BeachcomberFX

Category: BeachcomberFX

  • A Question of Encouragement in Faith

    A Question of Encouragement in Faith

    Hi All, hope you have all had a good week.  We will be meeting together at The Quarry at 7:30pm if you want to join us in conversation.  We have tried to meet in the bay window just around the corner from the main entrance (turn left at the bar).  See you then.

    The world is full of worry, stress and challenges at present, with countries at war with one another, government fighting with one another, covid rising again, the cost of living continuing to increase and alongside these there are our own individual worries, stresses and challenges. 

    Through my work and personal relationships its clear to hear that people are tired, drained of energy and finding it hard to keep going, but keep going we must, but at what cost? At who’s cost? The cost of the continued state of living this way is our health; physical, mental, emotional and spiritual; it costs relationships and increases isolation. It feeds negative behaviours and attitudes to be able to cope with what is happening in and around us every day. 

    Life is at times relentless and on top of that there is all the questioning and challenges about what we should or should not be doing, who we should or should not be, what we should or should not believe and who we should or should not listen too. The consistent questioning and challenge leaves me personally mentally tired and my heart seeking desperately to find the joy and encouragement that there are good things about life, people and faith. 

    I am not saying that we should not be challenged or challenge systems and behaviours but there needs to be a balance. There needs to also be conversation that encourages, helping to remember the good things about life, people and faith. To create space for encouragement to happen and what it is at this moment that brings us support, confidence and hope. What is missing in enabling encouragement to take place? And how can we create space and relationships that can give honest encouragement?

    What do I mean by honest encouragement? According to the Oxford dictionary encouragement is the action of giving to someone support, confidence or hope. It is also described as, persuasion to do or to continue something or the act of trying to stimulate the development of an activity, state or belief. I think this is where encouraging can cross a fine boundary and become the need to persuade or stimulate the development of something else. So how can we be authentic in encouraging ourselves and one another without wanting or needing to cross the fine boundary into persuasion? 

    My question of encouragement in faith also comes from conversations about faith and church. While agreed that there are things that need to be challenged , there are lots of elements within faith and church that are good and bring the needed encouragement to do life supported and with joy. Maybe, like archaeologists working on historical sites, we need to sieve through what is needing to change or not be changed instead of throwing the whole thing out or completely dismissing something, losing what is good and helpful at the same time.

    And this is where my reflection on encouragement in faith has left me, with the question how can we maintain a good balance of challenging and at the same time encouraging the faith in practical, supportive ways to bring hope and confidence to life even when things may seem so dark in the world. 

    Questions:

    1. What has been the best encouragement you have received? 
    2. Where do you find encouragement for life, people and faith? 
    3. What is missing in enabling encouragement to take place?
    4. How can we create space and relationships that can give honest encouragement?
    5. How can we be authentic in encouraging ourselves and one another without crossing the fine boundary into persuasion?
    6. How can we maintain a good balance of challenging and at the same time encouraging faith in practical, supportive ways to bring hope and confidence to life even when things may seem so dark in the world. 
  • A Question of Creativity

    A Question of Creativity

    We are looking at creativity this week and we will be meeting at the Enigma Tap at 7:30pm and everyone is welcome to come and join the conversation.

    Are you creative? If so, why? If not, why not? Take a moment to think and write down what you think.

    If you asked most people what creativity is, they’d answer making art, or craft, or music. They’d concentrate on the end products of paintings, musical performance, dance or hand made items. And, of course, there would be some kind of qualitative judgement of any end-product. So even if they may say I’m a musician or a painter – they may follow this up with a statement like – but not a very good one.

    But is this really creativity? Where else is creativity found? 

    In schools, creativity is becoming increasingly important and it’s not just more art, drama and music. Educationalist Bill Lucas along with Guy Claxton and Ellen Spencer undertook research and developed a wider definition of creativity that encompasses habits of mind rather than just practical skills. The key threads being: –

    Imaginative

    Persistent

    Inquisitive

    Discipline 

    Collaborative

    These are not just relevant to artists and musicians but can apply throughout life. Look at their Creativity wheel. How do you think this maps onto our Beachcomber scavenger, wanderer, gatherer and collector values?

