A wet day in Hastings and a day off for me to recharge my batteries after a difficult few days, um er, weeks! Not a lot to do on a day that is foggy, windy and wet. Had a nice coffee and bacon sandwich in a wonderful cafe I frequent a lot run by people with autism in our town. Did some reading about local history in the library, and then it was time for lunch - my first visit to Foyle's Pie and Mash shop on the sea front. It began to rain heavily so I have come home. Home to difficult messages from work which I am trying not to think about - hence the distraction of blogging.
I will watch the repeat of Prime Minister's Questions tonight on BBC Parliament. When the Labour Party leadership campaign started, I never ever thought we would see this man standing at the despatch box as Leader of the Opposition. There will be many things we will disagree with Mr Corbyn over, some reading this more than others I guess. But you cannot say that politics hasn't become more exciting in the last few days, and we now have a definite opposition, rather than really the same on both sides of the House. I still have to realise I am not dreaming when I look at this picture taken at PMQs today. It is the first time I have seen Mr Corbyn in a tie!
Whatever your political persuasion, we want politicians to tell us what they believe in, to tackle big issues that matter to us, to make a difference, to deal with poverty and injustice and to help create a better society of fairness and equality. I am a (quiet) member of the Labour Party. I have never voted anything else. Mr Corbyn sent an e-mail out to members asking for suggestions for questions he might ask the Prime Minister today. I sent in one many of us in the hustings here in the election wanted answering - how will this government ensure that food banks are closed and not needed in Britain by the 2020 General Election. He has used some very big statements about this government - "poverty deniers." Sometimes you get into trouble for being controversial. But I am glad he is stirring it up, and we might get some decent debate over the next few years even if he as many think will not ever make it to be PM himself.
There was a good article on Guardian on line I read with the bacon sandwich this morning by Owen Jones which included these thoughts: "It is difficult, with relentless hostility raining down on your head, but that means adopting an inclusive, cheerful, positive approach: love-bombing opponents, even. What is required is persuasion, not berating..."
Somehow as I read that paragraph, relentless hostility, difficulty in getting the argument you believe in across, people wanting a different approach, not listening, I thought about Christian ministry, my own really... I have in the past (and a bit now) had hostility to my approach and my style of leadership. But I have found the doubters and the negative who struggle with the different or even a broader picture than church world or what I want world in church life, find my inclusive, cheerful, positive approach a challenge. Someone I trust said to me recently commenting on my work "you never talk anything down, you always see the positive." I have had to work hard to do that but I do believe it is a better approach than being gloomy. It isn't about making people agree with you, it is about engaging with people and listening to them but being confident in what you believe and what you think is right. Perhaps the Church has become very wishy washy in its beliefs, perhaps the Church has become too narrow in its inclusiveness, perhaps the Church has become too sure it is about to die and afraid to take some risks, perhaps the negative voices, the ones who struggle with different ideas need to be love bombed! Our pastoral tutor at Hartley Victoria used to say "love your people and evangelise your blockers."!
I don't know what will happen to Mr Corbyn long term. In Private Eye today there is a picture of Mr Cameron smiling with the caption "best three quid I ever spent." It will be interesting to see how the ground swell of support for him in the membership of the party sits with the majority of Labour MPs who are very uncomfortable at the moment, perhaps not knowing what he and his mate the shadow chancellor will say and do next. I doubt he will sway from deeply held convictions.
And of course this is what another JC was about. The thing that attracts me to Jesus is his no nonsense manifesto about the Kingdom. I sometimes do not like the Church, I don't like its processes, its methods, and the things it worries about, so much of my time is taken up with other things that what I came into ministry to do. But I continue to believe I am here to make a difference in the name of Christ to people, to help people, to stick to my principles, to help build communities where wholeness and vibrancy matter, where people say actually this Christianity thing might be worth exploring a bit. My new colleague, Trisha, had a lovely phrase at our staff away day yesterday. We are to get to a point where people know God loves them and where they think Christians are okay.
Sometimes we simply need to offer people who struggle the radical love of Christ, not some Churchy nonsense and not some tepid weak stuff that life will be lovely because Jesus loves us. People want to see that love in tough action, contextual, making a difference and standing up for right even when it makes us very unpopular.
So today I am praying for our political leaders of all parties who have convictions.
I am praying for those struggling and being persecuted for standing up for what they believe in.
I am praying for Christian leaders who are weighed down by the burdens of people rejecting what they are passionate about sharing or sorting.
I am praying for the Church to renew herself and find the Jesus who got involved and in the end sacrificed himself for his principles.
Gosh, a lot of rambling there from one picture I never thought I'd see. I wonder what Tony Blair is thinking today... That's naughty, I know.
