Terrorist Attacks - an exercise in Selectivity?

The awful happenings in Brussels yesterday has seen people changing their avatars to include the colours of the Belgian flag in support for them in the face of acts of terror against an innocent people.

In fact the Church of England even offered a public prayer for Brussels:

The same prayer was offered up and placed in the media when Paris saw terrorism hit on the 7th January 2016.

Sadly though - on the 13th March 2016 - Thankfully thoughwhen terrorist attacks in Ankara claimed the lives of 37 people and saw 125 injured - the outcry, the appearance of people standing with this nation and prayers being offered up were nowhere to be found.

Four days earlier, the Church of England offered up many prayers (9th March 2016) for Syria on the resumption of UN peace talks and to draw attention on what was to be the fifth anniversary of the Syrian conflict on March 15 (two days after Ankara).

A few years back, after a Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) service, as I rubbed shoulders with the great and the good as they munched the sandwiches and drank their tea and coffee, I was drawn into a conversation with some of what I had, until then, considered to be some of the brighter people of our community. The discussion centred on the awfulness of genocide and how events like HMD were, "So very distressing."

One of those in the group made the observation, "Thank goodness we don't have genocide anymore!"

Without thinking I jumped in and pointed to the atrocities that were Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur and the genocide that surrounds us in recent history - that are going on today. The comment that came back from the, until then assumed 'bright' person, shook me to the core:

"Oh yes, but when we said 'Never Again' we meant in Europe!"

Thankfully, rather than make a scene I chose to walk away - but I often wonder, when I see prayers for Paris, Belgium and places close to us in Europe whether singling one place out for prayer whilst ignoring the plight of others is really communicating something positive about us.

After all - didn't Jesus tell us that even the wicked pray for their friends?

I was drawn to Matthew 5. 43-48 and the words:

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
   But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
   so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. 
   For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the 
   unjust.

   For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
   Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
   And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? 
   Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
   You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Now please don't misunderstand me - I am as grateful to see prayers for Syria, Paris and Brussels as I am sad to see that there is a need for them. BUT  we need to have balance and perspective.

As I write this I see that there have been 96 terror attacks around the world.

They have taken place in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Places that are just not as 'sexy' in terms of media attention as Europe and perhaps Israel and Palestine (for they are old news now aren't they?).

So when we pray - pray for the whole world - Please.

ps. Not a pop at the C of E or anyone - just a point as to how easy it gets to become just a little myopic.

On the eighth day of Christmas

Apple having put aside their Twelve Days of Christmas giveaway this year has given me the chance to get people thinking, praying, learning, listening (to some great music) and finding app's they might not have otherwise done: Day Eight...


The Church
Celebrates the 'Circumcision and naming of Jesus' - no, it's not just a feats for the Catholics and 'high church' types - an opportunity to reflect on the recognition of who Jesus (Yeshua) 'God saves' (more accurately '(in) God is salvation' is.

Today we reflect upon the invisible God make visible. Today, as we begin a New year! we remember that the Church too, like Jesus, exists to make the invisible visible!

That the circumcision would have started in anywhere other than the temple (as many sermons I have heard preached have claimed) is an important element - for it would have been carried out 'at home' (whatever that means when you've had your sprog in a stable!) just as the recognition and making God's salvation visible God's begins in our homes. There's no point in relying upon being welcoming if no one comes. It's nice, but regardless of the invites a church might issue, they won't come because they know our boring, killjoy, critical, hypocritical labels and so (generally) avoid us!

This new year we need to start salvation where we are if we are to see others saved; and that is what it is about, not numbers.

So 2015, a year of wondering why there aren't more people in relationship when we aren't building and engaging in the relationships where we are?

Another year where we wonder what those in leadership are doing to bing mor people in to our congregations (and ask where are they)?

Another year where those in leadership wonder why the congregations won't get stuck in to bring others to our buildings because they have developed a relationship with them?

Jesus - the God made visible - is celebrated today. Let's commit ourselves to making Him visible in us this year, what do you reckon?


The world
Used to be that when I was a child it was the New Year sales that drew the crowds.Every year (as I remember it) I would be dragged off to Knightsbridge to spend a day I. The retail temples that were Barkers, Derry and Toms and Pontings. This year, listening to my radio, I'm hearing that we are all spent out and the sales are pretty much done.

