Coming to Christ and going on with Christ

Here's the sermon I shared at St Andrew's Wickford this morning:

Jesus teaches and demonstrates the abundance of God. People realise their need of God. Jesus calls them and they follow him with all their lives. This is a common pattern for many in coming to faith and also to baptism.

In this story (Luke 5.1-11), Jesus teaches from a boat, his demonstration of God’s abundance is in the amazing catch of fish after the fishermen had caught nothing during the night. Peter responds by saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ but Jesus calls him, and all those with him, including James and John, to follow him by giving them a task - ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ They give their lives to him by leaving everything and following him.

Today, those being baptised are becoming part of this story as a result of the way God has been at work in their lives and in their family. Telling our stories of encountering God is a key part of preparing for baptism. Within this parish we use a course called Being With to enable people to share their stories and see how those connect with the story of salvation that we see in the Bible. Being With is a life changing way to help people explore the Christian faith because it helps people consider Christian faith in new and refreshing ways, without needing prior knowledge, but a simple willingness to share what you do know or feel. 

However, baptism isn’t just about coming to God, it is also about going on with God, recognising that we all have God-given gifts and talents that we can use in his service and God-given tasks that only we can do for him. That’s why when Jesus called him disciples, he also gave them a task to fulfil – to be fishers of people; those who share the good news of God with others and bring them into the family of God.

That is why, after our baptism candidates have been baptised, there is a part of the baptism liturgy called the Commission in which they will be asked: Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ? Will you seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself? They will reply, With the help of God, I will. Each of us is also called to serve God by using our gifts and talents in his service and by taking on specific tasks to bring into being signs of the kingdom of God in our time and our communities.

So, first we need to identify our particular gifts and talents, then get practice and support in using them, and ask God’s guidance on the tasks and roles he wants us to fulfil. Later this year, we will be organising a Stewardship Month to encourage all of us in the Parish to reflect on the various ways in which we can use our time, talents and treasure in God’s service. Each of us has special qualities, skills and talents. How could your talents and gifts be used more fully for the work of God through St Andrew’s? Each of us has time, talents and treasure which could be given out of gratitude and to help this church. Will you help in some way? Can you use your gifts to share in God’s plan for his kingdom and for the work of ministry here at St Andrew’s?

Could you offer your time and talents for tasks such as Administering Communion, Contemplative Commuters, Campaigning on issues, Children’s work, MU Committee, Choir member, Musician, DCC member, Odd jobs, Committee member, Painting & decorating, Church officer, PCC member, Cleaning, Toddler Group helper, Coffee Morning helper, Prayer for others, Reading the Bible in church, Sidesperson, among other tasks? I encourage you to reflect on how you use your gifts and talents currently and whether you could give us of your talents in new ways out of gratitude to God and to help this church.

Ministry belongs to the whole people of God. Every person, because of their baptism, has a ministry. We must nurture an expectation in our churches that every Christian gives expression to this ministry in their daily life and in their participation in the life of the Church. To see our churches grow and flourish there needs to be a huge flourishing of lay ministry here including youth and children’s workers, authorised preachers, pastoral visitors and evangelists.

Contrary to popular belief, we do not have to be perfect to do God's work. We need look no further than the disciples Jesus called whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Jesus chose ordinary people - fisherman, tax collectors, political zealots - and turned their weaknesses into strengths. Jesus had a large number of followers including women as well as men and those who remained at home to support those who were on the road with Jesus, as each of us have different circumstances and different roles to play.

John McArthur writes, ‘What we know to be true about Jesus is that He chose [those who were] ordinary and unrefined … They were the commonest of the common. They were from rural areas, farmers, and fisherman. Christ purposely passed over the elite, aristocratic, and influential … and chose mostly … from the dregs of society. That’s how it has always been in God’s economy. He exalts the humble and lays low those who are proud.’

All such were chosen, trained and used by Jesus. Even those who were in the background as disciples were valuable team members. This was so despite their personal failings and failures. None of those things were barriers to being called by Jesus, trained and used by him. That remains true for each of us.

Realising that God loved me unconditionally and as I was, with my shyness and reserve, was key to finding my way through life and using the mix of gifts, skills and interests I developed. Like Jesus’ disciples I wasn’t an obvious candidate to be called to ministry. But none of us are; that’s the beauty of the way God values each person as a unique creation, calling us to be with him so that, over time, our gifts, skills and interests are all utilised in his company.

As Rick Warren has said: ‘God has given you unique abilities, talents, and gifts … If you think your talents are simply for you to make a lot of money, retire, and die, you’ve missed the point of your life. God gave you talents to benefit others, not yourself. And God gave other people talents that benefit you … We’re all a part of the body of Christ, and each part matters. There are no insignificant people in the family of God. You are shaped to serve God, and he is testing you to see how you are going to use the talents he gave you. Whether you are a musician or an accountant, a teacher or a cook, God gave you those abilities to serve others … You are a manager of the gifts God has given to you.’ May it be so for each one of us. Amen.

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Joy Oladokun - Dust/Divinity.

