mayBe - inspiration

mayBe Retreat with Andy Freeman: 22nd - 24th November 2013

admin — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 15:21:55 +0000

mayBe Retreat with Andy Freeman: 22nd - 24th November 2013

The welcome at Court Hill Centre (independent youth hostel)was incredibly warm - the staff could not have been more hospitable. The children took to the large converted barn like a second home, and the adults found space to unwind, play, and talk about life and mayBe. Andy Freeman provided some welcome perspectives on being a changing community and finding a rule of life. Stories were shared, there was dancing and singing, a great deal of eating (and some drinking!). Jim excelled himself entertaining the children of all ages in the big outdoors, and the bonfire was enjoyed by all. In the midst of this, Rich helped us to engage with the role of fossil fuel investment in climate change and held a brief vigil for those suffering the effects of Typhoon Haiyan. We share communion and reflected on the past year - discovering that we are not a community in crisis, but an adapting expression of our core 'spirit of mayBe': still working at being a community exploring creative simple engaged and playful living in the way of Jesus. This is our prayer - May we find rest in community May we find depth in exploration May we find life in creativity May we find peace in simplicity May we find hope in engagement May we find joy in play May we find faith and life in Christ

Friday, February 7, 2014 - 3:21pm

We shared a new blessing on Sunday

admin — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 11:00:10 +0000

We shared a new blessing on Sunday

May the light find you on a dismal day When you need to be home may you find your way May you always have courage to take a chance And never find frogs in your underpants!

Friday, November 22, 2013 - 11:00am

Wearing our Remembrance Flowers

admin — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 10:57:32 +0000

Wearing our Remembrance Flowers

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Friday, November 22, 2013 - 10:57am

Walking on custard

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:33:48 +0000

Walking on custard

Sunday 29th April 2013 - we spent the day recreating miracles! It was interesting to move away from the usual rhythm of worship. Its not always necessary to break down time into songs, liturgy, prayer, talk etc Sometimes you can break away from tradition and this is very much how our day went. We first created an art piece of the sea using a range of materials and placed toy fish on the canvas. The children each tried to catch a fish and had to look and see if there was a coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). We then moved on to some individual arts, each of us trying to recreate epic miracle artworks with basic materials. We then all had a simple bring and share lunch (I forgot to "bring" so just "shared") Throughout the day there was a quiet room that each of us could go to alone. There we could look at some texts and consider a few questions. This was a chance to have some time of reflection while the others carried on with miracle making. In the afternoon an adaptation of musical statues served to remind us of Jesus calming the storm. When "Be still" was called everyone had to stop dancing. A relaxation exercise then followed and I was surprised to see toddler Anjali lie down and chill with the rest of us. The finale of the day was mixing a huge amount of custard and then walking across it in homage to Jesus' steps on the lake. Quite whether mixing custard to near concrete consistency can be counted as a miracle is up for debate, but then aren't most miracles?

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 - 3:33pm

Morning Prayers

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:47:48 +0000

Morning Prayers

A prayer from our last Sunday in South Park... The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, It is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying That the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith, No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness, No programme accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do something,and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Prayer of Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 1917-1980.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 9:47am

Hope trees in Brasenose woods

admin — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:24:07 +0000

Hope trees in Brasenose woods

...the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness...

and us in to Brasenose woods, well-managed to encourage the wilds of life. It's the 1st Sunday in Lent. Readings about temptation, wilderness, a voice from heaven, the kingdom coming near. We learnt a new song in Homebase carpark (very 'thin' place, if ever there was one) while we waited for people to arrive, then headed off into the woods with directions chosen by our 4 year olds. We followed an Iona Community wee worship, but injected our improvisation after the readings. A tree grows. Branches form and give it shape. Each branch a decision, an intervention, an accident? Look at a tree today, where is it's growth? Is it pleasing? To understand why you need to have seen it grow. Trees can change, themselves, or by surgery. And there's always the unthinkable hope of the other side, of fruit, nut, seed being reborn in new soil. We found trees that spoke to our own stories, of self, community, faith. We marked them out in silver to reflect our hope. We looked for things we could do, and we looked for signs of things we could see happening that we just need to wait for. See photos (we removed the tin foil after our improvisation!)

Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 10:24pm

Retreat 2011

admin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:45:55 +0000

Retreat 2011

A great Advent retreat at Offa House led by Ian Adams. Some words on what went on... Lighting the way

Annunciation: Do not be afraid. God is with us. Missio Dei. Perplexing.
Baptism: Venerating fish.
Transfiguration: Seeing people in a new light.
Crucifixion: Sometimes all you can do is lie down with your dead God.
Resurrection: Doubt. Disbelief. New life. What gives us hope?
Ascension: Jesus on a plate. A gift or a loss.

...and some words on being creative Do things your way. Be brave and make the first mark. Thanks mayBe for a lovely, refreshing weekend.

Sunday, December 11, 2011 - 6:45pm

If God is Love then maybe...

admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:13:18 +0000

If God is Love then maybe...

An evening community meal in our poetry cycle we explored our hopes in God through poetry. Conversations were shared, and the output ranged from beautiful to barmy!

If God is Love then maybe...

My four grandchildren will grow and grow and reach their full potential with great joy If God is love, then maybe all children will be valued whether girl or boy equality's a word too small for living in God's kingdom value given quite at random O yes! I see them walking slightly On God's Earth they share with all that lives and moves, in joy, in joy! If God is love then maybe

If God is Love then maybe...

we could have a Magnum every day with no concern for over consumption or weight gain they would creep up the night like Father Christmas, open the freezer door and snick-in, like children to bed. Waiting expectantly for the next day, when they meet their destiny.

If God is Love then maybe...

children will grow to their full potential, fully responsible; fully imaginative, creativity in uniqueness; breaking the rules, respecting no limits to being creative in community; it's all prayer.

If God is Love then maybe...

we know love, too. An inheritance webbed in forgotten value, re-awakened; daring and daunting.

If God is Love then maybe...

the loving will see God will gaze into the warm light with whole reassurance that they were right; love was right more absolute than gravity or speed of light. love was right love is right relief, fear of absence no more the darkness put out with their tiny strong light.

If God is Love then maybe...

wars can be left on hold; we can listen to greensleeves while waiting for the operator to declare harmony down the windy clockwork phone war is so over, war is so last year tweet it, tweet it big: God love is.

Thursday, October 21, 2010 - 10:13pm

Pray-as-you-go

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:37:17 +0000

Pray-as-you-go

When we had the community meal at our place and were talking about prayer, I told you about the daily prayer I use from the Jesuits which you can download for your ipod - it's called 'pray as you go'. It is about 10min long and uses music, a scripture reading, some thoughts to contemplate and some time for prayer. I like it lot, it's a good and easy way to incorporate some sort of prayer into your daily life! So here is the link: http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/ For those of you who use itunes, you can access it via the itunes shop if you search for 'pray as you go' (obviously it is for free). Hope that helps!

By Doerthe

Saturday, February 13, 2010 - 11:37am

simple ideas for daily prayer

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:01:34 +0000

simple ideas for daily prayer

may this inspire us all to find our daily discipline of prayer as part of mayBe's pattern of community life. These came from discussions at community meals and worship gathering in our spirit of mayBe cycle.

communicating prayer online eg twitter or facebook
writing it in your diary
taking the time to be mindful - not always multitasking
be content with little things, little amounts of time
praying for each other's concerns - perhaps have email list of words or names (no need for detail/info)
community exploring creative simple engaged and playful living in the way of Jesus - pause prayerfully on each of the 7 elements of our calling (as footsteps, using icons on our website, as words etc) - eg use 'O Lord Hear My Prayer' taize chant
wonder for mayBe community - what's sprouted in the garden, what's come back to life, new life? rebirth, new birth... new beginnings ... look, hear, smell, touch and sing!
when wandering around on daily travels remember to look around, wondering at simle and magnificent signs from nature
time to make space in your life for presence - quiet and contemplative
laughter - sings a song (hymn, chorus etc) at the top of your voice! Louder!
time to spend more time making space for play - keep as light-hearted as a child
pause for thought every day
grace, space, wonder, grit, resistance, laughter, presence (the spirit of mayBe) - hold each word prayerfully for members of mayBe and others
remember to laugh everyday!
be thankful and focus on gratitude

Monday, January 18, 2010 - 8:01am