Alan Hirsch said on Facebook, “I always wonder at this time of the year: what would someone who had no clue about the gospel conclude from their objective observations of what goes on at Xmas? How would they describe the ‘religion’ at the base of it?”

I have been thinking about this comment from Al Hirsch a lot in the past few days when our social life becomes maddeningly hectic with the inevitable Christmas parties and get togethers.

Friday night just gone we had a heap of couples over for dinner, some we see a lot of and others, well only once a year. It was great to catch up and even though we can do this anytime, and for us hospitality is a practise we celebrate daily, but it was or is the Christmas season that brought this group together.

This afternoon Flis and I went to the work T-mas party and there were gathered around the pools at QCCC about 50 people and their kids- people who work together in the same place, headed for the one goal every day, and yet we never get to stop and talk, meet and greet like we did today- at the Christmas party.

People have street parties and we will be going to one in Toowoomba this week where, we claim the bitumen and footpaths as our arena and people who never talk and don’t even know each other share a drink and eats in the middle of the street- because it’s Christmas.

I love the picture above showing a 1940 pic of a group of men getting fed a great meal and able to share in some deep stories, because of Christmas. I’ll never forget being with Earl Roberts in Sydney in Dec 87, around Christmas time, going from one Wesley Mission Christmas Dinner to another, filled with hundreds of people who were able to celebrate together in the midst of pain, trauma, and things I have and never will experience, but they could celebrate the birth of a feeble child who promises to make all things right one day.

How vulnerable and pathetic really, not to say audacious to bring a helpless baby into the world and tell us the government will be on his shoulders and that he is the Prince of Peace.

People got together back then, we are told in the scriptures, and celebrated, and it appears the Heavenly Host got more than a little fired up as well with the birth of this kid.

There are a lot of side tracks that can be taken at Christmas for sure and at one level if old mate from outer space came and looked on at the consumerist madness of the west- not just at Xmas but anytime, he could be forgiven for thinking it was one really weird cultish kind of gig.

But if our visitor left the shops and hovered around homes and some of the places we get to visit and see people just once a year, like the Forge get together in Melbourne last week, and hear the comments and joy that flows when people celebrate because of the birth of a kid called Jesus and because we humans do love to get together and party- ol mate might just get the distinct impression that celebrating this one life really does bring peace and joy and eternal life. Celebrate well this Christmas Season, enjoy and cherish relationships like your life depended on them-it may well.

Steve Turner.

1985 was a good year. I had been working on the Gold Coast for 4 years as a School Chaplain/ R E teacher, my wife Felicity was pregnant with our first son Zach, and we were getting ready to leave the coast for the Back of Bourke and time with Cornerstone Community.

Our kids surprised us this year with tickets to the Bluesfest in Byron Bay over Easter, so we packed the van and headed off to stay right near the beach and listen to the blues every night. Good Friday the Bluefest was packed and we huddled along with thousands of others to listen to The Blindboys from Alabama. These guys are great and sing old and new Gospel songs to the Blues. They were in the middle of singing ‘Amazing Grace’ to ‘House of the Rising Sun’ tune and as I listened,  most of the crowd was singing along.I figured it was a good time to send a facebook message capturing the moment saying God still has his way on Good Friday- even at the Bluesfest.

A lady next to me[ lets call her Kerry], asked who I was talking too[forward I know, but not for Bluesfest] and I told her what I was doing and the message I was sending and this began a discussion on all things spiritual although mostly about Jesus and Kerry’s life and disappointments. After a while and following introductions to Flis and our kids I asked Kerry where she was from and she said the Gold Coast. I asked her what school she had attended and she said Merrimac High and I commented that Merrimac was the school I began chaplaincy at in 1982 to 1985. Kerry  said that she remembered the religious eduction seminars we would run regularly at school and that this was the first time she had heard about Jesus. As we talked further it became apparent that Kerry had been in my classes about 26 years before. Kerry asked me if I really believed this religion stuff although she admitted to occasionaly calling out to God in a crisis and he or something always seemed to turn up.

Thats when I said, Ok, it’s Good Friday, the day  Christians remember Jesus dying on a cross for our sins and forgiveness. We are at a  fairly non-religous[although that depended how you looked at it] music event where know one is really interested in what Easter is about- they are just here for a good time. We are listening to a group of  blind  black gospel singers from the other side of the world singing about Jesus and there is a huge crowd here and people are joining in. I’m standing next to you, a complete stranger and we start a conversation about religion and faith and you tell me you first theard about Jesus 26 plus years ago at high school and I just happen to be the person who was not only the school Chaplain at the time but also your religious education teacher. You ask me is it real? Kerry if thats not Gods providence  and love wanting to somehow remind you about what you heard years ago and to let you know he cares very much about you I don’t know what is. We chatted some more and planned to keep in touch. Amazing when I reflected on it.  I told you that to tell you this.

Resurrection Sunday night we turned up, parked our van, miles from the front gate and walked in carrying our  camping chairs. No more standing up for hours for these groupies. We got set up outside a big tent- great under the stars, big screen, good blues music, wonderful. While we were dancing about I noticed my keys were not hooked to my belt where they should be. A quick search ensued, then we packed up the chairs, rang the kids who were rocking at another tent to tell them and then headed for security to report our loss. In the mayhem of the moment, Flis and I got split up and lost each other for 30 minutes  eventually finding each other at security. We backtracked as best we could at night, borrowed a torch and asked everyone we met, but nothing. RACQ were helpful but said they would have to get a new key cut when shops opened on Wednesday after Easter and that would be $400 minimum. So we prayed and went back to listen to more bands and eventualy got back to our digs- vanless!

