Spring Harvest 2009

Have been to Spring Harvest in Skeggy again this year, returning on Maundy Thursdy (that's how we say it up 'ere..!). There was much to reflect on whilst I was there, particularly with the difficulties that I've been having with church lately (which mostly accounts for the lack of blogging to be honest).

The theme for Spring Harvest this year is Apprentice: Walking the way of Christ. The first day was spent almost entirely in learning about learning styles, the leadership having taken the decision to organise us according to the best way that each of us learns as individuals. We were grouped into Pragmatist, Theorist, Reflector and Activist. By the end of the first day the 4 friends of us who went together were a bit weary of hearing about learning styles - 2 of us are trained teachers and the other 2 studied Christian Ministry at St Martin's College (now the University of Cumbria) and had covered all this kind of stuff ad infinitum before. A particular disappointment on the first day was to go to the activist stream only to be lectured on how activists don't like to sit and listen but like to get up and do things.... touch of irony there.

Fortunately, the remainder of the week was not spent telling us about what we would learn as the week progressed and we actually got stuck into the subject matter. I ended up going along to the Pragmatist stream (where I had intended on going initially - I ended up in the Activist stream on the first day almost by accident) and I was challenged throughout by both Steve Chalke and his colleague Jill Rowe. I am particularly happy to see how Steve Chalke really seems to have guided Spring Harvest towards a more social action/social justice route than I remember from a few years back. Along with my own recent dealings with church it has really caused me to consider what a Christian community really is and what it is called to do.

Steve Chalke responded to one question in a way that interested me greatly. The question was about how to do things for the community that didn't openly and ostentatiously have Jesus and by default evangelism as their purpose and driving force. And it interested me because I agreed so whole heartedly with his answer, but don't often hear it preached. He said that Jesus called us to love God with heart, mind and strength but equally to love our neighbour as ourselves. Not to evangelise our neighbours but to love them.

That is our purpose. Our beginning, our end, our driving force. If we have in the back of all that we do "we are doing this so that we can do that..." is that truely loving our neighbour? It's not about bums on seats, it's not about how many church run events we can have, it's not about how good we are at this or how good we are at that. It's about loving for the sake of loving. It is loving and expecting nothing in return.

And that is the greatest challenge. How can I be that person that loves unconditionally and where can I act out that love? How can we break down our constricting barriers of church and return to what we were called first to be?

Maybe being in the workplace is the best place to be. What a priveleged position I am in that I can not only teach a whole class of children but I can love them just for being themselves. I can show love to my colleagues as we go about the school day. And maybe as a school community we can take that love out into the village community. Maybe those children will go out and be loving wherever they may end up in the world.

And now I've got all bleary eyed and hopeful and ....

Yes, I'm a dreamer. And I'm here to stay.

One and a half kilometres and a word from the Lord

Swam 60 lengths in 45 minutes today. Came home and then came the free newspaper through the door to spur me on...

What should be my Olympic sport?

I have got ridiculously into the Olympics this year. I have found myself wondering whether to stay up to watch sports live (never actually did, but it was a serious consideration) and then have watched sports back to back on BBC. All this competitive sport action has got me angling to get into sport again and make it for the 2012... I'm not to old am I?! So, spurred into action I have been swimming twice this week already and swum 50 lengths both times. Yes indeed! But which sport to choose? Joy sent me a link which chose for me! It is a good choice I think! Just let me dust off that wet suit...

You Are Kayaking

You have a competitive spirit, but you don't like to compete alone. You do well in a partnership, where you can feed off the other person's energy. If you have the right partner, nothing can stop you. Your energy is infinite!

What Olympic Sport Are You?

John Stephen Akhwari

Allow me a little self indulgence as I post this picture of my current hall display in school. We have been learning about Olympic heroes across the school and the hero that I chose for our class is indeed an inspiration.

John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania ran the marathon in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, 40 years ago. Not long into the race he fell over, badly injuring his knee and his head. Despite this he did not give up, he continued to run even though he was in complete agony. An hour after the last runner had finished the race and the medals had been awarded to the winners of the marathon John Stephen Akhwari entered the stadium, limping the last few hundred metres to the finish line. Once he had finished a reporter asked him why he had continued to run even though he knew that he could not win the race, he replied, "My country did not send me 7000 miles to start the race. They sent me to finish."