3rd in a row

This Sunday was the 3rd Sunday in a row I’ve not attended my home Church at The Salvation Army in Croydon…which at this time of year is something of a record.

On each of the last 3 Sundays I’ve been in a different place:

Sunday # 1:

This was a planned weekend off. Although we had initially planned to travel somewhere away from home for that Sunday, we ended up staying at the house and chillin’. The beauty of it all, was that our next door neighbor(u)rs came ‘round on the off chance, so we were able (unusually for a Sunday morning) invite them in for a coffee and a chat around the kitchen table for about an hour….and it was just bliss. We were so glad to not be rushing around, and have the time available just to be with our good friends.

Sunday # 2:

See this post

Sunday # 3:
Noah had been unwell, so I stayed behind to look after him, while Janet went to Church with Mia.

Hooking myself up with a coupla cups of strong coffee, I managed to catch an episode of Faithworks’ Intelligent Church DVD and a NOOMA vid, in preparation for our Home Group, which I bounced over to after Jan returned home, and we swapped baby-sitting duties. As ever, the Home Group was a really relaxed, encouraging time, when we could eat, pray, study Scripture, and consider how we can apply it to our day-to-day lives.

Increasing, I’m becoming aware of the value of really observing the Shabbat or Sabbath.

It’s quite a time since I posted here, on the subject, but the quote from Southern California Church, Rockharbor’s site bears repeating:

Sabbath is a weekly day of rest in which we cease from our weekly tasks and pressures in order to rest and be refilled. In fact, the term Sabbath comes from the Hebrew term shabbat, which means “to cease or rest.” Exodus 20:11 states “in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” God felt so strongly about the need for a weekly day of rest that He called all of Israel to observe a Sabbath rest once a week.

On the Sabbath, we’re called not only to cease from working, but also to empty ourselves of our need to accomplish, produce, and worry about our lives for one day so that we can be refreshed and refilled. It’s a day for us to stop working towards becoming and simply focus on being. One great benefit of Sabbath keeping is that we learn to let God take care of us – not by becoming passive and lazy, but by giving up our feeble attempts to control our own lives and simply resting in His provision.

The Passion

This Easter, the BBC are screening an interpretation of The Passion.

The Beeb's recent track record on this kind of thing has been pretty good of late, so I'll be watching with interest.

The Forgotten Ways

Those lovely folks at Amazon were kind enough to send me a copy of Alan Hirsch’s The Forgotten Ways + reactivating the missional church, so I’m looking forward to getting on and reading it. Alan’s buddy and writing partner Michael Frost’s work has featured heavily on johnnylaird lately, as Michael’s book EXILES has had a profound – and even unsettling - effect on the way I look at being/doing Church. It’s always a good sign when a book is so good you want to share it with someone else, so I’ve passed my copy of EXILES over to my buddy in Sheffield.

If The Forgotten Ways hits the spot like EXILES, it will be a good read.

I’d also ordered Alan & Michael’s collaborative effort - The Shaping of Things to Come - at the same time as The Forgotten Ways, so that should be pitching up shortly.

For more on Alan Hirch and The Forgotten Ways check out the new(ish) blog

Sheffield

At the weekend, Jan the kids and I shared a great weekend with some good friends in Sheffield. It was fantastic just to hang out in their beautiful home with their wonderful family and just ….chill. Thanks for your hospitality, guys!

On top of that, we were able to bounce around some thoughts about mission, Kingdom, community and what is means to be Church.

Also, it was interesting to hear about St Thomas Church Sheffield, and the way things are done there.

Check our their site to get a perspective, and the vid’s worth a watch to see how they are connecting with the student population in the city.

J

Grumpy Old Git

A really good friend of mine from back in the day when we were kids sitting next to each other in the Sally Army Band in Bedford, England is really pretty unwell at the moment.

If you are a pray-er, check out his blog, and learn more about his story.

Like many of you out there, Andy is a major Mac head

Thanks, Andy, for your cool pic.

Richard Rogers

I’ve been occasionally enjoying Alan Yentob’s current IMAGINE series of documentaries on the BBC lately, and last night’s show on architectural superstar Richard Rogers was a real highlight for me. I’m not sure why buildings and created environments get me so pumped, but I’ve always enjoyed looking at them and learning something of the vision that brought them into being, and this Mr Rogers is a king in this area.

If nothing else, it was worth watching for the spectacular views from his house in Tuscany.

There is a list of incredible and significant projects as long as your arm, but a couple of my favo(u)rites are the National Assembly of Wales and Madrid’s Barajas Airport. If you check out some of the links, to see that RR and his colleagues at the various firms he has been involved with for about 50 years, you’ll see that very many of the iconic buildings of the 2nd ½ of the 20th Century and into the 21st have the Rogers stamp all over them.

…must try and catch the Richard Rogers event at The Design Museum later in the year.

Gordon

Back in October, I posted about the journey my Church is on, and talked about some of the new Mission Team that was coming together.