I'm hearing that 2015 will be a year where many firms will go to the wall with the result that many more will be unemployed.

The situation for those oppressed and threatened by the presence of the IS fighters remains relatively unchanged, but if the press don't report it people assume it has gone away.

The numbers of people in refugee camps is set to rise over the coming year and which this could be the year when we see Polio finally eradicated completely from the planet- a year when the remaining forms of malaria as conquered - we need to be engaged and involved.

This will be a year when there is a new government elected in the UK. With the rise of such parties as UKIP such that some are billing them to as having expanded the political scene to four parties now (Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dem being the other three), we need to be informing our churches of their policies and to be preparing NOW for hustings in our churches.

So a bright, hopeful and challenging new year for the world - now watch someone go out and spoil it - and when
they do, how will we respond? Like the world or like the Church?

A giveaway?
Now I was always taught that if something looks too good to be true then it probably is!

But there's always an exception to the rule and this is to be found in the Church of England's 'Daily Prayer' App which you will find here: http://bit.ly/1xlK90l 

It is a strange thing but I am often amazed to find that despite the apparent prayer, study and full-on worship that some groups present as a perception, I still find some of the deepest and more consistent stuff to be found within the Church of England. Makes me wonder why I ever bought into the 'vain repetitions and babbling' put down that I encountered within some of the more outwardly effective churches - all part of growing up in the faith I guess!


Something to listen to

Apparently 'the' song of 2014

Whilst 'the' hymn of the year is that Wesley great:

Almighty God,
whose blessed Son was circumcised in obedience to the law for our sake
and given the Name that is above every name:
give us grace faithfully to bear his Name, to worship him in the freedom of the Spirit,
and to proclaim him as the Saviour of the world;
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Aren't you Vicars supposed to just do religion?

That was yesterday's challenging question!

As we discussed the issue of Syria and the options open to this government as part of a proper response this little gem appeared. Dialogue continued and another question appeared, this one asking, 'Why we had to do anything at all?' And that question, for me at least, answered the first question rather nicely.

You see the reality is that we are not supposed to just 'do' religion but are called to live out our faith and turn it into something that not only changes us but those around us and beyond. In my big black book I find many passages that inform and enable; many bits that challenge me to change who or what I am and to get down and not only make a difference but 'be' the difference!

In chapter two of the book of James (vv.14-17) we find this:
'What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save them?
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.'

The idea that we Vicars are just 'supposed to do religion' is as ludicrous as having the view that a chef's calling is 'just cooking' or an artist's role is 'daubing'! There's no point creating culinary delights if no one eats them, and in the eating engages with others and builds relationships and is changed. Art done and locked away is dead art - for it is in the seeing and being touched by it, the being moved and changed by it, that the real value of the art is made real.

Religion is a sterile, limited and dreadful thing: It serves only to condemn sinners for breaking regulations, rules and restrictions that no one could keep on their own, or in their own strength. It puts on services and nods at God but goes no further. It offers much as a philosophy or set of beliefs but like culinary delights uneaten or or art unseen, the potential only becomes realised when it is taken into ourselves and allowed to change us.

My role is to open the eyes and hearts of others to the possibilities that God makes available and to help those who can see it make that real. This is part of what we are seeing in fine detail at the moment with Syria but it was there in the needs of the mentally ill, the long-term sick, the jobless, the homeless, the (far too many) NEETs*, the addicted and many other categories of concern that exist in our communities and outside our own doors.

The needs are great and yet in a society which sets the standards that enable the police to police by consent we have the opportunity to define and maintain what is to be considered 'right'. In a society that was once the envy of the world with its National Health Service, welfare system and Legal Aid, we have to realise that we get what we permit the governments (National, County and local) to give us.

But where there are needs, religion that is faith acts to meet them.

Where there are wrongs, religion that is faith seeks to right them.

 Where there is sorrow, pain and death, religion seeks to bring love, comfort and healing.

Just do religion? How very dare they suggest that - I deal in change not decay (what about you?)


*Not in Education, Employment or Training - the 16-18 year olds who are merely 'lost'!