This is just a thank you note really. To God, for giving me a gift in singing, to my parents in supporting and nurturing it and to The Welcome & the point (churches) for allowing me to sing with others.
I joined with some very talented musicians this evening and sang, worshipping and praising our Lord.
It was fun, joyful and sounded truly great. It was a privilege and an honour to be a part of it.
I loved it. Thank you!
Thursday 21 February 2008
Sunday 10 February 2008
Today's Slaves - Part 1
When someone says the word "Slave," what kind of an image does it conjure up? The blacks in America and the Civil War? Or the Greek & Roman civilisations, where slaves from conquered nations were kept by wealthy families. Maybe you think of today's sex trade and the people that are trafficked every day.
one definition of a slave, according to dictionary.com is this:
"A person who is the property of and wholly subject to another".
It is estimated that 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. Of these 2.4 million are as a result of human trafficking. 600,000-800,000 men, women and children trafficked across international borders each year. Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors An estimated 1.2 million children trafficked each year
Trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are caught in the trap of slavery
All these facts and much more information can be found on the Stop the Traffik website. Right now, stop the Traffik are campaigning the UN. They want to present a million signatures as a declaration to show that people want more done to stop trafficking and use it as an opportunity to set up a global fund to stop trafficking.
I encourage you, dear reader, to visit the website and sign up.Imagine having no rights, no choice: being used, abused and living in constant fear?
I hope and pray that their efforts bear fruit. I live in a prvileged society, where we take our freedom as read and have choice in our everyday lives. I believe that no man, woman or child should be the property of another.
one definition of a slave, according to dictionary.com is this:
"A person who is the property of and wholly subject to another".
It is estimated that 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. Of these 2.4 million are as a result of human trafficking. 600,000-800,000 men, women and children trafficked across international borders each year. Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors An estimated 1.2 million children trafficked each year
Trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are caught in the trap of slavery
All these facts and much more information can be found on the Stop the Traffik website. Right now, stop the Traffik are campaigning the UN. They want to present a million signatures as a declaration to show that people want more done to stop trafficking and use it as an opportunity to set up a global fund to stop trafficking.
I encourage you, dear reader, to visit the website and sign up.Imagine having no rights, no choice: being used, abused and living in constant fear?
I hope and pray that their efforts bear fruit. I live in a prvileged society, where we take our freedom as read and have choice in our everyday lives. I believe that no man, woman or child should be the property of another.
Where am I?
I must be missing something.
I've been to a number of churches in the past two and a half years and I find that there's very few people like me. There are plenty of new Christians, there are many children, there are lots of "young people", there are lots of parents, there are... my list continues. And I love the fact that the Church has a young, exuberant, passionate populace but I keep looking for the late 20s, early 30s group who don't have kids.
Where are they? Its like the church has a "lost generation" - a missing demographic. But I know I exist and I know that there are plenty of people of my age and similar circumstances, they just don't seem to go to church.
Do they even need church? Why aren't they there? Where do they go? Do they have Faith but don't like the traditional forms that church has taken? What are they doing instead.
I'm part of a new social group. If I was my grandfather I would have been married, settled into a lifelong career, owned a house, have had children by now and my wife would not have worked. For my parents generation it was very similar, only they both worked. But what for us? "Partners" in opposition to marriage or marrying later. Being older and older before buying a house. Divorce. Equality in the workplace. Competition in the workplace from international workers. The likelihood of more than one career in a lifetime. No pensions. The degradation of community.
Western church attendance has reflected social change, generation after generation.
Are they missing something? I think so.
I'd like to be wrong, but whatever, I miss them.
I'll keep looking.
I've been to a number of churches in the past two and a half years and I find that there's very few people like me. There are plenty of new Christians, there are many children, there are lots of "young people", there are lots of parents, there are... my list continues. And I love the fact that the Church has a young, exuberant, passionate populace but I keep looking for the late 20s, early 30s group who don't have kids.
Where are they? Its like the church has a "lost generation" - a missing demographic. But I know I exist and I know that there are plenty of people of my age and similar circumstances, they just don't seem to go to church.
Do they even need church? Why aren't they there? Where do they go? Do they have Faith but don't like the traditional forms that church has taken? What are they doing instead.
I'm part of a new social group. If I was my grandfather I would have been married, settled into a lifelong career, owned a house, have had children by now and my wife would not have worked. For my parents generation it was very similar, only they both worked. But what for us? "Partners" in opposition to marriage or marrying later. Being older and older before buying a house. Divorce. Equality in the workplace. Competition in the workplace from international workers. The likelihood of more than one career in a lifetime. No pensions. The degradation of community.
Western church attendance has reflected social change, generation after generation.
Are they missing something? I think so.
I'd like to be wrong, but whatever, I miss them.
I'll keep looking.
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