I spent part of the weekend at the Willow Creek Association Global Summit in Coventry. Over the course of 2 days we heard from 10 speakers many of whom were giving talks which were linked to their recently published books. The summit was about leadership and was applicable to commercial, not for profit and church contexts.
As with all these type of events one tends to suffer from information overload by the end of two days but it is always interesting to discover a couple of days later the ideas and thoughts that have resurfaced and will be of future use and worth greater reflection.
One of the speakers, Jim Collins, spoke about a study which he had undertaken to identify the factors that made projects or organisations succeed where others failed. He referred to a comparative study of Scott and Amundsen and their respective expeditions to the South Pole.
One of the key features in Amundsen's success was his use of dogs to pull supplies on sleds. Scott had used untested new technology, the motorbike and then resorted to using ponies. The motorbikes could not cope with the extreme temperatures and neither could the ponies. The result was that the men in Scott's expedition had to pull their own sleds.
As part of his preparation Amundsen went to live with Eskimos. He learnt from people who were used to living in extreme cold how they lived, what tools and technologies they used and how to survive and thrive in a frozen wasteland.
He discovered that dogs were the most reliable method of transport and ideally suited to the cold conditions.
There were other key differences i their approaches. Interestingly, Amundsen decided that whatever the weather or conditions his team would walk 20 miles each day. This thorough research before the project and the steady progress once the project commenced, together with other similar strategic preparations and decisions, resulted in success.
I have been challenged to find my own 'Eskimos' in connection with some of the more challenging and innovative aspects of my work. I have also been thinking about the need to pace oneself and be realistic about what can be achieved each day in order to get there be back without risking health and wholeness.
Do you need to find some Eskimos, people who have gone before you, people who have experience and expertise that you can learn from and use?
Monday 15 October 2012
Monday 1 October 2012
Why I'm not blogging more
So officially I'll tell you that I'm far too busy to find time to blog. I do just about manage to share some thoughts and ideas once a month but I really don't have time to do more than this.
However, this really isn't true. The main reason I don't blog more is that when I think of the issues that are bouncing round in my mind they really don't seem to be the sort of thing that should be shared. Generally my thoughts are about the frustrations of life, the disappointments, the things that I wish were better or improved and the things that make me feel trapped and inadequate.
I've concluded that my head is a fairly negative place and sharing what's going on inside isn't terribly uplifting or helpful. I try to tweet and Facebook cheerfully but to write more than a 140 characters of cheerfulness is a little daunting sometimes!
Being this honest with myself and you must be a good thing. Is honest sharing better than not sharing? Is it better just to share that which encourages and builds others up?
On the plus side I do seem to have found some fairly positive things to say at least once a month for almost a year. A friend told me that they always remember one thing that made them smile and one kindness that they had experienced each night before going to sleep. I need to encourage her to start blogging!
So I want to express my gratitude to those who blog regularly with humour, courage and warmth - thank you!
However, this really isn't true. The main reason I don't blog more is that when I think of the issues that are bouncing round in my mind they really don't seem to be the sort of thing that should be shared. Generally my thoughts are about the frustrations of life, the disappointments, the things that I wish were better or improved and the things that make me feel trapped and inadequate.
I've concluded that my head is a fairly negative place and sharing what's going on inside isn't terribly uplifting or helpful. I try to tweet and Facebook cheerfully but to write more than a 140 characters of cheerfulness is a little daunting sometimes!
Being this honest with myself and you must be a good thing. Is honest sharing better than not sharing? Is it better just to share that which encourages and builds others up?
On the plus side I do seem to have found some fairly positive things to say at least once a month for almost a year. A friend told me that they always remember one thing that made them smile and one kindness that they had experienced each night before going to sleep. I need to encourage her to start blogging!
So I want to express my gratitude to those who blog regularly with humour, courage and warmth - thank you!
Saturday 8 September 2012
Generosity and thankfulness
One encounters many different people in life and I have recently become fascinated by the completely different experiences that those who are generous have when compared with those who are mean.
I am not just talking about financial or material generosity, although that is clearly part of it, I am also thinking of those who are generous with their time, their skills and knowledge. As well as those who are generous enough to really take pleasure and delight in the success and achievements of others.
Generous people are a pleasure to be with. Time spent with them brings life and energy and an increased sense of well being. Time spent with those who are not generous so often has the opposite effect.
Those who are in the habit of giving generously also tend to be people who are quick to express their gratitude to others. I have noticed that people who tend to hold onto what they have and do not approach life with a generous spirit are slow to be thankful, grateful or pleased for others. Being generous comes at a personal cost which those who practice generosity would be aware of and I suspect that it is this knowledge that results in their gratitude and thankfulness when they receive generous gifts from others.
It is said that the best things in life are free but I disagree. I think the best things in life come from those with generous spirits, who don't count the cost of their generosity, those who give willingly and receive thankfully. Things of real value in life do require an investment of time and effort and while these things are often without monetary cost there is personal cost with choices having to be made about how to spend time and resources. Think about friendships, family relationships, knowledge, skills, fitness - all of these things require an investment of time, energy and sometimes other resources.
I think that most worthwhile things come at a price, they cost someone something even if they cost us nothing to receive and enjoy.
I am not just talking about financial or material generosity, although that is clearly part of it, I am also thinking of those who are generous with their time, their skills and knowledge. As well as those who are generous enough to really take pleasure and delight in the success and achievements of others.
Generous people are a pleasure to be with. Time spent with them brings life and energy and an increased sense of well being. Time spent with those who are not generous so often has the opposite effect.
Those who are in the habit of giving generously also tend to be people who are quick to express their gratitude to others. I have noticed that people who tend to hold onto what they have and do not approach life with a generous spirit are slow to be thankful, grateful or pleased for others. Being generous comes at a personal cost which those who practice generosity would be aware of and I suspect that it is this knowledge that results in their gratitude and thankfulness when they receive generous gifts from others.
It is said that the best things in life are free but I disagree. I think the best things in life come from those with generous spirits, who don't count the cost of their generosity, those who give willingly and receive thankfully. Things of real value in life do require an investment of time and effort and while these things are often without monetary cost there is personal cost with choices having to be made about how to spend time and resources. Think about friendships, family relationships, knowledge, skills, fitness - all of these things require an investment of time, energy and sometimes other resources.
I think that most worthwhile things come at a price, they cost someone something even if they cost us nothing to receive and enjoy.
Monday 13 August 2012
Going it alone
I have been surprised at how very much I have enjoyed the Olympics! I am not a big sports' fan and do not tend to watch much sport on TV (unlike the other members of my family!) but since the wonder of the opening ceremony I have found myself more often than not glued to the coverage or scouring the papers for the results of events that I missed.
What has impressed me most is the humanity of the games. Competitors pushing themselves physically, emotionally and mentally to achieve their best. Yet while only the competitor can compete there are coaches, supporters, family and friends behind the scenes who have been there throughout and who are living each moment of the competition as if they themselves were competing.
Success or failure results in competitors weeping in the arms of those who love and support them. During interviews most paid tribute to family, friends, coaches and supporters. It was touching how many athletes in the closing ceremony were trying to convey messages of thanks and love to their families and noticeably their mothers!
Mo Farah spoke of the loneliness of training and the weeks spent away from his family. How strange that this lonely preparation plays out on a global stage and now the medalists have become household names, people we feel we have a connection with and who are know to us.
This caused me to reflect how this mirrors life. How so often our greatest struggles have to been faced alone and only we can undertake the necessary prepare but there are those who are there for us as coaches, friends and family. Those willing us on, cheering from the sidelines, checking the stop watch, holding a towel or bottle of chilled water. Success in life is knowing what you need to do alone and what others can help you with. It is also about knowing when it is your turn to be the competitor or when you need to offer support or be a "running partner". Life is a balance of going it alone while at the same time being part of a team.
What has impressed me most is the humanity of the games. Competitors pushing themselves physically, emotionally and mentally to achieve their best. Yet while only the competitor can compete there are coaches, supporters, family and friends behind the scenes who have been there throughout and who are living each moment of the competition as if they themselves were competing.
Success or failure results in competitors weeping in the arms of those who love and support them. During interviews most paid tribute to family, friends, coaches and supporters. It was touching how many athletes in the closing ceremony were trying to convey messages of thanks and love to their families and noticeably their mothers!
Mo Farah spoke of the loneliness of training and the weeks spent away from his family. How strange that this lonely preparation plays out on a global stage and now the medalists have become household names, people we feel we have a connection with and who are know to us.
