Palm Sunday 2020

This Palm Sunday, no crowds will line the streets

waving branches.

The cries of “Hosanna!” are silenced.

Yet, when Christ’s disciples are silenced, the stones will shout aloud.

Listen to the stones,

to the whispered hosannas of the Earth beneath our feet. 

We hear them from the dolphins in the clear waters of Venice,

and the song birds in the fresh blue skies above Shanghai.

With them we welcome Christ to come among us.

He comes not as a conquering hero,

but as one who serves.

Today is a momentary day of rejoicing,

although shadowed by the path through which it leads.

In the face of sorrow and confusion, rejoice that Christ walks with you.

Until, once again,

we emerge from our enforced Sabbath,

may we, from wherever we are,  wave whatever is to hand,

and join with creation’s eternal hymn of praise,

“Hosanna, hosanna in the highest, and peace to all creatures on Earth!”

A Good Society? We failed!

An open letter to Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Cast your mind back to 2015. Churches together in Britain and Ireland had asked churches to  discuss with their local communities the question “What makes a good society?” From these discussions they produced the 2020 vision. The expectation that the churches, other religious bodies and community organisations would work together with our elected representatives to build a good society in which all could thrive. It was where we aspired to be by the year 2020.  This is what it said:-

• All citizens have access to enough income to enable them to live with dignity, either through paid work or through a properly functioning welfare safety net.
• Reasonably priced homes where people can flourish are available for everyone who needs them and there is a reliable safety net for all homeless people.
• All children and young people are enabled to live fulfilling flourishing lives, their contributions are valued, and they are enabled to grow and achieve their potential.
• An economy that is in service to every person irrespective of their wealth or the market value of their labour; including robust action to clamp down on tax dodging.
• UK greenhouse gas emissions are falling rapidly, and the Government has helped to secure a global climate deal that limits global temperature rises to 2 degrees.”

This was not meant to be an exhaustive list. For example, the local conversation that I was involved in wanted to add “There is a thriving NHS which meets the needs of all.”

So with only just over a month until 2020, and another general election looming, this seems a good time to take stock. How did we do?

Quite simply, we failed. We did not build a good society- or even make steps towards it. If anything, we have moved further from our vision.

The implementation of universal credit and pip assessment has led to greater hardship for many vulnerable people. An increasing number of people rely on food banks to get by. Homelessness is still evident in our communities. Most school budgets have been cut in real terms reducing children’s and young people’s’ opportunities to thrive and achieve their potential. Cuts in local government have made youth services almost non existent in some areas. Young people’s mental health is an increasing concern. Tax dodging is still prevalent. As extinction rebellion campaigners remind us, the climate is in crisis and we have been far too slow to respond.

We failed- big time.

So what did we do with our vision? Did we hold it up as a beacon? Did we shout from our pulpits and to our communities “Look, this what we said. What are we doing about it?” No, we didn’t. We filed it away as yesterday’s news, a sound bite for the 2015 election.

Building the Good Society, or what Christians call the Kingdom of God, is not a short term project. Neither is it only for politicians. It is a long term task that involves us all.

The general election will take place during advent. This is traditionally a time of waiting and preparation. But what are we waiting for? Not for a political leader, but for a vulnerable refugee child. A child who reminds us that leadership is about love and service. This is the way to a good society.

Let us remain faithful to our vision. No matter what happens in the election, let’s keep holding our politicians and churches to account. None of the people standing in this election is our saviour. We simply need to decide who would best love and serve with us as we strive towards a good society.  The road is long, and sometimes difficult, but as the advent and Christmas stories reminded us, Christ walks with us. 

Angels sing and bees still buzz.

A Christmas Carol linking the #WeStandTogether capaign, the Greater Manchester bees and the Christmas message of Peace on Earth. I am happy for people to use it if they like it, but not for profit. There probably were bees in Bethlehem- honey is mentioned frequently in the Bible.

TUNE: It came upon the midnight clear

The bees were there in Bethlehem, 

It was not a land of snow, 

A desert land of milk and honey, 

Two thousand years ago. 

We heard the Angel voices sing 

Of peace on earth, 

We buzzed our joyful song of praise, 

When Mary gave Him birth. 

