Auchterarder - "Out there"

Path of Renewal has involved working with ministers in charges, with the proviso, from the outset, that the minister should then gather together a group of folk who will engage with the missional context in each parish and work out what it is that God is asking of them in their particular time and place. Ministers are being equipped to equip and empower others to respond to God's call on their lives.
Over the three years, some of the congregations involved have become vacant and, in two charges, where seeds had taken root and where folk were grasping the nettle, following Christ's commission to "Go and make disciples" it has been a joy to continue working with and celebrating progress in growing missional communities.

The congregation in Auchterarder describe the task like this:

"Path of Renewal's purpose is timeless in that it is to honour God and spread the good news of Jesus in a fast changing world... Connecting with the two thirds of people who claim to believe in God or some higher spiritual power who are not in church. The challenge is to be variable in our approach and portable with our message... a bit like BBC iPlayer which is a variable and portable way of accessing our favourite TV programmes. Engaged in ministry "out there" in public as Jesus did."

• The congregation are hosting a drop in café, initially set up by the NHS and the local Council that helps folk connect, recognising countering isolation as a factor in wellbeing. And the church mini bus helps folk get there.
• There is a range of activities with children, young people and families throughout the community.
• Participants in other activities, from lunch club to men's group to walking groups are encouraged to introduce friends to share in food and fellowship and, in time, faith conversations.

"Action often speaks louder than words and in 2018 our journey along the Path of Renewal at APC has been moving increasingly into the things we do, rather than just the things we say. The Kirk’s Path of Renewal process started intentionally with words, in this case as found in the Word of God, which is and will remain at the core."

What's the story - in Burra?

Debbie Dobby, minister in Burra, one of the Shetland islands shares their story of Path of Renewal:

Changing perspective

Path of Renewal has changed us. We have a much more inclusive view of who is part of our church, it is not just those who come on a Sunday. Our church is all who participate in its life, those who help us in cleaning and maintenance, those who decorate the church for special events, those who see the building as theirs. We are more tolerant and understanding of one another and of our community. There is no longer a “them and us,” now it is just us.

Sharing Faith

We are now more confident in speaking about our faith outwith a Sunday. We can express our differences and listen to another’s point of view without feeling intimidated or threatened. We have listened to each other, much of our conversation taking place over a Saturday breakfast of bacon butties. Path of Renewal has allowed and encouraged to have conversations that would not have happened otherwise. We have learned to trust one another.

Fellowship

Out of Path of Renewal has come Your Space, where the church is open one day a week for people to come and have quiet space, with WiFi, free tea and coffee. A craft group meet for two hours during this time for chat and friendship, and have welcomed new people, one person comes because, “it does me good.” The ‘welcome stop’ where folk can make a cuppa and use the facilities has proved popular with visitors during the summer.

At Christmas to celebrate our wide church family we had a party in the village hall and invited all who are part of our church, we had over 50 adults and children, who enjoyed an afternoon of fun, fellowship and food.

Path of Renewal for us has been an interesting and challenging journey, with the odd detour along the way, but we have changed, and we have loved it.

Finding our niche?

Ephesians 4:4-7

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

I had a really interesting discussion with a retired farmer last week: he was sharing how, with all the pressures and setbacks that continue to assail farming communities, farmers are having to be fairly creative, finding 'an angle' that will get them noticed and encourage folks to choose their produce over others.

Just a few days before, I'd listened to a young farmer describing how he had managed to leverage his way into becoming a 'barista-preferred' milk supplier. After months of trials and failures, he'd finally convinced a coffee shop to accept his farm's milk as their preferred option. That success led him on to other ways of specialising - the farm has recently achieved organic certification and, his latest pursuit, currently being crowd-funded, is the ditching of single use plastic by going back to bottling milk. He"d already sourced and restored the machinery necessary for washing and filling bottles but crowd funding was needed to purchase the glass bottles which are really expensive.

This resonated with some thoughts I've been having about church- What if the people of God, gathered as community "found their niche" in all their differing contexts?

