The Prodigal Son

I am reading The Prodigal Son - one of the best books I've read that tells how others have been experimenting in worship, and gives some guidance - well ideas, pitfalls, and discusses what worship is (or isn't) - wish I'd read the Chapter New Approaches to Worship a year ago. Lots of ideas and pointer - worship as art, gettng it together, making a start, making room for God - complete with not just a summary of alternative worship that has worked, but also the pain and difficulty on that journey, and worship that has failed.

Moving on....

21st Jan 2009 Moving on...

My walking buddie is moving away – I am upset... we began this walking church with 3 main adults, and their families. One person quickly became a ‘fair weather walker’ – and I am sure will enjoy some walks when the weather improves (Cumbria is very wet and cold at present). Still, we set of on Wed for what was the most beautiful of walks, through the Seizergh Castle estate and into the surrounding countryside. My friend – a friendship formed largely through our walks, is moving south in April. Yet I have gained so much through our conversations, enabling much reflection – though writing it on an on-line journal is a new experience, and one that I am just beginning to use more effectively.

On one level, this walking church has not met many of its objectives. It has not attracted other people to join, we have not read Bible stories together as often as I had planned, and we only take the children if we manage to walk at a weekend. These are for many reasons. A walking church that attracts others needs to focus as much around food as around walking. The original idea was to eat a meal together during the walk. The first time we did this – but it did not fit in with small children’s schedules... though others in the group loved it. Then the weather turned – the autumn was very wet in the Lakes, and stopping for food would not really have been the best move... We have also chosen a different route each time. This has provided a lot of variety and interest to the walks, but to form relationships, we would possibly need to go on the same walk at the same time each week – to meet others who do this, such as the dog-walkers. The children who came, including those in prams, also limited where we could walk and how the conversation could develop. Originally I had thought of weekends, but due to ‘church’ commitments, children’s activities and work, this has not happened as often as we would like.

So – where now? We will continue to enjoy our walks. I have been able to reflect on my own journey with God in a very positive way, but the walks need to be part of a larger network of believers. The last walk was reflecting on a review process that is about to be undertaken in my local church. My family and I have also been discussing how we can be an authentic community of believers . We are exploring if God is asking us to meet with a few others for a meal late on a Sunday afternoon, complete with a prayer tent, discussion areas, contemporary music etc. Not to attract others to us, but to worship God in a natural and authentic way. From this monthly gathering, interest groups might meet for normal activities – such as walking or going to the park. In these small groups, members will be accountable to each other and encouraged and challenged in their discipleship.

This is a different approach to the one I took when I began the walking church – it started largely as a college project, and most of my Christian friends who would join me on this journey do not live locally – part of the challenge of living in a rural area. But this needs to be a shared vision and journey.

‘I am convinced that no one can do this stuff alone. ... because I believe that the sharing of dreams, the overlaying of visions, the interweaving of relationships, and the struggles through difference and diversity are at the very heart of these ventures.’ – in The Prodigal Project, p49.

This book that I am reading is resounding very much to my journey – a sense of hurt, anger, frustration that the institutional church that I was very much a part of was not a place where I could live out my life in Christ - to come to understand over the last 5 years that this is not because I have a problem (as some within the institutional church would like to say) was a great release and relief – yet if an emerging church is to succeed, then others with the same outlook need to be found, and a joint vision emerge – that is where perhaps the walking church has failed the most – I have been going it alone.

We are going for a walk tomorrow - round Seizergh. I am ready to get out and clear my head... so many things to think about, so many issues that the Church doesn't seem to get.... so many ideas for how a Christian community can be together in a post Christendom era, so many thoughts coming together about faith for us as a family.... maybe I will have space to think tomorrow.

Stories

My son was watching as I posted my last blog - and he asked why we hadn't had a story (Bible) on our last walk - I asked if liked hearing stories on our walks, and he does. It was an insight into the way children think - God is with us all the time, not confined to inherited church. I don't think children think of inherited church as being the only place to meet with God - Church as a place to learn about God, worship God and meet with other Christians - this is learnt, with all the pressures to attend inherited church rather than being with God in our natural environments with others. Children have a natural ablility to have God as their friend in all places, they don't need to 'find' God.

A frosty walk

After last week with illness, we set off this morning with children excited by seeing lots of icicles over the River Kent. 5 children and 3 adults walked round what is becoming a faviourite walk - levens Park. The last time the children came round the park was in the summer, when we were distracted by swimming in the river. This time the frost took our interest - and the salmon by the river bank. We were amazed by their size. The children also found huge peices of very thick ice.

It was a time to consolidate friendship, espcially for the children who do not see each other very often, and to talk about some changes that will be happening in our lives.

We saw God in the beauty of the countryside - the countryside, the salmon, the icicles, the deer and goats. After Christmas, it was good to reflect on the story of Christmas - still fresh in our minds, and the meaning for us as we walk with God in our daily lives - the different ways in which that is and will be fulfilled over the coming months.

The last couple of years have been a time of preparation for all those invovled in the walking church - and now our lives are moving forward with God. The preparation feels like it is to be put to use in the mission of God. The walks are not a 'church' in one sense, and yet they provide a time for both theological and personal reflection. They provide me with a sense of renewal and transformation.

Sickness...

We planned a walk for Mon 22nd Dec - with our children. However, our son was ill - so I couldn't make the walk. A shame, as the weather was glorious. We planned to walk between Christmas and New year instead.

This is one of the difficulties of a walking church - or maybe leading anything that is not so regular. It was a shame not to meet up, and I missed the walk, company and conversation. It would have been a great way to prepare our minds for remembering the birth of Christ - surrounded by His creation.