One member of that team is Gordon, who tells the story of his involvement with The Salvation Army in Iraq, as part of an Iraq special currently on The Salvation Army's international site.

It's a challenging and humbling read

Hobbits

Mia and Noah warming up for their Hobbit auditions!

Croydon Citadel Salvation Army Band: Handel's Messiah

Just using my blog to promote an upcoming concert at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of The Salvation Army Band that I play in:

I'm going to quote a letter that is being sent to all interested parties.

You might be interested to check it out:

Handel's Messiah with a ‘touch of brass’!

The Messiah, although very well known, is rarely performed with Brass accompaniment. Yet Croydon Citadel Band had the wonderful privilege of doing so with the Dudley Birder Chorale in Wisconsin, USA in May 2005. As part of their 125th Anniversary celebrations this year the Band will be performing this great work again in collaboration with Wimbledon Choral Society and the Croydon Philharmonic Choir at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon on Easter Saturday 22nd March

Attending this special performance will surely be remembered as a unique experience .

There can hardly be a better way of commencing an Easter Week End than by hearing once again that magnificent music and those wonderful promises

Typical Sunday?

How typical is a Sunday when you find yourself physically embracing a devout Muslim man in the street at the end of a Salvation Army Open Air Service, or walking the streets of Croydon in the pitch black with another Salvationist trying to sort a means of transport for a man worse the wear for drink who wanted to get to another part of London; or listening enraptured to true life stories of dear friends which took in brushes with the Gestapo, a re-opening of ministry and mission in Russia, the beauty of Norway, or gathering with a small huddle of friends in the kitchen at a place of worship long after most people had left, and sharing a special few minutes focusing in on the reality of what it is we are called to do?

That was my Sunday.

la famille Kinsley

Design dude, top buddy, brother of Mrs Parker RELEVANT’s king of web and new dad (again), Lloyd Kinsley has set up a new site that’s worth a look to get the low down on la famille Kinsley.

Go visit!

Croydon Overhaul

The town where I go to Church is in the process of a major overhaul over the next few years, which will radically alter the whole area – there are a number of significant developments affecting residential, retail, office and leisure spaces in a way that will cause demographic and societal shifts that will change the face of Croydon, in one or another. It looks like more and more people will be living in the centre of the urban space.

Check out this list of development hyper-activity:

The Exchange Croydon
Ruskin Square
Croydon Gateway
New South Quarter

On top of all this are superstar architect Will Alsop's proposals for Croydon. You can check the site, but it's one of those over the top Flash heavy sites that take some patience to navigate. You might have neither the time or the inclination to find it!

It’s making me wonder how these changes will affect the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Croydon? Something for us to watch closely.

Roots 2008: The last Roots ever?

Salvation Army-centric post coming!

I got this enigmatic e-mail in my In Box this week, so I wanted to share it, just to do my bit to encourage folks to go along to Roots later in the year:

Subject: The last ROOTS ever?


With the countdown to ROOTS '08 well and truly begun and the team busy preparing for what we hope will be the best event yet, people keep coming up to me and asking whether it's going to be the last.

Before I answer that question, let me tell you where we are. With over a decade of ROOTS events past, we know that Salvationists are more passionate than ever to see their corps renewed and their communities transformed by the gospel. To this end, ROOTS needs to do more than ever before to envision, encourage and equip our The Salvation Army for ministry and mission. In 2007 we commissioned a review to explore how we might do this

In answer to the question, far from the end of the ROOTS movement, ROOTS 2008 will mark a new beginning. From this moment on we want to push and propel, prime and prepare tens of thousands of Salvationists to deepen their faith and widen their impact.

All this begins with ROOTS 2008, Going Public. This life changing weekend will feature world renowned bible teacher Jeff Lucas, Shane Claiborne, founder of The Simple Way community and the inspirational Nims Obunge, leader of the Peace Alliance.

An event for all the family ROOTS 2008 is jam packed with great worship, artists, celebrations, seminars, childrens and youth work. Culminating with our Sunday afternoon 'Going Public Open Air Festival' ROOTS 2008 will equip you and your corps to go public with the gospel.

For more info, visit our web site www.rootsonline.org/uk and you will see all the exciting programmes we have planned.

With our online booking discount now is the time to book and pay less to come to ROOTS. My top tip is to book your accommodation now while there is the best range of options available for your family.

ROOTS is Going Public, I look forward to seeing you in Southport.

Russell Rook
Event Leader

Today's blogroll re-jig has been brought to you by the letter J

A re-jig of the johnnylaird blogroll is due, and by happy accident three of the new additions are Jason, Jake and Jonathan.

Each of the 3 listed guys are friends of friends, and all have interesting things to say about life, faith, community and all kinds of other good stuff. They are definitely worth checking out, and if you do, tell them I sent ya!

