headwayyouth- phil smith's blog

Back from Hols!

Today myself and zoe returned from a week away with my parents in Plymouth. T'was much fun, especially our trips to tourist attractions (otters, Buckfast Abbey and penguins) but the highlight of the trip was definately the sight of this John Wesley doll. My dad has a ridiculously large collection of Wesleyana but this is a low point. What's worse it was in the bedroom, which severely hindered sleeping patterns (nb no photo editing software has been used).

Norman Kember released

Some news stories really make you smile... Norman Kember has just been freed after being held hostage for four months... wonder if he'll be at Greenbelt!

Spirited Exchanged UK Goes Live

Spirited Exchanged UK is now up and running.
Spirited Exchanges has been running in New Zealand for some time and has increasingly become the umbrella name for a variety of initiatives growing from a recognition that many people are grappling with issues related to faith and church, many who have left the institutional church. It acknowledges:

§ some have been abused in a controlling church culture

§ some want freedom to explore the questions without being told the answers

§ some have had life experiences that cause them to doubt God

§ some are hurting, some are angry, some are bored

§ some are deeply hungry for more spiritual reality.  

Spirited Exchanged:

§ doesn’t try to convert people

§ doesn’t try to lure people back into a church fellowship

§ doesn’t try to ‘fix’ the problems.

§ Lets God defend God.

If you're interested then email Joanna  Percival to sign up for the newsletter.
For those of you down south you also might be interested to hear that Alan Jamieson is speaking at a lunchtime seminar on May 2nd- more details on the Spirited Exchanges UK website.

Why women shouldn't buy cars...

Yes this is a little sexist and admittedly it has no relevance to emerging church or ethical living, but it did make me laugh!

What will happen to the puddles when it gets really hot?

Last night I popped along to an event at Newcastle Uni which was linked to the launch of Friends of the Earth's new campaign The Big Ask. The aim of the campaign is to encourage the government to pass a much needed legislation that will control levels of carbon emissions and punish those who pollute the planet most (coal burners, 4x4s, planes etc). If you're interested check out this advertisement which will be hitting a cinema near you very soon!

Court gives 'Amarillo' woman Asbo

After a depressing night watching the football on Wednesday this story made me smile plenty yesterday...

"A woman who repeatedly blasted out the hit single Amarillo has been given an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo).

Teressa Webb's neighbours in Bath complained she played the Tony Christie and Peter Kay record too loud.

She was given the two-year Asbo after magistrates heard she breached a noise abatement order imposed on her by Bath and North Somerset Council last May.

The court ruled the music had caused harassment, alarm or distress. Mrs Webb, 30, had denied the offence.

She said she had not realised the noise was causing a problem."

Clergy resignations

I heard on Radio 4 this morning about Rev Julie Nicholson, a 52 year old vicar serving in Bristol who is resigning because she does not feel able to forgive the tube bombers who killed her daughter. The Guardian reports,

"It's very difficult for me to stand behind an altar and celebrate the Eucharist, the Communion, and lead people in words of peace and reconciliation and forgiveness when I feel very far from that myself," she said in a BBC interview. "So for the time being, that wound in me is having to heal. In terms of my ministry, a colleague and a friend recently said priesthood begins in the world, not in the church, and I was very relieved to hear that; because what I am trying to do now is redefine my priesthood.

"I am looking for a way in which I can still have priestly ministry when there are some things I can no longer practise, or I can't currently practise, and for me that's about integrity."

The decision is admirable, but I wish in these circumstances that the church would refuse resignations. It is in my view a bad testament to the hierarchical structure of church if local churches cannot cope with the doubts and struggles of its clergy.

In search of an integrated faith...

Since moving on from my last job, I haven't settled in a local church. This is partly because myself and zoe haven't found a church we feel at home/welcomed in and partly out of choice- still feeling a bit bitter about the circumstances surrounding my departure from Darlington ("...as we forgive those who sin against us"- yes i know, just give me time!)

As a result of this prolonged absence from church my faith is now very much different to that which i had twelve, maybe even sixth months ago. Previously so much of my faith focused on set activities- Sunday worship, Bible studies, communion, preaching etc- now that those things are no longer prominent, my life is much more about a quest for an integrated faith. In other words, because my faith is no longer manifest in certain proscribed activities and my conscience is no longer eased by attending such activities  I am finding it is ever more important that what I believe is displayed in my words and action. The outworking of this is that over recent months this blog has increasingly focused on ethical issues and I've largely left emerging church issues up to the guys and gals listed to the left (all of which i continue to read and enjoy!). I've also started contributing to the wonderful hippyshopper!

This all sounds like I'm about to say something very dramatic (eg."Buddhism isn't as bad as you think") but I'm not. It's just mundane update as to where I'm up to and therefore as to where this blog is up to. Incidentally, on the journey towards a more just world this week a significant milestone was passed as McDonald's announced the closure of 25 stores! (Check out Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls musings here if you're interested)

"i dont really know what this is..."

I've been humoured recently by a couple of comments made on a post about Soul Survivor that I wrote while I was at the festival last summer, Cat's comment last week is my favourite,

"hey i dont really know what this is but i was browsing on google for soul survivor 2005 and i agree that it is totallly the best and i really enjoyed it.anyone going this year?wb.cat.xx"

Intrigued as to how they came about this site I did a bit of digging... turns out if you type Soul Survivor Mike Pilivachi (incorrectly spelt!!!) on Google, I'm top of the list- famous at last!