Forget self and carry your cross

Here's the sermon that I shared today at St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead:

Chapter meetings are the regular meeting for all the clergy and readers in a Deanery. In a previous Deanery we had some sessions where we shared with each other our thoughts and feelings about ministry. At one meeting we shared our motivations for ministry and, at another, we talked about those things that we found threatening in ministry.

Talking about the things we find threatening is itself a slightly threatening thing to do. Think about your life and work for a moment and the things that you find threatening. You might find yourself talking about tensions in relationships, unethical work practices, increasing demands on your time, the possibility of redundancy, mounting debts, nuisance neighbours, racial tensions, or fear of crime, among many other possibilities. Sharing things that we find threatening can open up some very personal things and so we felt vulnerable at that Chapter meeting as we shared together.

But although we felt vulnerable during the meeting, as we shared things that were personal to us, we did not go away from the meeting continuing to feel vulnerable. Instead, as each person shared, we felt a closer identification with each other and were able to support each other by praying together before we left. In that meeting our willingness to be vulnerable moved us to a place of greater understanding and support for each other.

As we go about our daily lives there are many situations in which we can make us ourselves vulnerable. Each time we come to church we publicly confess our sins. If we genuinely do this and genuinely understand the significance of what we are saying and doing together, then we are all publicly acknowledging specific failures in our lives, relationships and witness during the past week. That is, or should be, a place of vulnerability. As we care for others, we experience vulnerability. In a serious illness, we can see a person that we love decline mentally and physically sometimes with little that we can do to prevent that. We are torn up inside but need to stay in that place of vulnerability in order to support that person in their illness. When we witness crime, do we call the Police or intervene? Doing either may also make us vulnerable. In our world, we are faced with significant issues of disadvantage and oppression. If we take a stand on these issues then, again, we can make ourselves vulnerable.

In our Gospel reading (Mark 8: 27 – end) Jesus said that those who follow him must forget self and carry their cross. Those who want to follow him have to lose their lives, he says. This is the ultimate vulnerability and it is what Jesus modelled for us by going to the cross with all the rejection and suffering that that particularly horrific form of death involved. But Jesus is quite clear and specific in what he says. That is what he had to do, anyone who tried to prevent that from happening was doing the Devil’s work (even if that person was Peter, the leader of Jesus’ disciples and the person who had just realised who Jesus actually was), and we are to follow in his footsteps. This is a call into vulnerability coming from a God who deliberately makes himself so weak that human beings can take him and kill him.

It is an incredible statement that contradicts our gut human instinct about the right way to live life. Scientists tell us that life is about the survival of the fittest and what follows from that is that living selfishly by protecting ourselves and our interests is the way to survive in life. That is our gut instinct as human beings about life. We see it in many words and phrases that are in common usage. We’ve all heard people talk about looking after No. 1 or how you’ve got to look out for yourself because if you don’t know one else will. Much of the way we organise society is about reducing our sense of vulnerability through extra security or by minimising pain. Faced with a crime situation many people will simply pass by rather than help and we often try to lead a quiet life rather than take a stand on issues in our community and world.

Jesus says that when we live like that, trying to save our own lives, that actually we lose them. When we live life by thinking of ourselves, protecting ourselves, building barriers between ourselves and others, then we have missed the whole point of life and cannot live a life of real engagement with God, other people and the world in which we live. In other words, when we live selfishly, we are dead to the world and all that is in it.

The alternative that Jesus maps out for us here is scary but it is the way, he says, to real life. “Whoever wants to save his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

Why is it that vulnerability will lead us into real life? The Chapter meetings I mentioned give us a clue. As we make ourselves vulnerable to others, we find what we share in common (we can’t find that out if we’re only thinking of ourselves) and we find ways in which we can help or support each other and ways in which we can work together for the good of all (we can’t find that out if we only want things for ourselves). Through the experience of vulnerability, we are born into a new world, a new way of life; a shared way of life.

This is an experience of resurrection which is what Jesus promised to those who are prepared to lose their selfish way of life for his sake. It is what Jesus himself knew he would experience: “The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life.” Paul wrote that Jesus’ death has destroyed the diving wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile making one people who are reconciled to God. That is resurrection. That is losing your life in order to find it. That is leaving selfishness through vulnerability in order to find solidarity.

We are called, as followers of Jesus, into this way of life. It is scary, there are no two ways about it. None of us feel comfortable with vulnerability – whether it is emotional, physical or spiritual vulnerability. But it is our willingness, Jesus says, to become vulnerable with others that leads into the experience of unity and solidarity that is a resurrection into the way that life was created to be. We are not created for selfishness we are created to love God and to love others and we only truly live when we do so. May it be so for each one of us. Amen.

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Adrian Snell - Son Of The World.

