Prayer for Obama

I was sent a copy of this picture back in November- prayer over Obama   - I dont know anything about the circumstances but it is  a powerful image, surrounded by his brothers and sisters.  And it seems pertinent the day before his inaugaration as a reminder for us to pray.  

It is an important occasion with all sorts of consequences - not least for the Middle East preace process. My hope is that the he will be able to deliver on some of the things that have been promised. Change is in the air.  

A Friend of mine from CMS  - Yemi  -  will be at the inaugaration - I dont know how he managed to wangle it  but he did,   He is a man with connections and it reminds me  how connected we are - 6 degrees of separation and all that.   

Hudson River plane crash

As a frequent traveller the story of the N.Y. Hudson River Miracle really hit home. 

Some of the pictures show just how incredible it was. All 155 people rescued  and it was COLD (-5 oC).  It's certainly good to hear good news occasionally in the midst of so many things going wrong.   And it is reminiscent of those other N.Y. plane crashes in Sept 2001  with a very different end result.  This one was caused by a flock of birds. Nothing sinister.   Maybe that is why this story has hit home. Given all the pain and agony and disbelief that was caused back in 9/11  it is such a relief do see a disaster averted. 

Now that reminds me  I must book those plane tickets. I've got to go places.   

More on Gaza January 09

CMS statement on the Gaza crisis



Canon Tim Dakin, CMS General Secretary
(Photo: © CMS)

Grieved by loss of life, longing for justice, praying for peace – Tim Dakin of CMS comments on Gaza

CMS has a long-term commitment to working in Israel-Palestine in order to share the love of Christ. Our partners have included those who have different Christian, ethnic and political perspectives.

At this time of crisis we are grieved by the appalling loss of life in Gaza and call for an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiating about disagreements rather than resorting to violence.

As a matter of justice we believe that Israel should grant greater access for relief workers and supplies in order for the people of Gaza to have their basic food and medical needs attended to. This is a matter of urgency.

We also acknowledge the long-term problem and provocation of rockets launched from Gaza into Israel, yet we find the disproportionate use of force by the Israel Defence Forces a matter which clouds the justice of their cause and stokes up further emotive responses in the wider region.

As Christians we are praying for peace in the name of Jesus the Prince of Peace, longing for a time when people of all faiths and none can live together in Israel-Palestine on the basis of there being justice for all.

CMS is able to accept donations to pass on to partners bringing relief to families in need in Gaza, including Al Ahli hospital. You can give by credit or debit card by using the link below, or send a cheque, payable to Church Mission Society, to CMS, Income Team, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ, clearly stating that your donation is for Gaza.

see also BBC website in pictures 

In pictures: Inching into Gaza

Africa needs God

Matthew Parris   From The Times      December 27, 2008

As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God

Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa's biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people's mindset

This article was published on my birthday and it makes for fascinating reading. It is  a helpful  apologetic for Christian, faith-based aid, development and charitable ‘mission’ work . 

do read the full article from Times Online

 

Asia Updates: January 2009

KOREA : New Bishop’s plans

The Rt. Rev. Paul Kim will be installed as the 5th bishop of Seoul on 15th January. His grandfather was martyred during the Korean War when he remained in his parish in the area of communist rule. His father was also an Anglican pastor. He studied at a seminary in Toronto.
His theme after 8 years' of ministry is said to be 'church growth' and 'mission abroad'. It is compared to the 3rd bishop who stressed on 'church planting', and the 4th bishop who drove to 'ecumenical dialogue' and 'TOPIK – humanitarian support to North Korea'. 

The blue print of mission from the diocese is summarized in the booklet of the diocesan synod in 22 November 2008: "The diocese of Seoul sent about ten pastors to the Japanese Anglican Church, and will continue to send two or three pastors every year. A series of discussion is needed with CMS who has set one of their centers in Seoul and also some dioceses in US, to draw a plan to send young pastors, evangelist and lay MPs to do diverse ministry in diverse areas … To set a network of pastors and MPs and supporters; To partner with CMS, to set a policy of mission abroad; To form strong supporters at the level of parishes, organizations and groups; To have more close relationship with Korean pastors who work in other country"

This plan shows that he is open to CMS as a partner who can make the plan work. He invites CMS as the way of forming the policy of his ministry concerning oversee.……. If the new bishop is pursuing church growth, then Alpha Clergy, Diakonia Training Center and Cross Station will be the key groups for his ministry, and the results will strengthen the contents of mission.
‘To deliver the heat of Jesus' love, a flame should be started. I feel morning calm in Seoul. Harmony overwhelms discords.’                          Rev Simon



PAKISTAN: Priest Kidnapped 

“A priest of the Diocese of Peshawar, Rev. Tanzeel Zafar, has been kidnapped on his way home from the Diocesan Centre, Peshawar. 

Rev. Tanzeel Zafar is the Priest-In-charge of Charsadda and Shabqadar parish and is also Assistant in Mardan Parish, N.W.F.P. He left St. John’s Cathedral for his home in Swati Gate, on Friday afternoon. 

However, he did not reach there.”

(Frontier News Diocese of Peshawar, Church of Pakistan January 09)

UPDATE: ‘We wish to thank God Almighty that last evening (Sunday 11 January 2009) at about 8.00 p.m., the above named Priest was thrown by his abductors at the gates of St. John's Cathedral Church, 1-Sir Syed Road, Peshawar Cantt: He was immediately rushed to Lady Reading Hospital and given emergency treatment. He is deeply traumatized and has been severely beaten.

