On a recent walk north of the Arctic Circle the temperature reached 28 degrees. Further evidence, if anyone needed it, of global climate change, and happening fastest in the polar regions. A visitor from Pakistan speaking at a conference spoke of temperatures there of well over 40 degrees. “You’ve made a good choice to come…
Author: The Meeting Place
First Thursday June 2nd 2022
We noticed two recent articles in the “New European” weekly newspaper- one on 2nd June which drew parallels between Boris Johnson’s response to the Sue Gray report, and Richard Nixon’s April 1973 TV address. Both said they were “appalled”, claimed credit for ordering an investigation, talked about re-organising and getting on with the job in…
First Thursday April 7th 2022
) In many ways this is far more of a reflection on our last meeting on April 7th than a summary, which would be difficult, given the range of topics we briefly mentioned. Our reading was from Jeremiah chapter 23 about true and false prophecy: “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I…
First Thursday, March 3rd, 2022
In his book 1984 George Orwell described the “Ministry of Truth”, in fact a “ministry” of pure propaganda. It is a truism that the truth is the first casualty of any war. The question is “Whose propaganda?” The story of the Donbass region of Ukraine has been badly told- or at least important elements missed…
Blessed are the Poor (in Spirit)
“Blessed are you poor” said Jesus. “God’s kingdom belongs to you. But woe to you who are rich, you have had your consolation” (Luke 6, verses 20 and 24). That was the Gospel reading for one Sunday in February (13th). It’s clear enough what he meant in the context of his own day. According to…
First Thursday February 3rd 2022
Events in Downing Street and the Police etc raise questions about today’s standards in public life. Institutional racism and sexism in the Metropolitan Police may be “hang-overs” from a time before society’s attitudes changed, or a reaction again a so-called “woke” agenda. But either way have not been dealt with or even recognised. The old…
First Thursday, January 6th, 2022
Summary We discussed the way many societies, when they feel under threat by something they do not fully understand, make a political shift to a more authoritarian, “right-wing” style of government, choosing leaders who claim to be able to simplify and solve problems for them, so avoiding the hard work of analysis which is needed…
Base Christian Communities
The Church of England, it seems, is having a debate with itself about the future of traditional parishes alongside more informal, lay-led worshipping communities: ‘A church without walls’: Anglicanism divided on shift away from tradition | Anglicanism | The Guardian Although the Church vehemently denies abandoning “old-style” and sometimes (though by no means always) ailing…
First Thursday, December 2, 2021
The UK at the moment seems to be treating Asylum seekers as if they are pirates raiding us- perhaps it would be more realistic if we recognised the great compliment being paid to us that people want to come here, for whatever reason. We should stop treating them like dirt, and recognise what it is…
First Thursday, November 11, 2021
We met on Armistice Day, November 11th. In the news was the continuing situation of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in Iran, her husband’s hunger strike outside the Foreign Office, and the possibility of meetings between UK and Iranian diplomats. Since then, however, there has been little or no progress about her release or that of others detained…