signs of the times?!

This week we came across two signs that we'd never seen before, nor expected to see.

When we visited the local Methodist church we were welcomed with the pronouncement that:

No chewing gum is allowed in this building (Nice)

While in our doctors surgery we were encouragingly asked:

Not to spit on the floor (Even nicer!)

To paraphrase 1 Chronicles 12:32 it seems we need some 'men of Issachar', who understand the signs of the times and know what not to do in Newham. I hasten to add that we were not guilty of both potetntial offences.

Asslaamu alaikum

‘Dialogue is the serious address and response between two persons, in which the being and truth of each is confronted by the being and truth of the other. It involves relationship and words and seeks to know life through the other person.’ Reuel Howe

We’re keen to ‘know life’ through our new friends, most of whom seem to Muslim. Along with Chawkat Moucarry, we believe that ‘true tolerance is to accept the other, not by ignoring the distance between us, but by measuring that distance accurately and by recognizing that whoever wants to cross over has the right and the freedom to do so. Only love can create the necessary conditions for the truth to emerge’.

Only love can create the necessary conditions for the truth to emerge.

'Art' lessons from the Pardaise Zone

About seven or eight years ago I went to see ‘ART’, Yasmina Reza’s, award-winning comedy about what happens between three friends when one of them buys a work of modern art. And I loved it. So much so that I even bought a copy of the script on the way out!

Having raved on about the play for a few years Lisa finally agreed to come with me to see it again. The only problem was that despite it being exactly the same play we both hated it. Well, ‘hated’ is a little strong, but we didn’t enjoy it and couldn’t wait for the curtain to fall. And I spent the whole time wondering what on earth I had liked about it the first time!

I had a similarly strange experience last night – at youth club. Having had a few weeks off for Easter I was eager to get stuck back in. I’d missed it, catching up, the music, the banter the food that is ‘created’ in the kitchen! But despite the fact that it was the same club, I really didn’t enjoy it.

Admittedly there were a few new faces trying to assert themselves while testing the limits, but that’s hardly new. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t alone in feeling it had been an awkward evening and it certainly made for an interesting (if slightly downbeat) debrief.
Maybe it was just one of those nights.

Whatever it was, it’ll be great to see them all again next week. I think!

Growing acorns

I’m definitely going to have to invest in some more phrasebooks!

Four new families meant that this week at Little Acorns we were learning about life in Uganda, Somalia and the Philippines.

the best day of the year to be in London...

'If you want to win something, run the 100 metres.
If you want to experience something,
run a marathon.' Emil Zatopek

My own 'experience' may have been 12 months ago, but today just cheering and encouraging others to keep going really whetted my appetite to give it another go next year - without doubt my favourite day of the year in London.



Anyone that fancies doing it (and can commit to the training!) should definitely lace up. After all, as Fred Lebow points out 'in running it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that.' Find out about next years London Marathon here.

'Sadly, nonconformity is no longer regarded as a virtue. living by the divine contrariness of Jesus has been eliminated from our religious vocabulary. Instead, we have become domesticated to obey religious leaders who cannot cope with healthy diversity.' Charles Ringma

and yet...

...the vision I find in the New Testamant is that people are freed from sin and social expectations so that they can live boldly in the world.

...one of the powers that both Jesus and Paul sought to overcome was religious legalism.

...a the life of a disciple is surely about becoming more aware, more free, more capable of judging for ourselves and ultimately, of getting out of the crowd.

Bad jokes and mighty oaks...

Ever heard the one about the Scotsman, the Algerian and the women from England, France, and Portugal?

No, neither have I.

Rather than a long-winded (and probably inappropriate) joke this was who turned up this morning at 'Little Acorns' - our first foray into the world of parent and toddler groups.

Trusting that mighty oaks do sprout from little acorns it'll be interesting to see how things develop. It's fair to say that my grasp of arabic needs to 'develop' fast!

This morning's highlights included some informal advocacy and Joshua receiving his first kisses from two young ladies! Little acorns grow up so quickly these days!

It's a messy business...

