Stephen on sabbatical

Over and out

2010-08-25T14:31:00.000+01:00

So - my last sabbatical posting. Got back from South Africa earlier today - a good three weeks with the family, visiting Kruger, Durban, Joburg, Swaziland, and lots of other interesting places. A tiring return journey, but here now. I'm grateful to all who prayed for refreshment, health and safety etc - I think those prayers were answered. My last sabbatical prayer request is for the weather to improve as we camp at Greenbelt this weekend (!) - and for a smooth transition back into life and work here in London. Over and out!

On retreat in Zim

2010-07-29T20:19:00.000+01:00

I'm in a very remote farmhouse in a beautiful spot in rural Zimbabwe, an hour or so from Bulawayo. As I come towards the end of this part of the sabbatical it has been great to have time to review my journal, pray, walk and rest, and look forward to meeting up with the family next week.

Zimbabwe has been one of my favourite parts of the sabbatical. The ministry has been very varied and well received, and I like Bulawayo very much. It has been good to stay in an area a bit longer - nearly 3 weeks by the time I leave. The people I have met have been lovely - and many of them astonishingly committed to the rebuilding of this nation.

Beneath the beauty and the friendly welcome there are shocking stories to be told. It is less than 2 years since the stores were empty, the inflation rate made currency valueless, those who could drove to Botswana for food, and those who couldn't ate bark from the trees and poisonous local fruit. When you look at the agricultural richness of this country it is heartbreaking that even now most food is imported, as the farms which have been repossessed under the land grab are often not utilised by their new 'owners', who may know nothing at all about farming. I heard of one such owner who hired the previous farmer to come back and run the farm for him, because he himself had no idea how to do it.

Perhaps most impressive are the people who have the wealth and skills and passport to leave but chose not to, even when things were at their worst. I met one couple who chose to relocate here in 2008, when things were at their worst, because they felt that God had called had called them to be part of the rebuilding of Zimbabwe, and they didn't want anyone to be able to accuse them of only arriving when the worst of it was over. Amazing.

Next week I leave here for South Africa and a holiday with my family, and I'm looking forward to it very much. I probably won't post again until I get home. For those who have prayed, thank you. I think all the main prayers for by sabbatical - health and safety, fruitfulness in ministry, personal refreshment - have been answered. Please continue to pray for a good and happy holiday and a smooth return to London in late August.

Sad day

2010-07-21T12:43:00.002+01:00

Very sad today about the loss of our dear friend and elder Paul. Hard to be so far from home at a time like this. Follow this link for more:
http://www.ascensionbalhamhill.org.uk/news_story.php?id=4

Enjoying Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

2010-07-21T11:12:00.000+01:00

I'm in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I've never been to Zim before but I'm enjoying it a lot. Contrary to the media impression, it feels safe and friendly, the people are lovely, and the church is displaying remarkable courage and leadership in difficult circumstances.

So far I have mainly been with Anglicans, teaching a leaders' day on Saturday and a clergy day on Tuesday, preaching in a parish on Sunday, and staying for a few nights with the Bishop. His diocese, Matabeleland, is linked with our area, Kingston, so it is good to be part of strengthening that link.

Missing my family at the moment. Nat turned 17 last week, and Isaac left primary school, and it was hard not to be there for those milestones.

...and Lusaka

2010-07-09T18:26:00.000+01:00

A very quick note tonight - I've been in Lusaka since Wednesday staying with a friend from my DMin studies in the US. He is a Weslyan pastor here. I have been teaching his people about Alpha, as he wants to run it, and then doing some teaching on Philippians with some pastors linked to World Vision. A privilege to do, although it's been quite draining. Tomorrow I travel to Livingstone - 8 hours by coach! - preaching there Sunday morning, doing some leadership training in the afternoon, and then spending Monday visiting Victoria Falls. After a return coach journey on Tuesday, and a meeting with local Anglican leaders in the evening, I fly to Harare on Wednesday. Thanks for prayers for health and strength - all being answered. I do feel the need to take more rest time in the next week or two though and that is difficult when people are so enthusiastic about finding things for me to do!

Quick update from Kinshasa

2010-07-04T18:19:00.000+01:00

Thanks to those who have prayed for me this week - conference here in Kinshasa has gone well, I think, although numbers quite low people seemed appreciative of the teaching. Carl and I have both stayed healthy and endured the heat and the very lengthy conference sessions! This morning a highlight as we visited St. Peter's Anglican Church Kinshasa with the Bishop of Kinshasa and the former Archbishop of Congo. I preached, which seemed to go well, and the whole service had a lovely mix of Anglicanism - meaning I knew where I was in the liturgy even though I didn't understand the language - and indigenous Congolese worship. Tonight Carl flies back to London - via Tripoli - and tomorrow I fly to Jo'burg for one night on my way to Lusaka on Tuesday. There I will hopefully be doing 2 days or so teaching for leaders and preaching at Livingston next Sunday, as well as - I hope - having more time for rest and sightseeing than I have had in DRC.