Being a disciple - learning styles and lifelong learning

Here's the sermon that I shared this morning at St Mary’s Runwell and St Catherine’s Wickford:

I wonder whether you have ever identified the learning style that suits you best. If not, today’s an opportunity to think that through. Which of these learning styles fits you best?

o Activist – You like the opportunity to generate a lot of ideas and to think on your feet. You like to start things off, have a go and try things out. You're open minded and enthusiastic about new ideas but tend to get bored with the details of implementation. You tend to act first and consider the implications afterwards. You love bouncing ideas off other people and solving problems as part of a team but you also enjoy the limelight! You learn best when you're involved in new experiences, problems and opportunities; when you're working with others and by being thrown in the deep end.

o Reflector – You like to think about details carefully before taking action and you take a thoughtful approach. You enjoy being prepared and the chance to research and evaluate something. You welcome opportunities to rethink and reflect on what you've learned and to consider a situation from different perspectives. You like to make decisions in your own time, you keep a low profile and enjoy observing others and hearing their opinions before offering your own. You learn best by reviewing what's happened and mulling over what you've learned and when you have time to complete tasks without tight deadlines.

o Theorist – You are logical and objective and take a step by step approach to problem solving. You pay attention to the details and can be a perfectionist. You are good at translating what you see around you into theories and you're good at fitting things into an overall understanding. You're detached and analytical, rather than subjective or emotional in your thinking and you like to feel intellectually stretched. You learn best in complex situations where you have to rely on skills and knowledge and when you can question and probe the ideas behind things.

o Pragmatist – You like to see how things work out in practice and you enjoy experimenting. You're a down-to-earth problem solver and you like concepts that can be readily applied to your everyday life. You can get impatient with lengthy conceptual discussions which you regard as impractical because you like to see the relevance of your work and to see a practical advantage from using what you've learned. You learn best when there is an obvious link between the topic and job and when you have the chance to feedback on ideas. You love being shown techniques with obvious advantages (e.g. saving time or money) or when you are shown something you can copy (like a proven technique).

We all have a preference for one or the other of these and learn most easily when learning experiences fit with our preferred style but, in order, to become more rounded people its also good to step out of our comfort zones and stretch ourselves by using the other learning styles as well.

You’ve thought briefly about those different styles in relation to yourself and probably other people too, so now let’s think about them in relation to Jesus and the disciples. When Jesus called his first disciples and they dropped their nets to follow him, the disciples were in Activist mode: acting first and considering the implications afterwards; being thrown in the deep end and trying things out.

But then they spent most of their time doing what disciples of rabbi’s always did, sitting at the rabbi’s feet and listening to the rabbi’s teaching. Then they were in Theorist mode: paying attention; fitting things into an overall understanding; intellectually stretched; questioning and probing the ideas behind things.

Now, in today’s Gospel reading (Mark 6. 1-13), we see them going into Pragmatist mode by being asked to copy what they have been shown. Jesus sends them out two by two to have a go at doing what he has been doing: teaching and healing. Now they have to see how things work out in practice, apply the techniques that Jesus has taught them and solve problems in practice; like the problem of how to respond when they are rejected.

Later, when they return (and we read about this in Luke rather than Mark) they go into Reflector mode by reviewing with Jesus what happened while they were travelling preachers and healers and mulling over what they had learnt. They come back in great joy having had some great experiences and Jesus then puts what they have seen and done into the context of God’s plan for the world.

So, we can see the way in which the disciples benefited from different learning experiences and different learning styles at different times in their development.

When he gave his disciples the Great Commission just before his Ascension, Jesus said that they were to go and make disciples. What he was saying then is that all of us who follow Jesus are to be disciples and disciples are those who sit at the feet of the rabbi (in our case, Jesus) and learn from him. Just as Jesus took his disciples through a cycle of learning, so he wants to do the same with us. As part of that learning, the disciples were given roles and responsibilities and became leaders in the church but they never ceased to be disciples and always had more to learn.

It is the same for us. It is a little like the process of being ordained first as a deacon and then as a priest. Simply put, a deacon is a servant. Clergy are ordained first as a deacon to remind us that we are servants of Christ and his church first and foremost. When we are ordained as priest, we don’t then stop being a deacon and it doesn’t matter whether we then go on to further ordinations, for example as a bishop, we remain a deacon, a servant, throughout.

It is the same for us, whether we are a Licenced Lay Minister or Church Warden or Homegroup leader or Hall Bookings Manager or Choir Director or whatever role we might play in our church or our workplaces, as Manager or Secretary or Director or some other role. Whatever role or responsibility we have we are first and foremost a disciple, a learner, and, as a result, our learning should be lifelong and not only during particular periods of education.

We need to be reminded of that regularly because we all face the temptation to think that we have arrived – maybe as Christians, maybe in the role we carry out – when in fact we all have more to learn all the time. Not least, because we are learning from the perfection of Jesus himself and we always fall short of that perfection and therefore always have more to learn.

When we understand ourselves to be disciples, learners, first and foremost then it changes our attitude towards the roles we play. If we know that there is always something more we can learn then we pay attention to others and what they are doing rather than focusing on ourselves, we have a basic curiosity that makes us ask why are you doing that that way, instead of saying “it’s my way or the highway,” we have an underlying humility that recognises that I may have much to learn from your way.

Where are we in relation to these kinds of attitudes? Where are we in our learning cycle with Jesus? Where do we need to be stretched and challenged in our lives and learning styles? Are we inspired by the experience of having someone who is actively learning among us to be active learners ourselves?

