sustain:if:able kiwi

Tim Finn at Bird in the Hand winery

Team Taylor are off today to hear Tim Finn at Bird in the Hand winery. It’s a happy constellation of a number of threads.

• First, they make great wine at a great price.
• Second, Team Taylor love Tim Finn, with the lyrics from “Couldn’t Be Done” from the Imaginary Kingdom (2006 album) being often hummed among us.

We had no idea that it couldn’t be done
And we needed to find a like-minded someone
We had no idea that it couldn’t be done

• Third, its the first night concert for our two girls, and we’re hoping that this is a gentler introduction than some other night concerts could be.
• Fourth, it’s a long story, but I found myself in Perth over last weekend on what was actually my birthday. My excuse is that I tend by nature to think in days, not dates. So I looked at the Perth Summer Spirit event, thought that if I was speaking Saturday and Sunday, having a day off on Monday to go wine tasting would be a great way to remind myself of my humanity and the good things about life. The Perth end were booking the tickets, so I said go over Friday, return Monday. When the tickets arrived, I looked at the dates and realised Monday was my birthday. Duh!! So while it was a great way personally to have a birthday, for the sake of family celebrations, Saturday 25th was decreed my “2012 birthday.”

And what better way to spend it that listening to Kiwi music at a winery with my family.

ethnography as pastoral practice

I’m finding Mary Clark Moschella, Ethnography As A Pastoral Practice: An Introduction a really helpful read.

It offers a way of bringing about change, in which the leader becomes an ethnographer, a listener to the patterns and habits that form a group. It provides case study after case study, of ministers who listened, who were surprised by what they heard, who fed back their surprise and as a result, change occurred.

Ethnography is a set of habits and processes and thus the book gives a really clear way of embarking on change. Some leaders do this intuitively. But for those who don’t, this book is gold. It explores the ethical boundaries, developing questions, offering feedback – all written in accessible manner, with story after story.

The book is thus an excellent resource for post-graduate students and for any minister or leader thinking about how to be part of change. It will be especially helpful for those folk put off by CEO and hierarchical models of leadership, but still wanting to be part of transformation of their community, and communities.

boxing resources

Great idea from Resource Centre for Uniting Church Synod of Western Australia. They take a range of resources and place a number of copies of each in a plastic box and loan them to churches for a month or so. Simply effective really!

This was the fresh expressions box, and the messy church box was on loan.

It got me thinking about the “boxes” I need in my office. The “small churches in mission”; the “exploring across diverse cultures”; the “everyday spirituality”; the “mind, body, spirit faith.” …..

a tonic at the end of a tough day

It had been a long, hot day. Team Taylor were tired. We’d been up late the night before collecting a Dad from the airport, up early for music practices, staying afterschool for extra-curricula activities.

We all wanted to just be home.

But the traffic was crawling down Marion Road. After stop starting for 30 mins, we decided to bail and pulled into a local pub.

We walked into this …

Monteiths. So iconic in New Zealand that one of our fridges, the fridge at our holiday house, is called Monty! Named after original West Coast of New Zealand beer.

On tap, here, local, in Australia ….

msm Adelaide final “report” in video format

Mission shaped ministry Adelaide. 40 folk from three denominations gathering over five months to reflect on mission and spirituality today. How did it go?

Well, we asked participants that very question on the last night and here’s the result: a final “report” not in words, but in video.

Also wondering if this might serve to promote mission shaped ministry throughout Australia – it’s a first being with Australian rather than British accents :).

Big thanks to Stephen Daughtry who gave his time to shoot and edit.

a Perth artists describing of mission?

This wooden plate was a gift from the folk in Perth, a thanks for my input. It is made by artist Tony Docherty, who works with native Western Australian timber. Here is part of the artists statement:

“To transform this salvaged or discarded material into practical objects or pieces to please the eye and lift the spirit is my passion and joy.”

Isn’t that mission?

That we as individuals and as communities are called to attend to what is discarded. We can’t transform. Nor can we grow. But we can be part of processes that help draw forth the natural beauty, the God-placed grain that is in all human life (Genesis 1).

