Ed Miliband has just given a speech anouncing his decision to stand for the Labour leadership. In setting out his credentials for the job he expressed a desire for Labour to rediscover its radical past. To return to being a party with the interests of ordinary people at its heart and a party that listens to the needs of ordinary people. What is more, he believes that Labour needs to rediscover its mission and be a transformative party once again.
At the same time, I am preparing for an evening service next Sunday - the day before Aldersgate Sunday. It has prompted me to think about Methodism. I believe that we need to rediscover our mission and our radical nature. We must remember that we should be a church focussed on the ordinary person and listening to their needs. We can get so caught up in committees and policies to enable the Methodist Church best serve people in the 21st Century that we can forget to listen to what ordinary people need and are concerned about.
We should never forget what Wesley said and did, the need for holiness is as important now as it has ever been, we should be out where people are, we should have social justice high up on our agenda. But we should also remember that we are a church of the 21st Century and so we need to make sure that these values are expressed in ways that are relevent to people today. Methodism, like the Labour party, was a radical movement with a radical and transformative mission, and both need to rediscover their past for the good of the country and the kingdom of God.
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