What are you learning from Jesus at the moment? How is your faith changing and developing your life at the moment? How is your ministry growing in your home, in this church, in our community and in your workplace? These are the questions we need to ask if we are to be those who sit at the feet of Jesus in order to learn from his teaching and practice. These are the questions we need to ask and to answer if we are to be disciples. May it be so for each one of us. Amen.

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U2 - Atomin City.

The GRA:CE Project: Growth, Relationship and Action in the Church of England

The GRA:CE Project: Growth, Relationship and Action in the Church of England was launched at Lambeth Palace this week. The Archbishop of Canterbury commented that we cannot divide social action, discipleship and the call to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ – they're all part of the Christian journey.

Theos and the Church Urban Fund are conducting a three–year research project seeking to understand the relationship between church growth, social action and discipleship within the Church of England.

“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Matthew 22.37–39)

Christians are called to love God and to love neighbour – and that is precisely what churches across the country seek to do, week in week out through:

• serving the needs of their local communities, through projects such as foodbanks, parent–toddler groups and night shelters;
• encouraging people on a journey of faith and deepening people’s relationships with God;
• and helping them learn to support others in their faith.

These three elements – in modern parlance: social action, discipleship and church growth – are all key to the English church in 2018.

What is the relationship between the three, however? And what would happen to church growth if we were better able to join the dots between social action and discipleship?

Their research, which includes St Martin-in-the-Fields as one of the churches being studied, involves substantial primary qualitative research, gathering interviewees, observations and case studies from a diverse range of churches in terms of geography, churchmanship and demographics. This will be followed by a quantitative study drawing on analysis of the qualitative work, aiming to measure the extent of the relationship between social action and church growth. A series of ‘roadshows’ will be held across the country to meet people, hear stories and showcase the research. The project will also develop a set of responses and ‘how to’ documents for church leaders based on the research findings. Throughout the project, there will be regular blog posts to communicate the ongoing thinking and findings of the research.

Some of the questions the research will address are:

• What are churches currently doing in terms of social action and discipleship?
• Is social action a means by which people become part of the church?
• What does this mean for church growth?
• How does discipleship fit into strategies for church growth and social action?
• How can we build on this to encourage churches in the future?

Keep up to date with progress on the GRA:CE project through their blogs here.

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Delirious? - Love Will Find A Way.

HeartEdge in the New Year

'At the heart. On the edge.' - Hamilton, Wednesday 6 February 10 am - 3.30 pm

We invite you to 'At the heart. On the edge', a day hosted by Rev Joanne Hood, Minister of St John's Parish Church of Scotland, and Revd Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the- Fields, which includes theology, ideas, solutions and support for re-imagining Church. A programme has been developed jointly by St John's Church and St Martin’s.

Among those contributing are: The Very Rev Ian Barcroft, Rev Ross Blackman, Rev Liz Crumlish, Revd Jonathan Evens, Rev Dr Doug Gay,Kenneth Johnston, The Most Revd Mark Strange, Andy Turner and Rev Dr George Whyte. The event also features Rev Dr Robin Hill on ‘Sing with the Swing Band’.

The day, to be held at St John's Church on Wednesday 6 February 10 am to 3.30 pm, will introduce: HeartEdge, which is a growing ecumenical network of churches and other organisations working across the UK and overseas, initiated by St Martin-in-the-Fields. HeartEdge aims to catalyse Kingdom Communities:

• For those working at the heart of commerce, culture and community
• With those at the margins and on the edge
• Building association, learning, development and resource.

To register for your free ticket click here.


Inspired to Follow Workshop - Thursday 14th February, 2.00pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields

How to explore the Christian faith using a more open-ended approach? How to engage a more visually-focused culture? ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ is one resource developed by St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The discipleship course uses fine art paintings from the National Gallery, a Biblical story and a short theological reflection to help people explore the Christian faith today. Learn about the genesis of ‘Inspired to Follow’ and discuss its use with Revd Jonathan Evens, St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Free to HeartEdge members, £10 for others. To register click here.

For more information contact Jonathan, Associate Vicar for Partnership Development, at jonathan.evens@smitf.org.


Nazareth Community Workshop - Wednesday 27th February, 2.30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields

The Nazareth Community was established at St Martin-in-the-Fields in March 2018, now with over fifty members, from the congregation and other churches.

The workshop will be led by Revd Richard Carter, and is an opportunity to learn about the life of the community, and to consider how it could be applied in your own contexts. The afternoon will mirror the Saturday morning sharing time, and will begin in the church.

The session will include: Welcome and introduction; Prayer & silence; Talk; Q&A; Refreshments; Small groups; and Close. There is the option to stay on for Bread for the World, at 6.30pm- a key component of the community’s worship.

Tickets are free for HeartEdge members and £10 for others. To register click here.

For more information, contact georgina.illingworth@smitf.org.

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Julie Miller - River Where Mercy Flows.

