You'll hear more about it but put it in your diaries and publicises it amongst those you know - and bring a friend too - you've still enough time to make one if you don't have one):
See you there?
Showing posts with label renewal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewal. Show all posts
Monday, 30 March 2015
Tamworth Renewal Event - 10 June 2015
A bit of advance notice of one of those 'must be there' Church events which will be taking place at St Paul's, Fazeley this June.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Another day in the office!
Whilst looking for some information, I came across this photograph of a dedication of a new standard done recently:
There are many people out there who witter on endlessly about how every November we deny the truth and make heroes out of people who gave their lives worthlessly in the name of making war look noble and worthy of praise. Of course, we don't do that but (working on the assumption that these people either wear slip-ons or get their Mums to do their laces) those who write that sort of stuff seem to think it's true.
The reality is that those who serve do the bidding of the politicians and seek to bring peace and 'do their duty'. The solutions are never military, even when the military have been involved, but are political and soldiers don't start wars, but the certainly have an important place in ending them (and Law of Armed Conflict means that we do so with the minimum loss of life too!).
I've been thinking about what Remembrance is and have realised that it's a hatful of 'R's'.
Remembrance
For if we forget we are condemned to repeat whatever brought us to conflict
For if we forget those who died in conflict (regardless of the situation) them and their sacrifice is soon forgotten.
For if we forget what others have done for us, then we take for granted what is before us (often as a result of what others have done).
Reconciliation
Remembrance is the beginning of reconciliation.
Having seen RAF and Luftwaffe veterans remember their fallen and then, united by the remembering, drink together and find they were no different from the other.
The same with soldiers and sailors in the same setting (but I've not experienced it in the Far East context!) for there is a common bond between those who have served, even when it was against each other and this fosters reconciliation and from that comes forgiveness.
Restoration
Restoration begins with making human those who were dehumanised and seeing them as human, forgiving them as well! In reconciling we have the foundations for restoration of moral and spiritual elements which mean that the likelihood of such happenings that litter our past just that little less likely.
Renewal
I have seen men and women, when faced by all of the above, find that they are not only spiritual beings, but broken spiritual beings. They see in themselves the needs that are met at the foot of the Cross and seeing themselves as Christ sees them, they can be healed, restored and renwed.
Don't ever let anyone tell you remembrance is about glorifying war, it is a mirror to our frailties and potentially the first step of the journey that leads to the Cross and healing for the individual and for our nations.
Pax
ps. the dog-collar in the picture is me by the way - that's my office photo' :)
There are many people out there who witter on endlessly about how every November we deny the truth and make heroes out of people who gave their lives worthlessly in the name of making war look noble and worthy of praise. Of course, we don't do that but (working on the assumption that these people either wear slip-ons or get their Mums to do their laces) those who write that sort of stuff seem to think it's true.
The reality is that those who serve do the bidding of the politicians and seek to bring peace and 'do their duty'. The solutions are never military, even when the military have been involved, but are political and soldiers don't start wars, but the certainly have an important place in ending them (and Law of Armed Conflict means that we do so with the minimum loss of life too!).
I've been thinking about what Remembrance is and have realised that it's a hatful of 'R's'.
Remembrance
For if we forget we are condemned to repeat whatever brought us to conflict
For if we forget those who died in conflict (regardless of the situation) them and their sacrifice is soon forgotten.
For if we forget what others have done for us, then we take for granted what is before us (often as a result of what others have done).
Reconciliation
Remembrance is the beginning of reconciliation.
Having seen RAF and Luftwaffe veterans remember their fallen and then, united by the remembering, drink together and find they were no different from the other.
The same with soldiers and sailors in the same setting (but I've not experienced it in the Far East context!) for there is a common bond between those who have served, even when it was against each other and this fosters reconciliation and from that comes forgiveness.
Restoration
Restoration begins with making human those who were dehumanised and seeing them as human, forgiving them as well! In reconciling we have the foundations for restoration of moral and spiritual elements which mean that the likelihood of such happenings that litter our past just that little less likely.
Renewal
I have seen men and women, when faced by all of the above, find that they are not only spiritual beings, but broken spiritual beings. They see in themselves the needs that are met at the foot of the Cross and seeing themselves as Christ sees them, they can be healed, restored and renwed.
Don't ever let anyone tell you remembrance is about glorifying war, it is a mirror to our frailties and potentially the first step of the journey that leads to the Cross and healing for the individual and for our nations.
Pax
ps. the dog-collar in the picture is me by the way - that's my office photo' :)
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