No Burying of Dead Monarchs in the Car Park

On Monday, we received the news that a skeleton found in a Leisceter car park was the remains of King Richard III. I really like my history and love archaeology programmes, and so watched with interest a documentary about the process they undertook to find his body.

The programme began with basic background information on Richard III, the people involved, and the car park in question. The group interested in finding Richard’s body had completed extensive research and taken great care to try and locate his body before any digging commenced. When they had the funding and support for the dig, it began in earnest. On the first day they discovered bones, but as this was the site of a church and priory, no one really expected much from them. However, as the layout of the church was discovered, the indication was that this could indeed be the remains of the dead monarch. After years of testing the bones with carbon dating, DNA and other tests, it was confirmed that Richard III had been found. The joy the Ricardians (historians who are interested in Richard III’s life) felt was amazing. Here was their lost king.

Now, the arguments have begun over where he should be re-laid to rest.

This seems a strange topic for a blog post, I agree. But this news topic started me thinking about the resurrection – yes, before Easter or even Lent!

Finding the body of Richard took someone digging in the right place, but even if the whole world was to be dug up – we would never find the body of the King of Kings, Jesus.

Jesus is risen from the dead. There is no body to be found.

I don’t know what difference that makes to you, but I want the power of the resurrection to be at work in my life daily. And it can be for you.

I’m currently reading a book called ‘Practising Resurrection’ by Cris Rogers. I’m only about half way through, but it has already started to impact my view on the true meaning of the resurrection and the power it can have. The book challenges the view that the death and resurrection of Jesus being about sin management; a way of sorting out the problem sin poses to a relationship with God by having someone else punished. If that was the case, Jesus would never have had to be resurrected – he was killed and so sin was now ‘managed’. The true power of the resurrection is that the whole of creation is instantly re-created in that moment. And we can share in that resurrection by dying to ourselves so Jesus can live in us.

By dying to ourselves, we are placing our own needs and desires beneath those of God. Its truly submitting to the will of God in our lives. Our lives no longer belong to ourselves. In Acts 2:42 - 47 we are given an example of this new resurrection community:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—  all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

The book explains this idea further, and I would highly recommend it.

So let us remember, as the arguments continue over which Cathedral will be honoured with the bones of King Richard III, that the King of Kings is living and his home is in our lives. We are called to live life as a resurrection community, and grow God's Kingdom.

Les Miserables

I am a huge musicals fan. Give me the option of going to the theatre to see anything I wanted, it would be a musical. And most likely, I would go to see my favourite musical. Les Miserables. So I’m sure you can imagine my excitement that this fantastic story has been put on film.

I was first taken to see Les Miserables when I was 7 years old. I must admit, I didn’t really follow the story, and fell asleep in the second act, but I immediately fell in love with the music, and a 15 year obsession began. I have seen the stage show a further 2 times (once in London, and again on the 25^th Anniversary tour) and watched the Anniversary DVD’s countless times. I now fully understand the story, appreciate the music ten times more, and try to share my enjoyment of the show with everyone around me. I even managed to read the book last year!

The key plot of the musical is the pursuit of a police officer of a convict over many decades. The musical starts with the convict (Jean Valjean) being released on parole by a police officer (Javert). Once Valjean is released, he finds it difficult to find work and is very bitter. A priest then offers him hospitality, but Valjean steals his silver and escapes before some local police officers catch him. The priest comes to Valjean’s aid, instead of condemning him, and says the silver was a gift, and even gives him more! This causes a deep change in Valjean, and he resolves to restart his life with a new identity, but always seeking to do God’s will.

Javert knows Valjean has broken his parole, and then becomes obsessed with finding him and bringing him to justice. The 2 characters meet numerous times in the musical, and while the audience can see the change in Jean Valjean, Javert remains convinced that a convict can not change and continuous to try to bring Valjean to justice.

I will leave the plot there, as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who may be going to see the film.

This plot of redemption and condemnation speaks to me every time I see the show, and it can reflect experiences we encounter on a regular basis (although maybe not quiet so dramatically).

On the side of Jean Valjean there is a great story of redemption and change. He completely turns his life around and achieves great things. Without the conversion, many would have suffered and died. This speaks to us of the true transformative power God can bring into anyone’s life – God doesn’t only work in the ‘good’ people, but in the lives of the lowest of the low as well.

On the side of Javert there is a story of a man filled with prejudices the end up consuming his life. He refuses to admit that God can work the kind of transformation Jean Valjean has gone through, and when he finally faces that transformation, Javert can not cope. How often do we see people through the eyes of our prejudices? Do we admit they can change, and accept it when they do?

We must remember that God can do more than we can imagine. He works his transforming power in the lives of anyone and everyone, from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high, and we should accept and acknowledge these changes when they occur.