Inspired to Follow: Art & the Bible Story - Advent Courses

‘Inspired to Follow: Art & the Bible Story’ is a free resource prepared by St Martin-in-the-Fields to help people explore the Christian faith, using paintings and Biblical story as the starting points. It’s been designed as a 22-week course over three terms (although the materials can be used for shorter courses too), and uses fine art paintings in the National Gallery’s collection, along with a theological reflection and a Biblical text, as a spring board for exploring these two questions: How can I deepen my faith in God? What does it mean to follow Jesus today? For more information, see
https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/life-st-martins/discipleship/inspired-to-follow/inspired-follow-course-materials/

This Autumn, we have added to the existing materials two Advent Courses of four sessions each. The first addresses the Last Things, the traditional Advent themes of Death, Judgement, Heaven & Hell, while the second covers the following Advent Characters: Elizabeth & Mary; Joseph; Zechariah & Elizabeth; and Herod.

As always with ‘Inspired to Follow: Art & the Bible Story’, these courses use fine art paintings in the National Gallery’s collection. The Last Things course includes: ‘The Lamentation over the Dead Christ’ – Rembrandt; ‘Saint Michael’ - Carlo Crivelli; ‘Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven; central predella panel’ - probably by Fra Angelico; and ‘The Rich Man being led to Hell’ - David Teniers the Younger. The Advent Characters course includes: ‘The Visitation of the Virgin to Saint Elizabeth’ - Workshop of Goossen van der Weyden; ‘The Dream of Saint Joseph’ - Philippe de Champaigne; ‘The Naming of Saint John the Baptist’ - Barent Fabritius; and ‘The Massacre of the Innocents with Herod’ - Gerolamo Mocetto. The materials are available to be downloaded via the link above, as with the existing materials.

We hope you will find these additions to ‘Inspired to Follow: Art & the Bible Story’ a helpful addition to the site and a useful resource in your churches or parishes.

At St Martin-in-the-Fields we began using ‘Inspired to Follow Advent Course - the Four Last Things: death, judgement, heaven and hell'. This new programme of hour-long gatherings over four Sundays explores the Four Last Things using the following passages and paintings:

• 4 November Death - Mark 15:33-45 / ‘The Lamentation over the Dead Christ’ Rembrandt
• 18 November Judgement - Revelation 12:7-17 / ‘Saint Michael’ Carlo Crivelli
• 2 December Heaven - Revelation 21:1-5, 9-11, 22-27, 22:1-5 / ‘Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven; central predella panel’ probably by Fra Angelico
• 16 December Hell - Luke 16:19-30 / ‘The Rich Man being led to Hell’ David Teniers the Younger 

All these sessions are at 12.00-1.00pm on Sundays, Austen Williams Room, 4 & 18 November, 2 & 16 December.

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Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door.

Inspired to Follow: Pentecostal diversity

‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ is a free resource to help people explore the Christian faith, using paintings and Biblical story as the starting points. It’s been created by St Martin-in-the-Fields in partnership with the National Gallery.

Here is the latest reflection that I have prepared for the series:
Topic: Pentecost
Text: Acts 2:1-39 (extracts)
Image: ‘Pentecost’, Giotto and Workshop, probably about 1310-18, G5360
Location: National Gallery, Room 51

Giotto was mainly active in Florence, although he may have been trained in Rome. He became known as the chief liberator of Italian painting from the Byzantine style of the early Middle Ages. This was because he drew his figures from life, rather than copying from old well-known pictures in the way that the Byzantine artists like Cimabue and Duccio did. The figures that Giotto painted are solid and three-dimensional. They have anatomy, faces and actions that look very natural, because they have been drawn from looking at real people. This more natural way of showing people was started by Pietro Cavallini, but Giotto took the new ideas much further.

In his paintings each scene looks like a shallow stage with actors on it. There are always some buildings or landscape such as a rocky hill, so that the viewer can see where the action is happening. The figures are carefully arranged so the viewer can imagine that they are right there, taking part in the action. That is what we see in 'Pentecost' which represents the twelve apostles gathered together after Christ's Ascension into Heaven. The Holy Spirit is shown descending on them in the form of a dove and tongues of fire, granting them the power to speak in many languages. In the foreground, men from different nations marvel at hearing the apostles' words in their own language. Giotto depicts real people animated by God’s Spirit and wants everyone to see and experience that for themselves. The painting is organised so we are among those viewing this scene; part of the diverse crowd in Jerusalem.

The Day of Pentecost is the turning point in the history of Christ’s Church. The believers had gone from gathering together in fear of the authorities to gathering together in readiness for the promised gift. They were waiting to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. Jesus had spoken to them about the Kingdom of God and told them that when the Holy Spirit came upon them they would be filled with power and would be witnesses to him in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. That prophecy and promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit enabled the believers to take God’s message to all.

We often think those words meant that the disciples were to start with their own people and gradually move from there to the ends of earth. What we forget is that on the day of Pentecost there were Jews and Gentile converts living in Jerusalem who had come from many different parts of the world: Parthia, Media and Elam; Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia; Pontus and Asia; Phrygia and Pamphylia; Egypt and Libya; Rome, Crete and Arabia. A real diversity of nationalities and ethnicities was right there on the streets in Jerusalem that day.

