Holiness is consecrated closeness to God. Holiness is in essence obeying God, living to God and for God, imitating God, keeping His law, taking His side against sin, doing righteousness, performing good works, following Christ’s teaching and example, worshipping God in the Spirit, loving and serving God and men out of reverence for Christ. In relation to God, holiness takes the form of a single-minded passion to please by love and loyalty, devotion and praise. In relation to sin, it takes the form of a resistance movement, a discipline of not gratifying the desires of the flesh, but of putting to death the deeds of the body. Holiness is, in a word, God-taught, Spirit-wrought Christ-likeness, the sum and substance of committed discipleship, the demonstration of faith working by love, the responsive outflow in righteousness of supernatural life from the hearts of those who are born again.
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Last Saturday the second Youthwork Summit took place in Manchester. I attended along with about about 750 other youth workers/ministers, paid & volunteer, full & part time, along with 20+ speakers, the Rend Collective Experiment, Mark Yaconelli, and the amazing team who put the event together and served us on the day. It will take a while to properly reflect on and process all that was said, all that happened, and the conversations which took place. I met some amazing people – some I’ve been chatting with on Twitter for some time and felt I knew them, but met them in person at #yws11, others I met for the first time.
I spent Friday with 150 other youth workers/ministers on a Retreat day led by Mark Yaconelli – that too will take a great deal of processing and putting into practice what was learned.
At the end of the conference we shared the following powerful liturgy which written during the day by one of the attendees, and is shared here with permission:
It all comes from here*
From an extraordinary God,
capable of ALL things.
From His unfailing love
for ALL that we are.
From a purpose and calling
that He placed on our lives.
From a passion and desire
to change young lives.
We give our time, our energy,
We share our ideas, our lives,
We offer our teaching, our advice.
But we give, we share, we offer
Because we do not love alone,
but with the help of God’s heart.
Because we do not stand alone,
but with the strength of God’s Spirit.
Because we do not fight alone,
but with the power of God’s will.
From a God who loves
all which He has created,
From a God who guides
all who seek His face,
From a God who welcomes
all who come in His name.
It all comes from here*
[written by Julia King (@xjewelzx) // used with thanks...]
Just seen this version of the 10 Commandments, rewritten for kids:
- Put God First: God is number one, everything else comes second.
- Nothing else is more important than God
- Don’t say ‘God’ when you don’t mean it
- Have a restful day – chillaxing every week
- Respect. Treat adults how you would like to be treated.
- Don’t hurt anybody
- Stick together/look after your friends
- Don’t take from anyone without permission
- Always tell the truth. Don’t lie
- Don’t want something others have got.
There’s another version posted there too.
“perhaps true beauty is something that draws our attention at second glance, once the judgement of a first glance has realised it’s mistake”
Last week as part of my end of term activities I took part in a retreat day at the Carmelite Priory at Boars Hill in Oxfordshire. The day was led by Ian Adams, one of the CYM Chaplains, who used the story of Elizabeth, Zechariah and Mary to introduce us to some meditative practices. I arrived early to avoid the traffic and was able to enjoy the sun as it rose over the crisp, frosty fields. I rarely travel without my camera so was able to capture a few shots before everyone else arrived.
The day was divided into three sessions, each providing space for reflection and time to listen for God. During one session I felt inspired to draw (something I never do, and have no talent for) and was moved to reflect on what I’d drawn. A new experience for me, but one which I greatly appreciated and will continue to ponder the notes I made.
We divided into two groups for the final session and were encouraged to use Mary and Zechariah’s example and write either a magnificat or a benedictus based on our context/experiences/feelings. Here’s what we produced in our group:
Thank you God that everything is upside down;
that you don’t see things the way the world sees them.
You accept this generation, though others reject it;
others want to put them down, but you desire to raise them up.Where the world leaves young people empty, only you can satisfy.
Through your love there is so much more.As you draw them near to you we see them longing to be valued and eager to serve;
to accept others in the way that you’ve accepted them.We see your hope rising through this generation.
Thank you for the momentum which flows from and is sustained by your Spirit.Amen
It proved to be a really valuable time of reflection and refreshing – much needed preparation for the two mad weeks which have followed.
Continuing the series:
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. – Maya Angelou
Continuing the series:
Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. – Martin Luther King
Continuing the series:
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. – Mahatma Gandhi
Continuing the series:
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. – Winston Churchill
