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More Honesty and Less Hypocrisy |
With the forthcoming Lambeth Conference to which both the
Bishop of Norwich and Bishop of Lynn are attending I hope
that conference does not spend time on subjects outside of
their remit.
My late father was a professional soldier but also an
engineer in the Royal Corps of Signals, and my late
grandmother was at one time chairman of the Bedfordshire
County Council Education Committee, and a Governor of the
Luton College of Technology. My father loved engineering and
my grandmother politics. On one occasion my grandmother
asked by father what a machine tool was, as she had to vote
on purchasing 10 for the College of Technology. It turned
out that the cost would be in thousands of pounds because
she was purchasing machine lathes. My father knew about
engineering and not politics, and my grandmother knew about
politics but not engineering. Knowledge of a subject is
important, and then you can speak.
The Church often makes pronouncements without knowledge or
experience.
Today was a special day in Church.
First we have the baptism of baby Logan Bird in the service.
Then during the service the Parish Church choir sang most
beautifully with a new introit and anthem learnt for the
occasion, followed by the sermon by Chris Copsey our curate
and intercessions by Libby Martin which were so suitable for
the day. It was a most uplifting service, but with all the
noise from children, noise from residents from a local
residential home, I could have been faced with a barrage of
criticism from those going of Church. However everyone
agreed it was a wonderful occasion.
At the service we had a variety of people from all walks of
life, and all ages. As a Church we believe that as people
walk through the Church door that we accept them as they are
on their journey. and show compassion and caring.
It is easy as our Lord knew to look around you and judge and
condemn people and we know this is often done without
knowledge. Those who wish to be part of the Kingdom of God
should have a new approach to life.
How often have I met people in counselling positions that
really need counselling themselves or a doctor who lecturing
you about your weight sitting in his interview room with a
very large stomach himself?
Clergy equally can be very pompous and self –satisfied.
Jesus could not stand hypocrites and I hope that the Lambeth
Conference begins by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance,
acceptance of the inadequacies of the delegates and
confessing the sins of the Church.
As a Church we need less condemnation and more compassion.
Less hypocrisy and more honesty.
Adrian Bell
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