PENTECOST 2012

“We are not drunk, as you suppose”

It is becoming the case quite considerably, that our worship, though familiar to us is alien to the majority in our society. Whether it be hymn singing, versicle and response, or just plain standing sitting and kneeling. What we do naturally is peculiar to the majority.

Weddings and Funerals clearly make this issue apparent. Where the amount the congregation actually connect with what is going on and play any part in it is minimal often.

As has been said many times now “Liturgy” means the work of the people so for our liturgy to work we all need to feel that we are fully engaged with what is going on… nobody is “audience”.

Opinion about what actually happens “at church” would probably leave many of us regulars somewhat bemused. Perhaps even insulted at times. We like to think , at least that we are understood, even if not agreed with.

For the person who attends our worship for the first time, for whatever reason the difficulties are indeed numerous. We have a responsibility to ensure all people feel included, welcome and as comfortable as possible.

The image we get as the disciples gathered in the one place, is that the known world was gathered in Jerusalem, presumably to celebrate Pentecost, that time that God made himself ever present with his people by giving them the Law. The Law being the one thing that completely united the people, gave them identity and purpose.

And just as Jesus took the festival and meal of Passover and made it something new for the disciples and the church, so Pentecost was to be re invented for the church and given new impetus.

Just as we find today the world is a varied and rich place. Language is but one small way in which we perceive difference. We also have many other things by which we discern who is “on our side” and who is not!

We are all too quick to jump to our conclusion, without listening to another.

We are very quick sometimes to draw lines of distinction on ever shifting sands, thinking that doing so we make ourselves safe, or safer.

We do like to feel safe don’t we?

The disciples had done this by gathering together. They were fearful but at least safer together.

Outside, the world in all its vastness, with all its competing philosophies and even “directions” for good living, was a bewildering place, and they had no place there so they felt. They felt excluded from the world. (A sort of self exclusion)

You and I do this even today when we gather together, wherever it may be. Today we do it in church. Almost every day we will also “gather together” we choose the people we feel safer amongst.

But the lines we draw, wherever they are and whoever lies on the other side of the line, are not drawn by God who is God of all nations. (something the Jews had difficulties in realising and then the church too as we noticed a few weeks ago in our readings)

The celebration of Pentecost if we are truly to enter into it, should wipe away the lines we draw. The whole world can and may recognise the calling of God, and I expect this will mean that our way or experiencing and showing this recognition will not be someone elses and that this does not matter.

“We are not drunk as you suppose”

the life we now experience in God is for you too.

Pentecost was world breaking news, and at times this news felt quite threatening to both religious and political authorites.

I would hope that we who are comfortable in the church will constantly find ways, even amongst each other, to wipe away some of the lines we draw.

We have to find ways of proclaiming God… not the church or even us, or even our version of the church.

If we had even ten teenagers here today how would our worship be different, or the decision making processes be changed?

(even if we had ten new adults we may wonder how things may change!)

If we more people with very poor mobility, and perhaps arriving with wheel chairs how would we ensure their sense of welcome and comfort? A question which I hope you have not forgotten about.

If this church, or the church we usually go to were to be closed would we really bother to go anywhere else Sunday by Sunday?

Who of us would be here if there was risk involved.

The story of Pentecost will inspire us to be emboldened with love to witness as a united church in a world which is still in so much need. By this “love” the world will know that we are disciples. It seems to keep coming back to this…. And the loving is our witness, and at Pentecost the fearful disciples were able to break out of their self exclusion and feed the world.

Very quickly things began to change.

Another Sermon!

it has been a long time but here is another.

From this Sunday .... Easter 4

Easter rolls on! Once again it is tempting to think  that Easter is long since past, but that may be because we seem to live busy lives, lives dominated by market forces, and lives that are surrounded with the ever present promise that things could be better. (Indeed they will be better if you buy the latest ipad 3, Dove anti aging cream, and eat Tesco finest food)

But for the Christian Easter is as good as it gets. It is both the conclusion and the beginning of faith, and not something that has to be “past” at all. It is certainly not seen as something to be improved upon. It could well be suggested that every Christian festival is grounded in the Easter Story. (A story which we remember has life and death, suffering and joy.)

Perhaps the central point for us today comes from the Epistle reading from Acts, the continuation of last weeks story where Peter and John addressed the crowds following the healing of a man at the Beautiful Gate. By today’s reading Peter and John had been arrested and dragged before the Jewish Religious authorities, the same ones that had broken every rule in the book to sentence Jesus, and ultimately to crucifixion.

The central point is in fact The Name.

