“If I Say I Love You Jesus” featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard – from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill

So yesterday was my 20th anniversary of being a Christian. In my blog of April 10th 2014 I described the actual day and I thought it would be good to take an extract of that today.

After my uncertain first night on an “Alpha Course” at Holy Rood Church, Stubbington I came back the following week and then the next and the next. I began to think that I wanted to become a Christian – I felt reassured by the words in John’s Gospel, Chapter 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” Eternal Life – that is what I needed to take away my fear of death.  Not something to be earned but something to be accepted as a gift.  Perfect – apart from two problems 1) did I have enough faith to accept Jesus” gift” with any degree of sincerity?  2) If I did ask Jesus into my life what would my mates say- how much ridicule would I have to endure?  Let me have a look at problem no 2 first.

Three of my very special friends are Barry Stares, Dave Conchie and Ian Beacham . Barry I have known since Junior School and Dave and Ian since PE College. We regularly meet for a drink and something to eat (yes curry)  At one curry Ian said “You will never guess what’s happened to Mick” He was referring to another ex-PE College friend, Mick Mellows who played football for Pompey and who is now a Director of the charity Faith and Football -www.faith&football.org.uk .  I thought Ian meant that Mick had been struck down with some horrible illness but no that is not what he meant at all. He continued “He’s only gone and become a Christian!”  To which Dave replied “No – and he was such a good bloke!”

Could I face that sort of comment if I “admitted” to becoming a Christian? I really doubted it.

As for problem no 1 re did I have enough faith? – Well thankfully someone told me I only had to have faith as small as a mustard seed (the smallest of all seeds in Biblical times.)  I simply had to focus on what I believed not on what I did not – I simply had to trust – I simply had to take a “leap of faith”

During the Alpha course I had been given a little red book entitled “Why Jesus?”  (as featured in pic) At the end of the book there is a prayer so I knew an opportunity was coming up for me to take that leap of faith and to say this prayer asking Jesus to come into my life.  I felt it really difficult to sleep with my two “problems”   constantly churning around inside my head.   The weekend came when I knew I had to make a decision – as part of the Alpha Course I was at the Holy Rood Vicarage with the Vicar, Michael Christian- Edwards and his lovely wife Merlyn.  When the others in my group were having a coffee break I escaped into the village to go through in my head what I was going to do.  On my return sure enough Michael gave everyone the opportunity to say a prayer asking Jesus to forgive us for all the things we had done wrong – to ask Him to come into our lives- and for us to be filled with His Holy Spirit.  I remember asking Michael if I could say the prayer twice.  He seemed surprised but said that was fine and so that lunchtime on Saturday, February 22^nd 1997 I asked Jesus into my life and became a Christian.

Why did I want to say the prayer twice?  Well there was Mr Mill and his dad that I also wanted to be there on such a momentous occasion. So that evening in Mr Mil’s apartment in Titchfield I sat between the two of them confessing out loud all the things I had done wrong and again asking Jesus into my life. Some of the things I had done wrong were pretty big – one had been a real burden for many years but after I had confessed it  the burden lifted- I know that sounds amazing and too good to be true  but amazing is what it was and too good not to be true!

So I thought “micky taking” here you come, but I decided to be pro-active and tell people before they found out through the grapevine. First off was Barry who I had known the longest -he was surprisingly supportive – so too was Ian – but I could not tell Dave, it was Dave who had made the comment about Mick Mellows – he was sure to let me have it with both barrels.  A couple of months later Barry and Ian told me that Dave was really upset with me for not telling him. So I took Dave out for a curry (of course) and felt pretty emotional when Dave told me that he loved me (in a bloke way!!) and that he would always support me in anything I did and that he was upset because it seemed that I did not believe I could trust him.  So big apology from me and really all the worries about people “taking the mick” turned out to be groundless- mind you I think my two sons James and Chris took a bit of stick at school.

