where am i?

Where am I?

Once a week I feel compelled to join a community for an hour or so, so where am I?

I am greeted by the Shepherd of this flock, whether they are on duty or not they're always there to check who is attending and who is not.

I'm inspired by this Shepherd, where they show concern for all, even those who are clearly hard work and who often make a nuisance of themselves. This Shepherd is there almost every week without fail serving this community in many ways which are not noticed or thanked, and when this community is threatened the shepherd stands tall to protect their flock, so where am I?

My hour or so in this little community always has the same rhythm, the same sacred topics of conversation, those whose voices are heard louder than others and those whose voices ignored when they bravely speak up.

Everyone has their own seats! Their own positions of residence within this little community and every week there in the same place, they gather to reflect on the their day on their week on their life, so where am I?

The seasons have their rhythm, Christmas, st Georges day, Easter, Guy Fawkes and others are observed, with the buildings decorted accordingly.

There are those who control the music, mainly tunes from one era, the era of their hayday, these are played and played and sung along to, unless of course someone younger makes a radical choice which is often bemoaned as being too trendy or inappropriate for the occasion.

A community which welcomes it own with open arms, but on the whole is sexist, racist and homophonic , so were am I?

I am humbled by the way they care for each other, yes there is plenty of gossip, and moaning about the way things are and the way they are not as they once were, but this little community know how to gather around one another to offer support, in this community those without work are found work and those without a home and Christmas day, gather for lunch and eat together as family.

So where am I, my local or my local church?

"Just cause chaos and give them back!"

Good news!,

Alison I have finally become an aunt and uncle. (Hooray) And in the next couple of days we are due to become aunts and uncles again. My younger brother has been an uncle for 6 years now and so for the 1st time in my life :-), I had to ask him for advice.

"Simon, what's your advice on being an uncle?"

“just cause chaos and give them back." Was his advice, which if we are being fair to him is definitely how here's been an uncle with our children and they love him for it.

My brother's advice was wise, and I have every intention of following it and it got me thinking about church.

Often the tactic of the church, is to take someone, challenge their worldview, suggest a different moral system and value system to live by, and then to try and keep them in the church as part of the church for as long as possible. Which invariably means that within a short space of time they have left the community there once belonged to and have become part of the church family.

Perhaps, we should do church in the way my brother does being an uncle.

Maybe, we should cause chaos with someone's value system, understanding of the world, and most importantly their understanding of Jesus and what he offers them and the universe. Once we have caused chaos their understanding of the world rather than hold on to them, perhaps we should send them back to allow them to cause chaos in their communities.

When my brother taught our son to Mooney, not only did it challenge my sons worldview about what body parts he should show in public, it also caused chaos in our family when he returned with this behaviour.

Wouldn't it be great if the people the church I contact with went back into their communities and caused chaos because what they have learnt to challenge the norms of those communities.

Maybe we should see ourselves more as spiritual aunts and uncles to those Christ is in the process of saving rather than as spiritual parents wanting to hold onto them.

May you have a great week causing chaos and giving people back to where they came from.

R.

PS now that my brother is about to have children the chaos is going in the other direction.