2nd July 2013
It has been a day of mixture. In fact a typical day of ministry.
This morning I attended a funeral service for a long time member of Fairview. The service was conducted by the Director of Spiritual Growth (who knew the lady well) and a past pastor of the church.
It was a slightly odd experience to attend a funeral and have no connection with it. In other words it wasn’t as if I was taking part in the service or I knew the deceased or her family.
The liturgy used was very different to ours. Fewer prayers and more informal. And (to be technical for a moment) there was no discernible commendation or committal. (For Brits the committal is the bit where traditionally the words “earth, to earth, ashes to ashes” are said.)
That said it was a lovely service with genuine heartfelt tributes paid.
One very noticeable difference was that the coffin was open before the service for people to pay their respects. Apparently in most instances most people would go and do this at the undertakers. But in this instance (partly because of timing) the coffin was open prior to the service.
The coffin was the big type we are familiar with from films and TV shows. And at the graveside there was an elaborate mechanism to lower the coffin in to the ground. The grave (and about 20 seats for family) was covered with a large gazebo. So things are very different.
And one noticeable difference between here and home is that the funeral took place within about 3 days of the person dying. Whereas in the UK it is not unusual to have 2 weeks between the death and the funeral. (I must admit to feeling the short gap must put huge pressure on the minister and the church for making the funeral arrangements.)
Then this evening Tom and I went to meet the youth group. Great fun. They reminded me so much of Youth Fellowship back at home even to the extent that one of them seems accident prone like one of our members.
So a real mixture of a day but typical of ministry.
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
Monday, 1 July 2013
Swings and roundabouts
1st July 2013
One of the biggest differences (so far) between being at Fairview and being back in Swindon is the way of working. Here my study is very much an office and is at the church. In fact it is pretty much just inside the front door of the complex or at least the part of the church complex where the offices and meeting rooms are.
It takes a bit of getting used to as people are in and out all day. But it is good as I am getting to meet people all the time and getting to know people I’ve already met better. For example today one man stuck his head round the door to say hello and we ended up having an interesting conversation about being green. (His son spent some time at university in Sweden and came back to the USA very environmentally aware.)
And today people were still buzzing after the service yesterday. It was the topic of conversation on many people’s lips. And several said to me “You did a great a job David” or “You preached a good message.” And it seems as if it is not just me and the people of Fairview who were blown away by the service. The choir were too. I was copied in to an email from the choir director which includes these humbling words:
“The words to the famous hymn, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” are perfect to describe our visit to your church on yesterday. “What a fellowship, and what a joy divine”, are expressions of how we felt after worshipping with your congregation. From the eloquent and moving words delivered by Rev. David Gray, to the great Children’s moment, the service was a great time for all. The hospitality and love shown to the Men’s Choir of the St. Paul Baptist Church and its disciples will forever be cherished. We hope that our coming together will lead to a continued relationship between our churches.”
I hope Fairview keep in touch with St Pauls. There is chemistry between the two churches I feel.
Amongst the people dropping in I had a couple of meetings booked with people from the church. And these were informative. From the one meeting I got a feel for the finance and vision of the church. From the next meeting I was able to provide a wish list of people I’d like to meet e.g. the local police chief and also people it would be useful for me to meet.
I can’t share the vision here. But it is exciting and I can see that it could really work.
One thing I twigged this morning was the size of the site the church sits in. But I also realised that the significance of some of the things on site. For example, on site is well kitted out children’s play area. This is near a tree covered area which has picnic tables.
It turns out that the church purposely provided this so that it would be a resource for the children of the area. Families regularly come and use it – free of charge – for birthday parties. And apparently it is not uncommon for school buses taking children on a field trip to stop at the playground to allow children to have lunch and stretch their legs before they carry on their journey.
The play area has never been vandalised and people always take their rubbish home. The lady telling me all about this was convinced this was because people respect the area as it is owned and maintained by the church and respect the idea that the church has provided for the community to use.
The lady telling me said that she knew of some families who had started to come to church off the back of using the play area – though that had not been the purpose of setting it up.
The church budgets for the upkeep of the playground and carries out regular checks to make sure the playground is safe and clean.
What wonderful idea. Of course I couldn’t help but think that back in the UK the idea would never get off the ground (even if a church wanted to do so) as Health & Safety and Insurance considerations would be too difficult an obstacle to overcome. But straight away I can think of at least two churches in Swindon which have the grounds to do this if the vision was there.
