Sivin Kit's Garden

Sigur Ros

Iceland's Ethereal Sigur Ros in Concert
I'm going to slowly enjoy the whole thing tonight .... nice discovery today. My musical taste is eclectic but ambient rock has become a favorite even more this year!

eighteen seconds before sunrise - Sigur Ros site
Will read more again later after dinner.

Random Links 79

My Year in Blogging
Good warning here ... "I still am bewildered at the way some bloggers talk to one another — and you can get a good sample of this if you look at Tony Jones’ site and see the sort of meanspiritedness in the responses to his posts. This I simply can’t accept as a form of Christian discourse. The standard rule obtains: don’t say to others what you don’t want them to say to you, or don’t write things you wouldn’t say if you were facing the person yourself. If you do, you should be ashamed of your calling to walk in the way of Jesus. Disagreement and nastiness are not the same thing. Conversation and scoring points with cheap shots are neither winsome nor wholesome."

God's Keynote Speech (Mp3) (HT: liquidthinking
This is so fun!

Post Christmas Hangover (and some pics) and Christmas Decorations at Mid Valley (Yeah, yeah, here we go again)
My pics don't represent the full picture of Christmas in Malaysia, the pictures in these two posts speak very loud of what's going on in the general public here.

From Idea to Execution (via Resonate)
Food for thought ... "While we trust that there are examples of ingenious, creative, and highly determined souls who can overcome both the long odds that face any strategic experiment and an organization that fights them at every turn, we think they are extremely rare. Organizations are almost always more powerful than people. Corporations serious about building a capacity for strategic innovation cannot simply hope that they have a few intrapreneurs somewhere inside that can save the day on their own inspired initiative. They must reexamine how their organizations are constructed. Only through careful redesign can organizations excel at both efficiency and entrepreneurship."

CandleLight Vigil in Front of KL High Court
This is serious ... and sad.

No Church? No Problem
I jumped to the closing paragraph ... "Do you want to become a Revolutionary? First, trade your copy of Revolution for Life Together, the manifesto written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer during the dark days of Nazi Germany. Then, if you want to do heroic and revolutionary exploits, go back to your local church. That's something so spiritually challenging that several million people no longer want to do it.". I havent' read Barna's Revolution yet but Bonhoeffer's Life Together is great and needs to be read by all! Perhaps, we can acknowledge the varied descriptions of the changes happening in our world today (even attitudes towards the local church) without seeing them as necessarily "prescriptive"?

Linking to Cyberchurch (HT from the author)
Excellent words here - "Cyberchurch does not replace the physical and it does a poor job reproducing it." I giggled when I read this, but more so rejoiced for the Baptism and Christmas dinner and fully agree "some stuff don't work on the web!"- "Last week I baptised three of my daughters. We used real water and a real location. Using the virtual spa in my virtual online web space would have been easier and warmer, but some things cannot be replaced by the virtual. Christmas dinner, for example, and baptism—just don’t work on the web."

Christmas Snapshots beyond BLC

This year our Christmas programs kind of focused more on going out and spend time with people we don't normally do ... and the last 2 years at least we've been having a close relationship with the Rumah Hope kids (partly because Rev. Augustin is a good friend of mine is also their pastor). Due to some unforeseen circumstances their Christmas party landed in the Father's HOuse but that's ok .. I'm thankful this year we could play some part in their program apart from giving Christmas gifts bit. Then the other is the 1st time visit to our own denominations home for the elderly in Kajang which I heard some funny and fulfilling feedback too.

On December 3, Saturday ... 10am
DB wrote something here in trust and obey (with photos)

We arrived at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail park with readiness and anticipation. Some of our BLC boys as you can see are at work.

It was great to have some of our kids (and their parents come) so they could play with the Rumah hope kids. We even got a last minute clown in action (a first timer who went for a crash course!)

who could resist playing with water huh? and of course, some time for relaxation!

The smiles were rewarding enough ... and many thanks to DB and his team for organizing this event!

December 17, Saturday, 3pm

visit to Home for the elderly
(Thanks Ee Chia for the pictures)

It was funny to see some of our guys practice their mandarin skills so they could sing for those at the home. what I heard is many of our BLC gang enjoyed the stories the old folks had to share.

As you can see our people are pretty happy. They even got Carmen to pray in Cantonese at the end. Ah yes ... we can always rely on people from Ipoh for Cantonese prayers!

Christmas party with Rumah Hope Kids ...6.30pm

This Christmas party is kind of a little tradition Rev. Augustin and his wife Debbie does for the kids since Augustin moved to pastor Good Hope Church. The kids sang and moved with the whole heart and being!

BLC like last year were in charge of the gifts for each of the kids. every LiFE Group played their role in organizing this. It was nice to have some who could come that evening and personally gave them out. Later we moved to smaller groups and talked with the kids about their Christmas thus far.

*As I shared with the church during Christmas that events like this are not meant to ease our guilt for not doing much during the year or make us feel proud because we are doing something during Christmas, I see events like this keeping us connected with those who are easily forgotten, in the margins and often neglected. My prayer is that those of us who were participating in one of these events or more than one would allow God to start working deeper in shaping us into Christ-like maturity and focus us in our mission here on earth in whatever capacity. My hope is that the events above would turn into "moments" where our values would change (if it's off tangent), our views and perspectives challenged (or revised) ... see God's grace at work even more in the lives of others and in our own as well.*

Christmas Snapshots @ Home (one more time) 12/26

The post-Christmas Monday ... was a good evening where the BLC council members and their loved ones could come to our new place for the first time! One of the council members was missing (more of having a great holiday in Hawaii) so it was less than perfect. But that's ok.

ok ... Food is a necessity! May Chin made special effort to impress her master with the dishes she learnt from him. David Berry approved of all the dishes. So did the rest of us!

There were moments where one pauses and we still needed the Master to handle the turkey ... he had the tools and the expertise!

Declan had fun with the white Ikea chair while Gareth sure loved his pasta!

after everyone left, cousin Dylan arrived from Singapore ... so our night extended with May Chin's family coming over :-) That kind of completed our Christmas season cycle this year!

