by emma | Feb 13, 2007 | Faith
About time I got another post up here, process some more…
Andrew lead a conversation on dangerous living as it impacts new communities. We looked at Luke 10:1-10, specifically paying close attention to the verbs. The verb I noticed most was ‘eat‘ – that in this context it’s not us giving away food, but becoming a beggar and accepting someone else’s food.
Andrew talked about how ministry is shaped by whose house it happens in. In Luke 10, the party is held in Matthews house, not some church building or whatever. Matthew already has the relationships with the tax collectors, so its the most logical place to hold the party. We often find this style difficult as we aren’t in control then – if we are in control, we can determine what it looks like, but sometimes (usually!) it’s wiser to let the kingdom stuff happen among the people where it is already stirring, rather than trying to force it happen on our terms.
This also ties in with the progression in Luke 10… As people become more comfortable, needs become obvious, which provides opportunities to share / explain the Gospel.
Loved Brodie’s comment:
“What we need is not a bigger flat, but a bigger mind”
In the afternoon I was in Mark’s conversation on the emerging church and the poor… quite a difficult conversation due to the size of the group! I know it put me off expressing opinions somewhat. Someone talked about how we often would rather do that which is glamorous than that which is necessary. Do we really want to help the poor, or do we just want to be able to say we help the poor? Good question.
Pete talked about this kind of “parallex view” – we can see the hurt and pain on CNN but we look out the window and everything looks fine. We know what’s happening in our heads, but how do we reconcile these things?
“Would Jesus want us to be more nice or more angry?”
Brodie was in both the conversations I was too, you can check out his thoughts on them here.
We shared communion together before enjoying a intimate concert by Aaron Espe and Juliet Turner (who was also with us for the weekend).
Sunday entailed an early-morning walk along the White Rocks beach with Jim, who used nature to remind us of God’s heart for the broken, for us. Andrew posted a short video of it here, and Chris blogged on it here.
by emma | Feb 11, 2007 | Music
Stuff I’m listening to right now…
e.s.t. – generally!
The gig last night was good (though I’m not so sure I like the songs that are purely synthesiser) Will have some pictures up on my Flickr sometime in the next week.
Viktoria Tolstoy – Love Is Real
She supported e.s.t. last night, along with the Jacob Karlzon Trio. (Billed as the Viktoria Tolstoy Quartet) She was quite amazing actually! Her voice is great, and Jacob Karlzon on the keys was stunning… would like to get some more of their music.
Rosie Thomas – These Friends Of Mine
I downloaded just this one song, I’d like the album now though! Heard of her through a blog post, where she was described as,
“just sublime. feels like the sound of wanting to touch another’s fingertips with your own with tentativeness and tenderness and the sadness that you can’t, or won’t, for fear you would lose your soul to love…”
Which I think is a very adequate description!
by emma | Feb 10, 2007 | Music
This evening I’m off to see my favourite band… soo excited!
e.s.t. are playing in the Fruitmarket in Glasgow tonight. I remember finding out they were playing in Belfast about a year and a half ago… I found out the night before, and unfortunately had to work! Ally also likes e.s.t, and was pretty annoyed at having to miss the gig too, if I remember correctly!
I love their song ‘Dolores In A Shoestand’ from their latest album, Tuesday Wonderland.
by emma | Feb 8, 2007 | Everything Else, Faith
Some stuff I’m interested in / reading / thinking about / acting on at the minute:
The Still Small Voices blog is sharing stories of asylum in the UK, well worth checking out. This is a big thing in university at the minute too, as asylum seekers are being forced to pay international student fees if they want to study.
Awaiting the release of Black Gold, the film adaptation of a book (of the same name) I read last summer. Starbucks are getting some pretty bad press because of how they are treating their Ethopian coffee farmers. Oxfam have a campaign to make Starbucks pay fairer happening now.
Also awaiting the release of Amazing Grace, a film telling the story of William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery… but there are still so many people in slavery…
600,000-800,000 men, women and children trafficked across international borders each year. Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors.
[US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2005]
Stop The Traffik are campaigning against this, check them out.
I have some friends involed in the “The Truth Isn’t Sexy” campaign, which is attempting to raise awareness of sex trafficking. They designed and printed a load of beermats which are going into as many pubs, clubs and bars as they can get them into. I heard recently that the NUS has agreed to put them into 100 university students unions, which is great. If you want to get involved, for example, get some beermats to take to your local, get in touch with me (leave a comment is probably easiest!) and I’ll forward your info to the appropriate people!
by emma | Feb 7, 2007 | Everything Else
A stand-out comment from Soliton that is haunting my thoughts…
“We can build missiles but we don’t sleep with our secretaries.”
[Gareth Higgins]
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