!

I'll be annoyed because:
- I have tix to see 'Hairspray
- The NSW Waratahs have yet to win a 'Super' title
- 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2' finale film in July
- My 'Sydney List' is incomplete
- I turn 50 this year

- Oh and I am yet to fully 'be the change I want to see in the world' or to do enough for those who live at our edges!!

What I would have done!!

Some of my reader/s will know that over the last year plus, our state body in the Uniting Church has been working on the latest [most urgent] attempt to reshape in the face of increasing challenges and decreasing resources. There were 'special disbursements' due to previous share market dividends, courageous decisions to spend bequests and to recognise that if some resources were 'for a rainy day' then it's friggin' pouring... the particularly galling 3 years of budget cuts to create a circuit breaker pool of funds to reorder how they were spent... and now the merger of our Boards of Mission and Education... meaning more than a dozen jobs end in December 2011 and a handful will be reshaped and advertised [sometime].

Affirmations or Givens:
- All these things are honest attempts by committed people to meet the challenges of our current context as a church shrinking and stuttering at engaging in God's mission in the world in 21st C ways
- Both Boards leadership has been telling our decisionmaking bodies for at least three years that a solution was needed and none was forthcoming from those bodies
- A Board Merger was 'almost inevitable' in the circumstances
- What's been planned offers a chance to break the mould of our incrementally changed former roles, Units and groups who all laboured hard to stay relevant and to address the real issues in our regions, congregations and how we fund our mission and discipleship
- After 11 years in my own current role it was time to look elsewhere anyhow BUT some plans had been considered and the timing was set to best allow good decisions around a hosting of our national youth event NCYC [or not] and that's been compromised
- The full positive potential for the merger has been limited by the 'non negotiables' which came into the idea once talks began. Creative ideas to value add to some of those areas were heard as something other than ideas of focusing the work so jobs that have been lost might have maintained some edge but been added to those ongoing areas.
- Some resources which could be diverted have been seen as not part of the equation as they don't 'cost' but instead the question could be 'are they a priority' or is that the best way to reflect this missional priority and could the resources be used differently on what things are a priority
-2011 is the year of the ticking clock for myself and all my colleagues and some around us are clueless, incapable or not interested in the personal cost of these journeys. Others are endlessly supportive and we all know God is at work in all the mess, creativity and possibilities.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER
A proposal had developed alongside merger talks for a wider strategic review and I for one believe the 'wider' is important but that this review was not necessarily the right one. I said so to whoever asked, would listen or on bodies I participate in who asked these questions. I have also been active in the merger process when we've been asked for ideas and even see some of those concepts in the current plan... SO... I feel able to reflect and comment and mean no criticism to any group who've been trying to do what's been asked of them...

BUT,
We need a 'mission review' across the life of our mission field, the Synod of NSW/ACT. Not a structural review, but a discussion about who we are and why... to the point of practical resourcing...
A Steering Group could/should design consultation/s with local and regional stakeholders who come together for a facilitated discussion which doesn't ask 'what do you want to grab?' or what have you been unhappy about but draws us back to questions of 'who God is calling us to be in this place or places at this time?" OR 'where do we see God active in our communities that we are called to participate in and what wider resourcing would enhance that effort?'
Personally I would design a one day process for dealing with our annual Synod meeting business and devote the rest of the time to including that meeting as one consultation and then the following time it could work through some practical outcomes focused decision making. A Consultant and Team would drive the process towards a picture of our call, priorities, non priorities and then resourcing and institutional frameworks could be set up and reshaped accordingly...
Such a process would take seriously 'the five marks of mission,' the extent and need of our property resources and where we hold capital and property which could be sold and invested in missional activity.
This current context calls for changed institutional arrangements and we've been making small steps around funding focus, breaking open grants and special projects, regional generosity and use of the sales proceeds from property... are we up to the bigger stuff now. The one certainty is 'change' and the rest is about how we meet the adaptive challenges it presents. A 'ground up' consultation process is less about a large institution trying to reshape itself and more about individuals and groups envisaging what we need the monolith to do so what shape is needed becomes clearer. Previous Presbytery/Synod dialogues have by all reports been a blamefest and a standoff... we can no longer afford this...
The trouble is none of this is easy or orderly so people will be displaced either way. This idea is about asking who we are and whose we are, from big picture through to concerete arrangements. Others better at organisational structures than me could design central and regional resourcing to meet the plan. Maybe we could even include the voices from our 'growing edges' of: non anglo groups; young adults looking for new forms of church; and a few larger contemporary groups as we grapple with what that means across the theological spectrum.
To date the oft chanted criticism of our synod decisionmaking [that it's top heavy with employed leaders] could for this instance be true in some spheres where the problems have been examined... simply going ground up without a good process is no better.
Second lastly, we should adopt the Parramatta-Nepean approach of a fifty year plan... some find it amusing or befuddling... I think it's the only way to go.... we make the same kinds of cases for infrastructure and public transport in NSW and it doesn't have our contextual issues, mostly just funding pressures... that we have in common!!
Lastly for this post, these are the crazy thoughts that fill my sleepless and restless head... nothing more, nothing less... so perhaps more clarity will emerge in future posts... Anyhow, I'm just thinking out loud... a dangerous thing usually!!

