inspired by a creative Spirit

having just taught a weekend of workshops on Worship, Spirituality and the Arts, it seems appropriate that in my role as a minister in a congregation I have been feeling particularly inspired by the creative Spirit for our gathered worship in recent times. the reality with inspiration, and with the Spirit, is that sometimes it is close enough to make you feel like it will burst right through you, other times, it is a slippery little sucker you just can't hang on to, and still other times, it feels like a distant memory ...

For our gathered worship two weeks ago, I really did have an experience of receiving a message and having no choice but to faithfully deliver it. It was following the death of Osama bin Laden, and I had been ashamed of my own initial response to the news, not to mention the dismay many have felt at the reaction in certain quarters, rejoicing at the death of a fellow human (albeit one who acted despicably). So I led us in a reflection that looked at the story of the encounter of two disciples with the risen Christ in Emmaus through the lens of this somewhat distasteful story of our times. And instead of a prayer of confession, I led us in a lament - lamenting with God that humans do these things to each other, lamenting the state of fear and mistrust between different peoples, lamenting the need for war. These things seem to have been well received, and overall it appears to have been, as one put it, a satisfying worship experience. Thank you Divine Inspiration.
If you would like to read more, please visit the Belair Uniting Church blog.
(an interesting footnote to the thoughts around the Osama death & reaction - post by Steve Taylor)

And this week, we took time to reflect on our own relationship with God, through the image of God as shepherd in Psalm 23. I was thrilled to have a Lost Sheep book to introduce the Psalm to the kids, and enjoyed having a play with an old song to use it as a prayer for others. Again, read more here.

I am finding my way into the rhythm of preparing gathered worship for the people, and actually think I wouldn't mind doing it every week. But then, being part time means I can do some teaching, lead workshops, write, and dream the next stage of life for our storytelling community of faith once known as The Esther Project. Oh, yes, the Creative Spirit is stirring this pot, too!

a weekend of learning @ Uniting College - get there, grow & go!

I am putting together the Worship, Spirituality and the Arts stream for Uniting College's annual Grow & Go weekend. This is a weekend - Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon - for learning for lay and ordained people. It's a great investment in the health and growth of Christian communities in South Australia, mostly in the Uniting Church, but anyone can come along.
Steve Taylor blogged about it here, he's preparing for it too, as are a whole bunch of people who will be facilitating different streams for various aspects of life on the Way in community.
Mark Hewitt will be leading the Creativity & worship/spirituality workshop with me; he's the minister at Spicer Uniting, is a visual artist, and is embarking on a fresh expression of church centred around a multi-media artful worship space, Quarterly.
I've been jotting down notes all week from the musings of my sub-conscious / the genius assigned to me. Notes on how our worship spaces can be enhanced with art & creativity, what it looks like for art to interpret the biblical texts, how biblical storytelling draws on theatre / performance art and we can draw on this for all the up front embodied aspects of leading gathered worship ... been concentrating on poetry and theatre, next I am going to think about music. then i'll learn the story of pentecost to tell - we're going to put our creativity into practice in preparation for this high point in the Christian liturgical calendar!
so if you're looking for a chance to think about, talk about and engage in worship, spirituality and the arts, get along to Uniting College next weekend, 13 - 15 May. Call and book first, though: 8416 8427. See you there!

Marcus Borg - Christianity as a Spiritual Path

a friend shared this on facebook. expresses thoughts i have - i'd rather talk about christian spirituality than christian belief too.

seasonal pioneering

this is an emerging thought, but perhaps worth sharing in its infancy and opening up conversation - what might it be like to be a pioneer leader who isn't always a pioneer leader? what might it be like, i have been invited to imagine, to work with the rhythms of my energy flows and engage in pioneer leading, fresh expressions of church, in seasons of higher energy?
the predominant (and this isn't a criticism, it is actually a reality) typology for pioneer leaders in new forms of church in our western context is male, married, entrepreneurial, charismatic and young.
i am female, single, creative, dreaming, networking and young. not much in common with the trend. i am also a person who lives with depression, have done my whole adult life, so there is a particular shape to the usual ups and downs of human living i my lived experience.
and i have been identified as a pioneer leader, this is part of my call to ordained ministry. and rather than fighting against the typology or withdrawing because i don't fit, i need to find my own way to live out this part of my identity, my gift to the church, if i am to be true to my call.

so i feel quite invigorated, having felt a little like walking away all together in recent months, by the thought that actually, it might be possible to make the most of the circumstances i find myself in.
the season of my life is ministry with an established congregation, and that is taking most of my energy, so there is less energy for fresh expressions at present. this is the reality. i am not a person who can push myself as hard as others can. my wells of energy do not run that deep. it takes a lot of stillness and silence to maintain my energy. and you just cannot find that if you are starting a new (to you) placement and pioneering a new community. there are only so many hours in a day.

the pioneering new community i was involved with is in a season of dormancy, induced by several factors - my changed circumstances and the different directions we and our host community were taking. this isn't something spoken of much, but a season of dormancy might just restore life, not take it, from our fledgeling community. and reflecting on the community itself, there were clear seasons in our 18 months of gathering - brought about by the circumstances of me as leader, the church calendar, and the movement of other members, as well as the changing understanding of our vision.
a seasonal approach might just be right for this community.
fresh expressions is so much about experimenting - heading off the map and picking a direction and seeing where you might go. we've done a lot of changing of direction. we're not even two years old.
a seasonal approach means we could make the most of what i have to offer as leading storyteller, we could offer community and not burden to those who gather - be community, be part of community, for one season or many ... ah, the possibilities are bubbling just under the surface. watch this space as they begin to emerge in clearer shape.

i am a biblical storyteller. i have a yearning and actually some opportunities coming up, to engage in leading workshops and teaching biblical storytelling and biblical studies. i have a creative community to support the ministry in which i engage.

my circumstances, my health and gifts, my call, might just be well served by a seasonal approach to engaging in pioneering fresh ways of being church and being carried by the rhythm of church life in an established congregation. we have been struggling to work out how this balance might work, the church and i ... today i have been shown a glimmer of hope.