Distant Mountain

While at home getting out of breath if I move (due to a cold), I was looking at some old pictures of a wilderness retreat in May and I just wondered if this is still there; I know the top stone isn't, that is with me now and even if the cairn isn't there now, it was a great time of spiritual renewal. I lift up my eyes to the mountains –     where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,     the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121

First sermon preached (ever)... Homily for November 3 rd 2013. 9am. St Mark Church, Cheltenham Luke 19: 1-10 May I speak in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen Some of you may be wondering who I am and possibly even, what is he doing standing there? A little like tax collectors at the time of Jesus. I suppose you could say that at I’m an outsider here.   I’m new to St Mark, or I certainly felt like I was an outsider eight weeks ago. So even though I was expected, it did feel a little like I was looking at a crowd from afar from the branches of a tree. So in some ways I can imagine a little of how Zaccheaus felt in our Gospel reading today. I can imagine that day in Jericho must have been hot and that crowds were jostling to see. Zaccheaus wanted to see Jesus so much he arrived early and climbed a tree. He knew it was on the route Jesus would be following into town. So, even though I can imagine a little of how he felt, I do hope that I’m not disliked

I wrote this recently to help build confidence in faith and calling; Lord Jesus, I pray to you in trusting faith and obedience You are the foundation, strength and cornerstone of my life My purpose is your purpose Your will is my will I will trust in your everlasting love As you were the stone the builders rejected, yet became the cornerstone; When uncertainty, doubt and troubles surround me, I pray that I may also be a foundation of faith, like the apostles, sure in the strength which comes from your steadfast love. I pray for the voice to proclaim the Gospel I pray for the words to tell the good news of Jesus Christ I pray for a heart ready to be filled and explode with the joy of a life lived with Jesus I pray for wisdom to discern my calling I pray this through the Holy Spirit, with my Lord Jesus Christ to God the father. Amen.

As part of my vocation exploration, I have recently started an eight week placement at a church about half an hour from where I live. As I work full-time, this is primarily Sunday's and one or two evenings. The idea is to gain more experience of a more evangelical worship style and also to get some experience of doing, "stuff," at the front. Now I already do some, "stuff," like readings and interercessions, but there is always the added dimension in your home church of being known and so doing anything else carries baggage in all sorts of ways. So to try these and other things somewhere else can be very helpful. In the first half of the placement I've read at early and evening Sunday worship and been to a leadership team discussion about holiness which was enjoyable and humbling to be part of. Over the next four weeks I'll be leaving the comfort zone so leading evening worship, going to a healing service, leading intercessions and then preach a homily

A few weeks ago, after a poor night’s sleep where dreams merged into wakefulness at about two in the morning, words were rolling around my mind about straight paths. The dreams felt like they had come out of some sort of conflict in the dreams which had taken place in a church but by morning I couldn’t remember who the arguments had been with. By morning the straight paths were still in my mind so I searched for them and found this: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. The words are from Proverbs and are in the photo here and had obviously got stuck in my head as I woke up at two in the morning having dreamt about a heated conversation in a church, with an unknown entity, with the words, "make your paths straight" in my mind. I also realised they are part of morning prayer every Monday and that I had also seen this on another bloggers page and it had obv

Memories of Stinchcombe Wildlife The low first light of the day yielding shadows With no depth, small sounds of life merge into The consciousness of dawn; the rustle of leaves As blackbirds search for a first meal, a clatter As wood pigeons lurch clumsily into the air, the Distant call of a cuckoo breaks into stillness, Which descends once more as the mist rolls Over the hill. The dew lies heavy today, rich droplets on fauna Bring their fragrance drifting into the air, wild garlic Was rampant here recently, bluebells soared Into life but are now a memory past and a future Hoped for in a future Spring. Across the path here A deer once stood, watched, then fled whilst buzzards Cast hypnotic, lazy spells, as they soared, Over the yellow fields below. On higher ground now, the mist begins to part and A dark, marmalade orange sun glimpses through the Slowly parting shadows which lengthen quickly as The light suddenly dazzles the eye. Dist

I had a bit of a shock on Friday. I occasionally pop into Standish Parish Church at lunchtime as it's only a short drive from where I work. It had been a couple of weeks since I was last there, when I had placed a kneeler in front of the altar rail. When I returned today, the kneeler was still there. On it's own. Waiting, For Prayer. This was a surprise. I suppose that they must only have had small services since I was last there. So I knelt, met God and prayed.

