This morning's BBC Radio Four Sunday Worship programme was from Cardiff Baptist College, led by staff members and students. It was based around the Sunday Lectionary Gospel for the day, the Parable of the Sower from Matthew's Gospel, and was rich with insight from different perspectives.
After breakfast, Clare and I sat together and shared the on-line Parish Eucharist broadcast from Canton Rectory, also with an exposition of the Parable of the Sower from Mother Francis. She made use of Vincent Van Gogh's painting 'The Sower' as a basis for her reflection. Equally original and engaging. It's not one of my favourite Gospel passages, with its second half explaining the imagery of the first half, leaving less freedom to work it out for yourself. The imaginative way in which both renderings of the parable I heard this morning gives me cause to rethink how I deal with it, should I ever get asked to preach about it again.
After breakfast, Clare and I sat together and shared the on-line Parish Eucharist broadcast from Canton Rectory, also with an exposition of the Parable of the Sower from Mother Francis. She made use of Vincent Van Gogh's painting 'The Sower' as a basis for her reflection. Equally original and engaging. It's not one of my favourite Gospel passages, with its second half explaining the imagery of the first half, leaving less freedom to work it out for yourself. The imaginative way in which both renderings of the parable I heard this morning gives me cause to rethink how I deal with it, should I ever get asked to preach about it again.
After the service Clare insisted on catching up on last Thursday's themed meditation, now a regular feature of the Benefice's on-line offering. Reconciliation was the subject. It was beautifully crafted in terms of content and visuals. It's so good that video tools now available for everyday use by non-professionals is unleashing such creativity. Many have taken note of how public broadcasters have presented religious themed material, and put this to good use. It's taken the pandemic crisis to empty diaries and open up the possibility of spending time making devotional and educational material that relates to the people and context in which all local pastoral ministry happens.
Ibiza was tough going for me, having to produce on-line audio weekly, with help from just four people willing and able to record sound files of readings to use. As an outsider, not integrated into the church social network, not knowing who I could approach, persuade and recruit to help, what I could achieve was limited as much as it was by lack of equipment or expertise. Already, a paradigm shift in parish level public communication is occurring. It is capable of unleashing more creativity and collaboration between laity and clergy, and involving many more people in conveying the message of what life in the Body of Christ means to them. With a few more Sundays to be seen and get acquainted with church members in Ibiza, I could have done better. But this wasn't to be. It's a matter of learning by doing as you go along, and the timing wasn't right on this occasion.
By eleven for a change, I was out walking. Again the parks were busy with groups of people sitting and enjoying the sun, or else cycling, jogging, pushing prams or strolling. I overheard someone passing by say to their companion that they'd never seen it so busy.
By eleven for a change, I was out walking. Again the parks were busy with groups of people sitting and enjoying the sun, or else cycling, jogging, pushing prams or strolling. I overheard someone passing by say to their companion that they'd never seen it so busy.
Next Sunday, churches will re-open for worship. Heaven knows how this will work out, given the challenges of doing so safely, given the rules to be applied, slightly different in each building. At the same time, the value of continuing to offer on-line ministry of prayer and worship is understood and poses the question how it can be sustained, and in what form.
There'll be a Parish Zoom session to examine and discuss this on Wednesday this week. When I learned of it, I found my head filling with ideas, so I wrote a few suggestions to Mthr Emma in an email, for starters, so I can listen at the meeting and not say much. If what I wrote is of any use it'll surface at another time.
Four days ago, when I pondered in this blog over the likely end of my public ministry in prevailing
There'll be a Parish Zoom session to examine and discuss this on Wednesday this week. When I learned of it, I found my head filling with ideas, so I wrote a few suggestions to Mthr Emma in an email, for starters, so I can listen at the meeting and not say much. If what I wrote is of any use it'll surface at another time.
Four days ago, when I pondered in this blog over the likely end of my public ministry in prevailing
circumstances, a comment appeared, attached to this posting, from Darren, a friend I made in my Geneva days twenty five years ago, who now lives and works as an academic in Singapore. He sees no reason why I shouldn't set up my own on-line platform for preaching, teaching and devotional material. But, I have my doubts.
Sure, it would be nice to have a continuing outlet for my creative energies in this sphere, but I shy away from it. Who am I, but a servant of the church communities I have belonged to, which have honoured, welcomed my ministry over fifty years. As best I can, I deliver the message and point in what I think is the right direction for others to be met by God. It's not impersonal, but projecting my personality in the media has no appeal for me. My role model, for rather a long time has been John the Baptist - a voice crying in the wilderness.
Sure, it would be nice to have a continuing outlet for my creative energies in this sphere, but I shy away from it. Who am I, but a servant of the church communities I have belonged to, which have honoured, welcomed my ministry over fifty years. As best I can, I deliver the message and point in what I think is the right direction for others to be met by God. It's not impersonal, but projecting my personality in the media has no appeal for me. My role model, for rather a long time has been John the Baptist - a voice crying in the wilderness.
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