A good conversation brings context and confusion

A conversation which started off with the topic of setting a static date for Easter ended up with some interesting insights. Now this won't please Conservatives and it won't please liberals and I'm sure there\s someone in the middle who won't like it either.

It all began with the words that it would be 'nice' if the Church can set a fixed date for Easter at this would make it easier to plan school terms and other diary events. "The problem is that the Church keeps on changing the date each year. It would be so good if they could get in step with the world," said my companion.

"The problem is," said I, "That the Church has been doing Easter using the formula of Easter Sunday falling on the Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox (March 21) for longer than anyone can remember. What we have is the society being out of step with the Church!"

The conversation continued and, as might be expected, it came around to the Primates gathering and 'that' subject. Once again the comment was made that the Church needed to get up to date and realise that people weren't bothered about 'all that stuff'/. The problem is that the Church appears to have had a spot of difficulty with it for a couple of thousand years since Jesus arrived on the scene and another 1400 (ish) before that.

The reasons for this conflict today stems in a desire then, as I understand it, to be counter-cultural, the same for tattoos. How interesting that once again both issues are back in the foreground and drawing comment (tattoos of course less so, but still crops up on a regular basis). I have sat through many a lecture where concubines, prostitutes and the like were prevalent and the action was both hetero and homo - sexual - and the people of God distanced themselves, and were seen as being different, because of their values and standards.

 The people of God (the Jews) were called by their God (YHWH) to live differently and be different from the people around them then - and (dare I say it) still are now! And this difference continued and became to some extent as 'being Christian' was more popular - and then the world moved on, moved away, became different (decide which you like to use) and bit by bit the Church stayed where it was and the world moved out of step.

NOTE: Society didn't move forward, nor did Church become backwards, society merely moved such that it became out of step with the Church and its teaching and values and standards and beliefs. But then, being in a different place, society complained that Church was no longer relevant and this is where some of the problems became made flesh! The problem is that some who saw themselves as Church were hardline and harsh and acted wrongly against those who were living outside those things which the Bible appeared to be demanding. The pill and the sexual revolution led to freedoms (and excesses) for women - this was soon followed by another revolution and suddenly that which would have seen people imprisoned (never a right step I fear) became suddenly acceptable, and then a fashion statement.

But of course the Church stayed where it had been for over three thousand years.The world, being rooted in the 'now' has this amazingly arrogant view of those whom it considers to be 'primitive' - we act with surprise that the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans and other historic people groups could do complex surgery, create amazing buildings and understand a darn sight more than the average person today, often working from 'first principles' (meaning from scratch) rather than by use of calculators, the internet and other people's work.

Good, kind-minded people, seeking to make Church relevant and to overcome the spiteful and absolutely wicked oppression of those whop differed from that which had stood for so long sought to revise the Bible to say something different. This was a genuine act of kindness born out of a (right belief in my book) that nothing separates us from God's love. The problem is that which they, and I, believe that the Church is an inclusive body - I would seek self-restraint and hope that I could submit to a life of obedience  - but I am aware that I am also all too frail and hope does not always end up as reality.

But the problem exists in the form of a resolute Church and a revisionist people - two bunches of generally kind, caring and well-meaning people - diametrically opposed and yet honestly seeking the same aim. The one vilified by people who see things as being about rights whilst the other resisted because their action and aims fall outside of that which has for a few thousand years been the dividing line. And that's what this is: Division - cold, heartless and bitter division!

Secular society calls for 'rights' to be recognised and afforded to everyone it seems except the Church! Those seeking to make Church popular with the non-theist world are keen to stand with them in the hope that rights with be afforded, wrongs also righted and Church will become popular with this who stand outside of it because they're all on the same side. But of course those who oppose the Church because of all and any perceived ills have no intention of coming onside - and to be honest, that's the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them in rather than PR and political clergy!

So here we are, sitting behind the desk with a brew and a five minute splurge from the brain onto the screen and now, if I've posted it, it's now appeared on your screen.

Despite the protestations what we have is about fidelity and integrity and the talk of second-class citizens (and I know the pain of that) provides nothing but vinegar for the wounds rather any salve. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that those who lived as peacemakers were Blessed - and that the kingdom of God was theirs. Don't see many of those people around at the moment!

