iGod

X Factor - pantomime

I woke up to find the UK not unexpectedly twittering about X Factor. The Twitter Trends Map showed the that 'Jedward' and X Factor have become national talking points.

Last night's judges' decision saw John and Edward and Lucie Jones go into 'Deadlock', which meant the public got to choose who would stayed in the talent competition. It  was nothing short of pantomime. We have a rags-to-riches story, songs, some dance, something for the kids, something for the adults. We have a goodie, two baddies and a fairy godmother in the unlikely shape of Simon Cowell.

However, unlike all good pantomimes where the fairy godmother is seen as light and beauty our fairy godmother, ours turned a little bit cynical and showed a dark side. 

Of course, before we all throw our remote controls at our television in disgust we do have to remember this all about entertainment. And the entertainment business is all about ratings. Quite simply you can't have a pantomime if you see off the villain half way through. It would suddenly become quite prosaic and dull.

Sometimes I wonder if the Christian life isn't more panto than serious life drama. It was mooted by the authors in God is Back that the Church is more powerful when it has opposition. When it doesn't it becomes complacent and weak. In other words, 'ratings' go down.

While we in the Church might complain against the wicked stepmother of Secularism or the evil old old witch of Other Religions, it is undoubtedly part of the story of the Church. We have our songs and script for this narrative and know ultimately it will have a happy ending. Meanwhile, it is all about perspective.

Although Church is not in the business of entertainment, perhaps it should learn to not take itself too serious and take an opportunity laugh at itself once in a while. After all, didn't the writer of Proverbs say something about laughter being the best medicine? (Proverbs 17:22)

ASD

Not just a Christmas fixture

It is easy to see the Salvation Army as just another traditional icon of Christmas on our high streets, but actually that does them a grave injustice. After the government, they are largest UK provider of social care.

I have a huge amount of respect for these guys in uniform. They still remain a radical army of God. And still hold to the principle of their founder William Booth of creating 'a church without walls'. We younger churches can learn a lot from them.

If you have time in the mad run up to Christmas, take a look at this article in the Guardian this week about a couple who have chosen to live on a less that desirable estate, Inspiring stuff.

Who can deny them the right to blow their own trumpet once in a while? Not me, for one.

ASD

Christmas plc

Our friend Helene sent us this Christmas card and I thought I would share it with our wider friends. Made me smile.

ASD

Crowning glory - a thought to start Advent

Firstly, huge apologies for the lack of posts of late. My double life of church planter at night and weekends and office worker by day has taken its toll. Perhaps, I am not superman after all.

In some sense it is a good problem to have, because it means, firstly, I still have a church to run and, secondly, I still have a job when so people around me are starting to lose theirs. Sober days.

In the midst of all this I had a thought as we begin the season called Advent. As the Fairtrade chocolate calendars go up in our house, I have been reflecting on our king lying in a manger, in a stable, in an unimpressive little town called Bethlehem. How often we can become desensitised to this amazing fact.

Recently, I heard a harrowing story of a church pastor who lives in a country that is openly hostile towards Christians and was beaten to within inches of his life.

This incredibly humble and brave man said something that touched me deep inside: "I always thought that we carry the cross and you in the West bear the crown." In other words, we have all the pain and you have all the blessing. He took it as read.

I must admit I hadn't seen our two contrasting worlds in quite those terms before, but it made me think that yes we do have it easy and our suffering is relative.

It needs to be said that the pastor wasn't being critical, just making a simple observation, but it got me thinking, wouldn't it be good if we could both carry the cross together and get to wear the crown?

So I find it a wonderful contradiction that a king can be born in an animal stable and his crown can later be made of twisted thorns. It is a far cry from the paper crowns we will probably all be wearing on Christmas Day.

We needn't beat ourselves up for having life easier, but just, perhaps, be aware and think of others who'll be celebrating the King's arrival in secret this year.

ASD

Pray Now, Buy Later

I saw this story about the Church of England's latest attempt to engage consumers in my Metro this morning and thought it had a really good website.

Christmas shoppers should 'pray now, buy later', the Church of England has urged in a campaign to revive Christian traditions of the festive season.

The advent period before Christmas should be a time of reflection and contemplation but has been 'squeezed' by consumer pressures, the Church said at the launch of its website, whywearewaiting.com.