So little time, so much to do...

2010-06-28T17:19:00.000+01:00

36 hours or so until departure for Kinshasa and a lot more than 36 hours worth of stuff to get done. Finally got visa for DRC this afternoon - has not been straightforward, and was feeling quite tense about it, not least since their embassy has had my passport for nearly a week. Anyway, that's done, and soon we'll be away...

England expects every man to do his duty...

2010-06-23T11:40:00.000+01:00

Or perhaps not. Either way, I'm in sunny England for a few days. Highlight has been a wonderful service at Ascension on Sunday night when 5 of our young people - including 2 of my children - were baptised or reaffirmed their faith my full immersion. Very moving - I was a proud father that night.

This weekend I shall be enjoying some music and hopefully some sunshine at the Glastonbury festival. Then on Wednesday I set off for Africa again. I don't know how much access I will have to the internet while I'm away so I'm going to post some detail about my plans here.

1st-3rd July I shall be teaching at a leader's conference in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. I spoke at this conference last year and it was good but demanding. This time my colleage Carl is coming with me and also speaking there. On Sunday 4th July I will be preaching at an Anglican church somewhere in Kinshasa.

Then it's on to Zambia on 5th July, without Carl who will be heading home. I will be there for about 9 days. I shall teach a 2 day leaders seminar - not quite sure who the leaders are. I have been asked to talk about Alpha there so I am tracking down the materials to do a mini Alpha conference. There will also be time in Zambia for some sightseeing, and I shall be preaching at an Anglican church in Livingston on 11th July.

Then I head off to Zimbabwe for a couple of weeks. Southwark Diocese has a link with the Diocese of Matabeland so I hope to be doing some work with Bishop Cleophas there, as well as having some retreat time. The programme for this leg - which is about 2 weeks long - remains to be finalised.

Finally I leave Zim for Jo'burg on 1st August, with my family joining me for holiday from 3rd. We plan to visit Durban and Kruger, amongst other places.

I am very grateful to those of you who pray for me. Over this next period I would particularly value prayer
- for health and safety - has been very good so far
- for the words to share that will be most helpful in my various training/teaching opportunities
- for sufficient relaxation and retreat time to come back refreshed spiritually and physically
- for my family while I am away, and for a wonderful holiday together at the end.

I will keep this blog as up to date as I can - local web access permitting!

Update on the Africa leg

2010-06-14T13:49:00.000+01:00

It's been a long while since I posted anything, mainly because of difficulties gaining access in Kenya. Anyway, I'm in Nairobi airport waiting for a flight so this is as good a time as any.

I've been in Africa for nearly 3 weeks now. I was 3 days in Cairo, somewhere I had always wanted to go, and now over 2 weeks in Kenya, most of it out west in Maseno. It was great to have Jacqui and the boys here for the first week, and then a team from Ascension, who should be taking off about now. We spent time visiting our partners in Ebwali parish and were encouraged to see how the project there continues to develop. Visits to local farms and time with orphans were particular highlights.

Now I am flying to Lamu, a Kenyan island, for a few days r and r. I hope to be in church for the baptism service on Sunday 20th June at 6pm.

Sunny weekend in London

2010-05-22T17:46:00.000+01:00

I think I'm about conferenced out! Three days in Harrogate at the New Wine leaders conference with some other staff members - good teaching and worship and great to reconnect with old friends. Today another conference at which I had the chance to hear three of the contenders for the Labour leadership speak, amongst others - all strong in different ways, I thought, David Miliband most of all. Tomorrow I plan to go to church at Ruach in Brixton for a very different Sunday experience. Then Monday is all about getting ready before I head off to Kenya - via Cairo - on Tuesday. The African leg of my sabbatical begins here! Prayers all appreciated for health and safety, fun and refreshment, and effectiveness in the ministry aspects of the trip.

Back in London

2010-05-16T19:02:00.000+01:00

It's been almost a week since I got back from USA and an excellent trip it was. I have spent the last few days with Carl in Brighton at a festival of new music called The Great Escape, and it's been great. Funny how when I have the freedom to rest and go at my own pace I keep cramming things in - just different things. Anyway, tomorrow 5 of us are heading up to Harrogate for the New Wine Leaders conference, hoping and praying to meet with God and be renewed by him there.

Kentucky - a long way from home!

