Hello Friends,

I feel like I am emerging back into the world, as I know it, having spent the best part of twelve day inhabiting a place that is not so familiar.

During October I had to do the Jury Service. I had asked to be deferred in February, while I visited South Africa on my sabbatical. (I am still willing to share some thing of that experience if invited.)

My first five days on Jury Service gave me plenty of time to read and to reflect on the random nature of jury selection. A pool of people between the ages of 18 and 70 from the electoral register are called, a new pool each week, expecting to serve for two weeks. Out of that pool, 15 people are drawn at random when a jury is required. Although there is a timetable for each court, the length of trials is not a precise science – too many human variables. The 15 selected are then ushered into the courtroom. If at that stage any one of the 15 is deemed not able to stand; trial likely to go on too long, knows someone involved in the case, their employment put them in a prejudicial situation, being some of the reasons, they are taken out of the group. Then from the group left, 12 names are drawn to form the Jury. It is at this stage that the Defendant is allowed to object to anyone called.

In this way during my first five days, my name came out of the pool to form a 15 only once.  Then I was not one of the 12 select from the 15.

Second week, and just after lunch Monday called in a 15, trial for three to four days, then drawn as on of the 12. Trial lasted seven days, and even in that times of waiting!  At least it was not in smoke filled rooms.

I think that all of this draws heavily on the pattern of justice developed among the Hebrew people, where when there was a case to be heard it was the responsibility of every adult male to gather at the town gate and listen to the arguments, the case, and then, using case history, held in the minds and wisdom of the community, to make a judgement. This system may have evolved to free the ruler to do other things. You can imagine that, if then the entire male population was called out, it had an effect on local productivity. So twelve were called, and then it became necessary for someone to carry the collective wisdom of the Law. So, today, the Judge does that, while the Jury weighs the evidence, out responsibility. You may be interested to reflect that is only recently that clergy persons have been called, before that we were counted with people who were not fit to serve! 

This experience also took me out side the cloisters; it was a bit like a sustained period on a number 50 bus. This pool of people are drawn from all walks of life, from all sorts of different communities, we were racially and culturally mixed. Because in the waiting area there was food and drink, I found myself in all sorts of different groups and in all sorts of different conversation. It did me a great deal of good, in helping me to hold a positive and real view of people, something that is not always easy when your main pictures come through the little screen telling you the news.

So it was good to spend a day in the garden, planting bulbs that should have been in the ground an age ago, but hopefully, and raking up leaves. What glorious colours the Autumn brings to our world!  I have a family with three young children staying for a while, and the snow brought a deal of excitement, particularly as they make their way from life in Uganda to a new home in Winnipeg, Canada.

My thoughts now turn to November, the leave, which could be a good reason for a bonfire, bring us to remembering, and a hope that in God’s coming and yet come reign the leave on trees growing by the great river will be for the healing of the nations.

Yours in love,

Bill