A question of priorities

We've had a great few days over Christmas. The fact that two of our three children are now married adds a little complication to Christmas arrangements, with them having two lots of families to visit! However, it just so happened this year that we managed to be all together for Christmas Day itself.

After the Christmas morning church service we had Christmas lunch, then spent most of the rest of the day playing games (breaking, of course, for the Queen's speech!) It was great to be able to spend some time together as a family and have plenty of laughs.

Steph and Matt left Doncaster yesterday to travel over to Matt's family, and Chris and Megan left this morning to travel down to Essex to Megan's family. Caroline has gone over to Sheffield to visit friends, so the house seems very quiet indeed.

I woke up fairly early this morning and on my way to the loo I noticed that the door to the bedroom where Chris and Megan were sleeping was slightly ajar. I thought it was strange, but didn't think much more about it. I later discovered that they had been up and out early to catch the big sale at Next. They arrived at Next at 5am only to find a couple of hundred people ahead of them in the queue! Obviously people were desperately keen to grab a bargain.

A couple of weeks' ago Sue and I visited a gentleman who has asked for help with a certain issue. We spent some time with him and hopefully were of some help. During our conversation he said a couple of times, "I just don't have time to go to church." We hadn't raised the issue at all, so I'm not sure why he mentioned it (unless he feels a bit guilty).

These two incidents have got me thinking about the whole issue of priorities. The truth is that we can usually make time for the things we regard as priorities. I know people who spend many hours and considerable amounts of money travelling the length and breadth of the country following their football team. Why? Because for them it's a priority.

Jesus talked quite a lot about priorities, and did so in a very challenging way. In effect he said that if we decide to follow him, then he must become our first priority. No half measures! The year 2010 will soon be at an end. The coming of a new year is a great time to reassess our personal priorities. It's certainly something I'll be doing.

Winter but no Christmas

Yesterday a group of us sang carols outside Priory in the town centre. We sang from 8.30am until 10am, and despite the severe cold, the time seemed to pass very quickly. We went through a range of carols, but the most popular carols seemed to be the more upbeat ones (like "Come and join the celebration") because they invited a bit of movement which helped to keep the frostbite at bay!

Our singing can't have been too bad as people generously threw coins into the collecting buckets. Though there didn't seem to be all that many people around, we managed to raise over £170 in the 90 minutes. It will be split between Rotherham hospice (one of our church members works there), and Compassion, which is an international Christian child development and child advocacy ministry.

Our main purpose, though, wasn't to raise funds, but rather to try to remind those who were in the town centre what Christmas is really all about. Many passers-by were very positive, and one man came to tell us that he had phoned his mum so that she could listen to the singing on the phone! Another lady, however, didn't seem to appreciate our efforts. As she hurried by she turned to us and said, "what a load of rubbish!" I have a feeling that she wasn't referring to the quality of our singing but rather to the message itself, and I felt immensely sad for her. She reminded me a little of Ebenezer Scrooge with his retort, "bah, humbug".

The birth in Bethlehem around 2000 years ago of Jesus, the Son of God, was the most momentous event in history. So much so that it cut history in half! God stepped into our world to demonstrate his amazing love for us. How sad, then, that so many overlook the heart of the Christmas message. In the carol, "In the bleak midwinter", the write speaks of the glory of the Christmas story, and the joy of those who welcome Jesus into their lives. He then goes on to write,

And to those who never listened
To the message of Thy birth,
Who have winter, but no Christmas
Bringing them Thy peace on earth,
Send to these the joyful tidings;
By all people, in each home,
Be there heard the Christmas anthem;
Praise to God, the Christ has come!

My prayer is that this Christmas many eyes will be opened to the wonder of the Christmas story, and many hearts will be open to the love and peace of Jesus. I pray particularly for God's blessing on the unhappy lady, that she too will meet the One who can transform her life.

Coping with change

An old light bulb joke goes something like this: "How many Methodists does it take to change a light bulb?" The answer: "What do you mean, change?"

I was talking with a member of another church recently and I asked how their fairly newly arrived vicar was getting on. One of the first responses was, "He's changing a lot of things." Just this evening I was reading an article in the Metro newspaper about the new format to the long- running BBC programme "A Question of Sport". I've been a fan of Q.O.S. for all of its 40 years, and I must say that I do have reservations about the new format, not least the fact that one member of each team is now a "personality" rather than a sportsperson. Time will tell whether it proves to be a good move or not (I still think that the BBC should bring back Arlene Phillips to the panel of judges for Strictly!)

The truth is that, for whatever reason, we often find change hard to accept. We struggle when what we have become comfortable with becomes different in some way - it can move us out of our comfort zone, which is difficult to handle.

One of the ways in which we can begin to come to terms with change is to understand that change is a natural element of life. As I look through the window I see that the snow, which has been around for nearly 2 weeks, is slowly beginning to melt away. In two or three months we will see signs of spring. I was looking at some old family photos recently, and it's abundantly clear that we have all changed a great deal over the years!

The other thing we can do if we are struggling to cope with change is to look to the One who does not change. We live in an uncertain, changing, and sometimes frightening world. Yet we can have confidence that in God we have a rock beneath our feet and a sure foundation for life. As hymn-writer Henry Francis Lyte so eloquently puts it,

"Change and decay in all around I see:
O thou who changest not, abide with me!

The personal touch

For many years now we have written a Christmas letter which we include with the Christmas cards which we send to family and friends around the country. It gives a brief summary of the year from the perspective of our family. Quite a number of our friends do the same, and I enjoy catching up on news in this way.

A couple of years ago a friend of ours, who is also a Methodist Minister, wrote in his letter that he had personally delivered Christmas cards to all his church members. I liked the idea, so decided last year to try and do the same! I just about managed it before Christmas Day. This year I have an extra church for which I am responsible, so the list of visits has grown. It perhaps wouldn't be so difficult if all the church members lived nearby, but unfortunately that isn't the case.

