On being a Christian - confirmation class # 1

Hi all.

Here begins a blog series for our confirmation candidates, people to be received into the Anglican Church, and general readers. It is incredibly hard to get everyone at the same place, at the same time on the same day for classes. So, I thought we will use the blog and catch up with the whole group a couple of times at church, and other places, over the next few months. There will also be a chance to catch up after the 9.30am service to have a chat about the blog. What I also hope is that some of my regular readers will join in the conversation and share their thoughts and wisdom.

Conversation # 1 What does it mean to be a christian? Over the next few weeks we will explore together issues around church, being a member of the Anglican church, baptism (confirmation), bible, worship, sacraments, and other christian issues as well. Where I want to start today is with what it means to be a christian. For many years we thought being a christian meant belonging, to say, a christian family or going to church occasionally or living in a christian country or being a good person with good habits. However, none of those things are what I think it means to be a christian. Quite simply, a christian is a follower of Jesus. A christian is someone who seeks to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and trys to live in world with a sense of justice, mercy and kindness. We also take, not only the teachings of Jesus seriously, but his life as well. What I mean by that is that we see his death as redeeming (big word: meaning,that by his death - Good Friday - our sins are forgiven: more on that in week or two. We also see his resurrection (rising from the dead - Easter) as bringing new life, hope and the gift of eternal life. As christians we like to celebrate these things with others who value these things as well (the church).

I grew up in a family where my mother was a practicing Anglican Christian. My mother took my sister and me to church regularly. However, it didn't really mean much until I was about 17, and then I became a christian: I took it seriously. Ironically, that was in another church denomination. After a few years I went back to the Anglican church and was confirmed at 21. That was about 28 years ago, and, to be honest, I am still learning about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus does not mean knowing everything about the christian faith, nor is it about being perfect. It is about following Jesus as we are and for who we are. So, as you thinking about confirmation, think about what being a christian means to you. Some questions: How would you describe a christian person? What is important for you about Jesus?

P.S. Leave a comment on the blog or send me an email about what you think. Also, just to remind you,we will be having a chat about these things after the 9.30am service next Sunday.

connecT's big 3

This coming Sunday, 20 February @ 5.30pm,'connecT' celebrates its 3rd birthday, and enters into its 4th year. We are growing up! This Sunday we will hear from 4 members on why they are part of 'connecT', renew our commitment to our faith and to each other, have some cake and champers, and celebrate who we are in God.

Come and join us this Sunday.

Back to business

Christmas come and gone. Holidays come and gone: back to business. This little blog is primarily, but not exclusively, dedicated to tracking the life of 'connecT', our experiment in 'emerging church' life. 'connecT' will have its 3rd birthday this year (more will be said closer to the time). So, there is something to celebrate, I think.

Some people ask what is 'connecT' and what do we do and, more importantly for them, will they like it. 'connecT' started as an experiment trying to draw on insights from the 'emerging church/fresh expressions movement'. We discovered along the way, I think, that we are some of that, but not all of it. However, most 'emerging churches' don't see themselves simply as a franchise any way. We have grown and formed our own identity and have our own way of doing things, which is a sign that we are maturing. So, who are we?

We are congregation of about 30 representing a full range of ages and theological viewpoints.

We are people from a variety of denominational backgrounds. Some would describe themselves as post-denominational, but, obviously, bring some of their denominational experiences and expectations with them. However, we do regard ourselves as a congregation of St. Jude's Anglican Church, Brighton.

We are an inclusive church. Leadership is shared by a team. We try to encourage full participation in our worship. Sermons, if we have them, almost always include a chance for 'round table' discussion. We try hard to foster a safe environment where everybody can share their thoughts.

We try to draw on the whole Christian tradition, so it is not unusual for us to use 'stations' for private meditation or have times of silence and reflection. We use music in variety of ways through singing, reflection and prayer. We like to think we are imaginative and creative, and so, at times, we don't quite get it right, but we are also, importantly, in the light of this, a community of grace and forgiveness.

