MUSICIAN BACKS 'KINGDOM VALUES'

Amid economic uncertainty, the ‘kingdom values’ of the Christian Socialist Movement have never been more crucial – says well-known musician Andy Flannagan, who is new head of CSM. ‘There is a passion stirring across the UK to partner with God in seeking justice, both locally and globally,’ he added. Flannagan, who’s been serving as Youth for Christ’s singer-songwriter, takes over from CSM’s current director Andrew Bradstock in January 2009. Church Army chief Mark Russell welcomed the move. ‘Since our school days in Northern Ireland I have known the remarkable gifts God has given Andy,’ he said. ‘His passion for engaging with the political structure – and his conviction in a God of justice – make this an inspired appointment.’

Source: Church Army Online (5/11).

Giving up at 80???

What a shock it has been in these last few weeks to find that my blogging has become the subject of publicity, first in the local newspaper, the Henley Standard, and then in the United Methodist Reporter! When the Henley Standard reporter phoned to ask if he come to interview me and I asked 'What for?', he said 'My colleague says that you're 87 and that you do blogging.' I tried to wriggle out of it, but he had me in a corner because he is the best reporter for publishing anything I send out in my job as Media Publicity Director for my church. So I have to keep him sweet! Then he went and repaid me by publishing a large photo under a huge headline that read 'Olive the Blogger - at 87!' Fortunately, its readers are mainly in Henley with a growing number in Caversham and Sonning Common, but it doesn't yet sell too many copies in Reading or the rest of the Circuit, so I can still pretend to be younger in some places!

The managing editor of the UM Reporter asks why it should be assumed that activities such as blogging would not be undertaken by people over 80 and I was so glad to read that comment. Most of my contemporaries give up everything when they reach the age of 80, saying that they have done their stint and it's up to the younger ones to do everything now. Well, they don't give up altogether, but confine themselves to coffee mornings and gentle support of whatever is going on. (Actually, there are many much younger people who are afraid to try the computer, believing that it will be beyond their capabilities - but how do they know if they never try it?)

While it is wrong for elderly people to keep doing work that younger folk are eager to do just because they have gained expertise in that direction, there is plenty of work (and a great variety of work) that can and should be done by older people to help bring in the Kingdom. The healthiest and most vibrant churches are surely the ones where everyone plays their part, with a good mix of all age groups working together and encouraging each other.

Some weeks ago, one of my blogging friends asked if I'd given any thought about what to call my blog when it was no longer appropriate! I hadn't thought of it at all, but I opened it up for suggestions and someone suggested that I should call it 'Olive Branches'. That's a good name and I was drawn to it. In fact, I considered changing it there and then, but now i am of the opinion that it would be best to leave it as it is until 2010 or 2011 (if God grants me that long) so that it might just possibly encourage other octogenarians to become bloggers.

Peacemaking for Remembrance Sunday

The Methodist Church is encouraging services for Remembrance Sunday to reflect on the call to be peacemakers.

This year marks 90 years since the end of the First World War - the war to end all wars. It is a fitting tribute to those who have died that The Church honours their memory and continues to work for peace and justice

www.methodist.org.uk/peacemaking

Karen Burke
Media Officer
Methodist Church House
25 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JR
Tel: 0207 467 5208
Fax: 0207 467 5229

Church calls for wider debate on NHS following Government “top-up” decision.

· More questions than answers following NHS top-ups decision.

The Methodist Church has responded to the Government’s announcements to allow National Health Service patients to buy extra medical treatment not available on the NHS with a call for clarity and a wider debate about the principles and values of a universal health system.

The NHS has an enviable history of providing state of the art healthcare to all, free at the point of delivery, and regardless of gender, race, age or ability to pay.

The decision by the Government raises new questions about equality and fairness.

Paul Morrison, Public Issues Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church, said: ‘While this announcement is welcome news for some, it increases the potential of developing a two-tier healthcare system in the UK. I am concerned that without Government commitment and vigilance we will wake up some day in the future in a country with a first class health care system for those who can afford it and an economy class system for those who can’t.

‘This decision may lead to challenging ethical questions within our Churches and wider communities. Drugs such as Donepezil are not available to NHS patients with early stage Alzheimer’s disease. How do we react to two people sitting on the pew next to each other both wanting this treatment, but only one is able to afford it? This raises huge ethical questions for individuals, church communities and society as a whole.’

Source: Methodist News Service 5/11/08

Christmas comes too early! ???

I am one of the many people who complain each year that Christmas comes too early in our shops and high streets, but this year I am having second thoughts! Today is the deadline for submission for the December edition of our local ecumenical newspaper entitled 'Caversham Bridge' of details of all our various Christian events and services to be held in the Christmas period.

