New Year Celebration 2015

It's going to be twelve months of modestly-scaled events.  But the turn-of-the-year national celebration is customarily more in-house and low-key, anyway. 

Northampton Council appeared to have generously cancelled parking charges, I suspect for post-Xmas shoppers.  But it may simply have been staff cuts.  When we arrived, St John's Multistorey was already filling up.  My five passengers, including Clara and Lu, two Chinese-speaking students, had all fallen asleep en-route. 

I'd gathered that I wasn't due to be taking part in the stage items, as Farhad hadn't me sent a running order.  It was true that there were no baptisms (my usual responsibility at national events), but in fact we were due to recognise a new church household in Coventry, which is part of my 'patch'.

Perhaps more pressing on my mind was my mobile phone.  There's been an interminable dispute over text messages since we changed contracts from Orange/EE/HTC to Class Telecomm/Vodaphone/Motorola.  I have half a dozen 'bogey' numbers that my phone won't send SMSs to under any circumstances.  These include Mick, Kelly, Jack, Barrie - a pretty significant inconvenience.  I've done a good engineer's diagnosis run: how are the numbers stored?, is there a problem with signal/network connection?, etc.  Tellingly enough, I've never - at the same time - had a problem with an old EE pay-as-you-go phone that I've hung on to for just such eventualities.  We've tried a new handset (reluctantly - as it took more than an afternoon to reset all my applications, and then I've lost some data).  Most recently, Class Support sent me a new SIM.  No better.  Today, I'm under instructions to try the SIM in someone else's handset.  I have to pick some guinea-pigs.

The afternoon items were fresh and positive.  We introduced 'Sovereign over us' - much better than the attempts I'd achieved around the Regions.  And, led by Steve, we recognised the pioneering Coventry church household 'New Furrows'.  It has several of my old friends in the membership, including Nick and Gav and their families.  I'd also squeezed in a look at Andy's extended range of old book and article reprints.  Mary and I are recording NIV gospels of Luke and John respectively, for his visually impaired project. 

The tea scene was the usual mele.  But I found Viv, and we did the SIM-swap bit with his Nexus 4 - and it worked fine.  Then the same with Gav and his Sony Experia Z1.  So, job done; all but the long email to Support that I'd have to send to list the results.  I wanted to catch up with Clive from Springfield, and I know they eat in the Cafe, along with Battle Centre and Open Doors.  The peace and sanity was like landing on the Mayfair and Park Lane end of your Monopoly board.  I saw Dave our ICT techie, too, and we speculated if GCHQ are interrupting my texts and bodging sending them on.  Seriously.

In the evening Mick slightly cut short the programme.  Constitutionally, I'm not a 'less is more' protagonist.  But we seem to have covered the 2015 word of discipling effectively, and had engaged well in heartfelt worship.

Steven stayed on board with Mary and I as we headed to Kings House.  We were stopping overnight so I could take the Sunday morning event in Coventry.  Mary had arranged to see Andrew, Ellen and crew on their longboat over breakfast.   We opened the 'spreads' cupboard door to find only yeast extract and marmalade for our toast, and explored the cake tins with similar small returns.  And our folks at home still insist we don't overdo food.  

The Coventry morning meeting rolled along well, and Simon inspired the congregation to pray out about their needs so they could move forward in 2015.  Then he showed me the leaking boiler plumbing in the Jesus Centre.  We settled on lunch at Open Doors, and had a constructive exchange with Ruth about "kids' splots".  As we hit the M1, once again my passengers fell asleep.  I'll take it they were content in their spirits.  It's a good job I'm well adapted to lonesomeness.

New Year's Eve (though Jack missed me)

The guys were all due to be off for a Leaders' Day event at Cornhill on January 1, so nobody was committing to a late night.  Interesting; because locally this midnight is usually heralded with an impossible crescendo of fireworks.  No point in trying to sleep.  I don't know how it is in your neighbourhood, but here in S10 we get several nights throughout the year when you could think you were in Baghdad (or maybe Beijing).

Jack, of course, wanted a bonfire.  I'd spent two days ripping into the front garden laurels and rhododendrons, and the back garden holly, hawthorn and privet hedges.  We had plenty of fuel on hand, and more branches still strewn across the lawns.  Earlier in the year, Jack had properly landscaped the 'pit', providing terracing and a paved path with handrail.  If you didn't mind the mud and smoke, it amounted to a fine spectator facility.

