I just felt there was a touch of arrogance in the actions of Hoon and Hewitt as they stepped out into the light of the media. Here were two MPs full of their own importance. They were going to be the saviours of the Labour Party. It was their plan to have a leadership contests and remove the Prime Minister. They obviously thought they had more influence than they had in reality. In the end was it six MPs who gave them their support. These two politicans who take themselves so seriously have ended up like a couple of clowns sporting a couple of red faces.

I don’t know Gordon Brown, he doesn’t have his enemies to seek but it seems to me that perhaps he is doing some things right? He may even be in good company! Was it not Jesus who once said, ” Beware when all men speak good about you and take courage when they critise you remember in the same way they sought to stone the prophets of old.

I just wonder if all this cloack and dagger stuff, this back stabbing,this mumping and groaning, from people who remain nameless, might end up working well for Mr Brown. Many people see the PM as an honest and descent man who has worked hard for his party and the country. No doubt he has made some huge mistakes but tell me a Prime Minister who hasn’t ? It might just be that he ends up getting the under dogs vote.

After all what has David Cameron actually got experience in when it comes to leading a country? One might also ask the same question of Hewitt and Hoon what outstanding contributions have these self appointed Labour Party saviours also achieved?

I’m not a member of any political party and `I know Hoon and Hewitt have a right to their views. But you know what I destest disloyalty. It seems to me that this was all about people trying to save their own political skins. However did they really think they would have a party election for a new leader in post and an election called all within a five month period. I don’t think so. All I say is don’t let them grind you down Mr Brown.

I felt a touch of history repeating itself today as I read in the news about the world’s tallest building being opened today. It stands at 828 metres and has cost 1.5 billion dollars to build. So what makes us wish to build higher and higher. I guess there is a human desire to stretch the boundries of technology and to go one better than our neighbours.

The sad thing is that the whole Dubai economy has collapsed and one wonders if this building should be hailed as a great achievement or a sad reflection on an extravagent and greedy world that continues” to fiddle while Rome burns.” Anyway the papers tell me that tower has been named Burj Khalifa after the president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

In the Bible there is a story told about how the tower of Babel was built s an expression of mankind’s egotism and confidence. Early mankind was reaching for the stars while at the same time killing his neighbours. Nothing much seems to have changed. What a diifferent place the world would be if we started promoting our energy to bring about peace and justice. I’m reminded of these words in the Book of James.

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4:13-17 I think this verse is a great reminder to us all of our human fraity and our dependence on God.

This Season of Remembrance draws from all of us a sense admiration and gratitude but also a great sense of sadness and disappointment. Its overwhelming as we consider that so many innocent people are the causalities of war. Its not just the soldiers and the immediate civillians caught in the crossfire. Its not just the people who have lost limbs Its literally thousands upon thousands of people whose potential has been ruined or snuffed out and who live their lives a shadow of what they could or might have been.

STICKS AND STONES

Sticks and stones

And broken bones

And terrorists and mobile phones

And babies cry alone

Children play

And mothers pray

Their children will be suicide bombers

Its a strange world

We live in desperate times

The lines of right and wrong

Have all been redrawn

And suicide means – taking sides

For some its just another day

To hide To pretend

To say, “Its gonna be alright”

Knowing nothings right

And never will be

Till the guns stop

And soldiers go home

And poppies fall

In Albert Hall

And all around is silent

No one speaks a word.

Just back from Sanctuary First. the theme was all about moving from one space ro another . It was about helping us see that the way to  bring about change in the life of the church is to be prepared to make the appropriate sacrifice.

Although it was a Bank Holiday weekend we were delighted to have a number of friends join with us in the worship.  We were pomoting the C40 programme. this is our made up Discipleship programme. So if you want to join the Challenge text  Bible 40 to the following mobile number 80806. When you do this it will cost you £1.50 per week. I hope you join in he challenge and then return to tis blog with yourown questions and answers. So look out for the first C40 post tomorrow morning.

I’m hoping to get a new picture up on the blog maybe this week. But you know something they tell me its going to snow tonight. So maybe `I should wait another week. Its good to begin to hear feedback about the Lenten Groups that started up and also that others are finding the texting service encouraging. I’ve been thinking we need to make church a welcoming and engaging experience. So I’m thinking about offering coffee and doughnuts to the congregation as they come in on a Sunday and making iit available all through the service. You want a coffee you get up and pour one out. I know it happens in other cultures . I wonder what our people in St As would make of it?