I wrote the cards two or three weeks ago, and decided this Monday that I had better start delivering them if there was any hope of completing the task by 25th. My intention was to use the car this week to deliver some which were beyond walking distance. Unfortunately, the heavy snow of the last few days put paid to that idea: the car has hardly left the garage this week! At least I have now delivered all the cards for people who live within reasonable walking distance. I must have walked quite a few miles over the past few days. It has been enjoyable, and I have been very grateful for my wellies, though tramping through fairly deep snow can be quite tiring.

Of course there may be some reading this who are thinking, "wouldn't it be easier to simply post the cards?" And in one sense, yes, it would. But the benefit of taking them out by hand is that it adds the personal touch. I get the opportunity to chat with folk and spend a bit of time with them which I might not otherwise have.

The heart of Christmas itself demonstrates the personal touch of God. In his great love for us, he stepped into our world. The Message translation of the Bible puts John 1v14 like this, 'The Word [Jesus] became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.' Jesus came to reveal the Father's love, and invite us to a personal relationship with God. Now that really is something worth celebrating this Christmas!

Holding it all together

This week I have been enjoying the comforts of the Willersley Castle Hotel in Derbyshire. It is situated in a very rural and stunningly beautiful setting (if you are a facebook friend you may already have seen a few images of the area which I have uploaded).

Willersley Castle is on the edge of the village of Cromford, which is principally known for its historical connection with Richard Arkwright, and the Cromford Mill which he built here in 1771. It also houses an extensive second hand bookshop which I much enjoyed perusing!

I should point out that I wasn't on holiday, but was attending a 4 day residential course on using multimedia in worship, run by Mike Bossingham of the Family Friendly Churches Trust. It is often said that people tend to have a much better memory of what they see than what they hear. Preachers and worship leaders are increasingly using modern forms of visual images in worship, and I thought that it was about time I learned a little more about the whole issue.

Of course, as with any training event, the proof of any benefit can only be seen in what happens as a result. I have been to several training events over the years at which I seemed to learn a great deal at the time but ultimately the learning was lost because it was not put into practical use. Hopefully this one will prove more fruitful in the long term.

One of the memories which I know will remain with me forever came at almost the last minute. We were preparing to pack up for lunch after the final session when Mike happened to mention laminins. I can't remember ever having heard about them. Wikipedia states that "laminins are a family of glycoproteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding in almost every tissue of an organism." Put simply, laminins are what hold us together and stop us becoming a blobby mass or falling apart! Remarkably, the image at the top of this page is what a laminin looks like. Remind you of anything? Paul's words to the Colossians come to mind:

'He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things HOLD TOGETHER.'

Ain't God just amazing?

I just wanna be a sheep, baa baa baa baa

I recently received an e-mail from a friend, Nick, with whom I hadn't been in touch for a few years. We first got to know each other when I was a minister in Sheffield and Nick worked as a lay worker in the area. I remember one occasion, at a meeting of preachers, when Nick was trying to get them to understand that it's not particularly helpful to children and young people when we ask them to sing very old hymns with antiquated language which even adults sometimes struggle to understand. To do so, he got the preachers (most of whom were middle-aged to elderly) to sing a children's song, "I just want to be a sheep" There are some great actions to go with the song, and a good number of the preachers were very embarrassed at having to sing this children's song. Nick certainly got his point across!

Jesus told a story about a lost sheep, and this week I have been out searching for sheep. Not real sheep, of course, but the cuddly toy kind of sheep. There are lots of cuddly toys about, but very few sheep! In the end I managed to buy two relatively inexpensive sheep on a market stall. You may be wondering why I have been sheep hunting? No, I haven't developed a sheep fetish, nor a sheep obsession. I want them to use in Sunday morning's family service.

The image of sheep and shepherd is used quite often in the Bible. Human beings are, on occasions, referred to as sheep. The prophet Isaiah writes, "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own." He is speaking about the human propensity to chose our own way rather than God's way (just look around our world today to see what happens when we chose our own way!) The good news is that God still loves us, even when we stray from his path. He sent his Son, Jesus, who spoke of himself as the Good Shepherd. Jesus came, as he said, "to seek and save the lost". Hymnwriter Robert Walmsley, in his hymn "Come, let us sing of a wonderful love", puts it like this:

Jesus is seeking the wanderers yet;
Why do they roam? Why do they roam?
Love only waits to forgive and forget;
Home, weary wanderers, home!
Wonderful love, wonderful love,
Dwells in the heart of the Father above.

And I say Amen! to that (baa baa baa baa)

A time to remember

This morning I attended the two minutes silence outside the Mansion House in Doncaster (Today is Remembrance Day; the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the signing of the Armistice, on 11 November 1918, to signal the end of World War One). It was a solemn and dignified occasion, though spoilt a little by the fact that the pa system was working only spasmodically, meaning that much of what was said by the Mayor went unheard by the majority of those gathered there.

I am always particularly moved by the contributions of those who have actually served in conflict situations, and especially veterans of the World Wars. One or two of the veteran standard bearers were struggling at times to maintain a hold on their standards in the strong wind.

A few months ago someone came into Priory asking if we had a plaque commemorating those church members who lost their lives in the First World War - I think that the person was researching family history. It seems that when Priory was redeveloped in the late 70s the plaque was taken down and stored away. After much searching, it was located, and will be restored to a position on the wall in the chapel at Priory. It is very poignant to read the names on the plaque: husbands, fathers and sons who never came back. What enormous pain and sadness for their loved ones.

According to Wikipedia (which isn't always the most reliable source of information), approaching 100 million people lost their lives during the two world wars. And the sad thing is that we human beings never seem to learn the lessons of history. The conflict and killing continues. How God must weep that we disregard his way of peace. In our lunchtime Bible study this week we were considering the world of Jesus, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." For all who know the peace of God in our hearts, that is our challenge.

The Archbishop, the footballer and a barrel of laughs

Reflections on a great weekend...

