lurchersontheedge

About a month or so ago, I was musing about the possibility of a book entitled Bumbling Leadership, Bumbling Growth. I am not much further forward with what might or might not be in it.

I think though it would need to begin with a section that was completely honest: it would need for me to begin with the declaration that my natural habitat as a Christian is in the slightly charismatic evangelical jungle. Slightly might have to be revised. My son and I have return from New Wine in Newark. New Wine is a group of predominantly Anglican churches which could fairly be described as charismatic evangelical. I have bopped (yes the Revd Dr does attempt to dance :-)), waved my hands, laughed, prayed and been prayed for. Tomorrow morning, I will preside at a catholic (Anglican) communion service, singing the Gloria, the sursum corda, standing for the Gospel and the Creed. I am therefore someone who has become very comfortable in lots of worship settings; I might be a chameleon in terms of church tradition. In the evening, I will lead a service of choral evensong. I will be a little whistful for a gathering of 1000+ people rather than a dozen, but I will be at home.

Where is this leading me. I think it is to say that leadership is about being comfortable firstly and foremostly in your own skin. I wonder what others think of this starting point. More will undoubtedly follow.

October will see one of the oddest things I have done since coming to Bartley Green. I have invited my former bishop, who I admire tremendously, Graham Dow to lead a healing weekend.  Details are via the following link

Healing Weekend (1)

I have found Bishop Graham to be a godly man who has been quietly supportive of me. I am delighted to commend him – why not come along?

St Michael and All Angels, Bartley Green has had an interesting day, or at least its vicar has. I have been able to reflect on the fact that the congregation has probably grown between 15 and 20% at its main morning service, and indeed if we were to include our Messy Church activitu much more than that.

I suppose this should be cue for a publication or conference paper, although one might suspect the title Bumbling Leadership, Bumbling Growth might not immediately be a hit. Or the strap line ‘hard work helps‘ not immediately bring people church growth strategists beating their path to my door.

Perhaps a Christian minister is though called to just bumble along, seeking opportunities to talk about the outrageous grace that we have; whether this be in school, at the shops, on the phone, talking to pensioners and those who want the baby done etc.

Perhaps bumbling along acknowledges the fact that we are not in control. That in itself might be the most delightful thing of all, and therefore set us free to be ourselves. For me that means a bit of a bumble.

A number of years ago, I spent some time looking at the issue of fertility. I published some bits and pieces, and was working towards a larger project, which sadly did not materialise. The Grove Booklet (I know shameless marketing) Christianity and Childlessness is still available http://www.grovebooks.co.uk/cart.php?target=product&product_id=17164&category_id=37. An earlier piece called Searching for an Impotent God publised in Third Way can be read here http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=edSjTm6XxUoC&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=searching+for+an+impotent+god+ellis&source=bl&ots=xpCPe_t_Lm&sig=Iik08awGIBUSBRcUgGBIMOtTTdQ&hl=en&ei=QbH5TdXtDY-FhQfP5LyLAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=searching%20for%20an%20impotent%20god%20ellis&f=false

This morning, I received an email asking whether I would contribute a chapter to a book on inability, illness and faith. I have said yes. but I wonder about the rightness of this.

What do people think?

I am the vicar,
I am.

I am the pastor, the carer, the listener

the one with the time to drop everything and

I also understand global politics and immigration
and

I am the one who knows about Afghanistan

and cares about ‘our boys’

and I care about speed-humps

graffiti

litter

and the positioning of zebra crossings near schools.

I am passionate
about school assemblies

council meetings

mums and toddlers and also

I am good at one-to-one and small groups and

I listen and empathise and at the same time

I am the one who plans and strategizes and

I am the one who understands budgets and decides if we can buy
any staples

or replace the heating system.

I am the vicar, I am.

I am the quiet reflective
prayer and

I am the speaker, the enthuser, the motivator, the learned teacher
and

I can engage a room of 10, 50, 300 people with no problem
because

I am the one who relates particularly well to children

older people

the middle-aged

the jobless

the employed

the doctors

teenagers and

I am the one who is always one step ahead and

I am the one who is endearingly disorganised.

I am the vicar, I am.

I care passionately
about church politics

I care passionately about domestic abuse

I care passionately about the plight of Anglo Catholics

women priests

gay clergy

evangelicals and

I listen to the pope

the archbishop and

Rob Bell.

I am up-to-date with
theological developments.

I understand the history of the reformation

the armed forces

the war

the government

the deanery

the Jewish background of Jesus and

I care about the excluded and

I manage my admin and

I know how to access children’s services.

I am the vicar, I am.

I am the one in whom
trust is placed

I am the one in whom grumbles are placed

I am the one who is always talking to everyone else

I am the one who models worship

marriage

family

gardening

conversation

baking

prayer

listening

talking

planning.

I often get it wrong.

I am the one who has to keep my doubts under wraps and

I am also the one who is vulnerable and

dependable

stable

trustworthy.

I am the one who chairs
meetings

I am the one who manages group discussions

I am the manager of an organisation that employs only me

I am the volunteer co-ordinator

the opinion co-ordinator

the trespasser on the territory of people who have
been around a lot longer than me

and will be there after me.

I understand the heating system

the financial system

the rota system.

I love committees.

I drink tea with
older people

And coffee with younger people

I listen to stories of bus routes and hospital visits
and

I believe in transforming our community through the power of
Jesus.

I am the one
who is very tired.

I am the one who hates wearing dresses but
still smiles

and would love to be muddy all the time.

I am the one who only
works one day a week.

I am the one
who loves this job.

I am the one who is making it up as I go along.

I am the one who would not swap this for anything.

I am the vicar, I am.

With thanks to Janet Chapman of Birmingham Cathedral for this delightful and perceptive piece. It is from http://theblogofkevin.wordpress.com

I am not the best person to ask about music. Indeed until earlier today, I had no idea what an intermezzo is. I like a number of different types of music: U2, Queen, the Good, the bad and the Queen, Bruce Cockburn, Show of Hands. I am not particularly into Christian music; but some friends of mine have a band called Freakshow. I do not know whether they sing my kind of music; but they are a group who are passionate about what they do and delight in singing about their love of their Lord Jesus. Their music is therefore more than a little infectious.

Here is a link to one of their pieces. Their lead singer tells me its a little rough, whatever that means.

http://www.definitionbreaks.co.uk/Freakshow/Freakshow_-_13.mp3

Revelation 3

As promised folks

St Michael’s is holding a Flower Festival on 25th and 26 June with the help of Bartley Green School (www.bgtc.bham.sch.uk), St Michael’s School, Woodgate School, Hillcrest School, King Edward VI Fiveways, Newman University College Chaplaincy (www.newman.ac.uk), Bartley Green Library and many others.

10-5 25th June 12-5 26th June

Come and see

Revelation 2

As promised…