By the way. Talking of roundabouts, there is one in Mooresville about a mile from the parsonage. The magic roundabout it isn’t.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
I'll meet you on the other shore
30th June 2013
So today was my first service at Fairview UMC Mooresville. And I’d been told in advance it would be a bit different as many months back a guest choir had been booked to come and lead worship. The African American male voice choir of St Paul Baptist Church Charlotte. http://www.spbcnc.org/
The 50 strong choir led worship magnificently and the Holy Spirit came upon many there this morning including yours truly. Sadly,timings meant that the choir could only sing 5 items. They’d originally offered 11. To be honest I’d have happily given up the sermon slot for them as I felt ministered to through their singing and the words of the songs they sang.
(As an aside, I have a habit when in the USA of referencing much of what I encounter to films and TV shows. So this morning as the choir was having a sound check and one of the accompanists started playing a Hammond type organ, I immediately thought of the scene in The Blues Brothers where Jake & Elwood go to the church of Reverend Cleophus James. Thankfully I resisted the urge to do somersaults down the aisle – though with my Ray bans on there is a passing resemblance to John Belushi)
However, there was an expectation that I would preach and preach I did. I’m not going to say much about the sermon as I’ve posted an abridged version of that already. But given the proximity to 4th July the theme of freedom was appropriate. Though I’m not sure producing a large Union Jack and draping it over the pulpit was the most politically correct thing to do! (It got a big laugh though.)
I loved the children’s talk lead by one of the ministry team. Focusing on 4th July he asked the children what their favourite part of the holiday was and one obligingly said “fireworks”. This was useful as the talk used fireworks as an illustration!
From feedback afterwards (from members of the choir, their families and church members) my sermon seemed to have struck the right note and was well received. (A friend on Facebook asked whether someone had shouted “Preach it Reverend”. I don’t think they did, though there were a few “Amens” and “Yes sirs” around.) And I know I certainly felt up lifted by the worship the choir lead.
The lunch was a thing to behold. It was termed a “Covered dish lunch”. And people had been hugely generous in the amount of food provided. It’s hard to say but there must have been heading towards 300 people for lunch and all had plenty with lots left over. (We have the food parcel to prove it.) The generosity of Fairview’s people knows no bounds.
I had time to wander round and “work the room” to say hello to some people I’d already met and to meet some people for the first time and to thank the choir. One conversation with a wife of a choir member was poignant. She thanked me for the sermon and said she agreed with what I’d said. But then she said “Many folks like us don’t really celebrate 4th July. The founding fathers didn’t have us in mind when they made the declaration of independence. Still, we enjoy the day off.” I don’t know how widespread this view is among African Americans but it was sad to hear it.
That said, when I was preaching my sermon a similar thought did go through my mind. I used a quote from the Declaration of Independence in my sermon:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
And as I read those words out this morning I did reflect on the irony that slavery was still around in the USA for the best part of another 100 years. As George Orwell wrote in Animal Farm “All are created equally but some are more equal than others.” (But let’s not forget that although the British abolished the salve trade in 1803 we didn’t ban slavery until 1833.)
I wished I’d had more time to talk to the choir for I wanted to share with them how in Wales there is a great tradition of choral singing in general and male voice singing in particular. And I was reminded how the Welsh miners took Paul Robeson to their hearts. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/singer-campaigner-paul-robeson-was-1819886
This will be a day that I will treasure. I will have to rely on the images in my mind as my camera played up. But among so many wonderful things in my heart and mind will be the song the choir sang to close the service “I’ll meet you on the other shore.”
“Neighbour, Just in case the Lord should come before we get together again, I’ll meet you on the other shore.”
Thank your Fairview and thank you St Paul’s choir for a special day.
So today was my first service at Fairview UMC Mooresville. And I’d been told in advance it would be a bit different as many months back a guest choir had been booked to come and lead worship. The African American male voice choir of St Paul Baptist Church Charlotte. http://www.spbcnc.org/
The 50 strong choir led worship magnificently and the Holy Spirit came upon many there this morning including yours truly. Sadly,timings meant that the choir could only sing 5 items. They’d originally offered 11. To be honest I’d have happily given up the sermon slot for them as I felt ministered to through their singing and the words of the songs they sang.
(As an aside, I have a habit when in the USA of referencing much of what I encounter to films and TV shows. So this morning as the choir was having a sound check and one of the accompanists started playing a Hammond type organ, I immediately thought of the scene in The Blues Brothers where Jake & Elwood go to the church of Reverend Cleophus James. Thankfully I resisted the urge to do somersaults down the aisle – though with my Ray bans on there is a passing resemblance to John Belushi)
However, there was an expectation that I would preach and preach I did. I’m not going to say much about the sermon as I’ve posted an abridged version of that already. But given the proximity to 4th July the theme of freedom was appropriate. Though I’m not sure producing a large Union Jack and draping it over the pulpit was the most politically correct thing to do! (It got a big laugh though.)
I loved the children’s talk lead by one of the ministry team. Focusing on 4th July he asked the children what their favourite part of the holiday was and one obligingly said “fireworks”. This was useful as the talk used fireworks as an illustration!