Christmas Snapshots @ Home (again) 12/25

I was pretty happy we could gather all the members of the Kit Family for a Christmas dinner at our place. It's always hard to get my Dad and my brother due to their unique professions and working schedules.

May Chin cooked up quite a bit of stuff ... The Peking Duck which was ordered from one of the hotels was a special "mouthwatering", "oily" and "lovely" addition! Awesome duck I must say.

It's always great to see our kids interact with their grandparents. And since they seldom see my Dad, it's good to see Elysia and him having a good time. John my brother almost couldn't make it because he had a "show" to do .. but he managed to sqeeze the evening for us (even though he was extremey tired). he also stuffed himself with Peking Duck and more!

Well, after a good meal and time together what else can you do but ... sleep! Dad who's an "old timer" art director and my brother John who's a professional clown, street magician, and whatever that's part of this entertainment industry .. have one thing in common. They can sleep anywhere when they are exhausted!

Christmas Snapshots @ Home 12/24

We had a most quiet Christmas eve this year on Saturday ... We had a simple dinner and stayed at home while it was raining and later drizzling that evening.

The kids were "allowed" to start opening up some presents. Gareth was more excited than the observant Elysia at this stage.

The whole process of opening Christmas gifts is quite fascinating .. the tearing, the unpacking, the wonder, the joy ... etc. "Oohs and Aahs .."

Elysia was intrigued by one of her presents ... a plastic hammer! Gareth demonstrated how to use it!

Christmas Snapshots @ The Berrys' 12/23

Of course, our Christmas celebrations weren't just at the church premises (i.e. the Father's House on the 25th). We had some fun at the Berry's residence ...

... having a feast .. in fact a feast of "porky" proportions! :-)

Apart from food we sang carols under the Christmas tree with more than full stomachs. Little moments of worship here and there (with our usual fumblings).

Nice little surprise for the kids. Some found it easier to sit on this Aussie Santa's lap than others :-P

We had a good time laughing and enjoyng the moment.

The kids both big and small had a wonderful time ... many thanks to all who came and especially to the hospitality of the Berrys.

Christmas Snapshots @ BLC 12/25

Carmen, Hoong Guit and Rachel did great to welcome us at the door around 10am yesterday. But just looking at this picture reminds me how "women" play such an important role in BLC's story thus far ... whether it's ministries related to worship, learning, children or leadership ... they have truly contributed much energy as well as insight!

With our worship catalyst having a nice holiday in Hawaii :-) I found myself being the liturgist and lead worshipper for the Christmas gathering. Wai Kin (who's liturgies always brings freshness in BLC) and another long time worship leader in BLC Siew Poh managed some simple harmonies and laughter here and there!

We had a good mix of older and newer songs (I think) but I also REALLY desired to see how all of us both young and old could be drawn ...
- to participate fully (the kids helped give out some Stars),
- ponder holistically (with ideas adapted from here)
- as well as "pause" this season (we used the stars to help us write down some of our thoughts and responses)
- to connect with Christ and his reign (in whatever way possible)!

one of our guitarist just got discharged from hospital last Thursday, nice to have Leigh (in the blue shirt) stepping in last minute to fill in the "vacancy". His wife Sarah (with the violin) always adds flavour and excitment to the mix whenever we play together and Joanne (a faithful long time musician) moved from the djembe and then to the keyboard.

I'm glad Moh Foong agreed to do an adapted version of the "Christmas Cookery" skit - she is not just my part time assistant but also one of BLC's fantastic chef. She managed to get Paul and Joanne (who are preparing to get married next year!) to be Mary and Joseph!

Su Shen & John read the scriptures - from Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12) - to orient us to God's message for us. There's was a good interplay of the female and male voice and at climatic points a unison that seeks to allow the seeds of truth to sink in.

I then read from the Gospel of John 1:1-14, highlighting the theme of "adoption" and us being given the right to be "children of God" through Jesus Chirst. At one point after showing a DVD clip to illustrate this somewhat I just couldn't contain some emotion in me and choked up a little ... I always feel embarressed by moments like these - but nowadays, I find myself so easily "moved" by moments of genuine grace, compassion, and love shown through others because it especially becomes a sign and window for me to connect with God's love and grace towards us in a REAL way.

There's more moments (which I don't have the photos yet) with the kids doing a simple dance with the song "Forever", and then people being given a chance to share one thing they sense God is reminding them or they are discovering to one another (kind of like a 5 minute meeting to share with each other), and a great sending after the benediction by a guest from Argentina who lead us in "Feliz Navidad" - original spanish flavor to end huh? I'm also thank ful that we had a small number Europeans (Germany), North Americans (USA), South Americans (Argentina) and Australians (*grin*) joining us Asians (Malaysians) celebrating Christmas in the Father's House (we missed the Africans huh?) - but we're all together because of Christ and being part of his family!

Of course, Families eat together! :-) I'm glad I managed to get quite a few pieces of lamb ...

Apart form conversations around the tables, some just enjoyed having fun!

Elysia and the Uncle Chin Hor _ the wonder photographer who took all these pictures. Thanks Chin Hor for the pictures.

Random Thoughts on Christmas Night

Nice to wind down tonight ... and begin the gradual steps transitioning from 2005 to 2006.

The kids are asleep :-) I enjoyed a wonderful evening dinner with family .. especially grateful that my Dad, John (my Brother - making it the last moment) and I could be together because it's REALLY hard to get us together because of our working schedules ... which are all non-traditional 9 to 5.

The Peking Duck tonight was awesome - it was heavenly!

I choked up (trying to hold back some tears) while trying to talk about the theme of "adoption" in the light of John 1:12 this morning after a video clip on adoption. I'm getting "softer" am I as I age?

Sent a load of email Christmas greetings last night ... nice to get some feedback and reconnected with old and new friends.

Was tremendously blessed when one person came up to be and said he would like to be baptised. What a great joy for fellow Christ-follower to hear that and especially for me as a pastor!