I've also been returning to Backyard Missionary a lot lately, whichI discovered quite by accident, when blogsearching smallboatbigsea. This is edgy and challenging stuff - pulling no punches, I guess in the way you would expect from a blog coming out of Oz. Anyhow, Backyard Missionary goes on the 'roll.

...hope anyone reading this, who bounces over to these guys finds their blogs as stimulating as I do.

Wes Little: Bill Booth Revival Machine

In November, my buddy Matt blogged very movingly about the news he had just received, saying his Dad, Wes, had about 2 years left to live – the specialists' estimation based on Wes’ cancer diagnosis.

In early January ‘08 – less than 2 months later, Wes passed away, or as we say in The Salvation Army, was Promoted to Glory.

Wes was a wonderfully kind Christian man…funny, and generous.

By way of tribute, an album recorded by Bill Booth Revival Machine – the rock band Wes played in in the 70s - is now available for download here. Check it out.

BBRM were a great little band, and I’m old enough to remember going to their last ever gig (I believe)

Thanks, Wes.

Michael Frost coming to UK

Some random Googling led me to discover that Michael Frost, author of one of my most challenging reads of 2007, Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture, is coming to the UK in Oct '08 for a speaking tour.

I haven't checked my diary yet, but if I'm free I'll try and make the London date.

I've posted about Mike here and here before.

Bank as “Third Place”

Gotta give a shout out to Fast Company for alerting me to US West Coast regional bank, Umpqua, who seem to have built a lot of their business on the strength of very innovative marketing. (I guess amongst a bunch of other good stuff – it can’t all be the environment & the pretty graphics!)

Check out the Umpqua Innovation Lab. It’s like Star Trek!

Umpqua appear to have jumped enthusiastically into the Third Place idea, which also drives businesses like Starbucks and the whole slew of coffeehouses – small and large – that populate the street corners of much of the Western world. It reminds me again how important community is to people, and how ministries like The Freeway and Q Café really get that concept.

We are wired to be together – share life, spend time….and just hang out.

HT to South Waterfront , Portland, Oregon for the pic

Grand

There aren't many TV shows that will grab my attention so much that I'll make a point of sitting down and watching beginning to end, but there's something about Grand Designs that I really love.

Tonight a new series started it was one of those classics where everything looked like it was going to fail almost from the off, but the final end product was a triumph.

Catch it if you can...

In the corner

I’m starting to really appreciate the value of new(ish) tools that allow me to keep in touch with friends and family who live outside of the UK.

At the weekend, we went to the 6th birthday party of one of my daughter Mia’s best friends, and for most of the time we were there, the PC in the corner was hooked up to Skype so our buddies Lard & Becks, Taff and Nicky (each couple have recently moved to the States – PA and FLA)could “join in” the party.

Gotta keep in touch one way or the other! We miss you guys.

Condiment Czar

I’ve always been a big fan of a nice sauce, and towards the end of last year I rediscovered one of the joys of my youth, namely a Sunday Roast – chicken usually – accompanied by a generous helping of HP Sauce, that peculiarly British condiment that can bring any meal to life. Although some would consider it almost vulgar to add such a thing to the traditional Sunday Roast, for me it adds a whole new dimension.

Although HP is imperious, I’m also partial to mustards from the Maille stable, (check out the site!) as well as the wonderful Hollandaise Sauce for Eggs Benedict.

My love of a good condiment prompted my brother-in-law to dub me the Condiment Czar, a title I am delighted to accept!

Walk On

My new blogging buddy, Jonathan Blundell was prompted by my comments against this post to ask some questions about the Walking Fellowship* at Croydon Citadel Salvation Army.

Jonathan asked

(…is the Walking Fellowship)

….Just "walk around the park" or is it more of a specific prayer walk. Is this something typical of other SA's or something your group is doing?

I had replied

The Walking Fellowship walk together in the countryside, and the individuals hang out & talk with other people from the Church who may not always get the chance to spend any good quality time with. Usually they will end up at someone's house after about an hour to an hour an a half walking. They drink coffee, eat cake, share some Scripture & prayer.

There's no particular prayer walking with this group, but we have others who do.

….but forgot to respond to Jonathan’s question about whether it was a typical SA initiative.

In response to that, no – it’s not especially typical.(but then again what is?) I guess the thing about The Salvation Army - in the UK and globally – is no longer a homogenous one-size-fits all denomination in terms of method, but rather it is a very diverse Church, where all kinds of different expressions of service & ministry sit along side each other.

The Salvation Army is ALOVE
The Salvation Army is The Freeway
The Salvation Army is Roots
The Salvation Army is Revolution Hawaii
The Salvation Army is 614 Network
The Salvation Army is The Singing Company
The Salvation Army is 2Love


(As an aside, I had always felt a bit strange about the work “fellowship”…it always seemed so “Churchy”, and had all but disappeared from regular folks’ language. I guess maybe Lord of the Rings may have reclaimed it a little, and brought it back into common parlance… )

It’s always good to meet and eat!