So did my fears of dying die (sorry) If I am honest not entirely – but I did have God’s promise to hold on to and you can’t have much more than that.   In fact later I wrote a song called “It’s From the Lord” which is on our CD “Heart and Soul” – the last verse of which is “When your time on earth is ending and you look up to Him on high and your see His promises sparkling spelt out in stars across the sky and open arms reach to embrace you to welcome you home then you know, yes you know it is the Lord.”

I also wrote a song which was a sort of autobiography of me becoming a Christian and being worried about what people would think – this one is on the CD “Precious” and is called “If I Say I Love You Jesus”  I did actually once sing it live myself at a Mustard Seed Concert but here it is  sung by the fantastic Lucy Stimpson-Maynard

Guess who rang me today to congratulate me on my “birthday?” Yes the very lovely and loving Michael and Merilyn Christian- Edwards

(Source http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-language-map.htm)

“Amazing Love! (again!) featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard taken from the album “Love is the Way” recorded and produced by John Hodgkinson

So at the moment we are unsure when the next stage production of Risen! The Musical will take place. This is all because we need funding and, at present the Arts Council do not wish to play ball and be supportive. However there has been great interest in the DVD featuring the London Touring Cast and as I mentioned in my blog of two weeks ago it is to be broadcast in Easter on 22 Romanian satellite channels associated with Christian Cable TV Alpha – Omega. This was all set up by my very dear friend Dr Graham Giles MBE who is a Trustee of Mustard Seed Songs. Graham is also in discussions with another, even larger Romanian Christian TV channel- Credo.

In that blog I also said that I had met with Dr Richard Kent, a Trustee and Presenter of the UK Christian Cable TV channel, Revelation TV. We are hoping that Risen! The Musical will also be broadcast on Revelation and although not 100% confirmed it is looking really good for another Easter broadcast.

Graham has also organised the Risen! The Musical script/score to be translated into Romanian and Spanish and another dear friend, Mick Mellows is getting it translated into Korean and Serbo Croat. Alpha- Omega has the resources to encode subtitles onto the original Risen! DVD so the idea is that with these and other translations we can make, in Graham’s words, “The planet the platform.”

Oh I nearly forgot! Risen! The Musical has already been translated into the world’s most commonly used language – Chinese (Mandarin) One of Graham’s friends Prof Mel Richardson MBE spoke to Katherine Hobbs who originates from Xichang in China. Katherine performed a “labour of love” in spending three weekends translating all 37 pages of the Risen! script. Here is an example- it is the introduction spoken by Alex Knox (see blog November 24th 2016)

Jodie was talking to her friend Stefan about following Jesus of Nazareth.  Stefan said, “I know that Jesus died on a cross but do you really believe He rose from the dead? “ Jodie put her arm around Stefan and whispered “Yes I do- imagine, after seeing Jesus crucified, His followers were utterly devastated. Then three days later they saw Him alive again. Jesus stayed with them for another 40 amazing days. They were all transformed.   He promised ‘I will be with you always even to the very end of the age.’ That changed everything – forever. “

朱迪正在跟她的朋友斯特凡谈论跟随拿撒勒的耶稣。 斯特凡说：“我知道耶稣在十字架上死了，但你真的相信他从死里复活了吗？ “朱迪把手臂放在斯特凡肩上，低声说道： “是的，试想一下，在看见耶稣钉死在十字架上之后，他的追随者们是如何地痛心。 而三天后，他们却再次见到了重生的他。 此后，耶稣与他们一起度过了另外40个无比神奇的日子，使他们也被彻底感化了。 耶稣承诺过：“我将永远与你们在一起，直到岁月的尽头。” 而这，也从此改变了一切。

How amazing is that!!! Thank you so very, very much Katherine.

Oh and another thing- I taught Katherine’s husband Phil and her brother in law, Tim at Crofton School, in fact Mr Mill was Tim’s tutor. Yes it is a small world in which we live.

