Thursday, 31 August 2006
Winter is over
I'm pleased to have survived August. Spring will be here tomorrow.
Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Bus Door Cafe Service 2
We served bus drivers again today; being a bit shorthanded, I was on the front lines. It was fun to see the looks of disbelief.
Tuesday, 29 August 2006
EDI - Business to Business Communication
I am on about the third attempt so far to setup EDI ordering between a client and one of their main suppliers. It's amazing what I have learnt along the way. Encryption, digital signing and other stuff that I knew existed, but had hoped to never confront are now front and centre in my consiousness.
I have had to deal with two different aspects to the project: transportation protocols and the formatting of the payload. There is a standard (that may not be the right word) called AS2 which sends stuff via http. There is another standard (definitely a standard, its from ANSI) which is known as X12 that specifies how data should look. These two standards allow different software and hardware platforms to talk to each other in a common language.
It will be interesting to see if this attempt comes to fruition.
I have had to deal with two different aspects to the project: transportation protocols and the formatting of the payload. There is a standard (that may not be the right word) called AS2 which sends stuff via http. There is another standard (definitely a standard, its from ANSI) which is known as X12 that specifies how data should look. These two standards allow different software and hardware platforms to talk to each other in a common language.
It will be interesting to see if this attempt comes to fruition.
Good Weather
What a lovely day in Wellington. I had my usual Tuesday stroll round the waterfront. A few days like this over summer would be great. I don't think I'm going anywhere much over Xmas/New Year.
Monday, 28 August 2006
My atom
After persistent demand from my public, I have added a feed xml doc to my blog.
http://www.bezett.com/blog/atom.xml
http://www.bezett.com/blog/atom.xml
Pineapple Juice and Lemonade.
Yum
Sunday, 27 August 2006
So I gave up
I'm making some soup. This an official end to what was supposed to be a week-long fast. In the end, I only made three days. I don't feel too bad about it, I didn't have a specific spirirtual goal in mind, I was simply exercising a classic spritiual discipline.
I feel quite bad physically. Slept till about 11am this morning. I feel faint and short of breath. I don't fancy working like this next week. So soup it is.
I feel quite bad physically. Slept till about 11am this morning. I feel faint and short of breath. I don't fancy working like this next week. So soup it is.
Saturday, 26 August 2006
Rainy day at home
What a great day. We just did a run to the supermarket to get supplies for the weekend. I'm in my lay-z-boy with the Saturday paper within reach. I have no plans to move except when nature calls. We have two classic movies to watch and I have a little bit of programming to do. Sound like a great day ahead.
Friday, 25 August 2006
Whoops
I forgot to post yesterday. I could always faked it and back-dated something, but that's not very honest, is it?
Wednesday, 23 August 2006
ClickOnce Deployment in VB 2005 Express
I made a first version of a little app for a client and published it. Obviously something went wrong, probly at the web server end, but the application manifest just shows as an xml doc, so the "launch" link on the publish.htm page is not much use. I directed the client to the setup.exe file. I think it should work.
Tuesday, 22 August 2006
Bus Door Cafe
This afternoon a team of volunteers served tea and coffee to bus drivers waiting to start their route from Karori Park. We based ourselves in the kitchen at St Philip's and took nice paper cups with lids out to the drivers. Each cup was accompanied by a bag with a cookie and piece of chocolate as well as sugar and UHT milk portions, in theory, everything they should need to enjoy their drink.
The bus drivers were appreciative and if I had remembered to buy bottled water, we would have had close to 100% uptake from drivers who were waiting (some had an immediate turn-around). The big challenge was keeping the drinks hot in the wind, so I will come up with some sort of insulated tray for next time.
I think we did an OK job of demostrating God's grace today.
The bus drivers were appreciative and if I had remembered to buy bottled water, we would have had close to 100% uptake from drivers who were waiting (some had an immediate turn-around). The big challenge was keeping the drinks hot in the wind, so I will come up with some sort of insulated tray for next time.
I think we did an OK job of demostrating God's grace today.
Monday, 21 August 2006
Rosters
I got the roster for the next three months today. I have three Sundays on which I am not rostered on any duties. Sunday school teaching has yet to be added. *sigh*
Sunday, 20 August 2006
An outing
I visited a church today. (Disclaimer: I was not church shopping) I went to the 8am service at St Mary's (my normal place of worship) and then headed to Trentham to worship at Connections. The pastor, Richard Black, is the brother of a close friend and I had been there once before.
