On The Lack Of Blogging This Week

This week has been mad, crazy and stressful. I have been competing for the computer with my wife, who has thrown her hat into the ring to become chair of our children’s pre-school. The current incumbent is something of a David Brent type, but is thankfully standing down. There are major budget issues to resolve.

Much more seriously, there has been a potentially major health issue to face. Last week Debbie went to the GP about a cough she has had for months, and which also now includes a hoarse voice. He said, ‘You could have throat cancer,’ and referred her urgently to an ENT consultant. Debbie saw her on Wednesday, and thankfully there is no sign of anything sinister. It could be mild late onset asthma. Much rejoicing, and a celebratory ice cream with the kids.

Ministry has been varied this week. Highlights include a fair bit of Fresh Expressions stuff. I spent Monday morning with some lay leaders of a Methodist church in Essex, who are trying to pursue new areas of worship and outreach. It was fun to share a lot of the theological principles with them: attractional versus missional church; Michael Frost’s notion that first comes Christology, that leads to missiology and only after that do you get to ecclesiology. I’m also auditing the Mission-Shaped Ministry course that Fresh Expressions is rolling out across the country. Chelmsford Diocese is running it locally. I’m sitting in on lectures (and might even give the odd one myself) as and when church commitments permit. Those on the course pay £250: I’m turning up for free. Thank you, Pete Pillinger.

Today I interrupted my usual day off for some youth stuff. I did my occasional turn on Boys’ Brigade devotions, but then zoomed up to a meeting at the Salvation Army in Hatfield Peverel where my village church is. We and the ‘Army’ have been approached by a parish councillor who wants to see a children’s club and a youth club start in the village. We both have (just about) suitable premises, and the trustees of the village hall don’t want to know, because of bad past experiences with youth. We’re willing to be vulnerable and take the risks of faith (well, subject to Church Council, of course!).

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