Mercy and Justice

I was on a bus a week or so back and read the story of the death of Rosimeiri Boxall.  Two teenagers have just been found guilty at the Old Bailey of killing her.  Simon, her Dad, is a vicar in London. 

The Boxall family were our link mission partners in Brazil when I was a curate.  One year when they were on leave we spent a lot of time with them.  Our kids and theirs were in and out of each others’ houses.  Rosimeiri included.  So deeply shocked.

Totally moved though by Simon and Rachel’s amazing and profound message on the court steps after the verdict.  Check it out here.

A Message from the Prime Minister

I wanted to thank you for your recent e-mail about the private letters I send to
bereaved forces families.  I was very touched that you got in contact.  I
appreciate how many things everyone has to fit into a day, so the kindness
you’ve shown in finding time to be in touch is very much appreciated.

Anybody who has ever lost someone knows that each individual is irreplaceable.
Every single death robs the world of a unique set of talents and leaves a
grieving family with a space at the table that nobody else will ever be able to
fill.  My thoughts and prayers today, as every day, are with those wrestling
with the deep sorrow of loss, and with those who are serving Britain far from
home.  

All of us who love this country, however much we disagree on other questions,
can stand united in honouring the courage and the sacrifice of the men and women
of the British military.  In writing to the families of the fallen, I wanted to
convey my sympathy to them and share the enormous pride the country feels in
those who risk their lives on foreign streets so that we might be safer on
Britain’s streets.  Their service has not been in vain, and we shall remember
them.

Best wishes

Gordon Brown

Contacting the Prime Minister

I’m so sorry for the mother and family of Jamie Janes.  I can’t begin to fathom how it is to lose a son in this way and my prayers are with them.

I feel desperately sorry too for the Prime Minister.  Leadership can be very difficult at times and the press are simply hounding him on this one.  I saw his letter to the family in The Times today and to me it was one of the utmost kindness.  It didn’t seek in any way to make a political point.  It was clearly hard to write and written very carefully.  As a Jones, I know how hard it is to get this range of very similar names right.  I’ve been called many things and the only one I won’t answer to is ‘Dick’!

So I’ve written to him to tell him that.  Can I encourage readers of this blog to do the same?  It only takes a moment and it doesn’t have to be political support.  The guy’s our Prime Minister and he’s trying his best for us.  Here’s the link: http://www.number10.gov.uk/footer/contact-us

Seeing the Specialist

I don’t know if it’s an age group thing or a northern thing, but round here I keep hearing people referring to having an appointment with a consultant

as ’seeing the specialist.’  It’s usually said in hushed tones.  If you’re ’seeing the specialist’ there’s cause for concern.  And the specialist will know, whereas you don’t.  After all, that’s why they’re the specialist.

 

I was given a leaflet for a conference this week on urban mission.  During the conference, you get put in a ’stream’ for your area of mission.  You meet other people in similar situations and, wait for it, you’ll ‘hear from specialists across the UK about what God is saying to them.’  I especially like the last bit!  So you’re in that stream because you’re in that particular area of urban mission but you’re not a specialist and God obviously doesn’t talk to you.  I had a similar experience today at another church event.  We had a presentation on mission, not by a specialist but by an advisor (same difference?).  Then we had group discussion.  But instead of the normal feedback from the groups, we had a panel of specialists instead who we could ask questions. 

 

A very important part of a session with a medical specialist is the pictures.  One may show the breaks in a damaged bone.  Another might reveal an unwelcome mass. The cover of the leaflet has Jesus (or is it a specialist!) bursting onto a stage with the city falling apart all around him.  At the church event, were told there are now two ‘economies’ when it comes to mission – parish church (or ‘inherited church’ ) and ‘fresh expression’.  No less than the Archbishop of Canterbury has said this – the specialists’ specialist!  This was portrayed in the presentation by two identically suited males dancing towards the sea.  I deduce from this that mission is fun, that it may involve getting wet and even out of your depth and that the two economies are 50-50.  

