Random Connections

Scientists tell us that all things are interconnected if only at an atomic level. We are re-cycled beings literally made up of the dust of the stars.


A good few years back there was a challenge called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon a variation of the concept of the six degrees of separation that we are all connected by some physical connection to every other person. In this case all actors are only six steps away from having worked with the prolific Kevin Bacon.

But maybe more magical than that we humans are connected through the the most abstract and unlikely ways. Chance comments made which lead to concrete actions, difficult situations lead to connection and positive memories unearthed.

Over the past few days I have seen a couple of these connections being made/unearthed in the unlikeliest ways in my life:

• The description of a birthday present of a work colleague influences a choice that results in a deep life changing conversation with a close friend.
• The hurt and pain of the refugee crisis reflected on and connected with somehow ends with a time of laughter and joy from the reminiscing of school physics lessons with two lovely school friends.

Of course we must have these weird magical connections all the time but don't see them, if we could seem them all for even a few moments I imagine it being like the Auroa Borealis swirling around us everyday taking wisps of connections between us all.

Enjoy the connections folks.

Paralympics Day 3 - Here come the crowds!

Day 3 at the Paralympics was the busiest yet and probably the busiest of the whole games. All the activities are running, and we expected well over 100,000 in the park.
The perfect day then to be rostered onto the busiest entrance point, Stratford Gate. From opening time at 7:30am through to the end of my shift at 3pm there were people coming through. Sometimes it was only a slow stream of maybe 1 or 2 people a minute through to the peak periods when we had between 15-25 people a minute. In the first fifteen minutes I scanned more tickets than I did in three hours at Victoria Gate yesterday.
Because we were solidly working from 7:30-11:30am we missed out on breakfast, so when we got to eat lunch it was consumed in seconds!
The best part of today was being paired with Stuart the guy I met on the first morning. We have a similar sense of humour and we get on like a house on fire. As in all things in life people are what make things special and in this regard and in his own words Stuart is "awesome".
I did have one complaint today though. Occassionally people would come through the security check think they were done and start striding into the park. We would have to stop them and scan their tickets, usually this was all fine. On one occassion a couple of women were rushing past us and as well as saying "Excuse me" I, with one finger, touched one of the women on the arm to attract her attention. She duely gave me her tickets and then said that I didn't have to push her to get her attention! I did the right thing and apologised for my action, scanned her tickets and wished her a great day. I probably scanned 500+ tickets so having one tetchy person out of over 500 is a pretty good ratio.
So where to tomorrow? I have been on green, red, yellow and blue teams with black, pink and orange still to try (I could get red as it isn't marked on my card even though I have done it). What colour do you think I will get? If you guess correctly then you will get big bonus points towards my paralympic souviner competition.

Paralympics day 1 - check your photos!

So day one is done (and so are my knees, lordy!)
The first of my early starts saw me rise at 5am to journey to Stratford checking in just after 6am.
As expected there was a degree of confusion, mainly because the vast majority of new volunteers were asking each other the same questions expecting immediate answers. Fortunately most things were straightened out and the general positive atmosphere kept people moving along and going with the flow.
We soon got split into teams and I was off to our first posting. In this first team I met Stuart (pictured right) from Wiltshire who also served in the Olympics so he was able to give me a few insider tips which was an excellent start and he was great fun to be with so early in the morning.
Unfortunately this posting only lasted about 30 minutes then plans changed and after another trek I ended up in the area known as Orbit Circus (covering the Stratford Gate, Orbit and Olympic Stadium) meeting and greeting people as they came into the Olympic Park from the Stratford/Westfield shopping centre side.
Later in the day I spent a long time with Susan (pictured left) who strangely kept wandering off standing still looking into the distance and the returning. Curious I asked her what she was doing and she told me she was trying to get into the background of as many peoples photographs as she could. So the photograph on the right is of her at distance (she is circled). Susan will be in 100s of peoples photo albums, just over their shoulder!
So that was my first nine hour shift, there is more to talk about - music, signs, food, questions from the public - but those will be for another day.

Leadership: real people, inspiring leaders

Like most people who have worked in many jobs and in different industries I have served under and alongside many leaders, probably hundreds. I am certain that everyone of them has shaped and influenced me, for good or bad, even if I didn't realise it. So I sat down one day a while ago and spent a few minutes listing leaders I have known and one thing that I would remember them for. These are real people that I know or have known and not the 'great leaders' of platforms and books that you and I have read and heard but actually don't know.

Martin Harrison - the first person who ever led me, he particularly taught me the importance of training people properly, giving the necessary feedback and coaching and then letting them (me) make their own mistakes.

Elizabeth Gooch - an incredibly driven and focused woman who showed me the importance of getting the right people together to make a great team.