This caused me to reflect how this mirrors life. How so often our greatest struggles have to been faced alone and only we can undertake the necessary prepare but there are those who are there for us as coaches, friends and family. Those willing us on, cheering from the sidelines, checking the stop watch, holding a towel or bottle of chilled water. Success in life is knowing what you need to do alone and what others can help you with. It is also about knowing when it is your turn to be the competitor or when you need to offer support or be a "running partner". Life is a balance of going it alone while at the same time being part of a team.
Monday 23 July 2012
Changing Times
Life is a series of changes and transitions, some of which we choose for ourselves others are chosen for us. Sometimes we embrace the change, other times we resist it and cannot foresee positive outcomes. Either way change brings its own stresses as we move from something that is familiar and comfortable to something that is new and unfamiliar. Any change involves leaving something and often someone behind and launching into the unknown. Sometimes we can imagine that unknown place or situation, we can even be convinced that it is right place to move to, but essentially we have no idea what it is really like or how being there will really feel until we have taken that step of leaving one place and then entering the other.
Usually we do not really know what we have left behind until we have left it, to quote the singer Joni Mitchell "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone". Often it is the unexpected things that we miss and sometimes we grieve those losses. The last 10 days have involved three such changes. In many ways it feels like a lot in a short space of time!
I have said goodbye to someone who I have only known a short time but who I am privileged to count as a friend due to that person relocating for work. I have attended the funeral of a lovely man who died aged 94 and who I was also a privileged to count as a friend. In both cases I was pleased for them that they have moved on to better things, the latter forever. Yet in my delight for them I am already sad for myself that they are not part of the everyday pattern of my life as they once were.
As well as goodbyes to individuals we are also saying another goodbye. As a family we are moving Churches and yesterday was our last Sunday at the Church we have attended for almost 10 years. We have been open with everyone for a number of months about our thoughts and sense that it is time to move on. So we are in the comfortable position of leaving openly and with a sense of mutually blessing one another in this leaving process. Formal goodbyes and prayers for one another have been said and friendships continue but it isn't the same as being in that comfortable place with familiar people and it will take time to replace that sense of belonging that we are moving from in the place that we are going to.
Endings are not easy, goodbye is often tinged with sadness and a sense of loss. Those new places are as yet undiscovered and give rise to a sense of excitement and anxiety. A wiseman once said "if you want to walk on water you've got to step out of the boat". I totally agree and by nature am fairly up for change and taking risks but I have enjoyed this chance to pause and share through blogging that the courage it takes to get out of the boat comes at a price and is part of a bigger picture and a journeying process.
I am also aware that many of you are facing situations which are forcing you out of your own boat due to an unexpected change of circumstances and for you the courage and emotional energy needed to deal with the transition and change is so very much greater. Be kind to yourselves and take time to pause and acknowledge how you're feeling.
Usually we do not really know what we have left behind until we have left it, to quote the singer Joni Mitchell "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone". Often it is the unexpected things that we miss and sometimes we grieve those losses. The last 10 days have involved three such changes. In many ways it feels like a lot in a short space of time!
I have said goodbye to someone who I have only known a short time but who I am privileged to count as a friend due to that person relocating for work. I have attended the funeral of a lovely man who died aged 94 and who I was also a privileged to count as a friend. In both cases I was pleased for them that they have moved on to better things, the latter forever. Yet in my delight for them I am already sad for myself that they are not part of the everyday pattern of my life as they once were.
As well as goodbyes to individuals we are also saying another goodbye. As a family we are moving Churches and yesterday was our last Sunday at the Church we have attended for almost 10 years. We have been open with everyone for a number of months about our thoughts and sense that it is time to move on. So we are in the comfortable position of leaving openly and with a sense of mutually blessing one another in this leaving process. Formal goodbyes and prayers for one another have been said and friendships continue but it isn't the same as being in that comfortable place with familiar people and it will take time to replace that sense of belonging that we are moving from in the place that we are going to.
Endings are not easy, goodbye is often tinged with sadness and a sense of loss. Those new places are as yet undiscovered and give rise to a sense of excitement and anxiety. A wiseman once said "if you want to walk on water you've got to step out of the boat". I totally agree and by nature am fairly up for change and taking risks but I have enjoyed this chance to pause and share through blogging that the courage it takes to get out of the boat comes at a price and is part of a bigger picture and a journeying process.
I am also aware that many of you are facing situations which are forcing you out of your own boat due to an unexpected change of circumstances and for you the courage and emotional energy needed to deal with the transition and change is so very much greater. Be kind to yourselves and take time to pause and acknowledge how you're feeling.
Saturday 30 June 2012
Too busy ... to blog!
I've been too busy recently, entirely my own fault! I've been doing lots of worthwhile things and rather neglecting myself and the things which are actually most important to me. Since I stopped working in a law firm and operating within the usual pattern of working 9 to 5 I have found it very difficult to create a sensible working framework within my week. It's disturbing how often I have to check myself, review priorities and make changes.
My thoughts turned to this very issue when I was asked to give one of the Tuesday Talks in Birmingham Cathedral in the current series on the Ten Commandments for the Workplace. The title was Keeping a Balance and my topic was the fourth commandment, "to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy". I have to confess to feeling a little hypocrital as I stood in front of others this week to talk about taking Sabbath and rest!
I'm not talking about keeping Sunday special (although that may not be a bad idea) rather, I have been reflecting on having regular time to relax, rest and reflect. So my promise to myself is to prioritise Sabbath times. Time to remember who I am in the context of the created world and who I am in Christ. I will endeavour to create Sabbath times with four aims in mind:
First, rest – simply to recharge my batteries, to get a bit more sleep, to move a bit more slowly. I was very entertained by something the Dean of Birmingham Cathedral tweeted a couple of weeks ago which read as follows; “Day off: pleasures of exercise, but really can’t run, try “power walking” but whats difference between this and hurrying?” For some people power walking would be perfectly restful but for many it's wouldn't be!
Second, reflect on what I have been doing and say “it was good” – practising delight as part of my Sabbath observance and discipline.
Three, time that dethrones the rule of work – to affirm that my life has more value than the work I do. It is about making a choice to trust God rather than my own ingenuity. By breaking our usual pattern of work activities we service notice on the powers that be that we belong to another kingdom, a place of freedom.
Fourth, focus on God - where possible to meet with others to worship, to spend time alone to pray, to listen to read and to rekindle my first love. It’s a bit like having a date night with your spouse however long you’ve been married – getting back to what it’s all really about!
If you are interested here is the podcast to the talk I gave in Birmingham Cathedral: http://bit.ly/KKENo8
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Birthdays and thankfulness
It was my birthday last week. I really enjoy birthdays, I never do very much, but it is always fun to hear from friends and have a few special treats. This year I was given an ice cream maker which I am very delighted with. A week on and I am perfecting the skill of ice cream making, we have enjoyed mocha ice cream, chocolate ice cream and mango sorbet so far. As a result of the adverse impact this is likely to have my my waistline, and my birthday reflections, I have joined the gym and hope to exercise off the excesses of ice cream indulgence!
As well as an opportunity for treats and celebration of friends and life a birthday is also a chance to reflect and plan. I have always felt glad that my birthday falls at this time of the year a good few months after New Year so that I can see how I'm doing in the light of the resolutions I made. In our family we have another such opportunity in September when a new academic year starts for both husband and son and yet again a routine needs to be established after the summer break as we adjust to new timetables and a different but familiar routine.
I have been reflecting how easy it is to view the past through a false lense - sometimes I recall times as happier than they probably were in reality, sometimes I recall times as darker and bleaker than they were. This is struck me particularly strongly when I met up with a friend last week that I'd not seen for a very long number of years. Catching up on news was lovely but meeting reminded me of a time when I was less settled and much less happy. It is a little bit unsettling to be unexpectedly transported back to a very different time in life and very briefly relive those emotions.
So what have I concluded as a result of a birthday and a trip down memory lane - I enjoy getting older! I have a greater sense of who I am and what my life is about. I have a happier and more settled existence on so many levels, I have a much clearer idea about what creates a sense of well being and how to care for me in the midst of busyness and life. I am more than thankful for what I have. The practical result of these reflections is that I have joined a gym near where I work - a new year resolution for me personally! My other birthday resolution is to practise thankfulness on a daily basis and avoid the risk of living either in the past or for the future.
My January resolution, that this was the year of friendship and I would work hard to meet up with people I'd not seen for a long time, is still going well - this weekend I am meeting up with an old work colleague (we were trainees together) who I've not seen for about 7 years.
