The Woman at the Well

Sermon by the Revd David Moore

23 March 2014

Exodus 17:1–17 and  John 4:5–42

To all intents and purposes the lectionary reading could be just another of the stories which we hear read week after week after week. And whatever I might say, to me or to you, it is likely to go in one ear and not long later emerge out of the other. This is just the way things are!

But every now and again, at least for me, there are moments when some kind of fusion occurs and I am forced to sit bolt upright - for me a moment of memorable intensity.

As a teenager it was a Marilyn Monroe film that was one such moment… and a memory has been maintained for over sixty years! At that time there was also for me a text from John’s Gospel: ‘You did not choose me, but I choose you’, which shook me to my very core and propelled me onto a completely unexpected journey. A journey which has continued with the varying degrees intensity as a Marilyn Monroe moment and has also lasted sixty years!

Why am I telling you this? Well, today the lectionary reading, to my mind, has a certain ‘atomic’ quality. Suddenly I find myself faced with more than I bargained for. A quick recap:

Jesus is alone by the village well, it is middle of the day (hot); a women comes to draw water. ‘Give me a drink’; ‘What, you, a Jew, I asking me, a Samaritan’

There are so many leads into this passage, so let’s cut straight to the chase! This passage is dripping with the burning issues of our day: Boundaries, Territory and Identity. Crimea/Russia on the one hand, Scottish Devolution on the other, and for some members of this church ‘permission to reside in the UK and to work’.

This video clip shows boundary changes in “Greater Europe over the 5000yrs. Massive changes almost everywhere, but far less in the British Isles – because we live on an Island.

A close friend was recently awarded a PhD for his work on Limology (hands up those who know the meaning of limology? [on the day, only one person!]. Limology is the study of boundaries. He examined the history of the changing boundary between Mexico and USA and he did so primarily by studying Westerns - yes, cowboy films! That one boundary has countless cases of ‘land-grabbing’. Mr Putin is but the most recent example.

Many years ago I was caught up in a complex pastoral situation relating to a 14 year old attempting to get into the UK to see his estranged father. He had been sent by his mother to get him out of the country during a Parliamentary Election Campaign where she was a candidate! The estranged father only knew the boy was on route after the plane left Australia. ‘It was clearly a situation filled with bear traps’!

The insensitivity and heavy handedness of the Border Agency staff resulted in me spending many hours at Heathrow during which I somehow ended up the wrong side of customs – without my passport. To all intents and purposes I was powerless – in no mans land – and the repeated questions which I answered again and again, did nothing at all to humour me! Not only did I feel vulnerable and I soon discovered I was in a minority. I was the only white person there, except for the immigration officers. It was a place in which it seemed as if human value and all compassion no longer existed.

Finding myself on the wrong side of the boundary was an acutely difficult situation, but it was not completely new to me, in that I had appeared in court on behalf of homeless men and women time without number, and once had been the only person to speak for a person at a Crown Court. The man was given a conditional discharge (to live at the project the church ran). And once we had to wait almost two hours, in an unlocked cell waiting for his possessions: three pence, for which he had to sign.

Nationality, identity and boundaries are enduring points of friction primarily for the unrepresented and vulnerable. Representing/standing with outsiders can be a chilling and indeed frightening experience.

Jesus in choosing to speak with the woman at the well, not only chooses to side step traditional protocols but to face the woman as she was. By sidestepping tradition Jesus allows other truths to emerge - she had had countless partners - but he offers the possibility of acceptance. A recognition at a deeper level – “Water of Life”, he calls it. He speaks of that which really does quench that particular thirst: of not being accepted; of not being good enough; of not being the right age or gender, or nationality, or not having the right qualifications, or papers.

Whoever drinks the water I give, says Jesus, will never be thirsty again.

Sadly the bloodthirstiness we see around the globe is not only in land grabbing, but in the denial for women to be freed from fear and abuse; for gay and lesbian people not being bound by the bigotry of others; or indeed young girls being free of the threat FMG.

However, heinous things continue to occur in what is considered modern, civilised, Western-type countries. Aboriginal babies, especially those of mixed parentage, continue to taken from their families by Australian officialdom. In 2008 Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister publicly apologised to the Aboriginal People but the underlying issues remain - he was soon out of office and it was business as usual.

My Big Question for today is how do we learn to ease ourselves from the straightjackets which trap us into assuming what we know and accept is bound to be correct. How is it that we get such fixed and final and divergent ideas about other people’s value and worth?

Another of my closest friend believes to his very bone marrow that the word ‘marriage‘ must be reserved exclusively for the contract between a man and a women. He has no room for change! The fact that same-sex marriages are now legal and the first will occur next Saturday makes no difference to him. As you may guess, I do not agree with him.

We are all, of course, as much a part of the problem as we are the answer. The privatisation of faith, of believing faithfulness is exclusively about personal development/salvation, is perhaps the greatest sin of the church today. (Look at the bookshop here at Cornerstone. primarily stocked with what I would name as ‘cosmetic literature’ - aimed at cheering us up, not transforming/overcoming the deep persisting hurts in society.)

This church of Christ the Cornerstone was erected to be a dynamic symbol that faith can lead to deep and enduring change; that we no longer need to be ‘prisoners’ to Methodism, or Anglicanism or Catholicism, or Luther or the Reformers. That I can be thoroughly Methodist and MUCH MORE.

Being ecumenical is to be serious about each other and choosing ways of standing in other people shoes; being ecumenical is developing the skills, the working practice, the know-how, of ‘knitting’ together the fabrics of daily life into the image of a world resembling that of the Cross Bearing and Servanthood of Christ. And that may NOT always be a pretty picture.

I do not doubt that many of the celebrating Russians in the Crimea are in the main as decent people as are we, people who feel they have returned to their roots, to their home-land; whereas the non Russians speakers differ completely in their longings.

Crossing boundaries, experiencing change, ceasing to believe that nothing really changes; being open to facing and speaking gently to those who are different or who offend you, is exactly what Jesus is doing in asking for a drink of water - it is code for saying ’we are both human’

A great sadness for me - as a member of this congregation - is that in the ongoing rush of life we do not/cannot make the time or the space for the softer or silent voices amongst us to be heard. The greatest treasure of this community is the stories we carry - we All carry them, your insignificance maybe anthers enlightenment/wonder/salvation.

As a 12 year old boy living in Cirencester in the Cotswolds in the 1950s, with three friends I would cycle for miles during the school holidays. How we never got lost was a miracle in itself! Toward the end of one very long afternoon ride, the four of us were dying for a drink. I was the one to knock on a cottage door and ask for a drink - I was the smallest! But first, rub your face with your hankie, plaster down your hair, pull up your socks and don’t forget to smile. Nervously I knock the door it is opened by a woman the age of our grandparents - I ask for a drink of water, wonder of wonders, we were invited in! - lemonade and cakes. Amazing, wonderful. We probably made her day as she ours!