I’m looking forward to this weekend when we kick off our Home Group for 2008.

We’re going to use a NOOMA DVD each month, to hang some thoughts on, and I’m going to investigate Steve Chalke’s Intelligent Church DVD as another resource. I thought the book was great, so hopefully we can get some useful stuff from the vid.

No doubt, we’ll get hit with a few surprising curveballs as the year progresses, but we will start to work with a couple of other books as we journey together: Brian McLaren’s “The Secret Message of Jesus”, and NT Wright’s “Simply Christian”

Danielle's Spiritual Inventory for the religious...

I've lifted this straight from Danielle Strickland's excellent ArmyBarmy Remix blog.

Danielle had mentioned that she knew of some people who use a few spiritual inventory questions to keep themselves in check. In what she describes as "the spirit of authentic discipleship" Danielle proposes some questions for consideration:

Are you friends with someone who is not a Christian?

Do you have friends in low places?

Are you aware today that there is nothing you can do to save yourself from sin? And how have you tried to produce your own righteousness?

Have you embraced a culture that is totally different from your own? If so, how?

Do you forgive freely?

Have you lavished resources on hospitality and fun recently? How did you feel?

Is there ‘dirt’ under your fingernails? Have you done something that required ‘work’?

Have you given something precious away –freely and without regret?

Have you gone swimming at the beach and rolled in the sand?

How often do you read a good secular book?
Have you ever sat in a bar and conversed with the occupants?
Do you protect the reputation of colleagues when they are criticized?
Do you own a hiphop CD?

and many more... the key is trying to live a Kingdom life - not just a religious one. The difference?

life that grows - not diminishes

life that is full - not empty

life that is abandoned - not restricted

life that is alive - not dead

This certainly challenged me...

Mele Kalikimaka!

When Jan and I got married in December 2001, we were fortunate enough to honeymoon in Maui, which gave us the awesome chance to spend Christmas in Hawaii.

As an added bonus for about 3 of the following years, we had family living there, so we visited as often as time and the Bank Manager would allow, so we had a couple of Hawaiian Christmases.

Clearly, we fell in love with the place, and there’s barely a day goes by when we don’t make some kind of reference to it in Casa Laird.

One of the huge hi-lights we always enjoyed was a visit to New Hope, the Church our family attended. The guys at New Hope always make Christmas so special, and their Christmas productions were just a joy!

Get a feel for the way they do things on their site.

Mahalo, New Hope, and Mele Kalikimaka!

Thanks for the wonderful memories.

Communitas New Orleans

Isn’t the web a wonderful thing?


A few clicks – a comment here and there – a polite acknowledgement, and a budding relationship forms.


Thanks, Mike, for passing by, and if anyone else is reading, check out Communitas New Orleans’ site.

Heavy Frost

I have to say a huge "thanks" to fellow Salvationist blogger Craig Gaudion, who tipped me off about this staggeringly powerful and challenging preach from Morling College professor, Pastor of smallboatbigsea, and writer of (amongst other things) EXILES:Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture, Michael Frost.

The vid is a couple of mammoth 45 minute slots - 2 preaches from one conference.. but if you can make the time they are well worth hearing....whatever your perspective on life, or wherever you are in your faith journey.

Highly recommended.

Rob Bell In TIME

Good to see Rob Bell getting some props in TIME Magazine:

Read the piece here:

HT to the Headphonaught for the gratuitous “me and my buddy” pic with Rob.

Chick on TV

Chick Yuill is getting some air time on the BBC this weekend:

• He is a guest on BBC Radio 2 ‘Good Morning Sunday’ show with Aled Jones – where he will share a thought for the day and take part in discussions between 7.30am-8am.

• On the same day he also guests on BBC1 TV ‘Christmas Voices’ with Soprano Lesley Garrett 10am-11am. He’s not singing(which is a great shame! – but will be discussing topical issues including alcohol.

Check it out if you are able!

Hope08 is an initiative supporting the work of Churches in the UK, by facilitating intensified, united, focused prayer and driving a year of activities, communicating the Gospel through words and actions, creating a lasting legacy of both physical and spiritual change in the lives of communities and individuals.


Supporting Local Churches
across the UK in their commitment to serve and witness to their communities


Encouraging Collaboration
between churches and agencies in reaching out to their communities


Resourcing and Training
local churches to develop their ability to engage with their communities on a long term basis


Impacting Individuals and Communities
with the Gospel through words and actions during 2008.

Chick is Chair of the Hope in Greater Manchester core group. He brings a wealth of experience from 35-years in ministry, including 7-years as head of The Salvation Army in the North West.

His role is to support and encourage churches and ministries across Greater Manchester to work together, discern God's will, and plan and prepare for the amazing opportunities offered by Hope 2008.

Britain

A random response of mine to a portion of Lard’s debut Relevant Podcast has started a train of thought that might be worth exploring.