There is something refreshing about visiting a different tradition. If I was a church shopper and lived in the Hutt Valley, then this place would be a logical choice. It definitely would suit my wife who is used to a smaller congregation. The teaching was excellent today (but I still couldn't resist a "nice sermon, Vicar" as we left). I feel in no way called to leave Karori Anglican Churches (that name grates more and more, but it was my preferred choice at the time). It's where God led me, converted me and is calling me to minister. Perhaps I should start praying that he changes his mind about that.
There is something refreshing about visiting a different tradition. If I was a church shopper and lived in the Hutt Valley, then this place would be a logical choice. It definitely would suit my wife who is used to a smaller congregation. The teaching was excellent today (but I still couldn't resist a "nice sermon, Vicar" as we left). I feel in no way called to leave Karori Anglican Churches (that name grates more and more, but it was my preferred choice at the time). It's where God led me, converted me and is calling me to minister. Perhaps I should start praying that he changes his mind about that.
Saturday, 19 August 2006
Worship outcomes, not worship styles
What a tasty topic. How much time does your church spend talking a bout worship style? Mine spends a lot. I never hear anyone talk about outcomes.
What is the point of worship? The discussion I hear seems to imply that it's about how the experience makes the worshipper feel. Someone I know dismisses talk of style as irrelevant and consumerism and backs this up by claiming that lots of worship styles produce a good buzz in them. "I love a quiet prayer book service just as much as the band at the youth service." I'm almost certain that worship is not about the buzz or what we like, even if we like lots of stuff.
What is the outcome that expect from worship? For many, worship is all about weekly services. They probably think that worship is the singing we do in a service. The leadership probably reinforce this when the say "we will now enter a time of worship". What were we just doing? I felt sorry for the band at the Changing World, changing Church conference after Mark Strom said "please Lord, not another soppy love song to Jesus". The worship leader the next morning didn't bother trying to snig.
So what's the point, the outcome, the goal? I think conventional thinking would tell us that we are bringing our sacrifice of praise. I have a suspicion that worship is actually a little for our benefit, but we won't get that benefit if we don't think it's all about God.
What is the point of worship? The discussion I hear seems to imply that it's about how the experience makes the worshipper feel. Someone I know dismisses talk of style as irrelevant and consumerism and backs this up by claiming that lots of worship styles produce a good buzz in them. "I love a quiet prayer book service just as much as the band at the youth service." I'm almost certain that worship is not about the buzz or what we like, even if we like lots of stuff.
What is the outcome that expect from worship? For many, worship is all about weekly services. They probably think that worship is the singing we do in a service. The leadership probably reinforce this when the say "we will now enter a time of worship". What were we just doing? I felt sorry for the band at the Changing World, changing Church conference after Mark Strom said "please Lord, not another soppy love song to Jesus". The worship leader the next morning didn't bother trying to snig.
So what's the point, the outcome, the goal? I think conventional thinking would tell us that we are bringing our sacrifice of praise. I have a suspicion that worship is actually a little for our benefit, but we won't get that benefit if we don't think it's all about God.
iChurch
I just had a quick read through the Summer '06 issue of Leadership. The theme for the issue was "iChurch".
This ties up with how Michael Frost describes the tendency in churches in the west: we tend to produce fat, lazy Christians who are ill-equipped to do anything other than suckle at the church's teats. Church programmes have become about meeting people's (perceived) needs. Christians can go church-shopping for the church that best caters to them and they do.
There was an example of a church that decided that it wasn't going to be attractive to consumers anymore and started to redirect its resources away from the stuff that had helped it to grow. Memebership halved.
This ties up with how Michael Frost describes the tendency in churches in the west: we tend to produce fat, lazy Christians who are ill-equipped to do anything other than suckle at the church's teats. Church programmes have become about meeting people's (perceived) needs. Christians can go church-shopping for the church that best caters to them and they do.
There was an example of a church that decided that it wasn't going to be attractive to consumers anymore and started to redirect its resources away from the stuff that had helped it to grow. Memebership halved.
Friday, 18 August 2006
Skype, Webcams, etc
The Eye Toy for the Playstation 2 can be used as a Web Cam (with mic) under Windows with a bit of technical know-how.
I have Skype. I'm not sure what to do with it, but I have it.
I have Skype. I'm not sure what to do with it, but I have it.
