mad injustice – please act

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This morning Burma’s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the regime and moved to Burma’s notorious Insein prison. It appears she will face trial for breaking the terms of her house arrest which forbids visitors, after an American man, John Yettaw, swam across Inya Lake and refused to leave her house.

Aung San Suu Kyi has committed no crime, she is the victim of a crime. There was an intruder in her house who refused to leave, yet she is the one being imprisoned.

HELP AUNG SAN SUU KYI – TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations and ASEAN must dispatch envoys to Burma to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma’s political prisoners.

Please go to this page where you can email the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and ASEAN leaders to urge them to send envoys immediately.

As you know Burma’s generals will use any excuse to keep Aung San Suu Kyi detained. If strong action isn’t taken, Aung San Suu Kyi could face the rest of her life in jail.

Please take action now. Aung San Suu Kyi could now spend the rest of her life in jail.

REPUTATION OF UN AND ASEAN IS AT STAKE
It is not acceptable that the UN and ASEAN only speak out – they must take action. In the past their expressions of concern and statements have been ignored and defied by the Burmese regime. Words alone are not enough. The UN and ASEAN must immediately take real action and send high level envoys to Burma to ensure that Suu Kyi does not spend the rest of her life in jail.

HER DETENTION IS ILLEGAL UNDER BURMESE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
Today Aung San Suu Kyi will have spent a total of 13 years and 202 days in detention. The United Nations has ruled that Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention is illegal under international law, and also under Burmese law. The United Nations Security Council has also told the dictatorship that they must release Aung San Suu Kyi.

Please take action now and ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi does not spend the rest of her life under arrest.

Thank you

Johnny Chatterton
Campaigns Officer
Burma Campaign UK

simplicity

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I love the simplicity that children sometimes exhibit which expresses itself in how they observe and report on things.

I remember a few years back when the Tate Modern exhibited Shibboleth – the famous crack in the floor of the turbine hall. I was struck then by how adults tried to explain to themselves how it had been created and whether it was a trick while the children simply enjoyed it and played with it.

There was a lesson to be learned from children there in how we approach new stuff and stuff that challenges us.

For similar reasons I love this account told by Jean following the sweeps festival:
a family came in to see ‘the baby Jesus’ who jean explained had grown up. She took them to see our outstanding baptism fresco and asked what was happening and the conversation went like this:

Jean: what can you see happening?
child: Jesus is walking on the water
Jean: why do you think that is?
Child: because he can’t swim

Sometimes the way children see things can cause us to re-connect with our imaginations again.

thowing toys out of the pram?

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I find this mini -report very interesting/

Is this big boy threat tactics, throwing toys out of the pram, or a sensible way to cause the F1 authorities to think about their policy for next year.

With a big team like Ferrai threatening to pull out will the FIA stick to their guns or will Ferrari win the day?

A divided society?

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In Saturday’s Guardian, Polly Toynbee writes a good article about the expenses fiasco that has been an everyday reality for all MP’s regardless of party.

‘Only in a vastly divided society can leaders think such perks normal’ writes Toynbee and I think she is correct. She points out how inequality has been allowed to widen.

I found some interesting statistics
only 10% of the country earn more than £40 000
only 1% earn enough to be in the new higher tax bracket of over £150 000

90% of the population earn far less than our MP’s, bankers, financiers and so on. In light of high salaries we hear in the news I wondered what the average wage was in this country as I would have guessed that it would have been around the £40 000 mark knowing that in the Christian world we earn little.

Actually, the average salary in the UK is £24 000 although, a this report points out, many earn a lot less. Equally surprising is that in the last 10 years of boom the average salary has not changed that much.

Some of the amounts we have seen spoken of in these expenses claims dwarf the average annual salary of most people. That is shocking.

Toynbee hits the nail on the head – despite what the leader of the house says today the issue is not that information was leaked (although it is important to plug this) – the real issue and question is to ask ‘how has society become so divided. How, in the last decade of boom have we allowed top salaries for the very few to hit rocket levels while the average salary has stayed roughly the same.

