There is a certain predictable sadness about the controversies emerging from the Olympic Games being held this year in China. The Chinese are not surprised at the age-old questions which surround Tibet. That particular part of the world has not known any form of independence from China for centuries and the Chinese are not going to forego in a hurry ,Tibet's rich reserves of copper, salt, gold and radioactive ore! However the people of Tibet do have a right to chose their own destiny and their future. That is part of the ideals of the United Nations Charter which China has signed .There are other issues about China which don't always get reported such as vast areas of poverty, wide use of the death penalty and torture, the exposure of new born girls as well as countless tales of injustice and corruption at the hands of the civil service. There is every evidence to suppose that the Chinese authorities, will take a leaf out of Hitler's notebook when the Olympics were held in Berlin in 1936, and use the games as a smokescreen to cover up oppression and injustice. I can see where our Prime Minister is coming from when he declares that he will not attend the opening ceremonies of the Games. But is a boycott the answer ? The Olympic Games is not a football game for the world's politicians.

It is an event to enable nations to get to know one another better. It is an opportunity for sports men and women to challenge one another through their skills and talents in open and fair competition. It is a building block in better communications and an appreciation of the diversity of our world.

These were the original ideals of the Games when they began in 800 years before the birth of Christ in ancient Greece and they lasted for some 400 years after the birth of Christ. Their revival in the 20th Century was a clear indication that nations need to speak peace to nations. It is very easy these days to let cynicism rule the roost and debunk any sense of idealism. Yet is our idealisms that inspire us and enable us to want to see a better world for everyone and build a better world. The Olympic Games can still be a very valuable and important way doing just that. The Olympic torch goes round the world to inspire us through its journey from Greece to Beijing to those important ideals in the Games. Those who try to put it out can never extinguish it even those nations who would exploit them for their own ends. I wonder what the world will be saying about our nation in the year 2012?

All my love,

George

 

The Vicar's Annual Report for 2008

I have to confess that this time last year I did not expect to be reading this! Retirement has been delayed but not postponed.

Looking back over the last 12 months has been the usual mixture of life's experiences with all its joys and sorrows. Once again I have been privileged to be involved with people sharing in the high days and in the low days, the mediocre and the fantastic. There are many good things to look back on. The wonderful concerts in this splendid building- Youth Brass 2000, Salvation Army, Montsaye School, Southern Cathedral Singers, Peterborough Cathedral and so on. I would like to emphasise once again that we need to bring this Church building up to acceptable lighting and safety standards in order to be used even more by the performing arts, professional as well as amateur. On a practical level, it would be good to be able to see properly when we have services in the evening. Plans will be laid before the PCC very shortly to address this issue. The Trinity Centre continues to occupy our attention and has been wisely debated in the PCC and by the appropriate committees. The fact that we can all get a bit aerated shows that we care about what we are doing as a Church and in our work and witness to the community. There is a renewed challenge about our Church finances and I am grateful to Delia Smith in accepting the position of PCC Treasurer for opening up to us the difficult financial situation we are in and some of the ways we can move forward, with the help of the Diocese and our prayers for one another in our forthcoming Stewardship Campaign. I want to pay tribute also to Richard Knight our late Churchwarden who passed away suddenly earlier this year.

Richard has bequeathed to us a spirit of loyalty, dependability and wisdom which is sorely missed in the Church vestry, the PCC and also in the congregation.

Some of us who went on the Parish Day held at Wellingborough School last September found a renewed vigour and challenge to us as members of the Church under the discussion banner "Good God. Your people!"

Such occasions help us all reflect on our vocation as the Church in the 21st century and is an invaluable contribution to our mission in this place.

A special thanks to David Osborn and his sparkling leadership over our Church choir. Once again, there is a renewed desire and a subsequent enjoyment to lead our worship ever onwards towards a deeper love for God and one for another as well as making a joyful noise unto the Lord!.

Another "thank you" to Eileen Gregory for her work and support over the last few years as our Hon Sec to the PCC. At this moment in time and without making too much of a pun about it, the PCC is going to find it difficult to replace Eileen but that is not her problem. As the Chair of the PCC I would like to record our gratitude to her for her strong support and good humour at getting the job done! Another lady to whom we owe a great deal is Pam Shaw and her faithful service in enabling all of us being involved with The Fair Trade movement.

I have always been grateful to the hard work and support of the Churchwardens in this Parish Church - not only are many, many things done to ensure the smooth running of things but I have always been greatly encouraged in my ministry when I need an ear to listen to and sometimes a shoulder to cry on. My thanks to Julian, Hilary, Christine and Andy- your ministry among us is much respected and enjoyed. It may well be the case that in the near future, the Churchwardens will enable us all to have more comfortable chairs to sit on and even to wriggle upon when another challenge comes our way to deepen our discipleship!

Our work with young people goes on with Tiny Tots and the Church's little people, the Sunday schools and the Scout group and youth club. Personally I was sad when the senior youth club had to close but I don't think the challenges from our young people will go away.

My final thoughts to share with you. In October last year, our Archdeacon David Painter, dedicated the Jessie Cleaver Memorial Window depicting Jesus and the Children. It is a marvellous work of art and theological statement.

Please look at it and read our Church Mission Statement at the same time.

"Holy Trinity Rothwell exists to know Christ in our midst and to make him known beyond our walls." Brothers and sisters we cannot nod approval at the east wall of the south aisle and disapprove of what happens at the west end of the same aisle. We need to understand what both ends of the aisle stand for and can teach us. We not only have to contend with the non - Church in our communities but also the dechurched. As a Christian community we are not just here to keep "the faithful" happy but to bring everyone into the fold Christ died to save, redeem and transform..

In conclusion I end with my grateful thanks to Margaret for all the warm support and love she gives to me and to you in our ministry in this place.

God bless you all for all that you do for one another.