luton2006

2006-12-31T23:53:00.000Z

Well, what a year it's been, what a year. Now we're all growed up, and the church is planted, and in fact it will no longer be 2006, we shan't be posting here anymore. It will still be easy to catch up with us though at www.loveluton.org

Thank you everyone, I sure hope our paths cross again.

As a parting grace: try taking a punt on Silver Birch for the National, he's not running very well at the moment but he will.

God bless,
CLC x

Engaged II

2006-12-24T14:09:00.000Z

Under an oak tree, in an icy field, in the fog, Lucie agreed to marry me. Merry Christmas everyone.

Engaged

2006-12-14T22:40:00.000Z

So this is quite exciting. Tonight Mark asked me to marry him. I said yes. I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep tonight. That is all.

on beauty

2006-12-11T10:32:00.000Z

a little quiet at the moment...

2006-12-10T16:06:00.000Z

David Steele, this week's household God

2006-11-09T15:42:00.000Z

All hail David Steele - in choosing to join City Life Church Luton this week, this powerful evangelist and humble firecracker has given us happiness. He also has a wonderful attitude towards university cooking - this is the content of his food drawer in his student kitchen.

David Steele we love you!

the loveluton podcasts

2006-10-24T11:26:00.000Z

Blogs, pods and audio tape. The ultimate emerging church status symbol - the church podcast.

Pictured are Mark Plane, the GarageBand king; and Fiona 'I can get through an entire podcast without swearing once' Green. Also present: John Whittaker and Gavin Shuker. You can hear the results at www.loveluton.org.

Isn't it funny,

2006-10-14T20:40:00.000Z

when the things you joke about, really happen? Well, not always, but today, certainly.
Today I met a man called Abdul on the tube and we had a nice chat. And then he asked for my number. I couldn't tell in what capacity he might want to follow up our conversation, so I decided I would decline to give him it. He responded to my refusal very graciously; and I did take his number, so as not to seem too rude.
He was a wonderful chap, and although it was all a little ambiguous as to whether he was wanting to get it on or happy to make a friend (most likely, a bit of both, I think) I thoroughly enjoyed our encounter. He is originally from Iraq and has been in England four years, but is still battling with the language because he doesn't have any English friends to practise on. I think he might like to have some English friends as well as the Iraqi ones he has here. Despite confusing signals, there was genuine warmth in my meeting with Abdul, from both sides. He wanted to talk, to tell his story, and I wanted to hear it. There's something pretty good about meeting a new person, sharing a bit of who you are, and being liked and respected. I felt that today.
I don't really know why I am blogging about this; perhaps because chance encounters with strangers fascinate me. It's always a little odd and disturbing and makes you feel vulnerable, and yet, its the most natural thing in the world- it's what we were wired to do, to reach out to each other. I spend quite a lot of time longing to be someone whom people feel they can share themselves with; someone who can create a bit of space for people to be the powerful, wonderful, loving, broken people they are so often afraid to be. I wonder whether I need to chill out and not try so hard; because it is happening. It makes me more uncomfortable and vulnerable than I'd like, and sometimes (often) it all looks a little, well, messy. But maybe that's the point: I only make the space for people by opening myself up to them; letting them touch me (metaphorically, obviously), and change me and confuse me and surprise me. Hooray for human relationships, which explode out of the boxes we put them in. Hooray that however hard I try, I can never shelter myself from people and relationships which wreak glorious, gracious havoc in my life. Hooray for this Jesus whom I cannot escape. Whom I would never want to escape.
God bless Abdul.

Look wot John dun to me.

2006-10-05T17:41:00.000Z

Dr Joe's Joy Card

2006-10-03T18:04:00.000Z

How silly of me. There was I, thinking that Lyn Briant was the first entry in the loveluton gallery competition. But then it came to me - occurred, some might say, that Dr Joe Laycock had given us a card at our leaving do.

I have mixed emotions about this card. I love it's simple elegance and brilliant execution, but it also led Ruth Shaw asking, 'Who's that meant to be on the card? Is it Gav?'

Do keep those entries coming in...

The Gallery
City Life Church Luton
131 Hitchin Road
Luton LU2 0EW

Let's look at your work - in the gallery

2006-10-03T10:20:00.000Z

A lovely entry from Lyn Briant of Cambridge has arrived in our postbag.
Please keep your artwork coming in - and you might see it, next time, in the gallery.

The hardships of planting a church

2006-10-02T13:07:00.000Z

Sometimes you just have to dig in deep. Times when your church meeting is a banquet for example. I think this is one of the things Paul omitted to mention in his boasts about being shipwreaked and beaten, for fear that no-one would sign up for the church if they realised the level of sacrifice demanded.

Thirteen people were at St Matthew's as we ate and celebrated Jesus together. Even though everyone there was at a different place on their journey, Fiona shared what it is to be a community together, welcoming of everyone, and I think it was backed up by our actions last night.

Aperitifs
Gin and tonic with lime
Orange juice poured over ice

Starter
Seared carpaccio of fillet beef
with rocket and parmesan

Whole buffalo mozzarella on a bed
of fresh pea and baby spinach

Mains
Poached chicken with a spiced apricot reduction
Authentic fluffed pilaf rice
Charlotte potatoes with sicillian lemon
Salad of pear, fennel and watercress

Desert
French blueberry tarte served
with zingy creme fraiche

Coffee and mints

Wines
2003 Campo Viejo Crianza Rioja
2005 Wolf Blass South Australia Chardonnay

On sleeping comfortably

2006-09-27T13:14:00.000Z

I can truly testify that sleeping on a proper bed mattress is better than sleeping on an airbed.

Big shout out to John, Roxy and Ian (Roxy's dad) for ending the bed shortage in our house!

You can call me train, Mark Train

2006-09-26T14:53:00.000Z

easy now!

Yesterday I went to my 2nd interview with a Visual Media company. After having a chat through the company's products and why I wanted the job I was chuffed to be offered the job subject to references. That was great and superb!

It is a job that involves filming and editing and i think it will really satisfy me. I am thankful to God for finding the job and getting the job.

The company is based out in the countryside in a place with a psuedo-rude name and their base is an converted barn. It seems like a great place to work.

The filming they do is for train drivers training videos. So when there is a video "mission" you go and stand in the drivers cabin and film what he sees and then edit it together.

I am really pleased that I have been offered a job and that its a job I really want.

How church planting works (number 94)

2006-09-19T13:22:00.000Z

So last night, in a frenzy of student-whist, we went to our local sticky-carpet club for Freshers week student night. It was a laugh and we even got the wonderful Laura Hamilton on the dance floor. But imagine our suprise when we bumped into, quite unintentially, another church plant team!

In the church plant world, this is a happy coincidence. It's not like when you go to a party and there's someone else who's in there wearing the same outfit. It's more like two opposing street gangs passing in the street with a nod of mutual respect. 'Being seen' at a place of high youth culture such as the Cheeky Monkey student night, awards us around ten points in the credibility stakes. Meanwhile, we award a similar level of respect to the other guys for their presence.

Who knows what may happen as a result of this odd anecdote. But this is how church planting works - strange but true.

And the bible didn't mention us

2006-09-17T17:44:00.000Z

As I've been wandering round Luton over the past two weeks, feeling irrelevant and unconnected, these things have happened. My suspicion (and my theology) is that God is at the heart of all of it, and that perhaps he rather intended the chance meetings and overhearings....

A wonderful lady decides to help me carry my shopping, just as I am wondering what the hell I am doing here in this town. She carries half of it all the way up the hill we live on. She is incredibly kind, incredibly open and lives two doors down from me. It'll be wonderful if I can return the kindness, but that's really not the point. Thanks kind lady. Thanks God.

