Right to Light

 

As he prepares to leave Preston after many years at the Foxton Centre Tim Keightley reflects on what he has learned, and is learning still.

Apparently everyone has a Right to Light. There is a set of regulations and guidelines that governs how this Right to Light has to be protected. Buildings have to be constructed in such a way that minimises any impact they might have on inhabitants of neighbouring buildings who must have access to an acceptable degree of natural light. This is one of the many nuggets of learning I have picked up from my first contacts with people working on the Project Lighthouse for Holy Trinity Church, Swiss Cottage, as I prepare to leave The Foxton Centre. www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/

The phrase strikes me as an apt title for this blog as I reflect on my time as Chief Executive Officer of The Foxton Centre since 1998. Everyone has a Right to Light.

Now I am not one to over spiritualise things. So, here I use the concept of Light in a very broad sense. Light understood as being to do with what makes for health and well-being, belonging, right relationship, inclusion and purpose; that is, all that leads to human flourishing.

I understand these interpretations to be somewhere along the same spectrum that includes encounter with 'The Light of the World.' Personally, I think all such Light has the same source.

I start from a basis of believing that this Light shines on, in and through all people. In my experience, this is true of many people; those of a faith different to my own and those who profess no faith.

The Christian's task is to be among those who ensure everyone has access to that Light.

In founding the Centre in 1969, Bryan Foxton was inspired by stories of Jesus Christ drawn from the Christian Gospels. These show Jesus spending time with and offering hope and inclusion to those deemed by the society of the time to be outcast.

The Foxton Centre of the 21st Century is a kind of dynamic equivalent of that approach. The word 'outcast' is rarely heard in modern parlance. But similar sentiments seem to underlie much rhetoric and practice associated with "poverty," "benefits scroungers," "welfare reform" and even "youth." The Centre contradicts this Zeitgeist. In even the most entrenched adult or disaffected young person, we see beauty and the potential for human flourishing. In other words, we see Light. My personal experience confirms this position.

In my time at The Foxton Centre, I have seen inspiring examples of loving care, of 'going the extra mile' of putting the other first and of sacrificial service, from professionals, volunteers, homeless people, those who misuse substances and young people from deprived backgrounds. Sadly, I have also encountered, from the same sources, prejudice, manipulation, aggression and deceitfulness, but, I am glad to say, not in anything like equal measure.

Every person I have met has contributed to my learning, growth and development. Some people have been kind enough to say that I have 'done a good job' at The Foxton Centre. If I have, it is because of the help I have received and the learning I have taken from that along the way. Help has come from countless professionals willing to share their expertise. Help has also come from the countless marginalised individuals or community members willing to pass the time of day or share their stories of survival in the face of adversity.

I have learned that Pastoral Care is an action, not merely an attitude. Jesus encourages the paralysed man to get up and walk. Feeding homeless people is only part of the job. Enabling them to develop the skills and emotional intelligence to live successfully is another part. Challenging and changing systems that create inequality and social injustice is the rest.

What seems to be true is that Governments, systems, ideologies, and even frightened, prejudiced and damaged people (that's you and me) can conspire, knowingly and unknowingly, to deny people access to that light, or even to make it that 'people walk in darkness', as the Bible puts it.

The Christian's task is to be among those who ensure everyone has access to that Light.

I came to Preston with very little experience of working in and with deprived communities. I was, however, willing to step outside my sense of what I knew and therefore, what was safe. I was driven (called) by the conviction that an authentic expression of Christianity is to be in the middle of the mess. And Avenham, at the time, was a mess; people inhabited boarded up houses with mould growing on walls and sewage seeping through floors after heavy rain.

I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that there was also a sense of constant underlying danger and an air of hostility when walking the streets. The rebuild of much of the 'Avenham Estate' and the refurbishment of the high rise flats has combined with concerted efforts at community development from many agencies and authorities and has, in my opinion, contributed to Avenham being a success story. Let there be Light.

My first year at The Foxton was marked by a sense of having to swim very hard to avoid sinking as I felt I was very much out of my depth. Or to use another picture, at times I just hung on in there. I would like to be able to say that I prayed and received words of assurance. Actually, I hung on, believing that this was the right place for me. My faith, such as it was, was that I had to do what it took to develop the Centre's presence, potential and practice.