Another moment of memorable intensity! (I do prefer secular English to describe my deepest experiences.)

So 64 years on that moment of memorisable intensity retains its power and reminds me, as nothing else does that the Eucharist is sharing joy. Give me a drink says Jesus!

We can keep that story going by crossing boundaries, by opening up opportunities. It is a reminder that our shared meals can be a way crossing boundaries and opening up the treasure houses of family and community history safely.

And all because he asked a stranger to share her water!

Human Trafficking in the 21st century

A report for the Mission and Social Responsibility Committee of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone

Glynne Gordon-Carter

January 2014

History

In preparing this paper it would be remiss of me not to refer to the History of the Atlantic Slave Trade which was carried out from 1518-1865. Western European nations were actively involved in this slave trade and countless fortunes were made at all levels. The system became well established and slaves were sold to slavers mainly by African kings and chiefs. During this period no less than 20 million Africans were sold out of West Africa. This figure does not include those who were killed during collection in Africa, or who died on the long and hazardous trans- atlantic crossing, as they were crammed into slave ships like books on a shelf.

This was a massive movement of people who were wrenched from their homelands, families, communities, ancestors and their history. This horror should never be forgotten as long as the world lasts- a monstrous example of human trafficking. Many did not survive the long sea voyage as they died and those who caught diseases were thrown overboard. On arrival in the West Indies or in the Americas, slaves were auctioned off, people from the same tribe were separated, slaves were given sub standard housing, names were changed, once bought they were branded as they were counted as stock on the estate like the cattle, they had to work extremely long hours on plantations without wages, could be sold to another planter, suffered cruel punishments, rapes etc. A slave and his family were bought for life. The planter had absolute control over the person and liberty of the slave. In the case of the British, one island in the West Indies was used to breed slaves.

Today

I have deliberately stated these facts because although on a different scale in terms of numbers and other aspects, one can identify similarities in the human trafficking which is being carried out in the 21st century across the globe, as people are trafficked within their countries, as well as across borders. The question might be asked where is it happening? In fact there are not too many places where it is not happening. ILO figures show that 4.5 million people across the world are sex slaves. Every minute- 2 children are trafficked, and 2.5 million women are trafficked per year.

In Cambodia for instance there are many examples of parental complicity where girls are regarded as blessings as they can be sold to provide money for parents and the girls feel that they have to honour their parents. Girls are sold for items such as cell phones, TV sets and other consumables. They are sold at a young, tender age and men fly in half way around the world to buy children for sex. If the parents traffic the child in the country then it shows that they love the child, if trafficked out of the country then they do not love the child. They are often picked from a lineup with numbers on their chests. Thousands of girls are sold in this way and once bought they are expected to have encounters with from 5-40 men per day, seven days per week for up to possibly seven years. Some die, contract diseases, or end up so broken psychologically that they consider themselves worthless. This also happens to older victims as well. Buyers can pay for services with credit cards and the receipt given could read: Beer-US$4.00, Grapes- US$5.00, Girl-US$3.00 (whatever you want). One victim remarked ‘I would pray day and night to God that he would help me escape’. UNICEF has reported that in Cambodia, 19,250 children are trapped in trafficking. Cambodia is not an isolated example, there is well established human trafficking in Thailand and several other countries in that region.

In Moldova, Eastern Europe-400,000 women have been trafficked in the past 20 years as criminal gangs recognise how much money they can make. It is alleged that Spain has a high incidence of human trafficking.

What is Human Trafficking?

HOPE FOR JUSTICE UK defines it as ‘modern day slavery. It is serious organised crime and it is big business. Criminals can only profit from the sale of drugs and guns once but they can sell a victim’s services again and again.

The Act

What is done? Recruitment, Transportation, Harbouring or receipt of persons

The Means

How it is done? Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or position- vulnerability.

The Purpose - Why is it done?

In order to exploit victims e.g. prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation e.g. pornography films, forced labour or services, slavery, servitude, or removal of organs. (When the victim is a child only act and purpose need to occur for human trafficking to exist). Information correct as of September 2012’.

Initiatives to counteract Human Trafficking

One of the main organisations is the INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) which includes a counter trafficking unit. In Europe there is the ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION. These agencies have websites which provide very helpful information on how they are working to counter human trafficking. People are becoming more aware of this scourge and so support is growing against human trafficking.

In January 2014, the God TV Channel held a campaign in order to educate viewers worldwide and encourage people to speak out against this horror.

EXODUS CRY, USA has produced an excellent film entitled ‘Nefarious :Merchant of Souls’. The film focuses on redemption, reference to Psalm 10, in which the wicked are in the shadows looking for the vulnerable and weak to entrap them. There is no nudity and the film is suitable for a Christian audience. EXODUS CRY, USA is a major foundation which employs full-time staff, and they intervene where there is trafficking. They recognise trafficking as a spiritual matter and hold prayer vigils as part of their awareness raising programmes. They recognise that orphans, marginalised, stateless, sexually abused, poverty stricken, weak and vulnerable persons are preyed upon by traffickers. In order to bring victims under control they use systematised ways of breaking them down through violence, rape, gang rape, drugs, also threats to harm their families if they do not submit. Once the victim’s spirit is broken, in order to survive psychologically the victim begins to identify with the pimp or trafficker (Stockholm syndrome) as the only source of life.

In Sweden, men are arrested for buying sex and are given a serious penalty. So sex buyers are criminalised, not the women. They are victims and are offered protective services. The last murder of a prostitute was in 1989. Sweden is protecting the sanctitiy of human life. This has resulted in a low rate of human trafficking.

In Cambodia, safe houses have been set up by some individuals and NGOs in order to rescue victims. Counselling services are included in the rehabilitation of victims. It is interesting to note that an ex pimp and an ex trafficker have devoted their lives to helping children get out of the sex industry.

In December 2012, I had the opportunity to attend a Conference on ‘Toward Tier One- Preventing Human Trafficking in Jamaica’. This was organised by Soroptomist International of Jamaica and the College of Health Sciences- University of Technology Jamaica. It was stated that in 2000, the UNITED NATIONS had set up a protocol on human trafficking and arms trafficking. Jamaica was working towards achieving Tier 1, which would indicate full compliance.

