Thrift

Who knows where we'll be in terms of our cash-related concerns by the end of 2009?

It's definitely a time for careful consideration of everything related to money.

Church of England Newspaper columnist Steve Tilley offered some useful links in his November contribution.

It's now available on his personal blog. Well worth a look.

Here's the cover of CL68, due to hit your doormat in the week beginning 2 February 2009.

I hope you like our 'new look' which has been created to harmonise with new CPAS 'visual image'.

Inside you will find worship resources for Holy Week, Easter Day and Trinity Sunday.

We have interviewed one of the first 'cohort' of Ordained Pioneer Ministers, who is woeking on a new housing development near Peterborough. He's pictured above.

And, as they say, there is much much more....

The right mix

‘We need both a traditional parish doing its work really well and some quite new kinds of venture’ – so said Archbishop Rowan Williams to endorse the Mission-shaped Church report.

CL asked Bishop Mike Hill of Bristol (above) to unpack the leadership challenges of a mixed-economy church.

Bishop Mike, what’s your understanding of a ‘mixed-economy church’?
I think it was the Archbishop of Canterbury who first gave currency to the phrase ‘mixed-economy’ in relation to the Church in the wake of the 2004 Mission-shaped Church report. At the time, I think it was immensely important to give the kinds of ideas that were discussed in Mission-shaped Church the appropriate weight and legitimise, within the Church of England in particular, that there were other ways of being church than what we traditionally know.

The Archbishop was essentially saying that emerging forms of church – ‘fresh expressions’ as many call them – could and in fact needed to co-exist alongside inherited forms of church and in fact should be actively encouraged.

I think this phrase was very helpful. It ensured that Mission-shaped Church did not get shelved, like so many other reports and, secondly, created the space for experimentation in denominational settings – and that is largely happening.

All that said, I also believe that, for the majority of local churches, this kind of language gives them an excuse not to engage with the reality of mission in the myriad cultures of 21st century Britain.

It allows them to fool themselves into believing ‘Someone else in the other economy is looking at mission to those who don’t know anything about Jesus or the Church. So we’re off the hook!’

The truth is that a mixed-economy needs not only to exist at a city-wide or national level but also in the life of every church.

So, in a way, I think it’s time to move the language on so that every church faces the challenge that I heard an American pastor, Craig Groeschel, give this year: ‘If you’re going to reach the people that no one is reaching, you’ve got to do the thing that no one is doing’.

Can you point to any local-church examples in your own diocese of this mixed-economy making an impact for mission?
There are a number of things going on, often focusing on reaching families with young children and relating to school communities. We have a couple of recent church plants meeting outside of church buildings and with much more interactive formats.

You can see a short film about them here.

I think what is a consistent trait is a willingness to try things, and to learn from things that don’t work.

What are the particular challenges of leadership in a mixed-economy set-up?
If we think about leaders in local environments who are both leading the church in inherited mode and pioneering fresh expressions of church at the same time I think the challenges are significant.

This is partly because there will be a tussle for resources, and I don’t just mean money: the energy and focus of leadership, the space given for vision casting about the new thing. Those committed to the inherited form will feel threatened and you’ve got to carry and affirm them while not allowing them to hijack the equal commitment to the emerging form of church.

Leaders have got to create a permission-giving environment where people feel they can experiment.

I think the gifts required for the pioneer leader are different from what we have traditionally valued in church leaders. Pioneers require entrepreneurship.

I believe that any new initiative should have financial sustainability built in from day one. That will probably mean unpaid leadership at first. This is clearly a massive challenge for leaders in a church culture where leadership has been for the paid professional.

Read the full text of the interview in CL68, appearing in the first week of February

Fresh Expressions National Pilgrimage Day

I was privileged to spend today taking part in the first Fresh Expressions National Day of Pilgrimage, in the majestic setting of Coventry Cathedral. The Archbishop of Canterbury led the day.

I'm pleased to report that my personal pilgrimage involved some suffering (standing-room only on the Leamington-Coventry train) plus a good deed to a fellow-pilgrim - my travelling companion and I encountered a lost bishop on Coventry station and were able to escort him all the way to the cathedral. He was SO grateful.