Yesterday, my family and some friends went on a boxing day walk just north of Kendal - I thought it might give a new walk for the Church. It didn't start too well - it felt like we were walking through a rubbish dump - a farm that was not so well kept. It also went quite close to the A6. However, after half a mile or so it was glorious, then half way round we came to the River Sprint - an amazing site. So we sat and had our drinks here.

The walk would be good for adults, but a short part of it goes along the A6 - so not so good for the toddlers.

A walk in the snow

Friday 5th December
The Christmas spirit is here – snow had fallen in Kendal and our walk round Seizergh postponed – the back roads are lethal with black ice – instead we met on Windermere road at the north end of town for a walk round the golf course. It was cold, crisp and incredibly beautiful. However, we soon got into difficulties – the snow was compact where the children had sledged – and the steep slopes of the hills were ice – but we were not deterred and determined to reach the top to view the amazing sights over Kendal. After much slipping and sliding, we reach the top and look back over Kendal – the town was covered by mist and only the snow covered hills were visible – the backdrop to our walk.

The conversation picks up where we left off after the last walk together – pondering where God is taking the church – and us. We explored the theology of mission in more depth. Looking at some biblical examples – such as Paul’s ministry of moving on and leaving local people to find local leaders to develop churches as they develop. We considered the model of the inherited church – small churches with only a few members still trying to model the structures and patterns of the larger church – weekly services in large buildings, hoping for ‘their own minister’ to ‘do’ church for them – the cycle of running programmes that are outreach or social action, but not linking this to evangelism. We discussed what the role of ‘being’ is, rather than ‘doing,’ and how more laypeople might be empowered to speak more of their faith and pray with each other.

Over coffee in a house afterwards, we looked at the role of cross cultural mission, in a practical example of a local project that is developing by one person who joined us for coffee. We discussed how communities are formed, what holds them together and how there is a need for the inherited church to work with and alongside those who will not naturally find a place in the inherited church – and of course, how the resources can be made available for this missional work.
The walk again felt like it had the potential to be a church – although it does not yet have all the characteristics of a church that are mentioned in Acts 2 – we share fellowship, prayer (in the sense of informal sharing and support), and food – but not sacraments. Maybe this is not important – but the coming together at separate times for lunch, coffee etc will be our breaking of bread.

Levens Park

28 November Friday – Walk round Levens park.

The day was crisp as we met by the back entrance to the park. A baby was put in his backpack and the dog called – then we were off. We met a man who looked very interested in the trees – not sure what he was doing, but only a handful of other people came our way. We explored the park further today – the children that sometimes come being at school, and the toddlers not coming – infact only 2 adults, both Christians, but the discussion was deeper than usual.

We explored the nature of the church – a natural discussion – a topic that affected the lives of those present. Some of the conversation was very personal, and other parts more general. We spoke of the way in which the parish system of one minister in one church had worked during Christendom, but that the Anglican church is now beginning to model itself on the Methodist circuit system as they have a reduced number of ministers – yet this system is not as effective now – and the Methodists are facing the prospect of even fewer ordained ministers.

It led to the discussion focusing on what the role of church is, and what the role of a Christian is – is Christianity about social action, evangelism, is it a personal faith – where the minister ‘does’ the church stuff and the rest follow on, attending services and doing good deeds.

The discussion that occurred during this glorious walk was both ecclesiological and missiological. We were concerned with the structures of the inherited church – how these are changing and the effects on church life and the role of ministers.

It was a missiological discussion as we were concerned with how we are called to make disciples of Christ - and how this is changing with the change in culture and society. In effect, we were wondering if the structures of the inherited church can allow missiology to take place with any great effect.

Much of the discussion was of a personal nature – about where we find ourselves within the inherited church, our frustrations and expectations. It was a walk where we were able to reflect on where God was taking us. Which path we were following. It was challenging, as we didn’t agree with each other on lots of issues, but encouraging that we are not alone in our struggles.

The walk took us along a river, and we saw a herd of goats, and lots of deer - I took pictures and when I discover how to put them on the blog I will – it was an enriching time, both in being part of the nature that God has created, and in our discussions and deliberations, that energised us for our daily walk with God. We finished back at the cars with flasks of tea/coffee and biscuits.
It was perhaps the first time that I thought our walks could become part of a church life – though not in the way I originally thought – but as part of something else – meeting up for lunch, time for the children to play together, worship and fellowship as part of our daily lives.

What makes church, church?

I have been reflecting on what makes a church, church – and why we began a walking church. I think one of the reasons the church is feeling less and less like a church is due to a fine weather walker such a small group. At the beginning I thought the walking church would probably be a summer only church – and either this is the case, or we walk whatever. As a result, we have arranged to go for a longer circular walk around Levens Park.

Pooh Sticks

Fri 7th River Kent and Pooh sticks

We met together for a short walk by the river, with 3 toddlers and a baby. We played pooh sticks together which the children thought was wonderful, before walking in the local park and going to the swings. The friendships are growing now, with trust continuing to build, but I feel like the purpose of meeting is moving further away from eventually developing into a church. We support each other, provide friendship and opportunities for the children to play, but we are not a church – or even nearly a church – even if you view church without the normal structures and organisation. God is not really the reason why we are meeting – and somehow this needs addressing if the group is going to emerge into some form of church rather than a support structure based on friendship.

Don’t get me wrong – it is great to meet up and we all gain a lot from it – but was God at the centre of our time together – how do we pray together and learn about God? I need to think again.