 

Finally, the specialist will prescribe, hopefully, a course of treatment.  At the conference, there’s your stream.  At the church gathering, we were told there would be ‘leading your church into growth’ for those in the inherited church economy; whilst the fresh expressers had ‘mission shaped church’ to do. 

 

I’ve a bit of a phobia when it comes to doctors, but nevertheless if I get sent to see a specialist I will go.  I will view the pictures carefully and take the course I’m given, though I understand nowadays that there may be a choice.  But when it comes to matters of faith, do I need a specialist?  Is it not rather that we are all learners and any of us can help the other along the way?  And isn’t that so much better than a course?  And doesn’t every picture tell a story? - which is why I knew I wouldn’t be going on the conference before I ever opened and read the text.  Because you don’t reach a city from a stage.

 

Mind you, we have got a good programme (not a ‘course’!) on offer currently at St John’s here in Great Horton, Bradford!!  School of Mission!  Altogether better, because it’s about principles rather than ‘how to’ and is based on that superb book ‘The Shaping of Things to Come’.  The next session’s on Saturday 5 December.  No leaflet. No specialists.  Just turn up.  9.30am to 12.30pm. 

 

Jesus’ Ordination and Other Favourite Bible Passages

My favourite Bible passage is undoubtedly that fantastic section in the Gospels when Jesus gets ordained.  Remember it?  That special moment, that moving touch for the Holy Spirit, those profound words as Jesus makes his vows.  That verbal picture of Jesus so handsome in his brand new, freshly pressed clerical shirt.

I also like that later section when, having gained his first followers, Jesus builds his first church, seeing it through from the stone laying to the final official opening.

‘You’re being facetious!’  Of course!  Jesus didn’t need to be ordained as God’s Son.  But what about his human nature?  Was he not a some kind of lay rabbi?  Even self-appointed, or at least not appointed by any other human?  And who actually ‘commissioned’ him?  Was it not John the Baptist, some prophetic nutter who definitely had no licence to minister let alone theological training?  As for building a church, well one of the questions I had to answer when I studied Theology at Uni was ‘Did Jesus intend to found a church?’  In terms of gathering a community of followers, sure.  But a building?

So where is this leading?  Simply to this.  That we have so institutionalised ‘church’ and professionalised its leadership that when we compare church today with what we find in the Gospels, it’s about like that announcement on London Underground stations – ‘Mind the gap!’  For the gap is great indeed with that community-based, lay lead, non-heirarchical organic movement that Jesus began.  Does it matter?  Can we turn the clock back?  Well, ask yourself this: Which has had the most impact on the world?

Great Night Out

I’d like to invite you all to a great night out in Bradford!  If you’re out of town, we can sort you out with accommodation.

 

We’re holding a fundraising dinner on Saturday 21 November 7.30pm until late at St John’s here in Great Horton in aid of the Joshua Project which now works with around 150 young people a week in Great and Little Horton and Lidget Green and is part of the programme of our church as well as St Oswald’s and St Wilfrid’s near to us.  I would like to invite you to join us!

 

The evening includes:

complimentary welcome drink
Pre-meal entertainment
3 course meal & Tea/Coffee
Project presentation
Charity Auction
Evening entertainment – Golddigger Band & disco

It’s £20 per person (tables can seat 6-10 people).

There’s a Drinks Offer! – pre-book a table for 6 people and receive 1 FREE bottle of wine/non-alcoholic drink for your table; pre-book a table for 10 people – and receive 2 FREE bottles of wine/non-alcoholic drink for your table.

 

It should be a good night and it’s a great local cause linked with the work of local churches. 

 

I can send you a flier or you can check out the website at www.joshuaproject.co.uk. Contact me via email on vicarofstjohns@aol.com and I’ll sort tickets and everything out for you.

Complain to the BBC!