From feedback afterwards (from members of the choir, their families and church members) my sermon seemed to have struck the right note and was well received. (A friend on Facebook asked whether someone had shouted “Preach it Reverend”. I don’t think they did, though there were a few “Amens” and “Yes sirs” around.) And I know I certainly felt up lifted by the worship the choir lead.
The lunch was a thing to behold. It was termed a “Covered dish lunch”. And people had been hugely generous in the amount of food provided. It’s hard to say but there must have been heading towards 300 people for lunch and all had plenty with lots left over. (We have the food parcel to prove it.) The generosity of Fairview’s people knows no bounds.
I had time to wander round and “work the room” to say hello to some people I’d already met and to meet some people for the first time and to thank the choir. One conversation with a wife of a choir member was poignant. She thanked me for the sermon and said she agreed with what I’d said. But then she said “Many folks like us don’t really celebrate 4th July. The founding fathers didn’t have us in mind when they made the declaration of independence. Still, we enjoy the day off.” I don’t know how widespread this view is among African Americans but it was sad to hear it.
That said, when I was preaching my sermon a similar thought did go through my mind. I used a quote from the Declaration of Independence in my sermon:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
And as I read those words out this morning I did reflect on the irony that slavery was still around in the USA for the best part of another 100 years. As George Orwell wrote in Animal Farm “All are created equally but some are more equal than others.” (But let’s not forget that although the British abolished the salve trade in 1803 we didn’t ban slavery until 1833.)
I wished I’d had more time to talk to the choir for I wanted to share with them how in Wales there is a great tradition of choral singing in general and male voice singing in particular. And I was reminded how the Welsh miners took Paul Robeson to their hearts. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/singer-campaigner-paul-robeson-was-1819886
This will be a day that I will treasure. I will have to rely on the images in my mind as my camera played up. But among so many wonderful things in my heart and mind will be the song the choir sang to close the service “I’ll meet you on the other shore.”
“Neighbour, Just in case the Lord should come before we get together again, I’ll meet you on the other shore.”
Thank your Fairview and thank you St Paul’s choir for a special day.
Called to freedom
Abridged text of a sermon preached at Fairview UMC 30th June 2013 – Called to Freedom
One question I asked David Calhoun before coming to the USA was whether I’d be expected for me to make reference to Independence Day or to preach a special sermon. David told me I didn’t need to – though I should perhaps make reference to the day on the Sunday before or after.
Well when I saw the Galatians passage in the Lectionary passages for this Sunday, it soon became apparent that Freedom would be on the agenda. For the passage in Galatians has plenty to say about freedom and, as I understand it, Independence Day is all about Americans wanting to be free from us pesky Brits!
To get to grips with this passage from Galatians we have to understand the background to it.
A group of Jewish Christian missionaries came to Galatia and told the Christians there they had got it wrong. In order to be a follower of Jesus Christ they needed to adopt the following of Jewish laws. Only by doing so would they worthy of salvation.
On hearing what was happening, Paul penned his letter to dissuade the Galatian churches from accepting this message from the Missionaries.
In Paul’s eyes the Missionaries had got it wrong. Paul preached that salvation comes through God’s grace. Grace that was shown through the death of Jesus on the cross. Paul emphasised that it is the cross, not adherence to the Law of Moses that is the basis of a relationship with God.
The Missionaries acted as though the death of God’s son on the Cross had not changed the world. The Missionaries wanted things to go back to how they were before Jesus. Whereas in Jesus Christ God has transformed the world. And continues to transform the world.
In summary, the Missionaries wanted to shackle the members of the church in Galatia to the Jewish law. Paul urges the people of Galatia to take a stand against the Missionaries and their message because their version of the Gospel will tie them down.
Paul is saying Jesus Christ has freed all people from the obligation of following the Law of Moses
5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
And in saying this Paul is echoing the words of Jesus. You’ll remember how Jesus once said in Matthew 11
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’
It was often said that a Jewish person was yoked to the law. In other words, they pulled the law around with them and like the yoke itself the law would have been heavy and burdensome. But in Christ Jesus people do not need to be yoked to the law for salvation. The law doesn’t bring them salvation. Faith in Jesus Christ brings salvation. And salvation brings freedom.
I don’t know what it is like here in the USA but we in Britain are experiencing more and more regulation and red tape. I chair the Board of Governors – Trustees if you like – of a local High School in Swindon. And I despair for the teachers who are constantly on the receiving end of more bright ideas and paperwork form the Government. But it is not just schools that are subject to more and more regulation. Many institutions are becoming more regulated and perhaps the reason why is because it is no longer possible to allow schools, hospitals, banks etc. etc. to govern themselves because they cannot be trusted to do so.
