Author: Dave Faulkner

I'm a British Methodist minister, married with two adult children. I blog from a moderate evangelical-missional-charismatic perspective. My interests include digital photography (currently using a Nikon Z8), contemporary music, and watching football (Tottenham Hotspur) and cricket. For my photography, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/davefaulkner

London

I am a Londoner. Although neither I nor any of my relatives live there any more, today’s vile news has hit me hard. My father used to take the train each morning to Liverpool Street and then a tube to Aldgate East. My sister used to commute to Edgware Road. Friends used to go through King’s Cross to work. I once went for a job interview at Tavistock Square. When I came in at lunch-time and saw the TV news, I just said, “Evil.” I wanted to say something far worse. It was certainly in my heart. Only the presence of my small children stopped me.

I wanted to wish evil things on Osama bin Laden. Like a British judge sentencing him to life, but the prison warders allowing other prisoners to inflict a tortuous, slow death upon him. I had to fight to tell myself that I believe in a better way as a Christian. What that inner fight would have been like had I lost any loved ones in the atrocities, I don’t know.

I’ve offered up the odd prayer about what I shall preach on Sunday. What words, what hope can I give? Must there also be a challenge, with the risk of causing deep offence?

Then I stopped thinking about myself. I thought about Mr Kahn, who runs our little neighbourhood sub-post office. And I prayed that no-one would take it out on him. I prayed, too, for the Sikhs who now own the former Methodist church building nearby. After 9/11 British Sikhs were attacked. I pray for their protection now.

I pray, too, for those trained to help at times of disaster. Last night I was at a District Council meeting where we lamented a lack of volunteers among ministers to be undertake Critical Incident Volunteer training in Kent. London already has people trained – thank God.

And naturally I pray for the injured and the bereaved.

But I must pray, too, for the perpetrators. Yet it’s too easy to parrot the words of Jesus, “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing,” because to some extent these people do know what they’re doing.

Lord have mercy on us all.

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Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys

Well, that’s what The Simpsons called the French in one of their less politically-correct moments. And I have to admit to having had a few unworthy xenophobic thoughts since the announcement that London had beaten Paris to host the 2012 Olympics (see here and millions of other places).

Maybe now President Chirac will eat humble pie in the form of some delightful British cuisine.

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Wedding Vows By Mobile Phone

According to Reuters an Indian bridegroom had to take his wedding vows by mobile phone when floods preventing him reaching the location of the ceremony.

So what are the issues around technology and proximity? In the 1990s I once heard the Revd Dr Phil Meadows argue that there was little difference between communicating certain things via virtual reality and mediating them through other, older, more socially acceptable technologies such as hearing aids. (And what about spectacles?) Earlier than that, in the 1980s, when Ship Of Fools was an ordinary magazine made of paper, they reported on the case in the USA (where else?) of the Roman Catholic ‘drive-in confessional’, with the slogan, ‘Toot and tell or go to hell.’

So how close do we have to be to someone for it to be personal? Conversely, how far away do we have to be from someone to break the sense of personal connection? What barriers are acceptable, because we don’t perceive them so much a barriers as mediators? Theologically, what constitutes community and incarnation?

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Wedding Vows By Mobile Phone

According to Reuters an Indian bridegroom had to take his wedding vows by mobile phone when floods preventing him reaching the location of the ceremony.

So what are the issues around technology and proximity? In the 1990s I once heard the Revd Dr Phil Meadows argue that there was little difference between communicating certain things via virtual reality and mediating them through other, older, more socially acceptable technologies such as hearing aids. (And what about spectacles?) Earlier than that, in the 1980s, when Ship Of Fools was an ordinary magazine made of paper, they reported on the case in the USA (where else?) of the Roman Catholic ‘drive-in confessional’, with the slogan, ‘Toot and tell or go to hell.’

So how close do we have to be to someone for it to be personal? Conversely, how far away do we have to be from someone to break the sense of personal connection? What barriers are acceptable, because we don’t perceive them so much a barriers as mediators? Theologically, what constitutes community and incarnation?

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When The Occult Can’t Cope

NASA may have cheered when its ‘Deep Impact’ probe crashed into the comet the other day, but one Russian astrologer didn’t. She is suing NASA for $300 million, because it ‘altered her horoscope’. (Link here from Reuters.)

It reminds me of a true story. I used to work as a civil servant in the old Department of Health and Social Security, administering people’s National Insurance contributions. One day a self-employed woman returned her papers, saying she was closing down her business due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’. Her profession? Clairvoyant.

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When The Occult Can’t Cope

NASA may have cheered when its ‘Deep Impact’ probe crashed into the comet the other day, but one Russian astrologer didn’t. She is suing NASA for $300 million, because it ‘altered her horoscope’. (Link here from Reuters.)

It reminds me of a true story. I used to work as a civil servant in the old Department of Health and Social Security, administering people’s National Insurance contributions. One day a self-employed woman returned her papers, saying she was closing down her business due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’. Her profession? Clairvoyant.

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Methodism and Same-Sex Unions

If you believe the Daily Telegraph and others, “Methodists are to become the first mainstream Church in Britain to offer blessing services to same sex couples.”

But this does not appear to be what the Methodist Conference decided at all. It accepted the Pilgrimage In Faith report, which notes the continued diversity of opinion (disagreement) in the church on homosexuality. Guidelines would be needed before the civil partnership law becomes effective in December, but this is not the same as saying the church will definitely bless same-sex unions. David Deeks, the General Secretary of the Conference, made it clear that the national press had gone beyond what was actually said either in the Conference or by spokespersons in a statement.

Is it too much to hope for more accuracy rather than sensationalism that will falsely alarm and excite people?

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Thoughts From P G Vardis

What do you make of this quote? Is it faith or just the power of positive thinking?

India missions leader P G Vargis wrote recently:

“Put yourself in a growth environment. Certain fish grow according to the size of the environment. Put them in a small aquarium and they remain small. It is said that if you put a baby shark in a small aquarium of 6 inches the shark will grow to that size only. Release it into the ocean and it will grow to their intended size. And you are the same! If you spend your time with the wrong crowd in the wrong place doing the wrong things, you will never experience growth.

“I do not criticize other servants of God. So I do not associate with those who criticize others. I believe in success and so I do not sit with those who always talk about failure, attacks and persecution. I associate with people who talk about opportunity, success, result, victory, peace, growth and mega churches. And I let these qualities rub off onto me as I also try to do this to them.”

From the Web Evangelism Bulletin.

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Long Time No Blog

It’s been too long since the last entry on this blog. Basically we’ve been so consumed with the details of preparing for our move – getting removal companies to quote, selling even more stuff on eBay, and so on.

But there is one story to tell from last Sunday week. I preached for the final time at one of my churches. At the end of the service the choir wanted to sing me a benediction. I had to stand in their midst while they sang to me. Our two-year-old, Rebekah, was in my arms at the time. As the choir began their rendition she looked at me and blurted out loudly one of her current catchphrases: “What’s that noise?” She isn’t the only one who’s been asking that question!

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