I hesitate to write about Bright City again. But there are some ideas associated with the song ‘Change’ which, for me, seem to have been continually highlighted during this very unusual season of cultural, political, social and economic upheaval.
Bright City, Change: https://youtu.be/bvixJ0cKDro I have often been struck by the contrasting church situations at St Peter’s in Brighton and here at The Cairn, and wonder at the grace of God in enabling such difference and diversity. Last time I was in Brighton, just before travel became difficult, my eyes were drawn, in a ‘vintage’ book store, to a large hardback book with the word ‘INEQUALITY’ across the spine. At the bargain price of just £2, I felt this was the book for me!! And this led to some really interesting conversations about the song ‘Change’ which seeks to express hopes around revival but also to capture some broader questions and themes around equality issues. This is then helpfully picked up, for me, in the discussion about the song, which was released this week. I hope you find it of interest too: https://youtu.be/SAzf6ThlvWc Here in Bristol, it was a privilege to be connected widely with church leaders again, and to hear encouragement from Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees, to persevere in these challenging times, with the helpful reminder from Romans 1:3-5 that: ‘… suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us’. Issues around inequality are key in Bristol too, and it was good to see a report from Andy Street (one of our Trustees) about the incredibly positive work of Feeding Bristol in addressing food poverty, with a commendable commitment of: ‘driving systemic change to increase food security across all social and cultural communities of Bristol – ultimately striving for ‘Zero Hunger’’. Do have a read about it yourself (below): https://thebristolmayor.com/ https://www.feedingbristol.org/ ‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen’ (Ephesians 3:20-21).
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In the midst of challenging times, it was an unexpected pleasure this week to hear Sarah and Jonny on UCB2 Radio, where Bright City were featured as the artist of the week!! ‘Christ In Me’ is a great Easter song. https://youtu.be/di5NZtRnV-M The opening sequences in the video also have significant resonances, for me, with the scenes from the Notre Dame devastation which you may remember from this time last year, and about which I recall speaking here in the garden at The Cairn. Here is one of the pictures from Notre Dame, as a reminder: And here are the pictures from St Peter’s Church, Brighton (from a building which now stands empty, due to current circumstances): Strange circumstances, both years.
But, in a sense, both serve to demonstrate the same central point about Easter, that: ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever’ (Hebrews 13:8). The Word of God is, truly, more reliable than the ground underneath our feet. ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away’ said Jesus (Matthew 24:35). So, as believers in Jesus, we carry this great hope of the Resurrection and of a New Creation. And we draw fresh confidence and courage this Easter that: ‘since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire’’ (Hebrews 12:28-29). And this may be a helpful place to start in responding to that; Bright City’s Easter song from last year, ‘Hope Lives’: https://youtu.be/xj61gedgLx4 Happy Easter! Well, it would seem so!!
Congratulations to Keir Starmer on being elected Labour Party leader this morning. I never knew Keir personally at Reigate Grammar School, where we would have been among the last 11-plus entrants; before this most curious of schools(!!) transitioned from being a voluntary aided state school into an independent fee-paying grammar school in 1976 (my first year and Keir’s second). And I have never been a signed up member of the Labour Party, and felt it would be disingenuous to do so just in order to vote. Nonetheless, Keir Starmer’s name is sufficiently unusual that I have been able to follow his extremely impressive career, marked by great integrity and a strong social conscience, prayerfully and hopefully that this might indeed be the next step in his (and our country’s) journey. Never before in my lifetime have I so understood the importance of a strong Opposition and Opposition Leader to the proper functioning of our democratic system. I have also always been curious about the sense of destiny around the name ‘Keir’, which was almost certainly (at least in part) in honour of Keir Hardie, a founder of the Labour Party and its first Parliamentary Leader from 1906 to 1908. And aware, too, of the early challenges Keir must have faced in family life with his mother having Still’s disease. For me, all of this represents a lot of hope at a time when hope is such a vital commodity. So my prayer for our nation at this time is that we might know afresh the confidence that comes from the God of hope filling us: ‘with all joy and peace as [we] trust in him, so that [we] may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 15:13). |
AuthorPhil Lawrence Archives
December 2020
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