Do you pray to transform your city?

I like the idea of transforming the city. I like the idea of the city reaching it’s full potential and reflecting the best of what the citizens are.

So last Thursday in the Southside housegroup we discussed how we would want to transform Glasgow. We all enjoy living here, but as with anywhere, there are things that we’d like to see improve. Here are a few of the dreams people have.

• A safer city centre in the evenings and weekends, particularly at night. (We are grateful for the work done by Glasgow Street Pastors.).
• For friends to find contentment in their lives, particularly those with unfulfilled dreams of their own.
• A more healthy city (alchohol, obesity, smoking).
• A less angry city.
• A deeper welcome extended to those who are new to the city, particularly those who don’t have close relationships through work, family or church.
• Less dependence on acquiring shiny new stuff, and more dependence on developing relationships.

As we’re planning for the next stage in the life of our church (more of this later), we want to use our dreams to drive our vision of a transformed city.

Glasgow’s motto is of course “Let Glasgow Flourish“, which is a shorter version of the text on the bell of the Tron Church cast in 1631

“Lord let Glasgow flourish through the preaching of thy word and praising thy name.”

Our dreams are simply a continuation of that desire to see our city flourish.

What are your dreams for Glasgow?

In a time when a Labour Government at Westminster taxes the poorest in a way that the better off become even better off Amos is much more than a clanging cymbal. Amos pulls no punches as he tells those in authority that God is unhappy and is coming after them, that the gravy train will come to an end. Lest we think that God is Communist in Amos he also has a lot to say about the apathy of the people towards their God and they’ll get theirs too. Overall, however, Amos is mightily concerned with social justice, the plight of the power and the powerless. Amos would remind us that those in authority only have that authority if their concern is to help those that need it. I wonder what Amos would say to Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling today? Probably something along the lines of ‘You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know your offences and how great your sins’ Amos 5:11-12

Powerful, scary stuff I’m sure you’ll agree

Much of what he wrote is a disturbing reminder of how bad things can be in the city but he also highlighted the invaluable work that many voluntary societies have been doing, and continue to pioneer without a great deal of assistance from anyone else. It is their determination to do something to alleviate some of the problems that many of our fellow citizens face that has caught Smith’s eye and moved his heart.

On Wednesday night 30 January 2008 several hundred people from the Glasgow Baptist community met at Newton Mearns Baptist Church to pray, and pray specifically by name for those in government and councils who can help to make a difference to the troubled lives of many in the areas of deprivation in the city. It is so easy to become cynical and treat our politicians as our enemies rather than our servants. It could make a huge difference if we prayed more for them even as the Bible instructs us 1 Timothy2:1-2. Such praying is never wasted!

This summer, Christian Aid is asking people to walk the walk on climate change by joining the longest ever protest march in UK history.

The Cut the Carbon march started in Bangor, Northern Ireland yesterday (14 July), will last 80 days, cover 1,000 miles, and see marchers from rich countries and poor spread Christian Aid’s cut the carbon message to companies and politicians. The march ends at the London Stock Exchange on 2 October.

The march passes through Glasgow this Tuesday, 17 July, and there are a number of events planned, all in the Southside:

• 2-3pm, Newton Mearns Parish Church. Meet the marchers, listen to their stories.
• 5 pm onwards, Queen’s Park duck pond. Meet the marchers as they arrive at Queen’s Park. Join the marchers for a walk around Queen’s Park duck pond in the Glasgow “Put Your Best Foot Forward” event.
• 6pm Queen’s Park glass houses. Meet the marchers, listen to their stories.
• 10pm St Ninians Church, Glasgow. Reflection with the marchers.

Further information is on the Pressureworks site, and on the Cut the Carbon Facebook site (registration needed).

Update 21/07/2007: Read the BBC interview with Angela Rowe of Renfield St Stephens Church (just one block down Bath Street), who is one of the Cut the Carbon marchers.

Roderick Buchanan’s ‘Histrionics‘ exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art is a timely reminder that Glasgow’s social history is one tinged with unfortunate associations, which sadly some would want to keep alive.

I visited the exhibition representing the Baptist Union, a co-signatory to the joint statement from the major denominations in Glasgow “How they love one another”. This was a united attempt to demonstrate the Church’s regret in its participation in sectarianism and bigotry in the past with the determined effort that closer co-operation will eventually consign such bigotry to history.

As someone who currently teaches aspiring Baptist ministers on the topic of Sectarianism as part of their degree course at the University of Paisley I was happy to play such a small part in Thursday’s public display of commitment to eradicate sectarianism. The real challenge is of course to remove such attitudes from individual thinking and practice. Perhaps, in time to come…

That’s it. The election is over, the SNP are the largest party in the Scottish Parliament, and Labour have suffered their first nationwide electoral defeat for over 50 years.

All that we need to wait for now is the political horse-trading to take place. The two largest parties, SNP and Labour will try to negotiate a compromise with potential coalition partners, mainly the Liberal Democrats but maybe also the Conservatives and Greens. It is highly likely that this process will take weeks, but the parties have to elect a First Minister within 28 days otherwise there has to be another election!

Meantime, we can continue to pray for an effective, fair and representative government; we can also consider how we can best support, encourage and challenge our MSPs between now and the next election in four years time.

Confused over crosses or numbers? – BBC How to Vote Guide