On Friday evening Sue and I attended an event at the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough, entitled “Sentamu By The Sea”. An almost full theatre listened intently as the current Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, shared something of his life story, and then answered questions from members of the audience. He really is quite a character, not at all the typical image of an Archbishop! He told of his very humble beginnings; how he was baptised as a new born infant because no-one thought that he would survive; his upbringing in a very poor family; his coming to faith at the age of 10 and subsequent passion for sharing the good news of Jesus; his training in law, and then persecution and imprisonment under Idi Amin, which led him to flee to the UK. He told the story with a mixture of humour and pathos. His message was both challenging and inspiring.

On our way back to Doncaster we called in to the Living Hope Church in Hull. As a life-long Hull City supporter, one of my heroes of a few years ago was former Northern Ireland international Stuart Elliott. It was a great joy to me, as chaplain of Doncaster Rovers, when Stuart signed for the Rovers two or three years ago. Although things didn't really work out for him at Rovers, it was great to get to know him during his time at the club. Stuart was well known as a Christian, and he recently made the decision to hang up his boots and become assistant pastor at Living Hope Church. Having a Sunday off gave me the opportunity to visit Living Hope and catch up with Stuart. It was great to see him and great to worship at the church. We were very warmly welcomed and felt very much at home. Clearly God is doing great things there, and Stuart is passionate about Jesus.

On Sunday evening we were with friends in Lincoln attending the first night of “The Seriously Funny Tour” with Jeff Lucas and Adrian Plass. It is a long time since I have laughed so much. It was wonderful to be reminded that a sense of humour is given to us by God, and it seems so sad that some Christians appear to have had their sense of humour removed! Laughter is great medicine. Interspersed with the humour were some very reflective and insightful moments. It was a privilege to be there.

Three very different events, each were blessed by God's presence. God is a God of rich variety, and so are his people!

No cuts with God

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” So said Mr Micawber, a character in Charles Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield (it is rather sad, and perhaps a little ironic, that Mr Micawber ended up in a debtor's prison!) It has become apparent over recent years that Britain, and many countries around the world, have fallen foul of the “Micawber principle”, and have racked up a mountain of debt.

Whichever party had formed the government following this year's general election, they would have had to face the task of dealing with the huge deficit. This week, chancellor George Osborne announced spending cuts which are likely to affect every person in the UK to a greater or lesser degree (Sue and I seem to have both born a year too late to avoid being caught by the rise in the pension age from 2020!) Although there have been many arguments about where cuts should be made, there are very few, if any, who argue that there should be no cuts of any kind. The basic truth is, financial (and other) resources are not without limit.

Faced with future uncertainty of this kind, how wonderful it is to know that there is no lack of supply where God is concerned! His gifts of love, grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness etc. are given in abundance to all who will receive. St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is particularly eloquent on this topic:

‘All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.’ (chapter 1 v 3)

‘In him we have ... forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.’ (chapter 1 v7&8)

‘Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.’ (chapter 3 v 8)

‘So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.’ (chapter 2 v7)

It was recently reported that forty US billionaires have signed up to pledge at least half of their fortunes to charity under a philanthropic campaign kicked off by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. Yet even such riches are dwarfed by the riches of God, and the good news is that God loves to give - he even gave his only Son for us!

From darkness to light

Worldwide media attention has been focussed over recent hours on the San Jose mine in Chile. 33 miners had been trapped some 2000 feet below ground since early August. Over the long days and weeks since a major rockfall prevented their return to the surface, anxious families and friends have been hoping and praying that rescue attempts would ultimately prove successful.

From the early hours of this morning, dramatic pictures have been beamed around the world as, one by one, the miners were, at long last, winched to safety in a metal capsule measuring just 24 inches in diameter. Church bells throughout the country were rung as the first miner reached the surface; great rejoicing and celebration has been taking place. The rescue procedure, however, is slow, and at the time of writing there are still some miners who have not yet been brought to the surface. Their loved ones wait in hope and expectation. Isn't it great to have a good news story such as this as an antidote to our usual news menu?

I have been thinking how closely this story parallels the heart of the Christian gospel. The theme of the journey "from darkness to light" runs throughout Scripture. Just as the once trapped miners have been given what could be described as a new beginning, so that is just what we are offered by Jesus. St Paul writes of how through faith in Jesus Christ we become, as it were “a new creation”, and Jesus himself speaks of the need to be “born again”. It is perhaps best summed up in the first verse and chorus of a hymn written by Charles H Gabriel:

In loving kindness Jesus came,
My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame
Through grace He lifted me.

Refrain
From sinking sand, He lifted me,
With tender hand, He lifted me,
From shades of night to planes of light,
O praise His name, He lifted me!

Just as the Chilean miners had the choice of whether or not to step into the capsule, so each one of us us given the choice whether or not to accept the offer of new life in Christ. The right choice is obvious, isn't it?

UPDATE: since publishing this blog yesterday, I have received an e-mail quoting the Chilean President's chaplain, Revd Alfredo Cooper. He says that it is clear that faith has been a big part of this whole drama, with many miners "finding God": "They're all wanting to testify to the Lord Jesus Christ. All 33 of them are saying that they found God in the mine. Five or six were already Christians and held services down in the mine. Many went down with no faith at all but they all say this: 'We were not 33 we were 34 because Jesus Christ was with us down there.'"

Frustration and patience - the game of golf (life)

Golf fans from Europe and the USA were gripped this week by the goings-on at Celtic Manor, the Welsh home of this year's dramatic Ryder Cup match. Due to the heavy rain of the first couple of days, the match was carried over to an unprecedented fourth day, and what a day it proved to be! The final match saw Europe's Graeme McDowell up against the USA's Hunter Mahan. The overall match score was tied at 13.5 points each. McDowell needed to win his match to reclaim the Ryder Cup, which the USA had won two years ago. As the tension mounted, the nerves began to tell on Hunter Mahan, and McDowell claimed victory on the 17th green, much to the jubilation of the majority of the massed crowd of spectators.

I didn't see much of the match on TV. Unfortunately, as with an increasing number of sporting events, it was shown live on Sky TV, and so those of us without Sky had to either listen to the radio or watch the highlights on terrestrial TV later in the day (I could get on my hobby horse about this, but perhaps not today!) I happened to be paying a hospital visit when the match came to its climax, and I must admit to sitting in my car in the hospital car park for a few extra minutes as the drama unfolded. I'm not a big golf fan, but it was exciting to listen to.

