On Sunday I am rededicating/commissioning those of my folk who are active in our local mission.  This is not to say that others aren't active in mission where they work, rather that we choose to affirm publically those who 'do mission in our name.'

The dear old Baptist brick is a tad short of suitable liturgy - lots for ministers and BMS type missionaries, not a lot for Mrs Goggins who runs the toddler group or Mr Blogs who does Alpha, or whatever.

So, for anyone daft enough to want to use them as a starter for ten- and not to pick up my errors - here is what I'll be using, derived from something I wrote for children's and youth workers, which was derived from something I wrote for deacons... all of which are listed!

Inhouse Mission Workers liturgy

Children/Youth Workers liturgy (includes child protection)

Deacons liturgy

If anyone has any better liturgies, I`d love to see them - some of this feels a tad old-fashioned and heavy

Last night's church meeting left me feeling fed up (if you read the last post you'll know that).  Not because people want a church building of their own, but because they say it is the first priority for us.  And on the same day, I'd spent a couple of hours with one of our less affluent folk who feels she has no worth because she doesn't have what she perceived everyone else (except me!) having.

I wish I'd had the guts to say, 'If you think a church building is so important, how about you all sell your houses, buy something that meets your needs not your wants, and give the proceeds to the church for the purposes of building.'  Farewell to conservatories, spare bedrooms occupied for an odd weekend now and then, no more whirlpool baths, double garages filled with clutter, etc., etc.  Instead they could buy small terraced houses... Even as I wish I'd said it, I hear the responses 'oh, but I need a nice spare room in case the family come to stay...', 'oh but I work hard, I need my comfort....'  (Think Habbakuk, Amos and panelled houses)

I wish I'd had the guts to ask if us having a church building is really a higher priority than addressing issues of suffering, injustice and intolerance.  Whether, even if they sold their houses, the proceeds might not be better employed in an AIDS project or an irrigation scheme in some drought afflicted nation.

I wish I'd had the guts to ask the person who inivted me to her 'big birthday' party which charity she'd like me to donate to rather than buying her a present - but I still haven't got over the look of shock on people's faces here when I told them that's what I'd asked people to do at my 40th.

I wish I'd had the guts to ask if they really thought that people would actually come to a church building in order to join in some crazy ritual we call worship

I guess I wish I'd had the guts to be a bit prophetic.

On Sunday I will preach on Romans 10:14 'How can call if they don't believe, how can they believe if they haven't heard, how can they hear if no one tells them, how can they tell unless they are sent.'  It seems to me the Bible says a lot more about 'go' than 'come' (notwithstanding a couple of bits of Jesus in the gospels).  I intend to talk about mission as service, as friendship and as proclamation - all of which are done 'out there' not 'in here.'

There, spleen vented somewhat - which is as well I'm due for a blood pressure check in an hour!

Last week we had a visit from a senior minister to share with us an idea that would allow us to own property suitable for our needs and release capital for mission and ministry.  It was an innovative idea where by we'd have a 'presence' combining an element of accommodation suitable for a minister (one with a family even) in part of a building and small rooms suitable for offices, drop in meetings etc.  Everyone thought it was great...

Last night as part of another Special Meeting, I asked them to share further thoughts and we were back to 'our first priority is a permanent worship place for us', alongside other ideas guaranteed to make a minister feel insecure.

So, why is it that when Mr Outside Minister comes along they all say "yes that's great" and when I ask them their views they "no, that's not a good idea"?  It feels as if we are doing yet another circuit of the same bit of desert and recalling Egyptian cucumbers.

If the honest desire of this group of people is to own a new worship centre, then I can help them work towards that.  My concern is that in twenty year's time there'll be another redundant building because we live with the cloud cuckoo land idea that if we have a building people will come in to it on a Sunday for worhsip as we've always done it.

Perhaps I'm a faithless pastor, but until we get mission higher on the list than buildings, I feel this fellowship is on a one way street to demise.

There, now that's honest to the point of risky!

Next week I am the guest speaker at the 70th (I think) anniversary of one of the local women's meetings.  I had to give them the reading today - and settled on Psalm 71.  When I rang it through, the woman's husband, a retired minister, answered and agreed to take a message.  When I said the reading was Pslam 71, his reply was, "What?  All of it?" Granted, compared to Psalm 23 it is quite long but it isn't Psalm 119 or one of the bashing heads against rocks ones either.

Why is it that we want our Bible reading to be so short?  Why do we settle for a few feel good verses?

Psalm 71 is a great hymn for third agers, it has lots of honesty and struggle as well as certain hope in a faithful God.

I will enjoy playing with it - all of it - and hope that it speaks to these folk as they remember the past and look ahead to the future.