Yet peace on Earth was hard to find, 

As years of war went by, 

But we bees heard what Jesus said, 

Perhaps people too could try... 

To learn to love each other, 

Strangers as well as friends, 

Then peace as sweet as honey, 

Will be yours in the end. 

Stand together Greater Manchester, 

And spread this message of love, 

Peace on the Earth, good will to all, 

Angels sing and bees still buzz. 

Stand together Greater Manchester, 

And spread this message of love, 

Peace on the Earth, good will to all, 

Angels sing and bees still buzz.

 ©Liz Delafield 2017

Stand Together Manchester

#WeStandtogether

Every parent who stood where you stood,
Collecting their son or daughter from a night out,
Draws breath deeply,
Do you have a memory of  youth, at a pop concert,
Knowing the taxi of mum or dad would be there,
To take you safely home?
We who stood where you stood,
Stand with you now.
This is the place,
Of poets,  innovators, of flower layers and great north runners,
Of the bee tattoo.
Where #WeStandTogether,
A City United.


In another place…
A mum yet again searches a child who will not return,
Yet here
No poet’s lament to empower you,
No blanket of flowers to enfold you.
No tattoo offers solidarity,
For that is the place
These things rarely make the news any more.

Stand together, Manchester.
Stand together in grief, in love, in solidarity, in hope.
Stand together with each other,
Stand together too with that other place.
We did not stand where they stood,
But in our longing for a world where love is stronger than hate,
We stand together now.

Gomer's story and Brexit Britain

Hosea 1: 2-10

Luke 11: 1-4

" I am Gomer, a woman with a reputation.. “ A wife of whoredom” I was called! That’s not very nice.

At the time I lived honour, men’s honour,  was important. No matter if it wasn’t the woman’s fault.  A woman like me, whose reputation was tarnished would harm a man’s honour would not be good marriage material. 

So I married the prophet Hosea. We were quite an odd couple. People wondered what he saw in me. They also might wonder what I saw in him, a religious guy who says he is a prophet didn’t look much like my type either. Did he just marry me as a metaphor? People always say that our marriage, and our children’s names are symbolic of God’s love of an unfaithful people. But to us it was so much more than that. In life sometimes you have to give someone another chance. In  human relationships there is something more important than honour and reputation.  People can change. Did people consider that maybe we actually liked each other!

Our marriage wasn’t always easy. People would point fingers and mutter behind our backs. But Hosea said to take no notice. He said that they had been unfaithful to what God wants in so many ways.  He said that how we cared for each other and our children, despite the difficult start to our marriage, would show them how God cared for people, and teach them something about God’s mercy.“

I wonder what Gomer and Hosea’s story says to our world today. There has been a rise in racist attacks. The recent referendum has revealed that we are a very divided society. Much of the campaign exploited racial and national differences. Many people are now feeling fearful and uncertain. Now, whatever happens politically, our  society is in need of healing.

The point of the story is twofold

One: Avoiding prejudice and looking at the human story.

Two: Mercy, healing and forgiveness are  difficult but possible.

First,  Gomer suffered from prejudice because of her reputation.  Prejudice can take many forms.  In the book and film  “Goodbye Mr. Chips” a list of names of former members of the school who have list their lives in the war is read out. As the name of  Max Staefel, a German,  is read out there is a murmur of discontent. At this, Mr. Chips stands up and reminds them, “Individuals are not Nations.”  At the moment, migrants and foreign nationals living in Britain are living in fear and encountering hostility. Some people have decided to wear a safety pin as a sign that they are against prejudice, and they want to be a safe person for someone who feels fearful to talk to or sit with.

Secondly, that mercy, healing and forgiveness are difficult but possible. The story of Hosea and Gomer, uses an intimate human relationship to signify God’s mercy and love. In Luke’s Lord’s Prayer that we heard in our New Testament reading, God is addressed as “Father.” It then goes on to ask that our sins are forgiven, “as we forgive those who sin against us”. This suggests to me that for that early Jewish community that followed Jesus, an atmosphere of mercy and forgiveness were considered the norm. When there are difficulties in human relationships,, as partners,  parents or  children, people have to work through their difficulties, talk about their hurt and anger and hopefully work things out in an an atmosphere of love. This is often very difficult. This is equally the case in society. Like any relationship this is difficult, and something you have to work at. Forgiveness and mercy are not about avoiding the wrongs and hurts that have been done. After apartheid in South Africa the Reconciliation and Truth Commission was established to face up to the things that had happened and help people move forward. At the heart of our faith is the belief that human beings are good, and that they can change.