I do own a set of golf clubs, but they rarely see the light of day. I have long since come to the conclusion that golf is probably the most frustrating sport to play. I have a friend from church, Denis, who is a member of a golf club and plays regularly. A little while ago he kindly (bravely?) invited me to a round of golf with him. I managed to eke out a spare few hours in the diary, and off we went. The reason I find golf so frustrating is that on some occasions I hit a fairly good shot and on other occasions I am embarrassed by my efforts! I did miraculously manage on one hole to get down in less shots than Denis. However, my inconsistency was show when I managed to get down in 5 shots on a par 4 hole (very good for a novice like me), but then on the very next hole took about 10 shots for a par 3!!

I was extremely grateful for Denis' patience with me. All the way round he offered encouragement and advice, without being overbearing. He commended my good shots and didn't criticise the poor ones. He was a good mentor and encourager, and I thoroughly enjoyed the day, even though I did suffer my fair share of frustration with my many wayward shots.

As I reflect on the experience, it seems to me that the way Denis guided and encouraged me in the game of golf is a good example to follow in the Christian way of life. The Christian life is a journey, but it is not one which we are called to walk on our own. When we commit ourselves to Jesus, we become part of his family, the church. It is his desire that we should be there to support, encourage and guide one another. Though I do get frustrated at times with church and some church people, I thank God for his church, and for the many brilliant friends who have helped, supported and guided me on my on the Christian journey. I pray that God will enable me to offer that same kind of help and support to others.

"Brother, sister, let me serve you..."

Beauty is more than skin deep

Most Monday to Thursday mornings I spend in the Church Office at Priory. When I arrived on Tuesday I headed, as usual, for the kitchen (making a coffee is always a priority on my arrival!) The kitchen was already a hive of activity, as a number of people were busy preparing for Restawhile, our shoppers coffee service which takes place each market day morning. I was somewhat surprised to discover on my arrival that I seemed to be the topic of conversation. Was it Sunday morning's sermon they were discussing? Perhaps some other element of my work as Minister of the church?

I was soon to learn that the topic under discussion was in fact my recent haircut! For many years now my lovely wife, Sue, has cut my hair (and saved me a small fortune in the process). My hair tends to grow rather quickly, and I find that once it gets beyond a certain length it becomes rather difficult to control. With this in mind I had asked Sue to cut it quite short, and that's exactly what she did! Although I have had one or two favourable comments on the new length, on the whole most people don't really appreciate it. Such is life, and anyway it will grow again very soon.

As I reflect on all this, I have been thinking about how often we judge people on the basis of outward appearances. We tend to make assumptions about people by what they are wearing or what they look like. And in the modern media age, looks and appearance seem to be everything. But is a person's outward appearance really what matters?

There is a story on the Bible about the prophet Samuel who is instructed by God to anoint a new king for Israel. Samuel visits a man called Jesse who lives in Bethlehem, and when Samuel sees Jesse's son Eliab, a tall, handsome, strapping fellow, he immediately thinks that he's found the man to be king. But God says to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16v7). God doesn't judge by outward appearances and neither should we!

The remarkable "Young Ones"

BBC TV recently showed a remarkable series of 3 documentary programmes entitled The Young Ones, featuring six well-loved celebrities in their 70s and 80s spending a week living as though it were the year 1975. The six people concerned were Liz Smith, Sylvia Syms, Dickie Bird, Lionel Blair, Kenneth Kendall and Derek Jameson. They were brought together in a large house which was set out as if it was in the year 1975. The idea was to take the celebrities back to a time when they were in their heyday. By bringing back the memories of those times, the expectation was that “the body will follow where the mind has gone.”

A number of the celebrities were rather sceptical about the whole idea, and doubted that the week would lead to any significant physical or other improvements. They were each put through a number of tests prior to the week (physical and mental), which were repeated at the end of the week. I found the whole series absolutely fascinating. I had my own doubts, but was astounded to see how quickly each of the six very began to show improvements in their physical capabilities, some remarkably so. If you haven't seen the series, I strongly recommend that you do so while it's still available on BBC iPlayer!

One of the elements of the programme which particularly spoke to me was how the six were placed in an environment which was designed to present challenges for all of them. It was through meeting and often overcoming the challenges that they grew in confidence. Mention was made in the first episode of an experiment with rats. It was said that where rats were placed in an environment which was stimulating and difficult they lived, on average, 33% longer!

Speaking personally, I know that there have been times in my life when I have done my best to avoid difficulties and challenges! Yet the facts seem to suggest that actually facing them is, in the long term, good for us. And I begin to wonder whether part of the answer to the question “why does God allow us to go through hard times” has to do with the fact that he knows that by facing the hard times we can actually grow stronger. Whether that's right or not, the programme has certainly given me much food for thought as I contemplate the future and advancing years!

Not much of a welcome

A few months ago I received in the post two vouchers entitling the bearer to attend, free of charge, a day's play at Headingley, the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. There were only certain days during the cricket season when the vouchers were valid. Because of various other commitments, I hadn't been able to take advantage of the offer until yesterday. In fact, yesterday was the final day on which I could use the voucher, so I took the opportunity to travel up to Headingley along with Eric, a friend from church. I have been reflecting on our experience of the day...

When we arrived at the ground we showed our tickets and went through the turnstiles. Metal barriers prevented entrance to the first large stand we came to. It was clear that we were not allowed to use that stand, but no explanation was apparent, and no directions were given to where we should go. We walked along that stand and found another stand where we were able to sit; we chose a spot underneath an overhanging balcony, as rain had been forecast!

Play had been due to start at 10.30am but when that time arrived there was no sign of the players. A little while later we heard the voice of the pa announcer. No word of welcome, no explanation as to why the match was late in starting. If you have ever heard the current West Ham United FC manager, Avram Grant, give an interview, you might be surprised to learn that the pa announcer at Headingley made even Avram sound enthusiastic! After a while, the announcer told us that lunches would be available at a certain part of the ground, but no directions were given for the benefit of the uninitiated.