Tradition
The pilgrimage day's 'special feature' was its focus on the Church of England's 'sacramental and contemplative' tradition. More than 400 men and women attended. Fresh Expressions chief the Rev Steven Croft told me that he and his team were amazed by the response - the event was massively overbooked.

Word and action
Our day began at the font (beneath the glorious rainbow sunburst of the great John Piper window) with the renewal of baptismal vows, reminding us of the basic shared truths of our faith.
And, setting a trend for the rest of the day, we were invited to respond with our bodies as well as our minds and voices, this time in an act of submission, formally known as a 'total prostration'.

Stretched out, flat on my face on the floor, isn't my normal 'way in' to an act of worship. But I can't recommend a better way of getting a sense of one's own 'created-ness' - God didn't call his first human 'Adam' (ie 'Earth') for nothing....

Four connections
We gathered in the main body of the Cathedral to listen to Archbishop Rowan's address. Not surprisingly he began with some gentle challenges to our stereotyping use of labels: when properly used, the terms 'catholic' and 'evangelical' belong inextricably together - both, at heart, are about taking the good news (the evangel) to all.

He warned us that all traditions run the risk of becoming fussy and desiccated - we all depend on the renewing, vibrant power of the Holy Spirit.

His went on to outline ways in which the sacramental and contemplative traditions have particular gifts and emphases that can widen and enrich the ongoing work of the Fresh Expressions movement.

1. The catholic tradition has a particular emphasis on the non-verbal as well as the verbal in its sharing of the good news of Jesus. Our society is deeply receptive to symbols - think of those roadside 'flower shrines' at accident sites, for example.
   
2. Linked to this is a central place for sacramental action as part of the proclaiming word. God makes himself credible to us by taking a body of vulnerable flesh. We show our commitments most clearly when we put our bodies 'on the line'.
3. In its celebration of the 'faith journey' of the church's year, the tradition acknowledges that our relationship with God is something that, literally, 'takes time'.... Our culture isn't good at taking time (otherwise we wouldn't be in our current economic mess). Growing in faith is lifelong work - and something that's deeply counter-cultural.
4. At its best the tradition is community-focused, offering a powerful message of inclusion and shared life to our fragmented, individualistic culture. And community doesn't mean a warm huddle - rather it's a place honesty where we are continually being challenged to venture beyond our comfort zones.
   

Archbishop Rowan noted that all four aspects are deeply biblical. And he used a powerful image of the church. The word ecclesia means 'a bringing together' - when God acts it's like the action of a magnet on iron fillings, enlivening and bringing them into dynamic relationship.

He ended with the encouragment that in these and many other ways, churches in the sacramental and contemplative traditions are brilliantly placed to contribute richly to the mould-breaking work of rediscovering what it means to 'be church' at the start of the 21st century. (Click here for full text of the address.)

Abbot Stuart Burns responded with a brief reflection on the missionary impact of the Oxford Movement revival within the Church in the first half of the 19th century. (I was struck by the similarities in terms of zeal and outreach between the intentions of the Oxford Movement and those of the founders of CPAS.) He also warned that passion and dependence up on the Holy Spirit are the 'must have' aspects of any work for God that is to live and grow.

Communion
The morning continued with a service of Holy Communion with the liturgy enhanced by large-screen visuals, traditional music and pulsing ambient backing as well. The Archbishop (the man's singing voice is nearly as sonorous as his speaking voice) seemed unfased by the necessity of wearing one of those Madonna-style head mics. I particularly appreciated the 'body prayer' to the Lord's Prayer, ably led by Philip Roderick.

And then
It was time for lunch - plenty for everyone. I admired the clean-eating skills of the cathedral servers, tucking in to their sarnies while fully kitted out in snowy-white cassock albs (the ultimate holy hoody).

Reflection
It was good to have the best part of an hour for quietness and reflection. I wandered the side aisles and the cathedral's many nooks and corners, pausing at prayer stations and taking part in activities arranged by a variety of FX groups and related agencies. These included: Contemplative Fire, Moot, Dekhomai, Blessed, Feig and Maybe.

Groups
It was good to see several friends of Church Leadership leading some of the afternoon's themed elective activities:

• Steve Croft led 'Why bother with Fresh Expressions?'
• Dave Male led a workshop on 'Ordained Pioneer Ministry and the catholic Anglican tradition.