Did you see that awful Question Time programme on the BBC last night and felt like making a complaint?  Well, why not do it now online?  Here’s the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/

And here’s what I wrote:

‘I’m a regular viewer of Question Time and have been for years.  It’s an excellent programme that addresses the issues of the day.  I was horrified that Nick Griffin was given the air space.  This was not right.  The programme should have panellists who have a constructive case to make, not preachers of hate. 

This man is a Holocaust denier and has absurd views that England is only for white people.  I didn’t want to watch a programme pretty much all dedicated to him and the nastiness of the party he represents.  The programme always focusses on the issues of the day.  That’s it’s strength.  Why was it hijacked?  Even Nick Griffin has complained about that and on that point I actually agree with him.  It was broadcast the day of a national postal strike but I waited in vain for any discussion of it.

Jonathan Ross was taken off air for less and we lost Russell Brand to the airwaves entirely.  What they did was distasteful and appalling and I support the action taken.  So why allow this?  Why allow a much greater offence?  At least those two are sometimes funny!  It’s exactly the same debate. 

Freedom of expression needs to be tempered by standards of decency and respect.  Consistently the BBC in recent times are getting the balance of this wrong.  My view is that this time it’s not a Controller who should go but the Director General himself.  We need new leadership that is prepared both to listen properly to ordinary British people and understands the wonderful traditions of the BBC that are able to be cutting edge, imaginative and rightly controversial without giving credence to extremists and bigots who sadly thrive on such publicity.’

Update

Sorry for the quiet October so far.  Not much opinion, but plenty happening.

Check out these sites for news of 2 key initiatives that I’m linked with – School of Mission and Roots! 

http://www.schoolofmission.blogspot.com/

www.weareroots.org.uk

Not Clever People

‘Not Clever People’ – NCP for short – is the name of a national organisation that runs car parks.  Yesterday, they trapped me in their car park at Atkinsons Stores in Sheffield.  If you think getting stuck in a lift is bad enough, you really should try a car park.  Not pleasant.

It was a mistake parking there anyway to be honest.  I’ve been going to Sheffield since I was a kid (I was actually shopping in Sheffield when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated!) and honestly I thought it was near to where I wanted to be in the city centre.  It wasn’t.  It was miles.  Then when we put our ticket in the pay machine it was rejected as a faulty ticket.  We tried it everywhere including the exit barriers and spoke to two different people in call centres by which time I did my best impression of someone from the Alfred Hitchcock film ‘Psycho’ except that the people I could have murdered were in a call centre miles away so the knife would’ve been no good – they were a ’shower’ though! 

Today I’ve been chatting on email to the manager of Atkinsons.  He sounds a very nice man.  (Shame about the store: it’s really gone down hill – real recessionary times all along The Moor).  They have no control whatever over the car park which went automated two years ago.  There’s been nothing but trouble even if dealing with a nutter like me was a first.  Why be in a call centre when people are actually stuck in a car park!  Ok, I survived to tell the tale, but what if it was an elderly or disabled person?  Who cooks up these ways of saving money by taking out face to face contact?  I’m sure it doesn’t make business sense!  Not Clever People!

I’m sure you are wondering how I got out.  Well a fellow driver went through the barrier and then passed me on their ticket.  It worked!  If you are thinking of using the idea, then please have in mind that it’s unethical and probably illegal.  It did get me out though and I have confessed.  Not that NCP have replied!  They’ve probably cut the customer service department as well!

I’ll never speed again!

I’m doing some training to volunteer with the new Chaplaincy at our local magistrates’ court.  Today, I went down to see what goes on.

It’s quite public of course, but it wouldn’t be right to spill anyone’s beans with my new role.  Suffice to say that I spent half an hour or so listening to the court dealing with people with motoring offences.  Two things stuck me.  First the combination of compassion and firmness with which people were dealt.  Secondly, how humiliating the experience is, despite the courtesy with which people were treated.  I tell you one further thing – I’m never speeding again!