Monday, May 31, 2010

Why a Priest?

Our direction should always be focused toward God. I have found that when my direction is not focused on God it feels disorientated, like I have missed the most important part of what the day should have been about. I think this is because I know I may have missed being prepared for something or missed doing something that God would have used me for.

I feel I am being called to be alive in the service of God, as we all are but whether I fail or succeed it is in doing God's work and discovering God's way, plan, work that I find I am alive always moving on, maturing, learning and becoming.

I do not mind failing or suffering I do not mind having to change course because it is not ME that I am trying to please, if it were I would have about three franchise businesses by now but it is God alone that I am to follow and seek direction from.

This is one reason why 'priest'. When I seek to find alternatives I am falling out of Gods path for me and I notice it in my spiritual life, home life, relationships, everything. When I say 'Yes OK, then what is the next step' and take it I find it is like bubbles going off inside and they are bouncing around excited.
John Pritchard in his book 'The life and Work of a Priest' p16

'did you truly help to inspire my people to worship and to love?
today I began to realise something that has been on my conscience for a long time. I began to recognise what it means to 'stand inthe gap' This has been a verse which has stood with me for along time and now I begin to place it in the context of being a priest. Rather than a priest standing as Christ within the church a priest stands as the church within Christ.

I wonder what other peoples thoughts are on this and I am going to 'phone a friend and as the audience!'

it is so interesting looking back over past posts and realising how helpful this blogging is. I am going to try and get used to it and use it more, thank you blogspot this has helped my learning and reflecting on what I have learnt so much i might actually yet learn something!
I am taking a radical step.
I am beginning David Heywoods bible in a year course
I am opening a file for each of the criteria for ordination

Now I am going to pray that God brings someone along to whom I can be accountable. I feel I get lost or bored and then busy and sidetracked so I need to make this my priority to do this I need someone who is suitable for me and who will be able to keep me focused.
I have been thinking through my visit to the DDO and she identifies the confidence issue I have. I need to work on this and the only way is for me to put more work in and feel I have actually learnt more and organised things more and that then with reflection I can express my thoughts better as my knowledge and ideas will be more rounded and conclusive.

Put in the work rosi

rosanna

Hebrews 1: 1-3

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Who is Jesus? this is the question and here is the beginning of the answer
'the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being'

it is awesome to comprehend that he 'sustains all things by his powerful word'
that is something to pray and and reflect on.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Priestly Ministry
I am reading John Pritchard 'The Life and Work of a Priest'. At the beginning on page x he writes that he will base his book on the structure of a sentence by Bishop Jack Nicholls ' the only things he had to be concerned with as a priest were the glory of God, the pain of the world and the renewal (repentance) of the Church. John Pritchard then point out that God and the world come before the church...... 'note that God nd the world come before the Church. That seems to me to be an important signal. We serve an astonishing God for the sake of an amazing world; we're not simply church functionaries.

My reaction to this is to disagree because Paul was concerned with the building of the church, Jesus was concerned with sharing the gospel with the Jews, To build up, to enable, to then encourage outreach.

But perhaps what is going to be part of this book is that if we focus on the first two then we get to loose focus on the last one. So I can only think that it must be hard to keep the focus of the world if it does not come first. The end goal should be that we are all outward looking, inwardly reflective, upwardly focused.

So I read on and see where this takes my thoughts and where John Pritchards thoughts are headed also.


update by ch 2 So far many of Pritchard's structure for sentences seem not be in line with the structure he put forward earlier.
pWorship relates primarily to Godsecond to God's gathered people, and third to God's other people' - those not in church or who do not attend regularly.
i was mentioning to the DDO yesturday that my relationship with God has changed since having Mima as i get to spend so much less time in prayer with out something on my mind that needs doing.
i said that this has made me realise that if I go into ministry then my time would be even more taken up and so i have had to learn creative ways to learn and pray.

here are some of those ways:
online:
www.sacredspace.ie
for example their reflection this week is

Jesus' image of the wheatgrain dying, then bearing fruit, symbolises not just our mortal life, but the many times we die a little before our death: with every parting, moving of house or job, loss of a friend or dear one, loss of property. Can I think of any experience of suffering and loss that has borne fruit because of God's grace? How did it happen? To cling to what we have lost is to bury our life in the past. Even the most painful loss can be a new beginning. Lord, when I was suffering pain, and the loss of people and things I loved, I believe you were somehow present to me. Show me how you were.

then they have a prayer for each day.

www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/cmo-retreat.html
this is an Ignatian retreat online and though it takes along time to read through bits I have done bits very slowly and they are often things that are needed to be thought about and mulled over slowly so it works for busy people who just have a short time to read and then think about in bed before sleeping

here are a number of online devotions I particularly like:
http://www.intothyword.org/
http://www.henrinouwen.org/home/free_eletters/
http://www.taize.fr/en_article1854.html
http://www.taize.fr/en_article5806.html
http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/dailyhomily/

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The question I have to explore this month is:
The role of a Priest. I have to form two columns and answer what the role of a priest is and is not...

I don't know how to do columns so here is an above and below!

A Priest is someone who

helps to bring re-alignment of self with God and all God wants for us. (J.Pritchard p13 The Life and work of a Priest uses the word re-alignment in the context of worship but it reminds me that people turn to a priest for many reasons with perhaps many agendas but a priests role is to keep the focus of enabling that 're-alignment' with God. Later on in the book Pritchard uses the term 'God Directedness'.

enables the worship of the church to suit the community.

presiders in an act of worship

seeks to 'representing the people before God and seeking to make God present to God's people 'John Pritchard, life and work of a priest p20'

encourager of prayer

Seeks to 'representing the people before God and seeking to make God present to God's people 'John Pritchard, life and work of a priest p20'

Encourager of prayer

To the Glory of God

Nourisher and rebuker in teaching


Shepherd – can stand alone, straight talking, ‘not hired’, faithful generous of heart and determined,

Proclaimers: (This is where I find it hard to write down the words which describe the calling, but I will as it is from God to those called)
Annointed, Share peace and Good news, Liberty, Year of Lord’s Favour.

a provider

gathers up all the roles in the church

preacher/teacher

intercessor

man of the eucharist

IS NOT
celebrants in an act of worship J.prichard p15
A lone Rander

Sunday, May 23, 2010

i have been unable to write as i have been so tired and busy.

Brownies is taking up loads of time as i have just taken over the pack and there is so much organising to do.

But I have also been really tired. Mima now 18months is not sleeping so well and when she does i still wake up!

I am really rather depressed because of tiredness and no money to go and do things with her.

Never mind, I am praying about the finances and other than a lottery win I am hoping our spending will be able to reduce, but the lawn mower broke, borrowed one and that broke! the car is obviously needing something done which even if it is cheap we don't have the cash to pay.

But I know God will provide and help, somehow, something always just works out to help, not quiet cover it all but help keep us ticking on reserves!