There were also sessions on:

• Catholic mission: communities learning to share God's love with others
• Monasticism, New Monasticism and the Contemplative tradition
• Body prayer in the Christian tradition
• Technology in worship - Yes you can!
• Looking with Mary to God's possibilities.

Exposition
As the winter twilight deepened, we gathered in and near the candlelit choir for a final act of worship, which, for me typified all that I had experienced during the day - a sense of ancient traditions being rediscovered and re-invigorated with a vibrant, energetic power.

I was moved and humbled by the sincerity and beauty of my fellow-pilgrims' wholehearted response to God, made all the more poignant for me by the realisation that probably few of them fall in to the 'natural constituency' of CPAS.

In that darkened space, the vast figure of Christ in Majesty rising above, one gets a hint of the greatness, mystery and beauty of God.

The numinous, I guess.

It was impossible not to be excited by the potential of a continuing work of God's Spirit in this area of his wonderfully diverse Church.

And onward
We ended as we began, by the font. Bishop Stephen Cottrell sent us out with a reminder of Jesus' question to his friends at a time of difficulty: 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' - and of Peter's simple response: 'Lord, to whom shall we go?'

Millennia later, we find ourselves in a similar place to Peter and his friends. Jesus has, in his unque, countercultural way, totally 'messed up' our lives.

We're not particularly skilled, gifted, vibrant or self-confident - which is good news, because that makes us pretty much the same as the bunch of people with whom he shared the brief years of his earthly work - and whom he invited to be his living Body in the world.

Exciting, huh?

The pilgrimage continues
An important feature of the pilgrim life is the truth that as soon as you think you're doing well, you're probably heading for a fall. (Hear the wise words of Dolly Parton).

You won't be surprised that I exited the cathedral on a bit of a high. Handshake at the door from Archbishop Rowan (those eyebrows - phenomenal). And I scooted for the station.

As if by divine appointment the Cross Country train arrived on the dot. I boarded and found a comfortable seat in a pleasantly uncrowded compartment. Bliss. Guardian Angel being nice to me, or what?

Ten minutes later I realised I was heading north to Birmingham rather than south to my home in Leamington.

Thank goodness I hadn't mis-shepherded another lost bishop on to the train.

I regrouped at Birmingham International, boarding a homeward train jammed with fashionistas who'd spent their day at The Clothes Show.

Did I get a seat? Not a chance!

Resources

Ian Mobsy of Moot

Ian leads the Moot community in London - and was very involved in the planning and running of the day. Check out his blog!

Ancient Faith, Future Mission

Ian Mobsby is editing a book based on the themes of the pilgrimage day. It will be published by Canterbury Press in May 2009. It will include the address from Archbishop Rowan and Stuart Burns' response. It will have additional chapters from Brian McLaren, Ian Adams and Ian Mobsby, Karen Ward, Richard Giles, Carl Turner, Simon Rundell, Michael Volland, Tessa Holland & Philip Roderick, Phyllis Tickle and others.

Fresh Expressions

The website of the Fresh Expressions movement

Share

A site for leaders of fresh expressions of church.

Male delivery

Dave Male is a pioneer who is pionnering a pioneer training programme for, er, pioneers.

He is tutor in pioneer mission training at Ridley Hall and Westcott House, Cambridge. He’s an Associate Missioner with the Fresh Expressions team. He’s also the Fresh Expressions adviser for Ely diocese.

CL readers will recall our in interview with Dave in CL66 - Pioneer Spirit.

Meanwhile you can catch up with Dave via his blog Church Unplugged.

Which is also the title of his recently published book.

And we're pleased that Dave will be delving deeper into the question 'What makes a pioneer?'' in the upcoming CL68.

Nine Lessons and Carols

Illustrator Simon Smith has created a series of stunning images to accompany the traditional selection of readings for a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

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Subscribers can download them now from the CL site.

Here comes CL67

We’re back! The CL Blog has a brand-new pencil case and has returned to work following its summer break.

We’re delighted to announce that CL67 is being printed and should be delivered to you in the week beginning 6 October.

Features include:
A new all-age service outlines for Christmas and Mothering Sunday
New images from Simon Smith for your Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Christmas outreach ideas – including a ‘living nativity scene’.
Bishop Graham Cray on five years since Mission-shaped Church
Mission-shaped ministry training
Bishop’s Mission Orders – the lowdown!
Growing women leaders

And much, much more!

