sustain:if:able kiwi

appreciative inquiry and mission through Jess’s eyes

I’m speaking on appreciative inquiry and mission with folk in a Catholic leadership formation programme today. In preparation I’ve been re-reading Mark Lau Branson’s wonderful Memories, Hopes, and Conversations: Appreciative Inquiry and Congregational Change.

And loving this video, young Jessica affirming all that is good about life.

I’ll use this to seque into the theological foundations for appreciative inquiry, in Luke 10:1-12 and in the Pauline letters. But for now, I’m thankful for my dad, my house, my pyjamas …. Yep, you get it, go Jess …

The Gospel: Luke 10: Where is Appreciative Inquiry in this Biblical text?
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If the head of the house loves peace, your peace will rest on that house; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for workers deserve their wages.

Note:

• Peace is shaped by Old Testament concept of “Shalom” – love of God, love of neighbour, love of alien, love of earth. Go looking to bless, looking to affirm
• Disciples look for response. They don’t force ourselves. But where there is “life”, we stay.
• Assumes “common ground,” that we are not the only people who desire the wellbeing of our communities.

Letters of Paul: 1 Corinthians: Where is Appreciative Inquiry in this Biblical text?
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Note:

• Paul writes to a church in conflict. Yet he starts with thanks.
• It is important to note that each letter of Paul’s has a unique, specifically, different “thanks.” In other words, the thanks (the AI) is specific.
• As it is specific it can thus only connect as it truely names.
• Key “problems” in the church (for example spiritual gifts, eschatology) at Corinth are engaged in the “thanks.” Hence its not Pollyanna!

can we change their mind. Kiwi sceptics?

For fun after a hard week. Four Aussies – Bali Girl, the hipster, the Europhile, Aussie Aussie – get taken to New Zealand.

being 12: a birthday car-hunt

One member of Team Taylor turned 12 today. Being a Sunday, it meant a whole day to fill with pleasure and enjoyment. We decided to try and have a treasure hunt using the car. We identified 7 fun things/favourite spots. We then created a number (3 or 4) clues for each, from hard to easy. The challenge was to use the clues to identify the spot, which we then drove to, to enjoy a treat. Once enjoyed, the next “spot”/set of clues could be requested.

It turned out to be a fun and creative way to spend some time as a family celebrating a birthday. Here’s the clues, and I will put the answers in the comments. (It mostly took about 2 clues to guess the spot, although one confounded both children). (more…)

summer holidays = choosing paint colours

So the out of bounds bach (holiday home/shack) is getting a facelift, an exterior coat of paint. To be precise, an exterior coat of Rongotai, with the windows and barge boards being Reefton. Choosing colours is more fun than sanding and undercoating. Although both are more fun than ministry, because both are about instant change – you scrape, you choose – and change is immediately apparent.

What is also more interesting than sanding is the social media strategy adopted by Dulux New Zealand. Their paint range is named after New Zealand places, to which you are invited to upload your photos:

What’s your Dulux Colour of New Zealand? Where do your magical moments and fond memories come from?

To begin, simply find your special place on the map, then submit at least three photo. Simply click on the approximate area, and we’ll give you a selection of locations to choose from. You’ll also be able to browse other people’s uploads at the same time. Of course, not every location in New Zealand is in our current colour range. If you can’t find your favourite place, please let us know. We would love you to tell us what place in NZ is dear to you and what colour you think is best associated with that colour.

So that when you search under Rongotai, you get a great picture. Go look …

once was lost but now am found: an ode to ecumenism

Confessions of a lost blue cup

Last week, I got lost. Someone kindly took me from Catholic World, transported me to Kitchen World and washed me.

Then, sadly, strangely, I was placed in a (Kitchen world) cupboard!

I wept for my owner in Catholic World. Alas, she heard me not.

Later, someone else opened the cupboard in Kitchen World. Seeing my attractive blue colouring, having no knowledge of my rightful owner, seeing no marks of possession on my pretty blue bottom, they filled me with coffee and took me to a new place, the broad and spacious halls of Uniting World.

