Today my 'middle' Godson turns 18. He has been in church I reckon around half a dozen times - his Baptism, mine (!) my ordination and the odd wedding. I have been invited to share a family meal in honour of the occasion.
Today our lunch club ends its second year. If everyone who is booked in turns up we will have over 60 people sitting down to share food and fellowship. In two years, I've 'buried' about half a dozen. A good half of them have been to our carol service teas and other events but as yet no one has joined a church (some are already members of our or other churches)
Tomorrow I'm having lunch with one of my deacons (one of the few folk of around my age!) and our pub-based 'Church Plant' (sounds awfully trifid like to me) has a rock band and will serve food in the interval.
On Friday I take my Mum out for a birthday lunch, and I can be fairly sure that conversation will include the Salvation Army (of which she is an offcial Adherent) and my sister's URC training (along with news of my brothers, nephews and nieces of course).
When each of my three Godsons was "done", I made it clear to the parents that I, at least, would take my responsibilties seriously. But I find myself wondering - as I watch lifestyles and values that trouble me - what difference I've actually made. granted, I am now a 'tame vicar' useful for Bible questions in trivia quizzes but even so...
Our lunch club does a fantastic job, but there are those little niggles within the fellowship about "them" and the odd mutterings if we put club members' names on the prayer list. Likewise with the plant, there is a sense that some people see this as 'bringing people into church' rather than into faith.
Being with my own highly ecumenical family is always challenging! Sometimes I find myself having to take the middle ground when arguments erupt , recently over Christology and prayer: should you pray 'to or 'through' Jesus? Discuss!(my Mum has a low Chrisology, consistent with her Jewish heritage I guess; my sister has a much higher view - I recently wound up trying to explain the ontological significance of 'Son of God' in lay language - a great challenge!)
One of my greatest realisations, many years back, was that I'm not repsonsible for how other people respond to the Gospel or how other people think it should be 'delivered,' all I am responsible for is fulfilling (or trying to) God's call on my life. This released me from a lot of guilt and anxiety over those who had, visibly at any rate, not responded 'favourably.' I also know that through the work I do, in some small way Gospel is expressed to 60 or so senior citizens, restaurant and pub staff, coach drivers and maybe even to my Godsons and their families, who, let's face it, would never abandon a well paid job to follow a call to eat with those who can never invite you back...
By the weekend I will undoubtedly be a few pounds heavier (good job I'm walking Hadrian's Wall next week) but as I chew over the things of this week, and recall Jesus the 'friend of sinners and tax-collectors' I dare to conclude that maybe, just maybe, I have something about right.