As someone who worked in the banking sector for about 15 years prior to ministry, I can understand why the banks are becoming more regulated. Our governments - whether under Margaret Thatcher or Tony Blair – operated a so called “light touch” approach which allowed the banks to regulate themselves. And to misquote that well know financial commentator Oliver Hardy –
“another nice mess they’ve gotten us in to!”
If institutions could be trusted to run themselves they wouldn’t need regulation. But because institutions apparently cannot be trusted to run themselves, they are becoming subject to tighter regulation.
In sharp contrast to this Paul reminds the Galatians that they do not need to be subject to the Law of Moses because
18 if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
In other words, as Christians, if we living by the Holy Spirit, and being guided by the Holy Spirit, we do not need the rules and regulations that the Law of Moses imposed. Through the Holy Spirit we are in touch with how God would have us live our lives and we don’t need 600 or so laws given to Moses to tell us how we live Christ like lives.
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Freedom is a basic human right. The American founding fathers knew that when they wrote the words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
But we always have to balance individual liberty with the good of the entire community. It’s a fine line isn’t it between lawless anarchy and oppressive totalitarianism. Paul, mindful no doubt of the might of the Roman Empire, tells the Galatians that they must stand firm for freedom, but at the same time they must care for one another and the wider community
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;[c] only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,[d] but through love become slaves to one another.
Galatians 5:13
And in caring for one another, they are not to be selfish or self-centred.
We have a saying in Britain “I’m alright Jack.” It supposedly came from the Royal Navy “I’m alright Jack you can pull up the ladder” meaning anyone else waiting to be rescued could fend for themselves. It is a term used to indicate a person who only acts in their own best interests, even where assistance to others would necessitate minimal effort on their behalf.
Paul reminds us that in Christ we have freedom but that freedom must not be abused. We are not to say “I’m alright Jack I’m saved I don’t care about you”
The City of London is the original site of Londinium, the Roman city and the area is roughly a square mile. It is a City within a City and has its own local government and police force. Today the City of London is the home of UK banking and commerce and it is probably the most important financial centre in the world after New York.
On the wall of my study is a framed certificate that shows I am a Freeman of the City of London. Historically, to be a Freeman of the City meant you could trade there without having to pay City taxes and it meant that a Freeman could drive cattle or sheep to market in the City over London Bridge without having to pay a toll. It also meant that you were not a slave.
Today it is nothing more than an honorary title. And I share the honour of being a Freeman with illustrious people such as Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. However, in theory, a Freeman is still entitled to drive sheep or cattle over London Bridge – though as the Chamberlain of the City said to me at my investiture “Although you can drive sheep over London Bridge we’d rather you didn’t. The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tends to get rather upset.”
I mention this because it’s a good example of being free to do something but at the same time having responsibilities to others.
Paul reminds us that
14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
Just before I came away I was sent some information on the Moral Mondays campaign that is taking place here in North Carolina. As I understand it leaders of five of the main denominations have come out against cuts being made by your state legislature in respect of Medicare and unemployment benefit.
It would be impolite as a visitor to these shores, and to this wonderful State, to make comment. But I was struck by the wording of the joint statement released by various church leaders including
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, North Carolina Conference, United Methodist Church
Bishop Larry Goodpaster, Western North Carolina Conference, United Methodist Church
And in the statement the church leaders say this
Our concern about the legislative actions is not an act of political partisanship. Rather it is a matter of faith with respect to our understanding of the biblical teachings and imperatives to protect the poor, respect the stranger, care for widows and children and love our neighbours
And one of the passages of scripture they cite in support is Galatians 5:14
14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
In 1834 6 men – five of whom were Methodists - all from the small Dorset village of Tolpuddle in England, were found guilty of trying to form a trade union for farm workers. To use today’s language they were framed. But the court ordered them to be imprisoned. In fact they would be transported – sent to Australia – almost as slaves. To cut a long story short, after a national campaign, they men were pardoned and freed.
One of the men was George Loveless. He was a Methodist local preacher. Just before he was sent to Australia George Loveless, wrote a hymn the first verse of which is this:
God is our guide! from field, from wave,
From plough, from anvil, and from loom;
We come, our country's rights to save,
And speak a tyrant faction's doom:
We raise the watch-word liberty;
We will, we will, we will be free!
In Christ we are set free. Free to worship him. Free to be saved by him. And free to love our neighbours as ourselves as he commanded. In Christ we will, we will, we will be free!
One question I asked David Calhoun before coming to the USA was whether I’d be expected for me to make reference to Independence Day or to preach a special sermon. David told me I didn’t need to – though I should perhaps make reference to the day on the Sunday before or after.
Well when I saw the Galatians passage in the Lectionary passages for this Sunday, it soon became apparent that Freedom would be on the agenda. For the passage in Galatians has plenty to say about freedom and, as I understand it, Independence Day is all about Americans wanting to be free from us pesky Brits!