That diversity meant that a diversity of languages were spoken in Jerusalem and the coming of the Holy Spirit enabled the believers in Jerusalem to engage with the diversity that they found. As they were filled with the Holy Spirit they all began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Although the believers were mainly Galileans and not known for being multi-lingual, each person heard God’s message in his or her language. The Holy Spirit embraced the diversity of Jerusalem and gave the believers the tools they needed to communicate in and through that diversity.

Those diversities – of nationality and language – aren’t the only diversities mentioned. In explaining what God is doing at that time in Jerusalem, Peter spoke about a diversity of age and gender. He quoted from the Book of Joel, where we find the Holy Spirit being poured out on everyone, young and old, men and women, so that all see visions, dream dreams and proclaim God’s message. God used the diversity of age and gender among the believers in order to speak to the diversity of nations and languages in Jerusalem.

Now think about our situation here in London. Doesn’t it, in some ways, seem similar to the situation in Jerusalem? London has always been one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities. Throughout history, people have come from every continent and corner of the globe to live, to visit, and to mix. Today the city brings together more than 50 ethnic communities of 10,000 or more people. More than 70 different national cuisines are available and a staggering 300 different languages are spoken. The world is right here in London, just as it was in Jerusalem.

Just as, at Pentecost, God poured out his Spirit on old and young, men and women, so a similar diversity can be seen in this city and its churches. That diversity is given to us so that we can proclaim the message of God to people of every ethnicity, age, gender, disability, sexuality and religion. And we need the Holy Spirit’s power, gifts and enabling to make that happen.

We need to remember, too, that as the Early Church grew and as God’s message spread there were people who tried to restrict this wonderful new diversity. Even Peter, who led this move into diversity at Pentecost, on one occasion in Galatia tried to restrict the diversity of what God was doing and had to be rebuked by Paul. In the same way today, there are those both in the Church and in our society who want to place restrictions on diversity.

In the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost God celebrates and engages with the diversity that we find in the world he has created. The Holy Spirit comes on all for all and we must not seek to restrict the Spirit’s coming but must enable all to hear God’s call on their lives and be filled by the Spirit just as occurred on that first Pentecost in Jerusalem when all the world’s diversity was gathered to see the pouring out of God’s Spirit on all and for all. And, as Giotto makes clear, that also includes us.

Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your people, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, ignite in us your holy fire; strengthen your children with the gift of faith, revive your Church with the breath of love, and renew the face of the earth. Amen.

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Barratt Band - My Spirit's Free.

Liturgy on the Edge: Pastoral and attractional worship

There are a growing number of HeartEdge-themed resources now available, including a selection of HeartEdge branded books.

These resources include ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’, the online discipleship course which St Martin-in-the-Fields launched at Greenbelt 2017 and which has now been downloaded more than 400 times. HeartEdge-branded books include: ‘For Good: The Church and the Future of Welfare’, ‘Who Is My Neighbour? The Global and Personal Challenge’ and ‘Liturgy on the Edge: Pastoral and Attractional Worship’. These are books which speak into key issues and situations of our time in ways that have been described as timely, valuable and courageous. They are commended as richly challenging, deeply engaging and as being outstanding guides.

The most recent is Liturgy on the Edge: Pastoral and attractional worship; a practical companion to creating pastoral liturgies arises from the vibrant ministry of St Martin-in-the-Fields which is designed to aid local ministry teams in devising forms of worship outside and beyond the scope of authorised church liturgy, yet in sympathy with its purposes and structures.

It includes outline liturgies for:

• regular pastoral services, such as an informal Eucharist, worship for small groups or for a church away-day, a dementia-friendly service, a healing service, interfaith ceremonies.
• acute pastoral needs, such as services for communities affected by local tragedy, those experiencing loss through violence.
• outreach services in the open air or welcoming people into sacred space.
• special services though the year for Homelessness Sunday, Prisoners Week, Holy Week, Harvest, Remembrance, a community carol service and more.

Each section is introduced with a reflection on theory and practice, and each item has a commentary on theological, liturgical and pastoral choices made with the aim of enabling practitioners to adapt and create liturgies for their own contexts.

Liturgy on the Edge: Pastoral and attractional worship is edited by Sam Wells with contributions from Richard Carter, Andrew Earis, Caroline Essex, Jonathan Evens, Katherine Hedderly, Alison Lyon, Alastair McKay, Fiona MacMillan and Will Morris.

My contribution to the book concerns Start:Stop and I will be leading a HeartEdge workshop about Start:Stop at St Martin's on Thursday 24 May from 2.00 - 4.00pm. This is an opportunity to learn about this popular 10-minute work-based reflection for people on their way to work. The session includes: growing a new congregation; engaging with working people; ministering in the workplace and communicating with busy people. Book by emailing me at jonathan.evens@smitf.org or by calling on 020 7766 1127. HeartEdge members - free. Non-members - £10.

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Will Todd - Call Of Wisdom.

