lurchersontheedge

I decided I wanted to Remain. More people it seems wanted to Leave. I accept that I am democratically defeated at the ballot box. If you are with the centre-left politically, it is not an unusual experience.

I do not doubt for a moment that UK, or whatever the UK morphes into, will survive, even flourish economically. I am not really into economics. Actually I am not really into sovereignty either. I think human beings are primarily relational beings. I want human beings to flourish.

I don’t particularly have a love affair with Europe, and am sure that the EU had many faults. I think the UK does too actually, and if we are honest we would all agree on that.

I voted Remain because I believe we are fundamentally connected with each other at a deep, spiritual level. We are not individual islands. We are part of each other. I guess I have always believed this as a child growing up in Sheffield, with some connections to Holland and Dutch Protestantism in our family genes and through the work of Liberation theologians, whom I learnt to listen to in Birmingham. They taught me that when I met to worship, I was worshipping not alongside those physically present but with Christians the world over. I am part therefore of something bigger. I can imagine a Christian Leave voter agreeing with these sentiments.

The message of Vote Leave seemed to me to deny the fact that we are interconnected. The hashtag #TakeControl spoke of independence, of being in charge. It reminded of Rowan Williams phrase that human beings often ‘have delusions of omnipotence’. In our 21st Century interconnected world no nation state is fully independent, and it is perhaps delusional to think that we are.

I think something broke for me in the early hours of 24 June.

I think the isolationism and the shoring up of a firm British identity within the campaign has directly led to an increase in hate crimes. I am glad that official spokespeople are both sides acknowledge that such incidents are utterly and totally wrong.

I don’t think this will be easily fixed?

I am saddened completely that some of the hopes and dreams of the white working classes will be shattered further as the Brexit negotiations happen. I wrote an article entitled Working Class Dreams (http://ext.sagepub.com/content/121/9/437.short?rss=1&ssource=mfr …) in 2010. I am now wondering about rewriting as: dreams shattered, what now?

I understand, I think, why whole communities voted to Leave. After years of not being listened to, of a variety of short term initiatives and being told what to do, here was an opportunity to say ‘No’. In such a position, I would have very probably done the same.

However, what will happen when the pot of gold does not come; when the job is not created, because there is not one, not because someone else has taken it. It is a foolish and dangerous thing to give hope when you cannot deliver on the promise.

There you go. I cannot move on yet.

What about reconciliation? Yes…. and no. With individuals yes of course. I am friendly with lots of people who disagree with me. But I have to acknowledge that I want a world with different values… and it will take time for me to accept that there were more people who did not want to share in those values than those who did.

I am voting Remain.

I don’t claim to be anymore patriotic than someone who is voting differently to me. In truth, this Referendum, which I regard as needless, has highlighted tensions in our nation that will take some time to resolve. Whatever the result on Friday morning, all people of goodwill will be needed to help provide a platform on which relationships can be rebuilt and some of the vitriol which has come out in the campaign to be stemmed.

I do however believe in partnership and relationship. The United Kingdom is made up of nations that are in relationship with each other and with the rest of the world. We belong to a nation that has always looked outwards.

Our nation has always had a complex and interesting relationship with the continent of Europe. We tend to be a tad suspicious sitting as we do just off the edge of the mainland. It is part of our Island mentality. We are a nation though that has worked with and benefited from relationship with our European friends and allies, working with them in good times and in bad. The UK enjoys relationships with other countries too, particularly with the Commonwealth, a relationship that does not seem to be diminished by our membership of the European Union. Indeed our friends outside the EU are grateful for our membership of it.

The Leave Campaign have created a narrative of Britain standing alone, cultivating a sense of independence. I am proud of this nation of ours. I am proud Yorkshireman, so know enough about stubbornness and independence. I love living in Wales. The striking thing about the narrative created by Leave has been the assumption that you need to be independent to celebrate your identity.

That is simply not true.

Dwi’n hoffi dysgu Cymraeg ac yn mwynhau siarad iaith y nefoedd. Dw i hyd yn oed yng nghefnogi a tim pel droed yn erbyn y Sais! Ond er hynny, dwi dal yn Saesneg ag yn barch o hynny

Human beings are complex

So are nation states

We live in an interdependent interconnected world. This has always been the case.

When I was a child, I was regaled by my late Uncle Stanley as to how he and my Dad won the Second World War all by themselves. I loved those stories of the two young heroes taking on the might of the Nazis themselves. However, it was not true. That war was won by us standing firm with our allies, from the Commonwealth, the US, Russia as well as from Europe, including French and Dutch armed personnel.

This morning standing in St Cybi’s Church, I saw again the plaque at the back of the Church to the Royal Dutch Navy. We know that we need our allies. In this port town, we know that we are enriched by the presence of Dutch, Poles, Irish as well as the odd English immigrant like myself. We know that Holyhead is not any less Welsh by their presence. The UK is not any less British by being part of the EU.

It is significant that amongst those who remember that war are the most solidly Remain voters. They know the devastation out of which the EU was formed, and how it, as an organisation, together with NATO, has promoted peace. It has not always got it right. Neither has the UK. Neither do you or I.