To get to grips with this passage from Galatians we have to understand the background to it.
A group of Jewish Christian missionaries came to Galatia and told the Christians there they had got it wrong. In order to be a follower of Jesus Christ they needed to adopt the following of Jewish laws. Only by doing so would they worthy of salvation.
On hearing what was happening, Paul penned his letter to dissuade the Galatian churches from accepting this message from the Missionaries.
In Paul’s eyes the Missionaries had got it wrong. Paul preached that salvation comes through God’s grace. Grace that was shown through the death of Jesus on the cross. Paul emphasised that it is the cross, not adherence to the Law of Moses that is the basis of a relationship with God.
The Missionaries acted as though the death of God’s son on the Cross had not changed the world. The Missionaries wanted things to go back to how they were before Jesus. Whereas in Jesus Christ God has transformed the world. And continues to transform the world.
In summary, the Missionaries wanted to shackle the members of the church in Galatia to the Jewish law. Paul urges the people of Galatia to take a stand against the Missionaries and their message because their version of the Gospel will tie them down.
Paul is saying Jesus Christ has freed all people from the obligation of following the Law of Moses
5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
And in saying this Paul is echoing the words of Jesus. You’ll remember how Jesus once said in Matthew 11
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’
It was often said that a Jewish person was yoked to the law. In other words, they pulled the law around with them and like the yoke itself the law would have been heavy and burdensome. But in Christ Jesus people do not need to be yoked to the law for salvation. The law doesn’t bring them salvation. Faith in Jesus Christ brings salvation. And salvation brings freedom.
I don’t know what it is like here in the USA but we in Britain are experiencing more and more regulation and red tape. I chair the Board of Governors – Trustees if you like – of a local High School in Swindon. And I despair for the teachers who are constantly on the receiving end of more bright ideas and paperwork form the Government. But it is not just schools that are subject to more and more regulation. Many institutions are becoming more regulated and perhaps the reason why is because it is no longer possible to allow schools, hospitals, banks etc. etc. to govern themselves because they cannot be trusted to do so.
As someone who worked in the banking sector for about 15 years prior to ministry, I can understand why the banks are becoming more regulated. Our governments - whether under Margaret Thatcher or Tony Blair – operated a so called “light touch” approach which allowed the banks to regulate themselves. And to misquote that well know financial commentator Oliver Hardy –
“another nice mess they’ve gotten us in to!”
If institutions could be trusted to run themselves they wouldn’t need regulation. But because institutions apparently cannot be trusted to run themselves, they are becoming subject to tighter regulation.
In sharp contrast to this Paul reminds the Galatians that they do not need to be subject to the Law of Moses because
18 if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
In other words, as Christians, if we living by the Holy Spirit, and being guided by the Holy Spirit, we do not need the rules and regulations that the Law of Moses imposed. Through the Holy Spirit we are in touch with how God would have us live our lives and we don’t need 600 or so laws given to Moses to tell us how we live Christ like lives.
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Freedom is a basic human right. The American founding fathers knew that when they wrote the words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
But we always have to balance individual liberty with the good of the entire community. It’s a fine line isn’t it between lawless anarchy and oppressive totalitarianism. Paul, mindful no doubt of the might of the Roman Empire, tells the Galatians that they must stand firm for freedom, but at the same time they must care for one another and the wider community
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;[c] only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,[d] but through love become slaves to one another.
Galatians 5:13
And in caring for one another, they are not to be selfish or self-centred.
We have a saying in Britain “I’m alright Jack.” It supposedly came from the Royal Navy “I’m alright Jack you can pull up the ladder” meaning anyone else waiting to be rescued could fend for themselves. It is a term used to indicate a person who only acts in their own best interests, even where assistance to others would necessitate minimal effort on their behalf.
Paul reminds us that in Christ we have freedom but that freedom must not be abused. We are not to say “I’m alright Jack I’m saved I don’t care about you”
The City of London is the original site of Londinium, the Roman city and the area is roughly a square mile. It is a City within a City and has its own local government and police force. Today the City of London is the home of UK banking and commerce and it is probably the most important financial centre in the world after New York.
On the wall of my study is a framed certificate that shows I am a Freeman of the City of London. Historically, to be a Freeman of the City meant you could trade there without having to pay City taxes and it meant that a Freeman could drive cattle or sheep to market in the City over London Bridge without having to pay a toll. It also meant that you were not a slave.
Today it is nothing more than an honorary title. And I share the honour of being a Freeman with illustrious people such as Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. However, in theory, a Freeman is still entitled to drive sheep or cattle over London Bridge – though as the Chamberlain of the City said to me at my investiture “Although you can drive sheep over London Bridge we’d rather you didn’t. The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tends to get rather upset.”