I Will Tell featuring Lucy Stimpson Maynard from the album ” I Look Up To The Heavens” recorded and produced by John Hodgkinson

Why is there suffering in the world when God is good? Over the past months I keep returning to this most difficult of subjects – why -because it is a question so often asked and for such good reason. This will be the 18th time I have commented on the subject – last week I finished by quoting Rev. Richard England who reminds us that “God is good but life can be bad – Life can be bad but God is good.” In my blogs relating to suffering I have used extracts from various books but one that I almost forgot is the excellent “Big Questions” written by Steve Legg who is Editor of the popular magazine Sorted.” www.sorted.uk

In the section on suffering Steve quotes the famous poem “The Long Silence” which I would like to share below.

At the end of time, billions of people were seated on a great plain before God’s throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly, not cringing with cringing shame – but with belligerence.

“Can God judge us? How can He know about suffering?” ,snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. “We endured terror … beatings … torture … death!”

In another group a Negro boy lowered his collar. “What about this?” he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn. “Lynched, for no crime but being black!”

In another crowd there was a pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes: “Why should I suffer?” she murmured. “It wasn’t my fault.” Far out across the plain were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He had permitted in His world.

How lucky God was to live in Heaven, where all was sweetness and light. Where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world? For God leads a pretty sheltered life, they said.

So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew, a negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the centre of the vast plain, they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever.

Before God could be qualified to be their judge, He must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth as a man.

Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even his family will think him out of his mind.

Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured.

At the last, let him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die so there can be no doubt he died. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.

As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled. When the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No one uttered a word. No one moved.

For suddenly, all knew that God had already served His sentence.

 

“The Final Frontier” by Dr Richard Kent

Yours is a Jealous Love featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill

In one of my very early blogs I wrote of my fear of death and how I gained hope from the promise of Jesus recorded in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This was around twenty years ago and around this time I went to a talk given by Dr Richard Kent on near or after death experiences. These are described in his books “The Final Frontier” and “Beyond The Final Frontier” both still available from Amazon but which you can download free of charge with these links

http://www.freechristianteaching.tv/the-final-frontier-ebook-landing-page

http://www.freechristianteaching.tv/beyond-the-final-frontier-landing

Two films were also produced – “The Final Frontier” and The Lazarus Phenomenon.” Again both can be downloaded free of charge:

http://www.freechristianteaching.tv/index.php/the-final-frontier-movie

http://www.freechristianteaching.tv/the-lazarus-phenomenon-movie

After hearing Richard’s brilliant presentation I read “The Final Frontier “and was not only amazed but also heartened with more evidence that death is not the end, but that there is an after- life.

My friend Chris Wickland recently posted on Facebook an interview he had on Christian Cable Revelation TV. Chris played guitar for the Mustard Seed Soul Band and is now a Pastor for the Living Word Church. I was looking for a means of introduction to Revelation TV to offer Risen! The Musical for broadcast so I contacted the person who had interviewed Chris and that was Dr Richard Kent. Now at the time I had no idea that Dr Richard Kent, the interviewer and Dr Richard Kent, writer of “The Final Frontier are one and the same person.

Anyway I emailed Richard who turned out to be a Trustee of Revelation TV. He suggested I send the Risen! promo links to the Revelation leadership- I also sent them to Richard who found them to be “very interesting.” Encouraged I sent copies of the Risen! DVD to both the Revelation leadership and to Richard. Then out of the blue Richard rang me – as soon as I heard his voice I recognised him to be the same person who had written “The Final Frontier” and who I had heard speak those 20 or so years ago.

Well to cut a long story short we had a brilliant meeting together. We had breakfast at the Marriot Hotel and then went to his lovely home. I am not sure exactly what will come from this new and exciting friendship but I know that it is one that I already highly value and that Risen! The Musical has gained another wonderful advocate.

Richard features regularly on Revelation TV with fantastic presentations:

www.freechristianteaching.tv

One I have just watched which is absolutely fascinating is on the Shroud of Turin.

http://www.freechristianteaching.tv/turin-shroud-landing

Richard also has brilliant short “Fun Facts” that I can thoroughly recommend:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuaWUFSxNu7MGpB0iO8XxgZ8DazK8gRF_

We are not yet sure if Risen! The Musical will be broadcast on Revelation TV but we do know for definite that it is to be broadcast on 32 satellite channels in Romania   – but more of that next week.

