I think I hit a nerve

Wow

I have never had so much interest in one of my blogs before the last one. I have had 45 visits and 14 comments and that's just today. It's been great hearing others stories.

This lead me to believe that I may have hit what seems to be a universal nerve for female clergy regardless of country, denomination, history, life experience etc.

I was going to ask why but I guess I probably know the answer, WE ARE DIFFERENT!!!! LOL and how wonderful that is.

There is so much we as women have to offer the church and community that is unique to us because we are female. I have often said that if I was ever to lead a ministry team (a woman is yet to do this here, but it will happen eventually) then I would ensure that there was a man on team.

Now the men nod knowingly making comments about authority, blah blah blah. My response to this is no, it's nothing about authority and everything about balance. Our congregations have both males and females in them and so the leadership should reflect this.

I have lost track of the number of times I have had a woman say it's great to finally share this with my pastor and then share about pregnancy, menopause, periods, mastitis, the benefit of cold cabbage leaves, their sex life etc. Some women had been carrying on without feeling they could share with their pastor because he had been male and would run or shift awkwardly when a woman talked about, shhhhh whisper women's issues.

We have so much to offer, in who we are and how we do things, in the role model we can be for our kids and in the diversity we offer both the faith community and the wider community.

We care differently, we preach differently, we lead differently, we train differently, we do church differently and why is this: join with me women and declare proudly

WE ARE DIFFERENT

And for that I praise God everyday with my female sounding voice.

Bless all of you for the amazing individual gift each of you are from God

Em

I sound female!!

In Australia female ministers are still somewhat new. There aren't many of us.

In Baptist Churches in NSW there are only about 30 women in church based ministry and about 13 of us are ordained (women have only been allowed to be ordained for the past 5 years). This is out of 330 churches in NSW, so about 400 ministers.

All this to say when I answer the church phone the assumption isn't that they are talking to the minister. This week while the other minister was away the church phone way transferred to our house. I end up saying "no SS isn't here, I am the other minister can I help you" to which I usually get "Oh hi, what did you say your name was."

Well I got the best one a couple of days ago and it went something like this:

"Hi, _______ speaking"
"Hello Is SS there"
"No he's on leave at the moment, I'm the other minister here can I help you."
"You sound female!?!"
"That's probably because I am a female"
"Oh very good Umm And your a minister"
"Yes"
"and a female, right ahh Very good"
"Would you like to leave a message for SS"
Blah blah blah

The conversation then continued with him fumbling around still completely thrown that he was speaking to a female sounding minister, it took about 5 minutes to finally get his name and phone number out in a way that I could write down in order to pass on.

If I don't laugh I'll cry, Hopefully, me being female won't be such a shock that I hear the jaws of the people at the other end of the phone drop.

Either way it makes for good blog fodder

Blessings

Em

Back at church

I have been back on board at church since Friday.

I am aware that I enjoyed being at church more than I have in the recent past. Which was a really great feeling!
I struggle with the reality of being a minister who sometimes doesn't want to go to church.
Probably a throw back to my idealistic view of ministers when I was growing up. You know they love church, God, life, have no hassles at all because they are a minister and therefore completely infallible.

I preached on Sunday, the passage was Mark 12: 18 - 34, and focussed on God being a God of the living not the dead and the description of how to be alive through love of God and each other.
Church is going through a transition which is unsettling. We have also seen spiritual growth in quite a number of people, probably because of the unsettling environment, which is very exciting. In preaching I spoke about Church being a safe place that people could show and recieve love to and from God and each other, and challenged people to find ways of ensuring that they are working towards church being a safe place for everyone in the community.

It was one of those sermons which was a God moment, and a number of people commented on it as being just what they needed. It's in those moments that any doubt I have is washed away because I know I am exactly where God wants me, to be doing what he has gifted me to do.
I am feeling more alive in ministry than I have in a long time and it feels great.

With church being on the verge of growth and building and inpacting the community, I ask for your prayers of protection as Satan is already begining to have a bit of a go. This doesn't concern me because God is so much bigger in everyway and is in total control, but I still feel we need to pray for protection.

Watch out church Em has her zing back and your not going to know what's hit you!!


Yeee Haaa


Em

The Inquisition

I have just come back from picking my son up from school.
I pull up, being the independant 6 year old that he is I just pull up in the car these days, not really allowed to go into the school unless there is a reason. (embarassing him isn't considered by him, a good enough reason)

So, he gets in the car.

Start with small talk, "how was school?" , "Good." Then Baaammmm out of left field I get.

"Mum, how does God talk to us? When we pray how does God talk?"
"Well.... (thinking, this is a question that get's theologians arguing and you want me to explain it in a way you understand!!) ... you know when your heart feels good, that's when God is talking."

