Living in the inner city

One of the main reasons we moved to live in the inner city was the belief that it was important to retain Christian presence in our inner cities. So many have seen the slow withdrawal from them as people move out to the suburbs. This means leaving a small, aging congregation to try and deliver the wider mission of the church. Of course some of these buildings are not in good shape and their maintenence saps  at the remaining energy. Equally we felt it was important to not just serve in such an area but to live within it as well. We have not been disappointed in what we expected. It is hard for our faithful folk to  offer relevant worship that connects with peoples lives. It is hard to keep the fabric of the buildings in good   order. It is difficult as a minister to create a personal presence in a very built up and complex area compared to places I have lived in before. Yet it is the personal relationships that do help to make   people feel that Church is a safe place, a place of hospitality, a place you can work out what life is for. 

Education and schools have where ever I have lived been a challenge. My personal belief in an education system that works for all can often stand in stark contrast to the realities on the ground. The fragmantation created by successive governments only highlights people trying to get their children into  ' the best schools' - church schools feature highly. I have always questioned the truth of this and my joy has been to work with straightforward state schools. So to read the extract of the report below encourages me to stick with what I perceive God was saying to me. 'Go to the inner city, stick with it. ' 

Michael Hirst has carried out research into the Methodist Church’s presence in poor communities. He explains some of the challenges it revealed for the vision of building a “church of the poor”.

New research on the positioning of the Methodist Church suggests that Methodist ministers live predominantly in less deprived areas and that bias has increased in recent years. Other aspects of a Methodist presence – faith schools and lay people providing national oversight – also show a bias towards less deprived areas…

The first question addressed to humankind, represented by Adam, is ‘Where are you?’ (Genesis 3:9). This question adds comedic effect to the story but it also has serious intent.

God knows precisely where Adam is hiding and – like Juliet’s plea ‘Wherefore are thou Romeo?’ – the question is not primarily about location. ‘Where’ can sometimes mean WHY?

God is challenging Adam to reflect on his position: why are you over there and not here with me? What has happened to make you do that? What has become of you? God alludes to their former relationship which is now broken: Adam is in the wrong place, literally and metaphysically.

Nowadays, question marks hang over the Church’s position on many issues. The question posed in Church Action on Poverty’s report Church of the Poor? may be the most challenging.

As this report shows, all Christian denominations and indeed other faith traditions proclaim in various ways a preferential option for the poor.

Self-proclaimed solidarity with the poor – backed by doctrine, scriptures and tradition – might be expected to align their clergy and mission with deprived areas and marginalised communities.

New research on the positioning of the Methodist Church suggests otherwise. Methodist ministers live predominantly in less deprived areas: the more deprived an area the less likely they are to live there, and that bias has increased in recent years. Supernumerary ministers fulfill their lifelong calling in areas that are generally less deprived than the ones in which they had served before retirement.

Around one in eight Methodist churches are located in the most deprived communities and most members gather for worship in less deprived areas. Some ministers who officiate at services and minister religion in deprived areas cross noticeable social gradients on their journeys from manse to church.

Other aspects of a Methodist presence – faith schools and lay people providing national oversight – also show a bias towards less deprived areas. As a result, fewer pupils in state-funded Methodist schools, than in the school population at large, are entitled to free school meals – a key marker of income poverty and material deprivation.

These findings do not chime well with the Methodist Church’s commitment to ‘being alongside the poor’ as expressed in one of its priorities:

‘Supporting community development and action for justice, especially among the most deprived and poor – in Britain and worldwide’.

How can faith groups transcend economic inequalities and heal social divisions? Offering religious ministry, pastoral care, and witness from positions of relative comfort is one thing; entering into solidarity with the poor – acting out faith together in practical and transformative ways – is quite another.

When Jesus invites John’s disciples to see where he is staying (John 1:39), maybe he’s suggesting: come, position yourself with me, and look at the world from where I stand. The early disciples soon learned that following Jesus often meant leaving their preferred places, exchanging their point of view for God’s viewing points, and turning the taken-for-granted upside down (Acts 17:6).

Location matters because places differ, not least where poor people and wealthy people live in separate areas. Perhaps Church and clergy are being called to change places.

With finite resources, that may mean withdrawing clergy from affluent congregations in favour of deprived communities. Maybe that’s a fantasy. Nonetheless, directing resources towards deprived communities provides an authentic way to becoming Church of the Poor.

Location underpins incarnational theology, ministry and mission, and clergy embody those endeavours. Being in the right place is not sufficient to becoming Church of the Poor, but it is necessary.

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Michael Hirst is  a retired researcher living in Glossop.

Sunday worship - creation

Well we had a great morning as a faith community as we told the story of creation.

With backgrounds produced by the young people

 

We had a marvellous back cloth being revealed as the story was told .

And then with words and song and all ages the story was related.

It was another step as a church developing both worship and the way we work with our children and young  people. Big thanks to Lynn and Peter, Malcolm, Nigel and  Joyce. 

