Virtual Methodist

Everything about the current conflict in the middle east seems somewhat surreal and there is no telling where it will take us. But I was "delighted" to find that T-shirt sellers were quick off the mark with their "merch..." A comic-book codename betrays Callousness. A video game brought to life Brings death. Rockets rain down and drones Devastate. Leaders choose to cause chaos To distract. Old men with adolescent mindsets Lash out. One merciless monster eliminated By another. Advocates of bloodthirsty deities Exult. Markets plunge and marketplaces Destroyed. But T-shirt sellers see Opportunity. Not a people but a djinn Liberated. Again leaving innocents Erased. Selah

A piece linked to the Old Testament lectionary reading for today, but written 22 years ago for an event at Methodist Conference and delivered at that point by my predecessor in my current role, Rev David Kerr. He had recently retired as Superintendent at the time, and as I deliver this today it will be doubly poignant. First with David's recent passing, and second because I do so a few days after I have delivered my last report to the Board of BCM as Superintendent. I genuinely thought that this post would be my last station, but it was not to be... I thought my travelling days were done… I’d had enough upheaval in my life… moving with my family from the centre of civilization to what I saw then as the sticks… Syria… Haran… But still it was a city… and I was a city boy… who grew into a city man… and was settling down to spend the rest of my days there… Surrounded by familiar faces… familiar places… familiar gods… Gods cast in gold and silver or carved from stone and wood, all aroun...

A reflection based on my current Lent reading  "The Missing Peace"  by Chris Whittington, and thinking about Jesus' prayer practice.  The irony is that this Lent I have never been busier, with impending changes, a certain book launch and a range of "routine" pastoral issues. So it could be a case of do what I say, not what I do, although I am looking forward to putting some of this into practice in my sabbatical after Easter. After hearing bad news.  Before sharing good news. Before big decisions. After major events. When overwhelmed withdraw. Retreat in order to advance. In place of busyness stop. Answer noise with silence. Absent yourself. Check out. Choose solitude and find in that place that you are never alone. Selah

Another brand new piece (hence its not in the new book), this time flowing from both the liturgical, season, the place we find ourselves in globally and the particular season that Sally and I find ourselves in at present. Wilderness is a repeated Biblical theme, ranging from the experience of the people of Israel in their Exodus from Egypt, through to Jesus' period of preparatory testing, and other individuals in between. It is portrayed as both a place of escape and of trial. It prompts some to look back longingly to slavery, others to wish for death, whilst the Psalmist seems to pine for it and the reliance on God it required. Physically I love wilderness spaces, but thats because I know I am only a visitor. But ending up there emotionally with no assurance of an imminent entry into a "Promised Land" is not my favourite experience.  Ironically Bono and I have both drawn on the same source for our inspiration, namely Richard Rohr's "The Tears of Things." Ho...

I've been thinking a lot about next Friday's launch of my second collection of poems, and the reasons why I write poetry. I have repeatedly said that I am under no allusions as to my technical skill (any training I have recieved has been perfunctory and I've largey forgotten most of it) or profundity. Most of the poetry I write (with the exception of the "place poems" that I have written for events like the Wonderful Wander) and primarily personal, allowing me to get disordered thoughts out of an unfocused brain. I have never expected my poems or this blog to draw large numbers of "followers" ( the very idea makes me shudder), though I am pleased, and sometimes astounded when something I write seems to ring a bell with people... so the idea of having one printed collection of poetry never mind two is frankly mindblowing. What follows is the piece which acts as the "opener" in my 2nd colection, and expresses not only the form and fu...

Cheonggyecheon stream in Seoul, South Korea, daylighted from sewers in 2003. Image: Kaizer Rangwala, Flickr. As I said yesterday's poem was the last of the new pieces I wrote for this year's Wonderful Wander, but we didn't use it on the walk.  Instead Mylie Brennan read this piece which I wrote a few years ago and which, consequently DOES feature in my new collection "Hedge Songs," which will be launched next Friday evening.  As I said on the walk and when I originally posted this poem, daylighting is a contemporary urban environmental movement, encouraging urban planners to uncover culverted rivers and discover the difference that properly managed waterways and green spaces can make to the wellbeing of those living and working in cities. The UK has been relatively late to this global trend, but it might have a special resonance in my home city, which is actually named after a long-buried river. On our walk this year, after we left the banks of the Lagan we large...