Time passes by so fast these days ... I was looking one of our three year olds today and my mind drifted to the day I first saw her at the hospital nursery.

there might be some lingering administrative stuff as far as church is concerned .. but I'm learning to let it settle tomorrow and savour this moment of winding down.

I wished I could spend more time in depth with a number of people today ... even for a small setting like ours in BLC it's really hard. I'm thankful to manage to be in touch here and there. .. but I guess it requires effort in a different context. Events like today are good for the purpose for gathering us together for corporate worship and some fellowship but another appointment might work better for more in depth conversations.

I enjoyed showing mom and dad the pictures of Gareth and Elysia the last one year. I think I need to get some printed.

The morning today started with a severe challenge as it was hard to manage the two kids to get ready for the church Christmas worship gathering ... I felt really bad for being late for the pre-service preparations. happy to see the rest all there. But there are times when it's extra challenging and turned out today was one of them.

Glad that the grace of God carried me through emotionally and spiritually ... not just for the morning but until now.

There's many things on my mind and in my heart that require space to "settle" and through journaling and perhaps some blogging to allow myself to catch up with "myself which is on the move".

Adoramus Te

Merry Christmas to all who frequent my scibbling space here in cyberspace (this includes new visitors too!).

Come let us adore HIM together!

From Gareth (3years plus), May Chin (age secret!), Elysia (9months plus), Sivin (into my 33th year!)

Christmas Speech Bubble ...

Thanks Marko this is REALLY fun! Have a great weekend everyone ...

Random Links 78

What's the Point of Church? (mp3)
I was laughing and brought to some simple deeper reflections after listening to my UK friend Jason Clark He asked a great question, "What if community is a by product of being and doing church?". A great antidote to the consumer streak in us!

Simon Mayo interviews Rowan Williams (HT: Maggi)
Half way through two answers caught my attention:
One on leadership as Archbishop... "I think what I'd say is, the very first thing in the job is to try and set a tone. That sounds a bit pompous, but what I mean is, you try and talk about and model ways of getting on with other people, that aren't just about bullying or manipulation or whatever. You try and encourage an atmosphere in the Church of people listening to each other, and being grateful for each other. That's at the top of my list, and second, I think is: 'Can you help make sense of people to one another?' Imagine you've got a room with two people shouting at each other. How do you then set about getting each of them to listen to the other and begin to learn their language a little bit? So, a lot of - not shuttle diplomacy in the literal sense but - a sort of shuttling backwards and forwards between different groups of people saying: 'Look, listen, this is what they are really trying to say. Don't jump to conclusions.'"

Another on what's central to him... "The central things for me, what I want to witness to, that the Church doesn't exist because we've decided that it will, because we like the idea, because we get on with each other - it exists because of God. So everything in the church has to begin and end in the worship and praise of God. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than that. And the most important form that takes for a Christian, is gratitude. Something extraordinary has happened to us, something has overtaken us, something we could never have expected. Back to Narnia again, really. What happens is a surprise. The winter breaks, the weather changes. So, that's at the very heart of everything, and that, I think, ought to put a little bit into perspective our absolute passion for trying to get everything right at every point. We have to try. We make mistakes. And there is always a God great enough to pick up the pieces and give us a fresh start."

Future Directions in Systematic Theology
Some food for the end of the year ...before stepping into the next ... "Theology is political. It is a public claim that contests other claims. The purpose and context of teaching and doctrine is to point to the action of God in holding the world open, so it is also a challenge to us to act. Only Christianity can consistently point to a future. Now that gives us plenty to do."

Jouvert: journal of postcolonial studies
another resource to unpack the word "postcolonial"

Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid
for mortals like me ...

The Little Prince
I'm reading this for the first time!

Jesus: hero or zero?

I like this poster from Churches Advertising Network which I found in rejesus. It's my personal theme picture this Christmas season and kind of for my church Christmas Worship gathering ... as I consider the Christ whom I adore is actually a revolutionary!

For those who would like to join us, our BLC Christmas gathering will start at 10am at the Father's house (we're having lunch after the service so you'll need to park outside - please not infront of people's gate and also not under people's parking shade:-P ... and don't worry about dressing up .. just come as you are - we take off shoes anyway!) Send me an email or give me a call (or text me) if you're coming!

Numb?

Here's something I scribbled (I mean typed) for our church Christmas edition newsletter .. minimal editing here just some raw reflections - as usual. :-)

________________________________________________________________

"Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love."

~ Mother Theresa

"So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father."

~ John 1:14

A couple of days ago May Chin shared with me how some of her friends from other religious traditions look more excited than we are about this Christmas season. There's the usual anticipation for the year end sales. There are parties planned. And of course, some have holiday travels in mind. The commercialization of Christmas is already a given nowadays and I'm not going to spend time complaining about it (I just don't get caught up in it!). It's also not surprising to say Christmas is supposed to be the busiest time for Christians too with caroling, Cantatas, buying presents, multiple Christmas services, etc. After some years, it's tempting that this year in and year out season becomes numb and loses it's initial excitement.

However, there have been a few gems along this season that has touched my heart (addressing the numbness) and connected me to the true meaning of Christmas with its message of love, grace and peace (focusing my mind). The first one was a little episode of enjoying a whole morning with the Rumah Hope kids "just playing" at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Park on December 3, 2005 Saturday. I found immense joy at one point when a couple of BLC big guys joined in a volley ball circle and we just laughed and laughed while trying to keep the ball in the air. For me that was a special time because we played "with" the kids and were not just focused on getting the program ready "for" them.

Another little moment was when I returned home from a 6 day 5 night camp for the TRAC Methodist Church youth at Port Dickson and was welcomed home with much joy by a hug from Gareth and a consecutive 3 minutes of giggles from Elysia. A bonus was when Gareth brought me to the Christmas tree May Chin helped to set up and he started to talk about how we helped decorate the tree with his own toys. Again it was not just about what we parents did "for" our kids, but what we did "with" them.

