Friday, 29 June 2012

Hope in dark places

"Imagine that you have no job, no money, you live cut off from the rest of society in a world ruled by poverty and violence, your skin is the 'wrong' colour - and you have no hope that any of this will change. Around you is a society governed by the iron law of achievement. Its gilded goods are flaunted before your eyes on TV screens, and in a thousand ways society tells you every day that you are worthless because you have no achievement. You are a failure, and you know that you will continue to be a failure because there is no way to achieve tomorrow what you have not managed to achieve today. Your dignity is shattered and your soul is enveloped in the darkness of despair.
But the gospel tells you that you are not defined by outside forces. It tells you that you count; even more, that you are loved unconditionally and infinitely, irrespective of anything you have achieved or failed to achieve. Imagine now this gospel not simply proclaimed but embodied in a community. Justified by sheer grace, it seeks to 'justify' by grace those declared 'unjust' by a society's implacable law of achievement. Imagine, furthermore, this community determined to infuse the wider culture, along with its political and economic institutions, with the message that it seeks to embody and proclaim. This is justification by faith, proclaimed and practised."
From Against the Tide: Love in a Time of Petty Dreams and Persisting Enmities, 2010, by Miroslav Volf; cited in Generous Justice by Tim Keller, 2010 (paperback).

Thursday, 28 June 2012

Open Day at Homeless Action in Barnet

See below a flyer for the open day at Homeless Action in Barnet which takes place this Saturday 30 June. All are welcome to go and see the venue and what is being done by HAB for the homeless of Barnet. Eddy, the centre manager, would be delighted to answer any questions you may have. If you wish to email him with any queries his email is eddy@habcentre.org.  The centre is open all day from 11am-3pm so you can just drop in.


Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Pop with a Twist

Friends of Justice Matters, the awesome Feltoe's Folk, are playing a charity gig at the Elephant Pub in North Finchley on the 6th July. Admission is free and all donations go towards the North London Hospice. Our very own Mike Dore will be on bass, along with Lizzie's husband Andy (after whom the ensemble is named).

Promises to be a great evening - see you there!



Monday, 25 June 2012

From slavery to Independence Day

Great to see so many of you at our Coffee Republic gathering last week - our second highest turnout (after our Blood in the Mobile film screening back in the Spring).




I hope you found it encouraging to learn more about the work of International Justice Mission to tackle trafficking and slavery around the world. I was particularly impressed by their commitment not just to rescuing slaves, but to restoring human beings and the stories of those whose lives had been turned around through the efforts of IJM teams. If you didn't already sign up for updates, you can keep up to date with International Justice Mission UK via their website. Carol also highlighted an event this Wednesday that people might be interested in attending - the launch of a new government advocacy campaign with a talk from the Field Office Director of IJM Kenya. Details are in the flyer (download here) if you are interested. If anyone goes, do let us know - maybe you could share an update at the next gathering?


Something else you could attend this week, also on the theme of trafficking, is a screening tomorrow night (Tuesday) of a new documentary film called Nefarious: Merchant of Souls: "From initial recruitment to victim liberation - and everything in between - the previously veiled underworld of sex slavery is uncovered in [this] ground breaking, tell-all [documentary]." Sara and I are planning on going. Tickets are £10 in advance and the screening starts at 6:30pm in Leicester Square. More details are available on the film's website.


If neither of those appeal, then this week is also an excellent opportunity to get together with each other in smaller gatherings. As you know, we are keen for members to think about forming 2to4 Groups - self-organised spaces for folk to spend time getting to know each other better. This might be as simple as grabbing a coffee with couple of others and sharing what's going on in your week, going for a meal together or something themed around a particular issue or campaign. There aren't any set rules (though St Barnabas Church has published some handy guidelines), the purpose is simply to establish deeper relationships and more meaningful community between our members.



Our next first Weds of the month session is on 4th July and so coincides with American Independence Day. For fun, we propose joining up with the young adult network from St Barnabas for their 4th July BBQ. This will take place at the bungalow next to St Barnabas Church (42 Holden Road) from 7:30pm. I know that some of our members might consider themselves beyond the 'young adult' bracket, but Ryan said that we are all welcome to join in regardless. There will be live music from the excellent Feltoes' Folk (featuring our own Mike Dore and Lizzie's husband, Andy). Bring something to throw on the barbecue and wear something 'American'...



Final thing (phew): our Coffee Republic session in July will be on the 18th and will be on the subject of older people (exact details to be confirmed). With a guest speaker from AgeUK, this will be our last official session before the summer, so please make it along and help us end the term with a bang. More details anon.

That's all for now - have a great week!

Wednesday, 20 June 2012

Tonight!

Its the longest day and the sun in shining at last!

Just a final reminder that we are meeting this evening at Coffee Republic from 7:30pm. Come along for a coffee, a chat with some excellent people and to learn more about the injustice of human trafficking and modern slavery (and more importantly - what can be done to tackle it!)

Its free entry, so why not bring a friend...? 

