Kat Across The Pond

Live Eagle-Cam

Here you can watch two eagles hatching two eaglets (is that a word?) live!!! It's very cool. Takes a little while to load, but then it's a live webcam.

Take a peek:

Eagle Cam

posted by Kat @ 7:11 pm 0 comments

Alive again!

Well I sat the exam. I wrote something to each question, so I think I passed. Now I can live again.

Life has been pretty crazy this past week. Amongst all the exam revision, I managed to have to lead Morning Prayer on Tuesday. I didn't realise until then how much I don't like doing things upfront. Ugh. So on Monday night I got my knickers all in a twist and decided that this wasn't the job for me at all.

Then a good friend (you know who you are!) prayed for me and, amongst a lovely, long, meaningful prayer, said the words 'Lord we trust you', and I didn't hear anything else. I heard that and thought 'yes, actually. I've done my bit. I prayed and prepared. If it all goes belly up now, it's not my fault but His'.

Totally calmed me down, and I managed to get a good night's sleep. I was still a bit nervous the next morning, but not stomach churningly so. We had a good morning prayer and God turned up (and I think He enjoyed it too...) so it's all good!

posted by Kat @ 4:40 pm 1 comments

Revision, Revision, Revision

Update coming once I survived the exam on Friday. Promise.

Exam is on (for those of you sad enough to want to know):

• Phillipians 2:5-11
• Arianism
• Council of Chalcedon and Nicean Creed
• Liturgy
  

posted by Kat @ 4:29 pm 2 comments

Post Charismatic

The excerpt below is from an article on 'being post charismatic'. You can read the whole article here.

I'd love your comments/concerns/thoughts on the below.

I have also had many conversations with youth and young adults who have been raised in charismatic churches, who are questioning the same things. In many ways, they've seen and done it all, but now, like their conservative evangelical friends, they are growing disillusioned with some of the teachings, and the practices based on those teachings.

It would probably be more accurate to not call these people post-charismatic, but rather post-HYPE. They are tired of hearing great stories about the good old days, jaded from hearing too many prophecies about the great move of God that seems to always be just around the corner, fed up with exaggerated or even fabricated stories of healings and miracles, and disillusioned with a view of spiritual formation that is lived through a weekly crisis moment at the front of the church.

In years past, most of them would not have voiced these questions out loud, out of concern of being labeled rebellious or lacking faith. Even recently, most of the concerns that have been voiced to me have been done in a context of two or three friends sharing a table at a coffeeshop or pub; they wouldn't be comfortable voicing their concerns in the church at large.

Broadly speaking, there are four major areas that come up repeatedly as reasons for post-charismatics pulling away from their Pentecostal, Charismatic, or Third Wave roots. The four areas are:

1. Abuses and elitism in prophetic ministry, coupled with a "carrot and stick" approach to holiness that many find legalistic, manipulative, and repressive


2. The excesses of Word Faith teachings (health and wealth, prosperity doctrine) which clash with the emerging generations' concern for a biblical approach to justice and ministry with the poor


3. Authoritarianism and hierarchical leadership structures that exist more to control people than to equip the saints for works of service


4. An approach to spiritual formation (discipleship) that depends on crisis events -- whether at "the altar" in a church service, or in a large conference setting -- but either neglects or deliberately belittles other means of spiritual growth

posted by Kat @ 6:49 pm 2 comments

Why??

Really - I mean, WHY??

posted by Kat @ 10:44 pm 1 comments

Happy Easter!

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

A very happy Easter to you all - don't overindulge on the chocolate! :-)

posted by Kat @ 2:10 pm 1 comments

Excitement

Oh I'm excited!! I just booked my flight to Kansas City - flying with NorthWest Airlines, outbound on the 29th June, inbound on the 14th July. I'll be staying at the International House of Prayer with friends of a friend of mine who have very kindly and graciously offered me a place to stay with them.

