Before someone asks why yesterday was 'mostly blessed' let me explain:
The day was one of those with multiple services and the first of a six-week 'Mission-Shaped Introduction' course (which was really well populated). From the gentle said Eucharist and into the All-Age service, which was a blessing on a number of levels we had lunch to celebrate my beloved's birthday and then back into the course. Setting up, checking powerpoint presentations, checking video clips and putting out the drinks and biscuits, setting out the chairs (which I wildly underestimated) and then, of course, clearing away afterwards.
Back home and some fireworks, bit of cake (still my beloved's birthday don't forget) and a need to be resolved. But I can't resolve it. I have a person in need of a place of safety and the church building is already taken and those who I hope can help are nowhere to be found! In the end we came up with a 'sort of' solution but more and more the need for us to have a couple of houses converted to support those who have found themselves homeless presses hard against my conscience.
Councils are keen to do their 'statutory minimum' when it comes to housing and some are keener to offer the fare for a journey to somewhere else than provide within its own boundaries. Good Christians in the place where I live are there and will offer a place for a night but the numbers are small and the need is often great and this, tonight, weighs heavily.
We need to offer more than a few bob or a, "Be blessed - go well<" response - we need out councils and our society to offer more than that and the Church should be speaking and acting as the public conscience (for truly the public seem rarely to have one these days).
The question, "What Would Jesus Do?" is surely tempered with the question, "What Did I do?"
2:12 - it's a cold, clear night and as I pull the plug and head off for bed I wonder what more I can do, where have all the Christian soldiers gone?
Pax
2 comments:
Thanks to the large parish halls and classroom space of many of our community's church's many homeless have been helped as we turn our buildings into temporary housing. Each member church takes one week at a time and provides a p.m. meal and sleeping quarters. (http://familypromiseyc.org/aboutus.htm)
Had a look and found it to be exactly what I want to do. We often have a guest in our single-room church building and I have a few camp beds and tins to assist when there is a need but you take it a step (or three) further.
Thanks for the encouragement - there are times when I really need it.
Blessings,
V
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