Later, a third person collected me from a desk in Uniting World. Dirty, they decided to take me to Kitchen World. Suddenly a door in Catholic world opened. A cry was heard, “That’s our cup.”

Immediately, promptly, I was returned to Catholic world. I was lost (not stolen by Steve Taylor).

But now am found.

(For another ode to ecumenism, see I am a stealer of Catholic bread).

fair dinkum Aussie sporting spirit

30 years ago today …

a missional prayer emerging from a missional moment

So I am working with a group, planning a mission-shaped experience across the denominations in Adelaide in the second half of 2011. Today the planning group was meeting for a second time.

Three of the four arrived to find the venue locked. A church. And a sign “Alarm on.”

As they stood outside a cellphone rang. The mix-up was untangled, with the fourth person, who was meant to be hosting, finding themselves at the wrong venue.

Thankfully a cafe was close by. A drink as we gather. Hospitality being received. Time to catch up on Christmas comings and goings. A space shared with others. Time to pray, eyes open, in a public place. A group now gathering not only around strength, but also around human mistake.

God,
May this experience be our mission-shaped experience
May we gather for your world rather than your church
May our ministry be from frailty as well as gift and passion
May we experience the hospitality of our culture
May our planning and our prayer be lived in and for the places in which our communities gather
Amen

I’m a serious scholar :)

I’m a serious scholar. I realised this yesterday as the copyright and contract paperwork arrived for my work on U2 (the evolving live performance of Bullet the Blue Sky). 6,000 words, 66 footnotes due to be published with Scarecrow Press next year.

And I’m checking the mail everyday at the moment, waiting for my authors copy of The Bible in/of Popular culture, with my work on Kiwi cartoon, Brotown.

And this week I’ve had some really encouraging feedback on a 1500 word piece I submitted to Australian Leadership on young adult spirituality, with a focus on comedian John Sarfran and video art in the Blake Prize.

I’m a serious scholar. I study cartoons and comedians and rock stars and video art! My mum and my employer must be so proud

Why church? some thoughts via the humour of Yes Minister

What is church? Why does it exist? What do you use to assess it’s purpose? I’m doing some work this weekend with Uniting folk in the Yorke Peninsula. In preparation I’ve been mulling over this video from Yes Minister. (Hat tip Andrew Hamilton). A bit dated, but still quite thought-provoking.

What is the purpose of a “hospital? How do you assess it?

• For the Prime Minister, a hospital is to heal the sick (although it starts with “how does does it cost?”)
• For the Union rep, a hospital is to employ staff.
• For the Florence Nightingale award judges, it is hygenie.

Any links to church – how much does it cost? what about the needs of those who serve? how important is keeping people and things pure?

communion amid the Coromandel clutter

On Sunday I led communion at the Coromandal Valley Uniting Church Camp, as part of their Sunday gathering. They are a great group, lovely range of ages, people who have a lovely, natural way of connecting with God and with each other. And serve some fabulous vegetarian tucker!

Anyhow, during the communion service, amid the buzz of all ages, I got my tongue tied over the “cup” and the “supper” and managed to produce the following:

In the same way, after the “clutter”, Jesus took the ….”

Which was funny. And embarrassing.

And in some ways exactly what I’d been banging on about all weekend – Jesus amid the “clutter” of Zaccheus table (Luke 19), Jesus sending us ahead of him to the “clutter” of the towns and villages of Luke 10, discipleship amid the “clutter” of mealtime habits (Luke 14).

Our ordinary, everyday relationships and their place in God’s mission. Not that I was quick enough to say that on the day! All they got was some embarrassed Kiwi tongue-”clutter.”

Aussie headbutts: worse than the underarm?

It looks like another low blow in Trans-Tasman sporting relationships, with an Australian cyclist, Mark Renshaw headbutting a Kiwi, Julian Dean, in Stage 11 of the Tour-de-France. (Video footage is here).

Renshaw, Cavendish’s leadout man on HTC Columbia, rammed his head three times into the shoulder of Dean, the leadout man for Tyler Farrar on Garmin-Transitions, in an apparent bid to push him out of the way during the final sprint. Dean was leading the pack at the time. (Link)

The incident, on a stage more public even than the infamous Trevor Chappell underarm incident, is sure once again to throw the spotlight on what it is that constitutes the true character of Australian sporting identity.

