Saturday 1 April 2017

Changed lives.

We live in a time of change. War has produced a great number of refugees fleeing for their lives. Economic migrants also chose to look for places to live which are more comfortable and safe.
People here in the big cities no longer feel safe. I understand that. When the place you've been brought up in is suddenly changed into a different place altogether it is very scary.
Here in this country we have a natural border in the sea surrounding us but this no longer keeps out the huge number of people fleeing from danger or economic misery.
A feeling of danger, of change , of anxiety about what the future might bring is now obvious and Brexit is I think the result of this unease. There is a real need to take our country back for many people.
Living here I am a very long way away from that feeling but I am aware of it .
The worst thing is that some people feel they have been given some sort of permission to fight back.
I still remember the day I was heckled during my sermon last year. There was no physical violence but a very real confrontation made me aware of the possible danger to the unwary.
Every day now brings news of violence. The people who feel moved to beat someone else up are clearly not representative of the huge numbers of people feeling disquiet.
But when you read of young men being beaten up by other young men as happened once again last night in London it is just one more example of people feeling empowered by external events.
The church I am at this morning is a very long way away from any problems of this sort but we shall pray...violence can never be the answer.




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