When the minority lose touch with the majority and see their privilege as the norm abuses become commonplace.

Aung Sang Suu Kyi is unwell

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Dear friends,

In the last few days you may have read reports that Burma’s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is unwell and is being denied proper medical attention by the Burmese regime.

We are deeply concerned about her health and have urgently called on the United Nations and ASEAN to send envoys immediately, and insist on Aung San Suu Kyi being given proper medical treatment

HER DOCTOR HAS BEEN ARRESTED, MEDICAL ATTENTION DENIED
Aung San Suu Kyi is reported to be suffering from dehydration and low blood pressure, and having difficulty eating. Her doctor was arrested on Thursday without explanation. Another doctor was allowed to visit her on Friday, and reportedly put her on an IV drip. He was not allowed to visit her on Saturday. It is not clear what is wrong with Aung San Suu Kyi, or what treatment she is being allowed to receive.

Since Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in 2003, the dictatorship has repeatedly stopped her having proper medical access. The United Nations negotiated an agreement that her doctor be allowed to visit her once a month, which is less than the doctor said was necessary.

13 YEARS, 199 DAYS UNDER ARREST
Today Aung San Suu Kyi will have spent a total of 13 years and 199 days in detention since she was first placed under house arrest in 1989. The United Nations has ruled that Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention is illegal under international law, and also under Burmese law. The United Nations Security Council has also told the dictatorship that they must release Aung San Suu Kyi.

THE REGIME’S POLICY OF DENYING MEDICAL TREATMENT
The denial of medical treatment is systematically used against Burma’s 2,156 political prisoners. The regime deliberately leaves democracy activists to die in squalid conditions in Burma’s prisons.

Nearly 300,000 people have now signed the global petition calling the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon make the release of Burma’s political prisoners his top priority. Please sign the petition now and help free Burma’s Political Prisoners: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/fbppn.htm

If you have already signed the petition please tell you friends, family and colleagues to sign it now. Why not forward this email on to them?

Thank you,

Johnny Chatterton
Campaigns Officer
Burma Campaign UK

P.S. You can find out more about Aung San Suu Kyi here.
P.P.S You can show your support for Aung San Suu Kyi on her facebook page here.

Happy Days

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The Gills … on the road to Wembley!!
C’mon you Gillssss!

welcome Matthew!

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Yesterday we had a great extended family day as we descended upon Bagshot to celebrate the baptism of Matthew with Chris, Juliette and Lucy.

This was a truly special day as Juliette and Chris, along with Maria and Andrew as god parents, and all of us present really, made some great promises about bringine Matthew ‘up in the faith’.

I always find baptism an amazing event and an exciting time. It is one of those great occasions where people say some great thing and believe they are making promises to God and indeed they are.

Chatting to my very learned mother and father in law afterward, we agreed that sometimes it is easy to forget the mystery of baptism. We forget, and neither do we fully understand, what God does at baptism.

God acts in some way, and in a way that is not obvious to us, but we know God acts. That is part of baptism as well.

Today was a great day – thanks Chris and Juliette for allowing us all to be part of it.

a priest … a what?

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It’s been an odd day today – a KCME day. KCME is our ongoing training as curates and i always seem to find it difficult. I do not know whether it is the subject matter, the style of delivery or just simply that after 3 years of training and thinking that actually I just wish to get on with stuff and so part of me resents having to come out a day every month to look at stuff.

For me, and I hope this does not sound ‘arrogant’ in any way – but being the lone pioneer on this course which is set up for parish ministers does not really support me or challenge me in what I am doing. My fellow curates are excellent but I struggle to understand and relate to their issues from parish life as I am sure they struggle to understand my issues from having no parish and constantly being out in the community. There are common issues, such as the transition we have experienced, but the actual day to day routines of what we do are pretty much miles away from each other.

Today was quite helpful as we started to think about ‘the priesthood’ and what the difference is between being a deacon and being a priest. I guess, if nothing else, today has caused me to realise that I need to think and reflect more on what this next step actually means for me. What will be the difference? Will there be a difference? Should there be a difference? All I know is that I feel grossly inadequate, as I did on the day of my ordination as deacon. In many ways the scarey thing for me is not only what the role is, or what I think it all means – but also what other people believe it to be and the expectations that those other people have not only in my ability but also in what or who I am as a person.