So here we are, I still support Justin and the work he did this week. I am still saddened by sad people who accuse folk of being unloving without knowing the person or their views (before I was a Christian I'd call them a 'something or other'' idiot for doing such) - and to be honest, there is nothing that excuses the behaviour of many since the Primates packed their bags and issued their agreement.

The words of Galatians six come to mind again here: "Be careful how you seek to correct others in case you fall into sin yourself". A problem just for the Conservative alone? No, of course not - I'm seeing as much (perhaps more) sin from other camps - and that means that all sides are doing it wrong, this is not an endorsement of any one viewpoint or position over the others!

Perhaps the first step for all those well-meaning people from all sides is to stop being self-serving and sinful: Be good to be able to see Jesus in some of the utterances, wouldn't it?

And the Church? It will probably be found standing in the word whatever happens, that's what it's called to do, innit? Some might leave, others will come but the Gospel will continue unabated at the end of the day - and if the world speaks well of you? Woe unto you when that happens :-)

40 Acts - In Courage

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

Research suggests that every 11 hours a Christian is killed simply for being a follower of Jesus.   I wasn’t sure I wanted to lead off with such a shocking statement, but religious persecution is all too real. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations in 1948 establishes the protection of the freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief (including the right to change one’s religion or belief).  Yet in many countries these rights are ignored.  It is shocking to those of us in the West that a person might be killed or persecuted simply for their faith, but it is true.  Research indicates Christians are the most persecuted faith group in the world – facing persecution in over 60 countries (and discrimination in over 100). How, then, should Christians respond to persecution? The Bible tells us to respond with love.  Love empowers us to forgive and to bless those who persecute us.  That takes courage.  Napoleon Bonaparte once said, ‘Courage is like love; it must have hope to nourish it.’  As believers in Jesus we hold fast to a hope that is greater than ourselves.  We will soon celebrate Jesus’ resurrection – the promise of the inheritance we will gain through him.  Let us celebrate by having the courage to love those who insult us and to praying fervently for those who persecute our fellow believers.  Our first instinct may be to defend our rights, but if we draw near to Jesus, our first response can be love. Baroness Berridge

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Which are you: Church or church?

One of the challenges for those of us who consider ourselves to be 'Church' is getting people to realise that the pointy buildings are merely receptacles for Church.

What we need is to have signs like this outside the buildings we occupy which proudly proclaim:

If we are going to make a difference to the world around us we need to be engaged and engaging and be out there where the people are rather than sitting amongst the tombstones and the memorials to the dead (or are we merely waiting for our names to be added I wonder?).

Where is Church to be found?

Here's answer in graphic form:

As is often the case cartoonist Dave Walker hits it on the spot. 

Evangelism is about lifestyle and attitude - not missions and programmes.

Simple innit?

40 Acts - SENDING A BIGGER MESSAGE

"A person finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word!" Proverbs 15:23 (NIV)

I've written many passive-aggressive messages in my time, from scrawled notes to housemates pointing out how lovely it would be if we washed up occasionally to polite emails alluding to veiled displeasure at someone’s actions.

And I’ve received a fair number too. I can still conjure up the disproportionate rage evoked by seemingly insignificant Post-it notes or their technological equivalents, and cringe at time spent dreaming up witty come-backs to words which ruined my day.

Far better to dwell instead on messages which leave positivity in their wake.

I smile at the memory of my first job, single-handedly cooking for 40 students for weeks on end, and am so grateful to the person who arrived early to leave me encouraging little notes in the kitchen. I chuckle at the unexpected joy of finding funny pictures randomly stuck inside cupboards by a housemate.

I find pleasure in the pretty postcard received for no reason other than someone thought I’d like it, and in those ‘saw this and thought of you’ text messages. I appreciate photos of my new niece WhatsApped to me when her tired parents have every excuse not to be in touch, and remain thankful for that croissant on my desk in the run-up to Christmas from a colleague who knew me well enough to know that it would help.

How good, as the proverb goes, is a timely word!