It turns out the Kingdom of God is like salt; scattered around to bring out the flavour of the food on which is scattered. Making the world tasty; bringing out the good flavours. Please I would like to be more like salt than a do-gooder. Please I don't want to be 'relevant' but rather like a light shining on people so that their true colours are revealed.

And God's answer to my ponderings on the disinterest of our generation in 'spirituality' ?
three young guys on High Town Road, having a (not-unpleasantly) heated discussion on the problems of religion. Ha ha. Yes. yes yes yes.

Robyn, if you're reading this, stop and pick up the damn phone.

2006-09-14T21:41:00.000Z

luton2006.blogspot.com

That's going to look pretty stupid in a few months.

House and jobs

2006-09-07T11:38:00.000Z

Harrow everybody!

>>>>>>A flashback<<<<<<

The first time I ever came to luton John and I were attending a Uni Open Day. After I had gone up to fitz college to wake John we missed the bus which was a shame. However we were saved by a nice man at the rail station who told us to get a train to hitchin and then some local buses from there. The real crux of the story is that when we got into luton we went for a dirty great fry-up in the market hall at the end of the arndale.

On monday 4th sept 2006, my first day of living in luton I achieved a pleasing element of symmetry by once again taking breakfast from the market hall at the end of the arndale. A bacon bap and a cup of tea is a nice way to begin living here.

>>>>>><<<<<<<<

I am now living in Luton and that is nice. However I am missing two elements of a "normal" existence. I ain't secured a job and i ain't secured a house.

There was a major dip in hope on monday when I phoned up the Borough Council who I had applied to work for and they said I didnt get an interview. Well that rocked me considerably because I had a fair amount of hope for getting the job and wanted it as well. I am not saying I have entirely dealt with the disappointment but Liz pointed out the fact that "You've only been rejected by one job!". Well done Liz. Bravo.

Also on monday I phoned up various letting agents to enquire about their properties and the general theme was that either the houses had already been let or their customer service was poor or both. This left me feeling despondant.

Today I am feeling positive because a letting agent just showed me round some nice houses and the service was quality. I also went into a few employment agencies and the permanent sections seemed like they might be able to get me a job.

In other news Liz and I went to see the sentinel at the flicks. It is a good film about the secret service protecting the US president and it made me want to be a spy and shoot bad guys.

Guess the rider...

2006-09-05T19:44:00.000Z

Someone is riding the Bucking Broncho at Buck Wilds in Luton - can you guess who it is? There's a prize for the first correct answer left in the comments section below.

I've got that tuesday feeling!

2006-08-29T18:11:00.000Z

How do?

The content of this blog will be three-fold:

1) Today, Tuesday 29th August 2006
2) Fasting
3) Jobs and Houses

1) Today we had a delightful day wandering through Luton. We searched (mostly unsuccessfully) for art materials and seeds and trowels.

Eventually we discovered Poundstretcher had seeds so we bought the shady collection. In this pack there were 30 bulbs to be planted Aug-Dec and they promise they will flower in various intervals from January til Jun. Amazing! If you want to go and check out our handiwork in the future then go to Dallow Road and opposite the Kiani Motors garage there is a spot of grassy land. And there you shall find beautiful blue, pink and yellow flowers!

The bulbs professionally held by ex-professional hand model Roxy S Hastings.

And here is Fiona digging like a good 'un. She claimed to be the best at planting the bulbs, and some might say "rightly so"

2) Today I am fasting which is a word for where you deliberately don't have something. Today I havent eaten any food yet. Predictably I am very hungry.

3) I am currently without a job or a house. I have put in an application for a Finance Officer job which I hope I get, I may be pretty good at it but I sometimes feel that some of my experience I put on my form isn't exactly what they are looking for.

Being without a house this week is bad because it means John and I feel a certain amount of unsettledness. We are really looking forward to getting a house. It also bad because it has meant housing all of our friends is trickier.

P.S Here is a "paparazzi" picture I took of Fiona talking on Monday night, where she said a whole heap of really good stuff about our generation. The picture profiles Emma's leg:

Come over to Luton weekday evenings

2006-08-26T16:52:00.000Z

Join us this week as a series of meetings at St Matthews Church in Wenlock Street in Luton launch our church plant. Each evening from 6.30-8pm we'll be praying, praising God and hearing about this adventure that is church. All are welcome to join us and to hear more about our community.

Meetings this week

Monday 28th August Fiona Green speaking
6.30pm | St Matthews | LU2 0NN

Tuesday 29th August Tim Anderson speaking
6.30pm | St Matthews | LU2 0NN

Wednesday 30th August Gerald Coates speaking
6.30pm | St Matthews | LU2 0NN

Thursday 31st August Gavin Shuker speaking
6.30pm | St Matthews | LU2 0NN

After we finish at around 8pm, we're going out in smaller groups to do evangelism around Luton.

Mind a blank

2006-08-26T00:14:00.000Z

LIVE BLOGGING THIS WEEK - CHECK BACK EACH DAY

Some observations from our first day of mission here in Luton. This evening two people came up to me who knew me from school, and I couldn't even remember their names. This was disappointing, as probably my only advantage when it comes to pub-evangelism is that other people recognise me from my misspent youth, and that means I at least don't have to start the conversation.

The realisation has set in that unless I can begin to recall people's names, others will realise that I have become a liabilty to the team, and I'll be disenthroned as the leader of the church. Any suggestions in the comments section below, please.

final applications

2006-08-17T09:09:00.000Z

Hi to all who read the blog - I met a couple of people at a wedding the other day who excliamed to my great surprise, 'Yes I know you from your blog...' Perhaps we should all behave a little more grown-up in future.

Okay, cutting to the chase - please let me know by Sunday 20th August if you fancy coming on the loveluton mission team. It runs from Friday evening to Thursday evening (25-31st August) and will cost you some prayer, some sleep and some money. For the fuller details, go to www.loveluton.org/loveluton.

That is all.

Jerry Springer the Opera

2006-08-16T02:30:00.000Z

I originally drafted this post on the 11th April 2006 after going to see Jerry Springer the Opera at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, but thought it best not to finish at that point so angry was I at what I saw as the hypocrisy and injustice of a number of people in the city, and further afield. I did not want to be rash in writing about this subject, saying things I would regret. So here it is, seasoned with salt, 4 months later, completed.

1. Jerry Springer the Opera, when filmed and aired by the BBC was the source of enough consternation to prompt Christian Voice ("The enemies of God are all having there say! It's time to hear the...") to release the names, mobile numbers and home addresses of a host of BBC employees (some more and others less) involved with the production of Jerry Springer the Opera. Many of those whose details were released received threatening phone calls and hate mail.

2. This week Jerry Springer the Opera was playing at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, with a scaled down touring cast and travelling set, it is their 9th of 20 venues. Initial ticket sales were low - perhaps a combination of the seasonal cycle of Cambridge's student population and the age of Jerry Springer the Opera as a show.

3. 16 senior evangelical church leaders from Cambridge jointly wrote and signed a letter to the Cambridge Evening News protesting at the showing of Jerry Springer the Opera and explaining part of the story of Jesus Christ. They were joined in their denounciatation on the opening night by a group of people protesting at the showing of the musical, handing out leaflets and holding placards.

4. At some time around the begining of the First Century, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified near Jerusalem in Palestine by the local Roman ruler, he died and, after three days, came to life again, after spending some time with those who had known him he physically went to be with his father, God to return when heaven and earth are renewed.

The main beef of Christian Voice, it seems, centres around a claim that Jerry Springer the Opera is offensive to Jesus Christ and to God, this too, aside from a very brief explanation of the Christian message, is the gist of the letter written by the Cambridge church leaders.

It is true that the Opera's most common word is "fuck", by a very large margine, it contains a portrayal of characters called both Jesus (who would readily be described as camp) and God (who remains unable to sort out the problems of the world beleagured by and squabbaling with a character called the Devil). Further to this the Jesus character is stylistically identified with a character appearing earlier in the Opera who is sexually aroused by dressing up like a baby, and if I remember correctly, shitting himself.

