Change
Tradition
“Tradition is peer pressure from dead people!”
“Tradition – the living faith of the dead
Traditionalism – the dead faith of the living”.
Change
Change
Uncategorized
Our deepest fear…
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”
Brainstorming
Enabling the Impossible
It’s only impossible until it’s done”, words attributed to many including Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela.
On a Thursday morning in January 2022, 24 ministers, elders and others from within the ITsForMinistry Facebook group meet on Zoom for a Conversation triggered by some of Seth Godin’s thinking around Leadership always being qualified by ‘this might not work’.The Seth Godin’s Video which all had watched prior to the conversation was this one:
The recording of the conversation is available to those within the FB Group. If you are not already a member there you can request to join. (There are a few simple questions including commitment to the group rules which must be completed)
The Practice
Following the conversation a number of the group have committed to reading Seth Godin’s The Practice and to meet regularly to discuss its content and to encourage one another in our practice in the context of ministry.
Details are in the FB group if you are interested in joining in.
Advent
‘A Brilliant Star‘ – An Advent Meditation
An Advent Meditation – take time to ponder Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Faith…
Advent
Advent and Christmas Resources
🎶 Advent and Christmas Music 🎶
Messy Church
Church of Scotland
- churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/weekly-worship
- 2021 Advent Calendar with Good News stories from around the Church
Spill the Beans
- RCL based Resources – with lots for Advent and Christmas – and freely downloadable videos
ALTERNativity
Christian Aid
- christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christmas-appeal
Advent Song: “When out of poverty” and other resources - www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christmas-appeal/resources – Advent and Christmas Resources
- ‘When out of poverty‘ – Song for Advent
Bible Society
- Scottish Bible Society – Christmas Journeys scottish.bible/christmas
- The Advent Encounter: biblesociety.org.uk/get-involved/the-advent-encounter/
IgnatianSpirituality.com
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
CofE: Advent and Christmas 2021 resources: At the heart of Christmas
Link: churchofengland.org/resources/advent-and-christmas-2021-resources-heart-christmas
Wild Goose Group – Iona Community
- Advent Resources from the Wild Goose Group: wildgoose.scot/product-tag/advent/
FormationReimagined.org
Methodist Church
Children’s and Family Ministry
- Talks2Children – Advent
- Talks2Children – Christmas
- faithfulmoms.org/advent-resources-for-churches-kids-children-ministry/
- going4growth.com/growth_through_the_year/advent (CofE)
Other Advent & Christmas Resources
- kingofpeace.org/advent/advent.htm – Jesse Tree ideas and reflections
- EngageWorship.org – Advent Resources
- Proost.co.uk – some paid advent resources.
- www.ignitermedia.com/mini-movies – ignitermedia offering 100 free downloads until Christmas Eve
Uncategorized
Harvest Music
Songs from Resound Music might be helpful this Harvest time…
We See the Fruitful Harvest
Praise Awaits You (Psalm 65)
Freely
From a recent collaboration with Christian Aid with its themes of justice for all:
And, really, any song from Resound Worship’s Doxecology collection – in particular:
God the Maker of the Heavens
If the Fields are Parched (Have Mercy)
As the Seeds Are Planted (Let the Earth Find Rest)
Change
Outside Holiness
I was looking for the George MacLeod quote ‘Take us outside holiness’ – from the prayer prayed during the rebuilding of Iona Abbey in the 1930’s.
Before finding it, I came across another George Macleod quote
“I simply argue that the cross be raised again,
at the centre of the marketplace
as well as on the steeple of the church.
I am recovering the claim that
Jesus was not crucified
in a cathedral between two candles
but on a cross between two thieves;
on a town garbage heap;
at a crossroad of politics so cosmopolitan
that they had to write His title
in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek …
and at the kind of place
where cynics talk smut,
and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble.
Because that is where He died,
And that is what He died about.
And that is where Christ’s own ought to be,
And that is what church people ought to be about.”
Lord George MacLeod of Fuinary
Words which the church might ponder again as we seek to discern where God is leading in the post-pandemic world, as we rationalise the building stock, looking to ‘well equip spaces in the right spaces’, and seeking to bring meaningful relevant faith in Christ to the folk who don’t ‘come to church’.
…And then I found the quote I was looking for…. Worthy too of renewed contemplation…
It is not just the interior of these walls,
it is our own inner beings you have renewed.
We are Your temple not made with hands.
We are Your body.
If every wall should crumble,
and every church decay, we are your habitation.
Nearer are you than breathing,
closer than hands and feet.
Ours are the eyes with which you, in the mystery,
look out in compassion on the world.
So we bless you for this place,
for your directing of us,
your redeeming of us, and your indwelling.
Take us ‘outside the camp’, Lord.
Outside holiness,
out to where the soldiers gamble, and the thieves curse,
and the nations clash at the cross-roads of the world…
So shall this building continue to be justified.
George MacLeod (A prayer during the rebuilding of Iona Abbey – circa 1938)
Uncategorized
Include a News Feed
You can easily include an RSS news feed in your Church website – here’s the current listing from the Church of Scotland News Page. In WordPress add an RSS block with the URL: https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/feeds/news
- The Church of Scotland has welcomed a new strategy from the Scottish Government that aims to strengthen communication, engagement and collaboration between Scottish Government and Scotland's diverse faith and belief communities. The strategy was…
- There was a time when his former session room was lined with portraits of Bellie and Speymouth ministers, Rev Seòras Orr's predecessors, and he admits there were times he wondered what they might have made…
- The Moderator of the General Assembly is taking part in a Kiltwalk to raise money for Christian Aid in South Sudan. Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields will join Scotland's largest mass participation walking event on…
- A Clydeside church can continue to provide a haven for its local community after securing a £9000 award towards vital repairs. Erskine Parish Church is among more than 320 organisations across the country sharing in…
- Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly, has delivered a Loyal Address to His Majesty King Charles III, as part of a tradition that stretches back to the 17th century. The Church…
- An Edinburgh church has teamed up with a shopping centre to open a new multi-functional community space to help tackle loneliness and the cost of living crisis. Corstorphine Old Parish Church is encouraging people from…
- The Rt Hon Lord Hodge, Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, has been re-appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly, serving in the role for a second year. As…
- Two trainee ministers have spoken about their deep passion for "souls and goals" to mark International Women's Day. Dawn Westwood is the chaplain at Livingston Women's Football Club and Jillian Storrie is the chaplain at…
- Two Church of Scotland ministers have helped narrate the first audio adaptation of the New International Version of the Bible recorded solely by women from across the UK. Rev Shuna Dicks and Rev Rosie Frew…
- The Church of Scotland is urging the UK Government to reconsider its plan to pass a bill aimed at preventing asylum seekers and refugees who cross the English Channel by boat from being considered for…
FaceBook
Images
A consolidated list of good sites to download free graphics…
PNGs, Icons, IMAGES and graphics
- free-images.com
- freeimages.com
- Unsplash.com
- Pixabay.com
- Pinclipart.com – good collection of transparent PNGs (but lots of adverts!)
Backgrounds, Countdowns, Images, Video clips
- churchmediadrop.com – place to share files freely
- www.videezy.com
Free Bible Images
General
MS Teams – Notifications
Are you getting too many notifications on TEAMS… or too few… or just the right amount? Take control of what notifications you receive and how…