So remember Gomer and Hosea, an odd couple who worked things our.. The two things that they can teach us are to avoid prejudice, and that, whilst often difficult, forgiveness and mercy are possible. People can change.

Not quite the people's charter! What to do about EU!

Like many people I thought that the outcome of the referendum on Britain's membership of the EU was not the right one. I came up with an idea. There is really no need to rush into things.

1. Pause. First we need to wait for a while. The political parties, torn with internal conflicts, were not in a fit state to address the really difficult questions that have arisen.
2. One of the problems with the referendum was the amount if disinformation flying around- remember how we were supposed to have 350 million to spend on the NHS, then we weren't!
3. Another shocking thing was the division and discontent that the referendum revealed in our society. Whatever else we do, urgent steps need to be taken to address this.
4. Plan. Another problem was that no one really knew what they were voting for. The next step, surely, was for the Government to come up with a clear plan for what Brexit will look like. Will there be freedom of movement? What kind of trade agreements could we have with other countries? Which projects currently funded by the EU will they continue to fund? What about Scientific, cultural and Education links? What will happen at borders such as Northern Ireland and Gibraltar? ....etc
5. Review. Surely on such an important decision the public will need to be consulted again before a final decision is taken on whether to invoke article 50 of the Lisbon treaty. This time 16 and 17 year olds need to be included. This will affect their future and it was a travesty that they were not asked last time.

Anyway, spurred on by the 4 million petition for a second referendum, and several people saying mine was a good idea, I made the gist of it into a parliamentary petition. Well, I don't know what the petitions office were up to, but it took nearly three weeks to get published. By this time a lot of people had forgot about Brexit and were busy catching Pokemon instead. Also, lots of other people had also started petitions so people have got a bit fed up with signing them, and even when they do are reluctant to share them for fear of annoying their Facebook and Twitter friends with yet another petition.

So, I still have fewer than 200 signatures; far fewer than the 4 million I'd hoped! This is a much better idea than the second referendum one. I guess it isn't as instantly appealing as asking for one simple thing straight away, and not easy to put in a campaign slogan. "What do we want? A plan and review. When do we want it? No hurry, take your time."

It's probably also too long. The petitions that have got lots tend to be very simple with only one idea. People are used to getting their news and views in short, snappy sentences and slogans. The people's charter wouldn't have stood a chance these days.

But I still think it's quite a good idea.

 https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/151256
Please sign and share if you like.

A reflection for Holy Saturday

http://www.methodist.org.uk/static/artcollection/image33.htm

This image is from the Methodist Art Collection. It’s by Graham Sutherland, and was painted in 1947. Deeply touched by the atrocities and suffering of the Holocaust, Sutherland, formerly a landscape artist, painted this striking image.

We don’t like to linger too long at this moment in our story, preferring to rush ahead to the joys of Easter. Yet for many human lives, touched with grief, illness or abuse, this is the moment in which they remain. 

So let us stay here for a while, with Mary and the other women who have traveled from Nazareth, or looking on from afar with the disciples who ran away in fear. Or with Judas and the guilt of betrayal.

This was a political death, an execution, planned by those in authority to silence a potential trouble-maker.
We still hear today stories of torture, oppression, betrayal and violence. Nigeria, Syria, Palestine.

Jesus is dead. All Creation falls silent.
Silence
And yet…somehow…even at this moment… God is there.
Can we in this sad, lonely, confusing and scary moment sense a glimmer of hope?
Hope for those who grieve.
Hope for our violent and broken world.

Even… or perhaps especially…at this moment, He remains Emmanuel, God with us.

A Good Society

Questions to discuss in the run up to a General Election

What makes a Good Society?
What are our responsibilities?
What are the barriers to a good society, and how do we overcome them?