Stopping to take stock is good. Finding space to be thankful is even better.
As well as an opportunity for treats and celebration of friends and life a birthday is also a chance to reflect and plan. I have always felt glad that my birthday falls at this time of the year a good few months after New Year so that I can see how I'm doing in the light of the resolutions I made. In our family we have another such opportunity in September when a new academic year starts for both husband and son and yet again a routine needs to be established after the summer break as we adjust to new timetables and a different but familiar routine.
I have been reflecting how easy it is to view the past through a false lense - sometimes I recall times as happier than they probably were in reality, sometimes I recall times as darker and bleaker than they were. This is struck me particularly strongly when I met up with a friend last week that I'd not seen for a very long number of years. Catching up on news was lovely but meeting reminded me of a time when I was less settled and much less happy. It is a little bit unsettling to be unexpectedly transported back to a very different time in life and very briefly relive those emotions.
So what have I concluded as a result of a birthday and a trip down memory lane - I enjoy getting older! I have a greater sense of who I am and what my life is about. I have a happier and more settled existence on so many levels, I have a much clearer idea about what creates a sense of well being and how to care for me in the midst of busyness and life. I am more than thankful for what I have. The practical result of these reflections is that I have joined a gym near where I work - a new year resolution for me personally! My other birthday resolution is to practise thankfulness on a daily basis and avoid the risk of living either in the past or for the future.
My January resolution, that this was the year of friendship and I would work hard to meet up with people I'd not seen for a long time, is still going well - this weekend I am meeting up with an old work colleague (we were trainees together) who I've not seen for about 7 years.
Stopping to take stock is good. Finding space to be thankful is even better.
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Contentment and Honesty
In the context of my work with ChaplaincyPlus I have been in attending and promoting the Tuesday Talks at Birmingham Cathedral. Tuesday Talks, aimed at the business community in Birmingham City Centre, have a long established tradition and attract a number of regulars working in range of organisations. The talk lasts half and hour allowing those employed in the professional and commercial sectors in the City time to get themselves to and from Birmingham Cathedral and eat some lunch in the space of an hour.
The ten commandments are the theme for the current series of Tuesday Talks which is an exploration of whether these ancient laws have any relevance in contemporary workplace culture and practice. The talks are broadly based on John Parmiter's book Ten at Work (you can find the book and podcasts of talks by John Parmiter on the LICC website http://www.licc.org.uk/). For those who are interested the Tuesday Talks are also available on Podcast.
The series (and the book) start at the end with the tenth commandment first. Two weeks on in the series and we have looked at being content by not coveting anything our neighbour owns and remaining honest by not giving false testimony against our neighour. On a basic level I fully understand what this means but, to be really honest with you (I feel obliged to be after yesterday's talk!), on further and more detailed reflection the practicalities are a bit more complex particularly in a commercial context.
Being content with your staff, your premises, your IT systems, your clients, your distribution systems etc seems very countercultural.
Let me give you some examples: while I understand the concept that you do not covet what your competitors have, where does that leave a Christian who sees an individual in a rival firm with the skill set, knowledge and experience that would compliment their staff team? Should they headhunt or seek to poach that person? Or, in the pressure of pitching for work what added extras do you offer a potential client, do you offer things that you are uncertain you can deliver or which are strictly speaking outside the scope of your experience? Or, how do you conduct yourself in honesty when asked if there is spare capacity in your team to help another team, when you know that others want what you have and to release some of that resource risks losing it to an internal rival?
The workplace is increasingly pressurised. People are chasing fewer clients, fewer opportunities, profit margins are tighter, cashflow is limited and a climate of fear and suspicion pervades many (but not all) organisations. In some organisations smaller numbers of staff are undertaking an ever increasing workload. People are being performance managed on quantity rather than quality with that worrying sense that lurking somewhere nearby is someone who would take your job, your client, your opportunity etc.
I wonder if for Christians the key to contentment and honesty is absolute trust in God. Trusting God to provide you with the clients, the staff, the systems, the knowledge, the cashflow that you need for your business to thrive and prosper. I wonder if we covet and lie when we feel threatened, afraid and under pressure. It is easy to believe that God is only interested in our personal life rather than the whole of life. Clearly when the ten commandments were given in the Old Testement obedience to them was directly linked to personal and national wellbeing. God wanted His people to trust Him to meet their needs (whether spiritual, emotional or physical) and provide them as individuals and a community with protection against threats and enemies. Is it so different now? Do we have the courage to believe that God might be offering to do the same for us in our modern age?
I'd love to know what you think!
The ten commandments are the theme for the current series of Tuesday Talks which is an exploration of whether these ancient laws have any relevance in contemporary workplace culture and practice. The talks are broadly based on John Parmiter's book Ten at Work (you can find the book and podcasts of talks by John Parmiter on the LICC website http://www.licc.org.uk/). For those who are interested the Tuesday Talks are also available on Podcast.
The series (and the book) start at the end with the tenth commandment first. Two weeks on in the series and we have looked at being content by not coveting anything our neighbour owns and remaining honest by not giving false testimony against our neighour. On a basic level I fully understand what this means but, to be really honest with you (I feel obliged to be after yesterday's talk!), on further and more detailed reflection the practicalities are a bit more complex particularly in a commercial context.
Being content with your staff, your premises, your IT systems, your clients, your distribution systems etc seems very countercultural.
Let me give you some examples: while I understand the concept that you do not covet what your competitors have, where does that leave a Christian who sees an individual in a rival firm with the skill set, knowledge and experience that would compliment their staff team? Should they headhunt or seek to poach that person? Or, in the pressure of pitching for work what added extras do you offer a potential client, do you offer things that you are uncertain you can deliver or which are strictly speaking outside the scope of your experience? Or, how do you conduct yourself in honesty when asked if there is spare capacity in your team to help another team, when you know that others want what you have and to release some of that resource risks losing it to an internal rival?
The workplace is increasingly pressurised. People are chasing fewer clients, fewer opportunities, profit margins are tighter, cashflow is limited and a climate of fear and suspicion pervades many (but not all) organisations. In some organisations smaller numbers of staff are undertaking an ever increasing workload. People are being performance managed on quantity rather than quality with that worrying sense that lurking somewhere nearby is someone who would take your job, your client, your opportunity etc.
I wonder if for Christians the key to contentment and honesty is absolute trust in God. Trusting God to provide you with the clients, the staff, the systems, the knowledge, the cashflow that you need for your business to thrive and prosper. I wonder if we covet and lie when we feel threatened, afraid and under pressure. It is easy to believe that God is only interested in our personal life rather than the whole of life. Clearly when the ten commandments were given in the Old Testement obedience to them was directly linked to personal and national wellbeing. God wanted His people to trust Him to meet their needs (whether spiritual, emotional or physical) and provide them as individuals and a community with protection against threats and enemies. Is it so different now? Do we have the courage to believe that God might be offering to do the same for us in our modern age?
I'd love to know what you think!
Saturday 28 April 2012
Local Elections
I feel a little disappointed at the lack of information available for those of us who have questions we would like answered before we decide how to vote next Thursday.
I live in Wolverhampton and have spent 19 years of my adult life living here. I am particularly keen to know what the candidates plan to do about (what I consider to be the significant decline of) Wolverhampton City Centre. There are many empty shops, bars and retail units and some of the larger retail chains have scaled down their outlets and/or the stock they hold. The whole place has shabby, down on its luck look and feel. Many people choose not to shop in the Wolverhampton preferring Merry Hill, Telford, Birmingham or Shrewsbury. Sadly, if visitors come for the weekend I no longer take them into the City Centre to shop or potter around as it tends to be a sad and dispiriting experience.
There seems to be a recognition that something needs to be done but I've not heard or read anything which amounts to a plan, to putting flesh on the bones. Something creative and innovative needs to be done and soon - in my view!
Wolverhampton does have some wonderful features. It's main asset is the people who live here who, generally speaking, are friendly, welcoming, hard working and have a warm humour. It is a city of great diversity on many levels which gives it depths of richness in terms of culture, food, sporting tradition and in the past manufacturing but you have to do more than scratch the surface nowadays to find those things.
The jewels in the crown include: Wolverhampton Art Gallery which is a wonderful place exhibiting a wide range of art and with an excellent tea shop; the Lighthouse Media Centre which shows excellent films in a welcoming environment where you can drink wine out of a glass or hot chocolate in a mug while watching the film (no popcorn in sight!); West Park is a wonderful example of a Victorian Park which is beautifully maintained; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is an impressive venue; and there are also some brilliant independent traders (of varying sizes) and restaurants who provide an excellent service and good quality products while building relationships with customers.