David Stroud - I worked on one of the regional teams that David led. During this time I organised a church leaders weekend. This was the first such weekend I had done and unfortunately my calculations went wrong and we were looking at a £2k loss (it ended up only losing around £200). When I shared the details with the team David simply said, "Well you won't make that mistake again". In a stroke he removed my fear and guilt and showed trust in me for the future (all my church leaders weekend since have turned a small profit!).

Tony Thompson - I led the team that organised Together@Shuttleworth in 2008 & 2009 for the regional churches he and his team oversaw. These events were a great success but on a personal and family level they were a real struggle. So after completing the 2009 event I had to step down from leading the event. Tony arranged support and care for me because in his words he felt responsible that someone from his team needed support. It was good to feel care that went beyond the confines of the role to serve and support me, the person.

Melanie Crane - I worked with Melanie over a number of years and the thing that struck me about her was the way she included and developed people. She seemed to easily gather a crowd but many people can do that. Leaders do something with the crowd, take them on, give them opportunities as see them as more than just workers but as future leaders also. This fully struck me when she was in the process of leaving her job in our church and she gave us a long list of the people who she has worked with and what they have done and what they could do.

Nic Lines - the final person I will mention here is Nic. I work alongside Nic, our youth leader and have seen him at close quarters, especially when I have been on the catering team at Newday. The thing I admire is how after inheriting a team he brought in his own style of leadership. Still a young in leadership (years) but he clearly has the ability to listen and give space to people whilst having a definite sense of what he wants to see achieved.

If you were to name leaders who have shaped your life who would be the first you would remember?

Being part of something BIG

Today I took part in something that could make a major change in the life of our town and nation. I voted!

It is likely that because where I live is dominated by one party my vote probably won't make any difference.
However, I know that voting does change lives and situations. There have been significant elections which have been won by only a few votes, in those cases just a few hundred or thousand people changed the course of a nation.

The incredible thing is everyday you and I have multiple opportunities to change lives. In our many encounters and interactions with people our actions, words, and sometimes even our silence can affect a person's direction, attitude or even their future. Most (maybe 99%?) of these interactions will not make much difference but the thing is we don't control what does or doesn't.

So today remember you have the chance to make a BIG difference, so go forth and be yourself - a life changer!

Celebrating a life - what a joy!

Over the last few days I have been blessed, I have seen reflections of glory in the ripples of time. What have I been up to? I have been playing a small part in organising the funeral of Alec Tee.

In conversations with his family, looking through photos, seeing the tributes, hearing the stories and seeing the joy that comes of a life lived and ended (in our world) with God - I have seen the unmistakeable reflections of the glory of God. As I sit here I feel a warmth like you get when you've been out in the sun for too long - it's like I have picked up a residual glow.

There is also a little sadness, a small ache as I remember the greyness that surrounded my mum's funeral, especially within my family. So again I will entrust my mum to God and tomorrow at the funeral of Alec Tee I look forward to bask again in the remembrances of his life and the reflection of God's glory.

Founding Father

It was sad to hear the news that an old friend from church, Alec Tee, died today.

I still remember that Alec and his wife Audrey were the first people to invite my wife & I back to their house for lunch when we first joined the church.

Alec was one of the founding members of our church, stepping out to do a new work for God. He has seen his family grow and go on to do great things in life and for God.

My abiding memory of Alec is of a man who was solid, not easily shaken, unconcerned about the changes around him and above all certain and secure in his knowledge that God is for him, is for us and for the world.

Thank you God for Alec. God be with Audrey and her family at this time.

Church & the new social media

Let me start this post by saying the new social media isn’t that new – facebook has been with us since 2004 and twitter in 2006.  However to the church and specifically to many church leaders, esp. in the UK it is ‘new’. It’s not new because they haven’t heard about it, and some even have facebook accounts, it’s new because the reality of it as a real social and community environment is just becoming clear.  I must admit until the middle of last year I had the similar take it or leave it view.

Anyway this post was inspired by a talk I recently gave to some church leaders.  In the talk I covered the subjects of websites, facebook, twitter & blogs.  So I will touch on these areas briefly in this post (sorry it is longer than normal but I hope you think it's worth it).

Websites

What are they for? For a church they are methods of communication, they hold information, store preaches, give you links to other ministries and can even have member areas that can have detailed info on church, ministry and people. However, I believe their primary function is to tell non-church members all about the church. They are your online brochure. Anything else is a bonus!

They need to look good and hold the key information - where you meet, when you meet, how to get there, how to contact you and what is going on (events\activities). They must NOT look outdated or messy (if they haven’t been redesigned in 3 years they are out of date). One big no, no is out of date information - one church website I checked in Jan 2011 had one event on its calendar, a carol concert which took place in Dec 2009! 