We were made to be courageous

Before Christmas, I took a day out of my schedule to focus on praying for the youth work in Anglia Division. I asked for prayer requests for young people, programmes, and corps (churches), and spent time praying for them and for the Divisional events in 2013. I also spent time listening to God to see what he wanted to say about the coming year.

I was listening to worship songs, and one song particularly spoke to me. It is called ‘Courageous’ and is by Casting Crowns (Video can be found at the end of this post). The lyrics that particularly stood out to me were:

We were made to be courageous,
and we’re taking back the fight.
We were made to be courageous,
and it starts with us tonight.
The only way we'll ever stand
is on our knees with lifted hands.
Make us courageous,
Lord make us courageous.

As I listened to this song, I felt that God was saying that 2013 is a year when we will need to be courageous; that there will be times in this year when we are going to have to stand up and be courageous in what we do. And this call to be courageous is not just for the divisional level youth work, it is also on a local and personal level as well.

 As we set out into the unknown of 2013, there are many things that are on our minds that we may think this call to courageous living relates, and there will be many other incidents that we can not yet foresee that will require courage. There will be times when we are unsure if we have that courage, but we need to remember to focus ourselves on God and let him help us in those moments.

The last sermon I heard in 2012 was also focused on the need to be courageous, affirming for me that this is what God is calling the young people of The Salvation Army in Anglia Division to be in 2013. The sermon focussed on Joshua 1, and encouraged us to be bold and courageous in the new year as God will be with us throughout it all, where we may go.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:9)

We can also remember to wear the armour of God to give us courage.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

(Ephesians 6:10 – 17)

This is not a year we are entering alone and cautiously. We should enter it wearing the armour of God, racing ahead to meet the challenges, and trusting God is by our side through it all.

I am planning to make these prayer days a regular feature of my work in 2013 so I can continue to pray for courage amongst the young people, youth leaders, and officers of Anglia Division, and I encourage you also to pray for those who you interact with, that they too will have courage for their daily lives this coming year.

A Christmas Challenge

Christmas is fast approaching (only 6 days left); there are more lights going up on houses, shops are getting busier as people search for those final few presents, and there are only a few days left to post those Christmas cards, Christmas cards that are becoming less and less religious. In 2011, the Daily Mail conducted a survey and discovered that “of 6,576 cards in major supermarkets in seven locations in England and Wales … only 36 featured scenes such as Jesus in a manger or angels. Traditional nativity scenes appear on less than 0.5% of all cards available.”

And it is not just Christmas cards that show the increasing decline of Christ in Christmas. The following statistics are taken from http://www.eauk.org/culture/statistics/christmas-facts-and-quotes.cfm;

In a survey conducted by ComRes on behalf of Theos in December 2010 the following results were obtained:

·  51% agreed with the statement "The birth of Jesus is irrelevant to my Christmas" whilst 46% disagreed with the statement.

·  61% agreed "Christmas is mainly for children" whilst 38% disagreed.

·  36% said they would be attending a Christmas service. 62% said they would not be going to a service, 2% were unsure.

A survey commissioned by The Children's Society in 2010 found that only 10% of adults think that it's religious meaning is the most important thing about Christmas. Only 4% of 25-34 year olds thought the religious aspect was important whilst 20% of those over 60's years feel that it is the key aspect of Christmas. 67% of all adults said spending time with family was the most important thing about Christmas.

As well as these statistics, Norwich has also been dubbed the ‘most godless city’ in England and Wales after the census showed the city has the highest proportion of people reporting ‘no religion’.

A pretty bleak picture.

But this is the world we are called to. We are called to spread the word of God, and we have the perfect opportunity at this time of year. By explaining the true meaning of Christmas, we can share the gospel. Christmas grants us opportunities to share that are unique.

Have you spoken to anyone this year about what Christmas really means? I know I haven’t. I’ve shied away from it and not taken opportunities to share. But my challenge to you and to me is to share the meaning with at least one person who does not truly understand why we celebrate Christmas.

Maybe grab a coffee with a friend, chat through Christmas plans, and invite them to a service? There’s still time!

Or if you’re less confident, maybe post a link to a youtube video on your facebook, with explanation and something from yourself about why you celebrate Christmas? The one I plan to share with some friends is at the end of this post, and there are many more at www.thenativityfactor.com

Find what works for you. But please, spread the light of Christmas amongst those who walk in darkness. Please share any stories in the comments, on twitter (@AloveAnglia1) or on facebook (/alove.anglia1)

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas.

Becky

'Spending' Christmas

How much will you spend this Christmas?

When we see these figures and look at spending habits at Christmas, it cam be easy to dismiss this as not relating to us. We can feel that because ‘we know the meaning of Christmas’, all the excessive spending and bad habits ‘will not be down to us’.