The podcast, which was introducing Lloyd as a new staff member at Relevant, included quite a lot of banter about Britain and Britishness. It was all very light hearted and funny, but did seem to indicate a bit of a blind spot about what the US-based podcast hosts understood about the UK. One of the guys said most of what he knew about Britain was based on TV reruns of Mr Bean.

I gently suggested that Lloyd was going to have to educate his American colleagues (dontcha just love ‘em?)about what constitutes British culture….beyond Mr Bean. It did make me think, though. What is British culture…I mean what is it, really?

Ruby Murray?
Match of the Day on the telly?

Who knows?

….and is London a country all of it’s own, with it’s own culture, which is distinct from the rest of the UK?

Top fellah, Phil Hoyle offered the following comment:

I mean, living in London, the culture is largely multi-culture. Is that an acceptable summation?
In generic terms, I guess the pub would have to feature. Tea, of course. Roast dinners? Fish and Chips? Reality TV? Binge Drinking? Cynicism? Sarcasm? Irony? Love of the underdog?

What’s your take on it?

Badger!

So cool to hear my good buddy Lloyd Kinsley's first podcast for Relevant.

Check it out here.

“I would just like to thank……”

A big thank you to Thomas AKA The Headphonaught awarded me with a Subversive Blogger Award here: I feel like an Oscar Winner!

This meme was initiated by Thomas' buddy Jake Bouma.

Subversive bloggers are unsatisfied with the status quo, whether in church, politics, economics or any other power-laden institution, and they are searching for (and blogging about) what is new (or a "return to") - even though it may be labeled as sacrilege, dangerous, or subversive.

I like it!

Thomas tagged me along with the following guys, who may well be worth checking out, too:

1. Pernell Goodyear - He’s a top Canadian chappie, and one of my blogging faves as well
2. JD Blundell - New to me, but Thomas’ recommendations are normally on the button.
3. Matt Wilson - Ditto
4. Royzoner - I’m an occasional visitor here, and it’s usually interesting

So, in turn, I’m going to tag these guys:
Duncan McFadzean
Gordon
Lard
Matt
Paul

The rules of participation are pretty straightforward:

1. If you are tagged, write a post with links to five subversive blogs
2. Link back to this post so people can easily find the origin of the meme
3. Optional: Proudly display the "Subversive Blogger Award" somewhere on your blog (images below) with a link to the post that you wrote.

Take the image from the top of this post [courtesy of Josh Brown and Red Cowboy Designs] Download it but... please... upload it to your own server (Jake has another design on his blog

Sutton SA 2.0

The last post I made on the new initiative at Sutton Salvation Army Church prompted the Thomas AKA Headphonaught, self-confessed investigative [nosy] blogger to offer a few thoughts, ask a few questions, and to encourage me to posts a follow-up , so here goes :

Thomas wanted to know if there is a Tariro / Army connection... and who approached who?

Apparently the Tariro thing came about as the first (and only other) coffee shop is in Morden near The Salvation Army’s ALOVE Offices and was used by the ALOVE gang regularly*. In true relational/incarnational style, they got chatting to the owner and developed a friendship. As Tariro are a non-profit making organization and support international development work with their profits there was clearly a lot of common ground.

(*Knowing some of the guys at ALOVE, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve also made relationships with the local Italian, Chinese, Indian & Thai restaurant owners in the area as well!)

When the good folks at Sutton SA looked at their how they wanted to “be” in their community, having a 'proper' coffee house with a shared vision was on the list as one way of ensuring that the buildings are open every day, all day.

In an interesting strangulation of the English language, the Headphonaught asked some questions about footFALL, and a good friend from Sutton responded by talking about their footBALL sports ministry!

Apparently, the football thing was started by some of their sports mad twenty-somethings who were keen to see sports ministry as a part of the church and a way to involve the local boys from the estate with our own kids. Now it incorporates coaches from Fulham FC and the Community Neighbourhood Police team, so that the local PCs can get to know the local boys in a new context and begin to build relationships. The kids train every Saturday at a local park which is a 2 minute walk from The Salvation Army.

Exciting times for Sutton!

Sutton SA

In an interesting departure for a Salvation Army Corps (Church), one of our neighbo(u)ring set-ups at Sutton Salvation Army Church are partnering with Fair Trade coffee house Tariro, who have installed one of their franchises inside the Army building as part of the overall refurbishment.

It will be really interesting to see how this pans out, but I - for one - admire their initiative.

On a Mission

This evening my Church's new Mission Team get together for the first time.

Since the days since the Senior Leadership Team have been meeting, praying and working through the process of who should take on this onerous task of Mission, the following passage of Scripture has stayed with me:

God-of-the-Angel-Armies will step in and take care of his flock, the people of Judah.