Thursday, 17 August 2006
Sin and the problem of gravity
For the first that I can remember, I have had a sense recently that something I was doing genuinely important in a supernatural way. One of the side effects of this was that I didn't want sin to "pollute" what I was doing. I started to evaluate my actions based on the potential impact that they could have on my callings/ministries/missions that had real gravity, even though the actions were physically and logically quite unrelated to them. It was almost a natural instinct to try to be holy, not for my benefit or to "please God" but for the success of what I feel called to do.
Wednesday, 16 August 2006
Sauce Review
Masterfoods Finishing Sauce (yes the terrible ad with the Finish people). Caramelised Onion and Red Wine flavour.
We had this on a plate of sausage meat, peppers, onion and yams on potato and kumura mash. It was the perfect topper-offer. I especially like the packet design with the heat-free handle.
Excellent product.
We had this on a plate of sausage meat, peppers, onion and yams on potato and kumura mash. It was the perfect topper-offer. I especially like the packet design with the heat-free handle.
Excellent product.
Tuesday, 15 August 2006
Good Christians make a good church?
I heard the idea today that if we as individual Christians come to terms with what it means to be Christian, then we won't need to answer the question of what it means to be church, church will just happen the way its supposed to.
This is a very compelling idea. It has the ring of common sense, but is it correct? Will a group of Christians who "get it" do church "right"? Merits some consideration.
This is a very compelling idea. It has the ring of common sense, but is it correct? Will a group of Christians who "get it" do church "right"? Merits some consideration.
Monday, 14 August 2006
A plan
Well, I have something of a plan. I've had variations on the same idea for a while and I feel it has the divine seal of approval. It's nothing grand, just a bit of practical outreach stuff. I just need to decide on how much buy-in I want from the man. It's amazing how much having a plan no matter how small can improve one's mood.
Thank God that's over
The 140th anniversary of St Mary's is behind us. There is supposed to be some sort of outreach fair later in the year, but like all good ideas in the church, it will die a slow death.
The service yesterday saw lots of old Kaori types smiling at each other, some ridiculous hymns and some soppy love songs to Jesus. However, I did love the trumpet recital at the start and the arrangement of the 84th Psalm during communion. I think, given the brief, the parish did a good job. I think the whole thing was a waste of time, but well executed.
The service yesterday saw lots of old Kaori types smiling at each other, some ridiculous hymns and some soppy love songs to Jesus. However, I did love the trumpet recital at the start and the arrangement of the 84th Psalm during communion. I think, given the brief, the parish did a good job. I think the whole thing was a waste of time, but well executed.
Sunday, 13 August 2006
Assumptions and Freshness
The Church of England report "Mission shaped Church" is well worth a read. For all the talk about finding fresh expressions of church, there are a number of assumptions and values that are either explicity or implicitly affirmed in the report:
- Church must be sacremental: baptism and the eucharist will be part of any valid expression of church.
- Authority/permission must be given by the denomination, probably by the bishop.
- Expressions will be a church plant from a sending parish.
- The leaders and members of the planted church will want to participate in the wider demonination such as sending representitives to synod.
- Full corporate worhsip events will be a goal of new expressions.
While I don't necessarily disagree with these sentiments, I don't think they sould be just assumed or forced on peoplewho choose to engage with fresh expressions.
Saturday, 12 August 2006
The coat of many colours
I am reading Mission Shaped Church. It is a report from the C of E about what others might call emerging church. It talks a lot about church planting and fresh expressions.
I am only 4 chapters in, but something positive that comes through is the authors idea of what it means to be a national church. They explicitly state the church has to seek to be church to everyone. It cannot accept the demographics that it has, it has to seek out the people that are not represented in the pews. Whatever your opinion of the merits of having an established (official) national church the same principle can be applied to any church that claims to be catholic.
At the same time the authors also accept that many different expression of church are going to be needed to achieve this. What will a large church made up of infinitely-varying components look like?
I am only 4 chapters in, but something positive that comes through is the authors idea of what it means to be a national church. They explicitly state the church has to seek to be church to everyone. It cannot accept the demographics that it has, it has to seek out the people that are not represented in the pews. Whatever your opinion of the merits of having an established (official) national church the same principle can be applied to any church that claims to be catholic.
At the same time the authors also accept that many different expression of church are going to be needed to achieve this. What will a large church made up of infinitely-varying components look like?