The website offers an online advent calendar, podcasts, seasonal reflections and Christmas tips.

A worthy effort.

ASD

Reclaiming Christmas from rampant consumerism

There's an interesting article on Ekklesia's site about Abbot Christopher Jamison, star of the BBC television series The Monastery, who has warned that rampant consumer culture is taking over people's moral purpose, and must be tackled in order to address climate change.

"Even our souls are now consumerised and marketing is taking over not only our material imagination but also our spiritual imagination."

He talks about how our higher purpose is being redefined in earthly terms, rather than spiritually.

"Having saturated the world of our material needs, consumerism is now taking over our need for cultural goods such as music, entertainment and even moral purpose."

He cited the example of a section of Nike's website, called 'Addicts Gallery', in which runners talk about sport as their "higher purpose".

The monk is really quite outspoken about these things, but, hey, someone has got to say it.

As Christmas now fast approaches his words are worth reflecting on.

ASD

Happy Christmas from the Grinch and me!

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!"

The Grinch, Dr Suess

Have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year. God's blessings.

ASD

O Call Emmanuel!

Saw this on David Hayward's blog and thought it was quite amusing.

Made me wonder if there was an ringtone called Silent Night that just played in vibrate mode, but, of course, that would be just plain silly.

ASD

Mince pies and the meaning of Christmas...sort of

Are you someone who takes their food for granted?

For instance, is a mince pie just a mince pie to you or does it transcend you into the heavenly realm?  No I am not referring to NIgella Lawson or Delia Smith's Christmas culinary recipes, but something with a higher significance.

We started eating the tasty little things at Christmas right back in Tudor times; they represented the Nativity.  The contents of the mince pies were seen as the gifts of the three wise men.  While the pie, itself, represents the manger.  They also made a pastry baby which was laid in the cradle, which was, of course, Jesus.

But that old spoilt sport Oliver Cromwell, who was probably not a barrel of laughs to invite to your New Year's Eve party, decided that it was all very papal and forbade its eating and saw that they had no place in his Puritan England.

Thus, they became illegal to eat on Christmas Day. And they are still illegal to eat today. It is one law that has never been revoked. But I shouldn't worry if you now feeling you have suddenly join the ranks of the criminal fraternity. I suspect our 'boys in blue' have bigger fish to fry at this time - if that is not mixing my metaphors too much.

Coming back to Cromwell, there does seem to be some agreement among historians that he could have been partly right, as there is evidence that similar pies where placed on church altars by women desperate to become pregnant. Mince pies were, therefore, not just symbolic but efficacious.

Another tradition has it that mince pies should have a star on top to represent the magi being led to Jesus by a guiding star.

Then there is the one that they should be ate in silence.  Like that is going to happen with excited children at Christmas time.

For me this is all getting a bit much.  I just want to scoff one then another and another, and washed  them all down with a glass of mulled wine. Maybe we should just eat our mince pies and be thankful without getting religious about our food.  But then, forgive me, I never was much of a sacramentalist.

I am happy to just have the bread and wine at Communion.  Even on Christmas Day with the Roast Turkey and all the trimmings it is still the best meal in the world.

ASD

A couple of present ideas

Those nice people at New Wine have just sent me a copy of their live recording of the worship sessions at this year’s summer event. Named eponymously Cry Freedom, it is a double CD, packed with 22 tracks featuring the songs of Canada’s Brian Doerkson, Trent Vineyard’s Nigel Briggs, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, South African Brenton Brown and rising talent from Vineyard USA, Jeremy Riddle.

Again, the New Wine team bring a high calibre of worship music from still one of the best ways to spend a week’s summer holiday.

Vineyard Records UK tell us they are:

"Recordings from both North and South, brought together to reflect the movement of God through His people, to capture what it feels like to experience Big Event worship, to be rejuvenated, refuelled and reinspired."

And if you haven’t got Jeremy’s album Full Attention you really should put it on your Christmas wish list as well. It has become one of my fave worship albums of the year. His song Sweetly Broken continues to touch me deeply, whether I sing it in a small group setting with a simple acoustic guitar or at a large Sunday gathering. Yup, the contemporary worship music scene continues to find inspiration to draw us into the presence of Jesus. Nice one, guys. Thanks.

Both of these albums are available Vineyard Records UK, along with other gift ideas. Or am I being too worthy? Yeh, probably.

ASD