The Government’s proposals for ending lockdown suggested that it might be possible for places of worship to open again from July onwards. Back in May, I wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister encouraging him to engage with local churches on the ground and to provide a clear, phased plan for leaving lockdown. In… Continue reading A top down approach won’t get us out of lock-down
Category: Opinion
A phased return out of lockdown for churches (a draft proposal)
Over the past few months, churches have willingly complied with COVID-19 lockdown measures. We have done so because we believed it was the right thing to do as we sought to love our neighbours. Throughout the lockdown we have sought to continue to care for the communities around us often providing practical and emotional support… Continue reading A phased return out of lockdown for churches (a draft proposal)
If you don’t want to be racist, don’t misrepresent what black people are saying
Since George Floyd’s death, I have been fascinated to see the number of tweets, Facebook posts and articles by Christians responding to the call to “take the knee.” Some Christians have chosen to do so, others have not and that’s the way it should be. We should not force people to take particular actions, these… Continue reading If you don’t want to be racist, don’t misrepresent what black people are saying
The end of the Department For International Aid (DFID) should encourage a bigger conversation about governments, aid and charity
The merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) into the Foreign Office was one of those worst kept secrets, a case of when not if. In effect it’s a bit of restricting, a bit of musical chairs. Of greater importance than what departments exist in government, is the effectiveness of their objectives. This means… Continue reading The end of the Department For International Aid (DFID) should encourage a bigger conversation about governments, aid and charity
Free School Meal vouchers over the summer will not deal with the problem of poverty
Well done to Marcus Rashford, his campaign seems to have encouraged the government to extend provision of free school meal vouchers through the official 6 weeks holiday. If that means the result is that a number of children are properly fed over the summer then that is a good thing. However, this is not going… Continue reading Free School Meal vouchers over the summer will not deal with the problem of poverty
Some things take priority over the fear of Coronavirus
What would you have broken lockdown for? Is there anything that would have pushed you to move beyond the 2 metre distancing rules? We were told that these rules were essential, that we should not under any circumstances break them or risk spreading the virus, getting ill of even dying ourselves. People have expressed their… Continue reading Some things take priority over the fear of Coronavirus
Leaders set the tone -sometimes it is about us
In a previous article I said that we set the tone by recognising that things are not always about us. However, sometimes they are. One of the things that concerned me about early comments during coronavirus was the speed with which some church leaders and prominent speakers and writers were quick to suggest that the… Continue reading Leaders set the tone -sometimes it is about us
Meaningful traditions and empty rituals
On Saturday, it was the Queen’s official birthday. Her actual birthday is in April and so it has been the custom for her to have an official celebration in June enabling the pageantry of the Trooping of the Colour with less risk of bad weather. It makes sense and has become part of our customs… Continue reading Meaningful traditions and empty rituals
Leaders set the tone – it isn’t always about us
If you live in a multi-ethnic context then over time you get to hear the thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears of people from different ethnic backgrounds to your own. I have the privilege of living in a community and being part of a church where people come from so many different backgrounds, Afro Caribbean, Nigerian,… Continue reading Leaders set the tone – it isn’t always about us
The fear of being forgotten (our obsession with statues)
The debate about tearing down statues that has dominated our news headlines this week has been a proxy for a deeper debate about what we value. Behind it has been questions about who we remember and who we forget and what that says about the things we value. So, one of the key arguments for… Continue reading The fear of being forgotten (our obsession with statues)
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