So local politicians and election candidates, what are you going to do about this sad decline? Who is going to think outside the box and come up with something original that will breath life into the City? Who has got the dynamism to encourage business, retail, leisure and entertainment entrepreneurs to invest and do their stuff here so that people can regain a sense of pride and of future in Wolverhampton?
I live in Wolverhampton and have spent 19 years of my adult life living here. I am particularly keen to know what the candidates plan to do about (what I consider to be the significant decline of) Wolverhampton City Centre. There are many empty shops, bars and retail units and some of the larger retail chains have scaled down their outlets and/or the stock they hold. The whole place has shabby, down on its luck look and feel. Many people choose not to shop in the Wolverhampton preferring Merry Hill, Telford, Birmingham or Shrewsbury. Sadly, if visitors come for the weekend I no longer take them into the City Centre to shop or potter around as it tends to be a sad and dispiriting experience.
There seems to be a recognition that something needs to be done but I've not heard or read anything which amounts to a plan, to putting flesh on the bones. Something creative and innovative needs to be done and soon - in my view!
Wolverhampton does have some wonderful features. It's main asset is the people who live here who, generally speaking, are friendly, welcoming, hard working and have a warm humour. It is a city of great diversity on many levels which gives it depths of richness in terms of culture, food, sporting tradition and in the past manufacturing but you have to do more than scratch the surface nowadays to find those things.
The jewels in the crown include: Wolverhampton Art Gallery which is a wonderful place exhibiting a wide range of art and with an excellent tea shop; the Lighthouse Media Centre which shows excellent films in a welcoming environment where you can drink wine out of a glass or hot chocolate in a mug while watching the film (no popcorn in sight!); West Park is a wonderful example of a Victorian Park which is beautifully maintained; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is an impressive venue; and there are also some brilliant independent traders (of varying sizes) and restaurants who provide an excellent service and good quality products while building relationships with customers.
So local politicians and election candidates, what are you going to do about this sad decline? Who is going to think outside the box and come up with something original that will breath life into the City? Who has got the dynamism to encourage business, retail, leisure and entertainment entrepreneurs to invest and do their stuff here so that people can regain a sense of pride and of future in Wolverhampton?
Friday 13 April 2012
Lone Working
Although I work as part of a team with two other people with whom I have a weekly team meeting which usually lasts about an hour, essentially I work alone. While the role of Chaplain isn't a lonely one and my life is full of meetings over drinks and food with a huge variety of interesting people, I have found working virtually on my own a significant challenge.
Prior to my current job I have always worked in teams, of varying sizes, dynamism and efficiency and I have enjoyed an office and a desk to work from. Now I am often working from home and for the more strategic pieces of work I am have no-one to bounce ideas off or to read and critique draft documents. This is the part of my old life in legal practice that I miss the most! I have discovered that I quickly run out of creative ideas, enthusiasm and energy which the dynamic of team work can so often provide. The rest of the family humour me as best they can and try to show interest and offer assistance when I appear to reach a near standstill.
My work has brought me into contact with a number of other people who face similar challenges in lone working either through running their own business or as a result of having a job where they mainly work from home and do not have access to regular office space. I recently spent an enjoyable evening with a friend who runs her own business as she ran through a presentation that she was giving the following day to a potentital new client. It was fun to be able to give my view and work through her ideas with her - I have yet to hear if her pitch was successful!
Some independent coffee shops in Birmingham City Centre have fixed times when people who work from home can pop in, work, have a coffee and meet up with others in a similar position.
If you work alone I would be interested to hear from you about how you overcome the challenge of brainstorming alone or what you do when you run out of creative ideas. A couple of people have approached me to see if we could set up a Birmingham based network for lone workers - would you be interested in this idea? Do get in touch and let me know what you think - I've run out of ideas for now!
Prior to my current job I have always worked in teams, of varying sizes, dynamism and efficiency and I have enjoyed an office and a desk to work from. Now I am often working from home and for the more strategic pieces of work I am have no-one to bounce ideas off or to read and critique draft documents. This is the part of my old life in legal practice that I miss the most! I have discovered that I quickly run out of creative ideas, enthusiasm and energy which the dynamic of team work can so often provide. The rest of the family humour me as best they can and try to show interest and offer assistance when I appear to reach a near standstill.
My work has brought me into contact with a number of other people who face similar challenges in lone working either through running their own business or as a result of having a job where they mainly work from home and do not have access to regular office space. I recently spent an enjoyable evening with a friend who runs her own business as she ran through a presentation that she was giving the following day to a potentital new client. It was fun to be able to give my view and work through her ideas with her - I have yet to hear if her pitch was successful!
Some independent coffee shops in Birmingham City Centre have fixed times when people who work from home can pop in, work, have a coffee and meet up with others in a similar position.
If you work alone I would be interested to hear from you about how you overcome the challenge of brainstorming alone or what you do when you run out of creative ideas. A couple of people have approached me to see if we could set up a Birmingham based network for lone workers - would you be interested in this idea? Do get in touch and let me know what you think - I've run out of ideas for now!
Friday 16 March 2012
Guest Blog for Beneath the Dreaming Spires
For those who are interested you will be able to find my guest blog that I blogged about earlier in the week using this link (hopefully!).http://networkedblogs.com/v6XVZ
Monday 12 March 2012
Coming face to face with yourself
A while ago I agreed to guest blog for someone (the blog will be published on 14 March and I will retweet for you) - easy peasy I thought! I wrote something last week, well ahead of the agreed deadline and felt generally pleased with myself. I then spent the weekend away in a training course at Launde Abbey. Launde Abbey is a wonderful place of stillness and prayer set in the Leicestershire countryside.
I sensed on Saturday morning that I should spend the free time on Saturday afternoon rewriting the blog that I had written. In the silence and beauty of Launde Abbey I felt God asking me to be totally honest, to unearth the deep truth and write about that. So I found myself coming face to face with the me that is so often buried beneath busyness and activity and from which I hide. The rewriting wasn't easy but the physical place was certainly conducive to such honesty. Finalising the blog today was quite emotionally draining particularly as I was back in my usual routine sitting in my usual place at the computer.
I was with someone about 10 days ago who was also coming face to face with herself. She had just bought her first house. To say that the property had "potential" would be an understatement - it needs so much work! I am really sure though that when the work is done I will be very jealous of the house. Even in need of such repair the property felt safe and homely and I can really understand why the owner was suddenly facing issues from the past that had laid buried for so long.
Over the weekend away during the most liturgical and traditional of Eucharist services someone on the course came face to face with himself and wept like a child when receiving the wine. Again, the safety of the place, the people, the circumstances seemed to release something deep and hidden. There seemed to be no need to talk about it, the release seemed of itself to bring healing and restoration.
This has led to me to wonder how rarely we give ourselves time and space to come face to face with those deep buried truths about ourselves. If we are not able to create and find those safe spaces for ourselves are we able to do that for others? Is a change of physical location key in this sort of honesty? Does God long for us to find those safe locations where in His presence we can come face to face with ourselves ... and still feel loved and accepted.
I sensed on Saturday morning that I should spend the free time on Saturday afternoon rewriting the blog that I had written. In the silence and beauty of Launde Abbey I felt God asking me to be totally honest, to unearth the deep truth and write about that. So I found myself coming face to face with the me that is so often buried beneath busyness and activity and from which I hide. The rewriting wasn't easy but the physical place was certainly conducive to such honesty. Finalising the blog today was quite emotionally draining particularly as I was back in my usual routine sitting in my usual place at the computer.
I was with someone about 10 days ago who was also coming face to face with herself. She had just bought her first house. To say that the property had "potential" would be an understatement - it needs so much work! I am really sure though that when the work is done I will be very jealous of the house. Even in need of such repair the property felt safe and homely and I can really understand why the owner was suddenly facing issues from the past that had laid buried for so long.
Over the weekend away during the most liturgical and traditional of Eucharist services someone on the course came face to face with himself and wept like a child when receiving the wine. Again, the safety of the place, the people, the circumstances seemed to release something deep and hidden. There seemed to be no need to talk about it, the release seemed of itself to bring healing and restoration.
This has led to me to wonder how rarely we give ourselves time and space to come face to face with those deep buried truths about ourselves. If we are not able to create and find those safe spaces for ourselves are we able to do that for others? Is a change of physical location key in this sort of honesty? Does God long for us to find those safe locations where in His presence we can come face to face with ourselves ... and still feel loved and accepted.