I don't mean finding a gap and filling it.

Rather, by waiting on God, by taking time to discern the peculiarity of our gifts together, to discover that one thing that we can do well in and with our community alongside God.

It seems we're always looking for the next thing, or simply trying to keep things on the road. But what if we were to stop and ask God: what is required of us for this time and this place? What would church look like then?

And would we have the nerve to do what God asks of us (no more, no less) and trust others to live into their calling, each playing their part in building the kingdom?

Ephesians 4:15-16

But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Knowing our Story

 

Mark 1:9-11
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Sometimes in our attempt to fit in or keep up, we look for the shortcut to success or pursue goals that are more important to others than to ourselves...It’s impossible to be intentional and deliberate if you don’t articulate and prioritise what’s important to you.

(Story Driven - You don't need to compete when you know who you are. Bernadette Jiwa)

Just one of the observations made by congregations involved in Path of Renewal is the sense that we are engaged in kingdom work together. It is not about growing one congregation at the expense of another but discerning the mission of God in each particular context. It is also about embracing the reality that Christ has given all kinds of gifts to the church and that we operate out of abundance and not scarcity 

Ministers are experiencing collegiality rather than a competitiveness as they learn and grow together and, as they share their vulnerability, there is a real sense of being held and affirmed in their calling and encouraged in their leadership.

Early on in the process we considered - and continue to recall - that we are called, affirmed and equipped by God for the tasks of mission today.

In each of the three years of involvement on Path of Renewal, we have journeyed with Scripture that develops each of those aspects of who we are - beginning with the story of Jesus calling his disciples and sending them out to the harvest, then journeying with the risen Christ on the Emmaus Road and, this year, considering the five-fold gifts we have been given and how those complement the gifts of those around us. All of these scriptures have enabled us to better discern the mission of God and the part we are called to play in that mission today.

Mission begins then, with remembering our story - remembering by whom and to whom we are uniquely called.

Mission involves being reminded that we are God's beloved - and in that knowledge, in the light of that story, we are challenged to use the gifts that we have been given, enable the gifts of others and, together to build the Kingdom.

Writing in the sand

John 8:3-9

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

This incredible story of grace in the gospel of John testifies to the practice of putting aside tradition, taking a moment to breathe, and opening ourselves to the possibility of other options that become apparent when we don't simply succumb to what has always been.

As Jesus doodles in the sand, he creates a moment for reflection, for contemplation, for consideration of alternatives rather than acting on default. A simple space for breathing made space for a new perspective.

I'm sure there were those in the crowd that day who grumbled at Jesus' seeming indecision. I'm sure there were some who were disappointed that he didn't assert tradition or even institute something new. And yet, his simple doodling enabled others to be awakened to a grace filled possibility - that of setting aside their righteousness and showing compassion for others, a compassion in which there was the potential for change and for growth.

As we begin to review the experience of the first tranche of congregations involved in Path of Renewal, it is apparent that, at the very least, what has been achieved is that space for grace. A space to step back, take a breath, review the defaults and begin to achieve a new perspective. God enters that grace filled space changing hearts and minds, changing a culture that feels as though it is set in stone.

There is a time and a place for drawing a line in the sand and beginning something new. There is also a time and place for doodling so that a fresh perspective that can be the seed of renewing an inherited culture is planted. What will emerge is as yet unknown but a seed sown in love and grace carries the potential for a great awakening to the wisdom of God and the mission of God for the world.

Pursuing new ideas in Melness and Tongue

Path of Renewal in Melness and Tongue

At Melness and Tongue, the Kirk Session and Minister were 100% enthusiastic about beginning the Path of Renewal project at the start of 2016. But it did take some time to figure out and understand what Path of Renewal was all about! Initially, the recruitment of a part time worker who would free up some time for the minister to be engaged in Path of Renewal, took up a lot of time.