"Lent Event" 2011

"Lent Event" is a brilliant and inspired story of one person's idea being supported and encouraged by a faith community's key leaders as God's activity in [and desire for] the world finding a way to be exercised. The idea is to breathe life into the faith practice of 'giving up...' for Lent and by living simply in some way, give the money saved to change lives somewhere in the world where that's needed... in fact through a few chosen projects!!

Lent is that period from Ash Wednesday through to Easter Sunday [40 days not counting Sundays] and encourages a time of reflection and preparation.

I particularly like the part of the story where the Uniting Church expression of partnerships with churches across the world known as 'Uniting World' quickly sees the inspired nature of this and joins the project of one person after hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals have signed up.

The other aspect of Lent Event are the resources for worship or personal reflection which resource your time... get onboard by checking it out here.

Contextual Tools for Ministry and Mission

There's a lot of focus these days [wisely] on 'contextual tools for ministry' and only certain writing, workshops and focus available. I think much of this comes from it's intuitive nature, context being local and diverse by definition, the need for experiments and a rapidly changing context. After some time 'banging on' about the need to take the context seriously, no wonder those convinced are looking for access to the 'how to' or at least measuring their own hunches... This post is about my 'thinking out loud' about general tools and some things specific to my context and will of course later be contradicted, retracted and corrected by smart people... so it's provisional, but...

'Tools'

1. Reading

I/you cannot avoid the need at some point to read stuff by people who have wisdom to offer in this whole area. Even skimming ideas you test out in your context is a start but like being exposed to missional thinking and then finally reading David Bosch who inspired so many to explore, it's good to go to the seminal source and hear where those echoes came from.

'The Shaping of Things to Come' Frost/Hirsch is not a bad place to start because there's stuff there: to agree and disagree with; original stories; and stuff poached from people who know what they're on about. It's just one example.

2. Listening, listening, listening [what Steve Taylor calls] 'in your local...'

For me that includes: the newsagent; pub; school playground with other waiting parents; in the media; and on radio. Where is the intersection between your faith communities desire to be servants and the hurts and hopes of the community around you?

I heard a news item last night about an urging that community organisations consider 'healthy breakfast programs' in every school in NSW... what an invitation to church's to offer this ministry to their local schools as a visible symbol of their hospitality and desire to helpfully serve and care!!

3. Reading newspapers and magazines

There are endless stories, spin and community issues canvassed in the newspapers etc... things you'll worry about, disagree with or take onboard for exploring further. I store up an tremendous ammount of trivia, gossip, and factoids alongside news stories but later when I'm reading someone's take on our context/culture/s I can test whether I've seen evidence of what they say in the media or in my listening/observing. About 2-3 years ago I recall [3] newspaper stories within one week which prompted an email to a community of faith nearby:

- One was a story about local residents taking matters into their own hands and organising crews to do weekend graffiti clean up and making a point that this included a range of senior citizens. I sent an email wondering if the local Uniting Church could see itself organising sandwiches for lunches to offer the participants... just a thought...

- The second was about a local girl organising an 18th birthday party where the Function Centre cancelled the booking at the 11th hour. Another local congregation had purchased a former function centre building and I wondered if they might be able to offer a venue.