 

City of culture

What a delightful city to live in. You find yourself walking through the winter gardens and you come across a wonderful group of people singing. It was the Sheffield chorale making people's day with a delightful sound . 

Then I spotted a woman from one of our Methodist churches . She's amazing how she finds time to do so many things .

The health service and Friday rest day

Well I was all set for a rest day apart from a firm coming to see where we have a leak on the pipe work at the house . "Mark I've fallen " so I discovered my wife had fallen backwards in the garden . Yes a gash on the back of the head  , no you can't leave it! So we found ourselves  sitting in A&E . Yes you have to wait but we do still have an amazing health service with great staff. So once checked it was time again to wait for the doctor and possible stitch. Oh yes ! as I was shown the gash not for the faint hearted to look at. It needed five stitches and finally we could go home. Just in time to learn the leak had been found fixed and all back to normal. So a not to be repeated day I spent part of the afternoon cleaning down the decking so no more slipping.

Signing the covenant

Well it was Tuesday evening at St Andrews Psalter Lane . Within an act of worship the Methodist Church and Church of England  in Sheffield signed an area covenant. 

Bishop Peter and Chair of District Gill Newton signed on behalf of the two traditions. 

 

It was witnessed by the mayor 

And 

Other faith leaders 

The hope is that we will work more closely and use our precious resources more widely to serve the city. 

Going to worship and starting a new youth group

How rare these days it is to sit in a congregation unless away on holiday. This morning saw me doing this though I was there for a purpose. Listening to a Local Preacher on trial for his final service before interview at the Local Preachers meeting which leads to being accredited as a preacher, and it was one of two services for candidating for the Methodist ministry. Quite a tall order for any to lead a sevice . So I found myself seeking both to worship while having to have a critical eye for detail. It was fun not to be recognised by most people. So as I stood deciding where to sit so as not to be noticed by the preacher if jotting down notes I was told 'you can sit anywhere, we don't have reserved seats' I am sure it was meant. Yet it made me smile as I recalled many a time my wife had been told that when she has come to churches with me, only to discover she has sat in someones seat!  The music group were good and the welcome of the church was very apparant from the moment you stepped through the doors. Certainly a church you could direct people to attend.

Then tonight the opportunity to begin a new venture with a Sunday night youth group. I felt it went really well and we will just have to be patient to allow it to grow at its own pace and out of their needs. For me it was a reminder of numerous young people I have worked with in youth groups throughout my ministry. Always a challenge and always great fun. So a mixed week has ended on a positive note and for that I am thankful.

Harlow Carr

A chance to get out and relax saw a great trip to Harlow Carr.

One of the four RHS gardens. Its  the third we have visited this year and the second time we have had chance to take in its rich and colourful gardens.

The Alpines were stunning in colour and diversity

You just wish you had more time to create your own planting of them .

Of course there is always fun sides to such places !

 The BFG in all his glory !

Now that's what I call a harvest display and makes my few squashes look a bit tiny.

Great vistas everywhere you looked and no self respecting garden is without a pond or to be precise a lake.

Such colour 

Where ever you looked. 

So a bought cake from Bettys and a coffee in the car saw us return home. What way to end the day than to enjoy a great strictly - and what about Ed Balls as 'The Mask'  I had tears of laughter and admiration putting his reputation on the line. He may not win but I do hope he stays in for a little bit longer. 

So just Wisley RHS to go and we will have the set. Probabley means we will have to go and stay with our daughter - just an excuse to see our granddaughter.

School visit

One of the most pleasurable aspects of having been a minister living and working in a community is the opportunity to work with schools. I have always found I get more out of it than the youngsters themselves. Their sense of wonder if they are coming into your church building helps you to stop taking what you have for granted. Then there is the honesty they bring. You may have been asked to talk about one thing but they always have their own agenda, insights and challenging questions. 

This academic year we have once again Hinde House lower school visiting  Firth Park Methodist Church through out the year, in their year groups. This past week 60 plus year four's  came to explore Why Christians worship? Not only were they well behaved and amazingly attentive they kept me on my toes with their questions and insights. What I love about this school is the diversity of children in culture and faith. Two questions stood out for me. One boy asked 'is it alright not to be religious?' And another when we were talking about those who are of the same faith being our brother and sisters, said 'me and my friend both like trains does that make us brothers?'  He had clearly picked up that having something in common can bind you together as family that is not dependent on biology. It was also great to be able to explore that relgious does not automatically make you a person of faith? or that not being a peson of faith means you cant have core values which are of worth. So not just a simple visit and chat. I will see them again when in school leading assemblies and so important relationships are forged. So it's great for our church community to have over 450 children coming into our buildings to continue to build their sense of awareness of God,be they Christian, Muslim or non religious!

Religious buzz words

Over my ministry I have experienced the various changes and suggestions that have sought to find the way to change things that saves the church from decline. 