Both episodes wouldn't be in the category of "greatness" (I guess) but in the spirit of the Mother Theresa quote above – it was small things done with "great love". It's moments like these little episodes that breaks through any form of "numbness" to a state of genuine excitement and joy. Not too spectacular I know, but in touch with what increasingly I see as more important stuff of life. These moments also lead me to see Christmas not just about how much God has done "for" me (which I'm totally grateful for) but more so helping me to recall that God came down to "be with us" in the person of Jesus Christ and now "walk with us" ("play with us?") in this strange game called life. He's not only involved but he's also committed to us. Somehow this truth brings me to reexamine my involvement and commitment to Him and invites me again to say …

"I'm grateful .. for how awesome You are and all that you've done!" …

"I'm sorry .. for going off my own track again and again … I'm getting back on track."

"I want to (with your help) play my part together with You

to make game called life become a beautiful one!"
__________________________________________________________________

Random Links 77

Mapping the Terrain: Politics and Cultures of Islamization of Knowledge in Malaysia (thanks to QuackYogi)
Looks a little dated - i.e. 2004, but then again .. I'll probably read this after I sort out other immediate matters.

critical realism
Nice little pre-Christmas gem from Maggi!

Google Fight
I typed my name "Sivin Kit" vs. "May Chin" and I lost! (she says maybe because there may be a celebrity with that name..) Well ...

Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents (Thanks Andrew Jones)
Yummy!

Seven Great Ideas for Movement Builders
No supper tonight .. this snack will do! Plenty to chew on here ...

Little Drummer Boy

These photos were taken more than one year ago November 4, 2004. Wow! I remember being amazed that Gareth held "matchstick" position for the drum sticks so well and he has good posture even though he can't reach the pedals ... It's such a delight to look at these pictures and recall the joy hanging out in church during the music rehearsal ... that time May Chin (who was pregnant with Elysia) still could serve as a keyboardist - now it's harder because her hands are full!! That's ok we're in a different phase - and her service has transformed more towards the home and family ... (while amazingly juggling work)

On Commitment & Involvement

This is a good one linked from The Complex Christ:

"Do you know the difference between commitment and involvement?
Think of ham and eggs.
The chicken is involved. The pig is committed."
~ Martina Navratilova, interviewed in 1982.

My prayer is that as we've passed the last sunday of Advent moving towards Christmas .. we will spend some time to re-assess not only our involvements and commitments but also the mind-sets (i.e. paradigms?) and the motivations (i.e. values) that actually influences the choices we make. I find this to be an ongoing process that involves deepening some areas and revising other ones. In spiritual lingo - loads of recommitment and repentance. At this stage of my life, I'm not satisfied with either/or solutions (because if a question is posed in such away like should I tithe or not? ... must I be in a small group? .. must I read the Bible everyday? etc ... often misses the more important issues at hand) ..

I see myself and hope to encourage others along to pause and not hurry to want answers for questions like those above too quickly .. or re-examine why we prefer one answer over another ... and thus, allow whatever we genuinely feel or think to surface .. and then say, "Ok! ... now, did I miss something more important here?", "perhaps, thinking in this way actually stops my growth .. how about another way - a third alternative?", "So, what kind of Christ-follower do I REALLY want to be?", "Have "I" taken so much space that is actually meant or Christ?".

And then in the loving presense of Jesus whom we're reminded of to worship this season ... I sit and listen. After a while, when I stand and move on .. there will be changes in view.

Random Photos 1: Bullet Cross

I'm facing reality... advertisers flood our world - we're bombarded with 101 or can I say 1001 messages... but somehow the cross symbolized here through a gift from my African friend (where kids transform bullets used to kill to a cross that redeems) reigns more supreme over any distraction advertisements may or may not give us. The Christ - the ultimate reality - whom this cross points to is the one I need to face.

When the son writes you better listen ...

I got an interesting email today where my young friend writes RE: Mr. CHEAH MISREPRESENTS MY FATHER'S RELIGIOUS POSITION. I wonder whether Gareth would do the same if I was inaccurately described as a New Age pastor because I appreciate Michael Hedges and Will Ackerman (now that's another story).

Apparently, the response is triggered by an opinion piece Religion plays a big role in cultivating a person’s character which (to give a benefit of a doubt) seems intended to be moving the discussion on religion's role forward in our context. But by describing my former lecturer in theology and now Methodist bishop as "a real gentleman, very open-minded and liberal in his theological views.

Dr Hwa has great influence among the Conservative wing of Protestant Christianity in Malaysia and hence is in a very strategic position to influence and lead the Conservatives into dropping their exclusive doctrinal position and opening up to the process of mergers with peoples of other faiths. " would definately require clarification.

I doubt Bishop Dr. Hwa Yung is a theological liberal ... he's a gentlemen and is perhaps more open than many conservative Christians in Malaysia (but again it depends on what issue here). Even if he's more open, my impression of him has never been one who would be an all out "liberal" that's pretty certian - I studied four years under him and has since been in touch with him, read his books and his articles, and interact with him whenever we have a chance.

QuakYogi captures the confusion and seeks to clarify his father's postion here:

"Mr. Cheah depicts Dr. Hwa as a sort of theological liberal. Now in Christian theology, the 'liberals' are a very specific family of thinkers, which Dr. Hwa is somewhat opposed to. There are two kinds of religious pluralism, and Mr. Cheah fails to clearly articulate Dr. Hwa's position on religion. Allow me to attempt a correction - I write as if on behalf of Dr. Hwa because Dr. Hwa is currently out of the country, and because Mrs. Hwa has been sending me panicked SMSes.

A different kind of religious pluralism is political-but-not-epistemological pluralism. In this view, a person can believe that ONLY his own religion gives access to the Truth. Nevertheless, because that person wishes to maintain good social relations with his geographical neighbours, he chooses to live harmoniously in a society with other people who do not share his convictions about the Truth. If I am not mistaken, it is this version of religious pluralism which is embraced by most religious people in Malaysian society. I know for a fact that Dr. Hwa readily supports this point of view."

Thus, from my view , I think using language like "dropping their doctrinally exclusive position", "mergers with peoples of other faiths" indeed inaccurately describes what I believe Dr. Hwa is attempting to do. Perhaps a more appropriate description would be "dropping their exclusive attitudes and postures when engaging with people of other faiths" ...