Little communications, unnoticed by the majority, with surprising power to show their recipient that they are known, loved, and worth the effort. Timely Post-its, texts, cards and emails which – by choosing love, joy, kindness and the rest over criticism and passive-aggression – reflect in some small way the Word coming among us at just the right time and send a bigger message that another way is within our grasp.

Emily Bowerman

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40 Acts - SELFLESS COMMITMENT

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” Deuteronomy 15:10

While on patrol with a small four-man team from my SAS squadron, out in the deserts of North Africa, we were waiting for a delayed helicopter pickup. A delay like that, when you’re nearly out of water and in the roasting heat of the desert, can be life-threatening. We were all severely dehydrated and getting weaker fast.

Every hour we would sip another small capful from the one remaining water bottle we each carried, carefully and methodically rationing the little we had left. To make matters worse, I was sick.

The call came in; our extraction would come at dawn, some 20 miles away. We loaded up and began our slow and tortuous shuffle across the mountains, weighed down by kit and fatigue. I was soon struggling, with each footstep a monumental effort of will.

My sergeant, Chris Carter, could see this. He stopped the patrol, came to me, and insisted I drink the last remaining capful from his own bottle. No fuss, no show, he just made me drink it.

It was his kindness, that extreme of practical generosity that gave me the strength to keep going when I had nothing left inside me. No ego. No bravado or show.

Simple goodness.

The kind of goodness that Jesus talked about when he told us to love each other like ourselves; putting others needs above our own.

Mother Teresa said: ‘Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.’ Carry that with you today and don’t underestimate the power you have to change lives, to show others a little glimpse of Jesus, as you give in practical and powerful ways.

Bear Grylls

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Acts 40 - MIX IT UP

 

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)

Newham, the East London borough where I live, is possibly the most diverse borough in the country – more than 160 languages are spoken by the children in our many schools and our list of 600+ worship buildings and groups includes everything from Anglo-Catholicism to Zoroastrianism.

There is, thank God, very little inter-faith strife and lots of inter-faith conversation in Newham and I believe it’s such a blessing to us. Here, you don’t need to be shy about your faith – you are positively expected to have a faith and to practise it; most faith groups do not proselytise but are very glad to welcome visitors and proud to talk about their traditions, especially when they’re having a festival.

We are often surprised by the things we have in common – we all want a safe, clean and happy environment for our children and elders; decent, affordable homes and satisfying jobs; respect and freedom, peace and health, physical as well as spiritual – and it’s fascinating to share our hopes and ways of achieving those aims.

We Christians have been amazed to learn that you can go into a Sikh Gudwara at any time and there will be food and drink to welcome you; the tranquillity of our Quaker meeting house is a lesson for those of us who think that faith has got to be about words; and many of our public buildings now have a prayer room, thanks to our Muslim neighbours who pray five times a day, every day. We have had to consider carefully what the Christian church has to offer and are learning to be more open about our Bible and our history.

The Revelation to John is very clear that the New Heaven and the New Earth are like a city, full of people – ’an enormous crowd that no one could count’ – and I believe that life in Britain these days can be a foretaste of that Heaven.

Canon Ann Easter

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40 Acts - TICK TOCK

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10 (NIV)

I was ‘that girl’ in a restaurant recently. There I sat, alone, trying desperately not to look alone, at a table for 15. For half an hour. As people kept asking if they could borrow seats.

In a moment of insanity I had forgotten that my friends are always, always late – and I should have added a good 30 minutes onto our scheduled arrival time. True to form, the other 14 arrived en masse half an hour later, and we began our lovely evening.

Don’t think that I am a saint – more often than not I’m on the other side of the time-keeping spectrum. I’m the one who wanders into work 30 seconds past my start time (on a good day), who texts ahead to say that my journey has been ‘disrupted’ by an unnameable disaster, and who can never, ever be on time for church – no matter when it starts.

In those rare moments when I am on time and others are not, I’m reminded how little we value punctuality in our culture, and how much technology is a crutch for our lack of care.

I know I should be on time. I want to be on time. But why is it so important that we are, as Christians?

1. Jesus said we should prefer others to ourselves. Leaving someone hanging around and waiting for you so that you can check Facebook just one last time reveals that you care more about yourself than the other person. Being on time is a simple way to put others first.

