Mike Rutter’s Weblog…….

I’m loving the new Compassionart album – there are some great songs on it. Have a listen at their website.

Compassionart

Bishop Graham Cray and Rev Stephen Lindridge have been appointed lead the next phase of Fresh Expressions.

Read article

Great to see such good appointments and also the commitment to continue the work for another 5 years.

Saw that Steve Croft has been appointed as the new Bishop of Sheffield. That is a great appointment for Sheffield. I was at a meeting with Steve recently, organised by Christian Selvaratnam, which was a gathering of those of us involved in Pioneer ministry. He is a really inspiring person to spend time with as he has a real understanding of the church and also a real vision for enabling new expr

Some of my favourite Christian artists have got together for what I think is a really cool project. It’s initiated by Martin Smith from Delirious and has involved about 12 artists writing and recording an album together, with all of the proceeds going to charities selected by the artists. I’m looking forward to the album….

Have a look at the Compassionart  website

Here is a video from the recent Dove Awards where some of the artists sing one of the new songs.

Ok – since I get such big summer holidays I thought why not?

Mike Rutter for President

I’m on half term at the moment. Just spent a couple of days with Pip’s parents. They came up to us and it was a really good time. We went for a walk at the White Horse near Kilburn and the next day we went to Lotherton Hall. The latter was packed – a bit of good weather and the half term brought everyone out in force.

I’ve received back marks for my first essays – I’m doing ok. I now have to start thinking about a 4500 word essay on Liturgy that has to be handed in in 4 weeks time…hmmm. I have less enthusiasm about this one. I’m enjoying my placement at the minster though. I meet up with Jeremy Fletcher who is a great guy to chat to when I am trying to make sense of everything that  I am seeing and hearing. I went to Transcendence which is a service at the minster run by Visions and the minster. It was great – fantastic use of the space in the minster and a really good mix of traditions. The next one is March 2nd, I would recommend trying it out. Well time to get on with preparing the meal I am going to ccok for Pip tonight. She has bought some cocktail making ingredients so should be fun!

My friend Phil has organised an event called ‘Who Let the Dad’s Out?’  It’s something for Dad’s and their kids to go along to. There are toys, newspapers, a Nintendo Wii on a large screen and bacon butties. What more could you need? 

You can see the poster by clicking below.

Who Let the Dad’s Out?

I was really sorry to hear today of the death of Rob Frost.  A lot of people  probably won’t have heard of him, but to me he was one of the main reasons why I have the faith that I now have.

Rob set up an organisation called Share Jesus International and it was with this organisation that I went on a mission in 1987 to the North East of England. His heart was to enable others to hear about the message of Jesus and he did this by encouraging the church to step out  beyond the 4 walls and engage with people in their communities. It was on this mission in 1987 that I found myself sitting around a kitchen table drinking coffee and listening to the rest of the team I was with, talking about their faith and about a God who was involved and present in their lives. Hearing them talk naturally about God in this way really affected me and helped me on my journey of faith. Ever since then my desire has been to ’do’ church in this way – in a natural environment – ‘around the kitchen table’ where people have the opportunity to hear about God in the same way that they would hear anything else. To hear about God as they were sitting around chatting and having a drink with friends.  That’s why I am currently training to be a vicar in the Anglican Church as a Pioneer leader - as someone who is being given the opportunity to set up churches that have these values. So Rob Frost was a key person in my Christian life and someone that I think will be missed by many.

Read about Rob Frost 

As I mentioned in my last post, we went to hear Heidi and Rolland Baker last weekend. They work out in Mozambique, in fact they are the only ‘relief organisation’ allowed in there at the moment. They work for Iris Ministries and basically exist to help the poor and in particular orphaned children in the country. Their schools achieve the highest academic results in the country and considering where the children have come from this is some achievement. Have a look at their website for more details.
Pip went on Friday night and I went on Saturday. Heidi had left by then so it was Rolland that spoke. There was some great worship to start with and then Rolland got up to speak. He is so excited by what God is doing through him and Heidi that it is infectious when you hear him speak. They have seen some pretty bad things happen out there and have come under a lot of opposition. Despite this he has a real joy at knowing that this is what he is meant to do . What s interesting to me is that they are seeing some amazing things happen. People being healed physically and emotionally. The miraculous stuff comes out of the pratical hands on caring stuff. I like that. I like the way that they really care for and love the children out there by providing for them practically and that whilst this is going on, God seems to do miraculous stuff as well. The two go hand in hand. I have to admit that my tendency to think everything through often finds me struggling with some of the claims that are made, but I cannot refute the outcome of their work out there – that being changed lives. Lives that were literally ‘hellish’ being turned round and given hope again. Because of this, I am much more able to believe the miraculous stuff and get excited about that also.

Every now and then I have to go in to school to do an open day. Some of them are good and there are loads of people – today isn’t one of them. Pippa is at home with the 3 kids and I am sat here twiddling my thumbs. Plus I went out with Dan into York last night so had a fairly late night. Oh well – just half and hour to go.

Going to go and hear Heidi Baker speak tonight in Sheffield. She heads up Iris Ministries in Mozambique which works amongst orphaned children. She is a eally inspiring person to hear … I will let you know how it went.

Have you seen Twittervision? My friend Christian put me on to it. It is one of those clever web ideas that is quite pointless but also fascinating. Have a look…..