Jesus and Gravity

No apologies for offering this song from the incomparable Dolly Parton, expressing some profound theological truths.

Bishop boost 2

No, the CL Blog has not developed an acute case of episco-fever. But we do believe in giving credit where the cause may easily be overlooked.

Check the link to hear Bishop Tom Wright (of Durham) talking about heaven - wittily, truthfully, intriguingly and winningly - on a popular US chat show.

Instant boost

'Think of three cows in a line. Left moo. Right moo. Centre moo.' Thus goes the Archbishop of York's standard response to inquiries regarding the correct pronunciation of 'Sentamu'.

Archbishop John's exuberant approach to church leadership has made him, hardly surpisingly, a bit of a 'media star'.

But there's no hint of self-aggrandisement to his public profile.

In fact, I find that a glance at any media-coverage of his activities always leaves me feeling challenged, encouraged and remarkably cheered up.

Click here for a recent example!

Hurrah!

They shall not grow old....

Great to receive positive comments regarding Steve Tilley's service for Remembrance Sunday in the brand-new issue of CL.

Steve mentions a clergy colleague who wanted to introduce change to this 'longstanding ceremonial occasion'.

He began by chatting to members of his local branch of the Royal British Legion, thereby gaining valuable perspective on what they viewed as key elements of Remebrance Sunday service..

Steve's friend emerged from the Legion with a list of 'essential' (in the opinion of those he'd been chatting to) items:

• some particular hymns
• well observed two-minute silence
• dignified wreath-placing
• good bugler to sound last post and reveille.

So, what would you, recommend as must-include items for Remembrance Sunday?

Hymns, songs, activities?

Over to you!

The editor will be away on holiday 9-13 June.
Brent Clark created the image above.

Route 66

Alert to to all Church Leadership subscribers. CL66 is being mailed out today and should be plunking onto your doormats in the first half of next week.

Contents include:

• brand-new service outlines for Harvest and Remembrance
• choosing an inquirers' course
• new book s for leaders
• pioneer ministry
• prayer stations
• book reviews
• and much more!

And, of course, there's plenty of extra material on the website.

Café Scientifique

Ever feel a wee bit 'challenged' when people start discussing human embryology / the genome project / GM crops - and so on?

Join the club! But thanks to the nationwide Café Scientifique network you may be nearer than you think to an enjoyable, inexpensive way of getting up to date on some of the key science/technolgy issues of our fast-changing world.

As the publicity says: 'Cafe Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. Meetings take place in cafes, bars, restaurants and even theatres, but always outside a traditional academic context.

'Cafe Scientifique is a forum for debating science issues, not a shopwindow for science. We are committed to promoting public engagementwith science and to making science accountable. '

Check out the website. And maybe think about turning up. And, hey, you may be in a postion to throw in a few worthwhile words from a faith perspective.

The trinitarian theology of the Jaffa Cake

Stumped for a missionary metaphor for the Trinity, St Patrick (according to legend) reached for a three-leafed shamrock. Perhaps today he'd have grabbed a passing Jaffa Cake....

Thanks to CL subscriber the Rev Ian Kennedy for the following suggestion for a short all-age talk for Trinity Sunday. 

(You don't need us to tell you that the talk will go down best if your listeners have access to the full, embodied reality of the Jaffa Cake experience.)

A Jaffa Cake is made of biscuit, jam and chocolate.

If one part is missing, it is not a Jaffa Cake.

• Biscuit missing, you have orange chocolate.
  
• Jam missing, you have a chocolate biscuit.
  
• Chocolate missing, you have a jam tart.
  

Same with the Trinity, all three persons need to be there for God to be the Trinity.

• God the Father covers all creation with his sovereign love and power.
  
• Jesus, like the biscuit base, shared our human life, basing himself on earth, God with us, for thirty-three years.
  
• The Holy Spirit, like the jam, expresses the dynamic relationship between Father and Son, and fills us with energy and power to live as Christ's body on earth.
  

If that's too hard to contemplate, just enjoy the Jaffa Cake.

Threedom

Trinity Sunday approaches, bringing the opportunity once again to contemplate the mystery at the heart of our faith.

Our Celtic ancestors seem to have taken every opportunity to celebrate the Trinity, as in this ancient image pictured above. No worries for them about the 'difficulty' of the concept!