I mention this because it’s a good example of being free to do something but at the same time having responsibilities to others.
Paul reminds us that
14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
Just before I came away I was sent some information on the Moral Mondays campaign that is taking place here in North Carolina. As I understand it leaders of five of the main denominations have come out against cuts being made by your state legislature in respect of Medicare and unemployment benefit.
It would be impolite as a visitor to these shores, and to this wonderful State, to make comment. But I was struck by the wording of the joint statement released by various church leaders including
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, North Carolina Conference, United Methodist Church
Bishop Larry Goodpaster, Western North Carolina Conference, United Methodist Church
And in the statement the church leaders say this
Our concern about the legislative actions is not an act of political partisanship. Rather it is a matter of faith with respect to our understanding of the biblical teachings and imperatives to protect the poor, respect the stranger, care for widows and children and love our neighbours
And one of the passages of scripture they cite in support is Galatians 5:14
14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
In 1834 6 men – five of whom were Methodists - all from the small Dorset village of Tolpuddle in England, were found guilty of trying to form a trade union for farm workers. To use today’s language they were framed. But the court ordered them to be imprisoned. In fact they would be transported – sent to Australia – almost as slaves. To cut a long story short, after a national campaign, they men were pardoned and freed.
One of the men was George Loveless. He was a Methodist local preacher. Just before he was sent to Australia George Loveless, wrote a hymn the first verse of which is this:
God is our guide! from field, from wave,
From plough, from anvil, and from loom;
We come, our country's rights to save,
And speak a tyrant faction's doom:
We raise the watch-word liberty;
We will, we will, we will be free!
In Christ we are set free. Free to worship him. Free to be saved by him. And free to love our neighbours as ourselves as he commanded. In Christ we will, we will, we will be free!
Saturday, 29 June 2013
The hole with The Mint in it
29th June 2013
So this time last week (sort of) I was all packed and ready for the off. The Voice UK was on the telly and given the lack of anything interesting on US TV (or at least the channels we can get) I’d settle for The Voice now.
Today we left the confines of Mooresville and ventured south along I77 to Charlotte. I’m not sure what I was expecting exactly. Grand colonial style buildings maybe? Well if they exist we didn’t find them. We’d headed for the Uptown area of the city as our guide book seemed to indicate that this was where it was happening. In fact Uptown is a bit like going to the City of London or Canary Wharf on the weekend – pretty dead.
Uptown is the finance district we realised including a very large Wells Fargo office block. To someone raised on a diet of The Virginian, High Chaparral and Western movies (thanks Dad) then Wells Fargo will always be synonymous with stage coaches getting robbed by men in black hats and John Wayne saving the day. Alas no stage coaches (though we did see a tour of the city by horse and carriage.)
However, we did find a very interesting gallery called The Mint. http://www.mintmuseum.org/ The Mint is on two sites with the other site (out of town) being in an older building that once housed a branch of the US Mint hence the name. The Uptown Mint is in a modern building.
This Mint had a good collection of paintings by Americans from 19th to 21st centuries. And there was much to like. But I was particularly taken with a small exhibition by a photographer called Sharon Core. The pictures featured were of people eating. But I liked a series called The Overtoom Squatters. This was a series of photos of people sat at a long tale enjoying a meal together. And I was reminded of depictions of the last supper.
http://www.mintmuseum.org/art/exhibitions/detail/still-lives-early-works-by-sharon-core
And seeing real people enjoying a meal together in this way made the idea of the Last Supper come alive. In one of the pictures a bearded guy is placed in the middle of the table and he just looks fed up with all the partying going on around him. Very thought provoking.
There was also a painting called “Politics”. I can’t remember the artist’s name. It was relatively modern and had almost a photographic quality to it. It depicted two groups of men (and from their style of dress it was supposed to be set around the time of Jesus Christ) shouting at each other and pointing at one another. In between them is a woman looking downcast. In one of the groups of men is a bearded man. He looks angry but somehow detached from the groups and somehow appears to be concerned with the woman. The woman caught in adultery? I’ve attached a blurry photo I sneakily took.
So I have to say Charlotte is the hole with the Mint in it! Actually that’s a bit unfair. I liked what we saw. The streets are tree lined and there were lots of public spaces with chairs and tables to sit and watch the world go by. But Uptown just seemed lacking in …. Something.
(For those of you too young, too forgetful or not British, the Polo mint, long popular in the UK, used to be marketed with the slogan “Polo. The mint with the hole”)
So this time last week (sort of) I was all packed and ready for the off. The Voice UK was on the telly and given the lack of anything interesting on US TV (or at least the channels we can get) I’d settle for The Voice now.
