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  • This is the place....


    This poem was read at the vigil for Manchester:

    I was reminded of this prayer:

    This is the place
    and this is the time;
    here and now,
    God waits
    to break into our experience:
    to change our minds,
    to change our lives,
    to change our ways;
    to make us see the world
    and the whole of life
    in a new light:
    to fill us with hope,
    joy and certainty
    for the future.
    This is the place
    as are all places;
    this is the time
    as are all times.
    Here and now
    let us praise God.

     

    I'm not sufficiently insensitive or crass (I hope) as to suggest that this prayer fits the Manchester situation.  But what it does do, which is important, is to speak hope, love, determination and openness to God's transforming presence in all places, all times.

    Wherever we are, however we feel, this is place, and this is a time for people of faith to live the words we profess.

    #Manchester #PeopleMakeGlasgow #HopenotHate #Lovewins

  • Learning Together...

    Yesterday I was a participant in a day conference reflecting on Christian unity at which the keynote speaker was Rev Malcolm Duncan.  Whilst the material shared was familiar, for me at least, it was a good reminder of important practices in learning to disagree well.  I don't agree with Malcolm Duncan on everything, and disagree on some major topics, but admire his honesty and openness in modelling relationship with those he disagrees with.

    Today I will be hosting some US students in a day exploring some stuff around faith and politics, faith and social action, faith and contemporary issues.  I'm really blessed to have three Baptists offering input to this day, and at least one C of S colleague attending.  We don't all agree on everything, except the fact that faith matters, and relating faith to life matters.  My speakers have diverse theological and political views and I am confident that they will model disagreeing well.

    I'll be using material from JPIT and Christians in Politics to reflect at the end of the day (including a prayer that I just might have written!!)