Friday, 11 August 2006
Mr Bezett goes to Palmy
Today I revieved a letter from the Right Reverend Dr Thomas Brown, by the Grace of God, Bishop of Wellington. I am invited to Synod as the under-35 representitive for my Parish. I see no good coming from this, but I have been advised to see how the church operates and I will take my medicine.
My expectation/hope is that the experience will be so unbearable that any desire to be obedient to God will be over-powered by the desire to avoid repeat exposures which is an unpleasent side-effect of being ordained.
My expectation/hope is that the experience will be so unbearable that any desire to be obedient to God will be over-powered by the desire to avoid repeat exposures which is an unpleasent side-effect of being ordained.
Every day?
Is a personal resolution to post something every day just silly? I think not.
There are important things happening all the time, big issues to think about. Perhaps trying to blog daily will force me to give thought where it is deserved.
There are important things happening all the time, big issues to think about. Perhaps trying to blog daily will force me to give thought where it is deserved.
Thursday, 10 August 2006
This thing called church
The dialogue continues.
An analogy that I heard yesterday goes like this: we are trying hard to build a bridge to reach people while they are sailing away on a boat. I guess we have been proud of the fact that we have been making an effort to make the local church attractive. Churches like Willow Creek and Saddleback have become very good at doing church. Lots of us have copied of adapted their programmes.
I think it's reasonable to expect that a good church will attract and retain people who are interested in or open to church, but what about people who are disinterested or negative? Do we leave these people to para-church organisations like the Church Army?
Those of us who feel called to minister in existing local churches don't have the option to walk away from everything that the local church is currently, no matter how much we dislike it. Neither do we have the option of conforming to the current situation. Church can and must be something more and better.
An analogy that I heard yesterday goes like this: we are trying hard to build a bridge to reach people while they are sailing away on a boat. I guess we have been proud of the fact that we have been making an effort to make the local church attractive. Churches like Willow Creek and Saddleback have become very good at doing church. Lots of us have copied of adapted their programmes.
I think it's reasonable to expect that a good church will attract and retain people who are interested in or open to church, but what about people who are disinterested or negative? Do we leave these people to para-church organisations like the Church Army?
Those of us who feel called to minister in existing local churches don't have the option to walk away from everything that the local church is currently, no matter how much we dislike it. Neither do we have the option of conforming to the current situation. Church can and must be something more and better.
Wednesday, 9 August 2006
How many worship leaders does it take to change a lightbulb?
Only one, but you'd better have lots of bulbs around because they like to change the same bulb over and over and over and over and over...
Tuesday, 8 August 2006
BabyBlueOnline: Matt Kennedy's List: Should We Stay or Should We Go?
BabyBlueOnline: Matt Kennedy's List: Should We Stay or Should We Go?
An effort to take a balanced approach to the big question facing Orthodox leaders in The Episcopal Church.
An effort to take a balanced approach to the big question facing Orthodox leaders in The Episcopal Church.
Monday, 7 August 2006
The Temple and The Synagogue
I am writing an essay on the respective roles of the above institutions in first century Judaism.
It's not going well. I seem to have left it to the last minute. This is not my normal approach, I like to work on things slowly over a longer period. I want to post it off tomorrow by 6pm.
It's not going well. I seem to have left it to the last minute. This is not my normal approach, I like to work on things slowly over a longer period. I want to post it off tomorrow by 6pm.
Sunday, 6 August 2006
Sunday School
I played at being a Sunday School teacher again today. I was impressive.
At the start of the service, I got up in my new fluro vest and say that I had my safety gear on because we were going to learn about 12 mates who went on a boating trip and the piece of very effective safety equipment they took with them. This obviously trivialising a serious miracle, but it got the idea across.
The game, story and activity went well. We even had a chance to pray.
At the start of the service, I got up in my new fluro vest and say that I had my safety gear on because we were going to learn about 12 mates who went on a boating trip and the piece of very effective safety equipment they took with them. This obviously trivialising a serious miracle, but it got the idea across.
The game, story and activity went well. We even had a chance to pray.
Saturday, 5 August 2006
The Mikado
The Mrs and I went to the matinee of the Wellington Gilbert and Sullivan Society's production of the Mikado.
I enjoyed it. The best thing was that going to this got me out of going to the ballet this year.
I enjoyed it. The best thing was that going to this got me out of going to the ballet this year.