Facebook

First some statistics:

•         50% of active users log on daily

•         Average active user spends > 55 mins on facebook per day

•         48% of 18-34 year olds check facebook as soon as they wake up

•         57% of people talk to people more online than they do in real life

•         The 35+ demographic now makes up more than 30% of facebook

•         Women aged 35-50 rate facebook as their number 1 social activity

for more stats see see http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/facebook-statistics-facts-figures-for-2010/

This can be scary OR we can see this as an opportunity.  First of we need to understand two things

1. You don’t get a vote on this

2. You can’t stop or change this

Facebook and social media is here to stay, it is a reality and it is a real community.

How can facebook be used for the kingdom? By speaking into peoples lives & by living your life more publically. Check out this excellent article why every church leader should be on facebook by By David Tonen 

As you use facebook not just to comment on others peoples lives (see the article above), but also to put details of your life then people will watch and see something of who you are.  This will add to your credibility and authenticity (and people may even think you are cool!).

The great thing about facebook is you don’t have to respond instantly and you can plan what you are going to share. A busy church leaders diary and subsequent facebook entries could look like this:

Day	Main activity	Facebook updates
Monday	Day off	Write about what you are going to do and/or what you did (incl. a photo)
Tuesday	Staff meetings	Post what you are discussing, ask for input/prayer
		Tell people about the staff prayer meeting, what can you pray for or what did you pray for
Wednesday	Pastoral mtgs & Sermon prep	Tell people who you are / who you did meet up with today (send that person an encouraging msg)
		Tell people what you are going to preach on, ask for ideas/input
Thursday	Regional leaders mtg	Tell people where you are going / what the mtg was about / what is going on in other churches
Friday	Preach prep	Tell people how the preach is going, ask people to pray, give people a taster
Saturday	Events \ Family time	Tell people what your Saturday day / night is looking like
Sunday	Sunday mtg	Talk about some aspect of the meeting
		Ask for feedback on your preach

On top of this list there is the stuff of life (family, cars, sport, news, pets, tv etc.) you can write about.

Put your church on facebook

Create a facebook page for your church where you can share about all the stuff that is going on in the church, in your town, the nation and the world that it would be good for your church to know about and get involved in.  Check out our church facebook page for (I hope) a good example.

Twitter

Twitter is not very prelevant in the UK outside of cities and celebrities. It is a way for a person, group or organisation to share what they are doing, thinking etc. and to be able to follow what others are doing? Essentially people use Twitter to follow people and things that shape and influence their lives

So in your church which is the only person who should legitimately have a twitter account?  The answer has to be the lead pastor.  If that person isn’t using facebook regularly then do that first before embarking on using Twitter

Blogs

Why blog? It gives you a chance to write or say something that can teach, influence or engage people. A blog gives you the vehicle to disciple your whole congregation.
 

Key things to ensure your blog is successful

•         Make sure you know what you are aiming to do:

•        A blog about a particular angle on life (leadership, bible, etc.) or a general view on life

•         Make sure the content is good. What is good content?

•         It reads well – make sure you have a good person to critique your work

•         It is edited well

•         It isn’t too long – unless its really good!

•         Make sure you post consistently. Decide how often you are going to post and stick to this (remember you can prep your blog posts in advance)

•         Publicise your blog – how will they know if they are not told!

•         Always comment/reply to comments and interactions

•         Keep going

Ultimately we are doing this to help in our mission to make disciples, be real, have fun and enjoy the journey.

God's Mechanic

Pete Williams (pictured) is a member of my church who is taking a year out to work in Kenya.  He is using his skills to maintain and service aircraft that Mission Aviation Fellowship use to share the love of Jesus Christ by meeting the physical and spiritual needs of isolated people. They work in 42 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Eurasia and Latin America.


It's a great work Pete is doing and you can follow his journey on his blog God's Mechanic. Why don't you check it out and if you know him write a comment to encourage him.

You've got my full attention

"You've got my full attention", this is a phrase I've found myself using quite a bit recently. I say it quite deliberately and then attempt to do just that, give my full attention to the the person who wants to speak to me. To me this means:

• looking at the person
• not doing other things at the same time
• trying to really listen to the words they say
• watching the way they say it
• stopping myself analyse and solve their 'problem' in my head as they tell it to me
• and finally trying to show/reflect that I have heard and understood what they have said

It doesn't sound too difficult to do this.  But why do we rarely give people our full attention like this? So often we are in conversations but half our mind is elsewhere thinking about the next thing to do, listening to other conversations, watching other things or people. We seem to be trying to do so much that we de-value the most important thing - each other.

I know I am guilty of this, especially on a Sunday morning when I have a list of people I need to see or things to do. I find myself chatting with someone whilst all the time looking over their shoulder for the next person on my 'to do' list. And what's more I really dislike it when people do this to me!

Well I can't change anybody else and sometimes I do have a list of people I really need to speak to.  But the rest of the time I'm going to really try to do this.  So if you are talking to me feel free to ask, "Have I got your full attention?" - because you deserve it!

Dedicated to LC