 

“All Authority in Heaven and Earth” (using the melody from “Great and Marvellous”) Risen! The Musical featuring the London Touring Cast, The New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

Great and Marvellous -from the album “Love is the Way” featuring the Mustard Seed Girls Choir recorded at the 2000 Millennium Concert at the Crofton Sports Hall, Stubbington

I hope you enjoyed my funny story in last week’s blog, however this week I wish to return to the serious issue of how we deal with suffering. I have already posted 16 messages on the subject but had further insight when attending another session at Holy Rood Church on “God’s Strategy In Human History.”

You may have heard of the story of Job. He was a righteous man before God but he suffered horrifically. His so called friends told him on numerous occasions that God was punishing him for doing something or somethings bad in his life. Job accepted that he was not at all perfect but he refused to believe that he had done anything so bad as to be punished in such horrific ways (all his children were killed and he was covered with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. “Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat amongst the ashes.”) Nevertheless in all his sufferings, although naturally asking God why, oh why, never once did he denounce God, but instead put his trust in Him.

Now you will have to read the Bible account to find out why it was that Job suffered in this way (but without spoiling the story you will no doubt be pleased to discover that all ended well with Job and that he was fully restored to good health and made even more prosperous than he had been before.)

So this story tells us that sometimes we are called to suffer without really knowing why and that even in suffering it is still possible to trust in God.

There are other occasions in the Bible, notably the miracles of Jesus, when people suffering in all sorts of ways are healed. Divine healing still happens today and comes about when someone(s) stands before God and prays for healing for the sick person. We know that sometimes by God’s grace healing does take place but then sometimes it does not- how can we make sense of that? Well I suppose if every time we prayed for someone to be healed and they were then we would not need medicine or doctors, we would just need to pray – which could make prayer more like a magic spell rather than a heartfelt cry to God. On the other hand if prayer never resulted in healing then it would, at least for that purpose, become redundant.

So I suppose the point here is that praying for healing is something we are called to do, but that it is God not us who does the healing. He tells us “ As the heavens are higher than the earth so my ways are higher than your own” so our responsibility is not to question why He sometimes heals and sometimes does not but to pray and accept the answer. So sometimes there will be healing and sometimes there will not and when not then we are back where Job was – suffering without knowing why, but still, despite everything, trusting in God and the fact that God is good, or as Rev. Richard England often says “God is good but life is sometimes bad.”

You are the Maker – featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Love is the Way” recorded and produced by Bob Ross

In my last blog I finished with the thought that although life is sometimes bad that does not mean that God becomes bad- no He is always good- we just muddle God and life up. I was going to continue with that thought, but instead I have decided that it is time to lighten things up with a spot of humour. When I decided on this week’s featured song “You Are The Maker” I remembered a funny (well I think it is) story which I thought I would share. The heavy stuff can wait another week.

My mother, who became a Christian aged 102, was worried that as though history so many people have died there would not be enough room for her when it was her turn to go to heaven.

The father of two very good friends of mine died soon after she said this – let’s call him “Big Neil.” Now “Big Neil,” before he became a member of a school’s senior management, had been a teacher of handicraft (that is old speak for technology) He was also incredibly keen and most brilliant at DIY and could design, build and repair just about anything – electrics, plumbing, woodwork, brickwork, painting – the lot.

I wrote a letter of sympathy to “Big Neil’s” family and attempted to “add a lighter touch” by saying that I would now be able to reassure my mother that there was no longer any need to worry about a shortage of room for her in heaven as “Big Neil” had just turned up there and was going to build an extension.

