Liverpool Anglican Cathedral

I spent Saturday at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral for my second quiet day on the run, last week being at Pennant Malangell.

Our day was split up into times of teaching and times of quite. Two of the quite times where meditative walks. The third walk was on my way from the Cathedral into Liverpool City Centre.

The first walk was a guided meditation round the Cathedral itself looking at some of the features and thinking how they may relate to God. There were hundreds of tourist in every nook and cranny of that large building but what struck me we the way in which all visitors are forbidden to get neat to the high altar. Now I know this is normal for most churches that are open to the public and I understand the reason why, but at that moment the image seemed to be a metaphor  for much more – it was if we were saying to people “this is as far as you are coming to God and no further.”

The day was warm and sunny and yet in the Cathedral it was cool and dark. As I looked at the towering thick walls I couldn’t help but think that what we had created was a mausoleum for God – a place where he could dwell safe from the evils of the outside, being protected by the thick, fortress-like walls.

My second walk  could not have been a bigger contrast. This time I walked in St. James’ Garden, a one time burial ground for the rich and important of Liverpool. Here the sun shone, the birds sang and the wild-flowers bloomed. People were walking about or sitting enjoying the day and suddenly I realised that this place of death was in fact a place of life. It seemed here God was near in a way that he had been missing from the inside.

The final walk was into town and on into the main shopping area. Recession of not people were scurrying here and there with shopping bags or sitting outside the multitude of bars that now grace our town. In the main pedestrian walk a solitary man stud with his placard inviting people to repent. In his hand was a bunch of tracts which nobody took.  Where as God in this situation?

The truth is God was there in all of my walks, what changed was my perception of his presence.  The question is: how how do we get others to perceive the presence of God in whatever path he may choose them to walk. 

This morning I read an article in the Daily Telegraph on how the Rev David Rhodes of All Saints’ Church, Totley, Sheffield has banned a Tai Chi group from the Church Hall because of it’s links with Eastern Religion. Perhaps the said vicar should also think about banning Christmas and Easter because of their pagan overtones.  Come to think of it, that was tried before during the time of the Commonwealth and it alienated so many people they restored the monarchy!

When a Church or Minister gets so far out of touch they need to be careful – they may find too many people vote with their feet making the task of being Christ in the World that much harder.

Of course, there is a middle ground. How about combining their Alpha Group with the Tia Chi – now that would be novel!

Original Article

All Saints Website

Robin Hood Tax Website

At present I’m trying to find out the reason. It has been suggest that it could be down to Wordpress plug ins, however these are exactly the same as those on our Church Website which is not displaying problems.

I’ve disabled those plug ins that have the potential for higher CPU usage – so we will wait to see what happens

Once again it seems that freedom of speech and information is being denied.

The following is taken from today’s Spectator.

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British Press Banned from Reporting Parliament.

This time, perhaps even the lawyers have gone too far. It’s hard to recall, even in the long history of appalling gagging orders, a more disgraceful injunction than this:

The Guardian has been prevented from reporting parliamentary proceedings on legal grounds which appear to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights.

Today’s published Commons order papers contain a question to be answered by a minister later this week. The Guardian is prevented from identifying the MP who has asked the question, what the question is, which minister might answer it, or where the question is to be found.

The Guardian is also forbidden from telling its readers why the paper is prevented – for the first time in memory – from reporting parliament. Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret.

The only fact the Guardian can report is that the case involves the London solicitors Carter-Ruck, who specialise in suing the media for clients, who include individuals or global corporations.

Remarkable, even by the appalling standards of our libel laws and addled judiciary. This appears to be the question in, er, question:

From Parliament.uk, “Questions for Oral or Written Answer beginning on Tuesday 13 October 2009?