2. It reveals your integrity. If we agree to arrive somewhere at midday and turn up half an hour later, we have not been true to our word. Integrity means doing what we say we will do, and excuses don’t help!

Phoebe Thompson

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Where are we on the time-keeping spectrum? Maybe it’s high time we were on time.

40 Acts - Don't let possessions possess you: HOLD IT LIGHTLY

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:20-21 (NIV)

A few years ago, a friend of mine was getting new living room furniture. Honestly, his old furniture was in pretty good shape. I figured he could sell it for around $500. Then he did something I couldn’t wrap my mind around at the time. He gave it away!

You see, back then I held my hands tightly around my treasure ... you know, my money and my stuff. But that day God started a work in my heart by prying open my fist one finger at a time.

Fast forward a few years. My ten-year-old son Sutton and I were having dinner at our favourite restaurant when we overheard a man tell his server that he wasn’t having a good day. We both felt God calling us to buy his dinner to help lift his spirits.

Sutton tells the story in his own words:

After my dad paid for the man’s dinner and we left, it felt so great to bless someone like that! It turned out that the man was really sad because his wife had died from cancer. Our waitress told us that he comes in a lot and usually HE’S the one who buys dinner for other people! Wow!!

We wished we’d left a note or something, because blessings like that are a great way to tell people about Jesus. Then, we came up with a Generosity Now card that people could leave when they do an act of generosity. We call it ’carding’ someone.

If I had to choose my favourite, it would be the time we left a really big tip for our waitress and then watched through the window, while we got soaked in the rain! She saw the money and looked surprised and then read the Generosity Now card. We saw her face light up in a big smile and watched her run back into the kitchen to tell everyone about it. It was awesome!

We’ve learned that a tight fist keeps your treasure securely locked inside, but it also leaves no room for God’s abundance to squeeze through your fingers. We’ve realised that the ‘stuff’ we held dear as our treasure breaks or wears out, but the impact of smiles and tears of joy is infinitely more valuable.

Christ and Sutton Coffman

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40 Acts - THANK YOU

"Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19b-20 (NIV)

Who would have thought that two little words could have so much influence for change, hope and transformation! ‘Thank you’ are two of the most powerful words I know because I see them unlock hope and positivity even in the most tricky situations, two things our world very desperately needs.

For two years I tweeted everyday #thankyoutoday for something that day. I started doing it because life had become a bit tough and I was finding it harder to keep a generous spirit. I expected it to help me connect with God and be thankful even on difficult or mundane days. What I found was a habit of thankfulness that led to thinking of others more, being generous with my words and encouragement of others' creativity to see glimpses of hope every day.

We live in a world where it is all too easy to be overwhelmed by difficulties, our personal challenges or the news of a world that is broken and crying out for help. Thankfulness instils in us a gratitude for what we do have. The more we practise an attitude of gratitude, the more I think God inspires us to be generous and live for hope, choosing to defy the odds and believe that a better tomorrow is possible.

Today is not just another day; today is an opportunity to invest in thankfulness and be seekers of hope and positivity. With this in mind, let’s join together and…

Write an update on your social media saying #thankyoutoday for something. If you’re not on social media, why not write it on a post-it and stick it to your bathroom mirror?

If you want more of a challenge, why not also write to someone in authority in your local area and thank them for their hard work? You could write to your MP, local councillors, church leader. Even if you don’t like everything they do, let’s be generous with our thankfulness.

Dot Tyler

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40 Acts - FAIR TRADE

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NIV)

It’s easy to think that Fairtrade is just a nice way to shop – a way to tick boxes and feel good. But for Christians it is about acting justly because for many farmers and artisans fair trade represents their only viable route out of poverty.

Having grown up in Kenya and visited India extensively, I’m no stranger to poverty. In fact, I’ve seen the effect it has on people all my life. It was after visiting the slums of Bombay in 1988 that I knew I had to do something to help and so I co-founded the Christmas Cracker project, which raised a lot of money for people with real needs.

From that time on, I’ve always been interested and active in the fight against poverty, and that continues today. I’m proud to be Chair of the Board at Traidcraft and it really has been an eye-opening experience.

