Today I was meant to be leading University Chapel prayers.  Like everything else, it's suspended in real life, and the Chaplaincy are working out how best to get it on line.  For now, we are submitting typed reflections.  Here's mine for today, along with the hymn I chose and the Bible reading...

Hymn - Amazing Grace

Bible Reading - Hebrews 6: 13-20 (NIV)

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” ¹⁵ And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰ where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Reflection

We find ourselves in a very strange time, don’t we?  Just days ago we could go where we wished, book holidays, enjoy films or theatre, eat out and mingle freely.  Now we find ourselves locked down, staying at home, suspicious of anyone we pass who coughs and standing aghast as supermarket shelves are stripped bare of every conceivable product – except, it seems, wholemeal pasta: no-one is hoarding that!

Since announcements on Monday evening, I have hardly been off the phone or email, as events are cancelled, postponed or moved online.  I have been grateful for technology, and platforms such as Skype and Zoom that allow me to connect with other people.  And I have been really moved by the gratitude of people I have contacted, just for a five-minute phone call or a quick email offering encouragement.

The Bible reading today reminds us of hope like an anchor, that holds us ‘sure and steadfast’, as the BB motto has it, even in the fiercest storms of life.  What is that hope?  God’s promise to Abraham? Well yes, but more than that, it is the hope we have in Christ Jesus himself, who promised his close friends that even though they would no longer see him, he would be with them until the end of time.

The psalmist says, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble, therefore [we] shall not fear…’ Truth is, probably, that we are all a bit ‘feart’ (or ‘frit’, as they said where I grew up) at the moment, and we’d be strange if we weren’t.  But God is our anchor, our rock, our shelter, and is with us in all the uncertainty and strangeness.  I say this not glibly, but resolutely, defiantly.

Whenever I am troubled by life, I remind myself of the beautiful vision of Revelation, where there is a renewed (or new) heaven and earth in which there is no fear, no death, no disease and no tears… Sometimes we cling to that hope by our fingertips, but cling to it we do.  God is faithful, and no matter what, God is with us to the end of the age.

Prayer

God of all times and places, in this time of confusion and uncertainty, we pray for the world you love so much, where disease and dis-ease wreak havoc and hope seems in short supply.

We pray for all national and international leaders, as they make important decisions that affect our lives, that they will be wise and compassionate.

We pray for all scientists working tirelessly to understand and respond to this new virus, and for all in hospitals and health care settings who tend those who are really ill, that they will have the skills they need, and also that they will care for themselves and find places to rest and be refreshed.

We pray for everyone who is part of this ancient University, from senior management making tough decisions, to facilities staff maintaining hygiene and security. 

We pray for those who are anxious as courses are suspended, both teaching staff and students. 

We pray for students who are far from home, unable to be with those they love, and unsure when travel will once again be possible.

It’s all too big – our words fail us – but we recall with gratitude that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans beyond words.

So, accept our prayers, our emotions, our bewilderment, and grant to each of us the courage, compassion and common sense we need for the days ahead. 

This we pray in the name of Christ.

Amen

One of my great joys every spring time, is to see the carpet of croci/crocuses on the triangle near my home.

Beautful colours and delicate forms combine to delight the eye and lift the soul.

Over the decade I've lived here, the colours have changed as more and more revert to deep purple from yellow or white.  Their essential crocusness doesn't change.

So it is with us.  These are challenging tiomes when outward forms may need to change, but at heart we still the same people who God loves.

Stay safe. Wash those hands. Don't hoard. Remember you are loved. 

Today we enter an indeterminate period of lockdown.  It's the correct thing to be doing.

This morning I have been receiving oodles of emails to tell me things are cancelled, and a small number of meetings are moving online.

I have been telephoning members of our church to check-in and update them.

During the course of one such chat, the idea emerged that maybe I could post something cheery each day, not indenial but to give myslef and others a much-needed boost. I recalled that for the four months of my chemo, I intentionally looked for a 'thing of beauty' every day, and it certainly helped me.