    Resource from https://arts.wales/resources/synhwyror-iaith-sensing-language/creative-habits-mind

    Being creative isn’t about making stuff, it’s about creative habits like curiosity, imagination and play. Artists don’t set out to make a masterpiece and musicians don’t set out to make a timeless classic. Using the habits above, they just draw and paint and play. There’s a discipline at work to gain skills, but not with the intent of output. Instead, it’s a process of sketching, jamming – noodling and doodling – working to order is often a killer of creativity. Instead, habitually playing may well lead to more creativity. One thing that won’t is fear. Fear of failure and not being good enough is the killer of creativity. 

    Whether it’s writing or painting, cooking or playing guitar, art or crafting – stepping into the stream of imagination and not being scared of failure and not really worrying if it’s good or not, is the path towards being creative. 

    As you can see from the creativity wheel – it isn’t about making. It’s more about creativity in our everyday lives, noticing when we dare to do something different or live with uncertainty for a while. When we challenge the assumptions of others or wonder about big questions. Its daring to ask, ‘What if?’

    A book we’ve both been bowled over by in the last year is Rob Hopkins’ “From what is to What if”. In it he sets out a manifesto for creativity, imagination and play. He believes it will change the world. Creativity allows us to dream of what could be. Yes, there are always lots of barriers and reasons why things aren’t the way they could be. Often we accept the status quo without asking how things could be different. Artists and creatives are frequently the people within society who ask such questions or dream of a different reality because their creative habits allow then to look at things differently and notice… What if?

    If you could instantly acquire one traditionally creative skill, what would it be?

    Do you ever play anymore? What does (or could) it look like for you?

    Which of those creative habits of mind do you most resonate with and why?

    Which one seems most difficult?

    What would be your ‘What if?’ question about the place you live?

    What could you do to make this happen?

    What could you do this week to start to be more creative?

  • A Question of Thanksgiving

    A Question of Thanksgiving

    If you are joining us tonight then we will be at The Quarry at 7:30pm tonight.

    I went to an awards ceremony last night.  I had been nominated along with some others for an award as part of the Northumberland FA’s Grassroots football awards. I sat in a room with a 100 or so people and 22 awards were handed out to individuals and groups recognising the good work they have done in different areas.  

    Last week I was re-invited to stay another 5 years in the circuit.  When this happens people are invited to say things in appreciation of your ministry (not something I find easy to listen to).  But should we need a formal process to give thanks for someones gifts and then wait five years  to do it.

    I sat in our weekly Mother House prayers as well this week.  As those gathered were chatting Rob shared about giving thanks and telling people about the positive impact they have had on us.  Often we save this for someones eulogy.

    In a world filled with busy schedules, constant distractions, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to forget the simple yet profound act of giving thanks. We often find ourselves caught up in the rush, the deadlines, and the chaos, neglecting to express our gratitude when someone does something good or when a positive impact is made on us, a group, or within an organisation. 

    The fact is that a simple “thank you” can carry immense power? It’s not just about being polite; it’s about acknowledging the positive forces people have in our lives and cultivating a culture of appreciation.  It is more than just thank you though. It is about expressing to someone the important, often unseen things that they do and are that inspire us in our lives.  It is the legacy they pass on to us.

    Paul often in his letters celebrates and gives thanks for those he is writing to or he wants to mention. 

    Ephesians 1:16 (NIV):

    “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”

    Romans 1:8 (NIV):

    “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.”

    Philemon 1:7 (NIV):

    “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.”

    The challenge of all of this then is to ask how we can give thanks for one another.  For the groups we are part of that support us and the things people do that inspire us. So some questions on being thankful.

    1. Have you ever won or been nominated for an award and if so what was it?
    1. When was the last time you told someone how thankful you were for them?
    1. Have you ever been in a group or organisation that did giving thanks well?
    1. How can we build thanksgiving for others into what we do with BFX?

