Illegal Migration Bill

Methodist News

The “Illegal Migration Bill”

“We are appalled by the proposals in the government’s ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ to detain, punish and reject thousands of people seeking safety. They are completely incompatible with our Christian conviction that all human beings are made in the image of God, and are therefore inherently worthy of treatment which honours their dignity.“

Church Leaders from the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Baptist Union have signed a joint statement expressing opposition to the government’s new ‘Illegal Migration Bill’.

Scarborough UK March 6th 2023

Photo copyright Andrew Pratt 2023

A dramatic reflection on Romans 5: 1 – 11 – Justified by faith?

A scribe is working on the letter to the Romans. The scribe is sitting at a table, muttering while looking over a scroll, pen in hand:

Riddles, riddles, riddles…

‘Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…’

What on earth did he mean, that fall – oops – Paul guy? Freudian!! Sorry!

I mean, what did he mean? That’s the problem with this Greek, no punctuation. I mean you have commas and full stops and what-not. We haven’t. So what did he mean? You don’t get it?

Well let me read it to you. ‘Therefore since we are justified by faith (exaggerated pause) we have peace with God’. Did he mean that, or did he mean, ‘‘Therefore since we are justified (exaggerated pause) by faith we have peace with God’. See what I mean?

No? Ok, let me spell it out to you. You all seem to think that Paul meant to say that we are justified, made right with God if you like, by faith. No problem with that. Consequence, ‘we have peace with God’.

But I just got to wondering. What if Paul reckoned that we are justified. Accept it! Just trust it is so and that’s the way to peace with God? See what I mean? No?

Riddles, riddles, riddles…that old scribe playing with words again? I know what you’re thinking. But words are my stock in trade. I do think about them, not just write parrot fashion – if you’ll pardon me mixing my metaphors?

But perhaps you’re right. I make too much of these details sometimes. I’m a right pedant!

Ok. I’ll get to the point, whatever Paul thinks.

At the end of the day, We have peace with God – don’t we? No beating about the burning bush then?

Wonder what’s next? Think I’ll just make a cuppa (gets up and strolls off).

She’s the one Christ should have hated – Jesus and a Samaritan woman – a hymn

Lent 3 The gospel reading  (John 4: 5-42) tells of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman. This hymn reflects on this story. 

1	She's the one Christ should have hated, 
	every law set her apart, 
	woman, foreign, faith betrayer, 
	yet compassion warmed his heart.
	
2	Was he thirsty? Human nature 
	giving us a reason why 
	he would cross these rules, these bound'ries, 
	does this story give the lie?
	
3	Yet whatever choice we fathom 
	Jesus talked and spoke with her;
	sought to find a new direction, 
	new found faith began to stir.

Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2011 © Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: 8 7 8 7
Tune: ALL FOR JESUS