So, I'll give it a go - a nice image, a funny story, some gallows humour... something each day.

Today is manic, it's half over and my to do list grows apace... so it's just a 'gif' I stole from the web... some biscuits iced with the word 'love'.  I see lots of love in my little church just now, I am so proud of everyone, and I hope that there will buiscuits today and any time in the days ahead they are needed.

Back  in 2010-11 I had to practice social distancing for roughly nine months whilst having cancer treatment.  I was lucky, I work alone, so could  still go into my office, and by physical distancing could still be part of Sunday worship.  I knew who I was in contact with and where they had been - and still recall with amusement the evening service where an internationally renowned oncologist came and sat next to me with a streaming cold - I wasn't impressed, and he did move when I asked him to!

Physical separation is effective in reducing risk of physical illness.  It is not the same thing as social isolation, which is a bad thing.

Social isolation is when you have insufficient or ineffective contact with other humans.  I didn't experience that during my cancer treatment, but I have experienced it.  It is pernicious and damaging, eroding well-being and mental health.  It possibly increases the risk of suicide in vulnerable people.

A few thoughts...

Firstly, as a church we are working out how to achieve helpful and effective risk reduction by social distancing without introducing or increasing social isolation.  As part of this, I plan to phone everyone in our church directory once a week just to say 'hello'.

Words matter.  I see references to 'social isolation' when 'social distancing' is intended.  I hear comments about 'foreigners' and 'they Chinese' or other ethnic group - this is not helpful or accurate; we are all people, all image bearers if God, and all trying to get through this... 'othering' is not helpful,in fat it's destructive and damaging.  I will try to choose my words carefully.

My decisions may be different from yours, and that's OK - it's what motivates those decisions that might need reflection... how does my choice impact you, or your vulnerable relative?

Remember those who are work in healthcare and those who work in shops... remember cleaners, remember postal workers, bus drivers and bin people... we are interconnected, and we all matter.

Take care, stay safe, wash those hands and don't hoard!

Yesterday at church I mentioned the 'carrot diagram'. It reminded me that in my Baptist college interview, 21 years ago, I chose this model as a discussion topic for 'introduce and lead a discussion on a topic of your choice' session. As the good book says, 'nothing is wasted!'

The top, red bit of the carrot is a risk that cannot be tolerated and whatever the cost it must be reduced.  Or, to put it another way, if we 'do nothing' this is the level of risk - is it acceptable?  No it isn't, so we must do something.

The bottom, green (cyan) bit is a risk that we can all agree to live with.  In practice most risks cannot be totally eliminated but this is the area where it really isn't going to be justified to do any more to reduce the risk - it's no more than the risk we live with everyday anyway.

The middle, orange/amber bit is where we are at the moment in relation to corona virus - but please hear me, the risk is NOT tolerable unless/until we have put in place all reasonable measures to reduce it.  What the carrot says, effectively, is the closer it is to red, the more that needs to be, and is justified to be, done to reduce the risk.  As we get closer to the green area, what looks like proportionate effort may well be less.

Simplistic example...

People need to cross a busy road with a 70 mph speed limit.

Do nothing, leave it to people to judge when it's safe - unacceptable, must do something

Options... build a footbridge, dig an underpass, install a pedestrian crossing... all should reduce the risk, some are dearer than others, all introduce other risks (e.g. people dropping stones from footbridge). 

There may not one 'right' solution, someone has to make a call (usually based on financial considerations) as to what is a 'good enough' option.

Back in the day I did risk assessments for two notionally identical power stations.  The utilities made different choices about some operating practices; it wasn't one right, one wrong, it was two justified but different options.  So it's tricky - and we can never go back and repeat the events with a different set of choices.

Please pray for the people who are making tough decisions about how best to manage an incredibly complicated situation - they are people too, and may well have sleepless nights as they do there job (I certainly did back in the day).

For the record, Torness & Heysham 2, and Hunterston B operated safely on my watch!! And there were times when I said 'no' to my customer...

PS - washing your hands with soap and water is cheap and effective in reducing risk... so do it!