HeartEdge Mission Model workshops

HeartEdge is a growing ecumenical network which supports churches in blending their mission around four key areas:

• Congregation – inclusive approaches to liturgy, worship and day-to-day communal life
• Community – models of outreach serving local need and addressing social justice
• Culture – art, music and ideas to re-imagine the Christian narrative for the present moment
• Commerce – commercial activities that generate finance, creatively extending and enhancing mission and ministry through social enterprise

Specific mission models have been identified which are being shared through HeartEdge. These include:

• Disability Advisory Groups - Ensuring disabled people can ‘join in’, not simply ‘get in’
• Great Sacred Music - Sharing faith insights with secular audiences
• Inspired to Follow - Enquirers’ course exploring the story of the Bible through works of art
• International Groups - Hospitality groups for those with no recourse to public funds
• Start:Stop – Early morning reflections for working people

The next HeartEdge mission model workshops to be held are:

Inspired to Follow workshop - Monday 5 February, 2.30 – 4.30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields

How to explore the Christian faith using a more open-ended approach? How to engage a more visually focused culture? ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ is one resource developed by
St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The discipleship course uses fine art paintings from the National Gallery, a Biblical story and a short theological reflection to help people explore the Christian faith today.

Learn about the genesis of ‘Inspired to Follow’ and discuss its use with Revd Jonathan Evens, Associate Vicar Partnership Development, St Martin-in-the-Fields and course designer, Revd Dr Alastair McKay,
Curate, St Martn-in-the-Fields.

Free to HeartEdge members, £10 for others, Register with Revd Jonathan Evens at jonathan.evens@smitf.org or 020 7766 1127.

Start:Stop Workshop - Thursday 1 March, 2.00 - 4.00pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields

Learn about the genesis of Start:Stop (10-minute work-based reflections for people on their way to work) together with Revd Jonathan Evens, Associate Vicar Partnership Development, St Martin-in-the-Fields.

An opportunity to discuss:

• growing a new congregation;

• engaging with working people;

• ministering in the workplace;

• communicating with busy people.

Free to HeartEdge members, £10 for others. Register with Revd Jonathan Evens at jonathan.evens@smitf.org or 020 7766 1127.

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Innocence Mission - Prayer Of St Francis.

Imaging the Story: Rediscovering the visual and poetic contours of salvation

Imaging the Story: Rediscovering the visual and poetic contours of salvation aims to create imaginative encounters with the salvation story by bringing images and poetry into conversation with the Bible in ways that spark creativity in readers or course participants.

In my review of the book for Church Times, I say:

'This is a book full of ideas, theological and artistic. The wealth of material within its pages is structured in terms of content through ten themes that take us from Creation to Consummation, while exploration of each theme is structured in terms of reading (of the biblical texts), responding (questions using “visuo divina”), reflecting (theological reflection with images and poetry), and making (artistic exercises leading to an exhibition).'

A complementary resource to Imaging the Story is Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story, a free resource to help people explore the Christian faith, using paintings and Biblical story as the starting points which has been created by St Martin-in-the-Fields in partnership with the National Gallery.

There’s an opportunity to experience one of the sessions of Inspired to Follow and to learn how to make the most of the resource at a short workshop on Monday 5 February. There’s no substitute to experiencing a session led by the course developer.

The workshop runs from 2.30-4.30pm at St Martin-in-the-Fields. It will be led by Alastair McKay, who developed the resource. Please aim to arrive at 2.15pm, for a hot drink before we start.

The workshop is being offered by the HeartEdge network, and is free to HeartEdge members. If you’re not yet a member of the Network, the cost is £10 per person. We are restricted to 24 participants, so do book soon.

If you’d like to attend the workshop, please contact me at jonathan.evens@smitf.org or phone 020 7766 1127.

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The Band - When I Paint My Masterpiece.

HeartEdge: Inspired to Follow workshop

Inspired to Follow workshop
Monday 5 February, 2.30 – 4.30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields

How to explore the Christian faith using a more open-ended approach? How to engage a more visually-focused culture?

‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ is one resource developed by St Martin-in-the-Fields. The discipleship course uses fine art paintings from the National Gallery, a Biblical story and a short theological reflection to help people explore the Christian faith today.

Learn about the genesis of ‘Inspired to Follow’ and discuss its use with Revd Jonathan Evens, Associate Vicar Partnership Development, St Martin-in-the-Fields and course designer, Revd Alastair McKay, Curate, St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Free to HeartEdge members, £10 for others. Register with Revd Jonathan Evens at jonathan.evens@smitf.org or 020 7766 1127.

For more information about HeartEdge, see https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/life-st-martins/mission/heartedge/.

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Bob Chilcott - My Prayer.

St Martin-in-the-Fields at Greenbelt

As part of our content partnership with Greenbelt, St Martin-in-the-Fields contributed music, a new discipleship resource, and HeartEdge reflections on commerce.

Singers from St Martin-in-the-Fields with our Director of Music Andrew Earis, explored through word and song some of the great music of our religious heritage. Great Sacred Music provided an exploration in words and music of some of the UK’s top 100 hymns, including Be Thou My Vision, Abide With Me and Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. Sacred Space was a time of silence, reflection, music and prayer to draw close to God and experience stillness and peace, including music from the Taize Community.

