Today four landscapes from India, the first three grab-shots from a train
Sunday 31 January 2016
Thursday 28 January 2016
Sabbatical - Day 25 - flying home
Sunrise behind St Thomas Mount
Dubai airport for connection. Table service at Costas; must suggest in in Harlow:)
In flight...
And home at Gatwick
Wednesday 27 January 2016
Sabbatical- Day 24 - farewells
The Annual Report of the Madras Christian Council of Social Service.
It was founded in 1965 by Lesslie Newbigin, bringing together 13 mainline denominations and 4 Christian Service organisations. It began by focussing on providing relief for those in the slums during natural calamities. Over the years it has majored in health needs, socio-political, and health education, and has addressed issues such as urbanisation, eviction and globalisation. More recent work hash included the issue of violence against women, transgender issues, providing care for those with AIDS and homes for the elderly.
On this final day, some scenes not picked up earlier.
The prayer room at the Diocesan Training Centre is used daily. Here a group of school children are there praying for the day. Schools take it in turns. What an example!
A grab shot on the way from Kanchipuram to Mahabalipuram
From the train from Chennai to Bangalore
Bangalore station
At / from the World Trade Fair
This evening by God's grace we are going to a first Birthday; then final farewells and an early rise for the flight home.
This has been an incredibly rich and enriching time. My next Sabbatical task is to get something in writing. But jet lag to get over first!
God is good, all the time. We have learnt and experienced so much about faith, mission, evangelism and ministry. May I by God's grace take it to heart and mind.
Tuesday 26 January 2016
Sabbatical - Day 23 - Tuesday
A thoroughly enjoyable evening yesterday Monday meeting Metelda's sister - whom we last met at St Paul's - and her husband who live close by to the YWCA. We are delighted that her mother was also able to be there. She too has been to St Paul's. We show them the photo of the congregation and discover that it was taken when they were in Harlow! There they are!
For those who don't know, the mosaic is by John Piper and depicts the moment of recognition of Christ on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24.
Paul and Ginny are now returning home. We have two more days. My work on Lesslie Newbigin is complete until we return home. Today will take an auto to the nearby shops in the morning...
and in the afternoon visit the World Trade Fair with Jayaseelan and family, which we enjoyed last time I. 2012.
Some thoughts...
1:19 “for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” NIV
http://bible.com/111/php.1.19.niv
This has been helping me reflect on much that I have been learning and indeed my experience of mission and God at work. Before coming to India I observed to myself that my experience of mission and evangelism didn't tie in with my experience. Too often God seemed to be at work where I didn't expect him. Not that this is bad in itself - far from it. However, my theology didn't seem to fit what I observed God doing.
My thinking needs to develop so that the work of the Spirit is much more as giving birth to the new, as against in the empowering of ministry. Of course, with my head I believe this, but somehow it isn't worked into all my thinking. This time is helping me do that.
Michael Green's comment in A Prayer Journey strikes me: 'Let us never get beyond praying with one another." Prayer is a regular part of every visit here. No home or place is visited without prayer for indviduals / ministry. Many years ago I heard someone speak of prayer 'as easy as breathing'. The re is a naturalness and expectation about prayer in the church here, and a naturalness about sharing answers to prayer. Testimonies given may be for the regular day to day blessings of,life, or they are for bigger things. All are offered to God as part of our service of him. May I learn this in my own life and ministry.
The Trade Fair is very enjoyable with lots of 'photo opportunities'
We round the day off with a visit to the beach...
...and a meal with Jayaseelan and family. We are incredibly indebted to them for all the arrangements and masses of time they have and are giving. We give thanks to God for all his goodness.
Monday 25 January 2016
Sabbatical - Day 22 - Monday: Madras Christian College
We arrive at 'MCC'.
Lesslie Newbigin visited in 1988 to celebrate 50 years since the International Mission Council which was held here at Tambaran in 1938. The building was new then (the institution is much older). The IMC was transferred here from Japan in view of the looming world crisis.
The IMC in 1938 used the John Anderson Hall
It was lovely to be in the place where Jashua Durairaj Asir- from St Paul's - studied. We are to discover that this is a unique institution. Set in hundreds of acres, using the land ecologically, including a farm as well as scrub-jungle.
