Cross Culture Partnerships

I am reading Cross cultural partnerships by Mary Lederleitner and finding it refreshing to consider other cultures and how we relate to them.

Back

In Scotland and the rest of the UK there is a gap which was arisen during the past two generations, of no real involvement in the community (there are some exceptions) plus the change in culture. The culture change is one that needs address.

We have less and less social/nominal Christians going to church which clears the way for a genuine work of the spirit. People are less interested in turning out to be seen as a community figure head. Added to this we have a culture quite different from America. In The UK the post-modern era requires a different form of Evangelism!

For church to work in this new age its not simply a four laws lesson, a template, a plan. In fact internationally the emerging church is looking at how to be the community first rather then look at plans. 

The tee shirts in America that say “Don't go to church” and on the back say “be the church” says something very profound its not just going to meetings its giving over to God?

There is a danger here that meetings, agendas, time allocated work, compartmentalised the life. In turn this creates a church and non-church divide. This secular and non-secular arena. Again rather than a subculture that acknowledges the God spots in the week and all else is “worldly”,how about a culture that has input from practising Christians in the community. Elizabeth Fry's influence on community came from here community life driven by her personal faith.

Italy

Had a good time in Italy recently. here the pics.

Bass

Back from the dark

David and reflecting

David's preparation for Goliath

1 Samuel 17:37

Then David said, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."

1 Samuel 17:38

Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David's head and had him put on armour.(HCSB)

1 Samuel 17:39

David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. "I can't walk in these," David said to Saul, "I'm not used to them." So David took them off.(HCSB)

1 Samuel 17:40

Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd's bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.(HCSB)

Use of the Bible - Contemplative reading of the Bible

Discipline of “Lectio Divina”

Reading becomes part of the prayer. Tuning in.

Lectio

Taking up Scripture

Meditatio

Engaging with the passage- What do I notice?

Oratio

The deep self touched, Thank you for this passage, remembering it during the day.

Contemplatio

Rest and silence and read again.

Learning point or notes:

Why did David pick up five smooth stones for his sling when he knew that God would guide his aim to kill the Philistine giant with only one stone? Did David lack faith in God's supernatural power to destroy Israel's great enemy? The answer to this mystery appeared to me one night when Book of 2 Samuel, chapter 21. ...that Goliath was not the only giant in his family. The father of Goliath was a giant who had five sons, all of whom fought for the Philistines. Every one of these four brothers were also giants who ultimately died in combat with the brave soldiers of David. Summarising the story of their death in combat with David's men, the prophet Samuel recorded: "These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants" (2 Samuel 21:22). When David picked up five smooth stones for his sling he was simply being prudent in preparing for the possibility that Goliath's four brothers might have joined the battle when Goliath was killed. He might have needed the additional four stones to defeat the four other giants.

Looking forward to the weekend. A trip North to places in the memory.

Are you going to Church tomorrow?

An interesting conversation this afternoon. Are you going to Church tomorrow. We still need to be reminded that we are the Church we go to a building to  meet others etc.

Obstacles to Church

My blog post from Nov 2007 still holds good although my head is sore.

"I thought it interesting that when in America a couple of years ago a Church leader was advocating that the church takes to much energy trying to make the church attractive when in fact if there were obstacles for people to get to church it would be in the long term more fruitful.
The age of attractive church might be over. How do we change the culture if we are touching a church centred image when we should be flavouring the world.

Sometime you need to stand on your head to see a different point of view."

 

Amazon Kindle

I am getting good feedback about the Amazon Kindle the e book reader available only through Amazon. Hard to believe the battery works for a month.

Actually if you are getting one get the wireless and 3G connection. Although a bit more expensive it has free web browsing for life. its worth it for that!

Spotify

The listening of old music is a treat on Spotify.

Strawbs Let it rain.
Al Stewart Year of the cat
Bowie Life on Mars
Toto Rosanna
ELO Blue skies
CECE Winans For love alone

Charitable funds restricted or designated

Restricted and Designated funds

How are “Restricted” or “Designated” funds handled and treated in the proper manner for the Charity to safeguard donors, the organization and its charitable status and to reduce the risk of “material differences” for the “Report and Accounts”? Terms based on SORP 2005

Designated funds – Restricted funds

Unrestricted funds can be used for any purpose within the objects of the charity.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds allocated at the charity's discretion to specific projects – this applies to the majority of project funding. Designated funds allocated by the Board or executive can be reallocated if a project does not proceed.

Restricted funds are funds where the donor explicitly restricts their use to specific purposes and if the criteria are not met, then, the funds must be available for repayment.

Relic

A relic of historic Scotland..in the background!

Heartland programme 13 April 2010 10.oo pm

Hi all you radio listeners.

here is the play list for Tuesday night . 13 April 2010 10.00 pm
Come and join me on 97.5 FM in the Perthshire area.

Is this the Moment by All Stars United
Give clean hands By Kutless
Breathe by Lou Fellingham
I will dwell By Michael Neal
Lord of All by Kristian Stanfill
We bow down by various artists
Your the light Ben Cantelon
Who is there like you by Kingsway music
One Church Getty music
Redeemers mercy by Geraldine Latty
Better than life Houston
For you I live by Resurrection Life Church

Enjoy

Walnut tree down

Final trip

Another Shanty town photo.

Some animals.

Acknowledging KM photos (2)

Bags packed ready for the off.

We meet the South African team in Pretoria and spent a little time with the Finance people.

We were treated so well by the South Africans.

OM Training centre

It was good to see the bricklayers starting the work on some new buildings at the training centre. The centre has in recent years found the demand for their training services increase. This has also meant that there has been an increase in requests form young people taking a "gap year" Training period. In some cases this may lead to full time working with OM.