After a while Eric offered to go for a cup of coffee for us. He asked a steward for directions, but the steward seemed uncertain. Eric ended up having to do a complete tour of the ground in search of the elusive refreshments stand!

The capacity of the Headingley ground is around 17,000. There was probably just a few 100 people there yesterday. I often hear cricket officials bemoan the low attendances at county cricket matches. I have to say that if the level of welcome we received (NOT) yesterday is a measure of the normal situation, I am not surprised. Everything was geared towards the long-term cricket lover who knows their way around. The first time visitor was ignored - maybe they don't expect first time visitors!

Sunday 26 September is "Back-to-Church-Sunday"; Christians around the country are being encouraged to invite friends, neighbours, family etc to come with them to church. I think it's a potentially great idea (apparently some 80,000 people did take up the invitation last year), but, having reflected on my Headingley experience, I am sure that if we are to invite people to our churches, we need to be absolutely sure that we are ready to welcome them properly when they come!

And I should say, finally, that despite the total lack of welcome we received at Headingley, it was still a great experience. There's nothing quite like enjoying a good day at the cricket!

Reflections on reflections

I have for many years had great difficulty in trying to buy my wife Sue gifts for birthdays and Christmas which she really appreciates. It seems to become more of a struggle with each passing year. On occasions my attempts have clearly been abject failures. This year, I decided to buy Sue a subscription to the National Trust. Last week we were in (on?) Anglesey for a week's holiday, and decided to make use of our membership by visiting the National Trust properties in the area. During the week we more than paid for the year's membership!

Our favourite site was Plas Newydd house and gardens. The house is situated on the bank of the Menai Straight and has magnificent views of Snowdonia. The weather was lovely and sunny during our visit, and as well as the amazing views, it was a haven of peace and tranquility.

Another place which I had looked forward to visiting was Bodnant Garden, which covers some 80 acres. Although late August was probably not the time to see the garden at its colourful best, nevertheless we still enjoyed wandering through the various parts of the garden. I particularly enjoyed the lower part of the garden which has a stream running through. There was also a pool, with some beautiful reflections. I did take some photos (one of which is above), although photos never seem to recapture the full beauty of the actual scene!

I have always been fascinated by reflections. On a clear, still day, it can be difficult to tell from a photo which is the reality and which is the reflection. I have been thinking about how this relates to the Christian life, the life of following Jesus. God's desire for those of us who follow Jesus is that we should grow daily to be more like Jesus, and to reflect his character in our lives. How sad it is when those of us who claim to follow Jesus live lives which seem so far removed from the life of Jesus. The divided and hurting world in which we live desperately needs men and women who will reflect the Christlike life of love and compassion. As the songs says, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me"

Reflections on a wonderful day

It is a great feeling when something which you have been planning for and working towards for many months goes off well. Around 8 months ago my daughter, Steph, became engaged to be married. For much of the last 8 months the thoughts of Steph & Matt (her fiancé), and those of their families and friends, have been focussed on preparations for the big day. It used to be the case that the bride's parents did the majority of the arranging. These days, the couple themselves play a large part (for which I am very thankful!)

Of course the temptation is to become anxious about what might go wrong - there are so many different elements which go into the day. The weather forecast for the day itself seem to be constantly changing as it drew near. It turned out to be a lovely warm, dry day, with lots of sunny intervals, and I am sure that some stunning photographs will have been taken at the beautiful reception venue.

The wedding day itself was absolutely wonderful – all our hope and prayers were fulfilled. The church service was excellently led by a friend of the family, Garry Dawson-Jones. I was so pleased that Steph and I had decided that my role was to be father-of-the bride, and not officiating minister, not least because I spent much of the service in tears! Matt and Steph make a fantastic couple, and they are clearly very much in love. It was a real privilege to share in this very special day.

The only real hiccup was that the wedding car went to the wrong address. We had images of having to walk to church! We eventually managed to contact the hire company, but it became clear that we were going to be quite late at church. One of our friends, who was attending the wedding, agreed to come and pick up the bridesmaids, which he duly did. By this time the wedding car had arrived, so Steph and I set off shortly after. My only slight disappointment with the day was that the mess-up with the car mean that I had less time alone with Steph than would normally have been the case. I think that father and daughter time can be very precious. At least we had the car journey together!

Reflecting on the day, I feel tremendously blessed to be part of such a great family and have such loving, supportive friends. I am also so blessed by having three wonderful children, and now two equally wonderful children-in-law. All I can do is thank God that he has been so gracious to me. I pray that Steph and Matt will continue to experience God's blessing on their married lives together. In the meantime we remain here in the dull, wet UK, as they fly off to sunny places!

Roots and wings

28 years and two months ago our second daughter, Stephanie Rachel, came bouncing into the world. It's hard to believe that in just a few days' time she will become Steph Wilkinson. Where have all the years gone? It hardly seems long since she was a cute, curly-haired toddler! Come to think of it, where have all the curls gone?

I remember hearing once that parenthood is about giving children two things: firstly roots, and secondly, wings. Giving them roots is about providing children with a secure family setting in which they can be nurtured, nourished, and helped to grow and develop: providing a firm foundation, particularly for their early years. Giving children wings is a recognition that there will come a time when they will want to fly the nest. Hard as it may sometimes be, parents need to be willing to set their children free to pursue new interests and develop new commitments.

I have been looking again at what Jesus said about marriage. He stated that marriage was part of God's original plan for human life: "in the beginning God made a man and a woman. That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together." (Mark 10v6-9). Parents have to recognise that once their children are married, their first loyalty and commitment is to their husband/wife, rather than to their parents & siblings!

In a sense, the role of a parent is not unlike the way God relates to us. As we read the creation account in the book of Genesis, we see a God who cares for, nurtures and protects. But God makes the brave decision to give man and woman free will. Ultimately they chose to disobey God and had to face the consequences. We see all around the world today the consequences of men and women choosing their own way rather than God's way. And yet the Bible speaks of the amazing love of God reaching out to sinful people, calling them back to him.