Crucial to this is the fact that Fairtrade empowers people. It gives them access to a better wage so that all their hard work can finally start to pay off. On top of that, farmers receive a Fairtrade premium which they invest into community projects like building schools, accessing clean water and improving food security.

I’ve seen the difference that fair trade can make to families and communities in the developing world – it truly has the power to transform lives.

That’s why I urge you to choose Fairtrade today and fight poverty when you buy your clothes, your food or even your cleaning products and rubber gloves.

Ram Gidomal

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40 Acts: Day Four Devise a SURPRISE

"Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NIV)

A friend’s spontaneous laughter or tears of joy can be so infectious and cathartic (isn’t it intriguing how fine the line between the two is?), the only surprise is that we don’t do more to provoke them.

When was the last time you found yourself so overwhelmed by a shared moment that neither of you could hold yourself back? Was it a joke perhaps? – I often find the more absurd the gag, the funnier and more cathartic it becomes (for me that’s the appeal of Monty Python). Or shared relief (as when the RAC man finally arrives after the car breaks down)? Or the realisation you have more in common than you dreamed possible? Such moments can brighten a day; but they might actually revolutionise a life.

You see, deliberately trying to surprise someone can actually be an act of great generosity. I’m not talking about sneaking up to make them jump out of their skin. I mean an act of grace. Grace is always unexpected, unearned, undeserved, unconditional, unquestioning, uninhibited. In short, it is always a surprise.

Which is why the Christian gospel is the world’s most monumental surprise. After all, who could possibly have predicted that God’s global salvage-plan would be achieved by a first-century northern carpenter wandering around Judaea in poverty, only to get executed as a Roman criminal? God is seriously in the surprise business. And no one gets close to him on that front. But for those who get it, God’s surprise results in shouts, laughter and tears of spontaneous joy. Any other grace-surprises are but a pale reflection.

So you want to become like God this Lent? Why not start by doing or saying something unexpected, unearned, undeserved, unconditional, unquestioning, uninhibited, for someone else?

Today. And every day.

Mark Meynell

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40 Acts: Day 3 CLEAN

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Genesis 2:15 (NIV)

Near my house, at the end of one of the roughest roads in the area, is a piece of wasteland. No one really knows if it has ever been put to any good use; for as long as we can remember it has been an eyesore: the dumping ground for shopping trolleys and old refrigerators, and a place with long grass that the Council never cuts where shady characters can do their dealings.

It’s neither eyesore nor waste ground any more though – because a group of us decided to turn it into a community orchard. It is now a lovely area, with a winding path that meanders through it, a native hedgerow planted along its borders, and eighteen or so apple, pear and plum trees. We are hoping for our first picking this year.

In Genesis 2:15, God took the person he had created and put that person in the garden to tend and take care of it. It is a beautiful verse and describes our role in relation to the world around us. We are a part of it – we are in it – but we have a role to play in looking after the rest of what God has made. Sadly we often end up making the world messy and dirty, but there are always opportunities to make life cleaner.

Today’s act is about being generous to our environment and helping the world to be a beautiful place in which to live. It starts by going outside and noticing the world around you: the birds singing, the plants growing, the clouds moving across the sky … Where it ends is up to you!

1. Looking after the patch of land around where you live: pick up litter and plant a few bulbs or flowers that will attract bees and butterflies.

2. Joining a local conservation group and take part in what they are doing.

Ruth Valerio

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40ACTS - Day 2 Chinwag

"You shall love the stranger." Deuteronomy 10:19 (NRSV)

I’m going to level with you. I love to talk. I love a good long chinwag over a cup of tea, talking about everything and anything that has happened in the history of humankind.

To the embarrassment of my children, I think nothing of striking up a conversation with the person behind me in the queue at the bank, or the parent sitting next to me at swimming lessons. I know most of the cashiers at my local supermarket by name.

I can’t help it; the words just fall out of my head. But I know I’m a little unusual. I know that others find talking harder; they prefer to keep themselves to themselves. But the thing is, I think words are a gift, a parcel, wrapped up in a smile, to someone who may not have spoken to anyone all day. What’s more, I think Jesus would say the same – he talked to people everywhere he went and never thought twice about introducing himself to a stranger.