Aids - hope School

The prayer garden.

Peaceful garden

Peaceful garden

Peace in Shanty town

The ex orphanage now learning centre for Aidshope, Pretoria. Wonderful peace in this corner.

Aids-hope

The Aids hope South Africa centre in the middle of the Shanty town. A place to teach and educate young people how to deal with Aids.

A real peaceful place.

Conference venue

Evening meals under the stars and African huts. "Braai" was great. OM South Africa did us proud and their Braai was spectacular.

OM South Africa's Aidshope programme is about to get a kick start.

See photos soon.

Meeting

Lutendo Malaudzi is currently on 5 months training at the school, and hopes to go to Cape Town to study Medicine and be a Doctor in due course.

Housing improvements

As soon as land is distributed and bought properly, long term housing can be developed in the Shanty towns. This is a picture of recent building. There tends to be delays in land purchases which results in a squatter existence and seen as temporary. Squatter towns tend to be anywhere but have no utilities.

Pretoria pictures

Accommodation

More pictures of the accommodation





Lots of interesting corners in the garden. When the rain came we had waterfalls. Outside our rooms.

The South Africans like their meat and this place was no exception. The food at this place called a bed above was great.

It was a quiet corner of Pretoria except the birds giving us early morning wake up calls at 5.00 AM

Kitchens outside not practical in Scotland.
Some one asked if we had (Brie) bar b Q 's in Scotland. I said no cos we are afraid of melting the snow!

Accommodation

Wonderful room with all the facilities you would expect my room door under the lamp here.
We were all impressed with the service provided by the owner and her staff.

Pretoria is a large city, seat of government, and of diverse wealth.

The conference room is at the top of the stairs. Only a breathless walk of 50 yards.

Great getting a lift at 5.45am



Notice the purple trees at the street side



The jacaranda trees were spectacular.


The view in Pretoria was great.

Travel to South Africa

Paris airport not the most relational of airports, and rather large. I like how the bus drivers on site taking passengers to and fro from terminals and planes try and see how many heads they can have knocked against the windows of the bus any side!

I notice the pound does not buy as much as it used to and this is after deducting duty free.

Heartland programme

Well I am busy getting ready for an Operation Mobilisation Audit committee meeting in South Africa.

In the meantime here is the playlist for Tuesday night 12 October 2009 at 10.00 pm.
Hope you can make it.(No Sheila Walsh yet! Come on Sheila give us some new stuff.)

Hosanna Paul Baloche Experience His Presence
Let the praises ring Travis Cottrell
get up Snap shot MIC
Alive and running Kristian Stanfill
I ll say yes Brocklyn Tabernacle
The stand Michael Smith
Light of salvation Desperation Band
Unspoken Jaci Velasquez
Lord i lift your name African Childrens Choir
Open the eyes of my heart Sonicflood
Ascend Lenny Leblanc
Blessed be your name London Community Gospel Choir


So 97.5 FM heartland radio Listen in if you are in the Pitlochry area. Thanks to howard for all his techy bits.

Heartland tonight

Title Singer
You are good Unashamed /Travis Cottrell
Say so Moving forward /Free Chapel
You laid aside your Majesty From worship shuffle
I Know my redeemer lives From worship shuffle
Hallelujah Lakeview worship
You choirs of new Jerusalem R u ready Godfrey britill
God of Wonder Mark Byrd
Once again Manna Worship
Grateful (grace) Everlasting God
Alabaster Jar Gateway worship
Good Monsters Jars of Clay


Tuesday the 15 September 2009 at 10.00 p.m. Heartland Radio 97.5 FM playlist.

Updates software

There are new versions of Open Office, Firefox, Advaced personal care software worth checking out.

Heartland FM radio

Here is the list of songs for Tuesday the 16 March 2009 . Starts at 10.00 pm on 97.5FM.

Yes you have	Leeland		Sound of melodies
Say so	Resurrection life church		For you I live
Walls come down	Lenny Lebanc		All for love
We give you glory	G Kendrick		Make way for the cross
Open the eyes	Paul Baloche		Above all 2002
Where every body is somebody	John Francis		Welcome in this place
Bless the lord	Laura Story		Great god who saves
I know who i am	Isreal Houghton		Deeper level
Indescribable	Laura story		Great god who saves
Mamas kitchen	Ce ce winans		Purified
Dive	Steven C Chapman		Speechless
Oh to see the dawn	The power of the cross
Somewhere in the middle	Casting Crowns		Alter and the door

Title Group Album

Internet explorer 8 beta

Hi all you readers. If you are one of those people who likes to be at the forefront of technology here is a warning.

Internet explorer 8 - beta does not currently work with McAfee security.

It causes the browser to freeze with a mcAfee balloon which is empty and when you go to McAfee it will not report fully.
The answer is to remove Internet explorer 8 beta until such time as it has been fixed.
Its a good time to remind you to take restore points before you tinger around.

Explorer 7 will still be there but you may need to make a new icon.

Heartland fm 10.00 pm Tuesday 6 jan 08 on 97.5

R U Ready - Godfrey Britill
Mighty king of love - Ross Parsley leads New Life church CS
blessing glory honour - Sandi Sulander
Good monsters - Jars of Clay
Be the centre - Jami Smith Home / writer Michael Frye
Crown him lord of all - -Beverley Moore
Beautiful - -Gate way worship
Halleluyah to the king - - Brooklyn Tabernacle
What can I do - Paul Baloche
I am yours - Michael Neale
Celebration - Free Chapel
East is West - Casting Crowns
Snap Shot - Mike

Heartland radio playlist for 6 Jan 08

I will up load this soon.