Wings can be used to fly away from parents, but they can also be used to fly back again. Steph may be flying our nest, but I'm sure she'll be back again from time to time! Anyway, I've got a speech to write....

Lesson in a tin can

I make the journey into Doncaster town centre several times each week. I try whenever possible to walk into town rather than use the car. My normal route takes me across Town Fields, a 94 acre green site not far from the town centre. Generally speaking, it is a pleasant experience walking across Town Fields. One thing which I almost always have to face, however, is finding empty drink cans scattered around. On some occasions, by the time I reach the far side of Town Fields I am loaded down with cans I have collected on the way!

Apart from the fact that litter is one of my pet hates, I am concerned that when the grass is cut, any cans lying around are likely to get mangled up in the cutters, with the result that serrated cans are left lying around which children (or adults) could well cut themselves on. My journey across Town Fields one day this week happened to be the day when the grass was being cut. As I took my normal route across the newly cut grass, I came across several bits of can which had been cut up by the grass cutter, leaving behind dangerous jagged pieces of metal. I collected any I came across, but no doubt others were left behind.

There are plenty of bins around Town Fields, but for whatever reason many people seem to ignore them and cast their cans away without thinking of the consequences. Perhaps it is simply an illustration of the lack of concern for other people which sometimes seems to be a mark of modern society. "Look after yourself first" is a message we often hear. How different from the message of the Bible: 'Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.' (Philippians 2.4)

Are you a ftcw?

One of the blessing of being a church leader in Doncaster is that there are really good relationships between the various Christian denominations in the town and surrounding area. I belong to the local Ministers' Prayer Group, which meets at Christchurch every Wednesday morning from 7am-8am. I feel privileged to be part of a very strong network of fellow church leaders.

One of the ways in which we express our unity as churches is by meeting once each quarter for the City Celebration, when Christians from many Doncaster churches meet together to celebrate God's love. A few months ago, the quest speaker at the City Celebration was a man called Mark Greene. As people arrived at the venue, they were given a little red badge with the letters "ftcw" appearing on the centre of the badge. I am sure that a lot of people struggled to work out what these letters stood for!

I was reminded of the occasion this morning when I was reading from the New Testament the third chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians, where he writes, "Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus" (v17) and "Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master" (v23).

Many years ago went for an interview with a lady at what was then The Methodist Missionary Society. I wanted to discuss the possibility of serving with the church overseas. It was a tremendously useful time for me, especially when the lady reminded me that, "You can serve God just as faithfully and effectively in your normal workplace situation as you can overseas".

Somehow in the church we have created the impression that those people who work full time for the church (ministers, missionaries etc) are in a category set apart. In fact, every follower of Jesus is called to be a "full time Christian worker" (ftcw). We all play a number of roles, whether in our family, our workplace, our community, or our church, and God is interested in the whole of our lives. Serving as a minister or missionary is, in one sense, no different from any other area of service. WHATEVER you do, says Paul, do it in the name of Jesus, and remember that it is him you're serving. What a difference it might make if every follower of Jesus saw themselves as a ftcw!

Grace, truly amazing

I'm sometimes asked what the difference is between the Christian faith and other faiths. One famous preacher (whose name, unfortunately, escapes me), replied to that question with one word: GRACE. An incident which happened to me a couple of weeks ago was a lovely illustration of grace...

Most weekday mornings I try to spend in the church office at Priory. Usually I manage to get home for lunch, but on this particular occasion I had stayed in town. I walked along to a nearby sandwich shop, and ordered a sandwich. As the lady behind the counter was preparing my sandwich, to my horror and embarrassment I realised that I hadn't any money with me! I quickly apologised, asked her to cancel the order, and prepared to leave the shop empty-handed. To my surprise and delight the lady said, "don't worry, you can have the sandwich and pay me next time you come in".

That was truly an act of grace. She didn't have to make the offer; I was not in a position to make a payment for the sandwich, and she couldn't be absolutely certain that I would return at some future date with the money due. Yet despite all that she let me walk out of the shop gratefully clutching my sandwich!

It seems to me that grace is something we can struggle to fully understand. There's a saying which we often hear these days, "if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is". So when we hear that God offers us his unconditional love, we find it hard to believe. When we are told that Jesus died on a cross to pay the price for the things we do wrong (sin), we struggle to grasp the personal implications.

Many people have, deeply within their psyche, an understanding which tells them that they have to earn God's love, that they can't possibly be worthy of it: "why would God love me?" Yet the Bible tells us that we are all in the same boat; St Paul puts it like this, "everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard". Sin separates us from God, and by ourselves there's nothing we can do about it. But the wonderful good news is that Jesus has dealt with the problem: "Yet God, with undeserved kindness [grace], declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."

No matter who we are, or what we've done, God's love, grace and forgiveness is available to us. Many years ago a slave trader by the name of John Newton, who had turned his back on God and was living a sinful life, experienced a wonderful transformation when God came into his life. The love, forgiveness and new life direction which Newton experienced caused him to pen the words to one of the all-time favourite hymns. Newton discovered what countless others have before and since - God's grace truly is amazing!

For a great performance of Amazing Grace click here.

And yes, if you're wondering, I did go back and settle my debt!

All those lonely people....

A recent survey conducted on behalf of The Mental Health Foundation found, perhaps not surprisingly, that many people in the UK recognise that loneliness is widespread. Almost half (48%) are of the opinion that society is becoming lonelier in general. The results show that loneliness can affect our mental health, with two in five saying that they have felt depressed because they felt alone. The survey also suggests that in general, the younger you are, the more likely you are to feel lonely often, and the more likely to have felt depressed because you felt alone. These results may indicate that loneliness is especially a problem for younger generations, and that changes in the way we live and work that affect our relationships are having more of an impact on this age group.