There are two service outines for Trinity Sunday on the website.

How will you be celebrating?

Send us an idea - or three!

Seven ways to change the world

Jim Wallis is a minister, a political activist and a remarkably influential Christian leader.

Probably best known as leader of the peace and justice movement Sojourners, US-based Wallis is in the UK to promote his new book Seven Ways to Change the World.

Jim Wallis will be speaking about his book at the London Institue for Contemporary Christianity on Thursday 29 May.

Click here for more information.

Harvest resource

CL66 appears in June featuring a plethora of new resources, including an all-age Harvest service.

This time last year we featured a Harvest resource from the development charity Harvest Help.

We're pleased to direct you to their new resources for Harvest 2008.

Please note that Harvest Help is being re-named Self Help Africa.

Message just in...
To order this year’s harvest pack e-mail harvest@selfhelpafrica.com , ring the fundraising team on 01952 260699 stating the contact name and address of church or fill in and send back the slip on the attachment to: Self Help Africa UK office, 3-4 Old Bakery Row, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1PS.

Men only?

Missed opportunity?

What a pity the well-meaning sponsors of this advertisement in the London Underground didn't choose a different translation.

For example, Today's New International Version:

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

Spot the difference?

Any comments on the use of 'inclusive language' Bible translations.

Glorious now behold him arise...

A glimpse of Birmingham Cathedral's amazing Ascension window to celebrate this year's Ascension Day.

In many parts of Europe today has been a public holiday. But how many people in Britain - both 'churched' and 'unchurched' - would know that today brought one of the major celebrations of the church calendar?

How did you mark Ascension Day in your church? Or perhaps you didn't mark it at all?

In fact, does Ascension Day matter in 2008?

Is it one of those quaint customs that's set to become a sort of churchy museum piece?

Or is it a vibrant opportunity for celebrating a profound truth about the work and identity of Jesus, the Good News?

So, Ascension Day:

• should we delight in it and 'do' it"
• or definitely dump it?

Any opinions?

Photo credit: Webrarian of Plymouth

Worship symposium

'Symposium'? We think it's upmarket for 'conference'. Whatever! This definitely looks like a BIG event with plenty of 'names' taking part....

Check London School of Theology for full information.

Excellent resource

A terrific gateway to a wide variety of resources. Well worth an exploration.

www.alternativeworship.org

Grave matters

The BBC website reports an interesting trend that looks set to add new colour to one of the occasional offices.

Garish vulgarity, or a helpful way of allowing people to express their love for the departed?

Any thoughts from the CL community?

In fact, a warm welcome to any comments on the changing ways in which church leaders can serve people through funeral and bereavent ministry.

Click to read Stickers on Coffins (BBC)

Click to find out about Colourful Coffins.

Forgotten classic?

Thanks to the CL reader who recommends this once-popular Christian author....

Each of these remarkable monologues/prayers/mediations takes its jumping-off point from an easy-to-overlook aspect of everyday life:

• The Telephone
• The Swing
• At the door
• The tractor
• Prayer before a five-pound note.

Quoist's gift is to make connections between the most ordinary aspects of our life - and our life in relationship with God. Quoist comments:

If only we knew how to look at life as God sees it, we should realize that nothing is secular in the world, but that everything contributes to the building of the kingdom of God.

Published in the 1950s, Quoist's books were tremendously popular throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The remain fresh and challenging today.

And they are still in print!

Senior Service

Thanks to subscribers who have commented positively on our recent article on the church and older people.
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Don't forget that for every article in the printed magazine, the CL website offers a useful selection of live links to related sites.
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Pop to CL65's 'Magazine weblinks' and scroll down to the Senior Service section and - voila! - you'll find several references to agencies that provide info and resources.
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Why not, for example, check out the work of Outlook Trust?

A remarkable leader

Today the Church of England has been celebrating Deaconess Isabella Gilmore.

She was, in every respect, as pioneering as her more famous brother William Morris.

Go to the CPAS Women in Leadership blog to learn more about her.

Marathon marvels

Hurrah for two fast-paced contributors to CL 66 (June 08) who completed yesterday's Flora London Marathon.

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CPAS Evangelism Adviser David Banbury ran a storming 3 hours and 56 minutes. Look out for his useful guide to choosing an inquirers' course for your church.

