This week the trial of the man who murdered Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, came to an end. It reminded me in parts of the trial of Jesus at Easter. This man said nothing when questioned by the police; made no response when asked for a plea, I can only assume the plea of “Not Guilty” was entered either by the court or his defence team; then when his turn came he said nothing in his own defence. It was only after the jury had found him guilty that he wanted to make a statement, a request that the judge refused as his opportunity had passed.
When Jesus was brought before the High Priests and Sanhedrin it says after two men had accused him of saying that he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, Matthew Chapter 26, “Jesus remained silent”. Again in front of Pilate it states “But Jesus made no reply – not even to a single charge.”
Obviously there are many significant differences in these two cases. The man who killed Jo Cox is guilty of the charges whereas the charges against Jesus were trumped up, spurious at best and down-right lies at worst.
The man who killed Jo Cox would appear to be full of hate and his motives can only be guessed as whereas Jesus was and is full of Love and his motives are explained in both the Old and the New Testament. Jesus came to fulfil Gods plan. He wasn’t guilty but took on the guilt of each one of us so that we too can be Not Guilty. His death comes from the great love that God has for each of us.
It might seem strange to you to be thinking about Easter as we are just about to enter into Advent and move towards Christmas but for me this is what Christmas is all about. The birth of a baby boy who would one day fulfil all the promises made by God. If Easter didn’t happen then there would be no point in celebrating Christmas.
As we spend the next few weeks preparing for Christmas and as you prepare at home, maybe with the purchasing of presents for those you love, don’t forget the greatest love that came into the world at this time, love available for everyone.
May you know the Love of God in the coming weeks.
God Bless
Charlotte W.

People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors. -
Edmund Burke, Revolution in France

For many people, this week has felt like it will be remembered by future generation as a turning point. The election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America felt impossible mere weeks ago. Both those who voted for him and those who voted for other candidates feel a change in the nature of US politics from the era of the first black President to the election of a disruptive candidate pitched against the 'establishment'.

We cannot, of course, look forward into the future. Only God can stand outside time. We can only look to learn from our past. In the recent past, the 'Brexit' vote seemed to give permission to people who harbour racist and other descriminatory views to express them publicly in protest or hate crime, and many fear a similar permissive culture emerging in the United States of America in the weeks to come.

Many MCC Churches in the USA are preparing themselves against that possibility, offering extra support, and creating prayer spaces for people who feel vulnerable as a result. Many the most vulnerable will be Trump supporters who are people of colour or allies who had believed that their candidate's election would be a source of unity, and not division.

As we seek to become Christlike, we know that we are Christ's hands and feet in the world today. It is for us to seek out, speak for, and protect people at risk in any part of the world where hate and division takes hold, whether it's speaking against a racist demonstration at the Monument, reporting a hate crime, or sharing the writings of marginalised people to amplify their voices.

We cannot ever say how Jesus would have voted, all the candidates are beloved Children of God and created to serve God in their calling. We can say that he put himself between a mob and a vulnerable woman (John 8:1-11), that he shared water with a victim of persistent racism and misogyny (John 4), and that he cared for the sick regardless of their social position (e.g. Luke 7:2-10). We must equally receive the stories of others and care for them, regardless of their politics, their religion, or any other arbitrary human division.

This is particularly important as we enter into commemorations of war, destruction, and loss of life. Our interim Moderator, Rev. Rachelle Brown, has gifted us with this prayer for the week:

“We learn from Jesus that love is greater than fear.
In this hour, we pray for those who are afraid.
In times of uncertainty, we believe
God makes way for new life.
We offer ourselves
to be communities of spiritual transformation.
May the light and love of God begin healing us
and grant us wisdom. Amen”

Blessings,

Kate

Remember, remember the 5th of November
Gunpowder, treason, and plot!
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.

On this day in 1605, a young Catholic man who felt persecuted under the successive Protestant governments of Elizabeth I and James VI/I entered a chamber under the House of Lords where earlier a group of his co-conspirators had hidden barrels of gunpowder. His intention was to blow up the Palaces of Westminster whilst King James was in the House of Lords opening Parliament. He was tortured and executed for treason, and in his name we still burn ‘Guys’ on bonfires along with the ironic fireworks to celebrate an explosion that never happened.

This conspiracy had far-reaching consequences. After eighty years of religious turmoil, the Catholic conspiracy added fuel to sectarian rhetoric and fear of Catholics amongst English and Scottish Protestants. When James’ father (Charles I) took the throne and married a French, Catholic princess, it would be one of the major factors that caused the Civil War that was to follow, and the rise of the radical Protestant (or ‘Puritan’), Oliver Cromwell.
​We see the echoes of religious persecution and the Gunpowder Plot resonate through the history of the British Isles. Lack of forgiveness fosters resentment that creates conflicts such as that in N. Ireland. Why do we still respond so unforgivingly to threats that appear to come from other cultures and religions?
We have not learned that persecution leads to threat in a vicious cycle, so we see regular articles that accuse young children fleeing Syria of being grown men seeking to infiltrate our country for Daesh. We have not understood that our actions have consequences, so men still shout at women wearing headscarves and veils in the street, and are then shocked when their sons and daughters are able to be coerced into believing that they would be safer in the war zones of Syria, or Iraq.
We have withstood hate crime and persecution in the LGBT+ communities for centuries. (Indeed, one reason James VI/I was so unpopular was his reported bisexuality.) We see our friends forced to return to nations where they are at great risk, and we must be a part of the solution. God will forgive those who persecute us. So must we – seventy times seven times.
Blessings,
Kate