Conference participants regarded human trafficking as violence against the soul. Churches, schools and civic organisations needed to be educated to the signs of trafficking. The main concentration was violence against women and girls. It was recognised that there was also violence against boys and men. Some governments in the region were still in denial about human trafficking, the Jamaican government had promised to set up a Task Force. Legislative changes were needed, and cases before the courts should be fast tracked. There was collaboration between the NGOs and the Police. There were 3 stages in the process of entrapping victims: Recruitment, Transportation, and Exploitation. The main types of exploitation were sexual exploitation, forced labour, servitude, and removal of organs. Persons were mainly young bright females e.g. University students who were recruited for so called modelling jobs; school drop outs, young single mothers and boys. Traffickers publicised offers of work and a better life through websites and newspapers. There was trafficking within Jamaica, and into Jamaica e.g. Filipino maids. Through the existing programme victims from Burma, Guyana, Panama and India have been rescued. Women were also used as ‘mules’ to bring drugs into Europe. Child Protection Officers were over burdened as parents sometimes sold their child to a man or to a family for a certain amount of money per month. Vacant houses were being used in some instances for trafficking. The Saxthorpe Methodist Church had set up a counselling centre to help victims. They were often traumatised to the point of not being able to speak, had mental issues, and found it difficult to reintegrate into the family.

HOPE FOR JUSTICE-UK

This organisation inspires people to rise up against human trafficking and slavery and see God restore people. Their Annual Report states ‘We believe Freedom is worth the fight. We believe Justice is non negotiable. We refuse to abandon the Least, the Last, and the Lost’.

In the case of Forced Labour, victims are told about good jobs which will provide them with an opportunity to improve their circumstances. Their ID is taken away, they are paid very low wages, kept in extremely poor conditions, and can be sold from person to person. In the case of one man, he was told that he was not worth even Three Hundred Pounds.

Sexual Exploitation involves being coerced physically, threatened verbally or ground down psychologically for sexual acts. This may be prostitution, the creation of pornography or involvement in ritual abuse. Trafficking for sexual exploitation does not just involve migrants brought into the UK but also victims who are moved from location to location in the UK. Children as young as 3yrs. have been trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation. In 2003, it was estimated that there were 4,000 victims of trafficking for prostitution in the UK at any given time. Between 2011-2012, HOPE FOR JUSTICE, UK assisted 78 victims. In February 2013, the organisation opened the first Hub Investigators group-Emma’s Hub. They are appointed regionally and sent into communities to reach the most hidden victims. Also, the organisation has produced a Comprehensive Training Pack for frontline Police to boost Investigators and Prosecutors. The HOPE FOR JUSTICE UK team responds to intelligence received from NGOs and Community groups who have been trained to recognise the indicators of trafficking. This work enables them to assist in the rescue of victims from situations of exploitation who are transferred to after care providers. The following should be noted: 81% of victims referred to this organisation by those they trained were reached within 24 hours; 23% of victims rescued were children, the youngest 3 months old: 96% of victims made a direct report or submitted intelligence to Law Enforcement because of HOPE FOR JUSTICE, UK Involvement.

Top 5 Victim Nationalities

• Slovak
• Romanian
• Czech
• Hungarian
• Latvian

What Can We Do?

The God TV channel describes ‘Human Trafficking as one of the greatest evils of modern times’ and “At the heart of being a Christian there is a call to action. To shine a light into the darkest areas of the world and humanity”.

The Human Trafficking Search website states “No one size fits all solution—Eliminating human trafficking requires focused and serious action by countries of origin, transit or destination by international organisations, and by individuals within communities where slavery exists—We can each play a part directly or indirectly in our lives”.

1. Prayer is absolutely essential as this is a spiritual battle. Jesus came to set captives free. Pray for the victims and the traffickers.
2. Awareness and education- injustice thrives hidden in the shadows, shine a light on this evil. Become part of the abolition movement through the social media
3. Make a one off gift towards helping to rebuild lives.
4. Regular financial giving to help abolitionist organisations rescue victims, and help them through restoration programmes.
5. Corporate Social Responsibility- partner with HOPE FOR JUSTICE, UK- hear stories, receive updates, join campaigns.
6. Invite a Guest Speaker so that we can become better informed.
7. STAND UP FOR THE LITTLE ONES- ‘Kids as Commodities? Child trafficking and what you can do about it’.

“YOU MAY CHOOSE TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY BUT YOU CAN NEVER AGAIN SAY YOU DID NOT KNOW”.
William Wilberforc

“IF SLAVERY IS NOT WRONG THEN NOTHING IS”.
Abraham Lincoln

Bibliography

• 2012 Annual Report-HOPE FOR JUSTICE, UK.
• “The Making of the West Indies” Augier, Gordon, Hall and Reckord,1960 Longmans.
• “Black Cargoes, A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade (1518-1865)”
• Mannix & Cowley,1962 Longmans.

Lost and Found

Sermon by the Revd Dr Margaret Goodall

15 September 2013

1 Timothy 1:12–17 and  Luke 15:1–10

“Mum, is God a gown-up or a parent?” A friend was confused by her 5-year-old’s question. “I’m not sure what you mean,” she said, “What’s the difference between grown-up and a parent?” “Well,” the child said, “Grown-ups love you when you’re good and parents love you anyway.”

What a good question! Is God a grown-up or a parent? Does God love you only when you’re good? Or does God love you away, that is, any way you are? that’s what the Gospel lesson about: what is the nature of God’s love? Is it really complete and total and unconditional? Really? And if it is, what that mean for us? Do we we have to love everybody too? Or are there some people allowed to dislike because God doesn’t like them either?

Today’s Gospel finds the Pharisees and Scribes definitely acting as grown-ups. They have done a fine job of figuring out all the dos and don’ts of good and bad behaviour. And, they have, like Santa Claus, made list of who’s been naughty and nice, they’ve checked it twice, and they have separated themselves from the bad people, the “tax collectors and sinners.”

Problems start when Jesus acts more like a parent than a .grown-up; that is, even though he knows that people with whom he is going to eat are not acceptable, nice or good people; he’s going to party with them anyway.

This upsets the “grown-up” , the Pharisees and the Scribes because thought He was on their side. They thought he was one of them. They thought that because he knew so much about the Bible and talked about giving your all for the Kingdom of God he was an obviously good man, and must be a Pharisee or scribe or someone acceptable to the Pharisees and scribes and . . . . . .well, they couldn’t figure this behaviour out. What was he doing eating with those people? Doesn’t he know who they are, and what they’ve been doing? It is an unfortunate part of basic human nature that we try to figure out who’s in and who’s out;

It is when this separation-ism works its way into our Religion that it is especially scandalous. Not only do we decide whom we like and whom we dislike, who’s in and who’s out; we turn into grown-ups and judge the behaviour of others and love them only when they’re good and then put the blessing or curse of God upon our choices and prejudices; we know God is a grown-up too and will, of course, agree with us

This is what the Pharisees and the scribes did. Not only did they decide these people were violating God’s rules of good behaviour; they had further decided that GOD rejected bad people and would have nothing further to do with them, and so, all good People should unite in rejecting and shunning them as well. Therefore, when they saw Jesus’ eating and drinking and partying, with these “tax collectors and sinners,” they were appalled and seriously questioned his good person credentials. Jesus, as was typical of him, responded to their distress by telling them stories, stories about who’s in and who’s out, and about how God feels and acts toward those who are out.