On the surface heinously offensive, but taking the Opera at this surface level is a severe mistake and to misunderstand it so throroughly as to render any assumptions made about it from this level wholey untrustworthy.

Essentially this piece is about post-modernity and being Jerry Springer, in fact at the very end of the Opera Jerry Springer has to adjudicate a conversation between God and the Devil and then summarise the verdict in his "Thought for the Day" - those with eyes to see will perceive that this is in fact a comment on ethics in a post-modern society and indeed could be seen to highlight the ridiculous therein. Within this the mimetic nature of post-modernity is explored, ie the way in which post-modern media driven culture borrows, borrows and borrows again images and themes changing their meaning and nature in different settings.

Nothing within the Opera can be taken as it stands if it is to be understood, and probably nothing either as it sits down or jumps around, it is a completely self-referencing and ironic piece. Even in the surface level of offence intentionally given it is making a point, or a number of points, about what is and is not considered offensive in our current society.

I ask what would Jesus find more offensive Jerry Springer the Opera, as it stands post-modern and ironically self-referential making comment on society in a way indeginous to that society indeed asking searching questions of that society, or a group of Christians who look merely at ther surface of a thing and without better trying to understand it, without taking the time to get to know the people behind it or even searching within the church to find those who might understand it, condemn it using Jesus' very name, threatening people with judgement on Jesus' return and declaring God offended by it and the people behind it, who he created.

For me the answer is obvious, and the hypocrisy of the stance of Christian Voice and the letter written by the 16 church leaders is something to be justly angry about. But I do not think the hypocrisy ends at this point, nor indeed the offense to Jesus.

I have lived in Cambridge for almost 5 years, 4 as a student and 1 as a member of the working population. In those years the only thing I have seen the church of the city do on the streets of Cambridge centre has been this. Buddhists regularly gather outside Monsoon to share their teaching, Hare Krishnas too walk up and down King's Parade talk to people about a different way of life - one more fulfilling. At some of the heights of the trouble our country continues to see the Islamic Society of the University had some people take to the streets to talk to people, reassuring them about Islamic culture and Muslims who form a part of our society. What do onlookers see of Christians, what do they hear of Jesus, that he is Lord? Do they hear the good news, or the gospel that Paul says but the uttering of will see the Spirit move? No, they hear that Jesus is offended, that something so petty as Jerry Springer the Opera could make him upset.

Jesus is offended, by Jerry Springer the Opera, Jesus is offended. JESUS IS OFFENDED?

While war and murder are endemic on this earth of ours, while the developed world suffers cultural bulimia with its heart disease and diet fads and food mountains, getting rich on selling arms and buying diamonds from the two-thirds world, while that very world starves, people so hopeless in thier poverty, created and reinforced by a thing we call the global economy. 30,000 children die every day of starvation. This, God help us, is just the tip of the iceberg of oppresion and evil in our broken, broken world in every part of our global society hurting people pile up longing, waiting, praying, groaning - for they cannot find the words - for something to free them.

Jesus is offended, really fucking offended. Jerry Springer the Opera? Where's the gospel, where's the Prince of Peace, where's the fiery prophet of first century Judaism, the Son of God, he died and rose and reigns at the right hand of God, a Just and Mighty God. Jesus Christ! People do need to know what He's offended by and about, and they need to know now. And I tell you: it is not by Jerry Springer the Opera.

"i love [enter text here]"

2006-08-15T20:32:00.000Z

Alone in a house this evening I invited Mr Zeitgeist round for a cup of tea as he can be very pleasant company. Over the tea we chatted about Bromhead's Jacket who he says it is said of are rising stars.

Then we went on the internet and, after steering me away from the pornography, he suggested we play a game, liking games I agreed.

To play the game the text "i love was entered into google.co.uk appended by the different texts below, the approximate number of web pages containing the compound text was observed for each, the data were recorded. It was a pretty fun game, Mr Zeitgeist said The Guardian liked to do it sometimes but a bit different. I asked him if his version was better and he said it was. Here follow the results of the game:

bromheads jacket" - 7
oasis" - 905
ass"/arse" - 19,700/26
the beatles" - 58,300
jesus" - 657,000
you" - 48,800,000

Mr Zeitgeist said it didn't prove anything, then I pointed out to him that really nothing can be proved.

In Simon & Julia Matthew's hottub.

2006-08-14T11:12:00.000Z

No really. Such hard work, this church-planting business.

Moving day (by Ruth 24/07)

2006-08-14T10:56:00.000Z

Monday 24th of July – The day when Mark Plane is one day older. Happy Birthday Mark!!!

For Gav, Liz and Fiona this was the big day for them to move into their new house, 131 Hitchin Road. And for the whole it was permanent fixing here in Luton, a significant house for all of us. We were without Liz and Mark today who were both in Cambridge, Mark at a One day, and Liz packing her stuff from Portugal Place. Gav and Fiona went to town to sort out final administrative bits, and pick up the keys to the house, while John found sunglasses, Laura found razors, and I tried to find swimwear.... After having met back up with the others we all went up to house. The house is very clear, with not much furniture, cream walls, and lots of space. Fiona was most excited about having a double bed. After the grand tour, Fiona and I went back to Cambridge to pack up my car with all of Fiona’s things – which fitted in just about perfectly. Gav in this time had done two loads of moving things around from Coverdale to number 131, and when we got back the house was starting to look lived in. Liz was back, with her Dad, and all her things. After a load of food shopping there was more moving to be done, from cars up the steep stairs in the house... We also built a table, and some chairs, however, one table was broken......

The kitchen especially was starting to take shape, slowly getting filled with a collection of implements and appliances. Up until this point it was going to be a ready steady cook challenge – with all the food you wanted, but using only some tongs, a sieve, three forks and four ramikins. After sorting the kitchen and epic cooking by John and Gav, we sat down to eat all together round the big table late evening. It was good to be all together, but with slight moments of forgetting where we are – like that feeling when you wake up in your tent and can’t remember where it was you put your tent up, that you could unzip the door and be anywhere, you start thinking of the different places that you could be. When you walk out of the door of number 131, we are very much in Luton now, foundations down. City Life Church has a house – horray!!

Mark's musings (27/07)

2006-08-14T10:30:00.000Z

This has been our last day altogether in Luton for this week. And that thought is exactly what is unsettling me so.

The next time I come to Luton it will hopefully be to move here for a foreseeable future. John and I hope to have a house by the 2nd week of August, we don't know where it will be yet but maybe we will find out on Friday.

I feel tired and my head is buzzing with thoughts. A recurring thought is how much I know who I am in Cambridge and what I do is known. I don't know how living in Luton is going to pan out or what contribution I will make to the team. I have been confronted this week by what we will do as a church; Reach out and introduce Jesus to our friends. This prospect has slapped me round the face like a wet smelly fish.

There have been many thoughts to accompany these like: what if I cant be bothered? what if it doesn't work? am I really up for this? in the knowledge that I get my energy from being alone, am i doing the right thing?
No doubt these questions will be answered in the fullness of time.

Suddenly I see....

2006-08-08T18:26:00.000Z

After an amazing few days spent in Luton with the church plant team, and then a trip to portugal for a camping extravaganza in Gav's mansion tent, I am here in our new house in Luton. Everybody's out; so its just me and this crazily new-fangled digital TV affair in the living room. Today I watched a programme that was recorded on the digi thing, and that I could stop and rewind and stuff. Crazy.