I’m convinced that we all need to enjoy our lives more as Christians. Discipleship is not just about struggling with the struggle. Surely its also about enjoying the company of the people God brings into our lives. Its often as we journey together struggling together that our lives are sharpened and honed by each other’s trials and disappointments. I’m kind of turning lent on its head this year encouraging everyone in the congregation to get involved with a little bit of hospitality. I’m looking forward to Sunday evening this week. We’re going to base out evening service around food hospitality good stories and friendship. I’m also going to use Michele Guinesss’s book entitled “The Heavenly Party” I think there has been a lot of sad things happened to friends in the congregations and its worth making church a place of celebration and joy. So if your up for recovering a fun filled life changing experience be at church this Sunday evening. Better still if you want to bring a dish of food you’ll be welcomed and even hugged.

Its the second day in the new year and war seems to be round the corner for the Palastinians and the Israelis. Have a look at this Rueters web page my heart goes out to such people caught up in the middle of years of mistrust and injustice on both sides.

I’m wondering where Tony Blair is in all this? I thought he was the special emissary in the middle east? I haven’t heard his name mentioned once in the news. I wonder of Israel and Hamas are escalating all this because they will find themselves brought round the bargaining table when Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the USA later on this month?

I’m sure if the Palestinian homeland question could be resolved and Israel’s right to exist agreed, we would see a huge shift in the whole relationships between East and West. I often think that we’ve not moved on a great deal over the years. We are still fighting over who own and controls land.

Meanwhile here’s a song from Bono PEACE ON EARTH

Recently you may have picked up on the news that the Vatican have forgiven John Lennon for the comments he made as a young man about Jesus. He said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. This was in the mid 60s and I remember as a teenager thinking :Aye your right” I never took it as a slight on Jesus I just took it that it was meant to be a point of information. Anyway John is rehabilitated. Not that I think he would lose any sleep over the issue. Lennon was an interesting man. A seeker, a thinker and a hater of all that was hypocritical. And no doubt like the rest of us a walking contradiction. One thing he was passionate about was world peace. Each Christmas his “War is over song always reminds me that there are wars happening everywhere but seldom reported. Have a look at this Christmas video and meditation.

Lets pray for all those who find themselves caught up in a war zone. Think of children and young mothers innocent but paying the consequences. Remember young soldiers who also find themselves the victims of war. Today I believe Alexander Lucas was buried, he was the 126th British soldier to be killed in the Afghanistan conflict.

So what an amazing idea that God in Jesus came into our world as the Prince of Peace. If only human kind would learn to talk out their differences rather that blow up their young men. Lennon may not have been a believer in the traditional sense but perhaps he believed more about Jesus than you “imagine” Jesus on the other hand might not believe in the some of the things that his more traditional followers promote. When Lennon invites us to “imagine there’s no religion too” You know what, I think Jesus would be into that as well. He never had many fans among the religous leaders of his day!

We’re getting all geared up to start shooting the St Andrew’s Christmas Movie. This year the script has been written by Iain Jamieson and it looks pretty good. Anyway over the next few weeks the blog is going to take on a Christmas look just to get you all into the frame of mind for Christmas.

So to begin with, I thought I might encourage you to think about Christmas from a different perspective h have a listen to this short story written by Iain Jamieson and narrated by Alec Shuttleworth. Its got a an interesting angle on the character of Joseph. I enjoyed it and hope you do too. Click

Alec’s also working with us on t Christmas movie. Quite a few good ideas in this story. Let me know what you think. there must have been something quite wonderful about Jesus. He was good comp[any to be around. You know something he still is. What is that Paul says “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”

Today has been an interesting day. It was really very touching to see so many people turn up to place their crosses in the little Garden of Remembrance at the church. People of all ages took part in the service. It was truly moving to hear people tell their stories about their crosses. Over the next few days I hope that many more people will come to the church and put crosses in the Garden. I hope that all this will help breathe new life into our Sunday Remembrance Service.

And while we placed our crosses in a garden, across the ocean millions of Americans were making their way to the polling booths to place their crosses in the 2008 Presidential Election. What an historic election it will be if Obama becomes the first black president of the USA. And as I watch the BBC it looks as though Obama is indeed going to win. It is said that the economic crisis has favoured the Democrats. Certainly many people will be now looking to the new President to do something to bring about change in our world.

While Obama is a Christian his father was a Muslim and I believe he has a half brother who is living in a shanty town in Kenya. So there will be a president in the White House who has a very different background from President George Bush. It is this Afro-American who may be the one who will begin to bring together the races of the world. Lets hope the Americans who placed their cross beside this man wlll be vindicated by his term of office. Yet everyone needs to be aware that change is a painful experience to go through and that there are great dangers in placing our hopes and dreams in one person alone. I remember the electorate here in UK voted Tony Blair into power with great enthusiasm however at the end of his term people couldn’t wait to see the back of him.

The Lord’s Prayer has much to teach us about the character and nature of God. Recently I’ve been thinking how relevant the phrase “forgive us our debts’ is for all of us as we approach Christmas. Here’s a video we made a couple of years ago. It has something to say to us in the middle of a credit crunch or should I say recession. ForgiveUsOurDebts.mov