Do you talk back to the television or the radio? I sometimes get so cross with what is being reported that I argue with the programme’s participants and have been known to say to some of the country’s most eminent politicians ‘Oh don’t be such a stupid man!’ (I’m sorry, but it usually is men who are speaking at the time!)

I am very interested at the moment in the Prime Minister’s attempts to sort out why we have so much anti-social behaviour in the country. Almost every day recently there was a report of some innocent person being stabbed, often with fatal results, and I think most of us were totally shocked and horrified when a member of our own congregation had her handbag snatched in the village. Here – in beautiful, peaceful and generally kind Turvey.

Now, the Leader of the Opposition has advocated a change to the Human Rights legislation – I have not yet heard or read the details, and this is no place to enter into a survey of whether or not his ideas would work. What frustrates me so much, and prompts me to shout at my radio, is that whenever one political party suggests a change or a new idea, all the other political parties pour scorn on the idea and try to make capital out of it for themselves! Why oh why can’t all these clever brains sit together around a table and work out what is best for all the people they represent? After all, National Government worked well in war time. Now, I can almost hear you shouting at me – telling me that having good and efficient opposition parties is the strength of our democracy – I know that, but it seems to me that unless we all wrestle with these difficulties together we shall not find a solution.

I suppose my solution is fairly predictable – and I can almost hear you saying ‘Well, she would say that wouldn’t she?’ It seems to me that until we begin to cast aside the false idols we have created for ourselves and ground ourselves once more in the ways of God we shall continue to be adrift as a nation. Our Lord gave us just two commandments; to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves. If we love God truly, honestly and with all our heart, we shall never even wish harm or evil to any other person – let alone initiate evil. And, too, we shall know that we are loved and valued for who we are so that any kind of aggressive behaviour is unnecessary. Sometimes though, our efforts to bring about change this way can seem so small and insignificant – after all, it is unlikely that I shall be invited to express my views on the ‘Today’ programme. All I would say is, remember how much light one small candle can shed in a darkened room – and never forget that Jesus is the Light of the world.

Yours in Christ

Jo

All who feel undervalued in our world

All victims of aggression

Our national and international leaders

is the Feast of the Transfiguration. It is also our Fortieth Wedding Anniversary.

We should be delighted if you would join us in church after the 11.00am service on the 6^th for a glass or two of something to toast the day.

Rob and Jo Spray

In Lent we enjoyed some excellent Study Groups with our friends from Turvey Abbey on the mediaeval text ‘The Cloud of Unknowing’. Mother Julian of Norwich was an anchorite – a sort of religious hermit – who was writing at about the same time. In my view she wrote some of the most beautiful and profoundly simple passages ever written about the love of God as shown through Christ. Br. Tom at the Abbey has invited us to join him and others from the community and congregation for a series of four study groups to be held on Mondays in July, starting on 10^th. Please sign the sheet in church if you would like to go to either the afternoon or evening session, or telephone me for more details.

Jo Spray

Last month's coffee morning raised £206 towards church funds. Many thanks to Cindy Woods for hosting the event and to everyone who helped with and who supported it.

In August there will be no coffee morning, but by kind invitation of Margaret and Mike Marshall, there will be cream teas at 3:00 pm on the afternoon of Saturday 5^th August at 23 Norfolk Road.

£673 was raised in Turvey for Christian Aid this year. Many thanks to the envelope distributors and collectors and to all those who gave so generously to a charity working for the world's poorest people.

Sarah Beecham.