What I have learned is that true growth comes from true risk taking, from what is called stepping outside one's 'comfort zone.' There has to be training, preparation, support and risk assessment! But this is what it takes.

There are remarkable examples of Christians and churches doing this – but not nearly enough. When I read the Gospels, I read of world changing sayings, events and values. When I read about the acts of Jesus' followers post resurrection I see risk takers, with a radical, dynamic faith, out to challenge oppressive systems and ideologies.

Despite the increasing efforts of churches to be at the forefront of the response to austerity and welfare reform, I am still disappointed, frustrated and dissatisfied by the apparent failure of too many Christians to take risks for the sake of the Gospel.

I am aware that it is easy to appear to be preaching from the safety of having 'been there, done that.' It is easy to advocate Christians going beyond their comfort zone from the position of having done so in such a way that I am now within my comfort zone. If you get what I mean?

This brings me to my next step; which is to become the Executive Director of the Lighthouse Project at Holy Trinity, Swiss Cottage. (If you are interested, see relevant pages on www.htsc.org.)

This will involve me in working very closely with, and within, an open Charismatic church planted in 2006 from the church at Holy Trinity, Brompton.

Those readers who know me, know I am not a Charismatic!

I have truly enjoyed the freedom of developing The Foxton Centre beyond what I see as the confines of being a minister of a church. For seventeen years I have happily held a supporting world view in which I have interpreted the activity of The Spirit as being to do with prophetic action and kingdom building. In that world view my spirituality has been shaped and fed by reflective music (Choral, Taize) and by liberal/radical Christian values. My God has been very passive, non-invasive, in the sense that God is the one who equips us to get on with it. This God uses us as hands and feet. This is how God intervenes.

Now I am going to be with and within a Christian community that puts huge store in a regular, personal encounter with a life-changing, immanent Spirit; a supernatural, intervening God. This Spirit is out of human control (and therefore out of my comfort zone). As one colleague has remarked "God has a sense of humour."

I am also apparently going to work with very talented and possibly very rich people. It is they who (we hope) will provide much of the funding needed to develop the proposed six storeys high Lighthouse church and community facility as a beacon of hope for Camden. They too, so the theory goes, have the Right to Light.

The Church in Society - some thoughts following the general election.

 

by Ken Wales … Chair of Together Lancashire and Methodist Action North West

 

My birthday is May 8 but this year the country seemed more taken aback by the outcome of the general election than the fact I had survived for another twelve months. And perhaps with some justification, for in spite of all the predictions the people had decisively shown their hand. How long their commitment will last will need to be seen, but there is no denying that the government is moving swiftly to implement the mandate it has been given.

 

This article tries to avoid commenting upon the outcome, either in pleasure or with concern, but rather reflects upon two events I have recently attended where the general election provided the context. Both were ecumenical events with an emphasis on social justice. The first was led by Professor Chris Baker (The University of Chester and The William Temple Foundation), and the second by Lord Maurice Glasman (a Labour peer with a strong interest and background in social cohesion and justice) and Rev. Paul Hackwood (Church Urban Fund). The changing nature of the Welfare State, growing inequality in western countries, and especially our own, and what options might arise following the election for the Church in general and Christians in particular were the focus of these discussions.

 

In these individuals, and others, at the present time we have some outstanding people helping Church leaders to understand what is happening in our society. There is a growing appreciation of the importance of what social scientists can tell us about our communities and our economy amongst the leaders of the churches. That is not to say that the Church knows little – indeed, in practical terms both now and in the past the churches have been at the forefront of social justice thinking, advocacy and action. Arguably, and to a greater and lesser extent, much of our education, health and social care services have their roots in Christian service. But sometimes it needs people outside the box or outside the moment to help us to understand what is happening. When we allow them to share their thoughts with us then progress might be made.