From the 'decade of evangelism' to 'fresh expression of church' the church has sought to clutch at something that will make the difference . 

Alongside this is the inevitable jargon that afflicts alll organisations. So we no longer talk about stories we speak of the narrative. Like strictly come dancing we are 'on a journey'. And 'Mission' or 'missional'  has become a word bandied about as if saying it enough times will wave a magic wand and all will be well. Then again everything has to be 'intentional' Does that mean I have spent the last 32 years of ministry with no idea of what I have been about no clear purpose? 

To complain about all this can appear to make one a grumpy old minister. But I would suggest that just as fresh expressions can be all smoke and mirrors 'we do cafe  church' No you put a few tables out and drink non fairtrade  coffee' and claim you do cafe church. The reality is the church had always sought to reinvent itself for the current day. In fact there is nothing new under the sun.  What we are trying to do in many different ways is discover what works for one faith community and not another.  In so doing we just use tools of today to learn and share faith. I am sure if John Wesley was around today he would have written blogs instead of pamphlets, delivered 'ted talks' instead of 44 sermons, and get his brother to set the words of scripture to various music genres of today.  What wouldn't have changed is his engagement with people and the lives they actually live. Their need for a roof over their head, not to be forgotten because they have been put in prison, food for their  stomachs and clothes for their backs. The language he would have used about why he did such things would still be telling them they are loved by God , a God they can get to know. It's not exactly rocket science to say you have to start with where people are, but we have a whole course for people to undertake based on it. Its great don't  get me wrong , it  just stands in a long line of other such courses. 

My latest growing bug bear is talk of mission - without any real clarity of this overarching word. The more it seems to be used now the less clarity that comes with it.  For some it appears it just means making Christians. When people  meet those for whom this is their agenda they are very often switched off because they are not being listened to. Its certainly not the way Jesus operated. For  others mission is working with youth while for others its about the environment. But ' What is the mission of the church? 

 If we take the great commission as a command for the overarching meaning of Mission then its about 'discipleship'  ( apprenticeship learning on the job) and 'the Kingdom of God'. Jesus did not say go out into the world and make pew fodder, or create an institution that perpetuates itself, with power and self preservation as its guiding principles. Surely it is about working out a way of life, that reflects trying to live life in the way Jesus did, and in so doing help to create the kingdom of God. And of course enabling others to become disciples is to draw them both into that Kingdom which will also mean they can help make that kingdom. They might turn out not to be Christians! The judgement that Jesus said will occur at the end,  sort of implies very strongly, doing what Jesus did will show who is of the Kingdom and who is not ( sheep and goats) disciples not christians!   The values of the Kingdom are often at variance  with the values of the society around you, be that first century Palestine, 21st century Britain or Ghana. They can even be at varience with the institution of the church you belong to. So the response to those who try to live this way can often be the response Jesus received. 

Living as I do in a vibrant city of Sheffield, but one which is one of the most divided in the country,  It is sad that this division is often reflected in the life of my own christian tradition. Wealth and what it can buy ( influence) professionals who can talk the talk, draw the resources into their churches duplicating the divide of our city. To be then a faithful disciple is to challenge this divide. I think its also at times important to poke a little fun at the holy language we use that have become the buzz words of the initiated. The rest of the world really couldn't care less . What the people who come into one my churches on a Wednesday after we have had a communion service need . Is a listening ear to their story, food for their table to feed the children at home, and just a sense that they are of worth. The acceptance they receive is changing lives. They may never become Christians but does that matter? 

 So what buzz words annoy you ? And what do you understand is the Mission of the Christian church? 

New Methodist Year

What a dim memory our holidays are once we get back to work.

September seems to gave flown by . We have welcomed three new ministers into the life of our  circuit which includes Henry and family from  Nigeria to enrich our team.

So we had a great service to start our year together as a circuit at our Wesley Hall Church in Crookes. 

Of course its also the harvest festival season and at Firth Park we looked at the parable of the sower and this year we made our gifts money for a vital toilet twinning sceheme through CAFOD . £460 was raised for what can be life changing basic sanitation. It remined me of the building work at the church in Asaebu which was enabled by the funds I was able to take on my last visit which created a whole toilet block.

Firth Park is an amazing and generous church community as this past weekend has shown again. It raised £421 for Macmillian. So thats not much short of £1000  being given not for ourselves but for others. Surely a community that needs to be blessed itself as it seeks to transform it building to better enable us to both worship and to serve. 

So it has also been fun to have a drone fly over our roof to take close high resolution pictures to see what has to be repaired and what could be left.

On the ground 

Then wow in the air flying high and school children passing by loved it, as did this minister. Sadly I was not allowed to control it!

Our hope is that we might do a smaller repair to the roof and get on with converting the inside to create a space for worship and the space for a soft play centre. The latter will not only provide a much needed community facility but mean we can connect with people who would  not normally cross our doors. So we press on with fund raising and pray that God will liberate a few bank accounts and wallets to make it happen sooner rather than later.