Friday, April 10, 2009

Good Friday prayer for Beckenham and Opawa Baptists

Let us live in such a way
That when we die
Our love will survive
And continue to grow.
Amen
from Leunig

Posted by steve at 10:02 AM

urban Easter prayer

This Easter, we are gathering with our neighbouring Baptist church. They are struggling and this Easter could literally be a story of death for them. Equally, we are talking with them about partnership and some new forms of church, so this Easter could equally be a story of life.

There’s not much point talking if we first can’t worship together. So Easter Friday is at their place and Easter Sunday at ours, with both pastoral teams planning both services together and sharing bits at each place.

As part of that, we wanted some way to pray in our shared life and our shared mission. So we grabbed a wooden cross and took photos of it at various geographic landmarks between the two buildings – construction site, new Police station, fastfood outlet, well-known development currently growing weeds, local pub facing council housing and a sports stadium. Six slides became a visual backdrop – good-friday-urban-prayermed (click to move through each slide)

Some hard work followed, research into the lives, history and narratives that shape each place and then the seeking to weave these narratives into the events of Easter Thursday and Friday, in the form of a urban Easter prayer. This is the result – our Easter prayer as we consider the cross in our Christ’s church city streets.

A: Jesus, On Easter Thursday,
you prayed for us, you sweated drops of blood for your church
prepared yourself to be dragged from prison to passion, from trial to tribulation

B: Jesus, On Easter Friday
you carried your cross,
you walked through your city streets,
you were willing to love your neighbours, criminals to your left, crucifiers to your right

A: Jesus, This Easter, show us what it means to pray,
to weep for your church and Christ’s church
to carry our cross, to walk our city streets,
to love our neighbours, our communities from Colombo Street to Brougham Village

B: Jesus, (click) these are our neighbours,
shopkeepers building right beside us at Beckenham Baptist
A: And so we remember our neighbours
we pray God’s peace on those who shop and those who build
we pray wisdom on those who plan our cities
and smooth process for those who seek consent
Help us live your cross in our communities this Easter

B: Jesus, (click) these are our neighbours
the new police station being built
A: And so we remember our neighbours
we pray integrity for our police
we pray restoration for those criminals behind bars
B: We pray redemption for their victims,
grace for those who suffer. And justice in our courts,
Help us walk your cross with our neighbours this Easter

A: Jesus, (click) these are our neighbours. McDonalds and so many fast food outlets stretched down Colombo St
B: And so we pray for those who flip burgers and fry fries
for those seeking work in a credit crunch
for those who fear the loss of their daily bread
A: Lord, forgive us our fast food, instant takeway attitudes
Jesus, may our neighbours find You as their daily bread this Easter

B: Jesus, (click), these are our neighbours, developers at Sydenham Central
David Henderson who risked. And the Council who resurrected
Help us show your cross to our neighbours, rich and poor, this Easter

A: Jesus, (click) these are our neighbours
those who live in council housing in Brougham Village
B: We pray protection for the vulnerable
safety for the easy led, deliverance for those addicted
freedom for those enslaved by debt and habit
Help us carry your cross to our neighbours, rich and poor, this Easter

A: Jesus, (click) these are our neighbours
the Canterbury crowds, who walk to AMI Stadium,
cheering for winners, jeering for losers
B: Jesus help us look at the crowds as you looked at the crowds,
To feel your compassion for the harrassed and helpless
To weep for your city this Easter,

Posted by steve at 09:56 AM

Thursday, April 09, 2009

random links on the costs, impact and processes of creativity

the cost of ministry

Disappearing into the future. Quotes from U2 interview on Pitchfork: “We didn’t buy into the idea that good music had to be underground …. coming, never arrived … We are always thinking that this one will get it … The industry wants you to have inbuilt obsolence … the media are always looking for new and younger artists … Cool is a real constraint …. The world is more malleable than you think …. that’s an optimistic message …. our creative commune …. music is a kind of sacrament, something sacred.”

critique of aggregators and RSS feeds. Robert Thompson, the managing editor of the Wall Street Journal has slammed news aggregation sites as “parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the internet … Google encourages promiscuity – and shamelessly so – and therefore a significant proportion of their users don’t necessarily associate that content with the creator. ” Whenever I see my posts reproduced word for word on other websites, this is how I feel.

Leadership as knowledge sharing – “If you want to lead with influence – share the knowledge that you have about your processes, your strategies – give away and you will gain respect and manna from those who want to learn from you, beside you and those who can influence your own knowledge pool.” Makes me wonder if it’s more important to say “this is how I think when I engage Bible + life”, rather than “this is what I think”

Posted by steve at 11:14 AM

finding God with flax as Easter spirituality

For the last 10 years, the Easter Journey, has been a feature of ministry at Opawa. However, for the last year or so, there has been a growing feeling that it is time for something new to emerge. Opawa is changing and so are Pete and Joyce. While the Journey has been a tremendous blessing, we have to be sensitive to the moving, changing winds of the Spirit. Too often, good things for a season become institutions the church feels compelled to keep propping up. Letting things go is an essential Christian discipline.