The two stories have what we might call “God figures,” people who, according to Jesus, act like God. One a shepherd, the other a woman. These were interesting choices for Jesus to make, as shepherds and women were out as far as the Pharisees and scribes were concerned. Because of their nomadic, outdoor lifestyle, shepherds were unable to keep most purity laws. They slept, bathed, ate, lived outdoors. And women were always problem for strict Pharisees, who preferred to neither see them not speak to them anymore than was absolutely necessary.

Jesus’ stories about the 99 and the 1 sheep and the woman and her lost coin have two simple points. First, just as a shepherd values his lost sheep enough to spare no effort in looking for it, just so, God values all people enough to spare no effort in looking for them. God values us the way the woman values her coin and will spare no effort in getting us back.

These are incarnational stories, stories about God in Christ coming into the world to seek out and find God’s lost creation. Jesus is the shepherd seeking out those not in the fold, Jesus is the woman, sweeping through he house, looking high and low for a valuable possession.

Remember those feeling of discovering that one is lost. where is everyone else, and how do I find them? I was remembering when my son was missing in a busy shop. We had taught him to just stay put - to let them find him. If we are open to having the good Shepherd find us, we won't stay lost for long. If we search around aimlessly, and explore all sorts of fruitless paths, it's harder for us to be found.

And telling stories about the parties given by he shepherd to celebrate finding his lost sheep and the woman celebrating finding her coin, Jesus is chiding the Pharisees and scribes over their grouchiness in criticising Jesus spending time with “tax collectors and sinners.” Look, he says, God is really happy these people are interested in spiritual things That is cause for celebration.

He question for us is; are we grown-ups or Parents? Do we only love people when they’re good and like us, or do we love them anyway, including any way they are? Do we make lists of ins and outs, goods and bads, acceptables and unacceptables? Or do we, like Christ the good shepherd, the good wife, go into the world looking for those whom god has placed in our care, which is everyone.

What is the Gospel (the good news) for us today? Is God a grown-up or a parent? Does God love us only when we’re good, or does God love us anyway? God has clearly been revealed as a loving parent who never ever stops loving us. Christ came to seek us out. Christ has promised to hold on to us until the end of the age

This God of Jesus, who loves lost things, is the God I want to proclaim. God is looking for us. Sometimes its a long journey, and with some people it takes a lifetime before they allow themselves to be found.

These 2 parables tell of the nature/activity of GOD and direct us in discipleship and urge us to re-evaluate our lives of faith/work and of church to include welcoming those who have become lost from the fold. Remembering the lines from the hymn; "I once was lost, but now am found" might be a good place to start.

Prayer

God our holy Shepherd, you are the hope of those who are lost, and joy of those who are found. Save us from the silly notion that we always know best, and call us back from paths that lead to confusion and desolation. Bring us at last, with all your people, into that fold where nothing can ever again be lost.
Amen

Sermon for Racial Justice Sunday 2013

Martha George
Equality representative for the Church of Christ the Cornerstone

Sunday 8 September 2013

Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 and  Luke 14:25-33

These books address the law

Much has been discussed during the latter part of August, concerning the famous speech given by Martin Luther King in the United States of America. I HAVE A DREAM. Racial Justice does not concern skin colour. God created one race the human race. It is about you, it concerns the way you treat yourself and others. The entrance song sung by the choir ‘Lord how long will thou be angry’ began with a haunting sound of injustice. We are to be just to ourselves and to others.

The reading is taken from the book of Deuteronomy which is the fifth book of the Old Testament. The book of Deuteronomy concerns the Law. God commanded YOU MUST LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD; YOU MUST LOVE YOURSELF; YOU MUST LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR. Without love there is no justice.

If you do not love the people you can see you cannot love God the Lord has said if you do not love the people you can see you cannot love ME. Whatever you do to each other you do to me. Deuteronomy 30 verse 15-20 refers to the choice between good and evil, love between life and death. Love is goodness; hatred is evil. Life is justice; death is injustice. The Lord has commanded that if you love me keep my commandments’. My commandment is that you love yourself and one another. I shall refer to the opening song sang by the choir which ended in joyful song, the song of justice, the song of victory.

In the early life of the church the ministers thought it important that you have a voice, and have taken the necessary step to provide you with a representative. I am that representative, should you experience any problem please let me know; I shall try to address it, if I cannot then I will take it up with the Equality Council

In Luke 14 vv 25-33. Luke presents Jesus as the Saviour of the whole human race. Jesus turned to the people who followed him and said ‘those who come to me cannot be my disciple unless you love’. You are a disciple by your actions.

Jesus experienced injustice during his time on earth. On the cross he cried out I thirst! He was not thirsty because he was dragged along the streets, he was thirsty for you, he was thirsty for Justice; Work on yourselves so that you can give your best. I encourage everyone to be committed to love, when you go home give yourselves a pat on the back and say I LOVE MYSELF.

When I was a child I was rude to one of the servants at home and mother called out to me and said: "The servants are not your subordinate. If you are rude to them they will spit in your food. We have the money we are not able to do the work because we don’t have the time. They do not have the money but they have the time and can do the work, it is simply and exchange."

My mother was saying to me that it is not acceptable to be rude to others, not acceptable to treat others with indifference and certainly that the servants are not inferior. We are all equal, we are created by God’s hands and He made us the way he wanted. We have to accept the way He has made us, we did not have a choice in way God made us and we ought to love ourselves the way we are. We will be dead for longer than we will ever be alive. Death has no prejudice, it takes all. Why don’t we like each other? God has commanded us to love, why don’t we listen? When we begin to love we will be just to each other. If we love each other there will be no wars no fighting each other. Just as a child uses his colouring pencil and is happy with the result it is the same with God he is pleased with what He has created, He said unless you become as a child you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. I urge you to be kind to yourself, love yourself and one another love God, and as you leave when the service is over, leave marching in the light of Christ, you will be filled with the power of the Spirit because you are soldiers of Christ.

Genesis Study Group Presentation

Presented at the 10.30 am Service on 1 September 2013

The Relevance of Genesis for Today

The Genesis Study Group:
Hannah Akibo Betts (Tutor), Krou Assoua, Marie Kingham, Pat Kyd and Glynne Gordon-Carter

A group of us have been pursuing an Open Learning Programme designed by Trinity College Bristol. We started with the book of Genesis. The main aim of this course has been ‘to give an overview of the content and themes of Genesis and to enable us to interpret this book by using various methods of study’. Despite the title of the course, ‘Genesis the ancient story’, this book has a great deal of relevance for us today. We thank Brenda and Ernesto for willingly allowing us to lead part of today’s worship service. This group presentation is our final assignment for Genesis. Our tutor is Hannah Akibo Betts, to whom we are immensely grateful for her skilful leadership.

