Inclusion

Concept:


most people don't get it


they don't get what we believe


they don't get what we do (they think: go to church, pray and read the bible)


even when they 'invite jesus into their lives' -they mostly still don't get it


How about inviting others to 'walk with us' - joining our chosen 'rythm', accepting to live our 'rule'? even if only for a while.

Behaviour / Values

Concept
Agreeing what we stand for and how we wnat to live & holding each other to account
Can't really beat the monastic orders on this one - Poverty chastity and obedience.
This all comes out of what we really believe in

Suggestions
Purity - all the usual stuff
Simplicity - against the tide of 'me first' consumerism
Obedience - taking jesus at his word (eg st Francis)
humility

Discipline

Concepts
Imposed structure in unstructured lives - we would never get around to the important things

Like we need weekly 'church', small group, daily 'quiet time'

" i suppose it acts as a good fitness programme... not simply doing 10 press ups, but offering a framework to build healthy habits and lives" (Lings - encounters on the edge no 29. p20)

communal discipline - everyone doing the same thing (eg daily office) everyone singing from the same Tim hughes sheet/scriptues/devotional thoughts/books etc.
Gives a sense of 'together'. also learning 'together' hearing from God 'together' . worshiping 'together' (in the full sense of the word, not the 'singing songs to jesus'

(possible) Actions

• Meet at set, regular intervals for prayer worship....
• Find a way of doing communal acts on whilst being apart eg: use a version of the office (invite Ricky gervais) to pray at agreed times in the day
• use the same bible reading plan
• read the same books
• go to gatherings together
• taking action together (eg disciples in acts)
  

Relationship

Concept
Passages like John 17 seem to make it pretty clear that we are supposed to do this following jesus in strong relationship groups.
Stronger Together.
i am my brothers keeper (nothing to do with Promise keepers!)
share one anothers burdens
confess your sins one to another
if you see a brother sin and haul him back...
knowing someone else knows
knowing someone else understands
spurring one another on

Action
praying for each other
meeting together
looking out for one another
asking the 'hard' question

a prayer for serena

My wonderful mother-in-law passed away two weeks ago. i was honoured to be asked to pray for her at her funeral service. Many people were kind enough to thank me for 'my' words. so i thought others might find the words helpful too:

Heavenly Father,
We come before you to say 'thank you'.
Thank you for the life of Serena.
Sister, Mum, Granny, Auntie, Friend... and so much more.
You gave her as a gift to us, and so reluctantly
we give her back to You.

Look after her, Lord.
In our eyes she deserves the best.
We commend her to your safekeeping
trusting in the grace, love and mercy of Jesus,
the judge of all.
Amen.

Help us Lord, as we look to live life without her.
Strengthen those who's loss is felt so deeply.
Help us to keep her memory alive in our hearts;
each act of kindness
each show of love
each sparkling smile and infectious laugh.

We will miss her.
But we thank You that for a little while
we were graced with the presence of one who,
in so many ways,
reflected Your own wonderful character.

May we now go on to remember her and respect her memory
by living our lives likewise,
that this world might become a better place,
To the praise and honour of Your name, Jesus,
Amen

what chance?

of Wales beating Austalia today?

of to the rugby world cup match in cardif. Can't believe i have a ticket - God the gracious (via my friend nick) has come up trumps again.

A poem?

Tim @ eholiness blogged about noticing the bees early yesterday morning. It reminded me of a poem that evokes the same sort of feeeling. its a bit corny, but i like it!

the little cares that fretted me

i lost them yesterday

out in the fields above the sea

among the winds at play

among the lowing of the herds

the swaying of the trees

among the singing of the birds

the buzzing of the bees.

these foolish fears of what might pass

i lost them yesterday

out in the clover scented grass

among the new mown hay

among the swaying of the corn

where idle poppies nod

where ill thoughts die and good are born

out in the fields with God!