My favourite thing about the last two weeks has been that they have been so teeming with richness that I can't get a handle on it. Which is really good for me, one so adept at weaving imaginative and perceptive narratives out of my experiences. Such weaving is inherent to our humanity; our lives are ones of endlessly reframed experience and storytelling...and I think its wonderful. Perhaps the point where its not so wonderful is where we tell the same story, over and over and over, never allowing our experiences to breathe fresh life onto the storires we tell, or indeed, refusing to acknowledge that when we tell a story we are always imaginatively reframing reality in the most dynamic way, and that even as we tell stories about 'who we are' (as if, even for a moment, we were static) we are changing.
Its not inauthentic to realise that I am choosing who I am becoming. My life is not the discovery of some beaten-out track that is my 'essential' self; the one that God has carved in some horrendously immovable rock somewhere. Rather, I am moving and growing and popping out and around everywhere in the most unexpected ways because my life is ever on the most wondrous collision course with everyone I ever meet and best of all, with my God. And in all this, I choose how I see these relationships, how I am in them. And I choose to see that nothing is irredeemable, nothing is fixed except that Jesus defeated every thing at the cross and that in doing so he opened up every redemptive possibility ever. And maybe in my chatter about 'choosing' I sound like a bit of an existentialist; but truth be told I am not one of these idealogues, because in my God there are many unfathomable paradoxes to be found, which means I don't have to anchor myself to any idealogy or theory or theological standpoint. I believe I am choosing what my life becomes in the most dynamic way, and yet I also believe that God knows the future. My future. Which is utterly irrational. Nonsensical even. But this is it, this Christianity.

So like I said, I can't get a handle on 'what's going on with me'. And I feel light and free in it, which is good. But there is something, something deeply forged and I can feel that I am able to choose it if I want, but also - cos like I said, I ain't no existentialist - it is going on in all other kinds of ways like at the heart of God, and in the Holy Spirit which lives inside me, and in the way that people are around me, both my friends and new acquaintences and even strangers on the street, and maybe even in the prayers and longings of my friends for a long time now......And it is something like, a strength...a letting go of, I don't even know what. Fear. Hmm. And this place....this Luton, is the site of the gathering storm in my heart. Once upon a time, I chose it. And now it has shaped me. I can't be anywhere else right now. God talked to me about it, and others felt it too. And I chose it. And now it has chosen me and I need to do this thing. Plant this church. In this moment. And tomorrow; who knows? There maybe a time when this isn't the thing, and I go, somewhere...

Emerging church in Curry House shame

2006-07-24T07:55:00.000Z

City Life Church Luton are pictured wearing Versace. Many thanks to the India Ocean, Sundon Park Luton for their kind assistance during the photo shoot.

It Begins

2006-07-23T22:53:00.000Z

Very hot day, a few more clouds today. The London Transport Network crumbled, seemingly with my weight, as I trod platforms and escalators, waiting for trains that were never to come. First Capital Connect are nobheads, Gavin proved it recounting a question that had been posed in the House of Commons yesterday asking if the governement's descion to give the Thameslink and WAGN services to a company who's business model was transporting fewer people for bigger profits was really such a good one. All this an aside. We arrived fairly tired, abruptly too - at least it seemed to me. It turns out we would all like some space to be ourselves, no surprise you might think, yet my own admission of such had me pretty confused. We talked about what we will do this week, planned, usually such activities turn out to be quite fun but a meal awaited our conclusion and I for one was very hungry. The Indian Ocean, a restraunt of the Asian persuasian, was the best I've been to in the south of our green and pleasant land. We had decided to feast, and this we did with conversation and a pint or four and a half of Kingfisher, fruit juice for three of the four girls and a pint of cola for Mark who is driving back to Cambridge tonight, carrying on a lifestyle Jed Bartlet would wince at the prospect of. Liz accompanies him having committed to finishing packing her room, that when her Dad arrives at 1.30 tomorrow she will be ready to leave, an exception to the rule apparently. She along with Gavin and Fiona move into their house in Luton tomorrow, Mark, Ruth and I remain unhoused - Laura training for the Nursing corp is provided with student accomodation near the station. Well, it has begun, quite what I don't know. Day one.

Bed now, tired.

Oh before we go, the night was topped by a little artistic expression, eventually pictures of pigs were drawn.

"I eat shit"? Fiona did it.

www.loveluton.org

2006-07-11T15:37:00.000Z

The day is rapidly approaching where we will be the leadership team of a church, rather than the team that will plant a church. It all feels more real and like God is giving us more authority to be who he is calling us to be. One milestone is getting a proper website url. I know it's probably quite a silly one, but a milestone none the less that reflects the change and disruption that is going on. More here.

How to look like your favourite biblical character

2006-07-06T09:47:00.000Z

Take one scarf (must have tassles). Wrap around face as demonstrated...

Sinking

2006-07-01T19:42:00.000Z

It’s all been a bit quiet round here of late - sorry about that. We’ve obviously been working very hard trying to prepare a church plant. Either that or the hot weather has given us all the work-ethic of a Jamaican on a Bacardi advert.

We’ve just been kicked out of the world cup on penalties (not the plant-team, rather the England squad). Have you ever had the feeling of sinking inevitability? I get it when I’ve done something wrong and have to own up, or when something i’ve really hoped for suddenly looks unlikely. I think it is my least favourite feeling.

We had a bit of a disappointment recently when the house we had hoped to rent fell through. It was quite a hard situation as it looked fairly in the bag, and when it did fall though I think we all felt a bit let-down. When I saw the little missed call sign on my phone, I had that sinking feeling. I knew that the house had fallen through and there was nothing I could do about it even before I listened to the message. Sinking inevitability.

The house hunt, with a couple of weeks to go is, to be honest, a little bit imbibed with this emotion. The places we have seen are all quite samey, with little in the way of reception space or office space for me to work from. I’m left with the question of how you forget what could have been? The place we had lined up was perfect in every way - location, space and size. The truth is, whatever house we go for won’t be as good.

It’s fine, obviously. And disappointment heals up over time. If I was feeling profound I would draw parallels with disappointment in my own life, how God fixes us up and the like, but I’m not. I’m still recovering from a sinking-sense-of-inevitability-hangover from England’s earlier performance.

Leaving Party, early notice...

2006-06-25T12:38:00.000Z

RIVER BAR+KITCHEN Cambridge, Saturday 15th July at 8pm. Beautiful people. Beautiful venue. Beautiful Luton. Look for your invite in the post... and don't tell anyone but there's a free bar.

A week

2006-05-17T13:27:00.000Z

This past week has contained two of the most disappointing moments of my life.

On Wed May 10 Middlesbrough FC were in their first major European final against Sevilla. After going 1-0 down in the first half to a good goal, we had a good chance and an appeal for a penalty denied. After that Sevilla ran riot and eventually won 4-0. It matters to me because part of me is wrapped up in Middlesbrough FC. It's probably not going to be the last european final we ever reach but to get so far and to come away with a 4-0 defeat hurts.

On Sun May 14 City Life FC were playing a cup final at Histon FC's home stadium. It was great to play in a proper stadium with some great support. We went 1-0 up when Faz scored from the penalty spot. C3 equalised late in normal time so we went through to 30 mins extra time. With no additional goals in extra time the game was decided on penalties. I volunteered to take a penalty and was given the 5th and last penalty. With the scores level I was gutted to hit the bar with my strike and then the next penalty sealed the win for C3.

Taking the commiserations of the C3 players, my team-mates and the crowd was an odd experience. I could hardly believe it had happened this way. I had decided the night before how i was going to take a penalty and i stuck to the plan but got to much loft on it. Another odd experience was looking out over the pitch when the floodlights had gone off and there was no one else about.

I had decided to allow how much God loves me to motivate me for the match and out on the pitch it was great to experience how much God loves me. On the train on monday I was pondering how much God loves and realised he loves me so much it hurts on the inside.

I was talking to Dave and telling him I would take a penalty again and I appreciate how much God loves me more after living through these experiences. Still, thinking about these disappointments makes me feel sick.