    Photo by Vie Studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/thank-you-lettering-on-white-surface-4439457/

  • A question of cloisters!

    A question of cloisters!

    Hi everyone, this week we are meeting in the Enigma Tap at 7.30. Hope to see yo there.

    A few months ago, I had a chat with one of our BCFX family who’d had a really hard week.

    It got me thinking that a community like us has its benefits and downsides. And one of those downsides is that we are not always able to pick up when others are struggling. And that got me thinking about cloisters…

    George Lings wrote a book called “Seven sacred spaces”. He looked at the areas of a monastery and tried to map these onto our communities. Each has its own purpose; each is a part of the whole jigsaw of what a community needs to be whole, wholesome, and working. The spaces are: The Chapel for worship; the library (or scriptorium) for learning or passing on knowledge; the Cell for alone time with God; the chapter house for meetings and decision making; the garden for work; the refectory for food and hospitality; and the cloister for….?

    I’ve used this model a couple of times with churches to think about if they’re living a 360-community life and they find they can find things they do for most of the list (even if a little tenuous). However, people often find the refectory quite hard as church social events often don’t quite exude the idea of hospitality, and cloisters…

    The central part of a monastery has a rectangular courtyard. Rather than being a paved area you can cross diagonally, a cloister is a walkway around it. Now you may think that it’s a covered corridor to keep out of the rain, but it has a more subtle and intentional purpose. As you walk from space to space around the courtyard you must walk past those, you’re in community. You can’t avoid your companions. Maybe you’d wish to avoid them – then you are going to bump into them sooner or later. Maybe you are lonely, or down. Well, you cannot avoid seeing those who you share the space with. And if they know you well, they should pick up on it.

    To cloister (if you’ll pardon me using it as a verb) isn’t to keep hidden, it’s to be surprised by encounters with others and to come, unavoidably, face to face with each other. We cannot dodge our responsibility to see each other. To miss the opportunity to ask “How are you doing?”

    So, I want us to think about what cloister looks like in a community like ours. Our dispersed model is great for some things. It’s fantastic that we can dip in and out. But how do we make sure that we come face-to-face (in reality or virtually) and cloister together?

    Questions

    Tell us about the most surprising conversation/situation with another person you encountered over the summer?

    Have you ever experienced a cloister in a church? What was it like?

    Have you ever had a cloistering moment where you’ve bumped into someone and realised they are not OK, or bumped into someone you’d rather avoid?

    How do the Seven sacred spaces map onto BCFX?

    Are there any other spaces which we miss?

    How could we create a virtual cloister?

    Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

  • Sluice Sluice Wander – CHANGE OF PLAN!

    Sluice Sluice Wander – CHANGE OF PLAN!

    Change of plan tonight… now meeting at 7.30 in THE Quarry Pub – The weather has meant we need to postpone that walk!

    Hi folks, for our first week back after the summer break we are meeting at the slightly earlier time of 7.00pm for a walk near Seaton Sluice, meeting at the Kings Arms pub, we should be walking for just over an hour, we will also share in some of our liturgy as part of our time together. The walk is fairly easy with well marked footpaths. We will end up back in the pub for a drink to round off our first week back. I hope that you will be able to join us. Hope to see you there.

  • Green Weekender!

    Hi folks, i hope you are having a great summer, David and I have been involved in planning a Green Weekender. The Friday night is a gig at the Engine Room in North Shields which is highlighting local acts, and promises to be a great night. Its £8 and tickets and links to the artist spotify links can be found there so you can check them out… We also have Megan Pattie performing some of her poetry as well, we have worked with her before and is great! Tickets and info here

    Also on the Saturday we have a Green Market Place with local groups involved in climate and green issues taking part as well as buskers slots by two local artists. This is a pop in and you would be very welcome to join us.

  • Summer Walk!

    Summer Walk!