He'll revive their spirits, make them proud to be on God's side.
God will use them in his work of rebuilding,
use them as foundations and pillars,
Use them as tools and instruments,
use them to oversee his work.
They'll be a workforce to be proud of, working as one,
their heads held high, striding through swamps and mud,
Courageous and vigorous because God is with them,
undeterred by the world's thugs.

Zechariah 10:3 The Message

Lard, Becks, Elijah, Taff & Nicky

It feels like it's been coming for a long time, but my good friends Lard and Becks, and their lovely wee man Elijah head off to the sunset for a new life in Florida.

Lard's going to be working for the wonderful folks at Relevant.

Weirdly enough, the follow hot on the heels of another part of my crew - Simon & Nicky - left for their new life in Philly a matter of days ago too.

We'll miss you guys!

I can only echo MrsParker's post here:

Others

My Church is on a journey.

Focussing on ‘OTHERS’ we move from Maintenance … to MISSION and from Programme …to PEOPLE

This weekend, new Mission Team members were announced to help us move forward with this new and exciting initiative.

We’re so blessed to have an amazing group of leaders here, whose global experience should be a big boon to our community.

I thought I’d share some excerpts of the biogs that were used during the initial presentation:

Gordon - Resources

Gordon worships at Croydon Citadel with his wife Pauline, and is an International Emergency Relief Worker for The Salvation Army, with huge international experience. He served with The Salvation Army in Russia (Volgograd, Rostov and Moscow) for two years, as well as working for the SA in Iraq, Uganda and Pakistan. Gordon has attended assessments or other Army work in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Syria and Kenya.

Gordon served for 13 months between 2005 and 2006 in Kuwait with the Iraq Relief Project.

At Croydon, Gordon operated our “soup-run” on behalf of the Corps from 1990 to 1999.

In the UK, Gordon has worked for The Salvation Army’s London Central Division from in the London Homelessness Services, working with Street-homeless people, and from late 2002 to mid-2004 was Manager of The Salvation Army Homeless Services, responsible for the management of London Central Hostels and Homeless outreach units.

Gordon is by nature a “leader” but also has the underlying understanding to know that he is not capable without God and believes he has the flexibility to be able to follow God’s leading - irrespective of how strange the direction at times.

Janet - Discipleship



Janet’s father hailed from St Lucia, and her mother came from Jamaica where she had been a Salvationist. When the couple immigrated to London in the early ‘60s the family retained that close connection with The Salvation Army.

London born Janet, AKA Mrs Johnny Laird has had a 15 year career in teaching, and has just returned to work in a local school in Oxted, after having taken a career break to have her children Mia & Noah. As well as her Batchelor of Education degree, Janet holds a Certificate in Counseling skills. During her first stint of teaching, Janet started an Alpha course in her home with her teacher colleagues.

Janet has a sister who lives in the US. Janet & Evelyn still manage to talk almost daily! ;-)

Janet is passionate about Church in the community, and thinks it’s important that Christ followers make an impact where they are.


Pauline – Ministry


Pauline is married to Gordon, and has a son, daughter, two granddaughters and one grandson. She was a stalwart of our Corps Charity Shop where she worked from 1989 to 1999.

Together with Gordon, she served with The Salvation Army in Russia from October 1999 to September 2002. Pauline also served in Kuwait for all of 2005 with the Iraq Relief Project.

Pauline has a calm and personal manner, and is not prone to excitability and easy to talk to. She is s good listener who is generally diplomatic and normally not prone to taking “sides”.


Anita & Duncan - Fellowship



Anita & Duncan are married with Daisi (5) and Max (2), a rabbit and guinea pig!!

Duncan is the Director of International Development at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters, often traveling to developing countries to support Salvation Army work internationally. Anita works 2 days a week as a PA - also on Territorial Headquarters in the Evangelism Department. During the rest of the week she is a domestic goddess/home-maker, and blogs at MrsParkeratHome.

Duncan spends many weekends of the year leading meetings and preaching at other Salvation Army Corps and churches within the UK. Anita is a staff member of Territorial Music School.

A few years ago both made very personal commitments to be more concerned about people than about programme. Anita & Duncan hope this manifests itself in having more time to be there for others, especially each other, their children, family, closest friends and neighbours.

They traveled together during 1995 and 1996 to the USA where we worked on children’s camps, before Anita found work at The Salvation Army’s US National Headquarters in Washington DC and Duncan ran a family community centre.

Duncan & Anita think their gifts lie in interaction. They love spending time with people and just chatting. An ideal evening for them is to sit with coffee and food and chat with friends and family. Duncan & Anita are great hosts - They certainly enjoy being generous with our time and with their home. Anita is exploring her musical writing skills, recently having one song published, and Duncan thinks his gift is getting things done and an ability to upset the apple cart!

Duncan talking about Anita:

'Anita was the worst cook in the world when we first married but is now awesome. Her special gifts are that she can organize everything, everyone and anything and she is a great administrator to an annoying perfectionism! Her best gifts are that she can make me laugh and relax even after the toughest day, and can juggle crazy timetables for the kids, herself and me and still make sure the home is running properly.'