Some folks were brought together to form a New Ideas group, the name being chosen to reflect what they were about, consisting of two Elders (one in their 40s), two members of the congregation, two newish attendees (one of whom was 25 years of age), and two men in their 30s/40s who were interested and supportive of the congregation, but were not attending regular Sunday worship.

 

The New  Ideas group was enthusiastic about developing new ways of being Church that would help to draw others into Fellowship, although not necessarily lead them to join in traditional Sunday worship. At one of the occasional Church & Community lunches, a survey was conducted, asking participants: “What is Missing from our Community?” and “How could that Gap be Filled?”. Several things were suggested, but one that appeared several times was “There is no Dog-Walking group”. 

Other New Ideas that emerged were: Messy Church, Creative Space, Family Games Events/Group, Christian Music Group, Community Shed Group, Dog-Walking Group. This was a significant set of new activities. Knowing that they could not all be  launched at once, it was decided to begin with the Dog-Walking Group, which was the easiest to organise and would raise the profile in the Community. After starting the Dog-Walking Group (meeting weekly), a trial Family Games afternoon was organised and,  most recently,  Messy Church began, the third of which will be held in June. 

 

In addition, there was a willingness amongst some of those who preferred not be in the New Ideas group, to be more involved in preparing and leading traditional Sunday Worship, to free resources for those developing New Ideas. With the advent of the Dog Walking Group, Messy Church and the Games event, friendships are developing, conversations are deepening. and ecumenical relationships are being strengthened. Developing a Community Shed, a Music Group and a Creative Spaces group are ideas that, hopefully will be taken further in time.  What is clear is that God is at work and we are being invited to join in, learning and growing as we go.

God's mission and our transformation

"Don't focus on whether you are dying. Focus on God's mission and your transformation."

Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains.

It seems inevitable that any institution would rather talk endlessly about change or even instruct change when that change will not, in fact, carry any personal cost to those charged with driving and defining the future course of the organisation. And so statistics are quoted, dire predictions are shared and, when those predictions are realised, folk can rest in the knowledge that they were right.

What is much more difficult and way more costly is to BE the change that we need to be. To submit and be challenged by personal transformation in order to effect organisational change. Indeed it may even be that our personal transformation is not enough to change the institution. But that does not mean that we should avoid it. 

When God called Moses out of his self imposed exile to go and lead God's people out of Egypt, Moses recognised all too well how ill-equipped he was for the task but, in humility, he responded to the call of God. And all through the years in the wilderness, time and again, Moses was forced to return to that place of inadequacy and ineffectiveness, that place where only reliance on God allowed God's purpose to be fulfilled. The Moses we see glimpsing the Promised Land, a land he knew he would not enter, is a man who was prepared to submit to incredible personal transformation, the kind of transformation he could never have imagined. Other leaders emerged along the way and were mentored by Moses as he modelled for them the transforming power of God.

As we navigate our way through this wilderness season in the church today, our task as leaders is not to provide answers but to model transformation through which God equips us for the journey, calling us into God's mission today. At the very least, that requires humility and dependence on God. It requires us not to lead with answers but to lead with questions, the kind of questions that seek to discern God's will and purpose for our lives and that enable and empower others to discern God's will and purpose for their lives. God's preferred and promised future is writ large in Scripture. God's peacable kingdom has been outlined by priests and prophets through the ages. That kingdom will be realised when we respond to the challenge to be transformed as we participate in the mission of God.

Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Noticing signs of the Kingdom

Sherwood Greenlaw Parish Church

I have noticed that …

people are smiling more
and talking more in our church. 
Some people are praying more,
others are caring more,
and some are thinking more. 
 
I have noticed that people are willing to give things a try,
and experience something new. 
people want to get involved,
and we now have a number of babies and young families
coming regularly to church on a Sunday morning. 
and more parents
have supported the Remembrance Day
and the Uniformed organization services. 
 
I have noticed people being kind,
and saying thank you
for what other church folk have done for them. 
not many folk fall asleep during the sermon,
and people in our community
recognise some of the things we are doing as a church
to be good and healthy and wholesome.
 
