Hi folks, I hope you are well, we have been back at work after our week off. We both had a great time away and a chance to chill and relax… it was very much needed, particularly in these strange times!
Once again we will be meeting on Zoom… the link for that will be posted in the usual places, if you don’t get those messages and want to be involved then please let me know.
Also next Sunday we will be talking about a podcast. I will post a link to this on Monday so you have enough time to listen to it before next week.
This week I started an online course with the Methodist Church about planting churches online. One of the speakers Rev. Elaine Heath is a theologian living in an alternative community in the States. She has really helped me over the years in some of my thinking. In her opening remarks she used a series of phrases I have heard her say several times and each time I say to myself… ‘OOOO that’s good’ only for it to drop out of my mind… this time though, I wrote them down… Whoop!
So here they are…
- Show up
- Pay attention
- Cooperate with God
- Release the outcome
When I read these, I feel like the first two are ‘easy’ and over the years we have looked at them at Sunday@thepub… ‘show up’ for me means being fully present in the moment and that helps you to ‘pay attention’. In BFX we have used the phrase ‘everyday positive moments’ and ‘Altars in the world’. We do though need to keep practising these things.
The other two are a little harder, nevertheless I think they may be important. What could ‘cooperate with God’ mean? For me this is about another phrase that is sometimes used ‘see where God is working and join in’ – working with situations and/or people you feel or sense could lead to something… this may be finding a person of peace?
The last phrase ‘release the outcome’ could be much harder as I think this is about taking action. Not just sitting on it and thinking about it… but doing it.
So some questions…….
What has been the best thing about this last week? (pay attention)
In the places you have been and the things you have done this week, where should you have shown up… and where did you REALLY show up?
What do you think cooperate with God actually means?
What do you understand release the outcome to mean? How do we do this as a community?
Peace, Rob
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
