Comments for Big Circumstance

Comment on New Wine Leadership Conference by Pam

Pam — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:13:36 +0000

I am very sure your New Wine Leadership Conference is nothing like the following poem. However, the subject matter makes me chuckle and hope you like it too.

Murder at the Poetry Conference by Melinda Smith

The old pesticide factory
casts a buzz-saw shadow
on the wall of the council chambers.
Inside, the poets sit like aldermen.
They talk of war and genocide,
harrowing themselves silly.
At night they retire to soft floral sheets, flocked wallpaper.
They dream
infinite shelves of books with tilted spines -
M and N shapes staggering away;
leather the colour of blood.

Comment on Free Gifts And Happiness by Sermons on Giving

Sermons on Giving — Thu, 24 May 2012 03:42:28 +0000

Beautiful reminder. Truly Christians should be leading the pack on this, not a cola company.

Comment on Free Gifts And Happiness by evanlaar1922

evanlaar1922 — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:52:53 +0000

Now you have me thinking!

Comment on A Contradiction In Terms: An Inward-Looking Church by So, Why Do People Really Go To Church? | Social Behavioral Patterns–How to Understand Culture and Behaviors

Wed, 23 May 2012 01:10:48 +0000

[...] A Contradiction In Terms: An Inward-Looking Church (bigcircumstance.com) [...]

Comment on A Contradiction In Terms: An Inward-Looking Church by Pam

Pam — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:10:44 +0000

No. 6 on the list concerning pastoral care interested me greatly. I am a (newish) member of our pastoral care team and have three people ‘under my wing’ at the moment. I am developing friendship and to me friendship means ‘being there’. If they cut their finger, and want to talk I’ll talk. I recognise that is a different matter from being a minister responsible for the whole congregation! Psalm 15 speaks to me on this issue.
Also liked the quote from Ian Brown.
Great post Dave.

Comment on A Book Recommendation For Preachers by Dave Faulkner

Dave Faulkner — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:43:19 +0000

Indeed, Colin, I take issue with MLJ on those grounds, too. I read that book when I was a Local Preacher, and like you I think there is great value in the preaching ministry of those who are actively involved ‘in the coalface grounding’, as you put it.

Comment on A Book Recommendation For Preachers by laymin47

laymin47 — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:12:21 +0000

I must have a look at this. Apart from MLJ’s feelings about the many other pressures on any such as yourself and equivalents in other denonimations, I saw another dimension. It seems to me he would have little sympathy for Readers (such as myself) or perhaps the Methodist nearest equivalent – Local Preachers. In this respect, while I respect much of what I have read from his pen, i must take issue with him. The regular in the coalface grounding of lay ministers such as myself, and Non Stipendaries in the CoE should provide a valuabl;e perspective.

Comment on We Don’t Do God … In Church by Dave Faulkner

Dave Faulkner — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:10:28 +0000

A futther thought: ‘One of the perils of the ministry is that the minister is always considered to be ‘the professional’. Whenever the minister is presrnt, he or she is expected to say grace at a meal, or pray at some other function, as if others suddenly lose their tongues.’ (Derek Tidball, ‘Preacher, Keep Yourself From Idols’, p169f.)

Comment on We Don’t Do God … In Church by Dave Faulkner

Dave Faulkner — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:37:54 +0000

Perhaps we ministers lapse too easily into the ‘How are yoyr aches and pains?’ talk after a service – although admittedly any substantive conversation while we are the professional handshaking machine after the service is difficult. Maybe our pastoral conversations in other xontexts need to be more intentional in this area.

Comment on We Don’t Do God … In Church by Moira Biggins

Moira Biggins — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:19:59 +0000

Possibly lay people don’t talk about God in ordinary conversation because ministers don’t, and ministers don’t talk about God in ordinary conversation because they think it will make lay people uncomfortable?