I must say that I was not at all surprised when I first read the survey results. With increasing family and marriage breakdowns, and extended families rarely living in the same geographical area, more people than ever are living on their own. The days when one knew the majority of one's neighbours seems to be almost a thing of the past. In general terms, there is no doubt that people are becoming more isolated, which can lead to feelings of intense loneliness.

The Methodist churches in the Doncaster area are currently using the Healthy Churches material. Some time ago, research was undertaken to discover the key ingredients of a Healthy Church. It so happens that on this coming Sunday I am preaching on one of the marks, namely, "A Healthy Church operates as a community rather than functioning as a club or religious organisation".

Church is meant to be a lively, active, loving community of people, a real family of people journeying together in the exciting life of following Jesus. Church should be a community of where each individual is valued for who they are, and where good relationships are nurtured. Many people in our society value relationships and want to belong, but are resistant to joining organisations. As we recognise the increasing loneliness within our society, what a fantastic opportunity for us as church to offer a loving caring community to which people can belong. Are we ready to take up the challenge?

Graduation time

I recently had the privilege of attending my nephew Michael's graduation ceremony at the City Hall in Hull. It is many years since I was last in the Hull City Hall. I have a feeling that the last time I was there was probably when I attended a Cliff Richard concert for Tear Fund in the late 70's!! Michael, along with 100s of others, was graduating from Hull University. Because his parents are in New Zealand, my sister Mary and I had the privilege of being surrogate parents for the occasion. It was certainly an impressive setting, and the ceremony itself was well organised and presented.

A graduation ceremony is a momentous occasion for a student. It is the culmination of several years of work. The graduation certificate which each student receives is proof that they have accomplished their goal and achieved the level of competence required of them by the University. For examinations, there is generally a pass mark which is set. If a student achieves the mark, they have passed; if not, they have failed.

It seems to me that many people have that kind of picture in their minds when they think of their relationship with God. There is appears to be a general feeling that life is a bit like an exam: if a person achieves a sufficient standard of behaviour, then God will accept them and allow them into heaven. Or, to put it another way, if our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds we should be ok. There is, however, a big problem with this assumption, namely that the Bible tells us that none of us will achieve the grade, the pass mark. Why? Because the pass mark is 100%, and none of us, despite our best efforts, live perfect lives. If the truth be known, we fall far short of that standard. As St Paul writes, "Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard." (Romans 3.23)

So is there no hope for us? Do we have no chance of being truly accepted and loved by God, or being allowed to share the blessings of heaven? The good news is that although we can't earn or deserve God's love or forgiveness, in Jesus Christ it is freely offered to us. Paul goes on to explain, "The free gift of God's grace makes us right with him. Christ Jesus paid the price to set us free." (Romans 3.24). Sin separates us from God, it makes us fall short of God's standard (a bit like wrong answers on an exam paper). But by dying on a cross for us, Jesus has paid the price for our sin (like crossing out the wrong answers and writing the correct ones in instead!)

Perhaps the exam analogy has its limitations, like most analogies. But the wonderful truth is that we don't have to try and earn God's love, we simply have to put our trust in what Jesus has done for us. Through Christ we can enter into a brand new life, set free from the burden of sin and guilt. Amazing!

Me and Paula (don't compare!)

I have a new claim to fame – last Sunday I took part in the same sporting event as Paula Radcliffe! We were both participants in the Jane Tomlinson Run for All Leeds 10K. It genuinely was a run (or walk) for all, with people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, shapes and sizes taking part. For me, it was something of a family affair, with my daughter Steph, her fiancé Matt, my sister Mary, my niece Helen and another niece's husband, Jonathan, all taking part.

For most people involved, the event was not a race; it was an opportunity to have fun and raise money for charity. Steph, Matt and I were raising money for the brilliant charity Malaria No More UK, and thanks to the generosity of many people we are well on our way to reaching our £1000 target, which will help save previous lives.

Although I say it was not a race, and in a sense we were not competing with each other, there was, nevertheless, the tendency to compare oneself with other runners, especially those who were going at a faster rate. There were a few occasions where a runner whose obvious advanced age or rather large size made it quite a shock when they sailed past me! When I approached that last couple of kilometres there was a rather large lady who overtook me, and my natural competitive streak led me to increase my pace so as to get to the finishing line ahead of her!

Yet the truth is that when, after the run was completed, I queued up for my t-shirt and goody bag, I was not asked how fast I had run or how many other people I had beaten. It was sufficient that I had completed the course. Yes, Paula Radcliffe completed the course far quicker than I did, (despite being 7 months pregnant!) But that didn't matter; I had completed the course, and accomplished my aim.

In the Christian life there is a tendency to compare ourselves with others. We can be tempted to envy those who seem better than we are at various things: witnessing, preaching, caring, or whatever. Yet God never wants us to compare ourselves with other people. We are unique individuals, and God has given us gifts and abilities which are different from those of other people. We ought to rejoice in who we are, and in the wonderful fact that God has called us to the race of the Christian life, and promised that he will give us strength to keep going to the end.

In Paul's first letter to Timothy he uses the image of an athlete when he writes, 'I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful. So a crown will be given to me for pleasing the Lord. He judges fairly, and on the day of judgement he will give a crown to me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power.' If we each faithfully run the race of the Christian life to the end, we have waiting for us something far more exciting than a goody bag and a t-shirt!

They are worthy!

Last Sunday I had the privilege of being present at an Methodist Ordination Service held at Chandler's Ford Methodist Church in Hampshire. It was only the second Methodist Ordination Service I had attended since my own ordination in Rochdale 19 years ago. It so happened that three of our friends were among the eight ordinands (two of whom appear in the image to the right, along with yours truly). The service began at 4.30pm, meaning that I only managed to see the first half of the England v Germany World Cup match, which in retrospect was perhaps not a bad thing!

The service itself didn't exactly get off to the best of starts: an elderly minister, who I am sure must be a clone of Victor Meldrew, told the gathered congregation of how solemn an occasion it was and that we should be very wary of showing unnecessary enthusiasm or exuberance! What a misery! Ordination services are meant to be joyful occasions, and not just the kind of "deep joy" which hides itself from public view. It is absolutely right that we should joyfully celebrate the call of God upon the lives of men and women. Thankfully, the service was indeed a joyful occasion, despite "Victor's" dire warnings.