That's just my 2 cents reaction. And authors as well as newspapers should be more careful especially when using terms and terminologies that often already carry with it loads of baggages with it . But then again in this time and age, a letter like the one the son sent and blogs should make some difference right?

Random Thoughts with Pink Floyd Music on itunes

My physical body cries out sleep ... arrested a runny nose with one pill.

Decent meeting with BLC's Children ministry core team today. There's still a lot more work to do in 2006. We'll start more tidying up on the 31 December 2005 :-)

My exhaustion might be due to "too much" decibels a while ago. Perhaps I'm growing older .. or it's simply because I've changed (more of the later really). I value silence, space and pacing more these days. An overdose of repetative words to generate excitement doesn't do me much good these days. The intentions are not in question right now, it's more of whether we understand the mystery of how language, rhythm, words, and tone work ...

Heard more inside stories about an "old" incident which I knew about years ago ... a project actually failed and I kind of had a "intuitive hunch" it would. In fact, I was concerned and warned some of the individuals involved about the problem. Glad some were spared, and sad that from what I hear others are unrepentant. Minimum they are unreflective over the whole incident ... Lord have mercy.

Oh ... it's 12:03am now.. these Pink Floyd stuff is good.

Random Links 76

Why the World Is Flat
I just got the book ... read the first part with interest .. here's an interview.

Citizens International
stumbled on this initiave after getting two of their RM5 pamphlets. They say they are "a global initiative from Penang, Malaysia. It seeks to analyze the causes of increased militarization of the planet and to work towards an environment of peace and international security including the preservation of social justice, ecology and sustainable development. CI also supports the development of traditional knowledge systems."

MultiversityLibrary.com
Another happy new discovery today ... lots of book downloads for this " first serious effort originating from the Global South to promote and publicise the works of scholars from the three major continents of Asia, Africa and Latin America, so that these are known and made available across the board." My first two downloads - Grassroots Post Modernism & Decolonising the Mind :-)

Making public meetings work
10 strategies on the table now. Here's a few that jumped out ..
"1. Be prepared and curious. ... 4.Build wholeness and sense the emerging story. ... 10. Debrief the deeper learnings"

Playful Orthodoxy

I need to read the paper more in depth ... for now the title and the following quote will be with me as I head to pick Elysia up :-) from Mom's house!

People tend towards orthodoxy or openness in their theory and practice of religious education, but extreme versions of both tendencies are dangerous. Orthodoxy can tend towards rigidity and conflict while open teaching can result in a lack of commitment and depth. Religion, therefore, needs to be restored to its grounding in creativity, which includes both opening and closing tendencies, and results in the synthesis of playful orthodoxy rather than either dangerous extreme." ~ Jerome W. Berryman in Playful Orthodoxy (pdf)

"Liang Sook"

John Kit - or Uncle Hsiao Liang (my younger brother - younger than me 9 years!) or "Liang Sook" (in Cantonese) is REALLY Elysia's favorite uncle. They've been spending a lot of time together and I can see she enjoys him - for who he is and of course he's got lots of tricks under his sleeve .. he's a professional "magician"!

Taman Maluri

While driving to ppick up Elysia today .. I did a "spur of the moment" thing and swung over to my old highschool .. in fact this would be the first of the three secondary schools that become part of my journey. They've painted it pretty well.

They've built up a nicer wall and there's so many more buildings then when i was there. When I stepped into the school we only had students from 13 -16 years old for Remove and Form 1-3. I left after form 2 when we moved to Taman Seri Muda, Shah Alam.

I have fond memories of this school ... I remember playing tennis for the first time here, being the head prefect for the afternoon session and then assitant head for the morning. I still have fresh memories of praying for sick people and "evangelizing" unbelievers, and leading the Christian fellowship with my good friend Timothy.

There were of course other "less Christian" activities like being part of the chinese society, having a crush on a girl *eh-hem*, playing ping pong in the Canteen, etc. the usual high school activities. :-)

I took the liberty to drive to my old house ... well the one we rented during that time. I recall ... playing badminton with my cousin, talking with a Jehovah Witnesses person, praying for my eyes to be healed for short-sighted-ness *smile*, coming home late after so called "healing training" sessions at a Pentecostal church my teacher was part of (late means 3am!).

Then there was also the time when Mom was cooking her trademark chicken and spring-rolls for a season and I was helping her out. I remember Grand-Dad (Daddy's father) who stayed with us for a while and how hard it was for him and us. I also remember when I used to talk with May Chin on the phone for a long time :-) and those long bus journey's to church (but worth it)

That was quite "fruitful" and "fascinating" three years in Taman Maluri. Those years were the "nursery" ground for leadership, faith, personal growth, maturity, and many other important aspects built inside and into me now. Sure, I messed up here and there .... but God has been gracious and redemptive in many ways.

Random Links 75

PERDANA GLOBAL PEACE FORUM 2005
I heard our Bishop was invited for this ... our former prime minister TUN DR MAHATHIR MOHAMMAD is the chairman!

Churches Closed on Christmas? & Church Closings on Christmas--- Final Report
Prof. Ben stirred quite a bit of a storm with the first post and brings some closure in his final report. Here's what stood out for me:

"Our culture does not need any encouragement to be more self-centered and narcissistic or to stay at home on Sunday. It is already that way. Christmas above all else should be a day when we come together as the body of Christ to worship and adore the Lord Jesus."

"Perhaps, just perhaps, after Christmas when the dust has really settled, maybe we could all have a major talk about being more conscious of the fact that the world is indeed watching, especially on our holidays, and so we bear extra responsibility for what kind of witness we are presenting to the world on such occasions."

When Christmas falls on Sunday
here's some interesting thoughts from Prof. Scot on the matter above:

"... No one, to my knowledge, can argue or is arguing that the mega-churches are violating a biblical Christmas sacrilege. No one should can stake a biblical claim for Christmas being the most significant day of the year – I’m not sure what one can say about such a topic from the Bible."

