Christian, ever feel lost? Worried no-one is singing for you? [Blog]

If, like me, you grew up in a Church Culture that emphasised the need to 'make a decision' for Jesus, or 'come to faith, or 'turn to Christ,' you may have a particular blind spot to something that really arrested me this morning.

As I checked my Lectionary (calendar of readings for the year), I was taken to Luke 15. Immediately, my heart sank a little: the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15:1-10). I feel like this has been preached at me dozens and dozens of times (it may of course be that I imagine this has happened!). In my childhood the purpose of this parable was simple: it illustrates that we must repent, for that is when the angels in heaven will be singing. As Jesus says, "there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent." And later, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (vv.7, 10)

And that's the deal, yeah?

When a person prays the prayer, or comes to faith, or responds to the altar call, when they do that for the first time - the angels are rejoicing.

It's like heaven is a huge office with angels and the like beavering about on the phone, and every once in a while there's this cry, "Hold one everyone! Yes...we've just heard news, Terry has become a Christian!" And there's these whoops and cheers as the counter ticks over one more number. And some office intern hits a button and this choir is revealed to sing the Hallelujah Chorus, but is quickly ushered away back behind a curtain.

(Now please don't mistake me - Heaven and Earth care about individuals coming to faith - we're in the business of encouraging people to come to God, come to

Jesus, come to life. And this does require decisions.)

However, and here's my point: if the parable refers only to starting faith, what relevance does it have for me?

Perhaps, just perhaps, Jesus is reminding me that every time in my daily life I repent, I turn from one way of thinking, acting, behaving, and I recommit to a life as God's child - not my own master - whenever I do this, whenever I repent - there is rejoicing in heaven.

Heaven delights when it sees us following Jesus. This is why the angels are forever singing - there are Christians all over the world at this very moment rededicating themselves.

But it is not as though this praise is simply a recognition of my work. They don't sing praises to me, as if they go, "well done Rolf, you've chosen the right path again!" In fact, it is God who says that, like a parent - but it's much MUCH more about the angels delighting in the one who sought me out - the Shepherd or the Woman who lost her coins.

The praise in heaven is simultaneously about the Lover and the Loved - the Shepherd and the Sheep.

Be encouraged this day, that the angels and heaven delight and sing praises to God whenever and wherever you repent and turn back to Christ. You are never too lost or too broken - you are always being sought and loved by God.

Do you celebrate Saints' Days?

Do you celebrate Saints' Days?

Now it seems to me there'll be one of three possible responses to this question:
- A shrug of complete indifference...Saints whats??
- A whole-hearted embracing of all things saintly, including devotion and prayers to Saints, or
- A robust refusal marked by a clear appeal to Christ the only mediator, etc etc...

Why should this matter?

Well one feature of Anglicanism I have come to appreciate over the years is the calendar of saints days, holy days, commemorations and special days of focus.

I've written elsewhere of my deep admiration of various saints (Hugh of Lincoln, Henry Martyn, Charles Simeon...) but whilst enjoying the kind of 'who's who,' I've always struggled to understand what their role is in worship.

Today, 28 October, we celebrate Simon and Jude, Disciples and Apostles listed in the Gospels as two of the twelve closest companions of Jesus. While there was certainly a wider retinue of disciples and supporters who travelled around with Jesus, something different took place in the relationship with Jesus and his 12 Apostles.

On these Festival days we are encouraged to remember the sacrifice of the Apostles. Of the twelve original Disciples we know one, Judas Iscariot, committed suicide. According to tradition, only John survived to old age. Each of the other ten Disciples were martyred - killed for their faith.

These ordinary men from diverse backgrounds were so convinced of the Lordship of Jesus, that he had not only died but had risen from the dead, so convinced of God's love for the world that they went (allegedly) to different regions to preach the Good News.

Of today's saints, Simon, who is described as 'the Zealot', is believed to have died in Persia after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.

Judas, sometimes called Thaddeus or Judas Thaddeus, has often been over-looked in devotions. His name being similar to Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus - hence the suicide), people were reluctant to invoke his name. When he was prayed to it was often as a last resort. Hence the custom that one prays to St Jude to find lost items for he is the patron saint of lost causes! According to tradition, Jude was martyred in Beirut around 65AD together with the Apostle Simon the Zealot. He's depicted carrying an axe - the object that killed him!