I have noticed new people joining our choir,
And the fun that the Time out Group have at the manse.
people are being generous
with their time, talent and money.
People are asking questions,
And probing for a deeper understanding about God.
 
I have noticed, faithful men and woman,
who come week in and week out to worship,
and bring something of themselves to Sherwood Greenlaw,
and offer themselves for the work of the Kingdom of God.

I have noticed, growth and optimism in people,

and a real willingness to take on board
new opportunities as they arise,
that expand the Kingdom of God in this place.
 
All this suggests to me that God is not dead here.
That something of his Spirit is afoot in what we do,
A little spark of the Spirit
that seeks to kindle a deeper fire for God and this Kingdom work.

 

 

Rev John Murning, of Sherwood Greenlaw Parish Church in Paisley, reflects on their journey through Path of Renewal:

Local Partnership

Rev Julia Meason

Another Path of Renewal Congregation shares their story:

Shapinsay Parish Church is located on an island of about 300 folk.

In the summer we have a cafe which is open every day but in winter months there is no natural gathering space for people. We noticed that lack of opportunity and decided to enter into partnership with the Shapinsay Development Trust who have a new building, far better located than the church is. They give us the building free of charge, we provide homebakes, teas, coffees and some activity for the children.

 

It is very successful. We certainly tapped into a need - people come along, enjoy one another’s company, we build relationships. As an aside we raise money for local charities (people like to give a donation for what they’re getting).

Our learning is that it is possible to build something new on a small island that is successful when we identify a true need in the community.

We have had our sabotage when we were accused of taking trade away from the local cafe - which we are not since it’s not open when we operate! We intentionally chose to operate in winter months only in order not to compete. It upset us quite a bit until we realised it had nothing to do with us - it was part of a bigger issue with somebody else and we were used as an argument.

I think all of us realised also how much we were hoping the coffee afternoons would bring people to faith and church. This didn’t happen and our loss is this deep disappointment.

There are good things happening though - folks are more than happy to volunteer to bake and host, whether they’ve got a church connection or not. Some began taking ownership of the place too - recently a family who have been very faithful at coming along, started sweeping floors and tidying up afterwards. They joined us for the beach clean up we organised in our community. I feel they’re beginning to feel like they are one of us, that they belong. And that is a truly great thing.

 

Fair warning!

John 16:1-4a

“I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

It is only after having first brought about a change and then subsequently enduring the resultant sabotage that the leader can feel truly successful. Ed Friedman - A Failure of Nerve.

Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains, reminds us of these words of Ed Friedman, that sabotage is a normal part of leadership.

Sabotage often comes, not from inherently bad people, but from those close to us. It may come from those who feel that things aren't changing quickly enough, who have become discouraged and impatient along the way. It may arise out of good intentions. It may come from those who know us best and want to move things on and feel that, out of love and friendship, they are uniquely placed to do just that.

Sabotage is not something to be avoided but, rather, something to navigate. Surviving sabotage is a necessary part of leadership that promotes resilience and may even help leaders to clarify the journey. It enables healthy conversations that help people journey forward together with a clearer focus and renewed energy and stability.

Sabotage is to be taken seriously but not feared as we continue to lead people toward the hopeful future that God envisages and as we continue to discern and engage in the Mission of God today.

Path of Renewal - The Next Generation

The old and the new - Girvan Lifeboats

"Every generation blames the one before. And all of their frustrations come beating on your door..."

Mike and the Mechanics - The Living Years

As we seek to find ways to work intergenerationallly, rather than multi-generationally in the church, there's a glimpse of that being modelled in Path of Renewal. As we work together with 25 new congregations, the lessons learned, the things discarded and the discoveries made are still fresh enough for us to move forward together without one cohort feeling alienated from another. We're still in the business of learning together with all our different ministry contexts informing how we are involved in God's mission in the world today.

