Church - Working to be ONE!

Today I will find myself being Church with a variety of people I don't usually get to fellowship with and this is a source of great joy for me.

The day begins with me crossing town to take a early Communion service, sharing God's word and breaking bread with them. This is followed by our congregation (St Francis') going up the hill to have a joint service with the Methodists (St Andrew's) - something we began last year having made the journey both ways and having run a joint Alpha and continue with a shared House group too.

This evening will see many of the Christians from the Tamworth area crowd into the town centre church, St Editha's, where we will celebrate the many things done to serve the town's residents (and there are a fair number of them) and add to their number Tamworth Street Angels. We have the diocesan bishop and senior clergy from the Baptists, Methodists and RC Church. How cool is that?

Having done some of my training in a couple of Methodist colleges and working with them in the East end of London during the seventies, I have long appreciated them (enjoying the fact that they are of course 'splitters') and this joy has deepened with the coming of the current minister, Tim, to our town a while back. The addition of two new RC clergy, Michael and Noel, has brought opportunities to share I new ways - the previous incumbents were a blessing too - (and loving the fact that we become the 'splitters'!). The arrival of the Baptist minister, Graham, has deepened the joy and the cherry on the cake has to be the Living Rock Church and John and Caleb.

Ecumenism is often regarded as something that doesn't that sounds great when reading the label on the tin that contains it but is, when opened, is something rather bland that lacks the ability to sustain. This is not the case though, for where there is a willingness to dialogue and a desire to serve the people in the place where you live, ecumenicism is a deep and enabling joy.

This week we will see us meet in different church building at 7pm every day to pray together as one Church as we engage in the 'Week of Prayer for Christian Unity' - can it get any better?

To all the members and leaders of the churches that is Tamworth Covenanting Churches:

Thank You!

IDS - that £53 comment

Sad to say that as much as I struggle with our political parties at the moment (and let's be honest, who wouldn't) I not only find that there is little to separate the ConDem coalition from it's ComThem opposition (the party formally know as 'Labour') I do wish people would portray them properly.

The latest example of this is that poor man's champion (not) being the Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith (IDS), who is a firm supporter of the changes that are occurring within, and to, our welfare system.

That the man thinks that many of these changes are fair is something that will be responded to when the hustings come a knocking but the reporting of IDS' engagement with David Bennett (thanks to the BBC's 'Today' programme leave a little to be desired. The issue surrounds Mr. Bennett's question, 'Could you survive on £53 a week?'

The reply was, 'If I had to I would.' It was not, 'I can live on £53'

The 'having to' and 'can' are two very different kettles of caviar; people might be able to exist on £53 a week but they certainly cannot live on it. I have to say that I doubt whether IDS would be able to match his current lifestyle on £53 a day but should he, like so many I work with, find himself out of work and having to live on benefits he'd have no choice but to to make it work, for like those upon whom he is legislating by means of the changes, he would have to!

I am worried that we will let this gross misreporting fuel a backlash that vilifies the man and draws attention away from the realities, which (in case you have forgotten) are:

The bedroom tax which hits those of a working age who receive housing benefit (including those whose partners have cancer, who are parents of handicapped kids and many more besides).

The reduction of legal aid (an essential for those who have not to be represented and afforded the same rights as those who have!)

The changes from council tax benefit to a locally run council tax support

The below inflation cap on  tax credits and working-age benefits

The new independence payment which replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

The overall benefit cap for those who are of working-age people

The Universal Credit system

People on benefits who have a history of struggling to manage money will soon find themselves faced with them receiving benefits which they will need to pass on, and for some who have addiction problems (drink, drugs, gambling) this may well see them in arrears with their rent and heading towards being homeless.

Let's stop jumping on the crass reporting of the newspapers; diverting our fire at shadows created by the press and let's start making a focussed and structured stand for those who HAVE to live on £53 a week.