We live in a world of increasing individualism; we’re a nation of independent entities quietly co-existing. Words create community. When we’ve taken the minutes it takes to say ‘Hi’ to our neighbours, we’ve begun to create connections.

Connections can grow and bring light and life. From hello, you can build up to knowing each other’s names and occupations and family status. Then before you know it, you’re inviting someone in for coffee, or offering to pick up a pint of milk for them whilst you’re at the shops. You’re feeding their goldfish whilst they go away for a weekend. You’re listening to their worries as they face the fear of cancer, and praying for them, sharing Jesus in the house next door.

It’s possible I talk too much, and there certainly isn’t airspace for everyone in the world to chatter as much as I do. But perhaps today you could choose to have a constructive chinwag and brighten up someone’s day.

Bekah Legg

You can view all of today's page here

Blue Sky Thinking - Counter Cultural

Now here's is something that I believe to be true:

A message for ALL Believers

Saw this in another context and just thought I needed to make it applicable to those of us who claim to have a faith. I write this especially in the light of the stresses that aberrative and distressing mental health issues bring to sufferers, family and the wider community.

Please pray for those with mental health issues - touch out to them - open your arms to them - listen - care - support - PRAY

Answering the 'What do we do about Education?' Question

Following on from, and regarding, the OECD education survey I have already found myself being asked what we should do about the literacy and numeracy results issue and so, because I'm a helpful sort, here's my thinking:

First thing to do: Get churches to encourage their members to become parent or community governors in their local schools and get them to start making a difference to their local education community in a positive and supportive way.

Next Step:  Encourage our church members to get involved in supporting the teaching staff and engaging with the pupils. There are many primary schools out there who are crying out for volunteers to come in and help then every day with reading with children and many other support roles. We are crying our for them and the money is just not there, especially in UPA, Estate Churches and other 'needy' areas - but this is generally true for most schools regardless of where they are.

And Then:  We get involved with the politics of the piece and this is where we make our faith something real because at the end of the day being Christian means nothing if it isn't out there and getting down and dirty with the world and it's needs. Faith without works (there's that James again) is hollow and empty and unless we're active and engaged and 'being the difference' (and that means reconciling creation to God through the Son) then we might as well go shopping on a Sunday.

Join a political party (there's not enough Christians in them) and go to public meetings (Tamworth residents - 16th October - get your tickets for 'Question Time' event now!) and take every opportunity to be engaged with the things that make your town tick.

The Kingdom of God, especially as envisaged by Paul is very much like the Roman Empire. If you were a citizen of Rome then it was your first duty to ensure that Rome prospered and when the Empire was under threat, there you were supporting it, defending it, revising and refining it. This is what we are called to do - to be citizens of the Christian Empire and from this comes a people who will seek to serve those around it, even when they are not full citizens (ask me about the Cives Romani and 'being fully Christian' some time).

But that'll do for now. Please go and read the OECD report here and start your journey of engaging with our children's education and the future of our nation.

God on the Waterways

Having just completed a couple of weeks on the inland waterways and found myself even more impressed than I was before with the early Victorian motorway system that is the British canal system (Spaghetti junction is nothing when you realise you're on a mainline relief canal or going over, and under, other canals in the same way that motorways do these days). The engineering, the brickwork and the toll houses and other industrial architecture all conspire to make for something that is in reality a national treasure.

Add to this the flora and fauna and you suddenly find yourself in incredibly urban and industrial settings with such a plethora of wildlife that you forget the locality and become lost in the immediate. The many Grey Heron that grace the banks and the blur of iridescent blue as a kingfisher hurtles by combined with the Canada Geese and Magpies (were we really worried about them both all those years back?).

I've found in the waterways, standing on the back of the boat (no it's not a barge - it's a narrowboat ;-) ) steering and praying, thinking and enjoying being family - playing card games, listening to the children play guitar and the odd pint of black sheep and the like (weight stalled just above the  90kg mark, wonder why?), to be one of the most relaxing things ever. The recharging of batteries and the seeking confirmation of current directions and hints of new has been wonderful and yet I've missed the church family and am chomping at the bit to get prayer, study and opportunities engaged with and can't wait to be back.