Perhaps that is the nature of a movement - that learning and practice is always fluid and adaptable and that each will contextualise what we process together.

As we learn how to be church in this generation, sharing and valuing the gifts that each different generation has brought and continues to bring, we are careful to honour the treasures of the past and to value how those inform the present, unafraid to lay down those that weigh us down and, together, forge a way forward blending the old and the new, guided by one whose love exhorts us to be one.

None of this is easy work but it is vital to our witness and service today. By valuing each other's stories and, through listening and sharing, understanding one another, we are building the kinds of relationships that Christ envisaged that enables us, together with God to build the kingdom of God.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Got any carrots?

York Minster - reflected in a puddle!

Luke 24:41-45

While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

One of my all-time favourite jokes is one told by a colleague (Andy Haddow)- about a persistent rabbit who continually asks: "Got any carrots?" It's lengthy and corny - that's what makes it so funny!

Jesus asked his disciples after the resurrection: "Have you anything here to eat?"

When Jesus rose from the tomb, he did not immediately return to the father. He spent 40 days, restoring the disciples' confidence in themselves and in the mission to which they were called. All of Jesus' resurrection appearances were aimed at teaching the disciples, revealing the scriptures and opening their eyes to what was "hidden in plain sight".

Jesus met them in community and he met them individually, always anticipating and tailoring his message to their particular needs, be that forgiveness, reassurance, explanation, affirmation or recommissioning. Those meetings, more often than not, involved food. And they always involved transformation.

From fear to love.

From doubt to wondering.

From remorse to joy.

That painstaking work of restoration, of discerning need, of affirming gifts, of patiently exploring and explaining ancient texts, of putting skin on the bones of the resurrection is the same work in which we are called to be faithful today.

In our communities, where there is doubt, where there is scepticism, where there is remorse, betrayal, loss of confidence or purpose, our task is to be present, sometimes bringing understanding or reconciliation, sometimes restoring confidence or joy, sometimes bringing food and warmth and love -  but, above all, being present in the ordinary things of life that become holy when shared with others around a table. The work of renewal demands persistence in making connection with individuals and with communities that brings transformation as the risen Christ appears in our midst, asking:"Have you anything here to eat?" before commissioning us as disciples in the work of the kingdom today.

Growing with God

At Monkton Prestwick North Church, the early adopters of Path of Renewal have been working hard to keep the congregation informed about and involved in the Path of Renewal movement:

Minister, David Clarkson shared this recently in the church magazine:
Groups were developed within participating congregations. These groups agreed that they would give time to learn, share and pray together and that the things they had learnt would be shared with the wider congregation. The changes are therefore neither cosmetic, nor dependent upon the minister currently in post remaining there.  Instead, the whole culture of the local church should be changed to become more outward focussed with revitalised worship and congregational life. Our local group has had twelve people who have been meeting together every fortnight. As well as learning, sharing and praying together the members of the group have been involved with leading worship.
Some of the group also shared their reasons for being involved. Here are just some extracts:
“Path of Renewal is a way for the congregations of the Church of Scotland to find out the direction God wants them to go in, for the next while: to learn to listen to Him, and be directed by Him. To change, and to grow up. To become the Church that God needs us to be, in Scotland, at this time. (Allan)

“Three important things I learned were that prayer is essential and very powerful!  Also, when God is asking you to do something and you feel way out of your depth and inadequate for the task ahead, all God really wants you to do is take the first step and lay your trust in Him. He will reveal the path ahead when you start walking!  Finally, the most important thing I learned is – everything starts with relationships - Our relationship with God, each other, our community and our world.  Building relationships is essential!  However, I can’t wait to see what our awesome God has in store for us here in Monkton and Prestwick North. (Elaine)

“Path of Renewal is an opportunity to continue growing with God, thinking more deeply about what I am doing and considering how best we can serve both our Lord and our community. I don’t know where this journey will take me or us as a congregation, but I am looking forward to finding out! “  (Margaret)