I am a stealer of Catholic bread

The rumour has spread around my workplace, passing down the corridors of academia, whispered over afternoon cups of coffee. Steve Taylor is a stealer of Catholic bread.

Yesterday I forgot part of my lunch. Lettuce plucked from my garden was to garnish a tin of fish, to be spread over toast. Alas, in my haste to leave, I forgot the bread. (Those who know me will attest this is a repeated occurrence, but that is not the point of this story!)

My forgettfulness was realised at noon as I entered the staff common room. The space is shared with our ecumenical partners in theological education – Anglican and Catholic. In response to my groan of dismay, the only other staff person present kindly offered assistance. A loaf of frozen bread lives in the staff freezer. It is the property of a colleague down the hall, one who is always absent on a Monday. So by all means, grab a few pieces, leave a note, and replace the bread overnight.

It all seemed to good to be true.

Alas, it is too good to be true. The story has evolved and morphed. As it was passed down the corridors of academia. Steve Taylor, the Baptist from New Zealand, working for the Uniting College has been branded for life. Penance perhaps will be expected? 100 repetitions of the phrase,

“I am a stealer of Catholic bread.”

sizzling sausages at the State elections

It’s State election day here in South Australia.  Unlike New Zealand, voting is compulsory (but only for Australian citizens).

That’s not the only difference between Australia and New Zealand. Party placards are still up all around town even while people vote.   And outside all voting booths various party promoters are allowed to stand, hawking their party.  (If people really do make a decision between a party promoter and the ballot box, it certainly doesn’t say much for a carefully considered democratic process!)

I was asked to help at the nearest polling both, which is also the hall of the local Uniting church. Not in the name of politics, but because each election (state and federal), the church throws a sausage sizzle, as a fundraiser.  All monies go outside the local church, to School chaplaincy and an orphanage in Thailand. So it was a neat way to be useful and serve.

Plus it was a good chance to cast an eye over the community. Seacliff is a slowly gentrifying beach side suburb. So the suburb is a real mix: of wealth more likely to be younger, of long term residents more likely to be older, of some rental accommodation, more likely to house a mix of migrants and the mentally challenged.  It’s a fascinating suburb.

The local newspaper was also out and about, sniffing for news. Our sausages lured them over. Asked for my opinion on the fate of the election, I announced that all exiting voters seemed happy with their choice. And that my name, if they wanted to quote me, was Spin Doctor.

I also got photographed for the same newspaper. This was to be an action shot, so that involved me cooking sausages.  I’m a vegetarian, which raised an interesting ethical question. But a local Green party promoter was also tucking in, so we shared a guilty grin.

If you’re from Adelaide, look for my mug in the Sunday mail.

praying the psalm? or the moment?

My Paraclete Psalter: A 4-Week Cycle for Daily Prayer arrived this week. It prays all the Psalms over a 4 week period. This is not a heavy book of Daily prayer, flipping from page to page. This is the Psalms arranged morning, lunch, tea and evening, as an invitation to use the Psalms, stones worth smooth by the centuries (to quote Rowan Williams). It’s gorgeous, just begging to be touched and opened. Leather cover, delicate pages, light and transportable.

The Psalms are arranged according to the time of day, which makes for a lovely resonance.

Until I went swimming.

And then my Psalter suddenly felt a bit sloshy – in a good, yet provoking, way.

The sun was setting into the sea and I just floated, watching this golden orb drop away. It all got pretty spiritual. It even got captured in a prayer: Swimming this evening; Sun dropping gold orbed into summer sea, God of full immersion, Swirl in, on, around me; Your resting child.

Which got me wondering about the place of spiritual disciplines in life. Was this not my “evening Psalm prayer”; the giving of my day, what was done and undone, to God? Wasn’t that Psalm, waiting in my Psalter, crafted out of a moment exactly like this? How do these natural and unexpected moments of our lives align themselves with the “stones worn smooth” of the church’s history? How often is our worship captured in a building and a book, strained through someone else’s words, in a way that alienates us from the moments of life?