Today we have selected the topic of ‘Forgiveness’, which is a significant theme in the book of Genesis. God created the heavens and the earth with great care and created man in his own image. Human beings are central to God’s divine purpose, and so from the very beginning God lovingly provided humanity with an abundance and variety of food (Genesis 1: 24–31). He expressed his satisfaction at the end of each day’s creation, ‘and God saw that it was good’.

God does not distance himself from his creation, He is an involved God. He is the covenant God – the God of the three great patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their significance is not based on their personal characters, but on the character of God. Abraham was one of a handful of people who really tried to follow God and so God appeared to him and promised to make him into a great nation (Genesis chapter 12: 1–9). These men were wealthy and powerful, yet they were capable of lying, deceit and selfishness, none more so than Jacob. Original sin had entered the world due to the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Notice, however, that God never withdrew the Covenant which he promised, despite their brokenness. He reaffirmed the Covenant time after time, and showed forgiveness to his chosen people repeatedly.

Let us consider the life of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, who from before he was born struggled with Esau his twin in Rebekah’s womb. The younger son was named Jacob, which means ‘he grasps the heel’ (deceiver), and throughout his life Jacob often lied, was deceitful and selfish. He grabbed Esau’s birthright, and with his mother’s cunning plan deceived Isaac, his father, into giving him the blessings which should have been Esau’s. Jacob had to flee from home because Esau would have killed him. In fact, he never saw his mother again. While he was living in his Uncle Laban’s house, Jacob was tricked by his uncle. In the meantime he became wealthy and that incited the jealousy of Laban and his sons.

Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there and I will be with you.’ (Genesis 31:3) While he was on his way, Jacob sent gifts to Esau. We see Esau running to meet Jacob after twenty years of separation, hugging and kissing his brother; they both wept. Esau too has been changed, his embrace expressed his forgiveness. Jacob brought many gifts to ensure Esau’s friendship. However, Esau explained that he was prosperous and did not need those gifts. Jacob addressed his brother as lord, said that it was a relief to see his friendly smile, and it was like seeing the face of God. Here we see total reconciliation.

It must be noted that this reconciliation took place after Jacob had wrestled with a man (angel) who had wrenched Jacob’s hip out of socket. Jacob called the place Peniel, ‘For I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.’ God changed his name from Jacob to Israel (meaning ‘he struggles with God’). It seemed that Jacob (Israel) realised his dependence on God, who had continued to bless him, and so his relationship with God became essential to his life. So here we see a changed man. It is important to note that God condemned Jacob’s deceitfulness, yet he never took his eyes off him. In fact, years before, while Jacob was fleeing from Esau, God revealed himself to him in a dream and told him that, ‘he would inherit the promises first made to Abraham, of land, descendants and blessings to the nations’. God also said, ‘What’s more I am with you and will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything that I have promised you,’ and so Jacob went to Shechem in Canaan, despite his brother’s invitation to settle in Seir.

It is noteworthy that God achieved a firm hold on Jacob, to the extent that when Joseph (Jacob’s son and Pharaoh’s adviser) invited his father, his brothers and all their families to live in Egypt, in order to be saved from famine, Jacob was unwilling to make the move without God’s approval (Genesis 46:1–3).

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Notice also the humility that Joseph showed in forgiving and being reconciled to his brothers, who had sold him into slavery twenty years before. ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I a God that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.’ (Genesis 50:19). Throughout we see God protecting his chosen people in remarkable ways.

On reflection, some may say that God showed undeserved favour and grace to Jacob, despite his constant deception: remember, Jacob was meant to fulfil a divine purpose, and God was moulding him towards that end. The writer C.S. Lewis states, ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’ Philip Yancey, in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace?, said that he ‘came to know a God who is in the words of the Psalmist “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness”’. Yancey reminds us that grace comes free of charge to people who do not deserve it. ‘… I know more surely than I know anything that any pang of healing or forgiveness or goodness I have ever felt comes solely from the Grace of God. I yearn for the church to become a nourishing culture of that Grace.’

Church family, the good news for us is that forgiveness and eternal life are available to all, and are gifts of God’s grace through faith in Christ.

Bibliography

C.S. Lewis, ‘On Forgiveness’, in The Weight of Glory and other Addresses, New York Collier Books/ Macmillan, 1980,  p. 125.

Philip Yancey, What’s so Amazing about Grace?, Zondervan 1997, p. 42.

Glynne Gordon-Carter

Genesis and the New Testament

We probably all remember the stories in Genesis: the early chapters of the Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the Flood. This followed by the story of God’s covenant with Abraham, and stories of the patriarchs Isaac and Jacob.

In studying Genesis, as we did over the last six months, I learnt a great deal, especially from discussions in our tutorial groups, which were fun. I also learnt something I wasn’t expecting: how important this first book of the Bible is to our understanding of Jesus and his ministry, and the spread of early Christianity.

The opening chapters of Genesis are the foundation of the theology of the New Testament writers. They wanted to give evidence of Jesus’s divinity. So, where Genesis begins, ‘In the beginning God created heaven and earth’, John’s gospel begins, ‘In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence and what God was, the Word was.’ Matthew begins his gospel by tracing Jesus’s line back through Abraham, to Adam, to show that Jesus is the Son of God.

When St Paul was explaining the basis of their faith to the newly emerging Christian churches, he referred to Genesis, especially to Abraham and God’s promise. Although the new churches were mainly Gentile rather than Jewish, Paul saw the churches as part of the continuing story of Israel, ‘an olive tree on to which branches of gentile believers have been grafted’.

He tells them that Adam, Noah and the patriarchs of Genesis were early members of the Christian Church and their stories demonstrate how God wants us to live. Paul tells the Galatians, ‘It is through faith that you are all sons of God in union with Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ you are the issue of Abraham and heirs by virtue of God’s promise.’

In his letter to the Romans, Paul emphasises the central importance of faith by quoting Genesis: ‘Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted him as righteous.’ Paul tells the Christians that their faith too is to be ‘counted’, a faith in God who raised Jesus up from the dead, after he had died, so that their sins might be forgiven.

Paul sees Christ as a second Adam. Whereas Adam’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden brought death to humanity, it is Jesus’s obedience to God which saves mankind. In his letter to the Romans Paul says, ‘Adam foreshadows the man who was to come. For if the wrongdoing of that one man brought death upon so many, its effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ.’

The Bible is the story of how God reaches out to show his love and forgiveness to mankind. Genesis promotes the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. We have already heard several stories of forgiveness from Genesis: Esau forgives Jacob for stealing his birthright, and Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery.

Jesus himself taught the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which illustrates redemption, love and forgiveness. And for Christians, Jesus is the source of their forgiveness. On the cross, Jesus forgave his executioners: ‘Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing’.

So finally, let us all respond to Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. In reminding them of the grounds for their own forgiveness he urged them, ‘Be generous to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.’

Pat Kyd

Can God use me?