Anita talking about Duncan:

Duncan's only weakness in life is being unable to say no - when he takes on a task he refuses to stop until the job is done with 110% effort. When at home, Duncan loves nothing more than to be with the kids, do stuff around the home and coffee - lots of coffee. Whether it be work, health and fitness or a spot of DIY, Duncan strives to be the best at everything (something he tries to pass on to Daisi for her sports day!)

Duncan loves being a family man.

Noah

...was 2 this weekend...

Blogging's been slight as I've been a little under the weather lately.

The boy has recently been shorn of his beautiful curls, but somehow, now that he's two it seems appropriate.

Grace

Shuffle

It’s time I had a shuffle, and updated the blog roll.

INs

In comes Darren Plummer, Pastor of Mosaic Community Church in College Park Maryland, and Peppermint-Filled Piñatas Group originator on Facebook.

I’m also going to include Duncan McFadzean’s next door neighbour-but-one, Duncan MacLaren just because they must deserve some kind of recognition for living so close, and both having aesthetically pleasing missional-stylee blogs, and remarkably similar names to boot!

I’ve been meaning to include the wonderful brace of blogs from Self Confessed Septuagenarian, Joe Noland - Slightly Irreverent and Slightly Irregular. Joe is a California based retired Salvation Army Commissioner, which kinda means he’s a bit of a deal in our little Sally Army world. Jim’s two blogs are refreshing, challenging, funny, progressive & pretty inspirational. Plus, I have to thank Joe for the funky-as-anything shot accompanying this post.

Chris Hinton stays, but in his Council of War guise.

OUTs

Sad to say, but I’m going to remove a few dormant blogs:

Chris Parker goes because his blog ground to a halt after his trip to Africa. You should start blogging again, Chris. I’m sure you’ve got lots of good stuff to share

Glenis at Pocket Mummy has succumbed to the Facebook disease, and seemingly abandoned the blog! ;-)

Tim’s blog seems to have given up the ghost, but Mrs Tim AKA Lucy is going strong, with regular thought provoking posts.

If you are lurking, and would like to be included on the blogroll, just bounce me over a comment, and I’d be happy to oblige.

J

Roots 2008: Going public

Bellshill visit

The visit to Bellshill I blogged about went like a dream. As I anticipated, it was so cool to reconnect with Thomas & Olly, finally meet up with Dan & Carol-Anne, and hook up with all the good folks at Bellshill.

Both Thomas & Dan have given a much a much better impression of the weekend than I could manage, so go ahead & check their posts here and here.

Alba gu Bràth!*

I’m looking forward to traveling to Bellshill tomorrow with the Band, and more importantly hooking up again with Thomas & Olly and the girls. I hear, too, that Dan Rous is going to make a visit, so it will be good to finally meet another blogging buddy in the flesh.

Bellshill can call itself home town to a remarkable array of stellar figures….Man U's Sir Matt Busby, Rangers legend Ally McCoist, Scotland captain Barry Ferguson, Sheena Easton, intermittant blogger Mrs Parker, Chick Yuill…..and MY DAD!

It will be good to spend some time in Scotland again – if only fleetingly.

*It feels good to add some Gaelic to my blog – lends a certain authenticity & celticness.

To be honest, though, I wouldn’t know how to say it!

Monkey!

Biblical Living

HT to Doug Pagitt for alerting me to this interesting - and funny – piece on an agnostic guy who tried to live by the rules of the Bible for a year….religiously.

A few select quotes from the article:

“There’s a lot about gratefulness in the Bible, and I would say I’m more thankful. I focus on the hundred little things that go right in a day, instead of the three or four things that go wrong.”

“…during the experiment I wore a lot of white clothes, because Ecclesiastes says let your garments always be white, and I loved it, so I look like Tom Wolfe now. Wearing white just made me happier. I couldn’t be in a bad mood walking down the street looking like I was about to play in the semifinals at Wimbledon”

…made me smile….

I might just buy the book, although I think you’ll find THE Book a lot more useful.

Having had a chuckle, it has really made me think about those who call ourselves Christians….and/or followers of Jesus… sometimes struggle to live a life that falls into line with what we learn about in Scripture, and most specifically one reflects the teachings of Jesus. So often, we get so wrapped up in our systems & rules & regulations that the simple words and wonderful life of that Man, born in Bethlehem, get shunted way down the list of the things that make us who we are.

PARTAAY!

...been reading Luke 14 in The Message:

"When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be — and experience — a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned — oh, how it will be returned!— at the resurrection of God's people."

Wise words:

HT to Shane Claiborne for reminding me about this passage, when he writes about it in his massively challenging book, The Irresistible Revolution. I recommend the book - go and read it, but I would avoid it if you want to stay comfortable.

Surprise

Janet surprised me with a little unBirthday present (or early Christmas present, whichever way you look at it) when I got home from work last night.