Friday 24 February 2012
Lent
Well the third day of lent and so far so good! This year we have given up TV and films - well almost! We have agreed that we will watch one hour of TV a day and the men in my life have negotiated that the 6 nations rugby is completely excluded from our TV fast (but all other sporting fixtures are included). The hope is that this really will release us to spend more time in prayer and reflection or just enable us to be more aware of God.
So far the the crossword and su doku puzzles in the newspaper have been done every evening and I think that we are talking and listening to one another a bit more - not sure God has featured to any greater degree yet but it is early days.
Last year we gave up sweets, cakes, crisps and alcohol, three years ago we gave up meat. The challenge to fast from something other than food arose a couple of years ago when my husband and I were in the process of serious weight loss and so to fast from food seemed a superficial approach to lent as we had been doing that through dieting since the start of the previous autumn.
That year I gave up praying with words (almost) and prayed by drawing, using colour and meditating on icons or religious art - it was really hard work and required a significant investment of time. I had to learn to hear God and communicate with him in a very different way. It certainly taught me self-control and slowness in prayer and how to examine my own heart before Him. Of necessity it took more time as each day I needed to sit with paper, pens or paints and pray.
The decision this year not to fast from food came from my own recognition that I can be diet and weight obsessed (of which more another time) and also from reading Mark 7 v 15 "Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean." I really sensed that God was saying to me that my obsession with what I ate was not the issue but rather what I said and did. My words have the power to have a greater impact on others for good or bad than my weight - so obvious I know but quite a revelation to me a couple of weeks ago! So I sensed that the challenge this year was to do something which would have a greater impact on what I said or did. Creating more opportunities to be in the presence of Jesus, finding time and space to live more thoughtfully so that others are encouraged and built up is the priority this lent. Not spending too much time in front of the TV and having our heads filled with images and noise seemed to be a good way of creating the conditions which might help achieve this thoughtful living.
I am really interested in something which Catherine Ogle (Dean of Birmingham Cathedral) tweeted this week - she has given up meat and alcohol and put herself on a diet of poetry. I am looking forward to hearing more about this and in particular the poems that become important during this season. (Catherine is on Twitter @CatherineOgle should you want to follow her as she consumes poetry over the next six weeks.) It would be great to hear from you if you have given up something that isn't food or drink and taken up something else as part of your lent discipline this year.
So far the the crossword and su doku puzzles in the newspaper have been done every evening and I think that we are talking and listening to one another a bit more - not sure God has featured to any greater degree yet but it is early days.
Last year we gave up sweets, cakes, crisps and alcohol, three years ago we gave up meat. The challenge to fast from something other than food arose a couple of years ago when my husband and I were in the process of serious weight loss and so to fast from food seemed a superficial approach to lent as we had been doing that through dieting since the start of the previous autumn.
That year I gave up praying with words (almost) and prayed by drawing, using colour and meditating on icons or religious art - it was really hard work and required a significant investment of time. I had to learn to hear God and communicate with him in a very different way. It certainly taught me self-control and slowness in prayer and how to examine my own heart before Him. Of necessity it took more time as each day I needed to sit with paper, pens or paints and pray.
The decision this year not to fast from food came from my own recognition that I can be diet and weight obsessed (of which more another time) and also from reading Mark 7 v 15 "Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean." I really sensed that God was saying to me that my obsession with what I ate was not the issue but rather what I said and did. My words have the power to have a greater impact on others for good or bad than my weight - so obvious I know but quite a revelation to me a couple of weeks ago! So I sensed that the challenge this year was to do something which would have a greater impact on what I said or did. Creating more opportunities to be in the presence of Jesus, finding time and space to live more thoughtfully so that others are encouraged and built up is the priority this lent. Not spending too much time in front of the TV and having our heads filled with images and noise seemed to be a good way of creating the conditions which might help achieve this thoughtful living.
I am really interested in something which Catherine Ogle (Dean of Birmingham Cathedral) tweeted this week - she has given up meat and alcohol and put herself on a diet of poetry. I am looking forward to hearing more about this and in particular the poems that become important during this season. (Catherine is on Twitter @CatherineOgle should you want to follow her as she consumes poetry over the next six weeks.) It would be great to hear from you if you have given up something that isn't food or drink and taken up something else as part of your lent discipline this year.
Monday 20 February 2012
Poetry Please!
I attended my first Burns' Night Supper this year. I was surprised by two things. First, the whisky, which I thought was delicious (I wonder whether this is a sign of ageing that a drink which seemed unpleasant in my younger days now seemed quite the opposite, or perhaps it was just good quality whisky!). Second, the poetry, and this really was a surprise to me.
The gathering was mainly friends and family of the friends who had invited us and they all knew one another well. After food we sat in the lounge and read 3 poems we had brought with us to one another - any poems. It was clear, generally speaking, that the older people had spent some time choosing poems that meant something to them whereas the younger ones (myself included) had leaved through a few poetry books or looked online just before coming out. It is not often as an adult that someone reads to you is it? It was a real joy, some people read with such feeling and emotion that the poem took on a new life and evoked images, fragrances and memories.
I have never been a poetry lover although I have been given poetry books as gifts and so assume others think that I am! I like the idea of poetry but I am not very confident about it. I believe this goes back to school days when I would form a view about a poem to then be told by the teacher what it was actually infact about and I discovered that I was usually wrong and had no true understanding. When I lived and worked in London I always used to enjoy the poems on the Underground and if my favourites were in the carriage in which I was travelling I always used to take this as the sign of a good day ahead!
So one of my challenges for this month has been to waste a bit of time with some poetry. To look at it on the page, to read it aloud to myself and to see what I think and feel about it. I hope to collect three poems for next year's Burns' Night Supper (assuming we get another invitation!) which have meant something to me during the year.
I have been helped along by the Times and The 30 Most Romantic Poems published a week ago Saturday. I was particularly taken with "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy in which an onion is given as a valentine gift.
My son also wrote a poem which he later explained to me and it didn't mean what I thought it meant but I decided that my own interpertation is valid and perhaps said something about me and what I was thinking when I read it - in truth he wasn't overly impressed with this approach but I did confess to having a history of inaccurately understanding poetry.
So if you have any poems that you would like to share with me I will take the time to read them and ponder!
A Poem about Snow by Caleb Walton
As I stand for a purpose
in the blocked night,
when the ground is covered by the
white blanket that causes havoc.
I stand for a purpose,
as I look for the reason
then the light enters and stays,
but the havoc remains.
I stand for a purpose
the light is still there,
but the night is still
blocked, this purpose is complete.
The gathering was mainly friends and family of the friends who had invited us and they all knew one another well. After food we sat in the lounge and read 3 poems we had brought with us to one another - any poems. It was clear, generally speaking, that the older people had spent some time choosing poems that meant something to them whereas the younger ones (myself included) had leaved through a few poetry books or looked online just before coming out. It is not often as an adult that someone reads to you is it? It was a real joy, some people read with such feeling and emotion that the poem took on a new life and evoked images, fragrances and memories.
I have never been a poetry lover although I have been given poetry books as gifts and so assume others think that I am! I like the idea of poetry but I am not very confident about it. I believe this goes back to school days when I would form a view about a poem to then be told by the teacher what it was actually infact about and I discovered that I was usually wrong and had no true understanding. When I lived and worked in London I always used to enjoy the poems on the Underground and if my favourites were in the carriage in which I was travelling I always used to take this as the sign of a good day ahead!
So one of my challenges for this month has been to waste a bit of time with some poetry. To look at it on the page, to read it aloud to myself and to see what I think and feel about it. I hope to collect three poems for next year's Burns' Night Supper (assuming we get another invitation!) which have meant something to me during the year.
I have been helped along by the Times and The 30 Most Romantic Poems published a week ago Saturday. I was particularly taken with "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy in which an onion is given as a valentine gift.
My son also wrote a poem which he later explained to me and it didn't mean what I thought it meant but I decided that my own interpertation is valid and perhaps said something about me and what I was thinking when I read it - in truth he wasn't overly impressed with this approach but I did confess to having a history of inaccurately understanding poetry.
So if you have any poems that you would like to share with me I will take the time to read them and ponder!
A Poem about Snow by Caleb Walton
As I stand for a purpose
in the blocked night,
when the ground is covered by the
white blanket that causes havoc.
I stand for a purpose,
as I look for the reason
then the light enters and stays,
but the havoc remains.
