If time permitted, I begin to understand the attraction of a ‘blog’ or a ‘twitter’ place and indeed I am in the last quarter of writing a little something in my diary each day, but … time!

During October ‘Action for Children’ has launched it’s new appeal, which has a fund raising element, but also is campaigning and awareness raising about the effects of NEGLECT on children in our day. If you are an internet user then you can find out more at www.actionforchildren.org.uk and take your Action for Children. I tell you this because I am immensely proud to be associated with the work of Action for Children, which so often by it’s nature has to go unseen or heralded in our communities. I would encourage our Methodist people to join me in that sense of pride, and to display the Action for Children logo on their notice board.

On two occasions during October I have encountered the work of Premier Radio. This is a Christian Radio, which has recently gone national. It is available on DAB Digital Radio, a technology I have yet to work with, but also on Freeview and Sky . One of my encounters was an interview with Brigette Tettah. Brigette is the co-presenter of Premier Drive 3pm-6pm, and I understand they used the recorded interview during the afternoon of Wednesday 21st October. Having done a bit of listening, it will not be everybodies ‘cup of tea’, but it is there to be used. I feel that it is another way of telling Good News stories.

I don’t know how many times during the month I have found myself involved in conversations about making faith to politics to life connections. I ‘stood up’ for Trade Justice. But as I have reflected on the journey, and particularly in the light of a General Election next year, I want to start a campaign, or join in one, which encourages a move from the ‘conflict’ model of government. This model seems to me to bring to life a song from Gilbert and Sullivan, I think it goes like this,

 ‘if they’ve the brain and cerebellum to,

they’ve got to leave that brain outside,

and vote just as their parties tell ‘em to’.

The alternative would be a consensus approach.

Some of the characteristic would be people who had the freedom to use their understanding and their ears and to make up their own minds how to vote. I suspect we would need to reshape the House of Commons and sit people in curves. We may need to look to a single transferable vote process, which I think would enable us to retain the constituency approach to electing our MPs, which is valued, but would enable a more representative house.

At the same time as remodelling we might also give some deep thought to the values we would ask these people to reflect as they are elected and then govern. I have recently found people singing in church Marty Haugen’s song ‘All are welcome’, which reflects something of our hope for the church, maybe it can be lifted to help us shape our communities too.

Let us build a house where love can dwell

and all can safely live,

a place where saints and children tell

how hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and visions,

rock of faith and vault of grace;

here the love of Christ shall end divisions,

all are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where prophets speak,

and words are strong and true,

where all God's children dare to seek

to dream God's reign anew.

Here the cross shall stand as witness

and as symbol of God's grace;

here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:

Let us build a house where love is found

in water, wine and wheat:

a banquet hall on holy ground

where peace and justice meet.

Here the love of God through Jesus

is revealed in time and space;

as we share in Christ the feast that frees us:

Let us build a house where hands will reach

beyond the wood and stone

to heal and strengthen, serve and teach,

and live the Word they've known.

Here the outcast and the stranger

bear the image of God's face;

let us bring an end to fear and danger:

Let us build a house where all are named,

their songs and visions heard

and loved and treasured, taught and claimed

as words within the Word.

Built of tears and cries and laughter,

prayers of faith and songs of grace,

let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

Marty Haugen Copyright 1994 GIA Publications inc.

Food for thought.

Yours in love,

Bill Anderson.

Duck pond at Launde Abbey, Leicestershire

Candle and conkers!

Moseley Park!

a peach!