A modern day Cain and Abel?

With Ed's election to the Labour leadership on Saturday and then his speech to the Party Conference yesterday, the Miliband brothers have been in the media spotlight for many days. And much of the coverage has been focussed on the divisions between the two of them, with some commentators describing this as a modern day Cain and Abel story.

It saddens and angers me that such a large proportion of the media aren't happy unless they have a soap opera style story of deceit and division to report. Ed Miliband spoke for an hour yesterday, praising much that Labour achieved over the last 13 years, but also admitting some errors. He encouraged people to move on from the old arguments and factions and urged the party to be a new generation of optimists - optimistic about what can be achieved for our country and our world. He spoke with passion about the state the country could be left in if the Tories are allowed to bring in all their cuts. And yet all the media wanted to report was the couple of sentences where he said that, with hindsight, the war in Iraq was wrong. He didn't blame any of the people who voted for it, but he pointed out what a lot of people have being saying since 2003. Yet, because David voted for the war and didn't applaud this sentence when many others did, the media have leapt on this as the start of a war between the brothers. They chose to ignore the many times that David applauded what Ed was saying, to focus on the time he didn't.

This speaks volumes for the state of our country when people are more concerned with possible battles, highlighting differences and creating barriers rather than listening to what people have to say and the ideas that they put forward. Much of the media isn't happy unless it is doing someone down. And they won't rest until they have divided David and Ed.

This isn't another Cain and Abel story. These are two very talented people who both have clear visions for the direction of our country. They are both passionate about creating a more equal society. They happen to be brothers, and they happen to have differences of opinions on certain subjects - but then who does agree 100% with their siblings? Surely, for the good of this country we need to encourage both of these people to be involved in building a better country and not trying to tear them apart.

The end of a decade

This is my last day in my twenties - tomorrow I will become a 30 something. So please excuse my brief slide into nostalgia as I look back over the last decade.

I started my twenties studying theology with education studies at the University of Surrey, Roehampton (now the University of Roehampton). It was a good time - lots of fun, lots of friends. It taught me a lot about community and the need for regular contact to make communities work. I came into contact with many different people, from many denominations and faiths as well as ardent atheists and people who never thought about the spiritual dimension to life at all. I discovered that the stock answers that can be given as to why we should believe in Jesus and why there are so many problems in the world can often sound trite and even flippant. For many they certainly don't answer the questions that they have. I also learnt a lot about the challenges of managing change. At the end of my time at university there was a move to unite the four Christian unions based in the four colleges of the university into one big Christian Union. It wasn't a completely welcome move by many in our Christian Union but the ruling committee pushed it through regardless. I remember there being a lot of heartache at the time that has stayed with me. As church leaders we may see many benefits in change, but we must bring the people with us - forcing it through is not the way.

My twenties also saw me have my first period away from the Methodist Church. I worked for Homelands Free Church (affiliated to the Baptist Union) in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. Whilst there I learnt that I love living by the sea (I miss that greatly now). I loved the intensity of the prayers that many of the people in the church prayed. And the fact that many old people (and there are many old people in Frinton!) saw that they still had a role to play - even when they couldn't leave their house. They would pray for the work we were doing. I learnt a great variety of ways of engaging with children and young people through clubs, house groups, holiday clubs and camps. But I also learnt what I loved about Methodism. I loved the use of lay people as leaders of worship and preachers, I loved the use of liturgy without dependence upon it, I loved the communal feeling during Holy Communion, I loved saying the Lord's prayer, and I loved the sense of Connexion.

I have also had the pleasure of working with children and young people with physical disabilities in my home area of West Berkshire. It has been a real challenge and privilege. Seeing them achieve so much is a real joy, seeing them struggle and disheartened about the future can be heartbreaking. However, it has also made me think how exclusive our worship can be. We may make the worship space accessible - but is the worship? I have also had to deal with death while here. We have had 2 young people die due to their disabilities. Although their parents knew the day was coming it didn't make it any easier. What an awful thing for any parent to have to deal with.

Death is something I have had to confront in my own family this decade. My cousin's only child died in a car crash a few years ago. Seeing the pain in the family still is horrible. What have we got to say to situations like that? Also my Gran, the last member of her generation died after suffering with dementia for a number of years. Seeing her quite rapidly decline in her mental capacity is something I don't want to have to see again, but preparing myself for the fact that I probably will. Also, realising that my parents generation are now the oldest generation in my family was quite alarming.

However, I am now also an accredited Local Preacher, chairman of the Thatcham Fairtrade Town campaign and Assistant Group Scout Leader at 2nd Thatcham Scout Group - all postitions of responsibility that I wouldn't have imagined 10 years ago.

And what of the next decade? Who knows what that may bring. I am now candidating - let's see what that brings in the spring. Either way it will lead to a change in my life as this is my last year in my current job. Hopefully I will have a family within the next 10 years. But this last 10 years has taught me that a lot happens that can't be planned or expected, yet in it all, whether I realised it at the time or not, God is there with me.

visualtheology: heaven can wait: the demise of escalator theology

visualtheology: heaven can wait: the demise of escalator theology

This is an excellent post. It really made me think about what our mission and gospel should be. I believe it has far more impact when we focus on lives transformed now and not at some point in the future. It was the way Jesus lived his life. This is well worth a read.

Back to the Blog

I can't believe 6 weeks have gone past since last I blogged. A quick summary of all that has happened:

• It has been hectic with work - I have had great fun organising about 3 activities a week with work. This included trips to theme parks, craft activities and a dinner out. However the two highlights were camping with the younger PALS and then a week long trip to the Calvert Trust. It was so inspiring to see how much our young people could achieve. We had people who are in wheelchairs being able to climb walls, abseil and ride horses. I wonder how we can encourage people with disabilities to fully engage in church life and to realise and achieve their full purpose. There has got to be more to it than just providing wider doorways and accessible toilets. How can we encourage more people with disabilities to engage with faith and talk about faith in a public setting? I long to see more people with disabilities leading worship and preaching.
• I am now the Chairman of the steering group to make Thatcham a Fairtrade Town. Fairtrade is something that I have long had a passion for and so was very excited when I discovered that there was a campaign starting for Thatcham to achieve Fairtrade Town status. It is campaigns like this that the church should be involved in as it impacts so many lives. One thing that I have come to think about Fairtrade is that there needs to be a local emphasis as well as the global one. There are many products (meat, dairy fruit etc) that is produced locally and we need to campaign to ensure fair trade for these people as well. There is a great post on visualtheology about the need for us to work for the Kingdom of God on Earth in the here and now ( visualtheology: heaven can wait: the demise of escalator theology ). This is one way that we can challenge the injustices in our world and seek the Kingdom of God in the here and now.
• I have filled in the online form expressing an interest in candidating for ministry in the coming Connexional year. This is by far the scariest thing that I have done this summer (even scarier than climbing the climbing walls at Calvert Trust!). It is something that I have considered for many years - but suddenly it is becoming very close and very real. As I read various books needed for my portfolio I realise how little I actually know and how utterly unprepared I feel. All I can do is trust that God will be with me, and that he will ensure that the right outcome is reached. Your prayers would be much appreciated.

Hopefully there will now resume a more regular blog!