I'm not one for political soap boxing, usually whatever their hue, most politicians seem the same these days. However, like many others recently, I've been struck by how there has been a change in the way the less advantaged in society are being labelled as responsible for the nations financial problems and how they are being made to feel guilty if not working. Of course, there has always been a minority who work the system but the vast majority of people who are unemployed, or are in part-time work or on low incomes, would love to work hard and contribute to their families well being and to the economy as well. The shift has happened in the last six months and now those at the top of the Government are happy to blame the poor and unemployed for the UK's financial woes. A friend on twitter linked to this article last week: austerity-has-hardened-the-nations-heart  to which I then replied, "it's heartbreaking, we've a Government focused on saving money,

Running in soft spring rain. Mist hangs between tendrils of branches. Water droplets, glistening, bright green leaves shining wet rock shining, underfoot. Mist in the air as I breathe Still air, moisture heavy, muffled voices, shadows, appear, then fade. Birdsong subdued but persistent, mist almost ancient, enduring, undying. Running in soft spring rain Looking toward Drakestone Point, Stinchcombe Hill. Andrew Hill  ©  2013 First version 'written' as I ran through the woods with Ollie the dog. I had to stop and record it on my voicemail so I wouldn't forget. 

For this weeks theology and ministry evening class we were asked to write a creed. This is my attempt and is in no way an attempt to replace what is used now, but is an attempt to distil what matters to me in just ten lines. I believe in God, who created the heavens and the Earth, God who saw that it was good, who created us all and loves all he has made. God who created imperfection. In believe in Jesus, the son of God, who showed us the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus who died on the cross, to save us from our sins. Jesus who rose again, to Eternal life as can we, his children. I believe in the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of love, at work in our hearts. The spirit of fire, uniting us all in a Holy Communion of faith. I believe in God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Following the Aoradh Wilderness Retreat to Scarba last weekend, I wrote this, Scarba   Steel grey skies darken, Hidden rock spires, deep depths, whirling, roaring tides and waves . Wind and waves grow , Deck lurching side to side, Uncertainty , Hope , A rocky shore, but his plan, not ours. Safe upon a new shore, an unknown glen, not known for generations passed . Rocks, prayers, The rough-hewn blackness sinking into waves, Rocks, prayers, Held, carried, prayed over Are you there? Flotsam resting in pools , Seaweed floating aft and fore , Water gently lap s on rock , Tides surg e to north and south , Moss so ancient, air so clean and pure . Waves crash on broken shore s, Wilderness, w ildness of raw creation , He has always been here , In this thin place, almost opaque . The spirit all around, in fire, wind and rain , The almighty ever present in our hearts, The Lord sitting on a stone, shelter

Q: If you could give any advice for the day, what would it be? Walk, don’t run. That’s it. Walk, don’t run. Slow down, breathe deeply, and open your eyes because there’s a whole world right here within this one. The bush doesn’t suddenly catch on fire, it’s been burning the whole time. Moses is simply moving slowly enough to see it. And when he does, he takes off his sandals. Not because the ground has suddenly become holy, but because he’s just now becoming aware that the ground has been holy the whole time. Efficiency is not God’s highest goal for your life, neither is busyness, or how many things you can get done in one day, or speed, or even success. But walking- which leads to seeing- now that’s something. That’s the invitation for every one of us today and every day, in every conversation, interaction, event, and moment: to walk, not run. And in doing so, to see a whole world right here within this one. With thanks to diggingalot  and Rob Bell