- Thirdly, a Hunter Valley man was ready to move on/donate his expansive Elvis memorabilia collection then housed at the local Leagues Club. Aware of the Parkes 'Elvis' Festival I wondered if the locals might like to do what they could to broker a move to Parkes alongside the growing collection of Greg Page [the original Yellow Wiggle]... you'd augment the gospel jazz worship and develop a healthy reputation 'on the community grapevine' [Kennon Callahan]

None of these progressed but that's not the point... 'it's not rocket science!'

4. Reading [again] blogs, research

In ministry with young people the Aussie Christian Research Association did great work on Gen Y and even the split team who wrote seperate books provides a good contrast to explore.
I reckon one blog leads to another, so start with 'Rethinking Youth Ministry'

5. TV 'behind the news'

Programs like the Aussie Network TEN '7pm Project' and many others [e.g. Triple J 'Hack' orABC 'The Drum' ] take a longer and 'behind the story' view of many issues, trends and events. Always compare and contrast media stories, test research and 'listen' to check whether stuff is 'on the money' or just banging on e.g. Father Bob and Ruby Rose spend a day at Melbourne's BIG DAY OUT here

6. ARIA Music Charts or equivalent

Finally too old to wade through many of the current music shows on TV the actual charts are helpful in sourcing music which addresses issues, perspectives and questions that are out there.

They are often addressing issues simply not canvassed elsewhere and help open them up with groups in worship, Bible Study and group work generally... here's a recent example... adding to a Bible Study but making room for punters to 'make meaning' themselves.

“Plans”

We made plans to kiss the sun at night

Hopeless dreamers, hopeless types

Shedding skin you show your beauty scars

Don't forget me or who you are

You know this don't feel right Who knows what we feel?

I just met you I can read your thoughts

What they tell me is what I want

I'll keep you guessing keep you wanting more

'Cos where we're going no one knows

You know this don't feel right

Who knows this could feel right

I just met you, I swear I read your thoughts

So don't forget me or what you want

Light up the stage, make your move, give me something

So I can dance in your light and to your rhythm

Soon it unfolds who we are in this masquerade of stars

Tear off the mask, the face you hide is what I'm missing

We made plans to kiss the sun at night

Hopeless dreamers, hopeless types

One was turning, one was standing still

I won't forget what was promised here

You know this don't feel right Who knows what we feel?

Birds of Tokyo EMI 2010

7. Non judgemental questions for reflection or that shape your time, space and listening. Colleagues like Duncan McLeod point to a specific form of questioning and reflection called'Appreciative Inquiry'

This is a way of thinking, seeing and acting for change in a community or organisation. It's kind of about seeking the positive life giving potential which exists and working out how to have 'more'. It's not a problem based approach but is about observation and unconditional questions seeking to grow possibilities, recognising we are changed by our conversations. So in this case it's about being in conversation with your context/community/world.

I live in an area of mixed social circumstances where at least one of the three nearby shopping complexes [small suburban basics] appears to attract a poorer crowd. I often sit and listen, observe and wonder. I see anti-social behaviour, a gambling tavern onsite open all day and people young and old, unwell or struggling. I am challenged to remember that they too are created, loved and cherished by God. We seem different in some ways and very similar in others and I try really hard to Christ in all the faces and to represent that in honest communication and relationships. My reflections and questioning need that tone to engage me in genuine connection with my world. It seems to me appreciative inquiry is a methodology and standpoint for helpful engagement. More on what questions might help, later...

8. Ask, 'where is God active here and inviting me/us to join that activity?'... then where do we connect, find energy for, seem to fit... in that activity... being the people of God in this place at this time... One example could be by becoming familiar with the local 'community calendar' of festivals, fetes, celebrations and commemorations. These are opportunities to volunteer, contribute a stall, serve, bring a unique flavour, design worship, engage in debate etc...

9. What about 'worship'?

Key ideas:

- access the creative arts and media and local images/stories/issues/themes

- build participation in the planning and leading of worship as authentic expression

- try to ask but but not always specify the answers to questions

- question your assumptions, language and hoped for outcomes

- ...

Grab a copy of 'The Art of Curating Worship' by Mark Pierson and see how much that challenges or affirms your approach...

do something different
worship challenge and focus on participation
unshockable

10. Build a culture of 'experiments'

Avoid the 'we tried that 15 years ago and it didn't work' culture and step out of some generational or attitudinal stereotypes by understanding that some things ventured may not work out or be the long term way forward. Utilise these as learning steps, not stumbling blocks. It's all trial and error or trial and effect!!