James, Jon and Leone from Grimsby had never done anything as adventurous as this.  (Leone sat in front of me, unconcerned in a faux lambs-skin hat.)  Flora and Mum, over from China for the graduation ceremony, were quite excited too.  Piers and Thea were with us for a few days, too, but Phil and Donna had changed their minds.  Still, we made up quite a crowd.  We warbled through some songs - something of a challenge when the overall light intensity on the books was only a few lumens (apart from the geeks with LED head-torches).  We shared in turn what had been good about 2014.  The words of appreciation for Mary at her 70th birthday, and sharing bedtime prayers with Ben and Ryan on our few days away together in Wales, came to my mind.

A few more songs, then it was hopes for 2015.  Mine is that we do some decent fundraising for the several projects we've lined up for the Multiply trip to Kenya and Uganda in August.  But that seemed a bit out of range for the immediate (and anyway, it's largely down to me to make it happen!).  Maybe that's why Jack thought I'd skipped the evening. 

At 10pm, a tall figure stalked along the drive.  Viv had accepted Jonno's invitation to do the 'real thing' ('til past midnight) at No21, and called in on the way.  Now Ray and Lil were getting cold, and Jack had expended all the fireworks, so we called halt.

I note from my diary that last year we spilled over into January 1.  Perhaps creeping old age is beginning to tell on us all.

And on to Narrow Way again

Richard was keen that Mary and I should be the first guests to stay in the large bedroom of their newly-finished dormer conversion.  The community house is unusual, as it straddles and interconnects two corner properties on adjacent roads: 133 Cambridge Street and 37 Sykefield Avenue.  The new extension is part of the latter, and it means that the whole house family can be accommodated together.

I nipped over from Springfield, and Mary arrived from Sheffield after negotiating the snow-bound roads at home.  But having settled round a cup of tea, we were off again back across Leicester for a joint Saturday evening meeting.  Richard had explained about the IDEA groups they're in the process of rolling out - individual development, encouragement and accountability, and Andy and Eva added their perspective.  These will happen every other Saturday evening from now on for covenant members.  The initial try-outs for the 'facilitators' (leaders, to the rest of us) have been excellent.

The daybreak view from the dormer bedroom spanned a maze of rooftops, with the city centre in the uninterrupted middle distance.  As the sunlight moved round, it was actually quite an engaging perspective.  Sunday morning event was in a new hall at Overdale Junior School, as their regular venue in Netherhall wasn't available over the Xmas break  A good crowd turned up, and we led off with rousing songs to make the place feel at home.  Nick, a regular member of the congregation, and the caretaker for the buildings, was clearly happy.  We successfully mastered 'Sovereign over us', and I thought the hall could be a great alternative choice for the future.

After lunch, Mary and I decided to stay around for the Narrow Way evening get-together.  Jack at home was keen that we should try to give a lift to Sam from the Farm.  He'd arranged an overnight adventure in a barn in Hathersage - so we had time to kill.  I put on some extra layers and walked the length of Narborough Road - sad, but at least I wasn't going to get lost.

Folks arrived for a viewing of the final third of the Visual Bible dvd of John's gospel, dramatised straight from the original Good News Bible text.  Sam duly phoned to say he was leaving Northampton Jesus Centre, so we hiked back to Springfield to collect him.  He promptly fell asleep until, approaching midnight, we slithered up the drive back at home. 

The two church household groups have come a long way in interacting together, and have definite vision for 2015.  So, as I unpacked, I allowed the thought that some part of my national leadership patch is doing okay.

Springfield Christmas

Mary dropped me off at Sheffield train station at 15:01.  At this moment, on Radio 4, Stephen Cleobury's choice of soloist treble chorister would be ringing "Once in royal David's city..." round Kings College, Cambridge.  I was heading to Leicester.

Clive T (there are two resident Clives, just to confuse everyone) picked me up, and Clive W settled me into a bedroom in the brothers' end.  I met Charlie Davis, who at five weeks looks like he's already in size 2 baby clothes.  Andy and Eva had friends round for an evening meal.  Afterwards we joined them, so everyone was gathered in the main lounge.  Since I judged that very little was expected of me, I ploughed into a recent book (Single Mission) on the challenges of singleness and Christian service.  Most folks opted to sample the midnight service at an outskirts parish church.  This included persuading the two Chinese students girls staying under a hosting arrangement to join in.  I chose an early night.

When the sunrise caught the cedar tree outside my window, I realised I couldn't work out the orientation of the house.  That's no surprise, I get muddled at home.  Annie had offered me a sack of sprouts to peel as contribution towards feeding the nearly 60 folks booked in for tea.  But when I appeared in the kitchen Clive was already on his 70th, much to the amusement of the sisters.  They obviously have some other way of gauging three or four each without actually counting.  He stopped at 170, but one rolled under the Aga. 