I stand for a purpose
the light is still there,
but the night is still
blocked, this purpose is complete.
Monday 6 February 2012
When there's nothing to say
Well, I have been silent for over a week. When I was younger I was told "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all!". This last week it has been a case of not really being able to formulate and process what it is that I would want to say rather than having something unkind or not nice to say.
On Thursday I attended the funeral of a two day old boy, a little man whose face I never saw. Sometimes there are no words....
I used to work with his father for a number of years and over time we became friends. His father met and fell in love with his mother and they married. I vividly recall bumping into his father who seemed to be walking on air a few months ago. He told me he had news and we went to a nearby coffee shop - it was clearly good news as he bought the coffees! He then proceeded to tell that me that he and his wife were expecting their first child, she was very nauseous and weary and he was thrilled to bits. He really was the cat who'd got the cream - or at least the skinny lattes that day!
We met again before Christmas when he was reciting some of his poetry at a Christmas event. Poems of meaning, insight, humour and wisdom. In between recitations the talk was of the pregnancy, and impending fatherhood - that time the lattes were on me!
Then unexpected disaster, the baby had to be delivered 10 weeks early and was very ill. During his short life he met all his close family and was christened.
So the funeral - the smallest coffin I have ever seen, the smallest wreath of spring flowers. It was profoundly sad and still there seemed to be no words. But during the silence, the songs, the prayers and the Eucharist inside an old church building there seemed to be a peace and sense of well being emerging for those present as the service progressed. The parents were naturally consumed with grief and yet there was a strength in the father and an elegance in the mother that was unexpected. These qualities seemed to grow in them as they so publicly owned their loss and disappointment. There was talk of hope and a future in heaven, of eternal purposes and meaningful lives. His father, the poet, did not write poetry but a moving and meaningful tribute to his son, his wife, their family and friends which recounted the events of the long three weeks that preceded that funeral day. There were words, written from the heart, from a place of knowledge, love and suffering. At last there were appropriate words.
After his little body was laid in the ground under an old tree in the ancient churchyard and painful goodbyes were said by members of his close family, we enjoyed hospitality and welcome that was gracious and generous. We met old friends and made new ones.
How strange that someone I never met has impacted my life so profoundly. I feel sure that I will remember his name and his funeral my whole life. It was made meaningful by the honesty, openness, generosity and hospitality of this little man's parents who wanted to celebrate a short life, own the pain of loving and losing and mark the value of friendship and being with those who care for you in such impossible circumstances. It profound because the only people who had the right to say something found courage and inspiration and spoke.
On Thursday I attended the funeral of a two day old boy, a little man whose face I never saw. Sometimes there are no words....
I used to work with his father for a number of years and over time we became friends. His father met and fell in love with his mother and they married. I vividly recall bumping into his father who seemed to be walking on air a few months ago. He told me he had news and we went to a nearby coffee shop - it was clearly good news as he bought the coffees! He then proceeded to tell that me that he and his wife were expecting their first child, she was very nauseous and weary and he was thrilled to bits. He really was the cat who'd got the cream - or at least the skinny lattes that day!
We met again before Christmas when he was reciting some of his poetry at a Christmas event. Poems of meaning, insight, humour and wisdom. In between recitations the talk was of the pregnancy, and impending fatherhood - that time the lattes were on me!
Then unexpected disaster, the baby had to be delivered 10 weeks early and was very ill. During his short life he met all his close family and was christened.
So the funeral - the smallest coffin I have ever seen, the smallest wreath of spring flowers. It was profoundly sad and still there seemed to be no words. But during the silence, the songs, the prayers and the Eucharist inside an old church building there seemed to be a peace and sense of well being emerging for those present as the service progressed. The parents were naturally consumed with grief and yet there was a strength in the father and an elegance in the mother that was unexpected. These qualities seemed to grow in them as they so publicly owned their loss and disappointment. There was talk of hope and a future in heaven, of eternal purposes and meaningful lives. His father, the poet, did not write poetry but a moving and meaningful tribute to his son, his wife, their family and friends which recounted the events of the long three weeks that preceded that funeral day. There were words, written from the heart, from a place of knowledge, love and suffering. At last there were appropriate words.
After his little body was laid in the ground under an old tree in the ancient churchyard and painful goodbyes were said by members of his close family, we enjoyed hospitality and welcome that was gracious and generous. We met old friends and made new ones.
How strange that someone I never met has impacted my life so profoundly. I feel sure that I will remember his name and his funeral my whole life. It was made meaningful by the honesty, openness, generosity and hospitality of this little man's parents who wanted to celebrate a short life, own the pain of loving and losing and mark the value of friendship and being with those who care for you in such impossible circumstances. It profound because the only people who had the right to say something found courage and inspiration and spoke.
Thursday 26 January 2012
Taking a deep breath
I would really like to write something perky and upbeat but it's proving to be quite a tough month. So today I have decided to have a "plateau day", take a deep breath and reflect a little.
So many of those who are close to me, known to me or close to those who are known to me are experiencing loss, trauma, disappointment and anxiety. Generally speaking their circumstances appear to have arisen suddenly and unexpectedly since this year started. Perhaps January is always like this! Perhaps life is like this and I'd not spotted it before!
My role within a chaplaincy team does provide opportunities for a greater awareness of troubles and suffering. As I listen to people and try to hear with my heart sometimes I feel the tears welling up in my own eyes as my spirit identifies with them in their suffering and uncertainty. Sometimes being present with someone to listen or just be silent provides that person with companionship and support. Yet, however effectively a person is accompanied, grief and disappointment are places where people travel alone and come face to face with themselves, often in new ways.
Does it all seem worse because it is January and only a few weeks ago we felt we had a fresh start, a new year. We thought about changes and made resolutions which would make life better, more fun, more fulfilling, more energised and dynamic. Some of us have spent that last 26 days or so eating healthy food, taking more exercise and keeping our email inbox under some sort of control but we have discovered that we cannot control our circumstances, we can only control the way we respond to those circumstances. In extreme situations we feel that we cannot even control our responses and reactions.
Surely this is what it means to be human. As I take today to pause and reflect I have a rising sense of hope and encouragement that the message of Christmas, of Immanuel - God with Us, is all about humanity, owning life as it really is in adverse circumstances and yet finding God with Us. Perhaps when times are tough we discover God with Us primarily through one another and those who have the courage to be with us when we grieve, share our disappointment or feel paralysed by anxiety.
So let's take a deep breath and pause before having a good look round for those who are there for us, who provide us with hope, light, laughter and courage and then let's look for those for whom we can offer the same.
Even so I hear lots of you say "Roll on Feburary!"!
So many of those who are close to me, known to me or close to those who are known to me are experiencing loss, trauma, disappointment and anxiety. Generally speaking their circumstances appear to have arisen suddenly and unexpectedly since this year started. Perhaps January is always like this! Perhaps life is like this and I'd not spotted it before!
My role within a chaplaincy team does provide opportunities for a greater awareness of troubles and suffering. As I listen to people and try to hear with my heart sometimes I feel the tears welling up in my own eyes as my spirit identifies with them in their suffering and uncertainty. Sometimes being present with someone to listen or just be silent provides that person with companionship and support. Yet, however effectively a person is accompanied, grief and disappointment are places where people travel alone and come face to face with themselves, often in new ways.
Does it all seem worse because it is January and only a few weeks ago we felt we had a fresh start, a new year. We thought about changes and made resolutions which would make life better, more fun, more fulfilling, more energised and dynamic. Some of us have spent that last 26 days or so eating healthy food, taking more exercise and keeping our email inbox under some sort of control but we have discovered that we cannot control our circumstances, we can only control the way we respond to those circumstances. In extreme situations we feel that we cannot even control our responses and reactions.
Surely this is what it means to be human. As I take today to pause and reflect I have a rising sense of hope and encouragement that the message of Christmas, of Immanuel - God with Us, is all about humanity, owning life as it really is in adverse circumstances and yet finding God with Us. Perhaps when times are tough we discover God with Us primarily through one another and those who have the courage to be with us when we grieve, share our disappointment or feel paralysed by anxiety.
So let's take a deep breath and pause before having a good look round for those who are there for us, who provide us with hope, light, laughter and courage and then let's look for those for whom we can offer the same.
Even so I hear lots of you say "Roll on Feburary!"!
Sunday 22 January 2012
Creating Community
Time for a bit of honesty people!