But is this really the case? I know there have been times when amongst all the present buying and card writing and tree decorating, I sometimes forget to check my bank account, the budget I set, or even why I’m doing things. We too can be swept up in the tide of Christmas-hysteria that sweeps the land from early November. We buy presents throughout the year to ‘avoid the Christmas rush’; we stockpile Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations in the January sales so we’re ready for next year, and then can’t remember where we put them. We see preparing for Christmas as a chore, and not a joy; a time for worry and overspending, not a time for preparation.

Why do we buy gifts for one another? We know the traditions – it’s about remembering God’s gift to us all in Jesus and the gifts the wise men brought – but is that where our hearts are when we buy these gifts? Do we buy them from obligation?

When I was in secondary school, I remember the panic that December brought on – which of my friends do I buy presents for? Who do I write cards to? What if someone gets me a present and I haven’t got them one? How much is this all going to cost me from my pocket money? Eventually, the presents we ended up exchanging were silly, cheap, and essentially meaningless. We wouldn’t even take them home to enjoy opening on Christmas day – the classroom bins would be filled with brightly coloured paper and empty chocolate boxes (the best present for those on a budget with lots to buy) throughout the final weeks. Sound familiar?

I witnessed the same thing happening in a youth club earlier this week. When I asked them why they had opened their presents early, they said “Well I knew what it was, and I wanted to have it now”. The young people did not bother wondering what the present was – they knew it was a cheap gift bought out of obligation. They did not feel any expectation, hope or wonder about what was in the wrapping paper, and did not feel that by waiting anything extra would be gained.

As I grew up, I started to be the strange person that received the presents in school and slipped them into my bag unopened. Even though I (very often) knew what was inside, I wanted to experience a time of waiting for that gift. My friends were always surprised, and often tried to encourage me to open the presents early. I refused, explaining I wanted to truly appreciate their gift by opening it when I had the time to do so properly – not in the five minutes between lessons when I would smile politely, say thanks, and rush on. I would then message anyone who had given me a gift on Christmas day, thanking them for their gift.

Originally, I feel this habit was bred out of a desire to have the most presents to open on Christmas morning, but as I continued to do this, I began to change my attitude to the gifts I had received. Although many of the gifts were bought from obligation

and didn’t cost much, I really began to appreciate that this person had stopped to think of me during the busyness of Christmas shopping, even if it wasn’t really from the best motive.

In the past few years, I have tried to make my Christmas behaviour more meaningful. I buy presents for those I care about, not who I feel obligated to buy for. I try and buy things they want, like or need, not buying into cheap ‘3 for 2’ deals (although if this happens to occur, it is a bonus). Whenever I buy a gift, I try to remember why I am doing it (whatever time of year it is).

The one thing I most want you to take away from this blog post is that however we prepare for Christmas, whatever we spend, that we should have a heart of worship, during a time of hope and preparation, and that all we do should be as part of a celebration of God’s love for us.

Advent

It’s December! That means decorations can go up, advent calendars can be opened, and the crazy shoppers can be released. Life gets busy with writing Christmas cards, buying presents, visiting friends and family, getting all the food in, attending carol services, etc. This has resulted in the office getting quiet as everyone is busy, and I’m sitting and preparing for the events in the year ahead.

While Christmas is exciting, we should be focussing on Advent itself. Just as I am using this month to prepare for the year ahead, Advent is about preparing ourselves for Jesus’ birth and for his return. Advent is a time of waiting and expecting, and preparing our hearts and minds for Christmas, so we are ready and can meditate on the real meaning.

Throughout this month and time of preparation, I hope to update this blog regularly with short thoughts that will help us all prepare for Christmas and remember the true meaning of welcoming Christ into the world.

Guarding Our Keyboards

Social networking is on the rise. There is no denying it. But is it a fad or is it here to stay?

This video shows us that social media is becoming a tool utilised by businesses to increase their advertising, but it is also becoming the way we become known amongst our peers, colleagues and family. Everything we put on social media sites, such as facebook and twitter, can be accessed by everyone on our friends list, and unless you’re very tech-savvy, the friends list of your friends list. Personal information can be distributed and shared across a wide ranging network that often we can not see the end of.

I’m not writing this to cast doom and gloom over social media – I do use it and find it useful for communicating with friends and family, but there is a responsibility that comes with using these kinds of communication tools.

Have you ever posted a status you regretted? Have you ever become annoyed and frustrated with someone or something, and immediately vented that anger online? Have you ever sent something to the wrong person? Or posted a comment on someone’s wall that was supposed to be kept private?

The problem we can face with social media is that it is very difficult to take back what we have said. Tens and hundreds (possibly thousands) of people have seen our personal thoughts that were posted online before we stopped to think about them.

The internet depersonalises what we do. Things we may never say in person can easily slip out online. This may not only be detrimental to us, but those the comments were directed at, and our faith. How Christian would we appear if people viewed our facebook statuses and tweets alone?

Proverbs 21:23 says “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity”. It was wise advice then – maybe we should remember this next time we go to our keyboards, with a few adjustments –

“Those who guard their keyboards and their updates keep themselves from calamity”