(292409)
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N Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation to protect (a) whistleblowers and (b) press freedom following the injunctions obtained in the High Court by (i) Barclays and Freshfields solicitors on 19 March 2009 on the publication of internal Barclays reports documenting alleged tax avoidance schemes and (ii) Trafigura and Carter-Ruck solicitors on 11 September 2009 on the publication of the Minton report on the alleged dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast, commissioned by Trafigura.

And this is a report on how the oil company Trafigura tried to cover up pollution in Africa.

This country’s libel laws have been a disgrace for years and one can only hope that egregious abuses of an already abusive system persuades folk that, dash it, something must be done.

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I rarely speak on politics but I for one have just about had it with this government. OK, this particular incident is not all their fault but they have created the situation where it can arise. – Just look at the unecessary secrecy surrounding so much that goes on.

Thankfully, we have the internet and the likes of Twitter. We also have journalists that seek out the truth and I am sure that gagging order or not the truth will come out.  – After all, they did try to hush up their expenses.

Just sometimes I feel Cromwell said it for all of us.

Oliver Cromwell Speech – Dissolution of the Long Parliament

Dissolution of the Long Parliament by Oliver Cromwell given to the House of Commons, 20 April 1653

It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter’d your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil’d this sacred place, and turn’d the Lord’s temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress’d, are yourselves gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.

Update 13th October 13:10 BST

After a massive campaign on Twitter and other social media the gagging order will now not go ahead.

There is a petition on the No10 website to get the Governemnt to act so this never happens again. http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/PressFreedom/  Sign it Today! 

Medieval Illumination displaying the seasons

September is one of those turning points in the year. The holidays are over, the children are returning to school and the days are getting noticeably shorter.

Today, we are somewhat isolated from the changing seasons. Our supermarkets have the same produce all the year round and central heating and electricity ensure that we are protected from the cold and failing light. Throughout history, this was not the case. During September, there was still crops and produce to be gathered in and preparations had to be made for winter. Tradition held that all crops should be gathered by Michaelmas on the 29th. In some parts of the country, it is still traditional not to pick blackberries after that date.) On Michaelmas day people feasted on goose, paid their debts and gave thanks to God his gifts. Some of that tradition continues with Harvest Festival, which this year is on the 11th October at my own church, St. David’s Childwall.

As intimated, modern life has, to a great extent, isolated us from the seasons. It may be argued that this is a good thing – but is it? In ironing out the high and low points of the year have we denied ourselves the feeling of oneness with the earth and our sense of dependency on God?

Of course, we cannot go back, nor would I argue we should. What we can do is create for ourselves an environment in which we once again enjoy each season for what it is. That means getting out of our centrally heated homes and enjoying what our gardens, parks and countryside have to offer. It means taking time to stand and stare at the ever changing beauty around us. It also means taking time to celebrate, not just at Christmas, but also at other times during the year. There are lots of festivals out there that make a good excuse for a party!

When we become attuned  to the seasons it somehow seems that our spirit is enlivened. That is something we should seek to nurture. One way of doing just that is to take time to get away somewhere quiet, just for a few hours, where there is no pressure, nothing to distract and where you can just ‘drink in’ the atmosphere around you. If you are unable do that it is quite possible to do so at home. Firstly, find somewhere quiet and take the phone off the hook. Secondly, find an object on which you can focus (a picture or candle is good) and place it in front of an upright chair. Thirdly, sit upright with your feet on the ground and your hands lightly on you lap. Fourthly, breathe normally, but become aware of your breathing and focus on it. Lastly, take a simple word (something like ‘love’ or ‘Jesus’) and as you breathe out say the word slowly and quietly. At first you will find your thoughts will wander – acknowledge them and then use your word as a focus to bring you back. Just ten minutes a day like this will actually prove beneficial in reducing some of the stress of modern life and reducing your blood pressure – so there are medical benefits as well as spiritual!

Many of my best thoughts come when I am out and about and if this works I can see it being very useful indeed …. So here goes

—– Back onto main Wordpress and the experiment has proved a success. I’m really pleased at the idea of being able to post when I am away from the computer.