And so it strikes me as I think of the encounters I have had this holiday to talk with people, hear their stories and see needs unmet (like the people, largely ignored, begging on the streets) which spur me on to think about how we might act how fortunate we are in this nation of ours. How privileged we are to have the relative wealth and opportunities, the social welfare system (which we need to fight for) and the many blessings that surround us.

So, as Sunday beckons I am drawn to the call for us to be salt and light - that none will be in the darkness and that we will bring flavour and benefit the world we inhabit.

Please pray for your community this morning (and every morning) - resolving to be the difference in it and to make it a better place because you can (regardless of faith or lack of it).

Living the Word - Changing the world

Pax

I'm not impatient - I waited ages!

The number of people who tell me that being Christian isn't about doing stuff but about being. Now this really challenges me because recently I met someone who turned up for a service at a local church but it wasn't on because someone had got the roats wrong. Not this really challenged me and so I've embarked upon a little navel gazing which goes like this:

First select any one area of activity in the church and when it looks like whatever it is might not happen because someone hasn't turned up or has forgotten to do something. Once under way (or rather not) smile and standing back, watch what happens; for usually a few distinct groups will appear:

Absenting Folk - Who somehow manage to vanish before you've even looked up Just like the man upon the stairs - they're never there!

Tutting Folk - Who, as the name suggests, 'tut' that someone has failed to do whatever it was they were supposed to do. You'll never find them being tutted at for failing to do something they were supposed to do - often because they don't do anything!

Consuming Folk - Who come and seeing there's nothing for them to come to, leave (often mumbling about what a poor show it is that it's not happening, after all, they've been coming for years and it's 'always' happened)!

Flapping Folk - Who panic because something that apparently no one wants to do isn't happening.

If the area under scrutiny is something that's happened for years, you'll get to meet:

Traditional Folk - Who will tell you that ever since Jesus as walked the earth, St. Bumbles weekly old folk's scone and knackwurst tea dance has happened! Even through the wars!

To not happen is unthinkable - 'someone must should do it," they cry.

But who?

This is the question
for if all we are to do is to 'Be' with God
rather than 'do' with and for Him

- and there are too many who do too much and rest in Christ too little

- but if perhaps some of those who are excelling in the 'Be' areas of the Christian life
might just come and add their weight to the plough

then the furrows would be straighter
and longer
and the harvest would be bigger
and then we'd have more to celebrate
and so we could sit back
and rest in God
as more people came into the Kingdom
and,
having done nothing but love God for a while,
got up and added their weight to the plough
so that in the end there would be so many of us doing stuff
that we all be doing nothing!

And then we could look at what Jesus paid
and see that from the paucity of our little faith
we have achieved much in the world for,
through,
by
and with Him
who is the Saviour of the world!

Anyone willing to join me sow the seeds for the next harvest and reap the harvest that demands our attention today?

And the title? When I asked the person who was complaining that the service didn't happen those were the words they used:

'I'm not impatient - I waited ages... but no one came or did anything!

So I left'

Clearing the air (1) - the disabled are a burden

Having a chilled day and thought I'd pin a few colours to the mast over the few days between now and New Year. I have done it with 'Happy Holidays' and now I feel the need to respond to people like Geoffrey Clark, a man who was standing as a candidate for UKIP's National Executive Committee, until he opened his mouth and put his foot squarely in it by calling for the compulsory abortion of all foetuses that have been identified as having the potential to be born with Down's syndrome or spina bifida.

As if it might make things better the man supported his opinion by stating that the reason for the views he held were merely 'financial' for he was concerned that such children would be 'a burden on the state and the family'. Mind you, the man's amazingly sad utterances didn't stop with children born with health issues for he also (apparently) thinks that the state should re-assess the care given to over eighties as it was 'extraordinarily costly'.