Find a Good Society conversation near you.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1622860677937122

A dedication of loving relationships for Valentine's Day

Leader:
As human beings we are created with desires and a need for companionship,
We have great capacity for love, yet also many failings and frailties.
We bring before today you all our loving relationships.
Those that have flourished, and those that didn't work out,
Those that have just begun, and those that begun long ago,
Those that continue in strength, those beset by adversity,
Those lost to us through death, whose memories are cherished.
Those accepted and blessed by our church, and those who long for such acceptance,
We offer the messy, complex ways of our human loving,
Lead us towards the perfect love for which you have created us.

I invite those who wish to re-dedicate their relationship today, to join hands with each other and join in the following declaration:


People who wish to dedicate their relationship today (P)

P: Before God, in the company of God's people,
I declare that I remain your constant friend and loving partner.
I promise to go on giving you the best of myself.
We pray for the grace to continue our journey alongside one another,
As companions in life's pilgrimage.

Amen

Leader: I invite you now to touch or hold any symbols or tokens of your love (usually wedding and engagement rings.)

Leader: Let us remember the day when these tokens were first exchanged. The hopes and dreams. We offer to you all that has happened in our lives since that day. The joys and the sorrow. The laughter and the tears. As we continue life's journey together, may they remain for us symbols of love and commitment.
P: Amen

All:
Loving God, grant your blessings to all before you today,
May our lives be filled with love,
Our homes be places of warmth and welcome,
May we together build communities of justice and hope.
Amen

The Original Star Trek: A Nativity service with The Doctor and other characters from sci-fi

Video (The Universe and our place in it)

Princess Leia (Or other Science fiction character)

Wonder

At the tiny

Wonder at the vastness of the universe,

And within it,

On the edge of the milky-way galaxy,

Orbiting the sun star,

A beautiful blue green planet,

Teaming with life forms,

Turning, changing, evolving.

When you, children of planet Earth, look to the stars do you wonder?

Why am I here?

How do we make meaning in all this?

You are not alone,

For thousands of years the people of your planet have gazed in wonder at these very same stars. This is their story, and it is also your story.

(Open large important looking book)

Image: The Elders 

In a land of tribal wars. In a time of hardship and conflict, some people saw that there could be a better way. People called them the prophets They looked forward to a new time when things would be different. They told tales of one who was to come. Perhaps a king, or a prince. A great and mighty leader. One who would change things.

Song: Prepare ye the way of the Lord: (Men’s group?)

Image: Lifta 

Imagine now,

An Ancient village in a hot and dusty land,

On the edge of the Roman Empire,

An ordinary place called Nazereth,

Nothing important had happened here.

Image: Mary 

Here there lived an ordinary young woman, Mary, and her husband, Joseph.

(Choose children to be Mary, Joseph and angel Gabriel.)

Song: The angel Gabriel from Heaven came. 187

(Mary and angel to act out the scene.)

Image: Donkey

Wow, an angel. And she was having a baby!

Was Mary’s child to be the one of whom the prophet’s spoke?

Now, orders came from the Romans that Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem, a long and difficult journey. They only had a little donkey.

Song: Little Donkey

When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was nowhere for them to stay.

The Song of the Inkeepers (From Nursery rhyme Nativity)

Image: Stable

The only place they could find was a stable. So it was in that stable, a makeshift shelter for wandering travellers, that Mary’s baby was born.

Child enters carrying baby Jesus.

Who would think that what was needed? 222

Image: Stable

Not a king, or a prince or a military leader. What kind of answer was this to the cries of your planet. A baby in a manger?

Tardis sound effects

Enter The Doctor

Doctor: Knoch Knock

All: Who’s there?

Doctor: Doctor

All: Doctor Who?

Doctor: You just said it!

Princess Leia: Yes, that’s in here too. The oldest joke in the universe!

Doctor: Never mind that! This is vitally important. Something here and now must be of tremendous importance to the whole universe. You see the paths of time and space are pointing to something. However I look at it, it turns out the same. This moment, this place. 1^st Century Palestine, the edge of the Roman empire, Bethlehem, an old animal shelter. Hardly seems an important time and place. Maybe my instruments are playing up.

Princess Leia: I’ve just been sharing one of the ancient tales of the Earth people. According to their story this is indeed an important time and place.

Doctor: Is it? (To congregation) Can you tell me what important thing has happened here?