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Regular CL illustrator Brent Clark crossed the finish line at 4 hours and 50 minutes. Brent provides images for a new service for Remembrance Sunday.

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Brent was raisng funds for the wonderful work of Christ Church Spitalfileds Crypt Trust.

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David, who served last year in Iraq as a hospiital chaplain, ran for Royal British Legion.

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Neat that Brent's poppy image for CL 67 creates a link between these two amazing marathon men.

Birth of a blog!

The Rev Rosie Ward works for CPAS as a Leadership Development Adviser.

She's also the guiding hand behind a brand-new blog which, as its name hints, is of particular interest to women in leadership. But men are welcome to read and comment as well.

You can find out more about Rosie's work here.

Rosie's new book Growing Women Leaders will be published later this year (CPAS/BRF). More news soon....

A common cause

What's a picture of a WW2 Enigma encryption machine doing on the CL blog?

Yesterday's programme in Radio 4's series The Reunion was remarkable, moving and inspiring. Presenter Sue McGregor spoke to a group of people who had worked throughout the war at the top-secret establishment at Bletchley Park, with the single aim of breaking the hyper-complex German military codes.

They worked long shifts, against seemingly impossible odds, but united in a single common cause. And yet they also knew that their contribution (many agree that the breaking of Enigma shortened the War by as much as two years) would remain secret and therefore uncelebrated for many years.

I was particularly impressed by their account of the organization of personnel at Bletchley Park.

There was no conventional hierarchy, no division between officers and other ranks, no discrimination between men and women.

All were treated equally because all had to be equally dedicated to the supremely important challenge facing them.

One of the codebreakers spoke of a brief, morale-boosting visit from Prime Minister Churchill. All the BP workers gathered outside one of the many wooden huts in which they worked. Churchill scrambled up a bank of earth and simply thanked them for all that they were doing.

As he recounted this memory, the elderly gentleman's voice faltered....

The programme is fascinating, funny and challenging. It's available on Listen Again for another six days.

'All were treated equally because all had to be equally dedicated to the supremely important challenge facing them.'

Wow!

RUN for it!

With an energy befitting its name RUN (Reaching the Unchurched Network) resources churches for 'culturally relevant' outreach. And does so brilliantly.

Coming up in June of this year is their More than This conference, provocatively described as 'breaking the mould of mission'.

Loads of information here!

Philp Yancey

The remarkable Philip Yancey is one of the many people to be speaking at this summer's Greenbelt Festival.

Blinging

Few, if any, contemporary church leaders are more finely tuned in to today's culture than the incomparable Bishop Graham Cray.

Reigning men!

Hurrah for Christian Vision for Men and its pioneering work to encourage chaps in their Christian lives - at home, in the workplace and in church.

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Check out the website for information on the many ways CVM can work alongside local church leaders.

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You will also find info about their two Band of Brothers conferences taking place later this year one on land and one (splice the mainbrace!) at sea.

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And three cheers for the 'inclusive' silhouette design.

Veritasse

Do you know about Veritasse?

Here is their vision:

The Vision of Veritasse
The aim of Veritasse is to glorify God through the arts and serve him with the talents he has given us.

We are committed to:

• Encouraging and supporting Christian artists and organisations, establishing links and forging friendships.
• Promoting Christian arts at conferences, exhibitions, festivals and events, initially in the Christian field but also moving into the secular.
• Playing an active role in spreading information about Christian arts, enabling artists to speak out God's message to their communities and the wider world
• Supporting suffering communities in India through our charity work.

We would love to hear from anyone who has any comments/questions about our work.

Easter eggcitement

Cheery CL Archivist Mr Gnome invites the Tachbrook Park team to take part in his Easter Egg Quest 2008.

He has hidden umpteen chocolate eggs around the CPAS office.

But where are they?

Well, none is hidden in such a way as to pose the mildest of health and safety issues.

(Er, should that be 'elf and safety'?)

And, please note, none is hidden in colleagues' desk drawers or on desk tops. All are in open-access, public, open-to-all areas.

Everyone should be able to find an egg. Inclusive, or what?

The hunt begins at 12.30pm on Thursday 20 March.

Seek, and ye shall find.