In the Church of England there is a functional role that goes with being a priest, but I’m pretty convinced that the change is more than functional – or is it? I’m not into ontological change, but I do think it is more than purely functional. As I said, I need to think more on this as the date is fastly approaching.

If you are interested – this year for Rochester Diocese curates the date in Saturday 27th June at 3.00pm in Rochester Cathedral. I should be getting some tickets soon so if you wish to come let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

Oh well … off to reflect more I guess.

Sweeps Festival

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The bank holiday weekend has seen The Sweeps Festival in Rochester. My role throughout this has been to be a ‘presence’ in and around the cathedral. It’s been an interesting role – not particularly pioneering, but there have been some interesting questions and discussions with people visiting. I have prayed with a few people, answered faith type questions, and advised a young man getting married that feeling nervous is quite normal. A lot of the time, though, has been spent smiling and greeting people as they come into the cathedral.

On a couple of occasions I have managed to get outside the cathedral and taste the real flavour of the festival. While the cathedral is a place of calm the streets are overflowing with people enjoying the folk music and the morris dancing while enjoying a pint or two of real ale. The festival has a great atmosphere with people looking to have a good time while enjoying and remembering some traditional English arts. On a few occasions I have been able to enjoy the music and the beer.

As I wondered around on the Saturday I had one negative, but interesting, comment from a woman who walked past me as I was standing outside the cathedral. ‘Ugghhh morris dancers and priests! They don’t go together!’ In a sense she is right, but I wonder (1) why she thought that and (2) is it actually the case.

The tradition of morris dancing is popularly thought to have its root in paganism, and I guess the comment came from the woman because of this. As a Christian, however, who believes this world is God’s creation and that there is nowhere where God is not present, then I have to say I disagree with the comment. Morris dancing and priests do go together (and yes I know I am a deacon, but it was not appropriate to point out the difference to this lady). Actually I have looked into this pre-christian pagan thing and apparently there is no evidence to suggest that is the root of morris dancing. I have also met over the last few days quite a few people involved in church who are also heavily involved in morris dancing.

As I wandered and chatted with some people there seemed to be quite a large open-ness. Large numbers of people seemed to be interested in ‘things spiritual’. I wonder if the interest in Folk and the interest in Morris Dancing feeds a spiritual appetite in people. While the interest many had with things spiritual, it would not be seen as mainstream Christianity. People spoke more of ‘mother earth’ and a ‘deep energy’. I had a sense of people worshiping creation rather than the creator.

I think this may be the case and I am wondering whether a better way to engage with people at this festival is more along the lines of what we offer at the MBS fair I spoke of a little while ago. Certainly many people were interested in spirituality and an opportunity to explore some of these in a relaxed way as we do at MBS may well work here. I wonder whether through things like the Jesus Deck, prayer beads and dream interpretation may the kind of thing that these folk and morris lovers that people here might be able to experience some of the wonder of the creator God.

These are all just early thoughts off the back of the festival but I’m just wondering – does anyone else out there have experience of MBS type stuff being done at musical / folk festivals? If so, I’d be really interested in talking to you.

Alice

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I am chair of governors of New Brompton College which means I get a chance to interact with our excellent staff and very talented students.

Today was one of those days when I had the pleasure of going to the Brook Theatre in Chatham to watch their production of ‘Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking Glass’ which was an excellent production.

I loved the dark side of the story which was acted to a fantastic standard. These students were fantastic and showed their gifts and talents brilliantly on the stage.

I left wishing people could see this side of young people’s attitude rather than the overwhelming negative stuff that appears in the national press. Today I saw examples of the behaviour of the majority of young people: talented, enthusiastic, keen, gifted and wanting to be creative and do things to the best of their ability.

Today the students were not just a fantastic credit to NBC, they were a fantastic credit to young people full stop!