That was the title of an email I received recently from a friend. It had no bearing on the content if the email, but it did get me thinking. It is a very valid question and is an indication of the bizarre world we live in.

One thing that strikes me as bizarre at the moment. The church is getting closer to having women bishops we hear from Synod. About flipping time – in 1975 the church agreed there was no theological reason why women should not be ordained! 30 years and still we do not see equality in the church. We see see people complaining, moaning and asking for alternative this and that!

Why is the house of bishops made up of an artificial all male representation of the church, when the church is made of real men and women?

I can’t help but think how bizarre the rest of the country must think this discussion is.

Why are we even discussing this when the church is decline, people are crying out for meaning to life, and we have so many opportunities to help people connect with their God?

Is it just me, or are we allowing ourselves to be distracted from our true calling by non essential issues? I fear that things are just going to get worse.

Jesus came to break barriers. That is a fact that many of us can agree on. Jesus came to bring liberation and freedom. Again, something on which we can agree. Jesus loves and wants relationship with all. Another point of agreement. Jesus loves all without condition …. I could go on!

It exasperates me to see my church arguing over women bishops, homosexual priests, crumbling church buildings, falling pensions while people in our own communities are starving, while children are being abused, while people are in need of a real tangible love and acceptance! We need to stop, re-focus on our calling, and move on!

Back to basics is a strap line of embarrassment for many,and a term that I dislike due to horrible Tory ideals that still cause me to shiver; but I do feel the church needs to return to its basics.

Let’s be the church that we were meant to be – to bring transformational flavouring to the community, rather than providing lots of nice smelly froth with a nasty after taste!