Today we left the confines of Mooresville and ventured south along I77 to Charlotte. I’m not sure what I was expecting exactly. Grand colonial style buildings maybe? Well if they exist we didn’t find them. We’d headed for the Uptown area of the city as our guide book seemed to indicate that this was where it was happening. In fact Uptown is a bit like going to the City of London or Canary Wharf on the weekend – pretty dead.
Uptown is the finance district we realised including a very large Wells Fargo office block. To someone raised on a diet of The Virginian, High Chaparral and Western movies (thanks Dad) then Wells Fargo will always be synonymous with stage coaches getting robbed by men in black hats and John Wayne saving the day. Alas no stage coaches (though we did see a tour of the city by horse and carriage.)
However, we did find a very interesting gallery called The Mint. http://www.mintmuseum.org/ The Mint is on two sites with the other site (out of town) being in an older building that once housed a branch of the US Mint hence the name. The Uptown Mint is in a modern building.
This Mint had a good collection of paintings by Americans from 19th to 21st centuries. And there was much to like. But I was particularly taken with a small exhibition by a photographer called Sharon Core. The pictures featured were of people eating. But I liked a series called The Overtoom Squatters. This was a series of photos of people sat at a long tale enjoying a meal together. And I was reminded of depictions of the last supper.
http://www.mintmuseum.org/art/exhibitions/detail/still-lives-early-works-by-sharon-core
And seeing real people enjoying a meal together in this way made the idea of the Last Supper come alive. In one of the pictures a bearded guy is placed in the middle of the table and he just looks fed up with all the partying going on around him. Very thought provoking.
There was also a painting called “Politics”. I can’t remember the artist’s name. It was relatively modern and had almost a photographic quality to it. It depicted two groups of men (and from their style of dress it was supposed to be set around the time of Jesus Christ) shouting at each other and pointing at one another. In between them is a woman looking downcast. In one of the groups of men is a bearded man. He looks angry but somehow detached from the groups and somehow appears to be concerned with the woman. The woman caught in adultery? I’ve attached a blurry photo I sneakily took.
So I have to say Charlotte is the hole with the Mint in it! Actually that’s a bit unfair. I liked what we saw. The streets are tree lined and there were lots of public spaces with chairs and tables to sit and watch the world go by. But Uptown just seemed lacking in …. Something.
(For those of you too young, too forgetful or not British, the Polo mint, long popular in the UK, used to be marketed with the slogan “Polo. The mint with the hole”)
Friday, 28 June 2013
The case of the leaking yogurt
28th June 2013
Was part of a trip that took 6 children from Fairview to Dan Nicholas Park near Salisbury NC. (About an hour’s drive from Mooresville.) This was part of the regular “Fun Fridays” programme that runs at Fairview during the summer. Aimed at those in what we would call Primary School.
Leading the expedition was the Director of Children’s ministry accompanied by someone who works in the church nursery school. She explained that sometimes numbers can be greater than this and sometimes there will be children who aren’t from church families though today the children were all churched.
Off we trundled in one of the two church mini buses (or “vans”). We had been going for about 5 minutes when we heard a plaintive cry of “My yogurt’s leaking.” It’s a sign of a well organised trip when such an emergency can be seamlessly dealt with.
The drive to Salisbury was lovely along quiet country roads with lots of trees and farms.
The journey allowed me to chat to the Director (who was driving) and she had a really interesting story to tell about her life, her family and her interests.
Dan Nicholas Park is a mixture of activities for children from a miniature railway, small zoo, a carousel and crazy golf. (Sadly didn’t get to play crazy golf. I suspect as the Americans didn’t want a repeat of the Ryder Cup and Justin Rose winning the US Open.)
The other thing we did, which I think must be unique, was that we panned for gem stones. Everyone is given a large bucket filled with sand and gravel and then this is sieved in a channel of fast flowing water. Clearly the stones are planted as everyone got some (such as quartz, fool’s gold and amethyst). But it was great fun panning for the stones.
And it was a pleasant relief to sit in some shade as we panned for the temperature today was around 90F.
At lunch one small child who was lovely but fairly boisterous produced from his lunch box a packet of Oreo biscuits and a can of Mountain Dew. If you’re not familiar with this drink it is a citrus flavoured energy drink. Probably not as potent as Red Bull but with enough of a zip for a small child. The child did suddenly get a new lease of life. But thankfully it wasn’t too long before we headed home.
Then this evening Tom and I went to dinner at the lovely couple from church who have been looking after us. They had invited a few friends round and we had a great time. The original plan was to sit outside and eat but the weather intervened. (We must be heading into the third hour of a thunder storm.)
A good variety of conversation. But the show stopper for me was when one guest told how he was authorised to conduct marriage having applied on line to a place in Las Vegas. He’d done it originally as a bit of a dare. But since then he has conducted several marriages for friends and has another two lined up.
Given the amount of hassle marriages cause I wonder if there is any chance of sending some more his way?
