Hello, on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Day. 

Preaching to 1000+ Dudley High School students at a packed Centenary Methodist Church in town last Thursday - just before they broke up for the long weekend - I suggested that we might call this day 'Suspended Saturday', as we hang in there between cross and empty tomb. I suspended a woven bag on a long rope from the high pulpit as illustration and dangled it enticingly on the hook of my forefinger. What might happen to the bag? It swung gently and teasingly like a pendulum. Might it plummet to the floor to be trampled on; possibly discarded? Or will it be rescued, pulled up high, slung on the shoulder and put to good work? One thing's for sure. It can't stay suspended forever. 

We thought of examples of when we live in suspense: after the exam paper's handed in but we've yet to get the results; when a loved one is sick and we're in painful suspense about whether they're closer to death or recovery. The idea of being 'in suspense' or 'in-between' seemed to intrigue and we stressed the idea of Christ hanging in there with us and it being a great opportunity for watching and praying. A student who'd heard the sermon on Thursday met me on the road as I headed out of campus this morning. 'Rev Val - it's Suspended Saturday!' she grinned cheerfully. 'Yep!' I said. 'It certainly is'. 

That's the trouble with teenagers. They don't listen to sermons anymore. Only want pads, pods and screens.

Don't ever fall for that one.

-----------------------------------------

I was in the US for a couple of weeks and didn't blog. Appalling laziness and neglect. But I was busy about the Lord's business while there, as well as having a bit of a break,  so seek absolution. The visit was to Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena and Duke Divinity School, North Carolina for some discussions and networking that I pray will bear fruit for PTCEE and PTC, if God makes a way. I acknowledge with thanks the fine work of the PTCEE staff Nisha, Nitesh and Maiarii during my travels. Top team pictured right.

The objectives of the US visit were to respond to invitations from former colleagues now on Faculty at Fuller and Duke. To network on behalf of PTCEE and PTC in areas of common interest; in particular flexible, blended and online learning emerging out of traditionally residential programmes. To promote enthusiastically PTCEE and PTC, exploring opportunities for resource sharing. And to attend the confirmation service of Josiah Neal - a huge delight. 

[And even to enjoy the sights of Spring cherry blossom and Californian oranges too!]

With Jerusha Neal in the stunning Duke gardens
and below from fruitful Pasadena

I flew Fiji Airways Nadi-Los Angeles and spent the first five days at the home of Professors Kirsteen and Sebastian Kim from the School of Intercultural Studies and the Korean Study Center at Fuller. Both are former colleagues and much valued friends from Birmingham days in the UK. Their particular specialisms are missiology and public theology. While at Fuller I had meetings with Professor Daniel Shaw whose connections with and ongoing passion for the people and societies of Papua New Guinea is both moving and contagious. Dan would welcome more conversation with PTC about resource sharing around a ‘Pacifica’ doctoral programme and may try to visit us. 

with Dan Shaw

Extremely valuable was interaction with the Office of Teaching and Learning and its Executive Director Tommy Lister. Based in the Fuller Library, this team deals with all aspects of what they prefer to call ‘distributive learning’ which includes encouraging faculty and teaching them how to develop material for and teach in a variety of flexible modes; giving training to faculty and students alike about how to navigate online and flexible learning options; sourcing and distributing free, quality, digital, theological resources and working constantly on maximum access for all.

Tommy spoke of how flexible learning continues to raise ‘alarm bells’ with academics used to traditional, residential model approaches but how this can change dramatically when teachers find themselves fully engaged and connected with non-campus students through discussion forums, webinars, flipped classrooms and the like. ‘I was extremely sceptical, but now recognise this is the best course I’ve ever taught!' said one. So much of what he said has resonance here. I wonder if we can get to the stage here PTC of more inter-island inter-action via the web. It would be - as US colleagues might express it - awesome!

with the Fuller Teaching and Learning Team

with Sebastian Kim

Affordability and accessibility came into the conversation frequently. Fuller students, many of whom work full-time, pay their own way and need to fit studies around busy lives. Further conversations were had with Dean and Professor of World Christianity Scott Sunquist and library director Jeffrey Waldrop so that I could ‘pick their brains’ further about the topics above. I was also generously given a library guest pass for the duration and was impressed by the broad range of materials in languages other than English; Korean, Spanish and Chinese languages mostly. 