What is courage?

2006-05-02T00:11:00.000Z

On our last weekend away I decided to be brave. For too long I've missed out on doing things because I've been too scared. A lot of the time I didn't even know what I was scared of, I just didn't want to be scared. While we were away together, talking and learning and sharing in each others lives, I decided that I didn't want to obey my fear, I wanted to defy it. So I did some things that scared me. First I jumped on the trampoline, then I swam in the sea at night, and finally I got baptised. Actually, I don't think that was the "and finally" moment - I've got a feeling it might just be the beginning of something good.

And here it is...listen carefully for Gav's new baptism liturgy.

(And thanks to Ruth for filming it.)

How could it possibly happen again?!?!?!

2006-04-28T12:05:00.000Z

After an incredible victory in the quarter finals, Middlesbrough FC were playing Steaua Bucuresti in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup.

The first leg in Romania ended with a 1-0 defeat for the Boro.

With a sell-out at the Riverside the stage was set for another great night of European football. Teesside was rocked as the Romanians scored 2 goals within the first 24 minutes.

Where lesser teams might have crumbled, Boro got back into the match when Mark Viduka played in Massimo Maccarone to angle a drive high into the net.

Into the second half Mark Viduka powered in a header and Chris Riggott scrambled in the third goal of the night.

All that was left was for Massimo Maccarone to head in a Stewart Downing cross to send the boro crowd mental.

Another perk of the evening was that Gavin has taped the whole match on his clever little digital tv USB box so it is preserved for ever on disc.

For some incredible audio check this link.

http://www.100centuryfm.com/Article.asp?spid=&id=208039
Century FM's Alastair Brownlee and his delightful tones.

Proper Bo!

Goals: Dica 16, Goian 24, Maccarone 33, Viduka 64, Riggott 73, Maccarone 89.

Agg: (4-3)

Att: 34,622

The Railway Children

2006-04-26T11:06:00.000Z

Maybe it was prophetic - the film in The Times on Monday was specially for Laura and Fiona, The Railway Children!

Come on boro!

2006-04-07T10:24:00.001Z

In keeping with the discussion of top notch football teams on these pages, it came to my attention that Middlesbrough FC staged one of the most remarkable comebacks of footballing history in the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup.

After a 2-0 first leg defeat Boro were truly up against it, a plight which wasnt helped when Basle scored midway through the first half. (Aggregate score 0-3) This goal meant Boro had to score 4 because a 3-3 aggregate score would send Basle through on account of their away goal.

A slim glimmer of hope shone through when Mark Viduka equalised later in the first half. (Aggregate score 1-3)

Hope bubbled up when Viduka struck for the second time early in the second half. (Aggregate score 2-3)

Hope was simmering when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink "collected the ball 25 yards out and, with hardly any backlift, powered in an unstoppable shot." (Aggregate score 3-3)

Joy exploded when substitute Massimo Maccarone slid in the winner in the last minute of play. (Aggregate score 4-3)

Proper BO!

All in all a great night of european football and Boro play Steaua Bucuresti in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.

Maccarone completes Mission Impossible - The Times
Middlesbrough heroes step up to stage incredible comeback - The Daily Telegraph
MAC FROM THE DEAD - The Sun
SUB MACCARONE SEALS MIRACLE BORO COMEBACK - Daily Mirror
Maccarone miracle for Boro in UEFA Cup - Daily Mail

Thurs Apr 6 2006
UEFA Cup
Middlesbrough 4 - 1 Basle R

A Eduardo Da Silva 23
M Viduka 33
M Viduka 57
J Hasselbaink 79
M Maccarone 90

Bookings:
C Riggott 24
M Maccarone 90

Bookings:
D Majstorovic 52
D Degen 58
P Zuberbuhler 90

Sent off:
D Majstorovic 73

Hot Off the Press: John clears up sick!

2006-04-04T09:08:00.000Z

Newsflash! Newsflash!

Picture the scene, Liz is babysitting Alex (she is very good at it and it is one of her particular skills) and he is mostly playful, bobbing along to Bob the Builder.

After his nap he didnt seem particularly perky and not quite himself. We were getting ready to take him home and were stood in the hallway when i turned him round to walk out the door when bam.....

The world is looking for a hero, and dressed in Lucie's welly-boots and a tea-towel face mask John stepped up.

He excellently dealt with the sick and then went to work on the rug and the carpet. I couldnt really tolerate the sicky smell so I was mostly looking up "getting sick out of carpet" recipes on the internet. The top hits were vinegar and ammonia solution. We tried the vinegar but surprisingly couldnt put our hands on any ammonia!

Our first letter

2006-04-03T22:28:00.000Z

Oops!

MMMMMMMadrid

2006-03-29T17:15:00.000Z

Over the weekend of 17-19 March we were in Madrid.

The contacts:

Roxy, a "friend" of John's, a student from Cambridge Uni doing a year out in Madrid. Simon, used to be part of Open Heaven Loughborough and is now planting church in Madrid.

The digs:

Roxy's house with Quini, Fonso and Ruben. Roxy is a most excellent host doing lots of cleaning, providing nice biscuits and a pigs leg sitting on the kitchen table.

The sights:

The monastry in El Escorial where John posed like this:

The Kings Palace in Madrid where we played cricket with a copy of The Economist and an Orange.

The Cathedral where we sheltered from the rain.

The Parrot Bar where I saw the parrot do a poo.

The Bull Bar where we saw footage of a Bull jumping into the stands.

The language:

Previously all i could say in spanish was "donde esta la supermerciado?"
Here are some phrases i picked up
"Hola"
"Si"
"Soy Ingles"
"Tengo biente dos anos"

You may or may not notice i cant really spell good in spanish!!!

The food:

Beautiful chorizo, pigs ears, croquettes, pimientos de padron (little spicy chillis), paella, natillas, pollo (chicken)

The drinks:

Sangria and Cerveza, nuff said!

The bear:

"El Oso y El Madroño"

We have two stories that you can choose to believe:

a) The bear is the source of all knowledge and Roxy has gone on a pilgrimage to touch the bears hind paws.

b) The bear is the source of a lot of controversy. There are a variety of suggestions as to what the bear is eating, probably strawberries. No one really knows why the bear is there. This begs the question:

Would you dare to stare at the bear with no hair?

Roxy says bears used to live in Madrid but now they have all moved to Malaga where there is more sun. QED!

Hasta Luego! Pronunciation: Asta Loowaygo!

One day in Luton

2006-03-27T11:44:00.000Z

Very Street.

The view from the stands.

John and Gavin try and work out who is playing in white.

Fiona discovers 'Irish Dancing' in the listings section.

Lit up at night, Luton Town Hall. Beautiful.

Thank you for listening

2006-03-26T19:17:00.000Z

It is something I probably realised back when we spent a weekend in the Irenie Centre near Northampton, maybe a month ago now. I say 'probably' because in thinking about something that thing is changed like cats in safes and the quantum, and in being aware of it too it comes into sharper relief, connects with other things, begins to explain as well as be an explanation. I am going to have so much difficulty in explaining and describing what this thing is beyond saying it quite simply, that:

The greatest influence on the development of who we are as individuals is that thing which we are going to do, namely planting a church in Luton.

Writing it down it seems at once so obvious and too so vague I have almost given up hope (yet again) of writing about it. But I will say, as much for myself as any other, it is the most profound thing I have realised about us and what we are going to do upto this point.

God created us a vast expanse of potential and possibility bested in our infinity only by God himself, such is the reflection of his image. Yet it is in this moment, this very present that there is a particular call, a road to a destination on which potential becomes reality and possibility is filled out with life.

It is as if God says stand and a skeletal frame forms out of ether and primordial jelly, then he says run and muscles which will punch through walls and swim oceans form around the waiting bones as they ease into motion.

