Dear friends,
Here’s a question: When did you last play? And how did you know you were playing?
We were asked this on our Ministers’ Spring School, 12th -15th May. People with young children or grandchildren answered easily, but the rest of us had to think. Sport didn’t count – too competitive; the same might apply to board games and cards. I was too embarrassed to say I’d put the hymn numbers on the board at Wembley and played at being Rachel Riley on Countdown (only in my head – I do have some dignity) and instead talked of playing with the dog.
The question introduced a taster session on ‘Lego® Serious Play®, a method of using Lego building to look at serious issues from a different and more playful angle. It was great fun, even for people who don’t consider themselves creative, and brought out ideas we might not otherwise have reached.
The spirit of playfulness carried on through the week. One of the highlights was the series of Bible Studies led by Hannah Fytche, an associate tutor at Westminster College. She started with Paul’s greetings to various people in Romans 16 – who were they? and what could we know or deduce about them? Then she invited us to imagine how those people might have felt as they heard the rest of the letter. What kind of benefactor was Phoebe? How might Tertius the scribe, probably a slave, respond to ‘there is neither slave nor free’? What would the mother of Rufus think about being part of ‘the body’, if, as is thought, she was the wife of Simon of Cyrene (father of Alexander and Rufus) and hence possibly present at the crucifixion? It gave a fascinating insight into Paul, not always the easiest writer, and into familiar scriptures.
There were challenging sessions too, with serious issues to ponder, but even this was easier when we were more relaxed. And we were sustained by thoughtful worship and excellent food, with enough free time to rest or go for walks in the lovely countryside. I came back feeling refreshed and inspired.
There will be plenty for you to think about as a church over the coming months: setting a vision for the future as well as dealing with practical matters. May you take seriously the call of Jesus to be like little children, not just in trust but in playfulness, delighting in creativity with our Creator God. And may you be richly blessed in all you do.
Every blessing,
Sue