Today, I am going to talk about the theme, ‘Can God use me?’ You may be wondering, ‘Why should I want God to use me anyway?’ Let’s take a look at the picture for this message; it’s a picture of interlocking gears. Those gears represent you and me. God created you and fitted you together in a far more intricate pattern than any complex machine that man has ever made. When people make a machine with gears, they always make it with a purpose in mind. When God fitted you and me together, he made us with a purpose in mind. God wants to use you and me to accomplish something wonderful with our lives.

Many people use their lives to do things that God never intended. The Bible calls that a sin and the results are always tragic. However, when you let God use you for his purpose – brothers and sisters – the results are wonderful. They will make you happier and more fulfilled in life than you could ever possibly imagine. The problem for many people is that they don’t think they are of much use to God. They believe that they have too many imperfections, that they have done too many wrongs and sins for God to use them. However, the fact of the matter is that everyone has weaknesses and God chooses to use weak, imperfect, wrong and sinful people to accomplish great things. God has designed you and me with imperfections and weaknesses that make you and me prime candidate for him to use and work through. So – brothers and sisters – don’t count yourselves out. God wants to use you and me to do great things for him on this earth.

Let’s look at how we can cooperate with God to change the world.

Can God use me?

In Genesis 12:10–20 Abraham our father in faith put the promise of God in danger. He left the land of Canaan that God promised to give to him and to his offspring and went to the Land of Egypt. When there he also put God’s promise of offspring in danger. Seeing the beauty of Sarah his wife he fears for his life and said, ‘She is my sister.’ The promise of great nations that the Lord promised him was in serious danger. The same thing happens also in Genesis 20: Abraham at Gerar put God’s promise in danger again: King Abimelech would have slept with Sarah, had God warned him not to. Still God forgives and uses Abraham as much as he wants. In Genesis 14, when Abraham went to rescue his nephew Lot, some say he killed many people. Again God forgives him and uses him mightily.

Can God use me?

In Genesis 25 Jacob bought his brother Esau’s birthright with a bread and lentil stew. In Genesis 27 he also deceitfully took away his brother’s blessing; we all know the story. When God told Jacob to return to the land he had promised to his forefathers, to him and to his descendants, and that he would be with him, in Genesis 31–32, Jacob was afraid of what Esau might do when they met. He sent messengers to Esau, who returned to report that Esau was already coming with four hundred men. Jacob, fearing for his life, split his people and flocks into two camps, so that if one was attacked by Esau, the other might escape. Then he sent ahead servants with gifts of livestock for Esau. Again God uses him abundantly as he wants.

There are so many stories in the Bible where God uses those who are imperfect and sinful. God can also use you and me, if only we allow him to do so. Brethren, we are all candidates for God’s use. Remember, the Word said that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. He is a gracious and merciful God, who cleanses us and forgives our sin. Regardless of what we have done, God love us. He really does love us no matter how wrong are our sins. He can forgive us and cleanse us, and use us when and where he wants. Can God use me? God can use me! Amen.

Let us pray:

Father almighty, you know the future for each one of us. May your spirit abide in us to enable us to fulfil your purpose, which you have assigned to us on earth in your son Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

Krou Assoua

The Story of Hagar

Hagar was an Egyptian slave girl. Some said that she was given to Abraham by the Pharaoh of Egypt. She worked in service for Abraham and his wife Sarah. She was Sarah’s maid, but was never fully accepted into their tribe. It is believed that the name Hagar meant ‘Stranger’.

Instead of waiting on God to fulfil his promise, Sarah took matters into her own hands and used Hagar to be a surrogate mother. Hagar did not have any say in the matter, like many slave women in the ancient world. She was simply a possession, an object and a womb that Sarah gave to Abraham.

Hagar fell pregnant almost immediately and her attitude towards Sarah changed for the worse. She became insolent, smugness showing in her looks and actions. Being pregnant, Hagar felt she was a woman of worth and value and looked on Sarah with contempt. Maybe Hagar saw this as her chance for a promotion, to go from lowly maiden to being a full-fledged wife and mother of Abraham’s child. Sarah may have felt humiliated by the news of Hagar’s immediate pregnancy because of her own barrenness. She complained to Abraham of Hagar’s attitude. Abraham was saddened by Sarah’s jealousy, as Hagar was carrying his child. He was in a difficult position and did not know what to do. Abraham left it to Sarah to deal with Hagar as she felt appropriate. In a moment of rage, Sarah had Hagar thrown out into the desert.

The angel of God was looking after Hagar, called her by name and told her astounding things. She would have descendants too numerous to count, the same promise made to Abraham and Sarah. Hagar realised that the angel was really God. She was the first woman in the Bible to talk directly to God since Eve. Her baby Ishmael became the first person in the Bible to be named by God while still in the womb. The encounter must have been a profound spiritual experience. Hence she came to know the Lord as ‘The Living One who sees me’. Hagar was invited into a relationship with the God whom she had previously assumed to be only interested in Abraham and Sarah. In tender grace God met her immediate needs and allowed her to experience his presence. The Angel of the Lord encouraged Hagar to go back to her mistress, Sarah, and submit to her. God promised Hagar that he would multiply her descendants exceedingly. God was not asking Hagar to return to an abusive situation for the sake of it. He knew of the difficulty that lay ahead of her if she was to continue to travel on her own. Even if it was to her homeland of Egypt, being pregnant would not be well received. God guided her to choose ‘life’, albeit under Sarah’s roof.

The angel of the Lord appears to Hagar

Hagar returned to Abraham and Sarah and served Sarah for thirteen more years, during which time life was not easy for her. When Hagar’s son was born, the baby was named Ishmael by Abraham. Several years later Sarah gave birth to her son, Isaac. On an occasion when Sarah saw Isaac and Ishmael playing, her old anger at her slave returned. Sarah demanded that Abraham got rid of Hagar and Ishmael. This again saddened Abraham, as Ishmael was his son, but God told Abraham to go ahead and do what Sarah wanted. Hagar and Ishmael were sent out into the wilderness with only a little food and an animal skin of water. Soon they ran out of water, Hagar did not know what to do and left Ishmael under a bush to die. God called from heaven to remind Hagar that he was going to make Ishmael into a great nation and then showed her a well. That was enough for them to survive and they prospered. God’s relationship with Hagar was resealed with her son.

Abraham banishes Hagar and Ishmael from his home

Although God reassured Abraham that Isaac was the one with whom he would establish his covenant, he told Abraham that he would bless Ishmael to be fruitful and greatly increase his numbers. Ishmael’s descendants became a great nation as God had promised.

On many occasions the Lord came to Hagar’s aid. In the way he responded to Hagar, she said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’ In her plight, Hagar found favour with God and turned to him more and more. Throughout Hagar’s life she experienced estrangement and prejudice as a foreigner, hardship and abuse as a servant, grief and abandonment as an unwed pregnant woman. She also felt hopeless despair on a couple of occasions as she faced imminent death. Yet despite all these difficulties, Hagar responded to the God who spoke to her, the Lord God was her reward. For her, God was the one who heard her cries and who saw her afflictions. In the all-seeing God, Hagar found refuge and life. Hagar got to live out her days in the presence of God knowing that he was listening.