    UPDATE! Hi folks, I hope you are doing ok? This week we are mixing things up again… meeting at 6.15 at Tynemouth Metro to get the 6.25 metro along to Meadowell and then walk back to Tynemouth. We will be walking from the Metro station heading south for a few hundred yards and then pick up footpath which heads east through Smith’s Park and then south through the Royal Quays Water Park down to the Royal Quays Marina and Cruise Line Terminal. From Royal Quays we follow  cycle route 72 along the fish quay and up to Collingwood Monument returning to Tynemouth for a well earned bevvy.

    Its about 3.5 miles taking say 1hr 45 mins. The only climbing is at the end where we have to ascend from  Fish Quay to Tynemouth village.

    If you could let me know you are coming so we know who to wait for. 

    Peace Rob 

  • Where the Lost Things Go : All That’s Lost is Found

    Where the Lost Things Go : All That’s Lost is Found

    27th March : 6pm
    Meeting on Victoria Street, NE29 6TS (W3W props.copy.natively) walking to Minton Lane,
    NE29 6DQ, (W3W posts.maps.return. Approx 1.2miles 30mins round trip.

    EZEKIEL 37:1-14

    Journeying God of the lost things

    the dead things Can they live?

    Where do we see life?

    Where do we see hope?

    Where do we see need?

    Where have we uprooted?

    Moved away?

    Abandoned?

    Maybe in those places all that is lost, is found

    Amen

    Ezekiel was taken up by the Spirit to a valley full of bones. As he wandered amongst the bones he noticed a number of things. First, there was a lot of them. Second, they were very dry. This tells us that a lot of people died in this place to leave so many bones and the fact that they were dry means they had been lying there a long time.

    Now God asks Ezekiel a question, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel fires it back to God and tells him that only he would know if that was possible or not. God then instructs him to speak to the bones and that they would indeed live.

    As Ezekiel speaks to them they begin to come together. As the old song goes, Them bones, them bones, them dry bones… Oh hear the word of the Lord! Once the bones have taken on flesh, Ezekiel notices that although they are no longer dry and lying on the ground these bodies still do not live. God instructs him to speak breath into them and with this they come alive.

    The purpose of all of this is to show Ezekiel what God’s plan for the people of Israel is. They may feel that exiled in Babylon that they are like dry bones, and cut off from all hope. With God, though, nothing is beyond saving. It doesn’t matter how far gone or how impossible it seems; God can breath life into anything.

    We are staying in North Shields again this week and looking at three chapels. The first was situated not too far from where the chapel was on South Street.

    Dene Street Methodist chapel was a United Methodist Free chapel and seated between 300 and 550 (different accounts note different numbers). It stood from 1808 to 1921 when it was demolished. This whole area was cleared for the industrial complex that surrounded the banks of the time and the docks that would spring up.

    A little further in land stood Coach Lane Methodist Chapel, a Wesleyan chapel which was built around 1881 and closed around 1980. This building is still a church, having been renovated by the Iglesia Ni Christo in 2019.

    Finally we move out of the centre of North Shields to the Ridge Estate Mission. The Mission started in 1934 as a mission church. It held its meetings in the open air or in members’ homes. In 1939 a wooden hut on Minton Lane was bought and this acted as the chapel for a time. Later a permanent chapel was built close by in 1949 until the church closed in 1969.

    The Ridge Estate was built as a place for those to live who were displaced from slum clearances elsewhere in North Shields. Some of these people may have worshipped in places like Dene Street or South Street. Some, though, would have joined when they saw the open air meetings.

    Dry bones, closed chapels, ageing members, dwindling help. Can these things yet live? Maybe the question God asked Ezekiel is the questions God is asking us. Maybe our answer should be the same as Ezekiel’s… Sovereign Lord, you alone know!

    Questions to reflect on:

    1.What is your favourite season and why?
    2.What is the most remarkable thing you have ever witnessed?
    3.Have you ever questioned God’s ability to do something? What was it and why did you question?
    4.Which one of the below would you describe yourself as and why?
    a.Dry bones
    b.A body but lacking the breath that gives you life?
    c.Fully alive and raring to go?
    5.How would you describe the chapel you are part of?
    a.Dry bones
    b.A body but lacking the breath that gives you life?
    c.Fully alive and raring to go?
    6.Is there an area/building/place in your community that you look at and think, God could breathe new life into this place? Where is it and what do you think God could do?
    7. Ezekiel was shown this vision to give hope to the people of Israel in exile. What might be the thing God is showing/telling you to encourage others with?

