I was just picking up some guitar parts in PMT Leeds when I spotted this =D
Sep192013
Sep162013
Vision Upon Vision, a Review
Monks are free from the social rules that everyone else has to follow and George Guiver CR has been telling it like it is for countless years. I’ve chatted with him on numerous occasions whilst at the College of the Resurrection and he has a propensity for dropping huge theological bombshells into the conversation and then wandering off for one of the monastic offices.
Vision Upon Visions is the first of his books I have read since I was a candidate for the priesthood contemplating The Fire And The Clay. Vision Upon Vision was recommended as an important source for my research into Anglican liturgy and inculturation. Within its pages are a rather comprehensive look at the history of liturgical development and the place of worship within society throughout the ages. This may sound like a dry topic, but Guiver’s refreshing directness cuts to the heart of the matter like a surgeon wielding a sternal saw.
The midsection of the book is an inspirational exploration of the relationship between the worship of the church and the culture in which it occurs. Guiver has prompted many questions that I suspect were already unspoken in the recesses of my mind. Do we check our culture at the door and worship as incomplete expressions of ourselves? Do we allow our liturgical responses to God to critique and inform our culture? These and countless other questions I will seek to explore in the coming months.
The final portion of the book is dedicated to the future of Christian worship. In a world that is shifting culturally with ever increasing speed, what is the vision for worship in the future? Guiver asks some provocative questions about worship from all traditions as he lays a vision for worship that both inspires and challenges the worshipper whilst edifying and glorifying God.
This is by no means a lightweight read; it has a distinctly academic depth to the material covered but Guiver’s style is easily accessible. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who is involved in leading worship.
Sep132013
What is Your Congregation Like?
“So what are your congregation like?” came the question at a dinner party.
“Oh they’re wonderful,” came Ruth’s reply, “you couldn’t hope to meet a nicer bunch of people. They are warm and welcoming and they have a real desire to see the place thy live transformed for the better”.
With a slightly puzzled look upon his face the dinner guest made his response. “I didn’t mean that, what are your numbers like?”
#truestory
Aug302013
Church Beer Festival
How did we get here? I’m in St Matthew’s Church Grosmont. There are 15 well kept racked real ales in the corner. The room is packed. There is a small ukulele orchestra playing The Lion Sleeps Tonight on the chancel steps!
How did we get here? It’s a Friday night. It’s my day off. I’m away in a strange land (ok, the Yorkshire Moors) and somehow I’m in a Church of England ancient village church. We got here because they were telling us about this in the pub last night. In a different town. By “they” I mean “people who have no link to the church”. “They” got me into church tonight. The “non churched”. And they weren’t the only ones. There have been three different groups of people telling us about how good this is going to be! None of whom are part of the church.
People who don’t go to church are telling the world that The Church(TM) are a positive thing? This doesn’t compute.
And everyone is so enthusiastic about the gift that the church have given them. “This is Grosmont, there’s nothing to do here” is what we were told “but this is going to be excellent”.
And it is!