We celebrate the Eucharist (standing or sitting around the altar) together on the
1st Sunday of the month.

We like to eat together! A meal always follows the worship @ about 6.30pm, and, when we can afford it, we have some wine too.

So, if this sounds like it might be your thing (it won't be for everyone!) come and join us on Sunday evenings @ 5.30pm @ St. Jude's Anglican Church, 444 Brighton Rd, Brighton, South Australia.

Signs

The series looking at the signs in John at 'connecT' has come to an end. The discussion around signs was helpful and the conversation stimulating, as per usual. A 'connecT' we try to use a 'round table approach' using conversation and mutual learning. The result is that no one stands out as an expert dominating the conversation, but those who may have trained insights share their experience with others, seeking to learn as well as to share. And so it was with 'signs'; I learnt much.

A sign points away from itself to something else. The one thing I did learn at theological college. So too the signs in John, pointing away from themselves to a greater reality. Miracles, understood in a certain way, can be an end in themselves. Signs point to Jesus and God's reign breaking into the world. Signs have an incompleteness to them. The wine will run out eventually, those who are healed may get sick again, those who are fed will get hungry, those who walk on water will touch the shore, the blind man's sight will diminish with age, Lazarus will die again and will have to wait with the rest of us until the resurrection at the end of time.

The church, too, is such a sign pointing away from itself to the reign of God. Lessons from John, as always, getting deeper and deeper, but never ending.

Chris

Sight - Part 2

Paul raised a tricky question. Why Jesus mentioned sin in the healing of the paralytic and didn't with the man born blind (See Sight # 1)? We had a really helpful discussion around this issue at 'connecT'. An answer, perhaps; some illnesses are a consequence of sin, others are not. Just a reminder that we can't universalise everything Jesus said and did: individual and communal contexts are part of the narrative, as well.

Chris

Life

A number of years ago I watched the film 'shall we dance'. It is about a character, played by Richard Gere, whose life had lost its spark and so, on a whim, he takes dancing lessons. J.Lo is the exotic dance instructor with whom you expect him to, eventually, as these films go, have an affair. The twist of the film, and a pleasant one too, is that he uses his new found dancing skills to romance his wife, Susan Sarandon, and re-kindle the flame in their relationship. It is what I might call a resurrection moment: out of a death, new life begins.

This week, at 'connecT', we are looking at the last sign in John, 'the raising of Lazarus' (11: 1-44). A moving story, Jesus weeps, his friend is dead, but he calls him back to life. Resurrection is something we expect at the end of time, but in the midst of life we can, if we have a our faith (sight) eyes open, catch these resurrection moments. Dead faith to a living 'fresh expression'. Tired relationships breathed with new life. Moving out of depression into hope. All small glimpses of what Jesus means by 'I am the resurrection and the life' (John 11: 25).

Chris

Sight

This week at 'connecT' we are looking at the 'sign', in John, of the 'man born blind' (John 9: 1 - 12). Whose fault is it, the disciples ask Jesus? a not uncommon thought, even in these contemporary and, supposedly, enlightened times. Why does my child have a disability? Did I do something wrong at pregnancy, a mother may ask? Why does my son not do well at school? What did I do to make my daughter the way she is? Sigmund Freud did not help by pointing to a child's upbringing as the root cause for most psychological disorders and phobias. Who is to blame,'this man or his parents' is a fairly common and widely accepted response.Neither, is Jesus' unexpected answer; 'but so the works of God might be made manifest' (9: 3).

What are the consequences for our world - my world- I wonder? We should always acknowledge the wrongs of the past, I would argue: the holocaust, the forced separation of Aboriginal children of mixed descent from their parents (the stolen generation), are but two examples. However, the past is the past; to be remembered, lest we repeat it, but forgiveness offered and new sight given.

The man born blind sees for the very first time, but those caught in the past, and who justify it, cannot see (9: 40). How do my blind spots keep me from seeing God working? How does the Church stop people from seeing? Where do we see Jesus' light shining? What do you think?

Chris