There’s a charming article in today’s Times by Alex Renton, a non-believer who sends his six-year-old daughter Lulu to a Scottish church primary school. Her teachers asked her to write the following letter: “To God, How did you get invented?” The Rentons were taken aback: “We had no idea that a state primary affiliated with a church would do quite so much God,” says her father. He could have told Lulu that, in his opinion, there was no God; or he could have pretended that he was a believer. He chose to do neither, instead emailing her letter to the Scottish Episcopal Church (no reply), the Presbyterians (ditto) and the Scottish Catholics (a nice but theologically complex answer). For good measure, he also sent it to “the head of theology of the Anglican Communion, based at Lambeth Palace” – and this was the response:

Dear Lulu,

Your dad has sent on your letter and asked if I have any answers. It’s a difficult one! But I think God might reply a bit like this –

‘Dear Lulu – Nobody invented me – but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised. They discovered me when they looked round at the world and thought it was really beautiful or really mysterious and wondered where it came from. They discovered me when they were very very quiet on their own and felt a sort of peace and love they hadn’t expected.

Then they invented ideas about me – some of them sensible and some of them not very sensible. From time to time I sent them some hints – specially in the life of Jesus – to help them get closer to what I’m really like.

But there was nothing and nobody around before me to invent me. Rather like somebody who writes a story in a book, I started making up the story of the world and eventually invented human beings like you who could ask me awkward questions!’

And then he’d send you lots of love and sign off.

I know he doesn’t usually write letters, so I have to do the best I can on his behalf. Lors of love from me too.

+Archbishop Rowan

I think this letter reveals a lot about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sort of theology – more, indeed, than many of his lectures or agonised Synod addresses.

But what the letter also tells us is that the Archbishop took the trouble to write a really thoughtful message – unmistakably his work and not that of a secretary – to a little girl. “Well done, Rowan!” was the reaction of Alex Renton’s mother, and I agree.

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Subscribers will be pulled into the dramatic last week of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection as it happened 2000 years ago; experiencing in real time the suffering, pain and joy in a series of messages reaching a climax on Easter Sunday, 2011.

Starting a week before Easter on 17th April, the story begins to unfold  in approx 30 short messages by text, email or Twitter.

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I had the pleasure this week of meeting Rev Dr Sung Ki Cho who heads up the The Presbyterian Church of Korea. The PCK is largest Presbyterian denomination in the world. Korea boasts 35 million Presbyterians, but the PCT is just one of many presbyterian denominations.

Sung Ki Cho shared his story of the PCK turning from a receiving church to a sending church. Christianity came to the shores of Korea in 1884. Presbyterian missionaries mainly from Canada, USA and Australia brought the Gospel. Sung Ki Cho shared how actually as part of that original group from Australia, there was in fact a Kiwi with them.

In the early days, Korea was receiving, the missionaries built hospitals, schools, universities and churches. But now Sung Ki Cho talked about the privilege he felt in the PCK being a sending church rather than a receiving church. His denomination has 855 missionaries employed in other countries, and here in New Zealand; in the last year they have given $10’000′s to the Christchurch appeal as well as supporting many church plants.

It is interesting, how in New Zealand we have done the opposite, gone from being a Christian culture, sending missionaries, to being a secular culture. Living in the west we always feel we are the top dogs, we know best, we are the most advanced, and the way we do things including church is best. It simply is not true!

I have lived in UK, USA and now New Zealand, where the church has declined, or is in sharp decline, and I trust that we as nations are only being pruned, yet to bear our best fruit.

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On 1 April 1996 Shed Seven released their acclaimed album “A Maximum High” The Album spent a total of 26 weeks in the UK album chart, peaking at number 8 on April 13, 1996.

The album spawned five Top 40 UK hit singles for the band in “Where Have You Been Tonight?”, “Getting Better”, “Going For Gold”, “On Standby” and “Bully Boy”. Each single release entered the chart at number 23 or higher, including their biggest hit to date, “Going For Gold”, which peaked at number 8 in March, 1996.

Personally, A Maximum High is one of my all time favourite albums, and it was with the release of this album that I first watched Shed Seven Live in Glasgow. It was a great night, and I would say after watching the band several times since, this first performance was the most special.

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Okay I know I have come to discover Brooke Fraser very late. But after watching Brooke Fraser last month on her latest tour of New Zealand I have been interested to learn a little bit about her life.

She seems to have been famous here in New Zealand for a while, and just as I have moved to New Zealand she seems to be making herself a little more known around the world .

Brooke Fraser is a daughter of All Blacks Legend Bernie Fraser, and in 2010 released her third albumn “Flags” and here is her video of “Something in the Water.”

The thing that impressed me about her is her Christian Faith, which is not evident necessary through her music under her maiden name. But certainly is very evident with the music released under her married name Brooke Ligertwood.

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For those of you living in the States you have yet to experience the world wide hit music talent show X-Factor yet. This is about to change with this SImon Cowell production hitting US screens in 2011.

Former chorister Charlie Bick (19) from Northfolk England entered the Chilean version of X-Factor while taking a gap year. Charie’s version of Angels by Robbie William tanked, but he was given a second chance to sing in Spanish. he then sang Enrique Iglesias’s Hero and was voted through by the judges unanimously.

David’s dad, a said: “We were surprised that he entered as it’s not the kind of thing Charlie would normally do. But if he gets to the finals we will be on the first flight out there to support him.”

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The New York Times has said it will start charging North American users for some of its online content.

The newspaper will initially charge readers in Canada, with its US audience facing charges from 28 March.

Different charges will apply depending on whether readers use a smartphone, a computer or an iPad.

The newspaper hopes to make up for lost revenue as newspaper sales have fallen and as advertising earnings have slipped.

“Our decision to begin charging for digital access will result in another source of revenue, strengthening our ability to continue to invest in the journalism and digital innovation,” said chairman and publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr.

Different charges

The newspaper is eager not to alienate its existing readers online, so each month the first 20 articles will be free.

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So I am watching the Chris Moyles Longest Show attempt as it streams over the internet.  They just passed the 24 hour mark, announced they have raised over 335,000 pounds which is amazing. Dave mentioned they weren’t even half way yet, and I didn’t understand because I thought they were planning to do it for 37 hours. But they went on to say they were planning to beat the world record by lasting 51.5 hours.

Moyles said: “By the time we’ve done 37 hours we may as well go for broke and hit 51.5 hours and set a new world record. That means that we can hopefully raise even more cash for Red Nose Day – although I do think we might be completely mental.”

His sidekick, “Comedy” Dave Vitty, said: “I’m apprehensive, nervous and confident that it’s a wholly stupid idea.”

Well good luck guys. The show is amazing!

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I’m a big fan of Nooma videos, they are an amazing resource for small group studies. They are slick, professional, straight to the point, thought provoking and entertaining.

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