I want to pick up on one element of the order of service, where the congregation are asked to give assent to the ordinations, and were asked the following question: "Do you believe and trust that they are, by God's grace, worthy to be ordained" With a loud and resounding affirmation [hopefully not too loud for "Victor"], the congregation responded "They are worthy!" It was a moving and affirming moment.

The truth is, though, that there are probably times when we all doubt our worthiness. I remember a lovely, prayerful lady in one of my previous churches. She lived out her Christian life in prayer and service of others, yet she struggled when it came to praying for herself - she didn't feel worthy to bring her own needs before God. I have known others who didn't feel able to come forward for Holy Communion because they didn't feel "good enough".

Of course, in one sense none of us are good enough, or worthy. None of us can earn God's love, or fully deserve it. Yet the telling phrase in the question which was asked at the Ordination Service was "by God's grace". God gives, not on the basis of what we deserve, but on the basis of his grace in Christ. More about grace next time. In the meantime, I pray for God's continued blessing on the ministries of Claire, Frank and Kim: "They are worthy"

Where is your citizenship?

I had the privilege today of attending a citizenship ceremony at the Mansion House, Doncaster. Sue and I were there to support the Noel family who were receiving their certificates of British citizenship. What a long (and, at times, tortuous) journey it has been for them since they first arrived in the UK several years ago to claim asylum.

As a church, we have tried to support them through the process of asylum application: the initial acceptance; the subsequent refusal following a Home Office appeal; the terrible occasion of the front door of their home being broken in early one morning by Home Office officials who whisked them away to Yarl's Wood Detention Centre for deportation; the miracle of them being returned to Doncaster because one of the children had contracted chicken pox!; the many visits to solicitors; the further appeals; and ultimately the joyful news that they had been granted the right to stay in the UK. Now, the icing on the cake is their being giving British citizenship. What a joyful occasion!

It has been a great privilege to get to know the Noel family over the past several years. They felt forced to flee their home country due to persecution, but have had to endure some terrible situations at the hands of the UK asylum system. It has been heartbreaking at times to witness what this family have had to endure. Yet all through the long years of hopes and disappointments, struggles and difficulties, their Christian faith has shone clear. They have been unstinting in their trust that ultimately God would see them through, and their faith has been vindicated - God has worked a miracle!

Precious though their British citizenship is to the Noel family, I know that they have a citizenship which is of even more value to them. They rejoice in the words of St Paul, when he says in one of his letters, that for those whose faith is in Jesus Christ, 'our citizenship is in heaven.' Whatever trials and troubles we may face in our earthly life, we know that ultimately we belong elsewhere, and one day we will go home to Father. Hallelujah!

Vuvuzelas - love 'em or hate 'em?

Football fans all over the world (including me!) have for a long time been eagerly looking forward to the start of the World Cup, taking place at the moment in South Africa (the first time the competition has ever been held in the African continent). To be honest, it's been a bit of damp squib so far: with one or two exceptions, most of the matches have been fairly unexciting. There have, however, been a couple of major talking points.

The first concerns the ball which is being used. Called a Jabulani, it is slightly different manufacture to the balls most teams are used to. Apparently it is lighter, and also rounder! The problem with it is that it is at times proving very difficult for the players to control. A number of goalkeeping errors and wayward shots have been blamed on the ball!

The other major talking point has been the proliferation of vuvuzelas. They are a kind of plastic horn which, when blown, emits a fairly tuneless whine. Watch or listen to a game from this World Cup tournament and apart from the commentator, more or less the only other noise is the constant vuvuzela whine. Apparently, many viewers and listeners have complained about this constant noise. I must admit to the noise driving me up the wall at times. There have been occasions when a goal has been scored and the cheering of the supporters has been drowned out by the hum of the vuvuzelas.

FIFA, the world governing body, has stated that on no account will the vuvuzelas be banned. Much as I dislike the noise, I believe that FIFA are absolutely right in their stance. The vuvuzela is part of South African football tradition, and what right do we have to try to ban it?

God's creation displays an amazingly rich variety, not least in human beings. The world would be so boring if we were all the same. How good it would be if, instead of complaining about anything we don't like, or standing against what is "different", we were able to rejoice in variety and differences and respect traditions other than our own. But please don't bring any vuvuzelas to the Keepmoat Stadium!

Ben A'an - the effort was worthwhile

I recently enjoyed a great week's holiday in the Trossachs area of Scotland, along with my wife Sue, our daughter Steph, and her fiance Matt. We stayed a few miles from Callander. The weather was fairly good, the midges were few in number, and the scenery was stunning.

Near to where we were staying was a "mini mountain" (or a big hill!) named Ben A'an. One day, all four of us decided that we would climb at least part of the way up Ben A'an. The early part of the route is through forest, so apart from trees etc. there isn't all that much to see. Sue doesn't really like uphill routes, and after a while, with lunchtime approaching, she and I made the decision to head back. Steph and Matt decided that they would press on. Despite the fact that Steph was wearing flip-flops, they did eventually reach the summit.

Steph and Matt returned home a day earlier than Sue and I. After they had set off on their homeward journey, I decided that I would make the attempt up Ben A'an (Sue declined my invitation). The sun was high in the blue skies.

For quite a bit of the journey, the trees hid the outside world from sight. Even when I had cleared the treeline, it was difficult to see the summit. Each time I arrived at what I thought might be the summit, another one appeared in the distance! It was hard work at times, not least because of the heat of the sun. I stopped every now and then to have a break and enjoy the scenery and the atmosphere.

Eventually I did reach the very top, and the stunning views certainly made all the effort worthwhile. To sit at the top of Ben A'an was an experience I won't forget for a long time, and I've got the pictures to prove it! It reminded me that though we have struggles and tough times in our Christian lives, our ultimate destination will make all the effort and hard work absolutely worth it. What's more, we have One who walks every step with us.