It's a boy!

Three weeks early and weighing 7lbs 4ozs Joshua James Hanover came into our lives at 11.15pm on Saturday 27th August 2005. He then proceeded to spend the next 24 hours doing what he seems to do best – sleeping. (Nice work if you can get it!)

Having spent a few days getting to know each other in the very capable care of Kings College Hospital we’re now all back home in E15.

Struggling to articulate my thoughts and feelings I remembered Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece The Prophet. As he celebrates the truths of human experience he wrote wisely and ‘prophetically’ (it’s what prophets ‘do’ after all!) about children. As a fledgling father I pray I will never forget these words:

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

That's how Gibran put it. Me? I just want to say that Joshua is the most incredibly precious, beautiful and fantastic gift from God and we love him.

Oh, and he managed to wee all over his mum as I performed his first official change – ‘that’s ma boy!’

Where's me crampons?!

So they say!

And I have no reason to doubt them. I don’t mind admitting that I’m getting a little nervous! Having phoned the hospital to find out what time they want us and having been told that there is ‘no room at the inn’ just yet I feel a bit like the condemned man awaiting the firing squad. Not (I must add rather hastily!) that I feel in anyway ‘condemned’ by the course of events! Nervous, but not condemned.

After all, ‘things will never be the same again!’

Given that I have rarely held a young baby let alone change, burp or feed one(?!) the learning curve upon which I am about to embark is undoubtedly going to be a steep one, but I am reliably informed (I’ve done some reading!) that I should be able to negotiate it with crampons and a good strong harness!

As it happens, mountaineering and childbearing seem to share a few similarities: they’re not for the faint-hearted and there’s a lot of expensive equipment to buy. Bizarrely, some people do them both for fun!

It's a game of two halves

Mission that is. Although you only had to watch Liverpool and AC Milan’s Champion League final earlier this year to see that football can really be a game of two halves. (Who did say that anyway?) Here’s hoping Everton’s second ‘half’ with Villareal is better than their first!

Anyway, I reckon that the mysterium that is mission is also a game of (at least) two halves. Similarly, I find myself agreeing with Robert Lewis who wrote:

‘If spiritual maturity is defined in terms of living the life and serving the world, then most evangelical churches are, at best, investing in only the first half of the battle.’ (Lewis, 2001:94) The Church of Irresistible Influence

How do we avoid the spiritual immaturity that results from an emmaciated one-dimensional missional focus? As Lewis himself says ‘we seek to enlarge the concept of what ministry means’. It seems to me that as we wrestle to embody the fullness of the cross amidst our world of dire need the expanded concept of ministry which Lewis urges is inevitable.

As the once comfortable borders of the church explode, the limits for the work of the church are practically endless. With the inadequacy of tidy cliched defintions of mission writ large what matters now seems simple: good works that display the love of Christ.

Coming soon!

As Rolf Harris would say, ‘can you see what it is yet?’

By the end of the week we’ll know!

The Good Book v. The Big Book

Earlier in the week we’d seen the banner. The banner that invited us to join with St.Johns (CoE, not ambulance) for an open-air service (weather permitting!). Since the weather did permit we set off.

Incidentally, I’m always pleased whenever we’re able to walk to church – it just seems right. Unfortunately, a by-product of these walks is that I imagine that everyone else we see out walking is also on their way to church – I mean, what else is there to do on a Sunday morning?! Invariably my eternal optimism is dashed upon the rocks of realism when the stream of fellow-walkers dries up as we approach church.

Yet this morning, as we approached St.Johns we were met with a crowd of people thronging around the grounds – a virtual torrent! Eagerly anticipating the 11am kick-off people jostled for position. The eternal optimist was pleasantly surprised and greatly encouraged… briefly!

Unfortunately the dangerous rocks were just around the corner – literally. As we followed the deluge of ‘fellow-Christians’ we discovered that the intended destination was not St.Johns but the adjacent Argos! Passing beyond the impending flood at Argos we joined the trickle of worshippers in St.Johns churchyard.