Springy are very organised, and ring a bell for meals - one of several spring-mounted on a board that summonsed the staff in the property's former existence.  There was Stilton with the bread and soup that constituted a quick snack lunch.  We broke into what Clive called a turtle cake, so thick with chocolate that it had to be turned over to cut portions.  Then we piled into the minibus and headed for the Cropston Reservoir car park of Bradgate Country Park. 

Clive had a missed call from Iain, who was heading up the Open Door Coventry party that we would be meeting up with.  It was too cold for them to hang around for us, and they'd already set off on their walk (blame the turtle cake).  I ambled along with Hamid, who'd come across from Birmingham to spend time with his in-laws-to-be.  We chatted about his work colleagues and their techie questionings about faith, and whether we've got it wrong about celibacy and the rising generation.

Pretty soon we read the signals that the children along with the families had had enough, and we headed back.  The sky was free of aircraft vapour trails.  I hadn't consciously noted that since visiting Bystrany in rural Slovakia.  Just then, Mary texted to say the Sheffield crew had just got back to the car park on their traditional walk. 


Tea was a splendid affair, with full roast and mince pies.  Hamid and I joined Clive and attacked the washing up.  We all gathered for a spontaneous worship time.  At around 8pm, the Coventry folks made their farewells.  Then we had a round of 'Empire', which must rate as the fastest-growing-in-popularity game around.  Caleb won, having sat inconspicuously in the corner throughout the entire proceedings.  The local folks made their ways home: suddenly it was quiet.  One by one, folks announced what they'd be doing between now and Sunday.  It wasn't leaving me many people to
talk to on Boxing Day, nor opportunity to practise a couple of songs with the resident musicians for the meeting I had to take.

No matter, tomorrow there was nearby Victoria Park to explore, with its several prescribed jogging routes: flat, too.  Before the snow.

Jesus Centre Managers' Forum

It's a meeting I look forward to.  Our Jesus Centres probably carry most autonomy of all our local activities.  So, we need intentional cooperation to prevent isolation, mission drift and 'reinventing the wheel'.  Every three months the managers come together, rotating the meetings between our four Centres.  The agenda is flexible, except at the end of year when we carry out a structured review, as befits an efficient charity.

This year we gathered against the backdrop of our financial pressures.  Two weeks ago, the Trustees' Exec met - for the first time since our establishment.  Chairman John had produced an excellent synopsis.  Treasurer Mike had reviewed and commented on the big-ticket items in each Centre's 2015 budgets.

Overnight, following the Financial Summit, I'd stayed at Kings House.  I'd pleasantly spent the evening with Andrew, Ellen and crew.  First thing in the morning I'd texted birthday greetings to her and Kat - they're seven years apart.  (Vodaphone let me down on the second text, but that's a whole nother story.)

On the way to Central Offices, I'd picked up a load of distribution from John Fervent's vending machine company customer.  The Forum meeting was eased along with samples of (lurid pink) green tea and peach cordial, pomegranate juice, and Mars mixtures.  The remainder will find its way to Sheffield Jesus Centre.

We have two tricky objectives to meet: to continue to enable the vision for congregations to run Centres, and to ensure these are sustainable.  So, it's expansion and consolidation at the same time, with the seeming contradiction this implies.  John spoke of the difference between limbs being lopped off and being pruned.  He steered us through the financial constraints (nothing new to the voluntary sector!), and income targets.

Then on to the work on the ground.  Each Centre was able to report progress in 2014, though successes weren't equal.  The common thread is a drift away from fully meeting annual costs, and a sense that we're on the limit with volunteer input.  So the message really is one of resetting our expectations so we live within our means - in the total meaning of the expression.  And communicating this positively, while aspiring to be more effective with what we've got.  Finally, after a couple of years of frustration, opening a Centre in Birmingham is now within our reach.

After lunch it was time to fix our objectives, likely obstacles and mitigation for 2015.  Managers are emerging as teams getting on top their responsibilities.  Northampton Jesus Centre now has strong local staff, London is looking brighter, Coventry have freshened up their service offerings and Sheffield now tends to a measure of realism.

So, much to do.  For me it starts with our own local Management Committee Exec meeting this  Sunday, followed by Coventry's equivalent on Monday evening.  But we're all in it together, and God's in it, too.
 

G14 Financial Summit 2

There were no helicopters, motorcycle police, barricades or press.  The simple wooden sign confirmed this was the right place.  I parked under the dark trees and found my way into the building through a back door.   To the right, Sam's breakfast of fried eggs on toast smelled delicious (especially since I'd left home before 6am).  To the left, Andrea was loading a washing machine.  I ducked through a low doorway and into Anthem's large lounge. 