I started my current job as leader of City Lights, the ChaplaincyPlus group for the under 30s almost a year ago. ChaplaincyPlus is a Christian charity which provides personal support and encouragement to people working in the professional and commercial sectors in Birmingham City Centre. For me this new job, which is part time working flexible hours, marks a total change in career and lifestyle. I had spent the previous 20 years practising law, for the first 6 years as a Barrister and for the other 14 years as a Solicitor.
So this is something new, an opportunity to follow my passion and desire to encourage and support people in the workplace. It has been a joy to listen and journey and where appropriate share faith, hopes and dreams. But, - here is the honesty bit - I have not actually managed to do what I was recruited to do. The City Lights group that I inherited from my predeceasssor has reduced in size beyond all recognition. The events and gatherings that I have arranged have been poorly attended. I have met lots of new people and the one to one work has thrived but I am not creating community or a network of young adults who will provide one another with friendship, support and encouragement.
There are a number of reasons for this. There has been significant upheaval in the workplace over the last 18 months or so and this continues. Those who are more junior in organisations are being asked to work long hours, take up secondments, work out of other regional offices etc. The workplace for the under 30s is a place of fluidity, uncertainty and long working hours.
Arguably the changes in the workplace lead to many feeling ever more isolated and without the time to connect in any meaningful way with others. So here is the challenge, how do I create community amongst these young adults.
I am inspired and impressed by the effective use of social media by many independent small businesses which are building relationships with customers, suppliers and competitors. They are creating a sense of relationship, belonging, loyalty and community. Let me give you two examples, a couple of weeks ago I bought some delicious goats' cheese and by the end of the day I was tweeting Gary (@AndersonandHill) who sold me the cheese and Sarah (@brockhallfarm) whose goats produced the cheese. This week, I tweeted about eating delicious cake in Six Eight Kafe (@SixEightKafe) and by the evening I received a tweet from Gavin (@tobizzy2bake) who made the Guinness cake. What fun!
So begins the second year of this new career. I need to embrace and explore more widely the use social media and think creatively about how to create safe and interesting spaces of connection and community for those who have little time or who may not be physically present. Thoughts, ideas, experiences and inspiration are most welcome if you have any you would like to share!
I started my current job as leader of City Lights, the ChaplaincyPlus group for the under 30s almost a year ago. ChaplaincyPlus is a Christian charity which provides personal support and encouragement to people working in the professional and commercial sectors in Birmingham City Centre. For me this new job, which is part time working flexible hours, marks a total change in career and lifestyle. I had spent the previous 20 years practising law, for the first 6 years as a Barrister and for the other 14 years as a Solicitor.
So this is something new, an opportunity to follow my passion and desire to encourage and support people in the workplace. It has been a joy to listen and journey and where appropriate share faith, hopes and dreams. But, - here is the honesty bit - I have not actually managed to do what I was recruited to do. The City Lights group that I inherited from my predeceasssor has reduced in size beyond all recognition. The events and gatherings that I have arranged have been poorly attended. I have met lots of new people and the one to one work has thrived but I am not creating community or a network of young adults who will provide one another with friendship, support and encouragement.
There are a number of reasons for this. There has been significant upheaval in the workplace over the last 18 months or so and this continues. Those who are more junior in organisations are being asked to work long hours, take up secondments, work out of other regional offices etc. The workplace for the under 30s is a place of fluidity, uncertainty and long working hours.
Arguably the changes in the workplace lead to many feeling ever more isolated and without the time to connect in any meaningful way with others. So here is the challenge, how do I create community amongst these young adults.
I am inspired and impressed by the effective use of social media by many independent small businesses which are building relationships with customers, suppliers and competitors. They are creating a sense of relationship, belonging, loyalty and community. Let me give you two examples, a couple of weeks ago I bought some delicious goats' cheese and by the end of the day I was tweeting Gary (@AndersonandHill) who sold me the cheese and Sarah (@brockhallfarm) whose goats produced the cheese. This week, I tweeted about eating delicious cake in Six Eight Kafe (@SixEightKafe) and by the evening I received a tweet from Gavin (@tobizzy2bake) who made the Guinness cake. What fun!
So begins the second year of this new career. I need to embrace and explore more widely the use social media and think creatively about how to create safe and interesting spaces of connection and community for those who have little time or who may not be physically present. Thoughts, ideas, experiences and inspiration are most welcome if you have any you would like to share!
Monday 16 January 2012
Are you sitting comfortably ...
... then I'll begin!
Comfort and listening so often go hand in hand. Story telling in all its forms is best done with audience that is physically at ease - whether the medium for the story telling is film, television or the spoken word.
Most of us make a cup of tea (or similar) before watching a favourite television programme. When we go to the cinema we always ask those we go with "where do you want to sit?". When we meet up with friends we always ensure that they are comfortable before we start talking and sharing our stories - "would you like a drink?", "shall I take your coat?", "you look cold, sit near the fire", "have you eaten or would you like something?". Hospitality and story telling, in all its forms, go hand in hand.
When we are learning the physical comfort of our environment is a key factor in the learning experience. The right temperature, sufficient light, comfortable chair, a table or desk, a good view of the screen or speaker, adequate comfort breaks with access to refreshments all aid our ability to learn and take on board information. The way we engage with new information and our attitude to that is very often shaped by the environment we are in when we are learning that information.
I am currently on an course called Mission Shaped Ministry which is essentially about Fresh Expressions of Church. The course is interesting and the materials and speakers have been excellent. The course is being held primarily in the basement bar of a local pub. The venue is dark, cold, the chairs are not comfortable and the tables are not big enough to easily use the course materials, not every seat enables the learner to see the speaker or the screen. Some are excited that a course about being Church in a culturally relevant way is being held in a pub. I would prefer to be more comfortable so that I can fully engage with the materials, the speakers, the discussions and group work.
People are all different and ideas about comfort and venues which are fit for purpose will vary. I wonder whether common ground about hospitality and welcome are more easily established . I would think that any "Church" whether a fresh expression or otherwise would want to model hospitality and welcome to everyone as a core value. Surely how we respond to the wellbeing of those around us says alot about who we are and what motivates us?
Comfort and listening so often go hand in hand. Story telling in all its forms is best done with audience that is physically at ease - whether the medium for the story telling is film, television or the spoken word.
Most of us make a cup of tea (or similar) before watching a favourite television programme. When we go to the cinema we always ask those we go with "where do you want to sit?". When we meet up with friends we always ensure that they are comfortable before we start talking and sharing our stories - "would you like a drink?", "shall I take your coat?", "you look cold, sit near the fire", "have you eaten or would you like something?". Hospitality and story telling, in all its forms, go hand in hand.
When we are learning the physical comfort of our environment is a key factor in the learning experience. The right temperature, sufficient light, comfortable chair, a table or desk, a good view of the screen or speaker, adequate comfort breaks with access to refreshments all aid our ability to learn and take on board information. The way we engage with new information and our attitude to that is very often shaped by the environment we are in when we are learning that information.
I am currently on an course called Mission Shaped Ministry which is essentially about Fresh Expressions of Church. The course is interesting and the materials and speakers have been excellent. The course is being held primarily in the basement bar of a local pub. The venue is dark, cold, the chairs are not comfortable and the tables are not big enough to easily use the course materials, not every seat enables the learner to see the speaker or the screen. Some are excited that a course about being Church in a culturally relevant way is being held in a pub. I would prefer to be more comfortable so that I can fully engage with the materials, the speakers, the discussions and group work.
People are all different and ideas about comfort and venues which are fit for purpose will vary. I wonder whether common ground about hospitality and welcome are more easily established . I would think that any "Church" whether a fresh expression or otherwise would want to model hospitality and welcome to everyone as a core value. Surely how we respond to the wellbeing of those around us says alot about who we are and what motivates us?
Thursday 12 January 2012
Hidden in plain sight
The boy (my son) was very entertained that he didn't need to hide the gifts that he had bought my husband for Christmas. He simply left them on his desk in his bedroom and in all the muddle that is a 13 year old boy's bedroom the gifts were not obvious nor were they spotted by the intended recipient. Much more care was apparantly taken in hiding the gifts intended for me!
How often do we not see things which are obvious and visible either because we are not looking for those things specifically or because we get distracted by the general busyness or muddle of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
I have been thinking how relevant this is to the spiritual life - God is hidden in plain sight. So often we are not looking for Him or when we are looking for him we become too caught up in the circumstances and the other things which we can see.