Was part of a trip that took 6 children from Fairview to Dan Nicholas Park near Salisbury NC. (About an hour’s drive from Mooresville.) This was part of the regular “Fun Fridays” programme that runs at Fairview during the summer. Aimed at those in what we would call Primary School.
Leading the expedition was the Director of Children’s ministry accompanied by someone who works in the church nursery school. She explained that sometimes numbers can be greater than this and sometimes there will be children who aren’t from church families though today the children were all churched.
Off we trundled in one of the two church mini buses (or “vans”). We had been going for about 5 minutes when we heard a plaintive cry of “My yogurt’s leaking.” It’s a sign of a well organised trip when such an emergency can be seamlessly dealt with.
The drive to Salisbury was lovely along quiet country roads with lots of trees and farms.
The journey allowed me to chat to the Director (who was driving) and she had a really interesting story to tell about her life, her family and her interests.
Dan Nicholas Park is a mixture of activities for children from a miniature railway, small zoo, a carousel and crazy golf. (Sadly didn’t get to play crazy golf. I suspect as the Americans didn’t want a repeat of the Ryder Cup and Justin Rose winning the US Open.)
The other thing we did, which I think must be unique, was that we panned for gem stones. Everyone is given a large bucket filled with sand and gravel and then this is sieved in a channel of fast flowing water. Clearly the stones are planted as everyone got some (such as quartz, fool’s gold and amethyst). But it was great fun panning for the stones.
And it was a pleasant relief to sit in some shade as we panned for the temperature today was around 90F.
At lunch one small child who was lovely but fairly boisterous produced from his lunch box a packet of Oreo biscuits and a can of Mountain Dew. If you’re not familiar with this drink it is a citrus flavoured energy drink. Probably not as potent as Red Bull but with enough of a zip for a small child. The child did suddenly get a new lease of life. But thankfully it wasn’t too long before we headed home.
Then this evening Tom and I went to dinner at the lovely couple from church who have been looking after us. They had invited a few friends round and we had a great time. The original plan was to sit outside and eat but the weather intervened. (We must be heading into the third hour of a thunder storm.)
A good variety of conversation. But the show stopper for me was when one guest told how he was authorised to conduct marriage having applied on line to a place in Las Vegas. He’d done it originally as a bit of a dare. But since then he has conducted several marriages for friends and has another two lined up.
Given the amount of hassle marriages cause I wonder if there is any chance of sending some more his way?
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Happiness is --- a dollar in the bucket
27th June 2013
Tom and I visited one of the three Mooresville Rotary clubs this morning – RC Mooresville Top of the Lake. This was a breakfast club with over 30 members. The average age would have been around 50 I should say and maybe a third of the people there today were women. So quite a different demographic to the club back home.
It was their club handover today. That is when the new club president (and officers) take up office.
One thing that I’d not come across before was the “Dollar in the happy bucket”. (Perhaps it’s me, but this sounds like a euphemism for something – though I’m not quite sure what.) Anyway, a small plastic bucket (like a children’s sandcastle type bucket) was passed round the room and everyone was encouraged to put in a dollar and say thank you for something over the last week. So for example, one of the female members (whose husband was also a member of the club) wanted to give thanks for them having had a lovely 2 week holiday in Italy. The first 2 week holiday they had had in 37 years so she said as they’d not been prepared to leave their business for so long previously. Others gave thanks for someone having come through an operation.
“The happy bucket” sounds really corny. But I really liked the sentiment behind it. Wouldn’t it be good if we were more willing to say thanks to God in Church for something that has happened to us? And yet may experience has been that when people are given the opportunity to say “thank you” for something in church there is silence. I’m sure some people say prayers of thanks at home. But why not publicly? And would it be too radical to combine it with a happy bucket?
Having had a Skype conversation with Anne earlier, she told me some people have been saying (albeit in fun) “Isn’t he doing any work?” Well I never work and only on Sundays (I thought I’d say it before someone else did.) But I have been doing some “work”
Yesterday, we had a staff meeting which was an opportunity to meet the ministry leaders and hear about what they do. Followed by a working lunch. Well ok lunch.
Today, with the Director of Spiritual Growth I had a pastoral meeting with a member of the church who is going through a difficult time. This was a most enlightening experience as I learned so much from my colleague in the hour or so.
And I’ve been sermon writing. And what has been wonderful has been having the space to reflect and think on my sermon and not the usual rushing to get something ready for Sunday. In fact I am a week ahead of myself which is unheard of. Usually I have the sermon 95% finished by the Friday before the Sunday and I am up early on Sunday to finalise things. So I am enjoying the luxury.
Once I’ve finished the blog it’s domestic duties – the ironing calls. Tom meanwhile is out with a group of 20 somethings from church.
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