VP - Justice on the agenda

During last week I travelled to both Queen's in Birmingham and Cliff College, having been aware that a lot of comments in Methodist circles about Fruitful Field could be read as implied (at best) criticism of the two centres. This seems to me to be grossly unfair both on Cliff and Queen's; but also on so many who were involved in the long decision-making process, not least those involved at the Conferences both in Southport and Plymouth. Anyway, on Saturday morning it was a change of 'justice' gear, and I met with a group (some of whom are in this photo at Bloxwich)

from the W+S District who will be going out to Rwanda in July to work alongside local Church and reconciliation groups. We looked at a number of issues, joys and difficulties that tend to accompany such visits, but I found the whole morning inspiring. The afternoon was spent with some young people from around the District who had been given the opportunity to tell the Vice-President how they felt about the Church. The whole time was led by a group called 'Alive and Kicking' emanating from Kinver,

who were excellent leaders of worship and discussion. So my thanks to Tom, Jake and the two called James. One of the issues that was raised was the lack of good teaching in church groups for young Christians relating, in everyday situations such as school, with friends from other faith backgrounds. Just one of many challenges expressed! On the theme of justice, John Howard (District Chair) left at 5am on Sunday morning to get the Heathrow flight to Tel Aviv; and then begin a couple of months of his sabbatical as an Ecumenical Accompanist for Israel/Palestine. Now there's a country that needs to find justice and peace - has it ever, in all the time I have been preaching, been off my list for intercessory prayer? It certainly was again at St John's, Wolverhampton where I led worship on Sunday morning as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations. Such a good spirit was evident. Good worship followed by some fascinating conversations about their involvement with the local community and all its changes over half a century. Later that afternoon in Bridgnorth a chance to meet folk from the Telford Circuit over a lovely afternoon tea (with fruit cake!) prior to their time of prayer for new mission planning in the area. The service that followed was in the joint URC/Methodist Church, also 50 years old and the first LEP in the country.

It was good to spot another VP in the congregation - Leon Murray(1985) and compare notes afterwards! Lots of energy in the worship and I hope and pray that it is repeated in the mission outreach; and one venture which began today (Monday) was the ecumenical Food Bank in Bridgnorth. Another justice issue for us in Britain in 2013 - and we probably wouldn't have foreseen that 50 years ago! Tomorrow Mark and I will be at the House of Commons for an all-faiths reception to discuss the jubilee campaign for debt cancellation and its continued relevance today. Mark is one of the main speakers at this Jubilee for Justice event.

VP - A quiet week?

If there's no District visit or exciting event on the official calendar, some people assume that Mark and I have 'quiet' weeks. Actually, mine started on Sunday with a difficult, snowy journey to a village preaching appointment about 8 miles away in Cropredy. A hardy bunch of a dozen and a half braved the dangerous roads and lethal pavements - and the tea/coffee afterwards was as warm as the welcome. On Monday the Methodist Council roadshow hit London until lunch time on Tuesday - lots of important governance, finance and management business, but also discussion about future mission, inter-faith work and the possible future shape of circuits. And as with every other Council meeting for the last couple of years, Fruitful Field was a key item on the agenda. We met in the old Committee Room of MMS and Council chaplain, Nigel Hardwick, brought a Cross from Malton, Yorks, to centre us. It used to belong to the Revd Douglas and Margaret Prescott (ex Missionaries in Dahomey/now Benin). They would be thrilled to know that the first outing of 'their' Cross at Council was in that room! I first got to know them many years ago at World Village - and perhaps other readers of this blog remember happy summer days with challenging speakers and a world to love. So to Wednesday evening's spectacular launch of the 'IF' campaign at Somerset House.

Isabel and I were suitably dressed by MRDF in IF shirts (large enough thankfully to go over our coats). The IF campaign is a natural successor to the Jubilee campaign. IF nations use land more wisely and grow more food; IF aid commitments of nations are kept; IF governments work together to stop big companies evading their tax responsibilities in poor countries; IF international trade was more transparent - then there would be no need for 1 in 8 people in the world today to go hungry, when globally we grow more than enough food. The campaign, run jointly by the major aid agencies and faith bodies, including Christian Aid, MRDF and the Methodist Church, is targeting 2013 because this is the year that the UK has the Presidency of the G8 - and therefore David Cameron has a key role in leading other influential nations. I hope all Methodists can get behind IF and together help change the world. So, a quiet week? - hardly; a cold week? - certainly; but with much to warm the heart.

VP - Happy New Year

Possibly a little tardy, but nonetheless sincere HNY to all who are reading this. What kind of happiness does one wish for another human being? Certainly not unbridled joy for 12 months, because that's completely unrealistic. One thing I wish for people is 'something to hope for'. What did Robert Browning write? "A man's reach should exceed his grasp,or what's a heaven for?" In the church we certainly need hope, whether in the small local chapel or large national committees. We would do well to discern where God wants to lead us, and follow with both hope and expectation. This last week-end Isabel and I have been in the Newcastle District. The visit started in Houghton le Spring (East Durham Ct) with afternoon tea (= excellent!), worship and conversation on Friday evening. On Saturday, with the President, we shared with a goodly number in a District Study Day in the Chester-le-Street circuit on the subject of 'Being a welcoming church.'Leo Osborne then took us to see the soon-to-be-completed 'The Ark' at Crawcross. A Methodist fellowship agreed to hand over their building for a new vision - soft play area and cafe, and a completely different approach to presenting the gospel, of being Church.