This thing we are a part of is bigger than us, so much bigger, but at the same time it is us, and as we approach it we are shaped by it, God speaks us into life. Without us it could not be, without it nor could we be as we are.

We learn to fly that we may seed great clouds of thunder, we learn to sing that avalanches will begin in distant mountains. The Holy Spirit laughs as he whips us round in this wild dance of life.

God's will in Luton, or his plan, or his call, God's Luton is so strong that as we come nearer to it it changes who we are.

I hope you understand something of what I mean.

Thank you for listening.

Saturday afternoon on the stands...

2006-03-13T17:11:00.000Z

On Saturday we went to Luton for a day away together, to talk about evangelism and pray. Once we'd arrived at Jude's house, we talked for a bit, and prayed, and ate a lovely lunch.
Then Gav got out the maps; and as any good Christian knows, this can mean only one thing: prayer walk time.

In general I am quite a one for walking and praying, but on this particular {very cold} day, with only 6 hours sleep and no scarf to keep my pasty neck warm, I couldn't feel less like a sodding prayer walk.
But I needn't have despaired.
Gav was infact suggesting that we walk to an exciting surprise location; none other than......... the football ground! Yes indeed, he had purchased all of us tickets to see Luton Town versus Leicester City!

We were all delighted, and we raced to the stadium in two cars, girls versus boys. I don't think the boys knew we were racing though, and the competition mostly consisted of me singing 'girls versus boys' the whole way there. And the boys got there first.

We lost the match (2-1), apparently played quite badly, and drank nice tea and bovril. I enjoyed standing next to Mark, who was passionate and knowing of the rules, and shouted authoritatively but not aggressively.

There was also something brilliant about hearing thousands of people shouting 'COME ON LUTON!'

It was a great day. Thanks guys.

And it was only February!

2006-03-02T17:32:00.000Z

Jeremie and I in the garden at home last weekend with a Haiwiian snowman!!

Show me a little freaking respect

2006-03-01T16:56:00.000Z

How to make loved-up pizzas

2006-03-01T14:26:00.000Z

Picking up the baton from Jamie & Delia, Mark & Liz present a recipe!

Take the pizza base mix packet and roll it out into appropriately shaped pizzas, in the case hearts for St Valentines Day.

Cover the bases in tomato puree, or for an interesting twist use salsa.

Get John to slice the mozzarella thus.

Apply the mozzarella to the cheesy bases.

Apply the meat of choice, bacon.

Get your mate Dave to be in attendance.

In a pleasing addition, be crazy and crack an egg into a biscuit mould upon the pizza.

And there we go. Do try this at home kids!

Bromhead Boys

2006-03-01T12:20:00.000Z

The Bromheads were down last weekend. Me Fiona and John got in on the guestlist, meaning our first trip to Anglia Ruskin University's classy student bar. Unfortunately the beer was costly though the Jacket were great. Our favourite song, at the risk of offending Laura, Ruth and for that matter, little fittie Lucie Moore, is reprinted below.

Wooley Bridge

Surrey girls like tight jeans
Right up tight against their skin
Take you home to the dark
And show you what's in

Aith glasses bigger than her face
She's off to get her whats-it waxed
Find out there's some bags she wanted
from Harvey Nicks

Cause she's only thinking about number one again
But she won't listen cause her Samsung is ringing, hold on!

Surrey girls like their boys
with lots of cash to buy them toys
A Porsche or a Merc will do
Turn heads with the noise

Sprayed on tan and new lip gloss
She is off to meet the boss
Three little kids he's got
But she just don't care

Cause she's only thinking about number one again
But she won't listen cause her Samsung is ringing, hold on!

Woolley Bridge, Woolley Bridge
Where it came clear to me
You need love, you need love
But you're wasting time
Over now Surrey girl
I can't really show you how
Give you love, give you love
And I'll waste your time

In her time she's learnt some tricks
Forty licks and bamboo sticks
She is queen here right now
Boy, you'll be numb

That figure ain't just by luck
Atkins Diet, nip and tuck
Hours on the treadmill
And yes she gives a good f...

Cause she's only thinking about number one again
But she won't listen cause her Samsung is ringing, hold on!

Woolley Bridge, Woolley Bridge
Where it came clear to me
You need love, you need love
But you're wasting time
Over now Surrey girl
I can't really show you how
Give you love, give you love
And I'll waste your time

And now it seems that I have fallen for a Surrey girl
And she has promised she won't leave me for another girl
And now at night we lie and hold each other really tight
And then we promised there that we would be the only ones
The only ones...

Woolley Bridge, Woolley Bridge
Where it came clear to me
You need love, you need love
But you're wasting time
Over now Surrey girl
I can't really show you how
Give you love, give you love
And I'll waste your time

http://www.bromheadsjacket.com/Tunes/WoolleyBridge.mp3

A response, not a reaction

2006-02-13T10:04:00.000Z

Hey, I said in answering Jeff's question (see the 'book recommendation' post) that I'd blog something about church not being a reaction but a response. It's a view that I think I've articulated for a couple of years now and has been shaped by seeing church-planting that has been quite odd in its outlook, in a number of places.

In Luton less than one percent of 18-30 year olds go to church. That's about 330 people, in a city of 185,000. At the same time, we struggle to engage with this group through meaningful and fruitful evangelism. That's not a criticism - I know that it's hard! In my job, I see the difficulty of this task every day. This is the situation, and the situation is bad. There is considerably more going on with almost every other age-group church wise, than this one.

I think the challenge to us is to engage with this situation, and I term this the 'response'. How do we turn around those statistics? How do we make evangelism amongst young adults a priority? I think the answer is long and multi-faceted, but for me, it seems crazy that one of those responses will not be church planting. That is a responsable engagement with the issues leading to a respectable part of the solution. This is good, healthy, and at the end of the day, sustainable.

The other root of church planting is the 'reaction'. Churches become defined by what they are not; planted by people who are fed-up with existing models of church or the leaders in those churches, or the seeming unwillingness in those churches to listen to their agendas.

Church planting as a reaction to other churches sucks. Not just in the ultimate sense, but for the people they are reacting against, for the people actually planting them and the people they come into contact with. Many of these are to a lesser or greater extent churches planted in rebellion. And I don't think that is sustainable. When you hit the dificult stuff, the answer to 'Why are we doing this?' ends up being, because all the other churches are crap. That is not a good place to find yourself!

When we inevitably hit trouble I want us to answer the question very differently. For starters I don't think the other churches are crap. I think we have some valueable stuff to bring to the party. I don't think every church should have the same agenda as ours. I think that our agenda is valid.

I don't want to plant something that is a reaction to the present church scene, taking every insecurity we have as a group and projecting it on something as prescious as the church. I want to see a situation where more people have been on a 'club18-30' holiday than a church in the past year transformed - and that's why planting needs to be a response not a reaction.

Of frozen ponds and half-eaten rolls

2006-02-10T14:54:00.000Z

Six of us spent a saturday in Luton a couple of weeks ago. Though sadly bereft of Ruth who was at 'the Junction' (passim.) we had a spiffing time.

We arrived just after midday, five came from Cambridge in a car, one from London on the train. After meeting at the station the more lazy amongst us (?) took a ride straight up to Jude's house, Laura, Mark and I began to walk that way.

It was a cold bright day, while Laura and Mark talked I became distracted by a long, frozen pond which I decided to throw stones into. At the round-about near the cricket ground we found some thick patches of ice that still hadn't been touched by the sun, so we played the sliding game - Mark outdoing us both by performing a skid on his hands.

We were picked up by Gav further up the hill and found that, while he had bought lunch at Tesco's, Fiona and Liz were having fun too - Fiona throwing herself on the floor in a field and getting her new pink gloves dirty. Piling in the car, with a great deal of complaint from the smallest and most anxious of our group, we drove on to Jude's house 2 minutes away.