2010-05-08T14:12:00.000+01:00

We've been in Lexington Kentucky these last 3 days, courtesy of Asbury Theological Seminary. I graduated from there with a D.Min. degree this time last year, and they invited me back to speak at the President's Retreat, in a very nice downtown hotel. Jacqui was invited too, and it has been lovely to have her here, her first visit to Kentucky. My talk went well and we've had lots of good conversations from it. But it has been most strange being away during the election - and such a strange election too. Of course everything is online and we watched it all that way. But it doesn't feel the same somehow. We need to pray for the best possible outcome for these negotiations now happening - and, I suspect, to prepare for another election within a year or so. From Ascension's point of view, I was glad that we were able to meet our leading candidates at a very positive hustings event a few weeks ago. I congratulate Battersea's new MP, Jane Ellison - but feel sad for Martin Linton's defeat, a very committed and effective constituency MP for the last 13 years. Thoughts and prayers too to the three members of our congregation who were up for election on Thursday - Mark Lloyd Davies who stood for the Conservatives in Bristol South, Mark Clarke who stood for the Conservatives in Tooting, and Tom Baker who stood for Wandsworth Council in Bedford Ward for the Labour Party. None were ultimately succesful, but all ran strong campaigns and increased their party's share of the vote, so congratulations on that.

We leave here tomorrow and fly home to London, where I'll be based for the next couple of weeks. Looking forward to seeing my kids!

Update from New Orleans

2010-05-01T15:55:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I posted - sorry about that - but the sabbatical is well and truly under way. I managed to get a flight out to Atlanta last Thursday, 3 days later than it should have been but still but better than many people have had. The journey - via Paris - was tediously long and much delayed, but I'll spare you the details.

I drove down from Atlanta to New Orleans and was struck my all the names of towns I knew from my civil rights history - Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma. All of these were places where just 50 years ago key battles were fought for the rights and equalities of black Americans - and now Barack Obama is in the White House. I felt a lift in my spirits as I thought about it.

I arrived in New Orleans in a terrible storm - perfect weather (!) for the New Orleans Jazz Festival, which was why I had come. The first weekend of the festival was wonderful. There are a few big names who they bring in to draw the crowds - Simon and Garfunkel, Pearl Jam - but often the most fun is to be found in the tents dedicated to gospel, blues, and jazz, where you will hear some local legend in the 80s still going strong.

After the weekend was over I spent a couple of days in a Benedictine monastry about an hour's drive away in rural Louisiana. It was peaceful and lovely. I realised how tired I was by the fact I felt like sleeping all the time. But it's hard to beat sitting under a beautiful tree in the sunshine reading Tom Wright while turtles swim in the pond in front of you. It was briefly a struggle to remember why I live in Balham.

Then Jacqui flew out here, which was lovely, and we have been in New Orleans again for the second weekend of Jazz Fest, staying in a rather more salubrious hotel and eating slightly classier food than I was when I was here alone! She has coped brilliant well with my desire to see as many bands as is possible through the weekend, although she may also be looking forward to Monday when we head to Pensacola Beach for a couple of days. Then another flight up to Lexington Kentucky - and I will update again from there.

All dressed up with nowhere to go

2010-04-19T17:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was a great day at Ascension to wrap up pre sabbatical. Services went well, and the hustings in the evening were great too. Made me feel like I was contributing something to the election even though I won't be here for much of the campaign. (Postal vote is sorted though!) But volcanic ash meant my flights to Atlanta today were cancelled, so I have spent a pleasant day wandering around London in the sunshine. Looks like I am now booked to fly on Friday - too late for my church leaders conference in Orlando, just in time for at least most of the New Orleans jazz festival. And I guess it may move sooner if restrictions are eased tomorrow.

- 2 Days

2010-04-17T15:53:00.000+01:00

Saturday afternoon - the desk is basically clear, the sermons and hustings for tomorrow are prepared, the cases are not yet packed but I at least know what is going in them, and we're getting ready for some friends to join us for a party tonight for my birthday (yesterday) and our 20th wedding anniversary (Wednesday) and my pre-sabbatical farewell. And the only cloud on the horizon is... the cloud. 48 hours from now I should be on a flight to Atlanta, to begin my sabbatical with a conference on church planting in Orlando. But will the volcano let me go? Praying so...

Keeping up with Stephen

2010-04-12T17:31:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Stephen Hance's new blog!

Stephen, Vicar of Ascension Balham Hill, will be on sabbatical from 19 April 2010, returning to church from 1 September.

Follow this blog to find out what Stephen is up to and how to support and pray for him and the family during this time.

For any church matters in the meantime, contact Associate Vicar Jim Foley.