To help us let go, and to start the process of dreaming again, we are starting with an Easter Saturday day of paper making. April 11, 9:45 am for coffee. Bring lunch to share. Together we will turn flax into paper, both for individual journals and for use in the church at Pentecost.

Why paper making? Well this is what I said on radio recently. (more…)

Posted by steve at 09:16 AM

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

pondering community ministry

After listening to someone on Tuesday share about their sense of call to work more intentionally with our local Waltham community and their desire to be well integrated with Opawa and our growing community vision, I penned the following.

As a church, we occupy a unique space in terms of community development. While we can not necessarily provide professional social work, we are able to offer networks, relationships, generations and Christian spirituality.

This suggests that community ministry to families could include a focus on values including
– intentional partnerships with existing agencies
– opportunities for volunteers to offer community service,
– the offering of whole of life discipleship, drawing on resources found lifegiving in the Christian tradition
– the encouraging of intergenerational community relationships

This could be structured in a bureau type format, with a focus not on programmes, but on people. Specifically, the linking of volunteers with selected families, initially short term in crisis and longer term in whole of life coaching and relationships.

Potential ministries that might provide bridges over which volunteers and families meet could include foodbank, budgetting, Kingdom banking, support and discussion groups (addictions, divorce, parenting, grandparenting), youth programmes, holiday programmes, meals for community building and healthy eating, early childhood education, intergenerational events that build whanua and practises of healthy living including parenting, eating, conflict resolution and spirituality.

Such a ministry could be staffed by an order of voluntary community-focused chaplains. (Currently I can name 5 people at Opawa who are starting to function like this.) To be a community chaplain will involve a (annual, renewable) yearly commitment to
– serve with specific local ministry opportunities
– grow through 1-1 spiritual direction
– integrate by group gatherings with the other “community chaplains” for Scripture and encouragement and prayer
– learn with regular input regarding skills needed to care well. These are open to any and all.

The hub will be administered by a (paid part-time) manager, who will
– co-ordinate safe and appropriate linkages between
– maintain the values, especially the priority of relationships over programmes
– communicate and network with Opawa church and existing community groups
– ensure the bridges are put in place between families and chaplains
– develop the order of community chaplains
– seek funding

Posted by steve at 03:47 PM

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

making a meal of it: all-ages gathered around Jesus meals

Sunday was our second in a four part (first Sunday of month) series on communion. The first part was about Passover, meaning this second part (leading into Holy week) was to have a particular focus on the meals time habits of Jesus. It was also down to be an inter-generational (Take a Kid to faith) service, with the kids in. So to help that learning, I make “table mats” around which I invited people to gather in groups of 6.

In the shape of a cross, each table mat had 5 panels. Four panels were linked to 4 Biblical meals – Passover memories, Jesus eating at Simon the Leper, feeding of multitudes and the last supper – with a space in the middle (for communion at the end of the service). Meals are usually about the menu, the music, the guests, the footwear and the memories. So each of the four “meal” panels had these symbols.

In terms of the content, I provided a 4 minute explanation of each meal, highlighting menu, guests, footwear and suggested music. I then paused between each panel, and gave the groups time to discuss together what the “memories” of that meal would be. Groups feedback to the entire church (and what they shared then shaped my communion prayer). It was a nice way to step through some Biblical content, in an interactive and participatory way, that involved all ages in learning.

In terms of communion, people were invited to stay in their groups. The youngest in the group was invited to come forward and take back the bread and the cup. (As per the Jewish passover tradition, in which the youngest asks the questions as to the significance.) The elements of bread and cup were taken back to the group and placed in the center of the “table mat” cross, surrounded by the four meal memories – Passover, Jesus meals with outsiders, feeding the multitudes, which must surely have shaped the disciples understanding of “remember me.”

With the kids in, I decided to take a risk and ask everyone to be as quiet as they could be. Not easy for kids, but for those who appreciate some quiet around communion, a really respectful thing to do, across the generations. It was great to look around the church and feel the stillness and see all-ages gathered around the meals of Jesus.

Posted by steve at 08:09 PM

Sunday, April 05, 2009

reshaping missional life among baptist churches in urban centres

On Thursday I got down on one knee and “proposed”. It was at the end of our church meeting, in which we’d spent an hour talking and praying with our neighbouring Baptist church. Both churches are nearly 100 years old, yet only 2.3 km apart. They’ve been struggling for a while and so I’ve spent quite some time in recent months sitting with their leaders. (This might explain some rather oblique recent posts, including help my church is dying and chopping down the Sunday tree.) Here is the proposal, which is being made public in both churches this Sunday morning.

INTRODUCTION: For over a year, conversations have been happening with regard to the future of Beckenham Baptist. On Thursday night, the Beckenham leaders were welcomed to an Opawa Baptist Church meeting and an hour together we listened, talked and prayed.