What a great place to be, a lot of forming time has already been spent there by most of the people on the team, and to sit in the big sofas drinking tea and eating biscuits (kindly supplied by Laura, or maybe Jude,) gave me a strange perspective on the journey we've been on over the last two, three, four years.

We had come to spend some time in Luton and talk about how we saw relationships and their values in the context of church. We did a bit of meditation about some Bible narratives and then started chatting around a few themes. What was said I think is for somebody else to relate, but the afternoon was punctuated by lunch, a notable event of which was Mark selecting a sandwich from a plate, taking a bite and replacing it on the plate deciding he didn't like it. This behavior he termed 'acceptable'.

After talking further, and seeing the house's owner briefly as she came in and went out, we set off to do some prayer walking. Splitting into two groups we decided to meet down at The Moathouse where we would eat £4.95 carvery, mmm. Mark, Laura and I said we would tough it out again and walked there, while Gav, Fiona and Liz drove to the area and did some walking around.

The three of us chatted most of the way, arrived early and went out again to do some slightly more explicit praying. By the close of play I was cold and hungry, keen to hurry Laura and Mark to the pub where Liz, Fiona, Gav and three kinds of roast meat awaited us. Fiona caught the coach home, the rest of us were driven by Gav and we picked her up again at Drummer Street in Cambridge.

I quite forgot: I took the picture on the way to the The Moathouse. Luton you are beautiful.

www.thejourney.org.uk

2006-02-09T09:49:00.000Z

Phil told me yesteday he'd copied and pasted my blog to make an article for The Journey website! So it's on www.thejourney.org.uk - not that you have to read it again, but he's put up more photos which are quite fun to look at, including proof of me in shorts in January!

We had our first Alpha last night, the launch was last week, where we had about 40 people, Journey peeps and guests. And 20 signed up. So in discussions re weekend away for September and next February, we're thinking we're gonna be too big for the Ichthus prayer house - i reckon that's a good problem to have!!

Book recommendation

2006-02-06T14:50:00.000Z

As unlikely as it seems, (me recommending a book that is) I have been reading one that will be very interesting to anyone with an interest in church planting or emerging churches. It's called, rather disappointingly, 'Emerging Churches' and is published in the UK by SPCK. The authors are Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger and I got my copy off Amazon.

What I like about this book is it takes a sociological set of skills to the question of what the emerging church really is. Most books I have read on this topic are from an inspirational or prophetic viewpoint - in other words, lots of hyperbole and not much substance. The authors of this book interviewed about 50 church leaders in both the US and the UK to try and understand what is common in the so called 'emerging church'. It's also fun to spot quotes from people we know.

Without spoiling the ending like I did the other day with the Sixth Sense, Gibbs and Bolger argue:

- that the emerging church is not the same as 'gen-x' church, or 'seeker friendly' church, or 'house' church
- emerging churches are trying to create missional community in postmodern culture
- that modern churches can't house post-modern expressions in the same structure

And that emerging churches all share:

- an emphasis on the 'kingdom' (in other words where modern churches are mainly interested in Jesus' death and resurection, emerging churches realise that we can learn much from the way Jeus lived before he died)
- a tearing down of secular and sacred space (modern churches seek to bring people into a sacred space while emerging churches seek to make all secular spaces sacred by bringing God into them)
- a desire to live as community (church isn't a service but a community)

For most of us this is not earth shattering, but it is really interesting to read about ourselves, if you know what I mean. Gibbs and Bolger extend these themes and offer stories and illustrations that give a clearer handle on the movement and what has caused church to move in this direction. Worth the £10 cover price for the discription of the Nine O'Clock Service alone, this book comes highly recommended.

Bruce Willis was dead from the start.

The Junction

2006-02-03T10:03:00.000Z

I can't get the photos to go into the text like Liz did so nicely, so here are a selection. I don't think i can even get captions because it'll just put then all somewhere else!! Hmmm. Anyway, here are photos from the weekend, including crazy worhsip! I hope at some point you will get to meet my chums.

2006-02-03T09:45:00.000Z

The Junction : The Journey weekend away 2006.

We had forty people at the weekend, and despite a number of setbacks, it was incredible.

We had Ali Wilson (Open Heaven, Loughborough) and Tim Stone (River, Marlow) come to cook for the weekend, but on Friday night the food car was delayed, so when we arrived at the Ichthus Prayer Centre in London it was straight into a session, with musical worship and a short talk by Vicky Earll (The Journey, The Green). We then had tea, lasagne to be precise, at about 11pm! Didn’t get to bed (‘bed’) till 3, and then up at 7.30 for a team meeting.

Judith Forster (River, Maindenhead) was supposed to be coming to speak to us on Saturday but couldn’t make it, so Debbie Forster (Ichthus Trust, London) did a sessions on creation and freedom, with music, and ministry. This term at The Journey we’re looking at the whole area of sexuality, which is a huge, and sometimes challenging area to cover. The weekends teaching was based around this topic as well, and values, and freedom…]

Saturday afternoon we had The Conversations, which were groups chatting about stuff [I did the intro to these, and did the whole contrast of discussions and dialogues – they liked that!!] Groups were talking about sexual experiences, homosexuality, and healthy relationships. With a bit of free time, we then had Cell Time, where I explained about the importance of cell and their purpose, and people got together in cell groups to chat about ideas for Big Cell, and cell stuff/weekend stuff.

In the evening we had musical, writing and Psalms worship, and a talk by Heather D (River, Maidenhead), using the onions and layers clip from Shrek – she talked about her testimony and how we have different layers, how they got there, and how to break them. There was a longer time of ministry, and there were other people from Maidenhead there to pray and speak and things.

Then we had a cabaret, which was hilarious! Another late night and early morn.

Sunday morning Phil Simcock (The Journey, The Green) and I did a session on discipleship and mentoring, and I talked through our spheres of discipleship out, and spheres of discipleship in. We then did some musical and dance worship. Vicky then shared some round up stuff from the weekend, and more about freedom and values, and then we had a big sharing time. This was amazing. We were supposed to leave at 2 and didn’t leave till about 5 because people had so many stories and testimonies and just stuff to share about the weekend and life.

We cleared up and went home. My cell met on Monday evening - sharing stories from the weekend to the people that weren’t there and chatting about God’s faithfulness. They’re well fired up about the Alpha launch and Big Cell next week!!

Highlights for me were

- Looking around and thinking ‘I love my church, I love Jesus’

- One of the Maidenhead crew on Sat eve prophesying something over me the same as what someone else had said last summer, and the implications of that

- Hearing the stories, and seeing the changes and realisations of values in people I’ve seen grow over the past two years

- Moments like hearing stories, when the tiredness and all the hard work feel so worth it. People’s lives are so messed up, the devil is a liar and it’s only Jesus that can fix all the mess. So many testimonies - God is so good, I love my church.

- Spending good time with good people, having good food, and running into a set of metal chairs when trying to catch a disc.

One of the biggest learning curves for me at the weekend was that I did a song at the cabaret, and I felt so alone up front, and as if everyone was watching me. The truth was that I was alone and everyone was watching me, and when I sat down, I was shacking with nervousness. All weekend I was in charge of musical worship, and I was playing with a band I hadn’t played with before, and I was really nervous, but it all came together and worked really well. Even when I have to lead worship by myself, when I have to stand up front by myself, I’m not alone at all, and people aren’t watching me. I knew this before, but hadn’t fully realised it. Doing the music at the weekend was so much fun, because I was able to be invisible and worship my creator as well.

The shout went for everyone to jump – and yes I was first off the mark!!