She managed to pick up a copy of Jamie Oliver’s latest tome for me, which was very welcome indeed, as I’ve just started to really enjoy his latest TV show. Some great bedtime reading with this chunky book!

For my money, Jamie’s a top fellah, and an inspiration to us all.

(Probably more of an inspiration than is healthy, if you read this old post from the Headphonaught who very flatteringly describes our house as a

quintessential Naked Chef-style contemporary English farm house with the huge kitchen come dining room with a range cooker and a large, sturdy table.

Now, that I’ve got also just got a shed, constructed with the very able help (I helped, he built it) of a local buddy, I guess I'll have to get out there, start pottering & grown me own veg! :-)

Just cause I want to

Just cause I want to put a picture of my wife on my blog...

...love you, Baby!

Sally Bash

I've blogged before about those times when my tribe gets hauled over the coals in the media.

Although I don't go searching for this kind of stuff, I've stumbled across this tirade, titled "We need salvation from this greedy army" which is pretty hard to swallow.

The Salvation Army is described as "right-wingers in uniforms" and "homophobic religious fundamentalist".

Now, I'm not sure what response - if any - a piece like this should demand. I'm short on facts about the specific cases discussed. The article has been written with the broadest of brush strokes, with....and I'm guessing here....only a limited knowledge and experience of The Savation Army as a global movement. As is so often the case, it's also written from a very North American perspective.

However, as I said in my original post...

we’re not beyond criticism – we do wrong things. Lots of them….and often! Let’s be humble – take the criticism on board when it’s justified – and be gracious in our response when it is not. Sometimes it’s good to be metaphorically hit square between the eyes, just to keep you alert and awake.

For the record; I am neither right-wing in my political views, or homophobic.

All member ministry?

Although this post is heavily weighed towards my own tribe, if you’ve got an opinion, I’d love to hear it.

I’m rolling around some thoughts, which are not necessarily mine, but are worth consideration:

What do we actually understand by “all member ministry”, and can we take it that this is still our position of The Salvation Army as a movement in reality?

In the early days of The Salvation Army, converts were quickly employed in service. Their testimony and their involvement in the mission were powerful weapons in the sharing of the Gospel.

Over the years has this changed? Has our theology over the place of each believer altered? Have we developed a different concept of the place of Officers? (Full time pastors)

If we were to assume and believe that God has given The Salvation Army all it needs today to move our mission (whatever that is) forward today , what action steps would need to be put in place to more effectively promote the concept of all-member ministry?

Any thoughts?

(HT to The Salvation Army Youth - Western Territory, USA site for the pic)

Told you...

Told you I've gone grey/gray.

Hey! It works for Mr Clooney! ;-)

Mia

Today my little baby started school for the 1st time...my independent, funnny, beautiful little lady has started on her journey of full time education, so I figured I'd celebrate with an old pic to remind me of the early days.

Man, my hair's gone so grey since then! ;-)

Happy Birthday James!

My nephew James hit 17 today.

Happy Birthday James.

Now you are a man!

Nunkle J :-)

I'm blessed with THE BEST nephews & niece a man could have.

What a time to visit Scotland

Blogging buddy, and MOSAIC Pastor Eric Bryant is visiting Scotland next week.

Here's the schedule

If any of my Scots blogging buddies are able to make it, tell Eric I sent ya!

J

Get in!!!

My word, what a result!!

France 0 Scotland 1

..and top of the "Group of Death", with World Cup Finalists France & Italy in our wake. It's almost unbelievable.

You made us proud, boys!!

“The thing I love about The Salvation Army is that it is peculiar”

Having previously posted about Shane Claiborne, and his visit to Roots next year, it’s good to be able to read a little interview with Geoff Ryan of the 614 Network at theRubicon*

*theRubicon is an independent, volunteer-driven online magazine. We are Christians with our roots in The Salvation Army. We are doers who have learned that we need to think deeply, rigorously and critically about what we do, why we do it and why there are things we don’t do. “Contemplative activists,” is one way of putting it, or “field theologians.”

The piece was originally written for The Salvation Army in Canada’s Salvationist mag way back in June this year.

September 11th

Time for me to revisit this post, and remember those who died..

Gerroff the table!

ASBO Jesus

A lot of the guys & girls on my blogroll have been directing me to a cool - and very insightful - little blog called ASBO Jesus.

'Toonist Jon Birch gives a helpful explanation:

for the non british among you… an ‘asbo’ is an ‘anti-social behaviour order’… the courts here award them to people who are deemed to be constant trouble in their neighbourhoods… presumably according to their neighbours!

Vox Veniae: 1 year on

Just over a year ago I blogged about a new ministry in Austin, TX, which had grabbed my attention.

Vox Veniae have just celebrated a year together, and it's been quite a story.

They've updated their site, so remain on the cutting edge, with a aesthetically pleasing look that I love.

Check 'em out.

J