"How do we hear him? How do we know he's talking?"
"Well, sometimes we hear him talk in our heads, when the voices tell us what's right and wrong..." (great I'm encouraging my son to hear voices now!!)
"But I don't hear anything in my head." (phew, that was close, no voices)

"Where is God anyway? Does he live in the earth? Does he live in everything?"
"No, he lives in our hearts and our heads (back to encouraging voices), and he is all around us, with us, watching over us and he is in heaven."

"So why can't I see him if he's around us?"
I resort to the air analogy.
"There's air all around us right?"
"Yes."
"Well, where is it?"
"Up there" he says pointing to the sky.
"No, not the sky, air you breathe? Here what about this?" I say turning up the aircon.
"I can feel that, I can't feel God,"
"Well what about love, You can't see love, how do you know I love you?"
"You tell me you love me."

(We pull up to our house, it's only a 5 minute drive! I'm exhausted!!)

"How do I know God is there, how does he talk to me? "
"He uses the bible to talk to us. Would you like to read the bible more to see what he is saying?"
"Ok'

He gets out of the car, for him the conversation is finished, meanwhile I'm an exhausted heap in the car, feeling like my head has just been squished into a shape it has never experienced before.

If you have any words of wisdom to help me on this journey and to prepare me for the next inquisition I would love to hear them.

Blessings
Em

PS. Yesterday LB, our 3 year old, asked, "Who is God?" So I stared with "someone that loves you very much and....." To which I got "No mum, he's Jeeshush"
Duh

How to make a revem

I recently came across a quiz What personality cocktail are you. It tells you how to make your cocktail.

Below are the results for How to make a Revem

5 parts intelligence
5 parts ambition
3 parts leadership

Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of lustfulness.

This is heaps of fun.

Blessings Em

Soccer Mum

I have finally reached the lofty heights of being a soccer mum!!

Our eldest son started soccer on Saturday and continued the wonderful family tradition started by my brothers. As with my brothers, he also showed that skipping, wafting, flapping, hopping, sitting, twirling, wandering, and gazing into the distance are all valid forms of movement on the soccer field.

It was on of the most joyous events I have been apart of. Everyone cheered regardless of whose side scored the goal and encouraged the effort put in by all of the kids.

The concepts of tackles, scrums, handballs, picking up the ball if it doesn't go the right way and starting again, all of which I hadn't realised were an integral part of the game until Saturday, were celebrated and rejoiced in.

I am looking forward to next week so I can learn some more new and innovative moves from the under 7's soccer team. Go Rangers!

Blessings

Em

Strange Sunday Mornings

Being on leave I didn't go to church this morning, instead I was in bed at 9:30 am (time church starts), out of principle. I had to climb back into bed so I was there at 9:30 but it was the principle of the thing.

Having a Sunday where I didn't go to church has completely thrown me off. I keep thinking it's Saturday night and then realise I'm a day behind.

It's on these rare occasions of relaxing Sunday mornings that I sit around and think so this is what heathen feels like. mmmmm Sunday morning sleep in, coffee and paper, still in pj's at 10am.

I feel God is calling me to fringe ministries where the church meets anytime other than Sunday morning.

Blessings Em

I didn't spontaneously combust!!

Hi

I'm back from my week away and feeling much better.

In true Emma form I couldn't possible start my relaxing week away normally.

Let me set the scene.

It's 10 pm, dark and I finally find the house I am meant to stay in. The combination of 2 hour drive and cold night air mean my need to pee is having a drastic effect on my ability to concentrate.

I soldier on. Try the keys in the door and they don't seem to work. Try the front sliding door, success the keys go in, but don't turn. I remember that the lady had said it was a bit temperamental so try a bit longer, legs crossed bouncing up and down.

It's not working so I pray "Lord please help me." I decide to go and try the back of the house, find a door open and there's an outside toilet. (Needed to be a bit more specific with my prayer for help.) So I go to the toilet, ahhh much better no more bouncing required, I try a bit longer and finally decide to ask the neighbours (which have been watching the whole thing from their window).

Emma: Excuse me, I'm trying to get into the house but can't seem to open the door, can you help.

Neighbour: No and your not meant to be here, I have just spoken to the owners and they aren't expecting anyone and you should know we have called the police and they are on their way.

WHAT!!!

They thought I was acting suspiciously and so called the cops. Now I have never broken into a house before, but I would have thought driving up with the radio blaring, parking in the driveway and walking around rattling doors would not be the smartest way to be inconspicuous whilst robbing a house.