In so doing, we find joy. Thus mission is so much more than an act of obedience. It is an invitation to joy, to being part of God’s transforming processes in the world.

an eastern state thing

Enjoying Perth which seems to have such a relaxed vibe. I Was quickly made aware yesterday here in Perth of the eastern states factor, the distrust, the independence. An interesting dynamic.

People are very engaged and hospitable. The speaking team have offered a really rich and diverse input.

Summer spirit Perth bound

I’m flying to Perth for the weekend, to speak at a conference called Summer Spirit. I’ve been asked to do three keynote sessions, 2 Q and A workshops and be part of one panel, and to speak about mission as fresh expressions.

Earlier this week I emailed over some things I will need
-blank pieces of A4 paper
– Boat making instructions
– felt pens
– pipe cleaners
– bags of licorice allsorts

After the conference, I’m staying on for a day, to enjoy tasting some Perth wines. I’m looking forward to that, plus being with folk I’ve not met before and being with another part of the Uniting Church, that diverse thing that is spread across the vast expanese of Australia

love feast an intensive ending

I’ve been team teaching with Michelle Cook an intensive for the last two weeks. The photo is from a student desk, the key texts (!), Basis of Union on top, Bible on the bottom. A seeking of integration, not a statement of priority!

It’s been a great few weeks. The new approach to tutorials has worked really, really, well. Students have not only been very engaged. They have also experienced processes around how to think. More importantly, they have also experienced the richness of thinking processes in community – that together we are so much more informed than in isolation. For students training for ministry, this seems to me to be such an essential skill, learning to work in and with groups cf solo minister.

During this week of the intensive we have been offering daily communion, each different, wanting to give students an experience as well as a lecture, wanting students to appreciate the rich diversity in communion practices. Monday was from Uniting in Worship. Tuesday was alternative worship with stations. Wednesday was an adaptation of Orthodox communion. Today was a love feast.

It was the final day of class, so folk were invited to bring food to share. As people arrived, a prayer inviting the Spirit was prayed. Bread was served. We were then ate the shared lunch around tables, enjoying communion of and with each other. During this time, a Bible story was told (thanks Sarah), about Jesus eating practices. As we moved into dessert, the communion cup was offered, followed by prayers of intercession. The benediction was chocolates, the invitation to take the love feast that is God’s communion sweetness into the world.

It was a lovely end to a great few weeks.

book review: Liturgies from Lindisfarne

Liturgies from Lindisfarne. A book review (for Touchstone) by Rev Dr Steve Taylor

In a strange twist of fate, I encountered the author (Ray Simpson) and the sacred place (of Lindisfarne), before I opened this book. In September 2011, during study leave in England, I found myself in the North of England and close to Lindisfarne. Intrigued by its history of Christian pilgrimage, I decided to visit.

Over a long weekend I appreciated the isolated scenery and the abundance of bird life. I visited the church ruins, soaking in the stories of Celtic mission through Cuthbert and enjoyed the chance for regular prayer with the Christian residents on the Island. It was a deeply renewing few days.

Over breakfast on my last day, I enjoyed tea and toast with Ray Simpson. Past retirement age, Founding Guardian of the Community of Aidan and Hilda, still a popular speaker on spirituality and mission, we shared of faith and formation.

Upon my return, “Liturgies from Lindisfarne,” awaited on my desk. This makes the book the actual record of the work of a praying community: the Community of Aidan and Hilda, a dispersed, ecumenical body who seek to apply lessons from the Celtic Church in Britain (280 to 634 AD) to the church of the 21st century.

It offers a wide range of prayers – for daily prayer through a week, for the journey through Christian festivals, for special celebrations and for the events of life.

The words are fresh and clear, evidently honed over time by their actual use in a praying community. The theology is creation-centred, paying close attention to the experience of being human, including the seasons and the rhythms of life. This shows respect for the patterns and experiences of Celtic spirituality which shaped the first missionaries to Lindisfarne.