GAZA:  Love and the Enemy 

The events in Israel and GAZA have dominated the news. Tanas shares his response:

This morning as I sat down to have my breakfast, I switched on the television to watch the news of the Gaza crisis. As I watched what is happening, with many women and children been killed, schools destroyed and houses turned to rubble, my heart broke and tears filled my eyes. Violence is increasing on both sides, more Israeli soldiers are getting killed, many of the Israelis who live close to the Gaza border are in fear and it seems like more people are getting angrier, losing hope and wanting revenge. …

.…. in my role with CMS I am trying to respond in a creative way and find ways to help Christians in the region work together in mission. I have Palestinian friends losing loved ones. I have Jewish friends being called up into the army. I do not want to take sides, I want to be on Jesus’ side and have others join me. Yes, there are injustices that we need to address. But we need to learn how to address them with love. Only Jesus can help us act out his toughest commandment:                 “Love your enemy.”                                                                                   

Sri Lanka to Scotland Jan 09

 Summer 2007

Paul and Ina with Abigail and Hannah have returned to Scotland in December after 5 years in Sri Lanka and Paul has taken up an appointment as priest at an Episcopal church in Aberdeen. Paul was curate of St Paul's Church Kandy, the largest church in Kurungala Diocese of Church of Ceylon and also latterly combined this with his role Rural Dean. In the wake of the Tsunami Ina founded a dicoesan counselling ministry called Shakti which the diocese is planning to continue and develop. Just before they left Bishop Kumara Illangasing wrote to Adrian in an email,

"Thank you so much once again for all your help. I have had very good conversations with Paul, Ina and the family. I recently visited them at home and bid farewell. It was a wonderful opportunity that I had to pray with them and commend them to the next stage of their lives and ministry back in the UK. I do hope to keep in touch with them and as I have always mentioned to you, Paul and Ina made a tremendous contribution to the life of St. Paul's and the Diocese. I am most grateful. "

Ina, Bishop Kumar and Shakti

its a small world

'It's a small world '

How often do you hear that when you meet someone and discover you know someone who knows someone you know. Well I am reading 2 books at present to learn more about Web2:0 social networking, which explore this phenomena: 

Clay Shirky   ‘Here Comes Everybody: the power of organising without organisations’  (Alan Lane/Penguin 2008)

Malcolm Gladwell   ‘The Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference’  (Abacus 2000)

jonny baker has written an excellent series of 4 blogs about Shirkey's book  'Here Comes Everyone' particularly small world theory  -  what's become known as 6 degrees of separation 

1  sharing, co-operation and collective action
2 
I participate therefore I am

3  it's a small world

4  the network of christ: here comes everybody

Its all about participation  

Shirkey talks about a simple three-fold process:  

sharing - co-operation - collective action

sharing creates the fewest demands and you can see it happening via flickr (photos), digg (stories), blogs and the number of small niche communities with common interest or concern. co-operation requires a bit more co-ordination especially if there is to be some collaborative production involving decision making. something like wikipedia manages this sort of participation really well. then collective action is definitely a harder step. it needs a strong enough shared vision which binds a group together and people will put effort in for. shirky says this is much more rare.

Margaret Wheatley  

in  ‘Leadership and new science’ 

talks about a 4 fold process: 

• naming some practice - a passion/vision that someone has 
• connecting with other - finding others with the same vision
• nourishing a network - connecting together an synergising 
• illuminating - highlighting what is happening though sharing the story widely.

This ‘life cycle’ happen all the time through networks and they 'change the world', but they are invisible to old ways of doing things.  

     Jonny tells a story as an example  

i was thinking about the truth isn't sexy campaign and have written something about it recently thinking about how networks work (it will be in the next CMS magazine Yes). this is a short version... it began with an idea (or a rage against injustice more like). a friend of mine si had a concern about sex trafficking following visits to bars where girls were visibly being picked up. the first phase of the process was sharing. chatting with a few friends he got connected with a few other people who were involved in care for sex workers or political campaigning. a few e-mails, google searches and coffees later, he begin to build up a picture of the scene and the various economic, immigration, political and cultural factors at play. crucially he also connected with some others - the second phase collaboration - who caught the vision for doing something and a small team was formed with aimie & shannon picking up the baton. the team quickly found themselves part of an informal network of brilliant people working on their own projects but also collaborating together. an idea began to form – no-one seemed to be working at the customer demand end of things, with men who pay for sex. via a few networked connections, a design agency got involved and a beer mat and poster campaign was born called The Truth Isn’t Sexy - the third phase collective action. 200,000 beermats have been distributed in city centre pubs and NUS bars along with other events and media and cross party MP’s have praised the truth isn’t sexy in the house of commons with the minister in charge of this area now publicly stating the importance of addressing demand - the main political objective. the group are going to self publish an activist's handbook for others wanting to take collective action on something...
the campaign cost virtually nothing apart from printing costs. It wasn’t spearheaded by an organisation. volunteers made it happen as networks of people shared the idea, co-operated and joined in collective action. this network of people is not a club you can join – it was much more organic and invisible. It wasn’t something that was led – at least not in any traditional sense – though the people involved had a high level of skill at getting people connected and participating. the technological tools that are available in the world of digital media, all free if you have a computer – e-mail, web sites, blogs, social networking sites and so on - were absolutely crucial to the process. this process is so simple that you can miss it! It’s particularly easy to miss if you are looking for success with an organisational or old paradigm pair of glasses - measurable outcomes in organisational strategy achieved by professionals supported by systems of hierarchy and control

there is more on this in the latest CMS YES Magazine 'Mission in a Post-modern world' in an article by  jonny baker