I will be talking to some of their leadership and probably also some of their 'regulars' about the connection between Intercessory Prayer and Action (social action/outreach). This is my Contextual Theology Placement, which is part of my first year at St John's.

Really for me this is a bit of a jolly, but nonetheless, I am passionate about motivation for action coming out of 'dwelling in the Heart of God' and noone does it as well as the guys (and gals) at IHOP-KC. And it'll be fascinating to hear their insights and learn from them. From what I've seen so far, churches are either good at intercession/intimacy with God, but then they are inward looking; or they are very good at social action, but neglect intimacy with God. IHOP-KC seem to have found the right interplay between the two. I can't wait!! (well I know I'll have to...)

posted by Kat @ 10:47 pm 2 comments

World Cup 2006 - Essential Facts

For those of you considering visiting Germany, here is a link to prepare you adequately for what you might encounter there:

Top Survival Tips for Visitors to Germany

posted by Kat @ 7:49 pm 1 comments

FXC

Fresh Xpressions of Church (to avoid saying 'FEC').

We are back from our 'FXC' placement at Contemplative Fire. How to summarise that? CF is a network church, with no permanent home. They meet in people's houses for 'Around the Hearth' groups (homegroups), in other churches etc for their 'Gatherings' (Sunday services, twice a month). Bi-monthly, they go out for a 'contemplative walk' in a lovely area of Oxfordshire. CF spans a wide geographical area. Hence it's difficult to make sure people stay connected. Most CF'ers go to other churches as well as CF, however there is a distinct 'fringe group' that is disenchanted/hurt by 'normal' church and uses CF as a place where they can connect spiritually, if not necessarily overtly Christian.

Which brings me to the biggest area of interest. Because CF wants to connect with (unchurched) people's inner need for sprituality, there is little overt reference to Christianity in the events other than the evening service on Sundays. In order to connect, the leadership is at pains to keep the language accessible ('however you understand the divine' etc) and not scare people off. Which is great, however I'm not sure how much of Christianity is left in all that. It's all about the 'divine within you' or 'The Christ within you'. Bit woolly for this die-hard evangelical :-)

posted by Kat @ 1:53 pm 1 comments

The Three Counties Tour...

Ok so a quick update is in order I think to get you up and running with the Three Counties Tour that took place (in my universe anyway) over the weekend:

Saturday saw me driving down to somewhere near Tonbridge to visit Sandy and Phil. I know how to get there but I don't actually know where exactly they live. It's about 15 mins outside of Tonbridge. Sandy and I went to Burrswood to drink tea and wander around. In the evening, we went to the Spotted Dog Pub, where we consumed massive amounts of wine, ate mini-salami-like sausages and put the world to rights. A VERY nice time was had by all I think.

Sunday I drove from Tonbridge to Crawley, in order to attend the morning service at my sending church . This was followed by a very nice roast lunch at 'the vicar's house' - thanks Lynne for doing a great roast beef. No cucumber sandwiches or sherry in sight I'm pleased to report!

From there I went on to Alton in Hampshire, to admire the new house of my very good friends (and oldest friends in England! I met them on holiday in July 1996, and moved to England in September 1996). They now live in an old Oast House, which has been amazingly renovated and decorated (the latter being Janice's skill). Beautiful proportions to the house and a lovely area. Monday Janice and I went exploring in Alton and had lunch at a lovely italian cafe. Then I went back to Nottingham.

Tomorrow I'm going to my Fresh Expressions of Church placement in Chesham in Herts (www.contemplativefire.org). I let you know what I think once I know myself.

posted by Kat @ 9:29 pm 4 comments

What City do you belong in?

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city girl with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian men - could life get any better?

posted by Kat @ 11:07 pm 2 comments

Welcome to April

How crazy is this! Earlier, I had to open all the windows in the flat because it was so warm and the sun was so hot I needed some air.

I've just looked out of the window, and it's snowing!!

posted by Kat @ 2:49 pm 1 comments