A pleasing feature is how attention is paid to the different experiences of the seasons. Thus prayers for Easter are not linked with Northern Hemisphere experiences like spring or lengthening day light, which makes them less useful in a down-under context.

One drawback is that it is A4 and thus, as a book, large in size. While this allows the type to be easily legible and for the layout to be spacious, it can make it difficult to hold, perhaps more so for those older in life.

A bonus is that all the prayers and services are contained in an accompanying CD-ROM, making it easy to reproduce on orders of services.

Over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed offering the Daily prayers among my community. It makes a welcome resource for prayer, both individual and communal.

writing on windows

Great chapel today, creatively led by Sarah Agnew and Michelle Cook. The adoration station invited us to write words of thanks. On the window!

Yep. Liquid chalk.

An idea that deserves a mention in the creationary: a space to be creative with the lectionary (in this case, visual images on themes of pilgrimage). For more resources go here.

Full service here.

What is a sacrament?

This week the intensive class is exploring sacraments. Rather than begin with the history of what is a sacrament, I decided to begin with two video clips. One of Archbishop Sentamu baptising publicly on Easter Saturday, another of an outdoor worship service, including communion, lasting six minutes. (I’ve blogged about this here).

and then ask what is a sacrament.

The responses were fascinating. Words included “public”, “witness”, “planned spontaneity”, “connecting to God.” Using the videos opened up a different space for discussion, about how the sacraments are part of the living mission of the church.

The depth of discussion grew this morning in our tutorial. The statement was “all of life is a sacrament” and readings included

• Acts 10:1-48
• James 1:17
• Pinnock, Clark H.,Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit, pp.113-147, and 264-268.
• Geoffrey Rowell, “The significance of sacramentality,” in Rowell, Geoffrey and Christine Hall, Gestures of God: Explorations in Sacramentality, pp. 21-36
• Taylor, Steve, “Even the Dogs Eat the Crumbs that Fall from their Masters’ Table”: A contemporary reflection on the sacramentality of Communion, Colloquim 39, 2 (2007), pp. 209-225
• Bouma, Gary, Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the 21st Century, pp.86-105.

The discussion was excellent. I suggested the following summary:

The Reformers argued for two sacraments, baptism and communion. Celebrating these has the effect of making all of life sacramental. Reformation theology had a particular emphasis on Christ and the events of Easter, especially Friday. Themes of creation and eschatology can enrich our theology and greatly enhance the mission of the church today.

project progress: some first signs of life

A first sign of new life over the weekend at our house/project, with seeds germinating. They are a “cottage garden” mix, given to one of our kids in the “transition pack” we gave them as part of the move. Planted, last Sunday, protected by wire in case the 3 cats the previous owner has left behind try to take revenge, they are sprouting by our front deck.

They are a small sign of hope in what has been a week on the home front we would prefer to forget. The day we moved the builders decided to sand the gib, which meant all our stuff now sports a fine film of gib dust. The next day one of the subbies did a runner, with their replacement following suit a few days later. We are perched in the top part of the house, one of the kids sleeping on a sofa in the lounge, while we wait for the builders to finish. The other child has been sick, suffering asthma symptoms, trying to rest in a house filled with gib dust!

So finding even the tiniest sign of growth, the smallest sign of new life, is important.

I am using this post as a prayer, adding as a comment the initials of a person/place which today I want to experience life. You might like to pray with me, adding initials for a person or place in which you would like to see God breathe fresh life.

Film review of When a city falls: scripting contemporary lament

A 500 word (monthly) film review by Steve Taylor (for Touchstone magazine). This one is about contemporary lament, in particular the Christchurch earthquake. Film reviews of a wide range of contemporary films (over 65), each with a theological perspective, back to 2005 can be found here.

When a City Falls. A film review by Rev Dr Steve Taylor

At the heart of the First Testament, and the experience of the people of Israel, is the disintegration and destruction of the city of Jerusalem. The resultant pain and trauma generated a type of literature known as lament, as vehicle to share experiences of suffering and hope for restoration. (more…)