Big Neil’s two sons decided that this would “add a lighter touch” to the tone of the funeral service and read that part of my letter out. It had the desired effect with everyone seeing the funny side and having a little smile and chuckle. So I was pleased with my small but important input. However my task was not yet finished; “Big Neil’s” sons wanted a song I had written played as the final song of the service-“ I Look Up To The Heavens” which is the first track of the album of the same name- in fact the first album released by Mustard Seed Songs. So I gave one of “Big Neil’s” sons a copy of the album telling him to ensure that it was the first track that should to be played. I thought it would be a nice gesture to also give him a copy of our second album “Love Is The Way.”

So I am sitting in a front pew in a position of prayer as the Vicar explains that while everyone are saying their last good byes to “Big Neil” a song written family friend, Ken Shearsmith is to be played. I am waiting in expectation for the opening chords of the rather reverent song “ I Look Up To The Heavens” but gasp in horror as I hear the up tempo start of “You Are The Maker.” They are playing the wrong track!! They are playing the first track of the album “Love Is The Way” not the first track of “I Look Up To The Heavens!” I want the earth to swallow me up. I keep my head down for as long as possible before realising that I have to leave and face the music (excuse the pun) To my surprise I am greeted with smiles and words of encouragement, even praise “Well done Ken -what a wonderful and most appropriate song for “Big Neil” – You Are The Maker – ideal words for such a brilliant Do it Yourselfer!! “

DVD of Risen! The Musical featuring the London Touring Cast, filmed at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth.

“Be Set Free” featuring the Original Cast from the CD of Risen! The Musical recorded and produced by Joffy Girling

My dear friend and trustee of Mustard Seed Songs, Dr Graham Giles, MBE, has placed the newly released DVD of Risen! The Musical (www.risenthemusical.com) into the hands of prominent people in Romania, a country in which he has great influence being, amongst many things, Charity Director at Europa pentru Europa.

One person who received a DVD is Raymond Vancu, a nationally recognised pianist, singer and composer. One of his videos highlighting drug use and homelessness in his native land can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVJRPMlcH6U

After watching the Risen! The Musical DVD Raymond wrote this amazing testimonial:

I saw the musical… IT IS FABULOUS! Everything is fantastic: Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations, vocal interpretations, musicians, guys behind the stage… The entire concept of the show (choreography & light, etc…) fits perfectly with the message of the music. When I say this, I know exactly how HUGE the work is to make something like this… it takes months even years making so well such a live-production! Praise the Lord and God bless all the people who were involved in this amazing project…

Thank you for sharing with me this precious treasure… I hope in future to see RISEN! all over the world.  It will be a big gain as well, for Romanian people, to see this with subtitles…

Amazing! God bless you all!”
Raymond Vancu

 

I think the phrase “Watch this space” is in order!

 

I went to the first session at my church, Holy Rood on “God’s Strategy in Human History” – it was pretty challenging stuff – but one thought I came away with was that it is only in this life that we get the chance to trust God- there will be no need to trust Him in the next life because everything there will be perfect – it is in this life especially when things are going wrong that we get the chance to trust Him.

Also, and I suppose a post script to my previous blog comments on why does God allow suffering in the world is that God is good and good all the time but life is sometimes bad, and when life is sometimes bad that does not mean that God becomes bad- no He is always good- we just muddle God and life up.

More on that next week methinks.

“What More Could You Do Lord?” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill

All at Mustard Seed Songs hope you had a wonderful break and have a most prosperous 2017.

One of the things that worried me when I was thinking about becoming a Christian was what people would say. I was really concerned that people would call me a “Bible Basher” a “Jesus Freak,” “God Squader” etc. Stupid I know but I did feel there was a certain stereo typical image attached to Christians- and not exactly a cool one. That is one reason why I love it when I discover that seemingly cool people are Christian. In recent blogs I have highlighted in this category Usain Bolt, Jürgen Klopp, Bear Grylls, and the golfer Zach Johnson. I found another the other day – the Arsenal footballer Oliver Giroud who scored that amazing scorpion kick goal – not original though as Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan beat him to it a couple of days earlier. Anyway I noticed Oliver looking up to heaven after he scored and googled if he is a Christian and sure enough Wikipedia says:

Giroud is a Catholic and has a tattoo on his right arm from Psalm 23 in Latin: “Dominus regit me et nihil mihi deerit” (“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”). He describes himself as a “very believing person […] I don’t cross myself before my games but I do a little prayer.”