Now whilst I am happy for the man to hold his views, and happier still that he voices them, because that is what democracy does - for it gives minorities and people with different views a voice and the right for it to be heard - it also demands the right to dialogue with the views and to engage in rejoinders. So here's mine:

I write this as someone who has, for as long as I remember,  been 'pro-life'. This is a position that has attracted a fair amount of conflict in the past as I have been engaged by those who wish to demote babies into 'just a mass of cells' and render them to be an abstract 'foetus' as they support what is often little more than social engineering! [I invite those who support the aborting (not 'termination') of a child because it interferes with holidays and changes careers, lifestyle and financial circumstances.

Over the years there have been many who have accused me of being able to have my views based on their premise that: 'it's alright for you because you haven't got a handicapped child'.

Well, this is probably a food time to 'fess up and explain that I have not only held my views for a long time, but that I held them long before I became the father of a severely handicapped child who was with us for just under ten years. Ten years that taught me a great deal about the value and place of the handicapped among us and only confirmed my original views regarding the value of live and the contribution that some of the most damaged can make to the lives of the most able.

There are times when tough choices regarding life and death are forced upon us, and when these appear, the Church needs to be present to offer pastoral and moral support. There are times when the continuance of an obviously non-viable pregnancy that threatens also to take the life of an otherwise healthy woman come knocking at our doors. At some stage we may well find ourselves engaging with others who have the spectre of an abortion somewhere in their life story. What do we do when this is our reality?

I would consider that the first word to think of is always 'Love' regardless of the reasons or outcomes before or behind them.

I have decided that 2013 will be a year when I seek to turn those with 'righteous anger' away from it into a place of 'righteous love'.

The second thing to think of is the fact that in Exodus chapter Twenty we are told that we must never take life 'feloniously' - by which I mean, 'do not murder' - but where life must be taken (and it seems that there are times when the word 'must' is very much a reality, but reliance upon man's laws and the assumption that they overrule the requirements of God's is a flawed, and dangerous, state of affairs.

The third thing to remember is that God calls us to protect the weak, the vulnerable, the widow and the stranger in our midst and that we should do this courageously and without counting the cost. Too often we bring discussions regarding life down to one issue, 'quality of life', but what is really meant here is more often than not one of two things:

What will it cost - financially, emotionally, practically

or

What can they contribute - financially, emotionally, practically

I have seen a cerebrally palsied child, unable to speak, feed or toilet themselves communicate and contribute so much to the life of those around them.

I have seen the very best of people, sometimes in what appears to be the very worst of people, brought out by their encounter with frailty and helplessness.

To  consider only the difficulties that children with major disability and handicap will bring to us in terms of negative numbers - be they financial, emotional or time - is to see past our own humanity and reduce us to nothing more than components. It is to remove the heart and soul from our society  something which (with apologies to those humanists and secularists this might offend) is becoming more commonplace and more acceptable as our netion distances itself from being a people of faith.

So Mr. Clark (and those who might support your views) all I can say is that I am grateful that there isn't a 'Geoffrey Clark test' for those children who are yet unborn, and am glad that it wasn't on offer when you were as them, for each of us regardless of flaws and disability have within us that image of the invisible God that we need to treasure and that ennobles us and makes us and our society all the richer (regardless of financial cost).

Pax

Glowstick Christingles

Well, it has begun.

Yesterday we had the Clergy Christmas lunch (Buzzard's Valley, near Tamworth) and today the Christingle services began.

So often we don't get to applaud the backroom team and this year I thought I'd let them take a bow before the pressure starts to tell on them. So here they are:

They are (left to right) - Roland (the organist AKA Roland MT-9) and Mac (the data manager).

The guest projector was already there (so ours went off for a mince pie and hot chocolate).

All in all we managed to get through some 350 glowsticks; use them instead of candles and:

1. There are no burns, candle wax incidents or building fires,

2. Theologically, the Christ-light is lit during the service and, still lit, taken home (an important part), and

3. You can stick them in your ears during the service (which always lowers the tone and raises the noise and engagement).

Here two of those we made earlier:

As the Carol services, Christmas assemblies and Christingle season begins - please pray for those who will be delivering them, those who will be attending them and the teachers (and parents) who are working so hard to made this yet another Christmas to remember.

And thank God that we have a nation who still does Christmas too!

Happy Adventide

ps. 'Thank You' Children's Society (now - where's my red tape and other stuff?)