  • A question of… the edge

    A question of… the edge

    Hi folks, I hope you are doing ok? This week we are meeting at the Enigma Tap at 7.30, I hope you can join us… It’s also my birthday! This week’s blog is kind of a big question… depending on how you view it, you will see what I mean as you read on.

     

    As I write this I’m still buzzing after being away for a singing weekend, it was sheer joy! Not only was it a rare space for Karen and I to attend something without being leaders, it enabled me to just be in the moment without worrying about other things.

     

    As I pondered on the weekend it struck me how people that I hardly knew and those that I didn’t know at all, are now becoming friends, of course friendship takes time and it’s not straightforward. But it felt comfortable to be around these folks, especially without any of the other strings connected to my roles at work. I think all of that is a blog in and of itself.

     

    But what I want to really think about is about ‘being on the edge’, what do I mean? Well, again I find myself on the edge of something new and burgeoning and I also find some similarities as to how I view ‘church’ and my spirituality. Lots of people connected to BFX I think are feeling or have felt a sense of being on the edge, edge of faith, edge of spirituality, edge of friendships, edge of relationships.

     

    It can of course be unnerving, as it’s hard to pinpoint where you belong, what you are, what you believe or don’t believe, who are your people, who aren’t your people. Navigating this can be tough, especially if you have been so used to being in and around the centre, at the centre you tend to take on the perceived truth, trivia and reality of the given situation, the power plays here can be exhausting. As you move towards the edge those things become a little less clear and ambiguous, maybe even unsatisfying.

     

    It is interesting to think about Jesus sending the disciples to ‘preach’ to the nations, to all creation – I wonder if Jesus was doing this to move the disciples out of the centre… to leave their security and the systems that they knew and understood, to leave their friendships and relationships to be pushed in to new spaces. We see some of this at play through Jesus’ instruction to not take anything with them (Mark 6:8) and to accept the hospitality and hostility of others. (Mark 6:10-11) I’m reminded of John Wesley and his crew, moving from the centre of the Church of England and going to the ordinary people, preaching in public spaces, here he had to deal with all sorts! Just as a caveat, I’m not advocating we should go and start preaching on the streets! It clearly met a desired need at the time, but it’s questionable at best today!

     

    The prophets also found themselves on the edge, they were neither in the centre or out of it all together, they were walking the realities between worlds. Jesus again talked about being ‘the gate’ (John 10:7-9) A place between the inside and the outside… on the edge.

     

    I wonder if being on the edge is actually a creative space to be? And maybe its a positive place to be, it might not feel like it of course, it can be tough and difficult, but I write this to encourage you, and me, to try and stay on the edge, to not try and disregard the centre or the other spaces on the other side of the centre, to walk in the in-between spaces, to see things from a wide view, to be in a liminal space.

     

    I wonder if on this edge there is a place of compassion for all, a place for understanding for those who hold different views and values to us. I wonder if on the edge new and burgeoning things can be birthed, lived out, new experiences embraced, even old things can be viewed differently, even creatively.

     

    I am beginning to wonder if that is why ‘Beachcomber’ resonates so strongly for me… to walk along the edge of the sand and the tide coming in and out, in that space new and old things can be brought into the light and uncovered.

     

    And so if you are not sure where you fit, who you are, where you belong, what you believe, maybe you are on the edge and you know what I think, you are amongst great company including prophets and dare I say even Jesus.

     

    Some questions

    • What physical edge scares/excites you?
    • What spaces/places do you feel at the centre?
    • Where do you feel on the edge?
    • How has this reflection resonated or not with you?
    • How do you feel about living on the edge being a place of compassion and creativity? 
    • A moment to ponder – Who do you know who are on the edge? Do they need support? 