Gavi

2006-01-27T22:20:00.000Z

Last Thursday after cell, some of us went for a curry at India Palace, a really good curry house on Newmarket Road. After some tasty main courses and refreshing hot towels the nice waiter brought us the dessert menu. Now I don't tend to order dessert in Indian restaurants, apart from the occasional 'seasonal' fresh mango. Our local curry house at home does the best mango ever, but that's a different story. Previous joy has been brought from desert menus in Indian restaurants by the "fantastica individual", what a name for a pudding. The wonder this time, however, came from discovering the final item on the menu...the Gavi. The blurb underneath the image tells us of what delight the Gavi has in store for us..."Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream filled in a beautifully crafted cup". It wasn't long before I decided to order the Gavi, John had a Fantastica, and we waited in anticipation for the sugary goodness of our puddings. We were not to be disappointed. When the Gavi arrived we were overjoyed. Laughter filled the air. Fiona told the nice waiter why we were laughing. I wanted to keep the Gavi cup, but apparently that would've been naughty. Gav especially liked the lovey Gavi cup. The best thing of all is that when it came to paying the bill, the nice waiter gave me the Gavi cup for free. That was very kind, and makes we want to go back and take lots of my friends.Then we can all get Gavi cups, and maybe no-one will notice if I sneak one out. (That's obviously a joke, incase you were wondering.) Anyway, sorry for not being as serious as other people yet. I just thought you'd all like to share in the joy of the Gavi cup. If you want to get one yourself you'll have to head on down to India Palace and see the nice waiter man.

This weekend we were realising potential

2006-01-24T23:26:00.000Z

Just a quick post to let you know what we were up to this weekend. Myself, Fiona and John joined our friends in St Albans to work on devising an exciting new course. A pre-Alpha, if you like. A course that helps assess your gifts, passions, and desires. The idea is that we (me, fiona, whatever) go in for a few sessions into an existing bunch of friends or cell mates, do the exercises with them and then move on. It's meeting a felt need - finding a way to give something helpful to non-christians.

Things I enjoyed about this weekend:
- staying with Liz West, what a wonderful woman, what a joyful house
- getting away with friends, staying with people who know and like me
- the course is good; really good and it will work very well
- being able to talk about myself (the good bits) and feel affirmed
- learning all the good bits about other people

In seeking to plant church that engages with 18-30s that don't normally engage with church, we are going to have to get creative. This course does that... and that gives me a warm feeling in my toes.

The E Word

2006-01-21T01:53:00.000Z

Evangelism. Here's the story:

Four months ago, six young church planters sit in a room, feeling pretty intimidated by the prospect of talking to people about the thing they love most in the world. Overshadowing them is the mighty tension that looms over the dreaded E word whenever it is mentioned, in everything but the silently whispered prayer in which we articulate our longing for our closest friends to know Jesus....

-We know that people coming to know Christ is about a JOURNEY; one which can go on for many years. The journey is about friendship. And friendship doesn't shove the 'God solution' in the face of every problem; it doesn't push the friend to come to church, hoping that the 'worship time' will make the person cry and accept God, IT JUST LOVES THEM wherever they are at, in some magical paradox of expecting God to move in their friends life, but expecting nothing of their friend. It's beautiful and real and full of love and grace and genuine genuine friendship like the sort Jesus did. It is as far away from number crunching evangelism as you can get; it brings people into church community and promises to love them as unconditionally as it can.

The down side is: it's ultimately paralysing.

The people (it's us, if you haven't got it yet) begin to see the their 'friendship evangelism' lifestyle as being utterly opposed to evangelistic activities, which involve verbal proclamation of the gospel, particularly to strangers. So they don't do it, ever. They build fantastic church community, do brilliant discipleship with existing believers, and are fantastically welcoming to the few atheistics and agnostics who manage to connect into church community through believing friends; but ultimately, they never go out and preach the gospel.

So, to abruptly switch narratorial style and focus....
Four months ago, leaving university and seeing all my non christian friends disappear from my local community, I realised I was living in a Christian ghetto.

Nightmare.

Obviously, Christianity would always be my ghetto of choice; I love my church and this community is a powerfully transforming one, full of love. But in the Bible, Jesus did make quite a point of sending his mates out to tell people about him. And witnessing the chasm between the wonderful riches we have in our church community, the love and freedom which we have, even when we are so far from being perfect; and the crap in the world- the fear and the fakeness and pain, convinces me that we need to go out and start sharing this beautiful God we have found.

So God starts to teach me and the five other church planters about how preaching the gospel is both about going on people's journey's with them, AND about doing evangelistic activity. I think perhaps God just made us free. We started doing evangelistic stuff, talking to strangers in pubs, giving mince pies in the street, and running film nights; and it was fun. Genuinely, as in, I want to do this stuff. It's scary, but it's exciting. Getting in on people's journeys, seeing what God throws your way, knowing that at any moment He could use you to reveal something of the truth, but NOT FEELING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRUTH OR FOR COMMUNICATING IT. Not feeling responsible for people's journeys, just enjoying them for who they are; being free to experience them without any agenda, except to share a bit of the love you've grasped. Always knowing though, that you've got to be intentional in your loving; it won't spread out from your Christian communities unless you take it out.

It all gives me so much hope; hope that God can use us to get alongside people, loving them with everything with all the love we can muster, but without trying to control their story. Loving humanity like Jesus loved it.

Anyway, enough ranting. If you're into the practicalities, this is how the fellow church planters and I outwork our value shift through a pragmatic evangelistic strategy:
-On an individual level (praying for our friends, sharing about them, introducing them to each other and loving them; keeping each other accountable and encouraged)
-On a community level (recognising that introducing non christians into community and building it around them is an evangelistic strategy, and doing it. We are doing regular film nights to this end and we often attend the pub (purely for the sake of the gospel, of course.)
-On an activity level (acts of kindness like mince pie giving at christmas, then telling people we are christians if they want to know; chatting to strangers in the pub; listening to them talk about their lives etc).

To conclude then;
Thankfully, the six church planters did not wake up to find it had all been a dream. Instead, they continue to embark on an often intimidating yet always exciting journey of evangelism. Who would have guessed the mandate could ever have been this good.

You can't spell team without meat!

2006-01-18T23:03:00.000Z

Team, group, company, church......

So many names, so many models. This is what we are building as I type. There has been laughs, jokes, mis-understandings, food, drinks, times where we talk about how hard it is. And they always, but always, work together to mould us and shape us.

There is a fair degree of spread of locations with north, west and east cambridge covered and surrey. Big shout out to Ruth, Oi Oi! It is so very good when we are all together.

As we travel through and experience 2006 we are intially focussing in on the best-selling book year on year. The Bible! Translated into over 2000 languages and it is easily the most translated text by over 1700 languages. Stunningly accurate historically, indeed Luke is considered the most reliable historian until your main man Bede in 726ish.

We are not just swapping facts and engaging intellectually, oh no no no (as the churchill dog once said). We are thinking about our relationship to the Bible and how that interacts with our relationship to the God behind it all. We are widely dissatisfied with our relationship to the Bible and expectant of so so much more.

So raise your glasses to a collection 66 books reflecting the spectrum of God's relationship with us humans

luton2006

2006-01-06T15:44:00.000Z

In 2006 we are going to plant a church. In Luton.

Who are we? Well, there's me (Gav) and a few friends: Mark, Liz, John, Ruth, Laura and Fiona... and others - although the year will reveal them to us. Most of us won't move to Luton until the summer, but new year seemed the best time to begin blogging. We know there are quite a few people who are interested in our progress, and as such, blogging seemed a much better idea than one of emailing regularly(!) or doing a quaint little newsletter.

Over the next twelve months, you'll find out lots of stuff, as we find it out. Some things that will hopefully come through include why luton is so great, how friendship is hard, how pioneering is exhausting, how broken people can change the world.

So happy new year 2006, and we raise a glass to a new missional community - City Life Church Luton.