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Summer
Term time is upon us yet again as Summer comes to a close. The autumnal chill has arrived and many families in the UK, like our own, are gearing up for the school year, preparing to get back into the normal swing of daily and weekly rhythms.
This time of year has felt wholly different—tinged with a certain tension and palpable restlessness in the air. We never got that heat wave we have been so accustomed to in past summers, finding instead the social temperature dialed up and boiling over.
Protests and Counter-Protests
We have seen firsthand and have also spoken to various people who have been affected by the rioting, protests, and counterprotests that have sprung up all across the UK. I’ve spoken to neighbors and locals in the Aston area, as well as fellow ministers who have been at the forefront advocating for peace. People have strong opinions and have never been reluctant to share their perspectives with us. A fellow leader from Christ Church Birmingham (CCB) of African descent was so concerned about his safety that he took a few days off of work to stay indoors with his family.
Others we have spoken with have turned up at counter-protests to express their support for immigrants, particularly refugees and asylum seekers who have fled their respective countries to start anew. The UK has been steeping in this tension between welcoming migrants with open arms and maintaining its native identity through assimilation. Apart from general foreign and domestic policies, and not to go too far afield into sociopolitical issues, I have found that many political campaigns have always included an over-promise to reduce net immigration, which tells me it’s been an ongoing issue with growing concern among Britons.
I’m still cautiously discerning the root cause of the UK’s social tension and civil unrest, finding many alarming things of note in my research following the tragedy of Southport. This was the catalyst that ignited the embers of an already hurting country conditioned to set ablaze.
Here’s a list of observations and/or deductions we’ve made:
Observations
Social media compounds misinformation and disinformation while the mainstream media also perpetuates biases, looking to craft and control a desired narrative.
Obfuscation has been used as a weapon to distract people from real underlying issues that others are trying to highlight, but perhaps in unproductive ways.
Many parrot media reports, retaining the venom of accusation, and often use labels meant to discredit people and dismiss their views out of hand. In effect, they silence those concerned about issues that don’t align with a particular sociopolitical perspective.
Totalitarian-style censorship and other unjudicial practices aim to muzzle dissent, but it further exasperates people who are already feeling unheard and/or misunderstood.
There seems to be no serious effort to validate the real concerns of certain people groups—these symptoms are going undiagnosed and unaddressed.
Rioting and violence should be condemned and prohibited no matter what side of the issue or aisle you are on.
Genuine asylum seekers and refugees are generally welcomed into the country, but many have yet to be processed legally and lawfully by the government.
Certain criminal behavior has been tolerated or covered up due to the unwillingness to criticize all ideas no matter their origin or cultural background.
As with other things in life, we should strive to practice critical thinking and aim to examine issues from multiple angles. Take, for instance, the controversial figure Tommy Robinson, who has been written off by the media as a far-right extremist, racist, and inciter of violence. Whenever anyone resorts to labeling and ad-hominem attacks instead of engaging with their ideas, claims, or views, it will actually pique my interest to investigate further. Have a listen to Jordan Peterson’sfirst and second interviews with Tommy to hear his side of things (sans-censorship) and have a critical think for yourself.
Ultimately, the solution is neither a social or political one, not that peaceful demonstrations or working hard for legislative reform aren’t in order. I firmly believe there should be more appeals like this one, which should lead us to pray for people like Tommy and pray for truehealing to begin for this country. The real issue is deeply embedded within humanity itself and is much more entrenched in spiritual matters than many care to acknowledge.
Did you notice any common threads in the observations and deductions above?
There’s this internal strife and restlessness that seems to undergird all the tension, which leads to this tendency toward othering on either side of any social, political, cultural, or theological issue. In other words, we fan the flame of disunity and become tribal in our categorizing someone else as other than. Look at those who differ from me/us—those who depart from the dominant narrative, those who stand in opposition, posturing to attack, incite, or offend us. They are surely not friend but foe.
If you’ve ever done any deep dives into biblical word studies, you may have come across the Koine Greek words katagareo, which is translated tothe verbaccuse, and kategoria, which is the noun form. This is where we get the English term category. What’s jarring about this is how the word relates to one of the aliases of Satan, who is called the Adversary and the Accuser (Revelation 12:10). When we practice othering, are we not doing the opposite of unifying? Are we instead unwittingly engaged in an outward work akin to the Accuser?
We in the UK need to learn a new way—to validate real concerns, rightly deal with injustices, address the source of our discontent, and discover the utmost peace. We need to find rest for our weary and restless souls.
“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”Matthew 11:29
Injury Report
Steph has continued her physio treatments, and we’ve seen an improved range of motion and increased strength. Though still unable to stand for extended periods or walk normally, we are focused on the small wins and see the Lord working to restore her biomechanics to a place and capacity beyond what she has experienced in the last decade while also revealing areas within her heart needing deep transformation.
For nearly 6 months I have done my best to take on the incalculable load of caretaking, housekeeping, cooking, and parenting while working hard to maintain capacity for ministry. Steph has been fighting every single day physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Steph has been working on full extension after months of it being bent due to swelling and excruciating pain when leg is straight.
Her regimen consists of:
Stationary cycling
Exercises dictated by Physiotherapist every couple hours (daily)
Physiotherapy sessions every 2 weeks
Elastic Bands
Apps, videos, and other support
Switching from 2 to 1 crutch for focused weight redistribution
Icing and Warm Packs
Copper lined knee brace
Turmeric and Reishi Mushroom powders
Various creams for pain relief
TENS / EMS machine for muscle stimulation and pain relief
*THANK YOU to those who have been covering us in prayer and offering practical help during this unique time of need!
Prayer Requests
Pray that the inflammation in Steph’s knee will cease for good! It still flares up quite a bit on a daily basis, especially during her physio exercises.
Pray for our connections with Fusion Movement and UCCF (Christian Unions) to continue to develop and for fruitful engagement with students. We’re connected with a Fusion staff worker called David Jennings, who has agreed to become a resource for us moving forward.
I have been tasked with maintaining student contact through Fusion Movement’s Student Linkup, and we are beginning to meet with students one-on-one. We are looking forward to engaging with more students throughout the year!
Freshers Fair for the new School Term:
University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus.
The Aston University Christian Union will be hosting a Church Fair on September 25th. There will also be a preview session of all the major meetings during the year, with staff member Matty Lavelle presenting about the Christian Union’s mission, role, and importance on campus.
Pray for CCB’s efforts to pioneer outreach ministries. Steph is looking to help develop a “Mum & Toddler” group with Falon Terry, one of the church’s core leaders, while the staff serves at the Food Pantry. Pray for more volunteers to commit to pioneering this ministry in Aston, which has a predominantly Muslim population.
Pray for Jemma, a lady I have gotten to know quite well through the Food Pantry, who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s been a very rough patch for her family because her husband, Lionel, is also showing signs of dementia.
Pray for my continued interactions with the families I got acquainted with during the August Summer Fun Day events.
Pray for continued provision from the Lord through establishing new ministry partnerships! Individuals, couples, families, churches, businesses, foundations, charities, etc.
If you know of 1-3 people with ears to hear about what we’re doing here in the UK, drop me a line via text, DM, or email. 😁
GIVING
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