 

Of course, education, health, social care, community involvement and politics are all ways in which Christians show their love for God and their neighbour. But many of us now are less sure of how we should respond in an effective way in the places in which we find ourselves. For example, we see increasing need as the policies of austerity bite. We have fears for the well-being of our families and indeed ourselves. We discern ever increasing complexity and an inter-relationship of the needs we encounter in individuals and communities. We hear strident voices telling us that austerity is the road to prosperity and that we need to distinguish between the deserving poor and the rest. Yet we see and read about ever-increasing inequality and little or no evidence that prosperity for some leads to wider wellbeing. We are drawn between serving our neighbours, here and in other countries, or raising the drawbridges to protect our country, our towns and neighbourhoods, our homes and even our churches. Yes, we are confused.

 

And yet we must be confident and even enervated. For if we are not, we who have the gospel to proclaim, who is there to raise the hope of our communities? So what are some of the characteristics of our society that we might discern in the light of the general election result. Well, we might want to consider these:

 

-     We have as a society become less trustful of the state – the state has forgotten how to treat us as human beings. We are involved in transactions, we are consumers of services and no longer people, individuals, with needs of our own which in in many cases are seen merely as an economic burden to the public purse.

-     Partly as a result, a belief in the power of transformative relationships has disappeared. We are at the mercy of forces we cannot understand or even locate

-     We have forgotten the power which resides in people and groups – for example even the Church has forgotten the power it has to confront collectively and individually the power of drugs, alcohol, gambling and other destructive forces

-     As a society, or as individuals within it, we long for attractive places where we can gather and reclaim our identity in ways and at times which are relevant to our current needs and not just to satisfy our traditions

-     We have replaced love, patience and faithfulness with new concepts of welfare, equality, inclusivity and individual rights, entitlements and responsibilities

-     We have created two new idols – the state and capitalism – and allowed both to drift out of our control.

 

I want to suggest four principles which should be amongst those which guide our Christian discipleship in the current age. There may be others, I make no claim to exclusivity.

 

 1.  We should be open to all for business and increasingly so. People (every person) should be welcome, comfortable and encouraged when they visit or meet us

 2.  We should recognise everyone's need for dignity, agency and identity. All we do should be for them and not for us.

 3.  We should be generous. The amazing generosity shown in support for church ministries and projects, for initiatives such as food-banks, community cafes and job clubs  is just the start. We have been richly blessed – let us share those blessings with others.

 4.  We should be confident in action, thought and prayer. The gospel we have been charged to share is the gospel which overrides all political creeds and principalities. We express it in different ways and at different times but there can be no greater prosperity than helping others to live their lives abundantly.

 

The Church is an amazing institution. Arguably it is the one institution in the west which has best resisted globalisation and the power of the state. The challenge is ours – don't let love fail.

 

 

A day of mixed emotions.

Annette Smith of Morecambe Bay food bank writes.

 

I wish to share a day of mixed emotions.

Lancaster had a Royal visit this morning, the atmosphere was exciting, the crowds spirits were high. Lots of people worked hard with all the preparation, setting out all the security, bringing in barriers and the reward was seeing the smiles of all those who came to watch, dispite it being very wet and soggy.

This afternoon at the foodbank, echoed this morning. Cheerful volunteers worked hard preparing food parcels. Shoppers at Asda had donated 300 kg of food today at a store collection ( thank you) to be distributed over the next few weeks. We get to see smiles when people leave, feeling better for having someone to talk to and the ability to put a meal on the table when they get home.

This morning brought tears of joy and pride by onlookers.

This afternoon at the foodbank was full of tears but not for the same reasons as this morning.
We hear so many stories that we cannot repeat and sometimes all you can do is sit down and cry along with those who share them with us.

Today will be a day to remember, not so much for the Royal Visit to Lancaster but for what we heard. Today we cried.

If you want to find out more what we do and how we feel please like our "page" see below and share from that link. You will be able to ind out what we need with regular updates so that you know how You CAN make a difference too.

Https://www.facebook.com/MorecambeFoodbank/posts/819704594786731

 

Also relevant to the work of the Morecambe Bay Food Bank

www.thevisitor.co.uk/news/local/morecambe-mp-says-i-m-not-everybody-s-cup-of-tea-but-i-get-things-done-1-7267799

and Mike Peatman's blog

http://mikepeat.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/an-open-letter-to-david-morris-mp.html