This was something for the South West Tyneside circuit to be both excited by and hopeful about. In the photo with Leo, Mark and myself are Revs Paul Saunders and Liz Kent, Deacon Tracey Hume and Ruth. On Sunday morning I was in Hexham with over 40 young people for their Covenant Service, and in the evening at Ponteland for a Newcastle West gathering - and we had some wonderfully worded prayers. It was a week-end of meeting joyful, yet thoughtful, Christians. I sensed a desire to learn more and to risk things; and so my prayer is that the Church, locally and nationally, helps to give these well-grounded disciples the tools to move forward with hope.

VP - Christmas greetings

I've had plenty of correspondence in December concerning decisions taken at conference in July, but it has been a quiet month re official VP appointments, hardly surprising in the busyness that takes over for Christmas preparations. It has meant that I have been to a number of local carol services, carol singings and later today, crib services in various villages. After going around one village singing carols we all ended up outside a barn and some outbuildings, then treated to a short 'pageant' with shepherds round a brazier with their sheep, angels appearing (dazzling when the floodlight was turned on), Mary and Joseph arriving on a pony (donkey temporarily unavailable!) and wise men singing 'We three kings' as they approached the infant. It was special. But then the real Christmas story is special, and always will be. "Our God contracted to a span; incomprehensibly made man." The light shines in the darkness, even in Syria or Mali or Newtown Connecticut or with people affected by flooding, because God has chosen to be with us. We're human, so we don't always get it right, we too often make mistakes that lead to unhappiness, distress and grief - but God (Emmanuel) thankfully, happily is alongside us all to redeem, restore and forgive. Which is why my wish for anyone reading this, but also my prayer, is summed up in these two words - Happy Christmas.

VP - Freshness in Advent

Last night I gave a short presentation to the Banbury Circuit meeting about some of the things that I've been engaged in this Autumn as VP, and therefore why I have been absent from them so often. I found myself talking about Fresh Expressions of church, not so that they can replicate the ideas of others, but so that seeds can be sown. Some of what came to mind was experienced in District visits, other ideas came from an inspiring few hours at the 'Fresh Ways Practitioners' Forum' held in London on Monday. Did you know that 25% of all Methodist churches have started a fresh expression? That in an 'average' new expression, for every five people there is one person who is a churchgoer, two de-churched, and two unchurched? That sacraments are important to these expressions of church, even if it is not church as many would recognise it. There are some great things happening in big churches, ethnic and language-based fellowships, rural and urban settings, across all geographical, social, ethnic, demographic and, dare I say it, theological differences. Praise God for what is happening both inside and outside the churches. Interestingly, the awareness of God moving outside the Church was the subject of a number of conversations I had following a service in Berkhamsted on Sunday morning. And it was also an important theme running through a conversation with a wise old friend in Birmingham earlier today. I need Advent again to give me a little more time to reflect on what I see around me, to hear what people are actually saying, and to discern where my energies are needing to be focused. Just possibly, and if I pause long enough to 'be' rather than 'do', I might experience Emmanuel in a new, even fresh way. Hope so!

President on the death of his cousin Jeremy Sorrel

This isn’t easy – far too mixed up and complicated, but it’s part of being me and being a President.  I’m not a President with a very confident Presidential manner I fear and this blog will confirm it.  I don’t have even a small number of the right questions, and even fewer answers.  I’ve also found that as I get older I find it harder and harder to have opinions about lots of things that I used to find necessary.

But my cousin Jeremy has died and I’m sad and troubled.  He was a few years younger than his brother Jonathan, who in turn was a couple of years younger than me.  As a child I remember them both very well.  Jonathan was and is one of the brightest people I know.  He is a brilliant musician and composer and he now lives in Malta with his family.  Jeremy had Down’s syndrome and wasn’t brilliant or a composer.  We have not kept up with our Cousins very well and now I regret it.  Malta seems far away and Jeremy was well, Jeremy.  He lived an independent life and we wrote letters at Christmas.  He was a regular Church goer with strong views about what kind of Church he would go to.  My Uncle Graham, his father, was a professional singer before he retired and for many years was a baritone with the brilliant St. Paul’s Cathedral choir.  Jeremy used to visit his father at work and on one occasion, after Matins, processed out with the choir and clergy, taking the place of the Bishop behind the Dean.  It was frowned on.  But it was Jeremy.  He used to write to Prime ministers and the Queen, to famous people and his local Mayor. Their replies were put up in the Church.

But I didn’t give Jeremy time and as I saw a full Anglican Church for his funeral who all loved him, the local Mencap group and his daily helper so moved by his death, I felt I had cheated myself.  He was a good cook and I hadn’t known it or tasted his food.  I feel sorry and ashamed that because he was Jeremy I hadn’t gone out of my way to visit him.  We sang ‘Be bold, be strong, for the Lord you God is with you’.  I’m quite sure my Uncle would have found that hard – hardly Purcell, Bach or even Rutter.  But it was Jeremy and he was a precious individual in the sight of God who he learnt to love and follow.  He was man of humour and emotional intelligence, integrity and loyalty.  He was my cousin and I’m proud of him and sad he has died.

President says, "No Christmas Presents Please"
This is only relevant to a very small number of people.  Most people were thinking - but we weren't going to buy him one anyway so ignore this blog.  A few really organised people may have bought one all ready - in which case thanks and I'm really grateful but don't read this blog!  But to the very few who were thinking they might, including family and friends, please don't.  I've got enough stuff.  I'm full. I'm overweight with kit.  Instead - please would you either give some money to a charity of your choice or send me some money so I can twin my lavatory http://www.toilettwinning.org/.  If I get more than enough for one, I'll twin two, and so on....  Or twin your own lavatory and tell me because it will make me happy.  Or if you can't abide not giving something because it just feels wrong not to, please please let it be something you've made.  Lots of love Mark