Ministry in Transit Draws to a Close

Canada Day. My Medicine Hat Transit pass for June has expired. I think I got my money's worth—just. I enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed not having to drive and being able to tap notes and thoughts on my iPhone as I travelled. Can't say it made my job easier, but I suspect the enforced spacing out of calendar items is better for me and would make my work richer because I would have more time to process things. I didn't get to do any off-peak travelling. That would have been even more time consuming.

The Score

I was impressed by the friendliness and courtesy of the drivers. I was also impressed by the cleanliness, noise level and comfort of the buses. Good. The thirty minute schedule is pretty convenient.

Would Jesus ride the bus? 

I think he would. I don't think he cared about efficiency as we post-moderns do. News of an emergency or something like the death of Lazarus would have most of us present day clergy leaping into our cars and racing off to dispense pastoral care. Jesus waited three days when he heard about Lazarus. It wasn't because he didn't care. He seems to have known something we've forgotten about how immediacy and right now is not always the most important thing and that the passing of time can be redemptive. Spending time with people seems to be a most important thing to him. More chance of doing that on a bus than in my car.

For Us Anglicans—Does Riding Public Transport Go with The Marks of Mission? 

It does. I suspect if I were to continue long enough to connect with other passengers I would find opportunities to do some Mark I proclaiming. I might also be presented with some opportunities to help some disadvantaged people in a Mark IV kind of way. Environmentally, transit riding is very much a Mark V activity.

On Missing the Bus

Just when I thought I had the 50 schedule sorted, the closing of Scholton Hill because of the flooding has caused some drivers to move a little quicker because they now have further to go. So I MISSED the bus!

There's a lesson in that. Just when I think I've got everything predictably under control change happens. The river overflows its banks, someone gets sick, someone dies. The consequences of my, or someone else's, sin rises up and smites me. You and I miss the bus in all sorts of ways. Today I get to work a half hour later.

Jesus is like the bus. He doesn't always show up exactly when we expect him or when we want him or when we think he should. His schedule is a mystery, but a schedule there is. Our challenge is not to lose heart and to be waiting at the stop when he passes by. Ultimately,  he's the only way home.

Here comes the next bus.

The Other Half of My Bus-ness Day

Walking

Walked back to the church after the ministerial meeting, lunch and a pastoral visit in the neighborhood of the meeting venue. Would have to have waited thirty minutes for the next bus. Sigh. Would have made it to the church by the time the next bus wuld have got me there except that I stopped off for a visit to prepare for a funeral on Saturday. 

Time

Transit takes time. It slows me down. Not a bad thing. I have more time to spend with people until the next bus is due (although I suppose the opposite can happen if I'm tempted to finish early to catch one). I can also be forced to take a break while I wait for a bus, or walk—it's less than half an hour from the hospital to the church. I have to prioritize and plan my time more carefully. 

Collared

As I've mentioned earlier, I'm wearing my collar on transit days. I think it gets me (and the church) into the community in a way travelling in my car doesn't, as does walking the streets.

Express Lane

Now alone on the 51 for most the trip heading home for a quick meal before Parish Council this evening—to which I will drive. Late. Because of flooding re-route, no doubt. Certainly room to stretch my legs out! All the way from the terminal up Dunmore with nary a stop. Like my own personal express! 

Sunshine Bus: Ministry in Transit

Beautiful day on a sunshine bus. 

Praying God's mercy and strength for the flood victims going through the stress and hard times as they wait to get back in their homes or are cleaning up. A good day for drying things out.

Route change on the 51 this morning. Scholton Hill is still closed because of the flooding. Straight transfer to the 21 for the monthly Medicine Hat Evangelical Association prayer-for-the-city time followed by a special combined meeting with the Medicine Hat and District Ministerial Association to plan city wide flood recovery help from the church.

Another Day of Ministry in Transit

Back on the 51 on my way home for lunch. Away for a few days. Regina for daughterly dance recitals, too much to fit in for a few days whilst fighting a cold (being a woos, I know) and Calgary for diocesan meetings. Today I drove in because I have a pastoral visit in Redcliff this afternoon. 

Met a young fellow in the terminal across from the church who came up to say hello. He's been in for help a couple of times and told me he is doing much better now. Getting ready to go back to school. Good news. An encounter that wouldn't have happened if I'd not been travelling by bus. 

On my way back to the church. Note to self: avoid the seat over the rear wheel on the "mezzanine deck." Too little leg room even for me. 

I do enjoy being able to tap in transit. 

StB from the terminal…

Ministry in Transit: Day Three

The view from my bus stop this morning. 

I'm riding in solitary splendour. 

A school boy wearing a red hoodie and iPod buds just got on, caused the coin collector to chime with his fare and headed on to his seat. 

"Don't you need a transfer?" asked the driver. 

"Oh, yeh!" he replied. A thoughtful act of kindness. 

Another guy hung his bike on the rack on the front of the bus before he got on. Very convenient. 

Another Day of Ministry in Transit

StB FROM THE TRANSIT TERMINAL

Rode Routes 51 and 21 today. 51 from the end of the street to the Church. And 21 to and from the hospital. 51 back home again. Very comfortable.

I realize, though, that it's not as easy or convenient to do a quicker circuit from the hospital to a nursing or someone's home. I have to think through my schedule more carefully. On the other hand, I can read work related stuff as I travel.

Momentary confusion this afternoon when I went across the street to the transit terminal to where I thought the 21 headed out to find a bus labelled 31! A nice lady assured me it was 21, to the Hospital, and the driver apologized because the route display system didn't immediately "take" the new route number when he punched it in. The aforementioned lady commented on how beautiful StB is and that she enjoys watching the weddings from the bus terminal in the summer. She asked me how long I've served there and told me something of her life.