Alastair McKay with Ayla Lepine launched ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ by facilitating three taster sessions from this new online interactive discipleship resource. ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ is a free resource to explore the Christian faith, using paintings and Biblical story produced by St Martin-in-the-Fields in partnership with the National Gallery.

The course uses fine art paintings in the National Gallery’s collection, along with a Biblical text and a short theological reflection, as a spring board for exploring these two questions:

• How can I deepen my faith in God?
• What does it mean to follow Jesus today?

The course is designed for use in a group, and is intended to build relationships among those participating. It has been structured as 22 hour-long gatherings over three terms, and aims to cover key elements of the Biblical story from Creation to Apocalypse. Each hour-long session can, however, stand alone. So participants don’t need to have attended an earlier session to participate.

The following materials are offered:

• An overview of the course
• Guidelines for the course facilitator(s)
• 22 theological reflections, typically about 8 minutes in length
• 22 handouts with a Biblical text and two reflection questions
• 22 images of paintings from the National Gallery collection
• A list of further recommended resources

To access this free resource, go online and register your details here: www.inspiredtofollow.com .

I contributed to a session entitled 'Cathedrals and commerce: The challenge facing large churches'. This was in The Exchange, a new venue for 2017 that provided the opportunity over the weekend to think together about enterprise for the common good. I was part of a panel chaired by Cliff Mills which explored the reality that large churches are getting involved in enterprise activity to stay open and asked how we can find the right way through commerce and cathedrals. I talked about these questions in relation to HeartEdge, together with The Very Revd John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry Cathedral, Alison Inglis-Jones from the Trussell Trust, and Jonny Gordon-Farleigh from Stir to Action.

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Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.

Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story

As part of our content partnership with Greenbelt this year St Martin-in-the-Fields will be launching 'Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story', an exciting new discipleship resource, with three exclusive ‘Inspired to Follow’ taster sessions. My colleague Alastair McKay has explained more in a post on the Greenbelt website - click here to read.

Alastair will be showcasing three sessions of ‘Inspired to Follow’ at GB17, in collaboration with Ayla Lepine an art historian and ordinand, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the festival. The sessions – a cross between workshop and educational event – are being offered in the new Canvas venue on the ‘other side of the lake’.

‘Inspired to Follow’ offers a space for us to explore together what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. So there’s more questions than answers, as well as pointers to where answers can be found in God’s journey with us – through both the Biblical story and our journey in today’s world. Perhaps the best news is that all the materials for the 22-session course are provided free, in return for registering your details.

In addition, St Martin in the Fields will also be bringing Great Sacred Music to Greenbelt this year and I will be contributing to a session entitled Cathedrals and commerce: The challenge facing large churches. This will be in The Exchange, a new venue for 2017 that will be an oportunity to think together over the weekend about enterprise for the common good. On Bank Holiday Monday at 1.00pm, a panel chaired by Cliff Mills, will explore the reality that large churches are getting involved in enterprise activity to stay open and asking didn't Jesus turn over the tables of the money changers, so how can we find the right way through commerce and cathedrals? I will talk about these questions in relation to HeartEdge, together with The Very Revd John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry Cathedral, Alison Inglis-Jones from the Trussell Trust, and Jonny Gordon-Farleigh from Stir to Action. 

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Pēteris Vasks - Lord,  Open Our Eyes.

Lyfe-long discipleship

Interesting session on Christian Nurture today at St John's Seven Kings which was led by Rob Hare, the lyfe and Bible Engagement Manager at the Bible Society.

Lyfe was developed with Renovaré (founded by Richard J Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline) to help people discover a deeper life with God through Scripture and spiritual practices. Lyfe provides small group sessions, events and other useful resources to help people discover a deeper life with God. Lyfe helps people to grow holistically and to experience a transforming relationship with God through Scripture and spiritual practices that have inspired and sustained Christians throughout the centuries. Information about lyfe small group sessions, retreats and conferences can be found at www.lyfe.org.uk.

As well as Rob Hare's thoughts on discipleship and sampling of a lyfe session, Vernon Ross helped us reflect on discipleship as both the goal of and the foundation for mission and ministry.

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David Grant - Life.  

Mentoring Matters

I've just finished an excellent mentoring course delivered by CPAS for the Diocese of Chelmsford. This was an exemplary course with clear, relevant material delivered using a range of styles in a well weighted programme. James Lawrence was an excellent trainer.

CPAS has a new resource designed to enable the setting up of church-based mentoring networks, including identifying, equipping and resourcing mentors.

Many in our churches are looking for help as they grapple with how to be a disciple and leader in such a fast moving, rapidly changing world.

Those young in the faith seeking to lay good foundations; those who've been Christians a while, wanting to deepen their ongoing service of Christ; and people of every generation looking to grow as leaders.

A mentoring relationship provides an intentional way of engaging with God's agenda. Be it formal or informal, short or long term, the mentor offers encouragement, perspective and challenge.

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The Staple Singers - Touch A Hand, Make A Friend.