     

    Peace, Rob

  • Where the Lost Things Go : Waiting Here Until it’s time to Show

    Where the Lost Things Go : Waiting Here Until it’s time to Show

    24th March : 1pm
    Meeting at the bottom of Howard Street, NE30 INZ (W3W adults.medium.poker) walking to
    Saville Street, NE29 6QW, (W3W spider.scars.audit). Approx 1.2miles 35mins round trip.

    1 KINGS 19:11-13

    Journeying God of the lost things

    We are often waiting

    waiting for a bus 

    waiting for test results

    Its often not comfortable to wait physically, mentally

    but wait we must

    We wait in the storm

    we wait in the noise

    We wait for the whisper

    Waiting there until it’s time to show

    up Amen

    Elijah is having a down day. Being a prophet for the creator God is not always an easy job to have. He has been rejected and ridiculed and he feels life isn’t really worth living. He tells God this and promptly falls asleep.

    Elijah then wakes up, eats and then sets off on one of those 40 day journeys that we find in the Bible. Having slept in a cave, he is awoken again by God who asks him why he is in this place. Elijah reminds God about how bad things are at the minute, and in response God tells him to go and stand on the mountain so he can pass by.

    As Elijah waits he is battered by a powerful wind, withstands the force of an earthquake and manages to escape a great fire. Then at the end of all the noise and energy of these three terrifying occurrences he hears a whisper, to which he responds.

    North Shields has been the heart of Methodism in North Tyneside for many years. We can find some of the earliest Methodist chapels in the town and much of what has happened in Cullercoats, Whitley Bay and beyond started in this busy port town.

    On Howard Street there was the Wesleyan Chapel that stood from 1807 till 1891 and seated 2000 people. Another early chapel was the United Methodist in Milburn Place which was built sometime before 1855 and closed sometime after 1914. This is said to have seated 440 people. It sat on South Street and overlooked the Tyne in what began as a very well off area of North Shields but eventually became a slum.

    Another early chapel was the wonderfully named Ranters Bank chapel on Union St. This was a Primitive chapel that stood from 1823-1861 when it moved to Saville St. A member noted when this new building went up that “So soon as a colliery was won, they all knew that a large number of people were collected together, and he was glad to be able to state that the difficulty of providing places of worship for them was speedily met by the earnestness and desire of the Dissenters to supply this want, as well as to do all they could to promote the religious instruction of the people.” Saville St lasted till 1930. When it closed the building became a Woolworths and is now a furniture shop.

    All in all there are maybe around another 4/5 Methodist chapels that sprang up in this small area of North Shields. We haven’t time to look at Howard Street Primitive (1856-1941), Linskill Street (1836-1969, may also be connected to Salem and Low Street) and we will pick up some others tomorrow. All in all there were around 10 chapels in the centre of North Shields between 1808 and 1980.

    The Methodist Church across the UK is facing some difficult questions. COVID has taken its toll and the cost of living crisis that has followed has heaped more pressure on the church from top to bottom. We can all look at what was and is and wonder what might be for the church where we live. Like Elijah we can feel like we are standing in the middle of a hurricane of noise and disorientation. Or like the very surface we stand on is shaking about us. Yet like Elijah we have to somehow wait and listen to try and discern the still small voice that comes to us through the noise and calls us on.

    Questions to reflect on

    1.What is the worst weather you have ever been caught in?
    2.What do you do to cheer yourself up when you are having a hard day?
    3.How would you describe your relationship with God in this moment?
    4.How does God communicate with you? Have you ever
    heard an audible voice? Is it through pictures? Or when you are reading? Or is it a feeling in your gut?
    5.Elijah goes on a 40 day journey between hearing God address him the first time and then again when he is in the cave. During that 40 days we have no idea if Elijah heard from God at all. Do you expect God to communicate with you everyday or do you feel more like Elijah with huge gaps between those moments?
    6.Elijah responds to the gentle whisper that comes to him. Do you think we too often look for big signs to know what God is doing?
    7.How can we get better at listening to the gentle whispers of those in our chapels, our communities and of God?