"... let’s be a little more charitable in light of what the NT does and does not say. Let’s permit our brothers and sisters, once every seven years, to make decisions that we might not approve of but know that they answer to God, that we answer to God, that it is about worship of God and incarnating the gospel in our world for the good of others and the world."

christmas not for church
fantastic opening line here --> "Christmas doesn’t belong in church. It didn’t start in a religious building. Its message was for all of humanity, not just Christians."

Random Thoughts after 2 extra Long days

When I came back from Port Dickson last week I was delighted to see this Christmas tree set up. It's kind of our way of preparing for Christmas and the kids love it - especially Gareth.

After the camp I've hardly had any rest ... first there was a meeting for settling some dates for 2006 lay leaders and pastors trainin followed by a pretty long denominational EXCO meeting until the evening.

This morning we continued the EXCO meeting and then had a special pastors forum and Christmas lunch organized by the new Bishop as well as a special meeting which ended at 6pm.

I started sneezing a while ago .. my body is aching a little ... I thank God that I'm doinng ok after a 6 days 5 nights camp, a wedding dinner, Sunday preaching, and two long days of meeting. The whole being is crying out for REST tomorrow before another round of excitment.

There's much to blog actually but I can only manage some random thoughts right now. NOthing too intelligent :-)

I've been getting quite a few invitations to speak for year 2006. I haven't even started thinking about next year yet as far as outside speaking or teaching is concerned. It's great to know that people feel I might be suitable for their topics or I have something to contribute to any conversations ... but there's also the reality of my limitations. I'm growing more accustomed to say "Sorry I can't make it ..." (without feeling guilty) - perhaps it's a sign of maturity :-P ? Of course, this frees me to say YES to what i can do.

I was also encouraged yesterday when I was chatting with some one and felt that I could connect with a Christian who feels "lost". There seems to be more of them these days. I wonder why?

I was telling May Chin as we were stepping into our home ... I find it hard to relate to those "know-it-all"-"I'm-better-than-you" Christians. And it's true I find myself very comfortable with honest, authentic non-Christians or Christians who admit their "lostness".

Planning to catch up with some movies starting with Narnia tomorrow.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

To those who read my blog ... is that how you feel about my blog? or what does it do to you? :-) of maybe there are other descriptions from you about it ... let me know. I don't get many comments ... so I wonder what's on people's mind when they pop by. Perhaps this could be a good chance for us to connect before the year ends. Anyway, since this blog started I haven't changed the design or colour part because I think my friend Kiffer who helped me start did a great job ... and I like the design and colour. And more importantly, I don't know how. so, that's why I just stick to the content and occassional pictures *grin*

Good to be back ...

when I came home yesterday, Gareth gave me some warm hugs and a great welcome home. I knew he missed me. I called him everyday when I was at the days 5 nights camp. Interesting to follow the leap in his vocabulary through the mobile phone! :-)

Sanctuary

I just came back from a 6 days 5 nights camp with the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Methodist Youth. This is my second time with them for the YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (YLDP).

There's so much to share .. for now, I'll just put up one of my favorite places during the past week - i.e. the small prayer chapel. Similar to last year, I'm drawn once again to the importance of human hearts open to the prompting and leading of God - often shown in the cry of dependence on God and being strengthen by divine resources while keeping our "pride" and "self-preoccupation" in check.

more later ...

Missing

I will be missing for a while but ... I will be back ... at the mean time I'd recommend reading the following:

Movable Theoblogical: AuthenticChurch Archives (I'm planning to read and reflect on it when I return ... you can go first)

Scott Mcknight's Emerging Movement Archives (This would be useful to those who've been asking me what is emerging church or what is Emergent - etc.)

Sivin Kit's Garden: Emergent Archives (some snapshots of our fumbling efforts in Malaysia here)

Screenshots... (Nothing to do with the above apart from giving an idea of the context I live in through the eyes of Malaysia's award winning blogger!)

Parking Lot (one site that always suprises me with insights especially on Open Space technology and conversations!)

Random Thoughts after a Pretty good Sunday

Coming back after preaching at Taman Midah Lutheran Church was wonderful when I saw Elysia with her special hair band. I know the joy of this new comer to our church who's carrying her in the picture above. In fact, I felt double joy!

I found myself speaking straight from the heart as a guest speaker this morning and "celebrated the Eucharist" (or conduct Holy communion) with a clear sense of the presence of Christ amongst us. Tweaked their liturgy a bit ... but that's ok.

It's nice and affirming when this little blog gets mentioned here :-)

Oh yes ... DB's presentation on yesterday's event was extremely beautiful .. his selection of music was - what shall I say ? - classic? :-) I could see some effort put in there.

I was also delighted to see some of the kids doing a dance with the Ipoh girls and Su Shen presumably somethins for Christmas!

Watching some of the BLC members and especially newcomers practice their Chinese for the Old Folks home Christmas carolling and visit was also a nice highlight for me.

It's great just to see everyone being involved in a way without being over busy and what's more important is a genuine happiness and smile in all this.

Wonder how this Google Adsense will work - extra money for getting new books is good. I will wait and see.

Had a short decent nap today.

Just came back from a Chinese wedding dinner ...

Had an interesting inter-religious conversation with someone across the dinner table - topics ranged from the Holy Spirit, the Prophet Muhammad, Bible translations, Ahmad Deedat (a name I havent heard for some time. Just googled and discovered this response to him), Dead Sea Scrolls, etc. Fascinating ...

listened to some vocal presentations ... I felt the last minute closing song by the bride the best - and it's kind of like a wonderful climax preparing us for Christmas ... She sang "Silent Night, Holy Night!".

Random Thoughts after quite a day

The moment I awoke ... it's been non-stop since with some special moments here and there.

anxious - calm - wondering - prayerful - assured - jittery - bored - happy - peaceful - a whole range of emotions and moods flowed through me the whole day.

DB's Post Trust and Obey captures in a way .. our time with the Rumah Hope Kids. There was one moment where I felt hey ... we prepared the games for them but we are not playing with them so I dashed in and played with them (ok ... I can start theologizing here but I shall refrain). At another point it was wonderful just to play "volleyball" in a circle and try to keep the ball up 20times ... as an initial goal. There were too many little moments captured in my digital camera.