Special bonus prize
Not only has he hidden the eggs, teasing Mr G has secreted himself within the building.

A very special prize awaits his finder.

The Gospel According to St Matthew

Pier Paolo Pasolini took the text of the first Gospel as his filmscript for this great movie, dating from the early 1960s.

Shot in southern Italy, with a mostly unprofessional cast, it remains one of the most powerful and
beautiful treatments of the life of Jesus on film.

Top o'the mornin'

The CL blog celebrates St Patrick's Day with the friendly smile of the Rev Paul Hoey, the CPAS Ministry Adviser for Ireland.

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Paul's work encouraging church leaders and congegations takes him all over the land of saints and scholars.

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Working in partnership with congregations, Paul helps churches move forward into growth - and to have a lot of fun in the process.

Son of Man

This new film from South Africa has not received the exposure it deserves.

Here's the commentary from the editor's local arts cinema:

Mark Dornford-May brings the greatest story ever told to the screen in this crisp, rousing and politically engaging film. The language is modern, as is the setting, a violent township in the fictional Kingdom of Judea, which could stand in for any African country which has experienced poverty, upheaval, political corruption and ethnic conflict.

Modern parallels are implied - war-torn Judea is taken over by 'coalition forces' until democracy is established - but details are irrelevant. Jesus is a political figure, videoed by a spying Judas, making his mixed bag of disciples give up their guns, tempted by a black-leather-clad Satan. Hypnotic visuals, eloquent music and gritty performances make this a riveting, moving experience.

Not only a political figure, but a healer as well. And, yes, he rises. It's a wonderful, unconventional film.

Sadly, it probably won't get a screening at your local multiplex, so look out for it when it comes out on DVD.

Make a Start!

A busy railway station - many people, many journeys.

This drawing by Simon Smith will be familar to users of the CPAS inquirers' course Start!

Currently celebrating its fifth birthday, Start! remains a unique resource - it's designed for small groups. And it begins, as it were, much farther back than other courses - no assumptions about participants' knowledge of God, Jesus Christ or the Bible.

Check out the Start! area of the CPAS website.

Hair today....

An episcopal epiphany of excellent C of E leaders.

Liverpool, Canterbury, Bath and Wells, Maidstone, Birkenhead. Can you match the face to the diocese?

And those beards!

Hurrah for the Gandalfian splendour of Archbishop Rowan's effulgent growth, setting the standard for his more neatly be-fuzzed brethren.

And, let's buck the trend, three cheers for the glistening non-hairiness of Bishop Peter Price. Beyond cool.

Call me MODEM!

This just in...

Have you heard of MODEM?

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According to their website: 'MODEM is a national ecumenical Christian network, which encourages authentic dialogue between exponents of leadership, organisation, spirituality and ministry to aid the development of better disciples, community, society and world. You can find out more about our vision here.'

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We'll shortly be posting a review of the book shown above.

Christ of the Isles

Church Leadership goes out to subscribers all around the UK and Republic of Ireland.

So with our geographical spread in mind, here's a splendid image 'Christ of the Isles', showing the risen Saviour with the patron saints Patrick, David, Andrew and George.

The icon may be seen in the Russian Orthodox Church at Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Role models

Dominic Savio, 'the schoolboy saint', has been held up as an 'exemplar' for many in the Roman Catholic faith community.

Do you have a particular role model / example / inspirational person?

Someone without whose guidance or example you'd not be the person you are today?

You do? Let's celebrate him or her.

Brief descriptions to the editor, please.

A fairtraded chocolate reward for every submission. (All at the expense of the Mystery Donor.)And here are two further potential role models.

One of them embodies the spirit of gung-ho, pioneering adventurous leadership - and the other is Indiana Jones.

Dive into the archive!

A few minutes to spare? The CL Archivist offers his top tips for searching the CL archive.

Log in! Check that you've keyed in your user name and password in the relevant boxes at the top right of the screen.

Find the search box It's at the top right of the screen - inside is 'Search CPAS'.

Use key words Every item in the archive is 'tagged' with words to describe its content, and to link it to the issue of CL in which it originated. Key in CL60 (no space) to see all the resources stored from that issue.

Or key in words such as Easter, Harvest, Drama or Meditation.

Look carefully Say you've keyed in Remembrance. The screen will show two resources, but also tells you that there are 11 resources matching the description. Look to the right and click on 'View all results', to see the complete list.

