Larry Norman 1947-2008

I heard today of the passing of one of my heroes, Larry Norman. Larry who? Way back in 1973 I was a very young Christian just getting into playing and writing music and not liking much, if any, of what was coming out of the Christian music scene in Northern Ireland. Every song seemed to be John 3 v16 set to country and western music with "me - tree - Calvaree" rhymes. There was nothing that could touch musically what I was hearing on the radio and buying. Then in quick succession I heard the albums "Only Visiting This Planet" and "Bootleg" by an American with long blonde hair. The music was rock of a quality I could play to my friends without embarrassment and the songs well written with intelligent lyrics about all sorts of issues from a clear Christian standpoint. It was a seminal moment, and I am only one of many with similar stories.



Many great songs. 'Six O'Clock News' about media reporting of Vietnam, 'The Great American Novel' a scathing indictment of US hypocrisy (including the line "you are far across the ocean in a war that's not your own" - written in 1972, eerily relevant in 2008), 'The Outlaw' one of the best songs ever written about perceptions of Jesus, 'Pardon Me' about a love affair gone wrong, 'Reader's Digest' a very funny survey of contemporary pop-culture, the list goes on... It may be hard to appreciate now, but back then a lot of these were subjects Christians just did not write about. Music was no more than a means to an evangelistic end, and usually third-rate as a result. Larry Norman was a pioneer who helped change all that. There was more to come in the superb "So Long Ago the Garden", probably my favourite Larry Norman album, though much mis-understood at the time - no 'me-tree-Calvaree' lyrics - and banned in most Christian outlets (he had a 'difficult' relationship with mainstream Christian music).

There was some controversial theology - 'I Wish We'd All Been Ready' showcased his end-times views - and some views I disagreed with. And in later years as he struggled with mounting health problems including the heart condition that would eventually kill him, his output was sporadic and only occasionally matched the genius of the early albums. But, bottom line, a greatly talented musician and a dedicated follower of Jesus who blazed a trail for many.

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Peace Week... Esther, Jonah

For the last 5 years I have been involved in organising a "Peace Week" in this part of Manchester, an area that has been plagued by gang violence and gun crime. This is for anyone and everyone in the community to get involved in positive activities, together generating good news as a counter to all the bad. This of course includes the Faith Groups, which includes the churches. Hmm... hang on a minute. Peace Week... followers of the Prince of Peace. Is it just me or is there a somewhat obvious connection here? I'm beginning to think it's just me as I can still count on one hand the number of churches that actually do anything for Peace Week (that's out of around 40 that we contact about it).

In my church we looked recently at the book of Esther. This verse struck me: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place.." 4 v14. This is from where Esther is given the opportunity to speak up for the Jews, and it's as if God is saying to her "actually, you're not my only option, but if you're up for it, I can use you to make this happen." Is it too strong to say to the churches that are not taking the opportunity that is Peace Week that God's concern for this community is such that he will bless and use others rather than wait for his people to do something? I'm reminded too of this passage where Jonah's concern about his own comfort is contrasted with that of God for the city.

“You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4 v10-11.

Is my frustration boiling over into too heavy a reaction?

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Mixed

A few weeks ago I was sitting waiting for a meeting to start and one of the others, a church leader I've known for years, asked me how was Christmas. We'd had mum over to Manchester for Christmas. It was a good week and she enjoyed being spoiled and meeting family and friends, but she was beginning to struggle with her illness and had gone into hospital soon after going back, and was not doing well. I thought for a few seconds and said 'mixed'. He then said oh dear, I'm going to wonder what that means now and come up with all sorts of things. So, I told him what I meant... and that I was trying to give him an honest answer as a break from the standard Christian greeting. You know, the one that goes: "'Hello-how-are-you?'; 'Fine. How-are-you?'; 'Fine.'" He was sympathetic, but I wonder if part of him wished he hadn't asked!



Try going through a Sunday morning without using the word 'fine'. It's not easy!

Six intense days in Belfast

This blog gets ever more sporadic. This last month has been dominated by the illness and death of my mother in Belfast, so I haven't really been inspired to commit fingers to keyboard.

It's been a weird time. All compressed into just a few weeks. First knowing that, bar a remarkable miracle, her condition was terminal and her time would be short, which led into a time of waiting, visiting, phoning, trying to work, but mostly waiting. Then the final couple of days (we'd flown over the night before she died - an answer to our prayer that the timing would somehow be right) and the funeral and thanksgiving service - arranging, attending. Lots of the wider family around and, as usual when we get together, lots of laughter, this time mixed with sadness. Six intense days in Belfast when Manchester seemed like another existence. Strange... but rich. And God's understanding-bypassing peace somewhere in the mix. It was good to be together with everyone, but as my sister remarked, we shouldn't wait until the next death or wedding before we do it again! Like Joni said: "You don't know what you've got till it's gone." Note to self... make more time for what really matters.