One special one was a short conversation with a Father who was walking with his son with learning disabilities and they kind of shared in the joy we had while playing.

Managed to rush home for a short rest before I headed for a wedding (which started late). happy to find a parking next to the hotel (that was before even uttering a prayer request for a parking lot *grin*)

Missed another friends wedding, skipped the dinner tonight and will have one tomorrow and another one next week ... it's "getting married season"!

The wedding ceremony was one of the longer ones I had lately :-) there was a pretty long sermon (with translation of course) and 4 presentations (mine was the last). I must admit my rendeirng of the hymn "Here is Love" to my opinion was not that professional but I did sing it honestly and with genuineness ... Interesting comments after the service on my guitar playing too (I wasn't too used to the loud monitors).

Enjoyed feeding Elysia today ... had some time with her while May Chin did some shopping, got dinner for me and pick up Gareth.

Centering a little while I'm doing this post. Listening to a Ultima Thule ambient music download. It's been helpful for me lately.

Watching a special suprise gift - Classic Albums - U2: The Joshua Tree DVD yesterday was a needed cushion for a stressful moment.

Will be off to Sacred Gateway to get to be in a place of encounter

Lots of blog if I want to ... but there's sunday worship tomorrow where I'll be preaching and conducting holy communion for another Lutheran church. An evening wedding dinner, final preparations for a weeklong camp next week, then return hopefully to catch a spirituality seminar if possible, and another dinner and then Sunday preach and conduct communion at a different Lutheran Church then it's all plunge into BLC's Christmas plans ... phew!

It's been quite a day today ... a day which I'm thankful .. I know there will be more to come.

A Christian Organic Intellectual?!

Fascinating ... short paragraph from Generous Orthodoxy ThinkTank's post on Organic Intellectual! Challenging ...

"In his influential Prison Notebooks, the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci makes an important distinction between 'organic' and 'traditional' intellectuals. To put it crudely, the former are those who, because they are organically linked to prophetic movements or priestly institutions, take the life of the mind seriously enough to relate ideas to the everyday life of ordinary folk. Traditional intellectuals, in contrast, are those who revel in the world of ideas while nesting in comfortable places far removed from the realities of the common life. Organic intellectuals are activist and engaged; traditional intellectuals are academic and detached. ...

Christian intellectuals should differ from others by refusing either to exalt or to denigrate the life of the mind. ... The ideal Christian intellectual is ... the dedicated and devoted Christian member of a group or community informed by the best available systemic social analysis of self and society and guided by the most insightful interpretation of the Scriptures and tradition. This ideal Christian intellectual is an organic intellectual, simultaneously immersed in the tortuous realities of the day and enticed by the felicities of the mind. ...

The tasks of Christian intellectuals are to uphold the centrality of prophetic preaching of the Word, preserve the richness of the Christian past, and put forward informed Christian ways of life and struggle. ... Their aim should be the production of sermons and texts which become potent in the lives of everyday people."

The Shape of Practical Theology

I read this less than an hour ago and found that I needed to hear this l ...

"It is bad theology to have to love the world more than God, and to confuse our service to God with our being sent into the world. It is bad theology to interpret the calling of God in terms of the needs of the world, rather than in our being sent to the world to do God's work and reveal his glory.

A theology that cripples and destroys the self-esteem and sense of worth of a minister is not made better by "success" in ministry. A theology allowing no "sabbath rest" for the one who does the work of the ministry is a theology of th curse, not a theology of the cross. A healthy theology contains healing for the healer and freedom for the fighter of God's battles. A healthy theology, of course, is a theology of a loving God who knows that to be God is to be responsible, even for our faltering and fallible efforts. " (pp. 287-288)

A useful review starts by saying, "This book offers surprises for a variety of readers. For the scholar who suspects that "practical theology" is an academic Trojan horse full of mere pragmatists, it relies heavily on the work of some of this centuries most supple theological minds, e.g. Karl Barth and Thomas Torrance. For the practitioner who has lost hope that erudite theological reflection has any bearing on the daily work of ministry, it opens previously inaccessible recesses of a nourishing well."

I needed the nourishing tonight ... I'm glad I borrowed the book from the seminary library .. it's overdue .. but renewed for another month!

Random Thoughts while listening to Redemptions songs

I REALLY enjoyed doing the low tech notes (above) for the FES National conference workshop.

nice to get an email to reconnect with Bangsar.net.my again.

Got some refreshing rest today ... the rain was good.

Happy to have more progress on my messages for next week's TRAC Methodist YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME sessions. this is my second year with them I'm honored. The book of Daniel is awesome ... the narratives are captivating!

The album from jars of clay I'm listening to right now is pretty good ... hope to teach some songs some day.

I'm learning the discipline of silence and non-self justification ...

It's going to be quite a weekend ... tomorrow council meeting, Rumah Hope kids play & telematch morning on saturday then wedding in the afternoon where I'm suppose to sing a song, Sunday preaching at another Lutheran church and conduct communion, then off to Port Dickson.

After that there's another line up of stuff ... and I've got lots of movies to catch up on ... :-)

lots and lots of reading to catch up .. bills that need to be cleared .. unfinished home matters too ... looking forward for a family holiday (likely after Christmas).

Emergent Ripples

*updated*

Emerging Church Hammering - Intro
"if you say something critical about the emerging church, there is a legion of web journalists who will quickly back you up and help you graffitti your criticism on the wall of the blogosphere." Insightful.

Emerging Church Hammering 1.0
TSK says, " there are 2 questions that bug me:
1. Is the emerging church REALLY a dying quasi-denomination of 200 gotteed, gripey, grungy, groups of protesting, post-everying, peed-off Christians lighting candles to Derrida and trying to convert the mainstream church to the idol of postmodern relevancy?
2. Is there REALLY only 200 of them?"

On Defining Emerging Church (updated)
TSK gives us a sampling on how "A lot of people are trying to define the Emerging Church at the moment".

