Who to vote for

I find it amazing how much the American Church scene appears so politicised whereas in the UK you barely know how anyone votes.

There are Christian representatives in all the major parties and it certainly does not feel like any party has either the "Christian" vote, nor even any "denominational" vote.

Nor is gun control on the agenda.

Even on the so called "moral issues" I get a bit fed up because although I agree embryology and abortion are moral issues I don't feel that trade justice is any less of one. Kids in Africa die of starvation because of trade policies. Policies we know have that effect and yet keep because we profit. Is that not bordering on institutional infanticide? It is willing, knowing, and causes death. How is that any less moral?

I am actually pleased that there is not the same herd effect in the UK, as undoubtedly I would feel disenfranchised by it. Questions like "How can you be a Christian and support party X" wind me up, with the exception of the one whose leader lives near Welshpool of course.

But anyway, how shall I vote? Well, Andy put me onto a useful tool where you can vote for policies.

I was hoping for some deep yearning for a genuine sense of political affiliation to finally be fulfilled. I was wrong.

My policies worked out a baffling 22.2% Labour, 22.2% Liberal Democrat, 22.2% Conservative, 22.2% UK Independence party and 11.2% Green.

I guess that makes me well balanced, and definitely a "floating voter", even though I have only ever voted for one party.

On April 29th there are some hustings at a local church which I want to go to, and I think that will help.

What are you doing to prepare to exercise your democratic freedom? Or maybe even your democratic duty?

Training

Nope, this is not a post about bible college, it is a post about my legs!

1 Corinthians 9:24-26

²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air."

With two big walking challenges coming up this year I am in training. Not yet "strict" training, but training all the same.

Monday morning saw me do the usual loop. The Lawley (1237 ft), Caer Caradoc (1506ft), then Hope Bowdler Hill, and back over Caradoc and the Lawley and back to the car. We think it is about 8.5 miles but it is really difficult to work out the total ascent. The Lawley and Caradoc are both brutally steep in places, which does not come across in this photo, but perhaps the distance does.

I am hoping for a GPS print out after my friend recorded it on their phone to work out exactly what we do, but it hurts, and that must be good.

So now it is all about the times I can do. I don't have time for many "whole day" walks or even getting up to Snowdonia much in the run up, so I am trying to get my teeth into what I can do locally. My time of doing the loop was about three and a half hours. This reduced to three hours ten, then by running bits of it I got that down to two hours fifty. On Monday I made it in 2 hours thirty four. I think two thirty is achievable, and two twenty a further goal.

By the end of July hopefully I will have been successful in the "games" I am aiming for, but more so, maybe God is teaching me something about grit and determination to achieve a goal.

Officiating a wedding

I have now officiated my first wedding, and what a great day it was!

Two friends, people I have known for several years, coming together and committing themselves to one another.

The service was fun, packed and very meaningful.

Here is what I learned from the process.

1. Traditional Churches have such a huge missional opportunity in our culture through weddings
2. When it comes to wanting to plan a wedding service the best resources I could find were Anglican
3. Writing everything out was vital for me, as those legal bits are important!
4. A massively important thing is that the couple are being themselves in the songs, the fashion, the style of the service. It feels right if their friends and family know it is "them"
5. It is great to have people who know them well lead the prayers.

It leaves us towards the end of our 3 weddings in 4 weeks in the Church. That is the problem with all this pastoral advice that suggests Christians who are committed to each other for life should marry: they actually do!

Releasing Creativity

I am not all that creative. I cannot draw, paint, sing or play a musical instrument. If God wants musical / artistic creativity to flow here then I am not the guy. Yet I would love the Church to be brimming with artistic and musical creativity.

It was a real thrill this week when a member of our Church came in with a painting that he felt God had put on his heart.

It depicts the crucifiction scene from above, with the activity of the Holy Spirit surrounding the cross, while drops of blood, a whip, hammer and nails serve as a stark reminder to the suffering endured.

On Good Friday we used this as an opportunity to reflect in silence and meditate on what Jesus went through for us.

I love the idea that God is speaking across the Church family to people and through their gifts, and this serves as an example to that. I hope is the start of something more.

Easter Services

This Easter weekend was absolutely brilliant for our Church in Shrewsbury.

Firstly, there were a significant number of us who joined lots of other local Churches on a Good Friday walk of witness in the town centre.

Secondly, our Good Friday service was a poignant and moving service, with a record 130 people there.

Thirdly, Easter Saturday saw a couple from the Church get married here, which I had the priviledge of officiating. It was a serious and yet fun, deep yet informal occasion, with loads of friends and family enjoying the day.

Fourthly our Easter Sunday services again set a record, with 356 attending, and a great preach about the historical validity of the resurrection.

Only Easter Monday spoilt it for me, as Shrewsbury Town succumbed to their 6th straight defeat at home to Notts County. That was followed by dinner with some good friends and then someone else's birthday drinks, so all was not lost.