Notes from leading a Quiet Day at St Chad's College, Durham
A world of words
update
blogging
profiles
narrative/blog.storytelling - all the rage
Man has always found a way of telling the story
Caves at Lascaux
Monasteries of Moldavia
Celtic Cross
Ruthwell Cross is another fine example
Celts didn't write much down but they could tell a great story
18 ft high
dates from 7th century
preaching cross
designed to tell the story of Jesus' life
Today, we focus on the story of Jesus, of the Church and on our selves.
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Sunday 19 July 2009
End of the Celtic Pilgrimage
Celtic Summer has just come to an end and I have said goodbye to the group in Durham.
Every year is a great time - visiting the church across the north east - and experiencinglife wiht a varied group of people.
Back now to London.
Every year is a great time - visiting the church across the north east - and experiencinglife wiht a varied group of people.
Back now to London.
Friday 17 July 2009
Back in Durham
Leading "Celtic Summer" is an annual event for me now and it is always good to be back in Durham for the week.
The 2009 group is a bit smaller than usual because my colleague Martin Warner is leading a similar group in a few weeks time so the group is, effectively, split into two.
We have had a great week visiting Lastingham, Whitby, Seahouses, Lindisfarne, Seahouses and a whole host of other places.
The regular services in the Chapel are also a great joy and delight.
Today I led a Quiet Day - and really enjoyed it. Some people might see me and a quiet day as a contradiction in terms - but it seemed to go well and I got quite a bit out of it too.
And so to a north east weekend - looking forward to it.
The 2009 group is a bit smaller than usual because my colleague Martin Warner is leading a similar group in a few weeks time so the group is, effectively, split into two.
We have had a great week visiting Lastingham, Whitby, Seahouses, Lindisfarne, Seahouses and a whole host of other places.
The regular services in the Chapel are also a great joy and delight.
Today I led a Quiet Day - and really enjoyed it. Some people might see me and a quiet day as a contradiction in terms - but it seemed to go well and I got quite a bit out of it too.
And so to a north east weekend - looking forward to it.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
Farewell to Paul Moss as headmaster
"Guest of Honour" speech today delivered at St James Junior School Speech Day.
Having guests
being a guest
Have guests
"hosts"
need to be well prepared
welcoming
make sacrifices
To be a guest
well prepared
respectful
polite/courteous
enjoy
"Own tradition"
God has invited all of us to be guests of creation
all equal
unique
shouldn't make excuses
real guest of honour
children:
wonderful examples
each is unique
never make excuses
Mr Paul Moss
well prepared
always welcoming
make sacrifices
A tribute to a wonderful headteacher.
Having guests
being a guest
Have guests
"hosts"
need to be well prepared
welcoming
make sacrifices
To be a guest
well prepared
respectful
polite/courteous
enjoy
"Own tradition"
God has invited all of us to be guests of creation
all equal
unique
shouldn't make excuses
real guest of honour
children:
wonderful examples
each is unique
never make excuses
Mr Paul Moss
well prepared
always welcoming
make sacrifices
A tribute to a wonderful headteacher.
Sunday 5 July 2009
Trafalgar Square Pedestal
On Monday at 9am a housewife from Sleaford, armed with a green lollipop, will take her place on a pedestal in Trafalgar Square.
It’s Antony Gormley’s idea to invite UK residents to spend one hour on the pedestal, 24/7 for 100 days, meaning that 2400 citizens will each have their moment. He calls it a composite portrait of Britain; a work of art: “we will discover what we really care about” he says, “our hopes and fears for now and in the future.”
Pedestals are dangerous places. They have traditionally been regarded as resting places for people whom we honour, or regard with a certain degree of reverence: put yourself on a pedestal and you are immediately in danger of being knocked off. To be knocked off your pedestal is rarely a nice experience.
But my biggest concern about the Trafalgar Square pedestal is the suggestion that this is the chance for ordinary people to be raised up to make their point. The PR operation surrounding the project,
in one very disconcerting way, rests on the notion of ord-inar-iness which is actually non existent.
One of the privileges of my own job as priest is to be confronted daily by the remarkableness of human life in all is forms. Strip away kudos, status, rank, wealth or inheritance- and there really is no such thing as an ordinary human being. It’s nonsense. A contradicton. The actor Christopher Reeve, who spent the last few years of his life in a wheelchair, said that “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
And it’s true – that ord-inar-iness in people, signs and situations is rooted in the extraordinary – even in matters of faith as Frances Bacon memorably says – “God never wrought miracles to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it”.
There is no such thing as an ordinary person. Each of us is unique and extraordinary. Which brings us back to putting ourselves and others on pedestals.
On the basis of our uniqueness and individuality, as well as our potential, there is absolutely no point in keeping any of this a secret. Jesus himself says “No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bushel. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. “
So that on the understanding that this pedestal will celebrate the extraordinariness of human nature in all its forms, and, therefore, leave it not hidden, Antony Gormley has, in fact, come up with a great idea. I might even pop along myself to have a look myself. Mind you, it takes some guts and you’d never get me up there!
It’s Antony Gormley’s idea to invite UK residents to spend one hour on the pedestal, 24/7 for 100 days, meaning that 2400 citizens will each have their moment. He calls it a composite portrait of Britain; a work of art: “we will discover what we really care about” he says, “our hopes and fears for now and in the future.”
Pedestals are dangerous places. They have traditionally been regarded as resting places for people whom we honour, or regard with a certain degree of reverence: put yourself on a pedestal and you are immediately in danger of being knocked off. To be knocked off your pedestal is rarely a nice experience.
But my biggest concern about the Trafalgar Square pedestal is the suggestion that this is the chance for ordinary people to be raised up to make their point. The PR operation surrounding the project,
in one very disconcerting way, rests on the notion of ord-inar-iness which is actually non existent.
One of the privileges of my own job as priest is to be confronted daily by the remarkableness of human life in all is forms. Strip away kudos, status, rank, wealth or inheritance- and there really is no such thing as an ordinary human being. It’s nonsense. A contradicton. The actor Christopher Reeve, who spent the last few years of his life in a wheelchair, said that “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
And it’s true – that ord-inar-iness in people, signs and situations is rooted in the extraordinary – even in matters of faith as Frances Bacon memorably says – “God never wrought miracles to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it”.
There is no such thing as an ordinary person. Each of us is unique and extraordinary. Which brings us back to putting ourselves and others on pedestals.
On the basis of our uniqueness and individuality, as well as our potential, there is absolutely no point in keeping any of this a secret. Jesus himself says “No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bushel. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. “
So that on the understanding that this pedestal will celebrate the extraordinariness of human nature in all its forms, and, therefore, leave it not hidden, Antony Gormley has, in fact, come up with a great idea. I might even pop along myself to have a look myself. Mind you, it takes some guts and you’d never get me up there!
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