My blog broke
My hosting provider had a problem today. It seemed my blog was affected. Thanks to my public for noticing.
Friday, 4 August 2006
Avoidance
Oh how productive one can be when there is a daunting job or two to do. I have an essay to write. Just a little one, but I have been doing everything else I can think of. I have some software development that needs doing, but I haven't done that either. A client has a discrepency in their data that I need to track down, but that remains undone too.
However, I have made an index page for sermons and essays on my site, not that I expect anyone to use it. I have chosen content for sunday School, had long conversations with people in the office about "important issues". I have fiddled with date formatting problems in the church database.
I only have till 3:30 to get stuff done, so only two and a half hours more to waste.
However, I have made an index page for sermons and essays on my site, not that I expect anyone to use it. I have chosen content for sunday School, had long conversations with people in the office about "important issues". I have fiddled with date formatting problems in the church database.
I only have till 3:30 to get stuff done, so only two and a half hours more to waste.
Thursday, 3 August 2006
Why are we no good at talking to each other?
Almost without exception, every organisation that I have been involved with has been terrible at internal communication. All the supposedly secret stuff is common knowledge, because everyone is good at gossip, but the the information that people actually need never seems to get to them.
With regard to some of my clients, I am often better informed than many of their own staff. This is not normally senstive stuff, just routine business decisions. I suspect that this is becuase I deliberately make an effort to build relationships with people across all areas of the business, so spend time just talking to people.
Church is at least as bad. Despite all the time we spend producing newsletters, people are always surprised when they learn about decisions that have been taken, especially variations from previously published programmes. I am still waiting for someone to notice that there is an Alpha course supposedly running here this term.
How can we spend so much time talking, but actually communicating so badly?
With regard to some of my clients, I am often better informed than many of their own staff. This is not normally senstive stuff, just routine business decisions. I suspect that this is becuase I deliberately make an effort to build relationships with people across all areas of the business, so spend time just talking to people.
Church is at least as bad. Despite all the time we spend producing newsletters, people are always surprised when they learn about decisions that have been taken, especially variations from previously published programmes. I am still waiting for someone to notice that there is an Alpha course supposedly running here this term.
How can we spend so much time talking, but actually communicating so badly?
Wednesday, 2 August 2006
Celebrating What Exactly?
St Mary's, Karori is turning 140. The parish is celebrating. We are having a church service on the 13th. Not my idea of a celebration, but I have to go as I have been put on the roster to do stuff.
The cynic in me wonders what is so great about an Anglican church surviving in Karori. Do we have to do this every 10 years? Lets not forget the anniversaries for St Philip's and St Mathias'. Depressing thought.
The cynic in me wonders what is so great about an Anglican church surviving in Karori. Do we have to do this every 10 years? Lets not forget the anniversaries for St Philip's and St Mathias'. Depressing thought.
High Visibilty Clothing Must Be Worn
I have just bought a flouro vest. My largest client has introduced a policy of high visibility clothing in their warehouse. This is the 2nd or 3rd such occurence in recent times, so I have decided to fork over the grand sum of $18 and buy my own vest (a Mr Burns impression would go well here). I will think about personalising it with some iron-on tranfsers.
Tuesday, 1 August 2006
A way forward
At the CWCC conference, Dan Kimble talked about the process his church went through when trying to discern how they should do their weekly gatherings. This basically involved going back to scripture and trying to look for elements and principles from the early church. The danger here is trying to take a 1st Century model and expecting it to work today, however I think Dan managed to steer clear of this trap. Acts 2 is the model that is often help up as representing the early church.
I was then surprised when he described the results of this process. It seems that no matter how much he thought they were stripping away contemporary assumptions, he was still left with a 30 minute sermon and worship lead by a band. He had some creative stuff done with their gathering space. He also showed us some other examples of spaces that he had seen at other churches.
How willing are any of us to put away the trappings of our traditions? Should we? Can we sacrifice our church programmes be the church of the Missio Dei? More about this to come.
I was then surprised when he described the results of this process. It seems that no matter how much he thought they were stripping away contemporary assumptions, he was still left with a 30 minute sermon and worship lead by a band. He had some creative stuff done with their gathering space. He also showed us some other examples of spaces that he had seen at other churches.
How willing are any of us to put away the trappings of our traditions? Should we? Can we sacrifice our church programmes be the church of the Missio Dei? More about this to come.