11. 'Intuition, science, theology'

What do you reckon? Out of all you've read, feel, see and hear... what makes sense by whatever methodology predominates for you...

The critical thing is 'evaluation'.... how did that work out, do I need to explore, listen, question my theory or my understanding...?

12. Gather Stories

How do your stories:

a. define identity

b. create community

c. resonate

d. determine reality

They are tools of transformation just like the old stories they used to tell 'in the Shire' as stories of HOPE [Sam in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings"]

13. Avoid the goal of 'Excellence'

This is a tricky topic because people use the term 'excellence' in subtly different ways. I'm saying avoid the false goal of wanting everything you do to be 'impressive' in performance terms as it may come at the expense of 'having a go', up and comers or more authentic expressions of who you are as a community. On the other hand there's nothing wrong with wanting to do things well, rehearsal, mentoring, evaluation and seeking to avoid cringe worthy moments when with a little guidance or experience, people could do better.

It's about asking and being reminded of what your priorities are... how you shape a culture of power sharing, exploring and trial and error. Making space for the contribution of others is one empowering style of leadership... but forget about the old BHP Steelworks model of 'throwing people in at the deep end' in favour of resourcing, supporting and mentoring people to grow their skills. More on this in future... but it's also the case that people learn through struggle, pain, and challenges or through opportunity... an 'excellence' culture can squash honesty or create the impression that we don't share those experiences here...

14. Affinity, Social Justice Action, Rights of Passage and 'Communion'

Borrowing from a few sources I bring together:

- Rather than 'groups' or programs lending themselves to membership, think about activities, causes, reasons to gather, with which people in your community share an affinity or connection

- Particularly younger generations seem at the moment to find great motivation for social justice action experiences and the relationship between values and acting them out

- Some 'rights of passage' have become blurred or have disappeared in contemporary society and we could help design liturgy, movement, activities and gathering around modern forms

-Authenticty, authenticity.... or a community in which people experience a sense of the transcendent are attractive to many

15. Cross and Multicultural sensibilities

Different cultural groups generally complicate all of the above by ensuring the need for more than one emphasis and different skills of observing and interpreting values and what's at play. This doesn't just mean 'other than' Anglo but the whole mix. It does mean factoring in another layer around the spectrums of theology, cultural practices etc etc.. what voices are missing? what's the picture when you compare a community profile with that of your existing congregation? How do multi-faith dynamics play out?

Who is your 'mission field' and who is Christ in that time and place?

U2 Remember the 29 miners in 360 #2

Pretentious, tosser, self absorbed, rockstar, peaked in the 80s... hypocritical yep, yep... and your favourite band sucks too by the way!! I know people are sick of hearing about them but I'm part of a community/organisation/mission which is struggling to have 1% of the authenticity, impact, reach, transcendence, emotion, heart and gatherings around the same values, outlook and faith which is shared by this band... While a top ten single may ellude them despite that aspiration still, theor contextual skills are 2nd to none...

Look beyond the big stage [the usually frustrating huge outdoor venues] the screens and effects and onstage you'll see four schoolmates having a great time playing music which speaks to their ideas, their lives and invites us into a story much bigger than any one of us...

One of the features of U2 is their ability to hold lyrics 'lightly' and to perform well worn tracks from the 1980s until today with different tone and relevance to todays news and life. 'Bullet the Blue Sky' and 'One' are great examples... for a deep and rigorous take on this read Steve Taylor here

After I blogged about their offering to recognise the loss of life at the Pike River Mine I caught the actual clips rather than just media reports...

Notice the genuine unspeakable grief and sharing, notice the lead singer not bouncing around, booting a camera, or drawing attention to himself, rather inviting all to 'just sing.' The band invited people to open their hearts and 'sing out' their experience, lament and sorrow... and the red balloons were a perfect symbol of 'tears running to the sea'...while the names of the miners scrolled down the 360 screen!! No pretention, no tosser, just genuine feeling!!

When I head to Sydney on the 13th and 14th for a nosebleed seats and standing room double header I look forward to an all too rare experience!! As someone with a pretty tough exterior I am ever the person of contrast... stoic or teary, rarely in between!!