See you there.

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Failed States 2012

Failed states: An interesting infographic and 'postcards from hell'. Provocative reminders of a world in need of hope.


"If anything has become clear since we started publishing the Failed States Index in 2005, it’s that state failure is an entrenched problem -- one the world is far from figuring out how to fix. Every one of the 20 countries atop this year’s index has been there before: Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Iraq have never made it out of the top 10, and Somalia takes the unwanted No. 1 spot for the fifth straight year."

Read more: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/failedstates2012

Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Sunday, 17 June 2012

Sustained, sustainable


Thanks those of you who were able to join us for our drinks and discussion session this month - we had enthusiastic and wide range conversations on the subject of sustainability, reflecting on Psalm 104 for inspiration as to why Christians should care about the issue.


The psalm (a kind of poem) describes a world set in motion and sustained by God; a Creator who has crafted a carefully ordered masterwork:
"[The LORD] makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work."
There is a clear sense of structure to this creation, with seasons marked by sun and moon - darkness to benefit creatures of the night and sun for those that labour by day. This is no tame landscape, roaring lions and prowling "beasts of the forest" are depicted seeking their prey. Indeed, even the mythical Leviathan - a sea monster feared by ancient sailors - has a place within this complex web.


While the psalmist identifies people within this landscape, humanity represents just one element of this complex tapestry of life:
"He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate - bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts."
Often we think of ourselves as being somehow independent of the world around us, a belief that leads us to mistreat the planet in pursuit of our selfish human ends. This psalm is a useful check to that misconception, reminding us that we are not overlords of creation, but (brilliant, unique and astonishing) components within the same grand system.

Having explored this text, conversations turned to how being aware of our place within such a grand and intricate system should affect our behaviours. What might it mean for our consumption, our travel, our industry? We asked whether our actions had interrupted the carefully ordained patterns and cycles that God had prescribed and if so, what might be done to correct that damage?

One key action from the evening was to email or write to our MPs encouraging them to sign up the Rio UK Declaration. This is a statement drafted by members of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition exhorting the government not to step back from their commitments on sustainable development and tackling climate change. If you haven't already, please do go to the site and fill in your details to tell you own MP that we care and so should they. If you get a response, please share it with the network so we can be encouraged. If you are feeling really inspired, you could even speak to your MP face-to-face at their public surgery!

Stop Climate Chaos - Rio Climate Connection

As discussed at our gathering last night - please contact your MP and urge them to stand firm on tackling climate change!

"The Rio+20 Earth Summit is taking place in Rio de Janeiro this June, 20 years on from the original Rio Earth Summit. The UK should be leading the move to a fair and green economy, not going backwards on its commitments. Please ask your MP to show their support by signing our Rio-UK Declaration."

http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/rio-action-2

Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Forced marriage has always been a crime in spirit

Baroness Warsi on the move to criminalise forced marriage:
"In deciding to criminalise forced marriage – the act of coercing a person to marry against their will – the government has made a bold statement: that this heinous, inhumane, oppressive act is never acceptable."
Read more...

Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Community beyond the official programme

We have often suggested that members of Justice Matters might like to get together outside of our regular meetings to share life and build community. St Barnabas Church, the church with which JM is connected, is calling these kind of self-organising get togethers 2to4 Groups. Here's some more information - get involved!
2to4 Groups are groups of two, three or four people who meet together regularly to talk honestly about their lives, to pray together, and to encourage one another to live out the things God is saying to each of them. They are intended to be a place of deep friendship which also helps build each person’s relationship with God.
Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Weekly update

Did you know that more men, women and children toil in slavery now than during the entire course of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade? This illicit trade generates profits in excess of £6bn a year for those engaged in the sale of our fellow human beings. These are shocking statistics, but ones that should not be ignored.


We will be meeting this coming Wednesday (20th) at Coffee Republic for a session looking at the issue of human trafficking and modern slavery. We are very excited to have a guest speaker from rescue and anti-trafficking organisation, International Justice Mission, coming to tell us more about the subject, as well as encouraging stories of hope amidst the darkness.

Please make an effort to join us for what promises to be another thought-provoking and inspiring evening. As ever, doors will be open from 7:30pm, so come along for a coffee and a pastry before the session begins. (Our spend on refreshments is part of the way that we pay for use of the venue, so please do buy something to help us cover costs.)

See you there!


PS - Did everyone get in touch with their MP about the Rio Declaration on climate change and sustainability? Did anyone get a response? Do let us know if you hear anything...

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

"Nefarious: Merchant of Souls" London Premiere

This film is showing a week after International Justice Mission come to speak to us about modern-day slavery and exploitation. Anyone interested?

http://nefariousdocumentary.com/

The screening is on Tuesday, June 26 at 6:00pm in Screen 7, Vue West End, 3 Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7AL. A panel discussion will follow the screening.

Shared from the Justice Matters Facebook Page

Fight the good fight

"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight - I'll fight to the very end!"


William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, speaking at the Royal Albert Hall in 1912.