Every year millions of people participate in the most amazing mystery story conceivable, yet ‘miss the forest for the tree’. Christmas wafts over our consciousness like a carol in a shopping mall or drowned in lunch-time beers wearing bright coloured party hats. But what a pity to miss the mysterious story underpinning this season…
“I continue to dream of a completely missionary Church, and a new era of missionary activity among Christian communities.” Pope Francis has been banging this drum for years now, but is it getting through? If the word apostle means ‘sent one’, then to recover our apostolic identity we need to see ourselves as a Sent Church - a ‘community of sent ones’.
Music and fame are an intoxicating combination… As Elvis knew well, the magic of the gift is incredibly satisfying - like a drug in itself - so much that you can easily get lost in it and mistake it as the end goal. I know this magic well
How aptly named is the word ‘grog’? A popular relaxant and Australian social icon, I admit to availing myself of a few cool ales over the summer break in a good communal spirit. The only thing is, it tends to leave the headlights a bit ‘foggy’ and the antennae a bit less sharp, doesn’t it. To have a relaxed, joyful, wound-down heart is good thing: but a dulled and foggy headspace - not so much.
Every year millions of people participate in the most amazing mystery story conceivable, yet ‘miss the forest for the tree’. Christmas wafts over our consciousness like a carol in a shopping mall or drowned in lunch-time beers wearing bright coloured party hats. But what a pity to miss the mysterious story underpinning this season…
“I continue to dream of a completely missionary Church, and a new era of missionary activity among Christian communities.” Pope Francis has been banging this drum for years now, but is it getting through? If the word apostle means ‘sent one’, then to recover our apostolic identity we need to see ourselves as a Sent Church - a ‘community of sent ones’.
How aptly named is the word ‘grog’? A popular relaxant and Australian social icon, I admit to availing myself of a few cool ales over the summer break in a good communal spirit. The only thing is, it tends to leave the headlights a bit ‘foggy’ and the antennae a bit less sharp, doesn’t it. To have a relaxed, joyful, wound-down heart is good thing: but a dulled and foggy headspace - not so much.
Have you ever been to a restaurant and thought, “I’ll have what they’re having!” Perhaps it was a dessert, a cocktail, or maybe you’re thinking of the scene in When Harry Met Sally. Whatever it is, I think we can all relate to wanting something we haven’t got, that someone else has that looks totally amazing…
One of the comments since the weekend’s ‘miracle’ election result is how Labor overplayed their hand and turned off voters by appealing to ‘class warfare’. ie. get the media machine churning, pit one group against the other, create a straw man and hope the swing goes in your direction. I’m no political analyst, but I have been around Church ministry long enough that I couldn’t help but think, ‘Hmmm, that sounds awfully familiar - Why is that?’ I think we could have a lot to learn from this as a Church if we’re willing to listen!
Inspiration comes at the most random times. Sometimes it falls while I'm driving home drumming on the dashboard of the car. Other times in the shower while my brain is turned off soaking my shoulders in the heat, or over a glass of wine sitting at the piano... It's at disarmed moments like these, when my soul is open, that a little bell in my head sounds- "bing" - and a revelation appears.