I like the way the bus drivers thanked the passengers just before they alighted this afternoon each of whom responded in friendly kind.

The bus "knelt" again for a man with a cane to get off. A nice gracious touch.

I started Church of England Evening Prayer while waiting at the terminal. Psalm 47 was up:

God reigns over the nations; God has taken his seat upon his holy throne.

I then took my seat on the 51 and continued while riding home.

Even the bus "knelt" to take on a young mother with a stroller. "Lifting up the lowly," just as Mary said in her Magnificat.

Daily office on wheels!

Ministry in Transit: on the Wheels on the Bus Going Round and Round-—a Homily for the Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year C

In the the OT passage from 1 Kings 17, the widow of Zarephath was twice headed down a hard road: first, to starvation, then to the unutterable grief over the death of her only son. Then Elijah came along and her life was headed in a new direction.

In Galations (1:14) this morning, we heard how Paul was “advanced in Judaism” and moving along “violently persecuting the church of God” and “trying to destroy it.” (v13). Then he found himself headed in a new direction; instead of Damascas, to Arabia first and, eventually, Jerusalem, Syria and Cilicia—proclaiming Jesus.

In Luke, another widow, of Nain, was on her way to the cemetery with a large crowd, grieving the death of her only son. Then Jesus came on the scene and their destination changed. Instead of death, the cemetery and grief, to new life and celebration.

That makes me think of destinations.

As some of you know I’ve bought a bus pass and plan to ride Medicine Hat Transit for most of my work this month. I'll be blogging about it as I go.

Why following Jesus at StB is like riding the bus—Medicine Hat Transit:

Sings: The wheels on the bus go round and round…

1. There is a schedule and you have to know what it is or where to look it up.

2. You have to go to a bus stop to catch one. You have to go to it, it usually doesn’t come to you. However, if you’re sick or disabled, there are special transit buses that will come to your home. Just so, we have to come to church to get on this bus.

3. You don’t get to pick your fellow passengers and the seating is not assigned— Sings: The babies on the bus go, whaa whaa whaa…

4. There is a fare.

The city has bought, set up and subsidizes the system as a public service for the welfare of the community. Jesus paid for ours and set it up and subsidizes it, too, for welfare of the city and the world. We passengers are required to contribute. On the bus your fare. In a church, your tithes and offerings. To pay for the vehicle and its maintenance.

5. You need a ticket

Our baptismal certificate.

Sings: The driver on the bus says move on back, move on back, move on back…

6. There is a driver. But he does’nt say that on this bus. I think Jesus is our driver. I’m more like a conductor. I make sure people have tickets, although I don’t sell them.

7. This bus is going somewhere. If I don’t get on the bus, I won’t be going anywhere. Eventually, you have to get off and live ministry.

8. There is a route plan. The driver doesn’t get to drive wherever she wants. The passengers get on the bus because they want to go somewhere specific. These are not tour buses, neither is StB.

Where is our route map? The Bible and the prayer books, our Bishop and diocese. Being Anglican is especially like travelling by bus. Not like driving our own cars where we can get in and head off to wherever we like, whenever we like. We are under authority.

Where is this bus, St BarnaBUS, headed?

From our Parish Council Retreat and the three areas upon which they've decided God is calling us to focus:

1. Where is our mission field—a new route or destination for St BarnaBUS?

2. Community building—ways of building relationship and making it possible for new passengers to get the best seats

3. Communication—promote our routes, destination and schedule.

One thing for sure, on the way: although things may be lean, like for the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings; and there will be sadness, like for her and the widow of Nain; and there may be even be some persecution like that which Saul doled out to the early Christians in Galations; and death like for Saul’s victims and the widows’ sons; as we take good care of this bus and one another and, above all—love, follow and proclaim Jesus—our destination will be resurrection, new and eternal life and endless joy and celebration.

Sings: The wheels on the bus go round and round…

 

Posted with Blogsy

On the Buses, or Ministry in Transit: an Exploration

First day of looking at my work from another angle, namely, in transit, or, on the buses. Medictine Hat Transit. Bought a pass and everything. Impressions.

I have to confess I felt uncomfortable waiting for a bus! I was tempted to walk up and down as if I were going somewhere so people didn't know I was taking the bus. How's that for snobbishness? I got stared at by the drivers of the passing cars. They're not used to seeing someone in a collar waiting on the side of the road.

Once aboard the number 50 it felt better. It was quieter and more comfortable than the last bus I rode regularly; the Calgary Transit number 20 from Huntington Hills to Mount Royal College (as it was then) back in 1986. I even did the Nineteenth Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius on that bus, but that's another story.

And then one of our regular visitors to the church got on. He pops in to use the phone to organize odd jobs and to have a coffee.

"What are you doing taking the bus," he asked. "Car being fixed?"

I explained what I think I'm doing but I don't think it registered.

Suddenly a young man with Down Syndrome across the aisle started banging the back his head against a thick perspex partition behind his seat. Hard. The driver yelled, "Hey!"

After about six good loud whacks the young man stopped, seeming no worse for wear other looking a little dazed.

And then it was time to get off.

An Anglican Church Women Holy Communion and lunch, a graveside memorial service and reception, a hospital visit, and a half hour wait later (haven't got the schedule sussed yet), and I was aboard the number 21 to take me back to the church.

I suspect this is going to slow me down. In a good way. I enjoy just sitting for a bit on my way hither and yon.

As soon as I was seated, a woman offered a cheery hello. I asked how she was doing and she told me she was homeless, tired, thirsty and did I have a spare toony? I told her I'd given the last one in my pocket away this morning. Maybe I have to carry some with me.

The bus kneeled for a slow moving woman to alight. Well, actually, it sank to the right. A kind of transit prayer. I like that.