Here of course, is revealed a problem with these traditions: conflicting accounts of where and how Apostles died. Did Simon die in Persia or Syria?

Of course, we cannot know with any certainty. Nor indeed can we speculate with confidence about their current location. Some believe the saints are in God's very presence now, while we toil below. Others see saints as no more special than any other human and are, therefore, very much dead and buried until the final days when we will all be raised. For the latter group, praying to saints is ineffective - they cannot intercede on our behalf. For the former, the opposite is true.

Here is not the place to explore this theological conundrum, except to say that in my own devotions I have grown comfortable praying about the saints. I am frequently moved and inspired by the stories of lives given in service of God. Many of these individuals were not inherently special, just ordinary.

The Apostles were probably the most normal, ordinary unremarkable bunch compared to almost every saint that follows - not least as they laid down the template of loving service.

So what?

Well, firstly, let us pay particular attention to the Saints' Days of the Apostles scattered through the year:

1 May - Philip and James (the less)
29 Jun - Peter (and Paul)
3 Jul - Thomas
25 Jul - James (brother of John)
24 Aug - Bartholomew
21 Sep - Matthew
28 Oct - Simon (the Zealot) and Jude
30 Nov - Andrew
27 Dec - John (brother of James)

Don't forget, Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple, doesn't have a day, and (yes) there are other 'Apostles' who are celebrated through the year, but these eleven are the original crew!

Secondly, use these days for whatever helps you remember their sacrifice. As these are festivals you may even want to develop little traditions that help you keep their memory vivid for the day. Be joyful and celebrate. Find some food that can help you? Or maybe visit churches with the name of the saint?

I enjoy tagging all my friends on Facebook  with the names of the Apostles - it can generate some interesting conversations!

Thirdly, and finally, it is important to use these days of celebration to fuel our own service. The collects (special prayers for the day, pronounced "COL-ect") help me.

Today's is:

Almighty God,who built your Church upon the foundationof the apostles and prophets,with Jesus Christ himself as the chief cornerstone:so join us together in unity of spirit by their doctrine,that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you;through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of  witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Hebrews 12:1

Curacy Announcement

Today's the day!

After 8 months, I can finally announce that I will be serving my curacy in the parish of ST LUKE THE EVANGELIST, Beeston Hill and Holbeck, Leeds. We'll be moving back to Yorkshire this summer, specifically to LS11!

My Training Incumbent (TI) who is like a kind of boss/mentor/lead vicar, is a brilliant chap called Alistair Kaye (read about him here, here and here). He's easily one of the main reasons I was drawn to this curacy.

Because, and if we're honest, this part of Leeds we're moving to is not Cuddesdon, rural Oxfordshire! It's a vibrant, diverse, exciting, challenged and challenging place to live. And the church is doing some amazing work and it's going to be a place of huge opportunity and blessing - we're looking forward to joining in with all that God's already doing. To give you a sense of the challenges you can look at this useful info provided by the Church Urban Fund. If you're really interested you might also consider a recent documentary about the decriminalised red-light zone in Holbeck, part of the parish. It's pretty uncompromising, and by no means a reflection of all the area has to offer(!) Indeed, there's been lots of investment and good intentions about south Leeds.

It's a funny old process announcing where you've been sent to serve your curacy. Well...when I say 'your' curacy...in my case it's 'our' curacy, as in me, Jen (my wife) and our boys.

Well...I say sent to 'our' curacy when in fact what I should say is: I am sent, my family follow. They might even say 'dragged.' It's a very hard process, one I'm not sure I've got quite right.

And above all, announcing the curacy begins, somewhat formally, the process of mentally connecting with a new place, community, church and activities. I am very excited about where we're going. Excited and nervous.

It's days like these when I think about being both excited and giddy for the future and service, whilst also considering the cost and sacrifice to my family.

The old faithful verses come back to mind:

"I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:10-13)

And:

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:16f.)