The next day we had to go out early to meet  NRMA for a toe, so we decided to have one last look. We tracked from the van as best  we could- it literally was in  a paddock of hectares of car parks seperated by security cords. We walked up to where we  thought we changed direction the night before, was it this bay or that one? Finally deciding, Flec went ahead and bent under the security rope and I told her to look under her foot as I could see the key. We were so excited we jumped around and then made an iphone movie of us finding the key -available if you really want to see it, but fairly lame!

Finding that key in a paddock where the night before there was probably 5000 cars parked was nearly as miraculous as finding Kerry, one of my old students from 26 years ago and being able to share with her about the story of Jesus again.

Mike Frost talks about God making a pass at us. I cant believe how when things like this happen I look up or down or around and there’s God, tippin his hat, winking at me and simply saying , how ya goin Turner. Not just a reminder for Kerry but a good one for us as well I reckon.

The South Pine crew made heaps of great coffee and people were entertained by Stephen Drinkall who played sets between speakers. Steve works passionately among the Missional Church crew in Sth East Qld, visiting, providing resources and discussion forums with Postcard Radio nights along with keeping the Pathway Collective motoring.

Peter Breen brought along some Graffiti art from Jugglers Art Space and spoke about his passion for this massive subculture of artists from all walk of life. Pete, like me has a passion for the graffiti artists of the world who see the world as their canvas and being an artist and poet himself he finds himself right at home amidst his faith and the local growing arts community. Jugglers has an open night on the first Friday of each month in Brunswick St, Bris, where a large crew gather and various art is displayed and sold. Pete held up a piece of Art paint that had fallen off the wall after 10+yrs of multiple graffiti art on the walls at Jugglers- Amazing story, Amazing man. Michael Frost wrote about Peter Breen as one of his ‘Holy Fools’ in his book Jesus the Fool- being republished in the US.

Frosty spoke on the signs of the Kingdom from Luke 10-16, reminding us as Jesus reminded the Jewish audience of his day that Kingdom life is about giving the individual dignity and respect in all we do- something to be reminded of  today on World Aids Day. His next point was the currency of the Kingdom is repentance as a response to the grace of God shown to us and that at the end of the day and the end of ourselves- repentance is our only way to turn from a life without God. Finally, anger, even well deserved righteous, well intentioned self justified anger needs to be re-channeled into forgiveness and grace.

Glenys Johnson from UC in Mansfield also told a brief story about 80 of her people going through the Exilio course which is the training course that Michael Frost wrote to go with his book Exiles. Glenys said there has a been a significant turnaround and shift in the way her church group now think about mission and living life as Christians.

The training pack available from Forge comes with Exiles book, summary training video on Mike teaching on each chapter, a training guide and Ignition book for a 12 week missional imagination journey through Acts.  Email Steve for more info at steveturner@optusnet.com.au

It has been 12 months since the last Forge event in Melbourne and what has been a sabbatical from events. There have been requests for events like this one, where the crew who want to think differently about being a faith community/church; living a life of unfettered discipleship in a post modern world and helping their friends to begin a walk with Jesus realizing the Kingdom is right where they are – can gather and feel encouraged in their service that flies under the radar of normal church life. More in 2011 with Michael Frost , Darryl Gardiner, Mick Duncan, Shane Claiborne, and others.

Our first event on November 30  – LIVING WITH TOUGH CONVICTION IN AN EASY WORLD – features a number of ‘must-listen-to’ special guests. Michael Frost was a co -conspirator with Alan Hirsch at the beginning of the Forge journey and brings us a message about living with a tough conviction flavoured by stories of people he has bumped into on his journey.

Peter Breen was a Wesleyan Minister who has journeyed to Jugglers Art Space in Brisbane to support his love for art, artists and how faith fits into real life.

Stephen Drinkall, is involved with the Pathway collective, a group of friends working out what it means to live incarnationally in the suburbs, while supporting each other and many others in their wake.

Steve Turner, working with Forge for 7 years, best at being a missionary, worst at admin, loves people and finding the extraordinary hiding under the ordinary stuff of life.

WHAT/WHERE/WHEN? 30 November, 7:30pm, South Pine Community Church hall, Cnr Eatons Crossing & South Pine Rds, Eatons Hill.

Enjoy freshly ground for coffee from a resident barista (premium coffees $2 a pop – profits go to missions), great stories from you and others and new imaginations and strength for our journey. The special guests may have a thing or two worthwhile to add as well, so come along. $10 on the door or whatever you can afford.
For more details ring Steve Turner on 0412 459 429 or e-mail him (he can use technology): steveturner (at) optusnet.com.au

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Download the poster here.

I was talking to a mate today and said, look give me a set of plans or say I want a house built here, or fix something mechanical that’s broken, I’ll do it, with glee.  Yet ask me to work out how to get to the ‘back end’ of a website? hmmm, I need help. It’s great to know ones capabilities and it follows that it’s a great attribute to make friends easily and not mind asking for help.

Which I won’t do if Flec and I are driving somewhere and I need directions, but I will do if I need technical help- the two go together these days though, if you need directions, my biggest problem is finding help loading the GPS.

Anyway speaking of direction, my work at the Mapleton campsite has taken on a new target of late, as we have been downloading (now there’s a great techy term) a new mission plan for the overall place, in particular for our Outdoor Ed crew.

It’s not really new in the sense of something extra, but more value adding to what is already an excellent program that currently caters for around 25,000 campers yearly.  This is about making good better and working toward making life and longevity of the Outdoor Education crew an outcome, along with more take-home Kingdom pictures for our campers and their teachers.

A tall order but with a well resourced camping community of 40+ staff, established well in the local community with a great name already among schools that is booked out a year ahead, it is really worth putting time into making something the best it can be.