Hagar and Ishmael banished into the desert

Throughout this part of the Bible, people lived in ungodly ways and took matters into their own hands, and Hagar was no exception. But God is gracious and forgave their wrong doings, redeemed them to be in relationship with him and to fulfil the plans he had for mankind. He continues to be with us today, even though we still fall short of his expectations. He forgives us and welcomes us back to himself and uses us for his purposes.

Marie Kingham

Praying for Peace

Sermon by Hilary Webb 18th August 2013

I take my text for this morning from the epistle to the Hebrews 12:1

"With this great crowd of witnesses around us"

Over the past two months we have shared together our stories of ‘Welcome and Hospitality’ and ‘Relationships and Family’ in our ‘Knowing me, Knowing you’ conversations. We are not being specifically invited to continue these conversations today at the barbeque; but if we were then we could do no worse than to share stories of our own faith journey or stories of those special people whose faith has inspired or strengthened us. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews knew the importance of recalling the stories of those witnesses of faith, those people who continue the story of God’s kingdom here and now.

I wonder. What would your story be? Whose story would you tell?

What would OUR story be? The story of the community gathered here at Christ the Cornerstone witnessing to the love of God for the people of Milton Keynes?

Peter, who has been working in the archives gathering the history from the early days of a vision for a Church building and community here in Central Milton Keynes, would be able to tell us, I am told, many stories. Others would tell something different.

I have had the privilege over the past few weeks of looking for the story of one aspect of our worship here, Friday lunchtime Prayers for Peace. I have asked about the history of Prayers for Peace and what the service means for those who attend now. On the display board you can see the ‘work in progress’ and I do hope you will take the time to look at the display and feedback your comments to me. This is an interactive process, a theological reflection informing us about one aspect of our life together.

You may ask why I am doing this activity. During conversations in the early part of the year the worship committee realised that we were not really sure what was happening at Prayers for Peace and whether it was still valued and relevant as part of our weekday worship. I then attended a course in Oxford and learnt about a framework within which I could explore such questions and so I began, putting learning into practice and learning more as I did so.

I asked about the history of Friday Prayers for Peace and discovered that this service has been happening since before the library days. Meeting for a time of prayer for the peace of the world every week was so important to the pioneers of the ecumenical movement in Milton Keynes that it was established from the outset of a church community in Central Milton Keynes. Our current service continues to build on this early witness.

I considered the practice of praying for peace and was reminded of the service held every Friday in Coventry Cathedral since the late 1940’s I believe, reading the litany of reconciliation. I discovered that a central tenet of most religions is that of seeking peace and praying for peace. Books containing Prayers for Peace gather together writings from all over the world and right across the religious traditions. Here are a whole crowd of witnesses with whom we join our voices week by week.

That is where I started my exploration but as WE started, that is those involved in Prayers for Peace, we found so much as we shared what we liked about meeting together to pray, why we thought it was important and what in the Bible or Tradition encouraged us to continue to meet together to pray. We found our voice.

A voice which says that Prayers for Peace is important; it is 30 minutes available each week for anyone in the city and attended by Christians from all over the city. It is 30 minutes of calm in the busyness of the day. 30 minutes to think about the world, to share the concerns on our hearts for people and places that matter to us. It is a place where those who attend found care and support and a new person found a welcome amongst a group of like minded people.

We found we enjoyed the variety of service styles offered by both ordained and lay leaders. We might sometimes be asked us to meditate on a theme (like pilgrimage) or a person (with an anniversary) or discuss an issue (like domestic violence or the work of the Foodbank). We might share information about a place in the news, or a place no longer in the news. We might be invited to pray for the needs of this city or for this place, the people who come here through the week and the people who are here to welcome, help, advise and support them. The focus of our prayers is diverse and we enjoy this diversity, this opportunity to learn something new.

When we meet at 12.30 every Friday to pray for Peace for the World and for those in need we find ourselves enriched and sustained in our faith journey and blessed with peace, the peace of God.

Today I would like to issue a number of invitations to you

Firstly, if you can, please move through to the Guildhall after the service and share in fellowship at the church barbeque and, perhaps, share something of your story of faith with someone else. Continue in our journey of knowing me, knowing you.

Secondly, please take a few moments to look at the presentation and ask questions if it is not clear. Please feedback your comments about Prayers for Peace or share your experiences or your favourite bible passage or poem or prayer, something that inspires you. The presentation here is only a start, our readings today have challenged me to think about what Jesus meant when he spoke Peace to his disciples and us. For today’s gospel reading warns of the cost of discipleship, of divisions in the family, of a baptism of fire. The epistle reminded us of those who were stoned, tortured, imprisoned for their faith. This does not make comfortable reading, but discipleship is not about comfort it is about discerning the truth, being sure in our faith and sharing it even if that brings hardship.

The peace which Jesus brought to his disciples came through the refining fire of the Holy Spirit. They then gave their lives for the gospel, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of their faith.

I am sure there is a lot more work to be done here in learning more about the peace which God offers and for which we pray. I do hope you will feel able to share your ideas, your reflections, our story.

And finally, if you ever have 30 minutes to spare at lunchtime on a Friday, please consider joining us for a moment of peace. There is a welcome waiting for you and, who knows, you may become a regular member or even hear yourself called to share in leading our conversation and prayers. I know that is possible; it happened to me.

And now may the Peace of God which passes all understanding be with us all today and always.

Jamaican Independence

Sermon by Rt Revd Robert Thompson, Bishop of Kingston, Jamaica

Sunday 11 August 2013

Psalm 137:1 

“By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept; when we remember you, O Zion.” 

These words speak to a context that is clearly different from ours today. Psalm 137 is a psalm for exiles, and that, we are not. And yet we cannot easily dismiss such a text since it speaks to a feeling many share about Jamaica, the land we love. Our text makes it possible for us to be honest in our worship; to lay certain things before the Lord, even my homeland, as we celebrate the 51st Anniversary of our independence.

Ancient Israel gathered for worship as we do now, with rage and indignation for what had become their homeland. They gathered around a liturgy with words that could help them describe how they felt, while at the same time pointing towards an alternate script that could give them hope. In such a context of worship, despair is never an option. Yes! Things may be unacceptable and unbearable, but the unexpected God cuts through the hurt and alienation with words and acts of healing. This faithfulness and commitment of God to the healing of life as we experience it is articulated best by, yet another voice from exile, the prophet Jeremiah, when he said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built.”