This eating lark!

















































But it ain't half fun!!

Congratulations...

to Kerry & Jim...













...and to Jahangir & Khalida.













One Easter weekend, two (quite contrasting!) weddings - same message...

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.

Hope-filled or sugar-coated, how do you like your Easters?

There can be little doubt that for many (most?) Easter is means little more than chocolate eggs, bunnies and chicks (a rather bizarre mix really). Admittedly I'm not the most lapidocentric (it is a word! honest!) person I prefer to remember that at Easter we celebrate the fact that...

Goodness is stronger than evil,
Love is stronger than hate,
Life is stronger than death,
Light is stronger than darkness!

And we all get the chance to claim this victory for ourselves!

Rather than the appealing yet fleeting, sweet yet empty, easily shattered sugar-coated variety I prefer my Easters hope-filled.

One of our... donkies(!) is missing!

Having arrived in the world in the same year as the 'classic' One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing, with much encouragement from my Dad I've grown up watching similar comedic tales, but I couldn't help thinking of the Ustinov farce as we gathered at Poplar for the annual Palm Sunday march. Read more here.

An event of epic, notoriously unpredictable proportions I was initially a little disappointed when we gathered with no sign of the star of the show - the donkey, the real live donkey that historically leads the way! It seemed that previous bad behaviour (stubborness, excitable tantrums and random kicks aimed at members of the public!) had finally precluded his involvement. I was a little disappointed because although one would rarely describe proceedings as 'conventional' without the donkey we were a bog-standard, ragbag bunch of Christians meandering around the East End albeit with a very unique and diverse band sporadically trumpeting 'Make Way'!

But thankfully, my impending disappointment was staved off by a puffing, panting vicar arriving with a question - 'has anyone seen the donkey? It was over at the church a minute ago, but it's gone missing!'

Ding, dong! Images of a cantankerous, rabid and randy donkey breaking lose around Tower Hamlets flooded my imagination, but hope sprung eternal that once again the march would be led by the donkey... if we could only find it!

Thankfully, my (our?) prayers were answered and the much anticipated donkey reluctantly turned up and begrudgingly 'led' the procession (although its probably fair to say that the route taken was more the donkey's choice than ours!).

I wonder if Jesus had the same problem and what would've have happened if he had 'lost' the donkey?!

Crucible - creating church on the margins

(a training course for courageous and imaginative Christians)

According to the introductory blurb... Christians in western culture are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of Christendom is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside secular assumptions, in which Christianity has largely lost its position of dominance and privilege. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this new environment offers many new possibilities – if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them.

So if you live in a mission context and recognise the need to think creatively as you seek to serve the God who constantly does new things on the margins, you might want to check out the 'three intensive training weekends' here.

Welcome to the land of the sleep-deprived!

In a blog claiming to reflect upon life its great to ‘talk’ about the gift of new life and to acknowledge the safe arrival of three miraculous and unique creations!

Rachel, (the first child of David and Gayle), Ceitidh (Andrew and Tracy’s second) and Freddie (the firstborn of Steve & Kathryn) all entered this wonderful world of ours over the past week. Nice work!

For those who are new to the whole motherhood thing, Lisa is keen for me to pass on the following list of things (found in 'The best friends guide to ...Motherhood') that ‘new mothers don’t do’ (I guess Tracy you may be able to verify this list or add to it as you see fit?!)

New mothers don’t leave the house on a moment’s notice.

New mothers don’t eat meals sitting down.

New mothers don’t read anything longer than what can be digested during a visit to the toilet.
New mothers don’t go to the cinema anymore.

New mothers don’t listen to any news stories that involve harm to small children.

New mothers don’t end each day with a satisfying sense of a job well done.

New mothers don’t wear anything that must be dry-cleaned or ironed.

New mothers don’t sleep long enough to experience one single dream from start to finish.

New mothers don’t remember their former personal grooming regimen.

New mothers don’t remember anything!

In the interest of balance, much of the above list could easily be applied to the fathers! (Although Lisa would perhaps tell a different story!)

All the best!