It is interesting to reflect on the Christmas story in this context. The shepherds and wisemen had to be directed to the Christ-child. Whereas Anna and Simeon recognised for themselves that which was hidden in plain sight. Did they recognise the Christ-child because they had spent so long listening to and looking for God. Were they able to "zone out" of the noise and distractions around them to see those hidden things.
I am wondering how very often I miss out on the things that are hidden in plain sight. If I lived a bit more slowly and watchfully I would spot them!
How often do we not see things which are obvious and visible either because we are not looking for those things specifically or because we get distracted by the general busyness or muddle of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
I have been thinking how relevant this is to the spiritual life - God is hidden in plain sight. So often we are not looking for Him or when we are looking for him we become too caught up in the circumstances and the other things which we can see.
It is interesting to reflect on the Christmas story in this context. The shepherds and wisemen had to be directed to the Christ-child. Whereas Anna and Simeon recognised for themselves that which was hidden in plain sight. Did they recognise the Christ-child because they had spent so long listening to and looking for God. Were they able to "zone out" of the noise and distractions around them to see those hidden things.
I am wondering how very often I miss out on the things that are hidden in plain sight. If I lived a bit more slowly and watchfully I would spot them!
Saturday 7 January 2012
Marks and Spencer Dreamland
I must confess that I am a huge fan of M&S. I think that for clothing basics M&S are hard to beat. I am particularly pleased with a couple of pairs of "cigarette pants" that I purchased in the autumn, one in black and one in charcoal. Strangely the charcoal pair are a slightly snugger fit which is because (and yes I did ask!) they are made in different factories, possibly even in different parts of the world. So be warned that just because an item fits you in one colour it may not in another - strange but true!
I discovered shock news earlier this week they have stopped producing white chocolate covered strawberries, in fact they have been out of production for over a year. In the face of this bad news I have commended myself on clearly not overindulging on these too often. I really do love their Belgian chocolate covered popcorn and so am considering stockpiling a few bags just in case the unthinkable happens.
I am a devotee of their bodyshaper underwear which is very kind to those of us with a tendency to under exercise and over eat. Since M&S are so easily able to produce value for money and products that actually do what they say, in my dream world they would branch out into beauty and haircare - imagine how good their anti-ageing products might be!
Imagine, if you dare, what a wonderful place the world would be if M&S also offered IT support services -technicians who understand the true meaning of support and where and when you actually need that support.
I am less impressed by the recent refurbishment of my local M&S which has more of a T K Maxx feel about it but then we did go just after Christmas when the sale was in its second day which might not be the best time to judge anything. We failed to find many bargains but we did recognise the cashier although we struggled to place her. She greeted us like old friends then loudly announced that she knew us from her time working at the local pharmacy and proceeded to tell us that she remembered all my husband's details - he hurried away at great speed fearing that she might reveal his repeat prescription details!
Happy shopping those of you will be doing some today!
I discovered shock news earlier this week they have stopped producing white chocolate covered strawberries, in fact they have been out of production for over a year. In the face of this bad news I have commended myself on clearly not overindulging on these too often. I really do love their Belgian chocolate covered popcorn and so am considering stockpiling a few bags just in case the unthinkable happens.
I am a devotee of their bodyshaper underwear which is very kind to those of us with a tendency to under exercise and over eat. Since M&S are so easily able to produce value for money and products that actually do what they say, in my dream world they would branch out into beauty and haircare - imagine how good their anti-ageing products might be!
Imagine, if you dare, what a wonderful place the world would be if M&S also offered IT support services -technicians who understand the true meaning of support and where and when you actually need that support.
I am less impressed by the recent refurbishment of my local M&S which has more of a T K Maxx feel about it but then we did go just after Christmas when the sale was in its second day which might not be the best time to judge anything. We failed to find many bargains but we did recognise the cashier although we struggled to place her. She greeted us like old friends then loudly announced that she knew us from her time working at the local pharmacy and proceeded to tell us that she remembered all my husband's details - he hurried away at great speed fearing that she might reveal his repeat prescription details!
Happy shopping those of you will be doing some today!
Wednesday 4 January 2012
A Handful of Light
This Advent and Christmas I have been reading "A Handful of Light" by Michael Mitton. It is a book of daily Bible readings which includes both the Bible passage and a prayer as well as some thoughts and reflections on the Bible readings.
Michael Mitton is one of my favourite Christian authors. I first came across him a number of years ago when a friend recommended that I read "A Heart to Listen" which is a brilliant book all about listening to God, people and places beyond just what you see and hear. My favourite book by Michael is "Wild Beasts and Angels" which is all about Christian Healing ministry within the context of the wilderness experiences of life.
Anyway, back to "A Handful of Light", the theme of the book is hope within the context of themes of light and darkness as found in the Bible. During the last week I have appreciated how Michael has dealt with the more sinister issues which surround the arrival of the Magi and in particular the slaughter of the innocents. The news of so many murders since Christmas day has been disturbing and it is good to be reminded that "we live in a world where dark things happen too often to too many people.... Go back to the words of that man by the river all those years ago. He spoke about a light that enlightens everyone, even the one who is experiencing the deepest darkness. Go back and listen to that message again. Listen to it again and again, day after day. There is enough for every darkess that afflicts this world. Let this light sink into you and learn how to drink regularly from that light, which will be living water for you. Then, when darkness engulfs you, you'll be prepared. You'll have a reserve of the light of Christ who has come into your world, and no darkness will overcome that."
Michael also talks about the Magi bringing with them a thesaurus, gifts which are full of meaning. Gold for kingship, frankincense for priesthood and myrrh for death. Their gifts brought meaning to Mary and Joseph and Michael suggests that we reflect on the "gifts" which people bring to us which bring meaning and understanding to the complexities of our lives.
Michael Mitton is one of my favourite Christian authors. I first came across him a number of years ago when a friend recommended that I read "A Heart to Listen" which is a brilliant book all about listening to God, people and places beyond just what you see and hear. My favourite book by Michael is "Wild Beasts and Angels" which is all about Christian Healing ministry within the context of the wilderness experiences of life.
Anyway, back to "A Handful of Light", the theme of the book is hope within the context of themes of light and darkness as found in the Bible. During the last week I have appreciated how Michael has dealt with the more sinister issues which surround the arrival of the Magi and in particular the slaughter of the innocents. The news of so many murders since Christmas day has been disturbing and it is good to be reminded that "we live in a world where dark things happen too often to too many people.... Go back to the words of that man by the river all those years ago. He spoke about a light that enlightens everyone, even the one who is experiencing the deepest darkness. Go back and listen to that message again. Listen to it again and again, day after day. There is enough for every darkess that afflicts this world. Let this light sink into you and learn how to drink regularly from that light, which will be living water for you. Then, when darkness engulfs you, you'll be prepared. You'll have a reserve of the light of Christ who has come into your world, and no darkness will overcome that."
Michael also talks about the Magi bringing with them a thesaurus, gifts which are full of meaning. Gold for kingship, frankincense for priesthood and myrrh for death. Their gifts brought meaning to Mary and Joseph and Michael suggests that we reflect on the "gifts" which people bring to us which bring meaning and understanding to the complexities of our lives.
Monday 2 January 2012
2012 the Year to Celebrate Friendship
I have been inspired by the idea of setting 30 day challenges rather than making New Year Resolutions (which so rarely last until the end of January). I am therefore in the process of working out what my challenges will be each month taking into account the other commitments and activities that I already know about, for example the likelihood of taking holidays in August and the general Christmas busyness of December etc.
Within this context I have decided to make 2012 the Year to Celebrate Friendship. I have some really lovely friends most of whom are clever, funny, beautiful and strong women and I really don't see enough of them. I am convinced that my own sense of wellbeing will be greatly enhanced by making more of an effort to spend time with friends.
Being realistic many of these friends have busy lives, some do not live that near and family life generally puts pressure on weekend time. My solution is to set myself the challenge of seeing at least one friend that I've not seen in the last year each month of this year - this will mean 12 life giving encounters with people that I really like and with whom I have spent part of my life's journey.
Looking forward to it!
Within this context I have decided to make 2012 the Year to Celebrate Friendship. I have some really lovely friends most of whom are clever, funny, beautiful and strong women and I really don't see enough of them. I am convinced that my own sense of wellbeing will be greatly enhanced by making more of an effort to spend time with friends.
Being realistic many of these friends have busy lives, some do not live that near and family life generally puts pressure on weekend time. My solution is to set myself the challenge of seeing at least one friend that I've not seen in the last year each month of this year - this will mean 12 life giving encounters with people that I really like and with whom I have spent part of my life's journey.
Looking forward to it!
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