“Path of Renewal has been another step on this faith journey as I've been challenged about my relationship with Jesus and how I share it with others.   This journey continues and although it may continue to be a bumpy one, I pray it will also be one of challenges, growing faith and a closer relationship with God.” (Maureen)

“I have grown up within the Church here and have seen many changes.
On Path of Renewal?  I still don’t know what my role will be but I am excited to be part of this and really looking forward to where this will lead the Church in the future.” (Scott)

“…Then I concentrated on the word renewal and began to realize that this wasn’t just a path for a few people, this was renewal for every single person sitting in the pews Sunday after Sunday and that included me.”(Irene) 

“I wasn’t brought up in church and it never entered my mind to go.  I have now been attending church regularly for one and a half years.  I attended an Alpha course, which is a great opportunity for people who want to find out and ask questions about God, life and Christianity.  It was there that I started to fully understand it all I now have the joy of Jesus in my heart and my life has been transformed.” (Jacqui)

A new part of the process in this congregation is the development of Growing with God groups. This gives the opportunity for more people to begin to learn, share and pray together. Encouraging everyone to ask: “What can I do that will help this congregation to grow?”;
“How can I grow in faith?”; and, “Could I get more involved in the life of the church?”

Recently, a member of the congregation shared: "I'm still not entirely sure what Path of Renewal is all about - but I can see the difference in those who are involved."
That is a story of Growing in God, affecting not just individuals but a congregation and whole community.

 

Where we learn best...

Exodus 15:22-27

Bitter Water Made Sweet

Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” He cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.

Among other things we've been sharing in our latest round of Regional Conferences is a reminder of those places that bring the most fertile learning: the Israelites in the wilderness learned more in times of adversity than in those times when things seemed to be going well, they learned more in Marah where the water was bitter than they did in Elim where there were springs.

In an article in Developing Leaders, Eve Poole, based on research conducted, states that "under pressure, you learn faster and you acquire memories that last."

In this season in the church, as we seek to find new ways of being in the wilderness, we give thanks for learning that comes when our hearts are in our mouths, when we are trying new things and sometimes failing and for the resilience that comes out of difficulty.

We are facing challenges that are rarely simple or even complicated, where we can call in expert advice or rely on a previous tried and tested solution, but that are complex and can only be navigated by trial and error, by taking risks and learning from outcomes, whether success or failure. The bigger challenge is, perhaps, to rely on the assurance that, with God, we can find a way through - just as the church has been called to do in every age and to keep others on board as we do that, learning together and sharing those lessons as we go.

Longniddry - Reaching out in faith

How journeying with others on Path of Renewal is affecting Longniddry Parish Church:

Over the years, Longniddry Parish Church has used its building space in a variety of imaginative ways, whether for hosting exhibitions or running special festivals (Christmas trees, wedding dresses, etc.). More generally, when we re-ordered our space in 2006 we did so with the express intention of providing rooms which the wider community might wish to use for a wide variety of their own purposes.

Our engagement with Path of Renewal over the last couple of years has, however, made us think quite deeply about how we should be using our building in terms of outreach to the community. The focus is shifting away from “making our resources available” towards “reaching out in faith”.

 The most recent census results revealed to us the extent to which our community is aging, with our part of East Lothian now featuring a great many “old” and “very old” residents. With this trend comes the issue of dementia, with increasing numbers of people in our parish living with Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurological issues. Realising that this is one crucial area of needs-based pastoral outreach for our congregation to tackle, we have set up two new activities: a Monday singing group for all people of all ages and abilities; and a Thursday “sporting memories” gathering. These have been well appreciated both by participants and their grateful families.

The next step, earmarked for summer 2018, is to knock three spaces together to create an attractive living room area which can be used as a homely and adaptable seven-day-a-week facility, allowing the congregation’s outreach to develop further. (The planning for this has had dementia-friendly factors built into it from the outset to ensure that we get basic design elements right.)