Doctor: Ah…so the hopes and fears of all the years are met here tonight… I think that’s a cue for a song.

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem 213

Image: Bedouin shepherd

Doctor: So if the birth of this child is so important for planet Earth, did anyone notice?

Leia: Some people did. Shall I carry on with the story?

Doctor: Oh yes please. I love stories.

Leia: There were shepherds (invite shepherds to come) on a hillside looking after their sheep. Suddenly the sky was filled with light and the sky was filled with angels.

Doctor: Not the weeping angels? They’re really scary!

Leia: No, the good ones, God’s messengers.

Doctor: Oh good, carry on.

Leia: invite angels) They said to the shepherds, “We bring tidings of great joy, A child is born in Bethlehem. He will bring peace to the whole Earth”

So the shepherds left their sheep and hurried down to Bethlehem.

Nursery rhyme Nativity: Shepherds song

Image: Wall-e 

Leia: And way in the East Altrologers were looking to the skies. (Invite wisemen). They were looking for a sign.

Doctor: Ah, this is where I come in! A great light in the sky moving to show them where to go. That’s a job for me. I can create a great light in the sky with the TARDIS energy beam and lead them to the stable. They’re never going to find it otherwise.

Chris de Berg: A Spaceman came travelling (Film clip)

Image: Star Trek 

Enter Mr. Spock:

Leia: Ah Mr. Spock from the star ship Enterprise. The Doctor said this was a meeting point in time and space. (To Spock) What are you up to these days?

Spock: Oh you know, the usual, exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and civilisations and boldly going where no-one has gone before.

Leia: Nice. What do you make of this story from planet Earth then?

Spock:  It is illogical. The creator of all becoming a little baby? I find you people of Earth very illogical. Every year you tell this story. You bring a tree into your house and attach shiny things to it. You eat a large bird and give your uncle new slippers. Highly illogical. Perhaps one of these Earth people clan explain it to us.

Images from Glimpses of Glory powerpoint

Earth Person (Mandy?): Reflections on John 1: 14 by David Cornick from Glimpses of Glory.

://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/powerpoint-for-worship 

Children return to their seats during the hymn

Oh Come All ye faithful (During which the offering is taken)

Image: Star 

Earth person: Offering prayer

Loving God,

At the first Christmas you offered yourself to us,

A tiny vulnerable baby.

In the vastness of our universe,

You spoke a gentle word of love.

As we offer these tokens,

We offer now ourselves,

We offer ourselves to the service of our world,

That the light of your love,

May fill our hearts, our homes, our land, our world, and even our universe.

Amen.

Princess Leia: This journey is not yet over. The people of this world are still searching. Just like the wise men, there are stars to guide your way. Look out for them. Find out what happens next at our Star Trek Epiphany star Trek service and party on 5th January.

Until then let us wish each other well as is our custom:-

Leia: May the Force be with you.

Spock: Live long and prosper

All: (Led by the Earth person) May the grace of our Lord Jesus  Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen

(Hymn numbers from the Methodist Hymn book, Singing the faith)

Jingle Bells

It's that time of year again!

This is a new version of Jingle Bell that I wrote (with Stewart's help) for my school's forthcoming carol service. I offer it freely for use in collective acts of worship, nativity plays etc, but not to be published or used for profit. Feel free to copy it to others with this proviso.

Cornerstones in verse 1, is a homeless people's daycentre in Manchester. My school have been collecting various items including toilet rolls! You may want to substitute this line for one of your own. Please let me know if you use it/like it, or pass on any new verses you write.

Far away from home,
In a little bed of hay,
With the ox and donkey,
Nowhere else to stay.
Down at Cornerstones,
The people have no homes,
We will bring them food and clothes,
And some toilet rolls.

Chorus: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jesus came to say, We should love each other more and more each day.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jesus came to say, We should love each other more and more each day.

Then he had to flee,
From Herod's evil plan,
Lets welcome refugees,
And help them when we can.
He held the leper's hand,
He washed disciples' feet,
He told us we should do the same,
For everyone we meet.

As we're having fun,
At this Christmas tide,
Some people sit alone,
Eating a mince pie,
Our smiles will bring them hope,
And brighten up their day,
So share your love this Christmas,
And jingle all the way!