Jewish writings at that time refer frequently, I am reliably informed, to “The name” Apocalyptic literature of the time speaks and hopes for the Messiah of God, the beginning of the end times heralded by Elijah, the Name by which the world is saved. Such feelings frequently find themselves expressed in the later prophets of the Old testament. And in Isaiah we read “who declared it of old? Was it not I the Lord? There is no other God… there is no other saviour, to me every knee shall bow” (Is 45: 23) “the name” soon became associated with Jesus.

Peter and John had already referred to “the name” when speaking to the crowds last week and this week the name is associated with “the rejected stone” of Psalm 118:22

Shetland is not particulary renowned for its dry stone walls, it needs to be said, though there are still a good number around. I have been noticing some of them recently and am curious from time to time to see rather “odd” shaped stones in what appear to me to be “odd” places”.

When you are building a wall there are certain stones that are absolutely key to the wall’s success. Not always the corner stone at all.

Judaism was well established. Jerusalem at that time could easily have had a population of  over one and a half million people. It was in any case a key town and had been for a long time. The Temple stood proud. The religious authorities were proud of what they had oversight over, proud enough to protect it from heresy and dissension. They needed no changes made it all worked well. It was established in the community.

There was no place whatsoever, as far as they were concerned for a Jesus shaped stone. He had no roll to play.

But suppose a wall needed rebuilding! It may seem a radical thing to do, even unnecessary one may argue. Then that rejected stone may well become key to a new wall.

This is the situation that the church found itself in, in those early centuries.

The whole of the New Testament keeps speaking about a saving act which stands out from all the others. One of the main reasons why Christianity spread so readily and rapidly in the Roman World at that time was because society had become goal cantered, task orientated and people had become sometimes little more than pawns in the path to success. The Empire ruled!

On the other hand Christianity proclaimed a saving act which drew in the needy, cared for the innocent, supported the poor and downtrodden, a saving act that looked after the sick, visited those in prison, and became a friend to the friendless. What is more this saving act had a name his name is Jesus, something that in John’s epistle is wonderfully described as something we have seen with our own eyes, touched with our hands… this is what we declare to you the word of life itself. And the epistle of John speaks of the joy to be part of that fellowship, and in sharing that joy their own joy is made complete.

Selfless and sacrificial love…. This was the new kid on the block, The Jewish authorities could see no place for it. Roman culture had no place for it, but the people who learned about it realised that this was the only real way to be. It may sound silly….. but!

All this talk was of course politically incorrect, very foolish but there seemed to be no denying it.

A couple of weeks ago we heard what it was like to be part of the church in Jerusalem, that huge busy city. It was exciting, exhilarating, life giving, selfless to the point of being scary, deeply found on prayer and unity with God.

Is there a reason why our faith could not be so life giving today?

Are we part of a wall that even today rejects the stones that have shapes that no longer suit us?

Has the church got a place in today’s society?

“Little children let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action”

Our Shepherd is known as the Good Shepherd because his love is selfless and reckless, are we known in his sheepfold?

Alive and Kicking!

Well yes! I am still alive and kicking... in fact very well indeed. Apologies for not adding more to the blog recently.
I am now on a permanent contract with my Annsbrae work and this means that I have annual leave entitlement and even sick pay should I need it. It also gives me a sense of security. My work with St Magnus and St Colman's also continues to go fine and all in all I am pretty well kept very busy. I am being made very welcome at the Anderson High School as Chaplain, and have even been commented upon (favorably) in the inspection report which the school recently had.

One bit of sad news is that Stuart Haves my old Junior School Teacher who brought me up to Shetland in 1971 along with 55 others has died at the age of 68. I have obviously always remembered that school adventure and as is obvious it has led on to actually shape and form my life. I am grateful to him for this and little did any of us realise the place the trip would have in my life.

Eli and Leah are both still fine, and Leah is now almost fully grown according to the vet, so she is going to be a small labrador just like her mum.

It snowed and hailed again here yesterday and it is still quite cold, though today it is actually bright. Maybe we could be getting warmer? However I did speak with someone yesterday who said that it was not unheard of to have blizzards on the 27th April.... he remembers two at least.

Eli and Leah

At long last more pictures of the duo! Leah is wary of the water at the moment but here they are exploring new sensations.

The Family visit

What a great moment for the Brice clan! All together for Up Helly aa and a few days around it. Most of us managed to stay the course too and return home at eight the following morning after a night partying at Bells Brae Hall.
The weather held well and it was dry for the event. A real spectacle, and full of tradition.
Hannah and Simon managed to stay a little longer too and we were able to enjoy some walking and exploring with Tristan, Hannah's Fiance, and Rachel.
They all enjoyed the time and have said they will be back! (great)

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

I may be far away from many friends and family, but I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed New Year. May 2012 bring you love joy and peace.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I would take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year. I may be far away from many of my friends and family but I do think of you all. I hope this year of 2012 brings blessings, and if you need it peace and courage.

Neil