His address this afternoon was significant for the absence of political* posturing about issues such as the environment and the Middle East that has been the hallmark of recent Presidential mutterings and about which we can do little, except posture.
“Whilst I am concerned about what is happening at the front door of the church I’m equally concerned about what is happening at the back door: those who slip away due to our pastoral neglect or remain but feel disappointed or uncared for,” he said, adding that churches can build a bridge between themselves and the community in small as well as great ways.
I have been hearing good things about Mr Osborn and I look forward to a very productive relationship between him and the General Secretary and others in the top team.
*I'm not for one moment suggesting that Christians should not have political views, but if they want to do anything about them they should do as I do and pay a subscription to a political party and get involved!
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He's quite right; we lose a lot of people because we take them for granted and ignore them. We need to be a lot more people-focussed if we're going to flourish again.
I don't agree with you about politics though; whatever we do makes all sorts of political statements, and we should be aware of it. If we 'keep out of politics', that says that the status quo is OK with God. I take it that's not what you mean? The fact that a bunch of our ladies are willing to turn out twice a week to run a charity clothes shop says it isn't!
Robert I don't think the status quo is OK that is why I am in the Labour Party. I can't really see the Methodist Church as an institution changing the status quo but I can see Methodism as a movement making a real difference. This means that individual Methodists have to be ready to hear God's call.
Problem is, we've got too much of a history of propping up the status quo, and the result is that we're too divided over politics. We need to be aware of the political statements we make without realising it, though!
I agree that the uncomfortable home truths within the speech need to be heard by every church member around the country. On your wider point:
The Methodist Church is a movement, as such it should be primed and ready to act to speak out and call for justice, it is upto the structures and the people to take up that cry and push for difference.
There is real potential to make and deliver real change - one person can make a difference (see Caroline Lucas in Parliament) and so imagine what a quarter of a million people primed to reinstall a call for real justice can deliver?
The good Samaritan story is clear - we all (particularly if religious) find a reason to walk on by, to ignore the problem, to pretend we don't know - it's is the truly devout person who steps out and solves the problem.
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