The UK has always stood as a beacon of hope. It has always been a place where those seeking refuge, shelter or even a new start have been allowed to come. It is a sad fact that sometimes such visitors have been met with racism and misunderstanding. We learnt our lesson and are becoming a more tolerant, open, inclusive and multicultural society. Some of the narrative of those who are wanting to leave the EU have stood contrary to this way of being British.

On Friday morning, if we wake up and we have voted to Leave, I am sure we can forge a prosperous future. I am not so sure that we will be able to tackle some of the monsters including the fear of the other. We may be a tad divided to do that.

We have allowed those who have come to a country to be labelled, abused and denigrated. That is to our shame.

However on Friday morning if we are have voted to Remain, I am sure we will do both.

We will also be tackling those monsters with our European friends and neighbours.

We do not turn back on our friends

We do not turn our back on our neighbours

Join me in voting Remain, so we can together make a difference.

(A speech given on 22 June 2016 at the Ucheldre Centre in Holyhead speaking alongside the owners of Halen Mon and Plas Farm, as well as Albert Owen)

When I was writing about childlessness many years ago now, I said the words to describe those who were involuntarily childless were always entirely negative: childless, infertile, impotent. Such words defined someone by what they are not.

Words have in the last day overflowed with grief, disbelief, shock and anger as we come to terms with the death of Jo Cox, a UK democratically elected politician. Those words I hope in time with contribute to the desire of Jo’s widower, Brendan, that their children should be bathed in love. I hope and pray that this is true.

Words have been used to demean politicians, even hard working ones, in ways they do not deserve. (Let’s leave aside the fact that sometimes they do deserve a sharp reminder from those whom they represent, as much as I sometimes deserve harsh words too). It has become too easy to vilify, ridicule or laugh at those who make our laws and to allow this to overspill into anger.

Words have been used of late to dehumanise other human beings; those whom may be fleeing for their lives. Words have been used carelessly to stoke up hatred and fear.

Words do not have to be used in this way.

Words may have been uttered in a small Yorkshire town on 16 June 2016 as the life of a young mum was snatched away. Words were stated later by a grieving husband, who managed to remind us of our common humanity.

Our words are never isolated. We pretend that they are at our peril. Words can be used for all sorts of good; to praise, compliment and enable.

It is those sorts of words that we now, as we remember that they are never isolated.

When I was a child, even growing up within a bog standard Parish Church in Sheffield (if there is such a thing), I was used to people from time to time confidently (in an Anglican sort of way :-)) asserting that Jesus is the answer (we use to sing that in the school choir), and encouraging those who were not Christians to consider the claims of Christianity (in the days before Alpha, we still did it)

We don’t do that any more, usually. There seems to be an embarrassment about asking people to think about matters of faith.

In Bro Cybi, we have recently had opportunity to invite our friends and neighbours to hear something about what we believe (Archdeacon John Lomas, Jill Saward and Bishop Andy) and also have a good time in the church building (Concert featuring the ever so wonderful Calfari, as well as an amazing puppet show).It did not work out as I expected. People did not really have confidence in what was put on, so felt unable to invite their friends.

We are going to try Faith Pictures…. it has already brought some surprising comments. Here is the first clip. You can find more details on the ever so wonderful Church Army website: http://www.churcharmy.org.uk/Groups/266913/Church_Army/ms/Faith_Pictures/Faith_Pictures.aspx

I sort of had godparents.

That is to say I was baptised by a nurse. Anyone can baptise. You do not need to be ordained. I was then welcomed according to my baby book, which was amongst my mum’s things, into the church later. I have to say that being welcomed after baptism, which for me marks the entry point into the life of the church, seems to be a contradiction in terms.

My Aunt and Uncle, the late Mary and Stan, became my godparents. Indeed, I believe that they met me before my mum did, such was the length of time it took me to be born.

They were good to me. More importantly they prayed for me. They even took me to Israel when I was 17, the first time I had been on a plane… although I appear to recall I saved for the plane ticket from my weekly newspaper round.

One of the best parts of my vicaring is meeting godparents. If you are about to be a godparent, then this site is worth visiting: https://churchofenglandchristenings.org/godparents/role-godparent/

I enjoy meeting godparents because it presents an opportunity to talk about the Christian faith to a range of people. One of the questions, I often ask is ‘if you could describe God in three words, what would they be?’ I wonder what they might be for you?

I find that most godparents want to engage with such questions or maybe they feel with me that they have no choice.

I hope as importantly I leave them with no doubt that they are about to undertake one of the most precious tasks in the world; journeying with a child.

The Bishop of Bangor regularly gathers Ministry Area (MA) Leaders from across the Diocese of Bangor to confer, consult, laugh and learn together. I have just returned (9 June) from one such 24 hour event. They usually take place in Nant Gwrtheyrn (http://www.nantgwrtheyrn.org/)

The 24 hours are temperature checks on where we are at as the Church in Wales in this part of North Wales (bangor.churchinwales.org.uk). The Church in Wales has been on an incredible journey of late as it repositions itself to be fit for mission and ministry in the 21st Century. We have heard from the new principal of the St Padarn’s Theological Institute about how clergy and those licensed for ministry will continue to be trained and formed. Discussion took place as to how we might together affirm the ministries of all God’s people.

Most of all, we were heard. That is the amazing thing about belonging to the Diocese of Bangor: the strength of companionship with our Bishop as we together make waves for the kingdom of God.