Psalm 137 was written for a people who had been uprooted from their homeland. It evokes rage and anger at the displacement and the physical and psychological oppression; while at the same time affirming Israel’s remarkable expression of faith. This is precisely what is required of us today. On the one hand we must demonstrate our anger and repulsion of structural arrangements that have undermined our credibility as a nation. But we are required to do more than that if the festering evil of crime and violence is to loosen its hold on the society. Because our faith is in a God who is committed to justice and compassion, we are required to revise our world in a manner consistent with God’s dream for us.

The Psalmist expresses for all dispersed people the anguish and emptiness of not being rooted in anything. Israel is in a land she could never call her own, she is exposed and made vulnerable without the necessary resources for wholesome living. Yet it is precisely within such a context that promises are received, risks are run and hope energised.

So the Psalm does three things:

First of all it acknowledges the grief. Living at this very moment in our Nation’s history the struggle between the forces of life and death, light and darkness, freedom and annihilation is perhaps more transparent than ever before. But these forces have been with us from the beginning of time. The culture of death that is threatening to overtake our world today is far more insidious than we may wish to admit. It makes us numb to injustice and violence and undermines the very foundation of social order. The prophet Isaiah spoke of it long ago, when he said; “We have made a covenant with death, and with sheol we have an agreement; …. for we have made lies of our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.” (Ch. 28:14)

The pact with death to which the prophet speaks, is not made by losers of history but by those who have so much to lose. They will go very far in their bargaining with oblivion. They will invest in a power of their own creation and hold on to the very end despite every indication that such power is self-destructive. And please know this, that it is the social elite that is being addressed by the prophet. In the name of God they are ready to consign their world to nothingness if that is the only way they can preserve their own souls, their own properties and values, their prosperity. That is what is meant by those words from the prophet. They describe very well the life denying system and structure that have pervaded our social life for decades. Failure to contend with it will lead to our own condemnation.

The second thing the psalm does is to remind us of Israel’s resolve, never to allow the raid on their memory to undermine their confidence in the future. They may not be willing to sing Yahweh’s song as estranged persons, but says the psalmist, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you; if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.”

On the one hand verse 4 asks; how can we sing the Lord’s song upon alien soil? It admits that the present arrangements are not right, and cannot be accepted. However amidst the refusal to sing the Lord’s song in a strange land; amidst the opposition to this strangeness there comes a call for resilience. There is no point “storming the gate” but it doesn’t mean we sit and do nothing. The Jews are very good at waiting. And every dispersed people need to learn from them how to engage a kind of waiting that does not lead to despair. This is the kind of waiting that says before anything changes, before I can change comes a period of waiting. This time of waiting, is not a time for folding our arms and doing nothing. It is not the kind of time that cares care of itself. This waiting is an advent time. A time for preparation – for the reorientation of the mind. Genuine change must involve a critique of who we are, where we are and where we want to go. It is not an easy thing to work for personal and institutional change while at the same time exercising patience and watchfulness. That’s not an easy thing to do. Our world of instant gratification knows nothing about living in that kind of tension, however, that’s the place where we find ourselves in Jamaica today and God is inviting us to patiently engage in that slow process of transformation. As Christians we know we can count on the reliability of God’s promises.

The Psalmist draws his power and authority from his vision of God’s promise, which seems remote, but is not for one instant in doubt. There will be a homecoming to peace, justice and freedom. It is that vision that keeps hope alive against enormous odds.

Finally, the resolve to maintain hope against all odds concludes in verses 7 – 9, with a stern resistance to Babylon’s oppressive measures. It is not exactly a noble prayer, but demonstrates a faith that expresses itself in resistance. To endure against despair in the way that Israel is being invited to do in this psalm, requires an alternative vision of one’s world. That is to say, coexistence with systems of oppression and death must be ruled out. That, we must remember, is what every act of worship does for us. It envisions a world that God himself promises. A world of compassion, mercy, justice, righteousness, truth and equity. It is a promise against all other worlds – the worlds of Pharaoh, Babylon and their successors. The significance of both the gift given in Christ in our worship, and the fulfilment of that gift in the future, lies in our willingness to embody those activities that are consistent with God’s vision for the world. This act of envisioning that worship engages us in is world creating because it invites us to embody God’s hope for humanity. That’s exactly what we are being invited to do when we pray, “Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” It promises a hoped-for-world that is beyond present reality. Whenever Israel worshipped as they do in the psalms, they are once again committing themselves to this hoped-for-world. It is defiant, because it says, the only world it will give its full allegiance to is Yahweh’s world, not the world of Babylon. And because Yahweh’s world is the only one Israel will give it’s allegiance to, it means that other worlds are excluded from Israel’s social horizon and possibility. Without such a commitment, our worship today will be little more than an empty rite.

That kind of commitment is what makes Israel’s worship and the worship of Christians so threatening to the false powers of the world. This was the problem the former slave masters and their representatives had with our slave ancestors when they secretly met for worship. Physically they remained in captivity, but their spirits remained free to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Moses – in a mode that was liberating. Because they could visualize a world beyond chains, and therefore a different future, not controlled by the slave master, they were considered a danger to the State. In the nights, after their long days in the field, their songs of freedom would break out in hope for a new day. They could do this, because ultimately Yahweh’s power for life could not be contained.

The remarkable thing about Israel’s struggle in singing Yahweh’s Song is that it did not lead to resignation. Neither did it lead them to abdicate into some kind of religious escapism. Out of their grief and weeping they found the resolve to resist, and work for an alternative. It is hard for those of us who live relatively comfortable lives to understand the tenacity of the dispersed and enslaved. From the moment our ancestors arrived in the so-called “New World” they resisted their enslavement. In fact that resistance began along the west coast of Africa and continued among the slaves in Haiti and the maroons in Jamaica, who eventually proved slavery to be unprofitable, if not unworkable. Faith in God’s sustaining presence, provided them with a place to stand in a hostile world, while at the same time sustained them with hope and courage to fight for an alternate world. The significance of celebrating our nations independence around the same time when we also commemorate the end of slavery in the British West Indies must not be lost on us. If we so choose it can inspire in all of us the courage to break the silence of shame and face head on the challenge of creating a new paradigm for our nation’s future – one that involves the transformation of structures, the infusions of new values within the present cultures and the healing and reconciliation of broken relationships. In order for this paradigm to take root, civil society, including voices from the Diaspora will have to become far more active in demanding a higher level of stewardship from our leaders.

Only a faith that can show itself strongly on the side of life can make way for the good society that we all dream of. Our collective witness must reaffirm that kind of faith. Not for its own security, but for the wellbeing of nations. That witness must consist of living within the present world according to the new rule of God. That is simply to say, consider what is on God’s mind and set your thoughts on that. Putting into practice the generous self-giving love which is at the core of Jesus’ own message; demonstrating to the world that there is a different way to be human, a way of charity and compassion, a way of patience and prudence, a way of joy and justice. These are the things that mattered most to the early Christians, and they must matter to us too if we are to play our part in contributing to the good order that God wills for his world.