We are told there are probably vipers though didn'to spot any!
We are welcomed at MCC by the Principal and Secretary, Dr Alexander Jesudasan. He is a close friend of Jayaseelan and Jashua, and has visited St Paul's in Harlow. He has kindly dug out some papers which will be most helpful; and we make our way to the Council Room for the addresses. There are portraits of John Anderson, who founded Madras Christian College, and two other great Scottish leaders on the wall. Bishop Newbigin was on the Council for many years. It is appropriate to meet in the Council Room.
A small group leads in a Prayer Song and there is an opening prayer led by Mr C. Sundaraj, the Bursar at MCC. We are welcomed and introduced by Dr Jesudasan, who makes the opening remarks.
Our subject was Lesslie Newbigin and the Challenges of a Multi-Cultural Society
In our presentations, I spoke about the challenges and the current position in Europe from a personal perspective. Paul spoke about how Bishop Newbigin can help us addressing the challenges.
I spoke about the Olive Branch Project in Southend and more recent experiences. The Olive Branch Project worked towards a cultural event of the Abrahamic faiths. This led to a Faiths Forum for all faith traditions.
Underlying our experiences are that in Europe we seek to have:
- empty public space (in public life, faith is privatised, very different to India). Secularism seeks to push religion out of public conversation.
- an ethic of 'tolerance', which falls far short of Christian 'love'
- this means there is no language to speak about religious issues in the public realm such as we face today.
Paul began with how Lesslie Newbigin began afresh from John's gospel. He sought to develop a new kind of 'knowing', an indwelt knowing.
Western cultural values seek to push the ideology of pluralism very strongly. 'Pluralism' says that no one faith is superior. How can we speak of Christ as Lord of all in this context?
Newbigin was happy with the cultural fact of plurality, but unhappy with the relativising of faith: i.e. the view that all roads lead to some form of reconciliation.
Lesslie was very clear that Jesus Christ is the way of truth. So this put him in a dilemma when returning to the UK after retirement as to how to be a Christian in England.
How do we face this dilemma? If we feel we have something unique, what right do we have to share it with others?
Newbigin is very helpful. He uses a lot 'as the Father has missioned me, so have I missioned you' - John 20:21). Thus our calling is:
- to be present with others, to live amongst others'! not over and against. Thus Jesus was someone who was known as someone who dined with those who were outcasts. Newbigin modelled this very strongly, e.g. in his through knowledge of the Tamil language which, I am told, is hard to learn.
- to be amongst those of other faiths means giving oneself to others, stepping outside our comfort zone. 'Kemosis', self-emptying, like Jesus. Newbigin stressed the 'as' of John 20:21. In speaking to his disciples Jesus showed them his wounds. Thus the woundedness must characterise the church. Jesus empties himself and meets us in our emptiness.
- then, and only then, do we get the opportunity to speak. Newbigin says that our role is simply to tell the story of Jesus. (In the UK, the average person knows almost nothing of the story of Jesus.) "the ess rial contribution of the Christian to the dialogue will simply be the teLling of the story, the story of Jesus'.
There is an opportunity for conversation. Revd Dr Arun Gopal speaks, amongst others, and tells of his notes on Lesslie Newbigin's understanding of Christian ministry, which is very close to the heart of what I am exploring. I realise how close this is to the 'Transforming Ministry' ministry development of Chelmsford Diocese. Even better, he has brought a copy of his notes from 1986 which he passes to me. I give thanks to God. This is exactly the sort of thing I had hoped might occur. Indeed, the whole morning is very rich.
We are thanked by Dr Joshua Kalapati (Director of the Centre for Peace Studies at MCC). The closing prayers are led by Revd Lalrokhuma Hmar, Chaplain-in-Charge at MCC, and we are invited for lunch.
(Photo: Dr Jesudasan - 2nd from left) with Jayaseelan, Mandy, Ginny and Paul)
In the afternoon we are given a fascinating tour around the campus. This is an unique institution of a very impressive standard aiming to be one of the top colleges India in offering degrees etc. The grounds are beautiful and impressively used not only as a campus but e.g. ecologically (all water Used at the College is harvested in the grounds.)
