Inderjit Bhogal reflects on A More Excellent Way
Loving, compassionate and welcoming responses to refugees arriving in the UK across the English Channel are lighting up ways to challenge hostility with protective hospitality…..
Tag: sanctuary
Cities of sanctuary – hymn for refugee week
Cities of sanctuary, places of safety, here where all strangers are welcomed and blessed, we stand with Jesus in love of our neighbour, here in our actions his love is expressed. We will act justly while offering mercy, nurturing humbly a gospel of peace, welcome all people regardless of status, counter celebrity, value the least. Here in a world that is cruel and unyielding God's hospitality values the poor; this is the scandal of love without limits, loving the unloved, then loving them more. We will not rest till each migrant is welcomed. We will share bread till the hungry are fed. We will confront each injustice that greets us, loving with vigour till hatred is dead. Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 2008 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: 11 10 11 10 Tune: STEWARDSHIP With thanks to Inderjit Bhogal for his work, example and inspiration
Cities of sanctuary – welcoming migrants
This hymn was written some years ago, responding to a call to provide sanctuary for people on the margins by Rev’d Inderjit Bhogal, (Past President of the Methodist Conference) - https://inderjitbhogal.com/category/sanctuary/ - Sadly both the call and the hymn are still pertinent. We wait to welcome guests to our countries.
‘Cities of sanctuary’, could read, ‘Towns offer sanctuary’, ‘Places of sanctuary’ or Churches of sanctuary’, depending on your situation.
Cities of sanctuary, places of safety,
here where all strangers are welcomed and blessed,
we stand with Jesus in love of our neighbour,
here in our actions his love is expressed.
We will act justly while offering mercy,
nurturing humbly a gospel of peace,
welcome all people regardless of status,
counter celebrity, value the least.
Here in a world that is cruel and unyielding
God's hospitality values the poor;
this is the scandal of love without limits,
loving the unloved, then loving them more.
We will not rest till each migrant is welcomed.
We will share bread till the hungry are fed.
We will confront each injustice that greets us,
loving with vigour till hatred is dead.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2008 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.
11 10 11 10
Tune: STEWARDSHIP
Inderjit Bhogal – The Wilberforce Way – interview with Clare Balding – BBC
This is pertinent to the situation that we live in. Today people in this country who are different live in fear. The best we can offer to those who are different from ourselves, in whatever way, is to enable them to feel accepted and welcome and not afraid.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fpbq
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