So, as the Media Publicity Director, I have spent this last week contacting those responsible for organising such events and services in our two Methodist churches in Caversham. It was still October when I received the email requesting the information and it came as a shock to me, as well as some of those whom I contacted, making them spring into action to make vague dreams become realities. This makes me realise that we definitely do need early planning if our message is to come across as interesting, challenging and clear.

What I have now submitted for publication is an exciting variety of events that should appeal to a wide variety of people and age groups. One church (near to a relatively new housing estate) has planned two evenings of 'Rock Nativity' by the Masquerade Players, a morning Children's Christmas Service and evening Carol Service on the Sunday before Christmas, a 'Crafty Christmas' craft event for children aged 8 - 11 years on the Monday afternoon, a Pram Service followed by lunch on the Tuesday morning, with 'Carols round the Crib - a Teddy Bear's Picnic' followed by refreshments on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and the Family Christmas Service on Christmas morning.

The other church, with fewer children and young people, will host the annual Christmas Carol Service for the British Polio Fellowship, a Toy/Gift Service on December 14th when toys and gifts are donated for the local charity Christian Community Action which serves any who are in need in a large area (with shops and drop-in centres right across town), a Service of Holy communion in the morning and a Special Nativity Service for young children in the afternoon of December 21st, the annual Midnight Communion Service on Christmas Eve, with a Family Christmas Service on Christams Day and a Carol Service on December 28th.

As I have said, all these services and events need careful planning well ahead of time if they are to succeed. So why do we moan about our shops using similar strategy? This year in particular many families are having to beat the credit crunch by buying their gifts and food gradually, well ahead of other years, to avoid disappointing their families - children in particular. So I am wondering whether, instead of being irritated by the jingle bells ringing too early in our shops we ought perhaps to be using this time to talk about the coming of Jesus and why it is so important to us - and to those who have never heard of or considered His coming very much?

If nothing else, please can we spare time to pray for all those who are preparing services and events to spread the Good News of Jesus, and for all who will feel the effects of the credit sqeeze most keenly this Christmas.

Cyberspace Seniors, enjoying the benefits of being online

Quite out of the blue, I recently received an email asking me if I would be prepared to answer a few questions about my blogging for an article being written for the United Methodist Recorder, which I imagine to be the American equivalent of our Methodist Recorder. I was also asked if I had a photograph for the article.

Today I have had a message saying "The story is now posted on the Reporter's website: http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=4375 " Not only do I find myself to be quite prominent in the article, which even begins with my name, but my photo is embarrassingly large, too. It is not as if my blog is as intresting as it was in its Modblog days when its comments were filled with the vibrance of youth, with its laughter and tears. I am still missing all those young bloggers who took me to their hearts and turned my blogging into a real ministry. It was a real privilege to be a part of their hopes and dreams and fears - something that I shall treasure always.

With my current blogging, I have made many (mainly Methodist) friends and even met some of them at a bloggers' day or conference, but there is something lacking! We are predominantly people of similar interests and faith and there are few visitors from out there in Cyberspace who have never even heard of Jesus and His church! I want to be in touch with the real cyberspace again where there are people like the 26 year old that a minister doing our disciple course with us last night told us came to her house to do some electrical work and he was completely ignorant of anything to do with the church. He had no idea of what a minister is or what goes on in church. So, I keep asking myself, why don't I switch to Facebook or Beebo? I wish I could define my aversion to these very popular social networks, but it is something intangible. Is it because they seem too public? or too, sort of, commercialised? I don't know yet. I do know that Facebook would take up too much of my time, however interesting and however involved I might get.

I find that I need to discipline myself in my use of time, and especially in blogging and using the Internet, and prioritise in order to achieve all that I feel called or am asked to do. Going online can eat up your time quicker than anything else I know! (For that reason, I recommend it to those who are lonely or live alone, especially in these dark winter evenings.) I keep promising myself to smarten up my blog - with photos, etc, - but so far I have not been able to devote enough time to my blogging. That's interesting! Having written that, I am conscious that if I had still had my young bloggers visiting, I would have MADE the time to do what was necessary to keep their interest! H'mmm.

BISHOPS CALL CATHOLICS TO ‘READ AND PRAY’ THE BIBLE

Every Roman Catholic worldwide will be urged to have their own Bible and to ‘read and pray’ it. The church’s Synod of Bishops will make the call as 240 bishops conclude their discussions on the role of the Bible in worship and modern life. The synod is expected to publish an eight-page message and to vote on over 50 final propositions. One of these reminds Catholics that the Bible contains the Word of God who speaks to them in the Scriptures. Earlier this week Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Vatican’s ecumenical council, stressed the role of the Bible in working together with other Christians. ‘Nothing else unites the Christian churches and communities like the Bible does," he said.

Sources: The Universe (26/10); Zenit.org (22/10)