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.

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/

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

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!

Mission

Here is the question

write about an aspect of criterion H for which you feel/think you have a particular vocation.

Well it is just very 'obvious to write about nurture of new believers' though I have altered this to be new and weathered believers! I am really wondering how I can engage with this question within a 700 limit sharing about other aspects.

I have to reflect theologically and be accessible and stimulating. Oh boy!

It is so good to hear that the Anglican Covenant is being sent out to all member churchs and that from this point we can as a communion begin to work on our relationships and understandings of each other.

It is so hard to face the future when the essence of our very being feels like it is under a surgeons knife. It is very well to be firm in ones belief and this is to be admired but without love it is nothing just a resounding gong as one would say. It undermines and at the very worse risks the spiritual life of another, which is thus nothing short of murder.

I say this because the passage from James about taming the tongue is based on the thought that is close the Jewish heart. If one damages another’s response or journey with God then that is on par with murder.

The Anglican covenant aims to enable us to start working on our relationaships, building our trust and helping us to be responsible to and for each other. This is so exciting and if people are prepared to take this on and work with each other with any gusto how amazing it will be.

As a simple lay member of the congregation who is continually baffled at how complex life as a member of Christ’s family can get I am hopeful at this stage that there are opportunities being set out for us to learn more about how we can know where and perhaps how we stand together and that there are people who can see we can ‘intensify our fellowship and our trust’ (Archbishop Rowan Williams,
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2802)

I really hope we will be able to read this document as I have always wanted to learn much more about what we hold in common as a communion. The Covenant sets out a basis on which the Anglican family works, prays, live and hopes and this sounds like something that should encourage and enable us to work together and rejoice in our diversity and ability to learn and grow closer to Christ through our discussion.

five marks of mission

■proclamation of the good news
■teaching and nurturing of new believers
■responding to human need by loving service
■seeking to transform unjust structures in society
■caring for creation

Lord, I how does my failing come across to you? When I am lazy, angry, selfish or deliberatly forgetful are you disappointed?
Forgiveness I know can be sought and refreshment gained, but am I just to unaware to realise what is at stake?
Lord Open My Eyes and help me to see
Open my Ears and help me to hear
Open my heart and help me to feel
Open my mind and help me to understand.

Amen.

I have often thought that mission is God's Job not ours. But now I am beginning to read this from official sources it is not as exciting as I thought. Let me share my thoughts and see where it goes.

I feel that mission is Gods job. He is the one who created us, made us who we are, enables us to be where we are and has a plan for what we do. So then our direction comes from God and is for God. It is like being part of a football team. They see our potential and invest and train and then set us in the game, but they tell us the plan of action and as a team we work together to win the game.

So when I think of mission of course I think of God and listen watch and wait.

It is also Gods reputation on the line so i expect God to do something. If there is nothin then usually a gentle step by step approach to things is good as doors open and close. I have found that the Holy Spirit is not like a resounding gong - i suppose he would not be as love comes right in there. So then I need to be sensitive and delicate as I pray and recognise what and where God is working and where I should be doing my thing!

Yesturday I went to a home of a Christian who works with youth. I had unknowingly met his wife the day before when dropping our son off for a youth camp he was attending. I was amazed that he lived in a home which I pass every day and am drawn to with a sense of 'homeliness'. it is a small end of terrace asthetically nothing to write home about but something draws me so often to think 'what a lovely home'. How suprised was I to discover who lives there.

Later I read
Richard Baxter notes 'The world is better able to read the nature of religion in a man's life than in the Bible'.

'When people brush against the holy they are never quite the same afterwards. Perhaps it is only in a fleeting encounter, but htey have met someone who stands for another world, a different set of values that are strangely compelling. They have sensed another way of ordering life and, for a moment everything seemed to make sense, to fit into place. In this person something of the divine could be sensed, and it felt good to be in touch with such deep reserves of affirmation and love.'

(Being A Priest Today, Christopher Cocksworth and Rosalind Brown)

If this is what happened when I passed Steves homes then it was something of the something of the divine which drew me. If the worship of God can make and impact through the home as I pass in the car, if the love and worship of God can enlightened the world somehow even from a home then how much more must it be true from us humans. When we meet with God that grace shines out and is there to be experienced by others.

I read this to Asher and told him which encouraged him to make sure we had our family Bible study. Which was a reading from John 19: 1-11. The comment was 'When someone has higher values do we join in with others and laugh at them or do we stand with them and join them in doing right and turning to God'.

I do love it when things all seem to point to a daily dose of God pointing something out.

Peter Do You Love Me? Yes, Then Feed My Sheep.

We all have the ministry of being holy, Luther stressed that holiness is lived out in ordinary life, doing ordinary things. Rowan Williams writes 'A human being is holy, not because he or she triumphs by will power over chaos and guilt and leads a flawless life, but because that life shows the victory of God's faithfulness in the midst of disorder and imperfection.' (A Ray of Darkness, p114-115)

I have just discovered Expresso.

Sounds crazy really, but I have resisted expresso imagining it to be far too strong and far too small! but this morning I wanted both a hot chocolate and a coffee and could not face two cups of liquid and I did not want them adulterated by mixing them!

So I risked letting the coffee perculate in the single cup coffee strainer with a tiny amount of hot water and then when I was ready I went back and added a large dash of milk, I think they call it a macchiato. I added one teaspoon of brown sugar and ...

... ohhh the smoothness and richness is divine. To be honest it made me realise that the coffee i usually make is nothing in comparison.

The obvious conclusion here is that if we have a watered down relationship with Christ it is very much like this experience I had this morning, but I wont do that honest!

this is such an amazing text:

Ephesians 2:
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision"
[...]

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

I was recently asked what is your gospel message. I wonder if the passages that God has directed my thoughts toward are coming together to simply give me an understanding of the gospel.

I keep meditating on John 2:12-25; john 3

unexpected opportunities

psalm 120, 121, 122
Exodus 1:22-2:10; Hebrews 8

I can imagine the Princes standing by the waters edge. Her reaching out and takng holdof this gift from the gods. It is considered that this princess was Hatshepsut the daughter of Raamses the 2nd and wife to Thutmose the 2nd. She was unable to have children so her husband had taken another wife who bore a son.

There are so many opportunities that come our way unexpectantly we need to be ready to take them and trust God will guide our way and be with us.

The Psalm is beautiful
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.