The neighbour didn't believe me so I pulled out the map I had been given in a lame attempt to prove my innocents, as it had the address on it. I said to the poor man, who was looking rather nervous at being near me, that I was harmless, I'm a minister, because that sounds convincing NOT. I call the lady and it turns out she has written the wrong address, instead on 110 I was meant to be going to 102.

I suddenly realise that I have gone to the toilet in a complete strangers house!! Ooops.

Anyway, I then find the place I am meant to stay and had a really rewarding time of rest and renewal.

I have been using the book, Restoring your spiritual passion by Gordon MacDonald as the base for my reflection. It has been great in guiding my thoughts and actions to move forward in a healthy way.

I haven't combusted, and as a result of taking time for myself and have resolved to do it at least once a year because it was so beneficial.


Blessings

Em

Update

Hi

Thanks for your prayers.

I have been lying low this week doing only essentials. Still much more than my allotted hours, but hey what do you do!
I am going away to a place by the beach tomorrow and so will be away from all technology until next Sunday.

I will blog once I get back on Monday 27th March.

Once again thanks for the support

Blessings Emma

Caring for Self

I am someone who goes and goes and goes and crashes, and I have come to recognise that this isn't the best way to operate. So I am trying something different.

I am going to try and look after myself before I become a blubbering mess.

In case you haven't recognised it in some of my blogs over the last few weeks, the stress levels in my life at the moment are rather high.

Church at the moment is at a cross roads in relation to future development, exploring alternate expressions of church, viability, finance etc. In practical, selfish, terms for me, this means I may not have a job or house if the church runs out of money. I don't believe in my heart that this will happen but being the "what if" person that I am, I look at all possible options.

On top of this the house we are in is a rental, and the owners have put on the market, so we have real estate agents to deal with.

Add to the mix, 3 and 6 year boys and a husband who works full time and it leads to a stressful situation.

This has become a bit more apparent over the last week or so. Therefore after much proding from WM (my very supportive husband) we have decided that rather than push through the stress and pain, and put everyone and everything else first, I am going to take time to look after myself and my relationship with God.

I am going to go away for a week or so and journal, reflect, pray, sleep, do Tai Chi on the beach and just refocus and re-energise myself so I can be of better use to those around me.

Why do we always put ourselves last?
Why do we feel that taking time for ourselves is selfish and slack and not as important as taking time for everyone else?

I'm experimenting with making myself a priority, I'll let you know the outcome.

Whilst my money is on spontaneous combustion, due to my body not understanding the concept of time for me, I am hoping I make it back alive to blog about the experience.

Blessings

Em

The McPassion Meal

I found this on Quotidian Grace's blog. It is quite funny. It is a parody about the commercialism of religion and the line that is walked

If you are feeling like you will be easily offended at the moment, come back later and watch it. Mc Passion Meal

Blessings Em

This is a lamington

This is a lamington.

As promised in the previous post on church finance (yes they do have a connection).
It is a chocolate and coconut covered square of sponge filled with fake cream and jam, if you are lucky.

There have been many church buildings that have been financed with Lamington Drives.

Lamington Drive = A bunch of middle to older aged church women with an interesting variety of aprons, in 1 room making lamingtons that are then sold by the 1/2 dozen to be frozen and then thawed through out the year when visitors come around.

This entry would not be complete with out the Lamington recipe:

Ingredients

1/2 cup of butter (margarine)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup of milk
Your preferred Jam Filling
Beat butter and sugar to a cream. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour and milk folding in carefully. Pour into a tin, greased or lined with oven paper, 24x28 cm and bake at 170 degrees Celsius for a 1/2 hour.


Or if your Emma

Ingredients

1 set of keys (preferable car)
some petrol
car
money
supermarket
sponge cake

Find your keys, combine with your car, add some petrol continue until you reach Supermarket, The set car aside for use later. Enter Supermarket, find cake, carefully separate money from wallet discard money take sponge cake, add to previously set aside car and continue until home, remove keys and cake from car, and set aside cake for use later in the recipe.

TIP:
Leave one day (preferably in a deep freeze) before cutting into squares.

FILLING:
Slice each square in half and spread thin layer of Jam and then join back together.

ICING:
Mix icing sugar (powdered sugar) and cocoa together with a little milk. Roll squares into mixture then into grated coconut.

So there you are the lamington

Blessings Em

Inspiring Story

I went to post this yesterday but was unable to get online. I intially read this story on a blog called To be the Man.

I found myself crying as I watched it. It is a story of hope, acceptance, courage, love and support. It is a warm fuzzy story about overcoming the obstacles society puts in the way and becoming all you know you can be. In relation to my post "I a champion", this is what a champion looks like in every sense of the word. Watch and you'll see why!



It is just amazing

Enjoy the tears

Blessings

Em