While I ponder the dilema of Bono's billions of dollars raised for HIV research and to 'make poverty history' cf the French Riviera lifetsyle and movement of band income offshore to minimise tax in the face of new Irish laws taxing artists, musicians and creatives... I will attempt not to overintellectualise my experiences and just to allow the music I love to work in me for the good of others and the world as I am again inspired to live out the values they espouse, in my own little corner of the planet!!

On your tribute to the NZ miners and attempt to connect in a real way with the mourning nation, well done U2!! On stadium shows, money and all the celebrity hoopla... please come back and do a gig indoors at Homebush or the Ent Cent one day... a space where God truly 'walks through the room!!

In the meantime I return to exploring the current top 40 ARIA chart for tracks to use at NCYC in January... Pink and Eminem already have a spot!!

Rev.

Colleagues put me on to this brilliant BBC TV series of an initial six episodes of Rev.

It's about a newly appointed country Minister and his inner city London congregation. It's pathos, irony and humour are sharp and gritty as the leader in this small congregation attempts to navigate the 'missio dei' [or God's activity in the world] around him! Bring on the second series...

The minister, Adam Small Bone, confronts a struggling congregation in a post modern society, the demanding Arch Deacon and my favourite episodes are a. when a neighbouring evangelical congregation 'borrow' the church for Sunday worship and smoothies and when Adam has self doubt after a mystery sermon review in the newspaper... there are two great expository scenes in those episodes... one about Adam's thoughts on what worship is and how he views the Bible and the second about who are his friends c.f. those he ministers to...

Comparisons with the Vicar of Dibley are short sighted... this is more reality than farce while both have something important to say... or is that just me!!

Catch explantions and previews here

"Thin Places" and Powderfinger

Other colleagues have written about and designed liturgy around the celtic notion of 'thin places' or places where any space between the sacred and the secular is 'not really there.'

I had been reflecting on this last week and remembering that I don't think there is a gap but rather it's our experience of the world, worship and God. The 'thin places' can be a surprise, are not under our control and are something I try to help people see from our culture and context when they least expect it.

To this end in recent weeks I have been showing people the clip for Powderfinger's "Burn Your Name" with it's location of an asian market festival letting fly 1000s of paper lanterns!! and I've since seen it in the media in various ways and hoped that those at ACOMP, Adamstown Camp and my Presbytery colleagues might have seen that...

So tonight I'm tuned into the ARIA awards [with it's millenial flavoured presentation right across the outdoors of Sydney's Opera House] and what song should Powderfinger play for their final TV performance.... but "Burn Your Name"...

It's about a girl I guess, but could be a 'worship song of confession, redemption, adoration and at least has a mood of vulnerability and honesty!! I sit on my lounge [yet again in tears] wishing we had the connections and langaueg to share faith with that rawness and naturally... a thin place between creativity, God and God's people...

I'm not even describing what I am trying to say very well but it was a gift for me to listen and I hope someone somewhere whose heard me banging on about it in recent weeks was watching and thought 'hey isn't that the song........ wow!!........'

I look for these thin places wherever I am... not just inside church building.... I encourage you to do likewise...

“Burn Your Name”

I was stumbling right by

Like a wreck I came to you

So I staggered through the night

Seeking out your rescue blues

Gonna burn your name right across the sky

So I never forget what the feeling's like x 2

I want every single soul to know

That I love you for what you are

So I sound the bells that praise your precious heart

So tomorrow will arrive

And I burst a broken light

And a spell will hold us back

Shattering like glass

I want every single soul to know

That I love you for what you are

So I sound the bells that praise your precious heart x 2

Burn your name right across the sky

So I never forget what the feeling's like x 4

I want every single soul to know that I love you for what you are

So I sound the bells that praise your precious heart x 2

Gonna burn your name x 2

Universal Music 2009 Powderfinger ‘The Golden Rule’

'Culturemaking' Sunday #4

Sunday was similarly time pressured as everyone moved slowly and embraced the 'getaway' part of the weekend... the 3am Scrabblers were a bit dusty!!

I introduced the ABC Radio high rotation response song in the wake of the events of 9/11 as words could not be found to describe much of that time... but were well directed in Jewel's "Life Uncommon"...