This was review day, when all the Exec groups reported back on 2015's budget exercise.  Steve Line, our former audit partner, stepped briskly into the room  and shook hands with all present.  Huw, sitting beside me with a grave expression, was fidgeting.  Jan positioned himself  - probably unnecessarily - on a back row bench.  Hilary gave out neatly clipped bundles of paper for those who hadn't studied their advance copies.  Mick started us off with a song, scripture reading and prayer.  Ed, co-chairing, invited Steve to open.

"I've lost sleep over what I've found here," he announced, referring to Hilary's pack of reports.  "You have some major decisions to make.  It's not all about cost cutting.  It's about heart and head, and which you'll follow.  You share a DNA, and you can all give reasons why things shouldn't change.  And I've known you all long enough to say that you're very good at talking round things, and then doing nothing about them."

"The best way I can describe it is like a funnel, out of which you need to squeeze some results.  But first you have to put in some weighty decisions, like whether you see yourselves - the whole Church community - as custodians or innovators?  These provide the pressure onto your commitments, strategies and actions.  Do your top level Execs make these decisions?"  Steve's emphasis on 'make' suggested that he knew jolly well...

"As we go through these reports and analyses, I suggest you ask, 'So what?'.  'So what?' if you have low community house occupancy, less than a full weeks' wages, etc.  Like I said, it's heart and mind.  I'm here perhaps just to give an outside perspective.  You'll find that uncomfortable.  And I shall make it uncomfortable, or else you'll do nothing."  'Nemesis' may have been the word Steve used, but he was being a good friend.

The Exec reports and analyses were uniformly excellent.  As Steve had predicted, the community issues provoked most cross-conversation, because they were closest to home.   Folks feel more distanced or detached from various Jesus Centres or business subsidiaries.  By now, Huw was looking even grimmer.

Ed ruthlessly drove each agreed decision marker to an action point, and named a responsible person or group.  Steve insisted that the communication of decisions to all involved - across the Church - must improve.  There was tension: it's true there's been buck-passing, stalling and indecision.  Some of us 'retired' business executives, like Kelly, Ed and I, have made our presence more evident among the not-for-profit entities.  I have to say that there's begun to be a sharper culture, but it's only a start.

We wound down to whether and when we should meet again to pick up progress.  Steve, probably feeling that a good day's work was about to slip through our fingers, interrupted: "No later than the end of March."  Then, even with a nice buffet lunch waiting, he apologised for leaving abruptly, 'to get an afternoon nap'.  That man deserves a quality Xmas hamper from Goodness Foods: I hope Ed made a note.

The Big Bonfire

I admit that that I was a bit sceptical.  The Big Pick had proved a popular success, so it seemed irresistible to produce a sequel. 

I've spent hours talking down leadership teams from repeating programmes for evangelism campaigns or other events, just become the last one worked well.  If you happen to have hit what the Holy Spirit's turned up and blessed, then find what may similarly be the case for your next event.  The Holy Spirit doesn't work to formula.  However, I was told there was another reason: some folks wanted to see if we could hold a major event that didn't cost £20,000.

Mary and I were due to be in Coventry for the weekend, and Promise household had pitched to be at the Bonfire, so we were happy to go along.  Viv hitched a lift, too.

Even at the advertised start time, 4.30pm, Cornhill was bitingly cold and in total darkness.  Well, a big shout for the folks who had set everything up.  There were two strings of lights, tables of drink and food laid on, and the bonfire site was nicely cordoned off, including a semicircle of benches.  Folks were arriving for well over an hour, milling around chatting and periodically cosying up to the heat to thaw out.

Then the guitars came out and we had a session of worship.  Yes, it was good to be together like this - a few from Brighton, London and Birmingham, most of Leicester and Coventry as well as the Northampton locals.

Mary and I got to Promise in time for some supper, and the guest bedroom was as warm as anyone could wish.

I led the Sunday morning event at the Jesus Centre, and Gav and the team made a good job of my (customarily) challenging choice of songs.

 Lunch was the periodic all-congregation event, this time hosted by Kings.  A few dropped out on the way, but the big lounge and all the ground floor rooms were cheerily full.  I overheard it mourned that come next year, the congregation will likely have no equivalent sizeable property. 

Mary chipped off to see Andrew, Ellen and the crew nearby.  Meanwhile Nick fired up his '0' gauge genuine steam train in the Gate, and soon had a crowd of admirers.  As if appropriate for the weekend, his enthusiasm triggered the smoke detector and set off the fire alarm.  So, copy that.