On Sunday I worshipped in contrasting places: mainstream multi-cultural Methodist at First United Methodist Church Pasadena, and charismatic African-American at Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center Altadena. Those are my shorthand descriptions of the churches which of course should be permitted to self-define. In both places I met with vibrant examples of faith-in-action in the community and assurance of prayers for PTC’s mission and ministry.

First United Methodist Pasadena

The Revd Dr Jerusha Matsen Neal, formerly of Davuilevu Theological College here in Fiji is now on Faculty at Duke Divinity School [DDS] and her husband Revd Wesley Neal is Pastor at the nearby Asbury United Methodist Church. Together with their teenage children Mercy and Josiah, they kindly offered me warm hospitality in their home. Thanks Team Neal!

Conversations at DDS were had with Associate Dean for Academic Programmes Professor Jeffrey Conklin- Miller and Dr Elizabeth DeGaynor who run the Master of Arts in Christian Practice programme which operates as a hybrid learning model. It encourages critical reflection on actual practice for lay people pursuing vocations to various forms of ministry, as well as those seeking ordination or already ordained and needing to analyse and reflect on their real contexts of ministry. Both Jeff and Liz shared very openly about the ‘trials and tribulations, joys and celebrations’ of the MACP, but the programme’s clear strength is its ability to start where students actually are, being mindful and respectful of their varied contexts, and encouraging the learning to take root in and grow from there. 

Flexible, hybrid and online learning makes many options possible. Even in the US, availability of the necessary bandwidth is sometimes an issue for students in isolated places, as it would be with parts of our Pacific region, but gradually as networks expand, this eases. 

Similarly to the conversations with Tommy Lister at Fuller, I learned much from Instructional Technology Consultant Karin Reese about the logistics of hybrid and online learning and she shared many ideas about apps and software which make things work simply. I'll be working with Nitesh at PTCEE to look at compatibility for our needs. Karin also had excellent ideas about how to offer faculty and student support that builds confidence in flexible learning. Josh Leto at the Duke Divinity School Library offered his wisdom on free digital resources that PTCEE might add to its Helpful Links menu and we swopped sympathetic notes on the challenges of persuading authors and publishers to release material digitally and at low cost to achieve maximum accessibility for students in challenging settings. I was extremely grateful for rich conversations and valuable time given by Faculty at both the schools in the midst of all too busy schedules of their own. Much to reflect on and share here at PTC and PTCEE

Confirmation and a contemporary parable 

Josiah, aged 14, the son of Wes and Jerusha Neal, left Fiji with the family in July 2017 having begun on the road to Confirmation whilst here. Through prayers and discussions and his Confirmation classes, Josiah came to the point of being ready to make his public profession of faith at the Church where his father is now Pastor, and it was a real joy that the family kindly asked me to be part of that occasion. Josiah and I had talked faith, life and theology a bit in his Fiji days: he's a stunning young theologian. Josiah was confirmed along with three others of similar age who all gave touching and well prepared testimonies before the congregation. 

It struck me that both Josiah and Mercy are North American young people with firm, family roots in the Christian faith, working out what it means to ‘live the Gospel’ contextually, among their contemporaries, in an age of – among other things – gun culture and school shootings. They were both young leaders helping to organize a peaceful walkout of school students calling for an end to gun violence on 14th March, while I was there. 

Though many of their friends would not necessarily have named Christian faith as a motivation for being involved, for them it was central, and I give thanks to God for their voices and convictions. 

On the flight back I was thinking about the more 'academic' faith conversations that had been part of this visit alongside the vigorous witness and testimony of these young people in school and church. I really hope that the kind of theological and missional education emanating from PTC and PTC Education by Extension will ultimately benefit and equip Josiah's generation here in the Pacific. We really trust and pray so.

---------------------------

Oh yes and by the way, there were lemurs. A whole sanctuary of them not far from Duke Divinity School. Always an asset to theological education. Fixed stares of either sheer boredom or utter disbelief, and clinging on for dear life.

Jerusha and Mercy took me for a treat. 

Brought back memories of Animal Magic, Johnny Morris and dear ring-tailed lemur Dotty. Bless!

Though I think that was a Brit thing....