Sunday 24 January 2016
Sabbatical - Day 21 - Sunday PS
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras_Christian_College
Paul and I have been asked to present as follows (draft programme):
Paul should of course be 'Dr' and 'Marry', 'Mary'.
Prayers again very valued.
PS The final edition has the correct church name.
Sabbatical - Day 21 - Sunday
This is the final text of today's sermon at St Peter's Vyasarpardi Pastorate. We were given a lovely welcome - received gifts (here we are wearing some)
The readings (there were also readings from Deuteronomy and Psalms) and sermon
- and received a gift for forwarding to Bishop Stephen. We had previously presented a signed book by him to Jayaseelan, the pastor.
The service included dance - we enjoyed joining in!
1 Corinthians 1:10-16 NIV
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)”
http://bible.us/111/1co.1.10-16.niv
John 15:11-17 NIV
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”
http://bible.us/111/jhn.15.11-17.niv
Nalla irukingala
Refer to the wedding last time here at St Peter's
The Bible says the church is like a bride
We are a bride. Who is the bridegroom?
Jesus is the bridegroom
Jesus loves us just like the very best husband and wife love each other: but even better
Jesus himself chose us as his bride. We are the people He wanted.
I am told a dowry is normally paid.
In one sense there is a dowry
Jesus pays it himself. He is so keen to love us that he doesn't want anyone else to pay it.
He paid it by dying on the cross.
I have said it is a bit like dowry but of course it is a much more wonderful thing.
He paid it for each one of us, male and female
The groom paid it himself
He pays it to us
To us all, men and women, girls and boys
When Mandy walked down the aisle it was the best day of my life
When anyone becomes a Christian, God is delighted. The Bible says that there is a party in heaven!
They start an eternal life. No coming back!
And God is so delighted that he gives us wedding gifts us well.
He showers us: the gift of his own presence, his Holy Spirit, to be with us to help us
He gives His Spirit to men, to women, to boys and girls, to rich and to poor, to all castes and classes
We are all one. God has broken down every barrier.
As God has paid such a price for us, let us then be generous.
'My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you'
Let us be generous in our families.
The love of husband and wife should echo God's love for us
Ephesians 5:31-33 NIV "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
http://bible.com/111/eph.5.31-33.niv
Make peace in your homes
Husband, do you lay your lives down for your wife as much as Jesus loves you?
Wives, do you seek to love your husband as Jesus loves you?
People often disagree. But as Christians resolve issues by the end of the day.
Ephesians 4:26 'Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry'
Let us be generous in our church life
We are the new eternal family
In any family with children there are squabbles between the children.
[example]
If you are parents and your children squabble, what do you do?
You get them to solve the problem and forgive each other.
When someone has wronged us, let us give what it takes to forgive them.
Has someone wronged you? Go and find them and do all you can to put things right. If you need help, ask your pastor to help.
Sometimes we take sides when there are disputes. We get passionate. He is right, they are right, they are wrong, they are better.
But there is only one side: Jesus!
1 Corinthians 1:13 "Is Christ divided?"
If you are on any other side you are not on God's side.
Then let us love God's world
Why did God choose you?
John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last"
Impressed by hospitals, schools, hostels
The food relief
A man was walking along a beach. And he saw that what had happened is the tide had gone out and there were tens of thousands of starfish left stranded on the beach, dying for lack of oxygen, in the heat of the sun. And there was a young boy who was picking up the starfish one at a time, going down to the sea and just throwing them in, and going back to get another one, pick it up and going back and throwing it into the sea.
And this man went up to him and he said, `Look, can’t you see—there are tens of thousands of starfish out here! I don’t really think that what you’re doing is going to make any difference.’ And the young boy picked up another one, and he went down to the water’s edge and he threw it in the sea, and he said, `I bet it made a difference for that one!’
Afterwards I speak with the Youth Group about God's call for us to serve him in all walks of life.
Mandy and Ginny meet the Women's Fellowship, and Paul meets with the AA group who use the church premises and are very grateful for the use of the facilities.
Saturday 23 January 2016
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