Pick a theme Look for the Downloads link in the grey box on the left-hand side of the screen. This will take you to an index in which resources are categorized by theme: Service outlines, Worship resources and so on.

Be patient! Most of our resources are saved as PDF files. Download times will vary according to the speed of your Internet connection.

Pictures and images Most of the images in the archive are in series to illustrate a particular sermon/talk - and should be tagged appropriately. Of course, you can use them for other purposes. Most sets of images are saved as PowerPoint presentations. Once you've downloaded a resource, you can copy and paste images into your own documents and presentations.

Unable to find what you are looking for? E-mail or call the editor and he will do his best to help you.

Picturing a new church

This three-page article from CL63 shows how discussions about church development and inclusiveness can be supported by a series of pictures of people at a variety of 'ages and stages' of life.

The article and the twelve associated pictures by Andy Robb are available on the website.

And because we're eager to make them as widely available as possible we have, in this case, waived the 'subscribers only' limitation.

Generous, or what?

The images are available as individual PDFs and as an 'all in one' PowerPoint.

Key words: Picturing a new church

Mothering Sunday

A glance at the 'download-ometer' shows that many subscribers have been checking out the CL archive for resources suitable for the fourth Sunday of Lent.

Here's hoping that our materials will prove useful for this important occasion, when church attendance tends to increase.

It would be great to hear how your special event/service went. Maybe you tried something new. Or perhaps you stuck with a tried-and-tested approach.

Please let us know at CL. Thanks!

(The editor could not resist posting this picture of his mother aged nineteen. This year would have brought her one hundredth birthday.)

Worship changes lives!

CPAS Ministry Consultant for Ireland Paul Hoey give this new book the big thumbs-up.

‘A publication on behalf of the Liturgical Commission’? I confess to a prejudice that suggested something potentially worthy but dull. How wrong can you be?

The book is short – just 48 pages – with big print and lots of images that themselves convey something of the mystery and wonder of worship. I read it through in about 20 minutes. Does that mean it’s superficial? Not at all. There is lots here to challenge and provoke even the most seasoned worshipper to rethink what we do under the heading of worship and why we do it.

The book could be equally helpful to the new worshipper and to those who just turn up on a Sunday and go through the motions, as well as setting an agenda to any church group involved in a root and branch review of worship. In its short space it manages to address such issues as the words we use in worship, the nature of remembering, the expression of community, sacred space and symbol, dimensions of prayer, the richness of praise offered through music and much more. Each section could open up a valuable discussion.

There are helpful questions, such as, ‘What headline would you write about worship in your church that compels the reader to read on?’

The weakness is that only a few such questions are contained within the text of the book itself, limiting its potential as a study resource. More are promised on the accompanying website.

I like where the book ends. It reminds us that worship is not just about withdrawal to recharge our spiritual batteries; at its best it is something that sends us out revitalised to engage in God’s mission in the world.

Worship changes lives? It would have been good to hear some stories of how that change happened for different people in different settings. But this book inspires us
to believe that indeed it can be so - even in our own little patch of the kingdom of God – and even in my own life.

£4.99 - available from Church House Publishing. But if at all possible, please support your local Christian bookshop!

Looking for the FREE CHOCOLATE option? So sorry. The free chocolate has been claimed.

Easter walk-thru idea

Super ideas just in for Holy Week / Easter prayer stations. They are from the Rev Bryony Davis of Christ Church, Ottershaw. Thanks, Bryony!

Check them out on the website. Key words: Easter prayer stations Bryony Davis

Of course, there are loads more materials on the site. The key word Easter will lead you to more than 50 resources.

Leader pics

The editor has been pointing his camera at some famous leaders - all of whom posed tranquilly for him.

Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert - and the Burghers of Calais.

All are available on the website. Key words: leadership images; Mandela; Churchill and so on.

Ronnie and the Sacraments

Published in 1947, this splendid volume introduces Anglican boys and girls to the meaning of those special symbolic acts that we call 'sacraments'.

Text and illustrations are quaintly Blyton-esque - but there's no denying the sincerity of the author's zeal to share Christian truth through the medium of story.

Check the CL website (from next week) to download a PowerPoint featuring more of these remarkable images. Key words: Ronnie sacraments.