PROPOSAL: Beckenham and Opawa talk about what it means to be one church, in two physical locations, with multiple congregations.

QUESTION: If our Baptist forebears were starting Christian mission today, what would they do in our area?

FRAMEWORK: The goal must be mission and God’s Kingdom and not the survival of a church.

ETHOS: for Opawa, we want to make clear that
– This is family and families walk together. This must not be a takeover
– In Romans 12, Paul reminds us we are a church body, called to work toward unity. This comes in the power of God’s spirit and as we respect the unique value of each different part.
– While Opawa is already really busy, we are excited about the mission and Kingdom possibilities that could emerge as we consider the area between Colombo Street and Brougham Street.

ONE CONCRETE WAY FORWARD:
1. Continue Beckenham ministries.
2. Opawa ministries (eg. children, intermediate, youth, discipleship, Bible days) offered to Beckenham at Opawa.
3. Place Opawa’s Side Door arts congregation at Beckenham.
4. Locate a missional leader to run a new form of church at Beckenham on Sunday mornings. This would involve closing Beckenham’s Sunday morning service in its current format but keep doors open on Sunday morning to serve coffee and muffins, read Scripture and find concrete ways to serve the Beckenham community.
5. Those at Beckenham who might struggle with this new form of church join one of Opawa’s existing congregations : hymn service or 10:30 am service.
6. Richard Smith (current pastor) become part of an “overall” combined church pastoral team, to provide pastoral care of all existing Beckenham people and possible involvement with existing Opawa people.

A SUGGESTED PROCESS:
1.Start in worship and fellowship. Opawa worship at Beckenham on Good Friday, and Beckenham worship at Opawa on Easter Sunday.
2. Form a combined taskforce to explore the idea and consider what this would look like in terms of leadership, buildings, congregations, ministries and church name. Involve Baptist Union leaders.
3. Both congregations discuss the taskforce proposal.
4. If agreement, hold a party to launch the changes and celebrate this new form of life.

In God’s timing, may the death and resurrection of Easter, be our comfort, guide, hope and courage.

Steve Taylor for Opawa Baptist

Posted by steve at 04:38 PM

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Stephen Matta

Stephen Matta from Georgia, I have responded to your email. However my email reply keeps bouncing. Since you leave no other address I have no way of contacting you, apart from to place this notice on my blog.

Posted by steve at 09:25 AM

Friday, April 03, 2009

yes to bible and popular culture new book

Semeia Studies is one of the leading, cutting edge experimental publishers in the area of Biblical studies. The editorial board has just said yes to a new book proposal: titled The Bible in/and Popular Culture: A Creative Encounter. Edited by Dr. Philip Culbertson and Dr. Elaine Wainwright the book will explore a wide range of popular media: popular music, graphic novels, fiction, television and video games. Particular attention will be given to the way these media engage biblical texts and characters and to hermeneutical and methodological/theoretical issues.

I post this because the book will include a chapter by me, titled: Reading “pop-wise”: the very fine art of “making do” when reading the Bible in bro’Town. So over the last few months, I’ve been quietly stealing time to move between the book of Revelation, Sionerella bro’Town episode and Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.

What I found intriguing was that so many of the issues discussed in Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art play out in discussions around emerging church and alt.worship. Like the relationship between word and image and the privileging of high culture. Best of all, the entire book is done as a comic. Yep. A book on theory of comics that’s a comic!! Now when is someone going to do that with theology?

Posted by steve at 05:54 PM

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

harvest festival

Sunday was so much fun, as in our morning congregation we brought back an ancient Opawa tradition, the harvest festival. It was nice to bring back to life something that had been lying dormant in the church for years and the display looked fantastic.

I preached from Ruth 2, an ancient harvest festival during a credit crunch, and the need to celebrate production and the challenge to consider distribution. What would gleaning look like in over-developed Western economies?

We offered 3 practical ways for people to live the Ruth text.
1 – Join twoshirts and start sharing our extra stuff (and we’ve set Opawa Baptist up as a group)
2 – We printed off “thanks for making your garden look so great” postcards and people were invited to take them and post them in the letterboxes of gardens they admired.

3 – We made soup. And more soup. And more soup. Over 150 litres of homemade vegetable soup to replenish our foodbank. About 20 people cut and chopped most of the afternoon and had a thoroughly rich experience of community for mission.

And a question to ponder. And so a harvest festival challenges us to think about distribution. How on earth do we care for the unemployed and the migrant in New Zealand? How on earth could we do business, so that any struggling migrant could find work?

This food will go toward our foodbank. This afternoon we’re having a soup-working-bee. It would be easy for us as a church to stop there. To feel good about ourselves. Wow, we had a harvest festival and we’ve replenished Opawa’s foodbank with some nourishing vegetable soup. What a practical thing for a church to do in a credit crunch. But that’s not harvest according Ruth 2. In Ruth 2 we’re asked some much more fundamental questions. How we live, so that the unemployed can find meaningful work?

Posted by steve at 09:45 PM