Church of Scotland Embraces Emerging Church?

It would appear that this is hug the emerging church week.  It looks like the Church of Scotland is planning to put 1.5 million pounds into ‘emerging ministries’.  Article is here.

Methodist Church Embraces Emerging Church?

I have been surfing the news and stumbled upon this article.  The reposrt is concerning a recent speech by the upcoming general secretary of the Methodist Church Revd Dr Martyn Atkins.

A report in The Times last week cited controversial forecasts from think tank Christian Research predicting that the number of Sunday churchgoers would drop to below 900,000 by 2050 if current rates of decline continue.

Dr Atkins said, however, that he was not alarmed in the face of such statistics, saying that they failed to take into account the growing numbers of Christians who are worshipping outside the traditional Sunday service model.

It would seem that the Methodist church is set to embrace moves into the emerging church.  Interestingly this article was written today in the times and has some interesting thoughts on the matter.  The article highlights that the largest factor influencing church attendance has been ease of access. 

Fewer than half of people in isolated rural areas went to church, until John Wesley’s Methodist movement built chapels closer to them.

The climate has changed considerably since the mid nineteenth century.  No longer is worship prohibited by physical distance.  The post modern culture we inhabit makes worship increasingly difficult to access because of form and format.  It would seem fitting that the response of ‘John Wesley’s Methodist movement’ is to make access to worship in these circumstances a priority. 

The Boro Savage Man City

For some reason this didn’t even make it into BBC news this morning.  Yesterday I went to the Riverside and watched the finest team in football the world has ever seen savagely rip apart Manchester City with a whopping 8-1 victory!!  So badly beaten were the Svenians that the city goalie Andreas Isaksson took his top off as he walked off the pitch and threw it onto the ground rather than swapping it and stormed off in  huff.

A good day was had by all.  Well, us

Catholic Community

Well here we go with a light hearted start to the week.  I was searching the church news on Ekklesia when I cam across this article about a new social networking site aimed specifically at the Catholic Church.  The Church is truly becoming hip and with it!!

I particularly like Dom’s profile picture

Evangelism

I’m really sorry that I haven’t made any constructive posts lately.  Certainly nothing to do with my emerging church remit.  But my question today revolves around an email I was sent that has a truly heartwarming tale.  It is a tale of spreading the gospel in a non threatening manner (well I think so) and seeing the results.

So what pray tell is my question.  And it is merely (without prejudice) what do you think about this thoelogical model?  Are you pro, against or in awe.  Where do you stand*?

*please note that I haven’t gone one way or another as I wnat to see what you think.

Current Reading // Slash

I have read so many academic books on theology recently.  I have decide that it is time for a change and a good friend gave me the autobiography of Slash as a birthday present.

It seems excessive…but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

The first page is an eye opening description of playing a guitar solo live on stage whilst a pacemaker jolts you back to life.  There is an overwhelming sense in which he has come to realise that life is a precious commodity since this was fitted at 35!!  Just goes to show that there is life after Guns N’ Roses.  Lets hope that there is still life for Velvet Revolver since the departure of Scott Weiland!

A riveting read!!  Looks like there is life post-dissertation

The Nature of the Eucharist.

Sorry guys I haven’t been having any original thoughts lately.  I have discovered that everyone seems to be thinking about the bread and wine…

I started a rant on ASBO Jesus about the nature of the Eucharist.  It all came from the fact that I went on an Ignation retreat and found that the Eucharist ended abruptly with the phrase “Lord I am not worthy to receive you.”  Obviously I was not able to partake. 

This seems to have taken on a life of it’s own and become a whole post in its own right.

Since then I have been surfing the blogsphere and came across a post by Jonny Baker where he links to a post from cheryl at hold this space.

Most conversations about new forms of church or christian community are about rethinking the table at which the disciples sit. True confession… this project doesn’t emerge from any interest in that table, or even really in the disciples. i think the really interesting stuff of the gospels is the other stories - the tables Jesus went to where the disciples weren’t invited, or where they were so absent no-one thought to mention their presence - the afternoons at Mary and Martha’s, the nameless person’s house where Jesus met the syro-phonoecian woman, dinner at Levi’s house, dinner with Peter’s mother, the ‘water into wine’ wedding table… i think they’re the fun tables.

Lots of food for thought.  Pick the links out of that one!!

I think one of the more profound things for me is the nature of Jesus attitude to the Eucharist.  He had an open table.  Even Judas was allowed entry!  I think this can be the only policy if we are to truly hold on to the hope of Christian unity.

Another decade of my life flashes past.

30 years young.

Out of the mouths of babes….

It’s Friday so here’s something that made me smile as I marked test papers.

Q2 c)  Write a description of one of Jesus Parables. (6)

In Jesus parable of the boy who cried wolf….

Visions in York

OK, the quest for emerging church in the North of England has yielded an emerging church in York called Visions.  They characterise themselves as “A church for people who don’t like church”.

They are loosely based in an ancient church called St Cuthberts that dates back to 687CE.  They are attached to St Michael-le-Belfrey church in York and are part of the Church of England.

Their vision statement is very interesting.  They also seem to be having issue with the terminology.

We are part of a movement rather loosely termed Alternative Worship, but the name doesn’t really say enough - we mean that our reponse to the Divine Presence has to be born from our own experience together, as individuals and as a community, and not simply accepting whatever forms of worship are given to us.

This phrase really made me laugh!

Lots of people are suspicious of organised religions: we’d be perfect for them since we’re developing a model of disorganised religion!