Meanwhile, Path of Renewal ideas have been filtering through to our kirk session and congregation, with people keen to find imaginative ways of sharing faith in our building which lies at the heart of the community. In December 2017 we staged a Festival of Nativity Sets, which told the story of Jesus’ birth through 85 different exhibits from around the world. This will be developed in 2018, with plans for a retelling of the Luke and Matthew birth narratives using three-dimensional tableaux featuring large knitted figures. In addition, we hope to stage an Easter event focusing on crosses and eggs.

 

While these may be viewed as small steps forward in outreach, they certainly represent big steps in congregational awareness of mission and discipleship, in which we as a church are now working intentionally towards sharing the message of God’s Love with our neighbours.

Changing the metrics

Luke 13:6-9

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

I've always wondered how the fig tree in the vineyard fared once the gardener gave it some special attention. Did his efforts pay off? Did the pressure of a deadline bring a useful focus to his work?

Sometimes, in the church we can be very fuzzy (and sometimes lazy) about how we measure things, perhaps because, often, the metrics of church growth don't allow enough leeway for less quantifiable aspects of ministry.

Faithfulness, a quality revered in church speak, may be ineffective while fruitfulness may only result in poor quality produce.

We need a much more multi faceted way of measuring ministry efforts and the impact, not on the church, but on the kingdom of God.

Some of that will involve numbers, but those numbers must always be tempered by stories of lives changed, of glimpses of God along the way, of accountability for resources assigned and of learning gleaned as risks are taken.

Communication and evaluation are important in ensuring that our focus remains clear. And, difficult decisions and pruning are also a part of good stewardship. The extravagance and abundance of God's gifts means we should be more, not less, careful of squandering them but, rather, seek diligently to discern those tasks to which God calls us and equips us for the mission of God in our world today.

Over the next few months, reporting on the movement that is Path of Renewal will require focus on articulating our discernment of God's purpose and calling in all our different ministry contexts, gathering together stories of lives changed and communities impacted (obeying Christ's commission to "Go and make disciples"), reconciling church growth and kingdom growth and disseminating the many lessons learned that will contribute to our continued ability to be a "sent church" that takes seriously the many and varied ways God invites us to be partners in mission and ministry today.

Missional Cartography

For some time, I've been meaning to update the SatNav in my car. Recently, a trip to the North East of Scotland became more of an adventure than I would have preferred because of the outdated information currently on the device. Fortunately I had a companion on the road who provided amusement and a non anxious presence! Sat Navs are only as good as the latest update.

With the addition of another 25 congregations on the journey that is Path of Renewal, it has been affirming to review what has already been learned in the process. It feels like we are beginning in quite a different place from where we set out with 40 congregations 2 years ago, bearing out our assertion that we would learn with and from those involved and reshape the process as we went. But, while we can point to some markers along the way, charting changes and discoveries, even pinpointing growth, Path of Renewal remains a work in progress. And, I suspect, that as soon as we tried to draw up some kind of blueprint, the contours would prove fairly elusive, being so dependant on context and lived -out experience, on the groundwork being done and the pilgrims we encounter on the way. The tools we are using are simply clues along the road to discernment of the purposes of God and pointers to the change of mindset it takes to recognise God at work in ever new ways.

There are some fascinating facts about cartography in a Wikipedia article, many of which highlight how much the culture of those who produce maps affects how they draw and what information they include or deem important. The article also highlights how ever changing technology affects the drawing of maps, still subject to the bias of the cartographer.

Just as the skills of cartography are always changing and evolving, dependant on context and culture, subject to information being sought or questions being asked, so, when we seek to join with God in mission, a prerequisite is being light on our feet, with the ability to change and adapt at the drop of a hat. And there's a requirement to keep getting the latest updates by staying close to the map maker. That's a tough call for individuals, but there is also something renewing about living on the edge that makes it worthwhile and that lends every experience - even those experiments that don't quite turn out as we'd hoped - with a sense of adventure and learning. Giving thanks for all who are on this particular journey bringing humour and calm when the maps are out of date.