Thursday, February 25, 2010

A Thousand Tiny Thoughts Shatter

At the weekend I went to the SCM conference (http://www.movement.org.uk) and was hit hard by a wave of challenge. As Coralie (http://coralfrog.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/to-care-is-not-enough/) writes, to care is not enough any more. This time I find myself in demands action as the most effective most startling form of witness, worship and praise

I've been searching, crawling and calling out to God for my vocation. Jealous in my own way of those called to serve like Tom, up the front in ordained ministry, and wanting to feel satisfied with life. I went to conference searching and listening loudly.

God was there yelling at me.

In the first talk from Michael Taylor, alongside being blinded by the science of theology, I hit upon the need to refine my own personal views of vocation. It's more than job title, or a place in society, its who I was created to be, and who I already am. Within the cycle of reflection and action I am striving to build the Kingdom of God.

Tamsin Omond's talk about her own journey from candidate for ordination to climate change activism was inspiring and defined for me the need to bring God's good new to the whole earth, not just it's people. In doing this we can help support the people who are getting screwed over by climate change. I'm not a stand on the rooftops and shout kind of person like Tamsin, but it did make me hurtfully aware of what I need to do to make a difference. Cue a week of looking for ways to save energy at home, to generate our own energy, avoid packaging, waste and unnecessary journeys.

I attended workshops on New Monasticism and Revolution in Society. The first helped validate the work of the Chaplaincy community and through up questions about how you manage being a community of faith and work in the real world to serve your wider community. A conversation with Simon/Yellow (http://darksidechaplaincy.blogspot.com) last night reinforced the need for this. There needs to be the core chaplaincy community of welcome and love, but that also needs to look outward and serve the university.

Chris Howson's workshop revolution and social action has stuck with me the most. (http://www.bradfordsoulspace.org/) It is not enough just to care any more. I spent the our feeling convicted by this man's spirit of love and action. His parish take in and care for refugees, barricade Total garages in support of Burmese students and are there living a live of real love for their community building God's kingdom right here and right now.

I'm not doing this. Not in a big enough way. So I'm going to change. Open my life to serve the needs of those around me and listen more closely for where God wants me to work. Let's see where this takes me.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

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