unfinished Christian

Please do check out this blog. www.unfinishedchristian.wordpress.com The author talks a lot of sense !!!

Irish Catholic scandal

I have been deeply troubled this week by the news from Ireland of the major report into the abuse of children in homes run by the Catholic Church. This is just so awful, to think of places supposed to be centres where God's love was made known to broken, lonely vulnerable children. Instead they experienced horrific pain and emotional damage.

Please join me in praying for those affected by this terrible legacy.

MPs

I wonder if the outcry over MPs expenses, will finally prompt this nation to ask hard questions about our democracy. I remember learning as a Law student, that the UK has effectively an elected dictatorship. That just over 43% of the popular vote can deliver over 60% of the seats in the House of Commons, and the whip system and Prime Ministerial patronage means the government normally gets its way. The Executive have the Royal Prerogative, which means significant Royal powers are available to the Prime Minister which do not require parliamentary approval. Powers to declare war, make treaties, seize land,etc etc.

The anger over MPs expenses of course will get tied up with the scintilating details of moats and duck ponds, but the real question is the fettering of respect for politics and the political system.

I think we need an urgent Consitutional Convention, of all parties, respected academics and people from across public life, to ask hard questions about our democracy. Britain needs to reform the system this nation is governed by. It is not acceptable that MPs for safe consituencies have a job for life, nor is it acceptable that this nation has an appointed second chamber.

In 100 years time, political students will learn about the crisis of 2009, and the sweeping from office of the Speaker for the first time in 300 years. What will they make however of our response to this? Let's be bold, and grasp the challenge to create a new politics for a new era.

Poor guy resigned

So the guy who authorised Air Force One to fly over New York on a photo op, has resigned. Over $300,000 to get the pic of the famous plane over the Statue of Liberty...

$300K, and frightening the life out of the people of New York, giving the President of United States a major PR disaster...did no one think of using photoshop?

Opportunities

In the space of a month, I have had the chance to speak to hundreds of young people in two of the finest Cathedrals in England. On Easter Monday, I joined Rowan Williams for the Easter Youth Pilgrimage at Canterbury Cathedral, and today, I had the honour of speaking in Durham Cathedral (pictured here). This is truly a phenomenal and mindblowing building! I was speaking at the College Day for the College of St Hild and St Bede, part of the University of Durham.

Durham Cathedral is the most amazing Norman building in the UK, if not Europe, and work stated in 1083. The Cathedral contains the remains of the Venerable Bede and St Cuthbert.

Today I had the privilege of speaking in this Cathedral with a congregation of over 600 students from the College, many of whom told me it is their annual visit to a church. The privilege of being able to sow something of the Christian message into their lives was just so moving. As I drove home I was reflecting on this service, and the fact that so many students got up on Saturday morning to come to the cathedral. They chose to come, and they seemed to really enjoy the service. The Church of England, still has these amazing opportunities because we are the established Church. We get chances to speak at major events, university services, civic services. We need to make sure we use these well, I just hope today I did justice to the opportunity.

I spoke on Jesus calming of the storm, and the thought that even in danger, the disciples were safe because Jesus was in the background. If nothing else I hope I have used a little passion and enthusiasm, to suggest to these young people, that God loves them, and that God is always there, in the background, a constant in a world of change.

Priorities

I serve as a member of the Archbishops' Council, which is one of the central bodies of the Church of England. Like most charities, the Council is facing a strategic review of it's spending priorities, and the first draft of this review was published on the CoE website, and came to Council for discussion in April. The report is public, so I am not breaking any confidences. I am a CEO of a charity myself, and I understand the need for review, and asking hard questions about how money is spent.

The review document makes all kinds of presumptions, and tries to divide the work of the national church into "essential" and "valuable". This distinction between sheep and goats is deeply damaging. The implication being anything not in the "essential" category could have its budgets cut. That although the work is useful and good, the review paper suggests it is not totally essential to the work of the church. So what comes in that category you might well ask?

Well, in that category you will find the budgets for national youth work, childrens ministry, and lay discipleship. You will also find the work with higher and further education! Most of the major areas where our national church's work impacts younger people!!!

I cannot begin to say how much I am opposed to these areas of work being fingered! It seems our work with younger people is bearing the brunt of these suggested cuts, and you won't find similar cuts in our work in central machine, or the backroom costs, or the rising costs for bishops.
This is an accountant's review and not a strategic review. Where is the theological wisdom in this? Where is the strategic mission sense in this? I will do all I can to oppose the cuts falling in these areas. If the church nationally decides to stop funding the children and youth work budgets, then I am concerned that dioceses across the land will feel they too can cut their youth and childrens work budgets. This is just crazy!

You can read the paper for yourself on the Church of England website, or click HERE The report is out to consultation until 22nd May, and I urge you if like me, you want to see the work with children and young people remain a key priority for the Church of England, then write and tell the review group so !

Exam stress!

May was always a hard month. Sunshine, hayfever and revision ! As a youth worker for nearly 10 years, I saw young people get more stressed each year. The pressure on our young people is immense. Pressure to succeed, pressure to get the grades, pressure to get starred grades, pressure to get into the right university.

Today the Church of England has helpfully published 2 prayers for stressed out young people. Yet another example of our communications team responding to situations with resources for people. The recent prayers for people worried about job loss and the recession have been very well received. So let me print the 2 prayers for stressed young people, and I hope they help.

Jesus,
Keep reminding me of the bigger picture over the next few weeks,
Keep me in your hands when all other hands disappear,
For I am convinced that neither entry requirements nor exam results, neither anticipation nor doubts, neither success nor failure, nor any expectations, neither last minute fears nor anxieties, nor anything else in life, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Please, don’t let me forget it!

Another of the prayers to be reproduced in postcard format is written by the Rt Revd John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln and Chair of the Board of Education:

Dear Lord,
I want to do my best to fulfil the potential you have given me.
Help me:
- to stay calm
- to keep things in perspective and be content with the best I can do on the day
- to look out for my friends who need a bit of encouragement, and
- to always remember that the real test is how closely I can follow in your way.
Amen.

Yes it is important to do your best, and give exams your best shot. but they are not the be all and end all. People are important and significant, and God loves us no matter what grades we get!