Today was about our part and how culturemaking will change us and not just those we engage in God's mission with...

'The Blind Side' was a great story about this...

But we also talked about the uncertainty and what we might need as 'tools' to be culturemakers... where I borrowed [from Dave Male] the image of Wallis and Grommit where they lay down spare railway track one length at a time to catch their protagonist... what wil be our track and how will we proceed one length at a time???

We went off to groups with scarcely enough time to decorate and write on our 'speakerdogs' by way of response... the japanese inspired folded paper creatures you cut and paste with your creativity all over it...

'Culturemaking' Saturday #3

This was our 2-3.30pm time after lunch and after the kids had been swimming... I was too descriptive in talking about the 'graveyard shift' where previously attenders had fedback that a full afternoon off was too long and so this session had been timetabled.... I was not complaining or suggesting we change it...

I was just making sure people knew that I knew it was a tough time to be focused and 'working'!!

We started with a bit of my own story and the stunning U2 360 dvd live at LA's Rose Bowl choosing 'Where the Streets Have No Name' on the big screen and loud!! to get into a communal and shared story vibe, exploring the meaning behind the song [or the two oft quoted alternative stories]

We asked what we would do if 'we ruled the world?' we reflected on 'communities' of culture-makers' using a movie show clip about the film 'As It Is In Heaven' and we went off to groups to create 'junk sculptures depicting a world lived according to the values of God!!

U2 was a little like this... and I talked about th struggle with them as culturemakers between the tremendous work for 'Make Poverty History' and their own lifestyles and choices around tax, th french riviera etc... an ongoing bettle for us all too

'Culturemaking' Saturday #2

Coming back to the whole group we needed a fun start so we watched someone who takes their 'culturemaking' seriously in the Cadbury scientist...

Next we played the well known dramatised performance 'Woman at the Well' without that intro as I asked 'who is this woman?' and the group responded with a range of insightful and important characterisations while also 'getting' the context...

There were other plans but we reflected on the story of this and other people whom Jesus met and how we are invited to be 'counter culture - makers'...

I introduced Rob Bell's NOOMA DVD 'Rythm' 11 mins about the metaphor of God as a tune/orchestra/song and all that image allows us to reflect on in joining it... journey motif!!

We 'wondered' and I encouraged groups to wonder about some of those biblical characters Jesus met and themselves with a contemporary photo and a blank page... then to work as groups...

'Culturemaking' Saturday Last Week

At Adamstown Camp we spent a number of sessions on Saturday and I knew we'd need to be tactile, creative, succinct and engaging [try to anyhow] While I now know where I'd add stuff to engage kids as well as young people I didn't quite nail that... but close!!

- Kicked off with the clip of "Burn Your Name" Powderfinger

- As per previous posts I introduced this as a 'missional' clip and a stunning song of what worship could be and must be...

- I shared about my encounters and the story of Juan Mann and his example to us as 'culturemakers'

- I invited the group to understand culture using Andy Crouch' definition of 'what we make of the world' and juxtasposed that with Kester Brewin's writing about the 'greatest commandment' as an urging to 'love self, God and neighbour' and to think about those as "Other" the title of Brewin's book being "Other: Loving Self, God and Neighbour in a World of Fractures"

i.e. what do we make of the world when we focus on concern and action for the 'Other'?

I ran out of time to show 'Missional Church Simple' as we were sent off to groups to make a COLLAGE around how we might make 'culture' by loving self, God and neighbour...

Collage [basically French for glue]!!

'Volunteering' as an Entry Point for Missional Activity

We recently saw the celebration here in Oz of ten years since the remarkable Sydney Olympics!! This included a bbq and celebration for thousands of the legendary volunteers who 'made' the event and our reputation that year!! I do confess to the running joke about still seeing people in the polo shirt and some certainly looked in mint condition on the news footage of the bbq!!

It reminded me of the enthusiasm aussies have for volunteering and the renewed interest on the part of lots of young adults in 'doing something that counts'!!

I'm imagining not so much that we overload already busy volunteers with more to do but that any local congregation could be a hub for galvanising locals to volunteer for a whole range of community projects, including church programs in a wider matrix of activity and in doing so automatically put the church in direct connection with the community in positive and helpful ways!!