Assessment of the Emerging Church - Part II
Food for thought ... thanks Jason, "I don't follow Jesus because I have the absolute truth about him, I follow him because he is the truth. It's a relational epistemology."

Restless Spirits: Emerging in the Lehigh Valley
watching a fellow Lutheran across the ocean ... work things out!

Emergent, Methodism & Calvinism
I did Methodism as an elective in seminary .. so this interests me.

t + 5 Years | Will the Emerging Church be a Denomination?
not for Malaysia IMHO ... thus I'm saying Amen to Kester's comments, "To be honest, I hope that the Emerging Church can break this cycle. As I've written in the book, what I'd love to see is a new 'emergent church' evolving... with local incarnations as different as need be."

a southern response to a southern response
10 brief responses from the land of the "Lord of the Rings" who actually did a PhD on emerging church :-)

How Much Is My Blog Worth?

what does this mean? hmmm ....

Profile & Perception

I kind giggled here and there as I read my speakers profile in the FES National Conference file (I gave them some basic info but this is the first time I'm reading the creative write-up *smile*). Mostly, I felt affirmed and encouraged ...

Here's what they said about me ...

Hailed as the cool pastor to the postmodern generation, Rev. Sivin lives out a radical pastorate. Bangsar Lutheran Church which he pastors is not your typical church and is attractive to many because of the homely acceptance and relevant ministry. No one would equate this blogging minister who cuts the edge where the times are concerned, as he explores issues changing our generation through his efforts as coordinator of Emergent Malaysia, as being out of fashion. Ps. Sivin's quest is to touch as many as he can, in any way he can using the philosophy of Paul.

wow! I'm blushing ... I was honored and humbled when I read the "philosophy of Paul" bit ... still digesting. As for fashion ... I'd like to think of the ingreasing greys and thining hairline trend setting - ... clothes wise.. so so lah! Glad to see "Bangsar Lutheran Church" (BLC) is not your typical church - enter at your own risk :-) seriously, BLC has been so much part of my journey. of course, increasingly ... Emergent has become more and more a conversation starter nowadays ... at the speakers room someone told me(with a smile) .. "So you guys are not a cult group huh? ... I was interested when I heard Mr. S say they we'll be meeting up with some theological thugs ... so what is Emergent?" Then I go ..."hmmm .... actually it's like this ... nothing fancy ..."

It's interesting how I'm perceived in this write-up. As I read some others I'm further humbled and at times humored :-)

consider some of the words to describe other speakers ... I've got lots to learn:
- sacrificial living & giving
- confidante and encourager
-gentle yet firm pastoring
- blazed the trial of risk taking
- a voice of care and change
- a "chilli padi" ... small but powerful prophet :-)
- rare breed of Christian thinkers
- Ebony and Ivory, dark and light :-)
- man with a sexy voice :-)
- counter-cultural
- Indiana Jones lool alike :-)
- non-conformist
- living statement of simplicity, love and faith
- colourful life :-)
- BSG - "Boss sudah gila" ... hahhahaha :-)
- caring nature & dignity
- opening their homes
- ooze the grace of God
- Mrs. Incredible! :-)
- exotic mix :-)
- breaking down barriers
- multi racial heart
- office theologian
- legacy leaver
- practices a faith that is rooted in reality
- humble servanthood
- Chinese comedian :-)
- woman of grace
- ripple maker

I wonder how would my kids see me ... and say about me? (this thought inspired by this picture of Elysia checking me out!)

Brief Walk thru' FES National conference 2005

I must say I'm REALLY impressed and touched by the welcome. When takeshi, vicky and I arrived .. we had TWO people walk to the car and welcome us! wow!

Then we were escorted to the entrance ... wow!

I quickly picked out my digital camera and then this guy appeared. so we mutually "camera-ed" each other. Perhaps a kind of non-verbal welcome. Impressive!

It was great to feel the energy, the noise level was just nice, some laughter here and there. I've been to many Scripture Union Camps. This is my second Fellowship of Evangelical Students event officially *grin*.

I was then escorted to the "speakers" room .. (where they quarantine the workshop speakers before they unlease us) The 3 in 1 coffee was a good booster plus an interesting "unexpected" conversation on Emergent and Theological Thugs :-P when it was around 4.30pm I stepped into my workshop room S7.

The participants were all seated nice and tidy before we started. The topic was "Passionate Pursuit: Getting passionate with God, pitfalls and stepping stones." I was given a pretty cool intro with the "Reverand" and all ... by another conference staff.

I started with a short 5 minute for those "seated neatly" to turn around and share about what they've got thus far. Randomly got two people to share... and then transitioned with a moment of silence and centering.

we sang later "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy"

Then I went on to share with a simple question I got from Henri Nouwen, "Did becoming older bring me closer to Jesus?" trying to highlight this whole talk about passionate pursuit in relation to God is a long term thing.

I used three episodes from my life during seminary days to share and mentioned what were the pitfalls I discovered and what were lessons learnt and stepping stones that helped me - head-wise, heart-full and hands-on:-)

After I was done ... this is what happened ... the seating gets messed up .. and people buzz away freely in pairs. It was a pretty good buzz. In fact I sense some "great" buzz moments vibrating throughout.

Later I opened up to and managed to handle two questions and stepped up the language with emphasing the importance of spiritual formation, theological thinking and down to earth praxis as a kind of conclusion. We ended with some silence again and a closing prayer.

I did give them a set of notes... mine had colour :-) As usual there were some good one to one conversations after the workshop.

I was suprised that the conference staff actually waited for me to finish the conversations and then lead me to the table for dinner. I'm still speechless from such nice treatment as a speaker. I was also surprised to sit next to someone who reads my blog occassionally ... another Wow!

Before I left ... I thought it would be good to take Takeshi and Vicky to check out the main hall and see the "bigger picture" of the conference. Nice book table ... set up!

The conference theme is based on the word "Zyme" which is "Yeast" ...

I wish I could stay but this round I couldn't .. it was great to meet some old "friends" and be introduced to new ones. And bumping into a few online kakis!
The trip home was a little challenging with thick fog after the rain. Hardly to see the car in front. We arrived home safely .