Apparently, there are plenty of other things to do on a Sunday morning.

As Good As It Gets

At last I can appreciate all the fuss about Jack Nicholson. Until now the films I’ve seen with Mr Nicholson have scarcely justified his reputation. But ‘As Good As It Gets’ pretty much was. Well worth the time.

At one point the obsessive compulsive Nicholson desperately comments to his gay neighbour ‘I’m drowning here and you’re describing the water.’

I couldn’t help thinking that, as Christians, much of our well intentioned efforts to engage with the world could be construed similarly. We’re often far better at diagnosing the problem than administering the cure.

What's the (community's) story, morning glory?

A great album whatever the title meant?!

As we find our feet and settle into life in the borough of Newham we recognise that if we are to succeed in our mission to further God’s kingdom here in Stratford, we must gather information that allows us to see our community as it really is and not merely as it appears to be.

Before engaging in any missionary initiatives we're keen to establish a lucid and far-reaching understanding of the surrounding community. After all, if we don’t know our people or their present reality how can we possibly seek to minister in a meaningful and relevant way? If discerning the local reality was good enough for the likes of Moses, Joshua and Nehemiah I am convinced we should follow their example.

‘Every community has a story. A unique story. And that particular context must be thoroughly understood and considered by any church wanting to make an impact on its community in a meaningful way.’ (Lewis, 2001:190) The Church of Irresistible Influence

So today we spent a morning in the library discovering the ‘Stratford story’. Getting to know the character and ‘feel’ of the place. Getting to know Jane, the very knowledgable archivist. Getting to know that the library coffee shop doesn’t open during the summer holidays?! As HSBC say ‘never underestimate the importance of local knowlegde!’

After all, ‘he who answers before listening – that is his folly and his shame.’ PROVERBS 18:13

The Lea Valley Croc and other possible sightings…

As we explored our new area we encountered the ever-invasive nemesis of the rich, famous and newly commissioned officers – the paparazzi!

Having just discovered the oldest tidal mill in the UK(!) (Yes, it’s in the borough of Newham!) we were accosted by a man with a microphone. [Note from writer: when I say ‘accosted’ the man in question was actually very polite, but that just wouldn’t write as well]

Anyway, in recent days rumours have abounded that a crocodile is loose among the ‘valley of lea’. Fact or fiction; Urban myth or urban nuisance – the possible sightings have caused quite a stir. Predictably enough, the local media are keen (pardon the pun) to ‘get their teeth’ into a juicy little story – hence the microphone.

As enthusiasm for the story has dwindled and passed it got me thinking about rumours of a slightly different kind. Rumours of an alternative lifestyle. Rumours of a provocatively different people. Rumoured sightings of a counter-cultural, community-challenging, life-enhancing Church. I’ve heard the rumours, but have I seen it?

Good answer, wrong question!

Furnished with a cup of tea, a supply of water and a brief explanation of the Salvation Army our plasterers were just about ready to get plastering.

Pleasantries exchanged, Frank enquired as to whether we’d ‘had any other pastors around?’ Keen to share conversation, over the next two minutes I enthusiastically explained how we had indeed been visited and welcomed by the pastor of a local church who had used our hall in the past.

Frank then clarified the look of confusion that had clouded his face during my ‘helpful response’ when he said ‘yes, but have you had any other plasterers around’(!).

It appeared I’d given a good answer to the wrong question. As we look to get to know and get involved in our community I pray we’ll make sure we concentrate on the questions people are actually asking rather than the good answers we’re enthusiastically ready to share.

The Past is Prologue

In his book Carpe Maňana, Leonard Sweet writes of a tourist who took a cab through the city of Washington D.C. Driving by the National Archives Building, he saw the inscription:

THE PAST IS PROLOGUE

The tourist asked the driver, ‘What does that mean?’
The cabbie responded, ‘I guess it means, ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet.’’

‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’ or ‘the best is yet to come?’ Either way we’re praying that for Stratford, kingdom-wise – the past is prologue.

answers on a postcard...

How exactly do you start a church?