Not that impressed – okay what about our Queen- 90 years old and still Queen – surely that is cool? On Christmas Day Queen Elizabeth 11 said:

At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.

Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.

The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Have you checked out our updated website which includes extracts from the latest DVD of Risen! The Musical www.risenthemusical.com ? Thank you.

First I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas. Second just to let you know that you can now purchase the brand new DVD of Risen! The Musical on- line by visiting www.risenthemusical.com

Risen! The Musical was filmed at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth by Global Fire Creative (see blog of December Ist) and features the London Touring Cast who are ….. ..well please allow me to simply copy out the DVD credits as they also include all the wonderful technical crew, musicians, backing singers etc.

PJ, our brilliant Webmaster, myself and all at Mustard Seed Songs wish you a most happy and prosperous 2018.

Risen! The Musical

Produced by Mustard Seed Songs (registered charity no 1077618) www.mustardseedsongs.org.uk

Written by Ken Shearsmith

Music composed by Ken Shearsmith and Joffy Girling

Directed by Ennio Ficiur

Choreography by Jodie May Quirke

Filmed by Global Creative www.globalfirecreative.co.uk

The London Touring Company

Jesus – Max Panks

Mary Mother of Jesus- Caroline Wetherelt

Mary Magdalene- Jodie May Quirke

Mary wife of Clopas – Lindsey Sarah Jane Preston

Mary sister of Lazarus and Martha – Claire Hutchinson

Martha sister of Lazarus and Mary- Katie Forge

John-Andrew Dovaston

James- Johnny Fitzharris

Peter- Benny Bright

Thomas – David Murray

Matthew- Joshua Yeardley

Cleopas and Philip – Craig Kenneth Smith

Cleopas’ friend and Andrew – Casey Lloyd

Simon the Zealot – Jamie Leeke

Nathaniel – Aaron Peart

James son of Alpheus – Aaron Hayes

Thaddeus – Adam Collins

Judas – Ennio Ficiur

Voice for Introduction – Alexander Knox

Technical Director -Adam Kemp@ Technical Services Ltd

Technical Team –

Lee Willis – Zach North, Jane Collins, Pete Daynes, Darren Ison, Andy Longley

Stage Manager -Doug Johnson

Cameramen – Ross Gill, Sascha Tucker, Frazer Hughes, Sam Aruwa

DVD audio editing – Joffy Girling

DVD visual editing – Ross Gill

Backing tracks recording and production   – Joffy Girling

Backing musicians:

Keys- Joffy Girling

Guitar- Joffy Girling, Gareth Matthews

Bass- Gareth Matthews, Greg Taplin

Drums- Josh Eaves

Violin – Kirsty Robinson. Liz Peskett

Viola- Ruth McGibben

Cello- Fiona Murphy

Trumpet- Stuart Fowler

Tuba- Matthew Watling

Saxophone- Rob Richardson, Tim Downs,

Clarinet- Tim Downs

Flute – Rob Richardson

Backing track vocals:

Lindsey Sarah Jane Preston, Rebecca Davis, Kelcie Black, Aaron Peart, Oswald Addo, David Murray

Duplicated by Sound Performance

www.risenthemusical.com

 

 

 

 

“In The Beginning Was The Word”  from the album His Story recorded by Ross Gil

Being a teacher I obviously believe that teaching is of the utmost importance; apart from anything else it influences what we believe and what we believe affects what we do and how we behave. This is a massive area but I’ve been thinking of something in particular – how what we are taught affects the type of Christmas card we send. Now this may seem really petty but it may have more significance than one would first think.

There are cards that depict snowy winter scenes, presents around Christmas trees, Santa Claus and reindeers. Some are not really connected to Christmas at all (I had one of the face of a horse!) and of course there are the “religious ones” portraying the Nativity, the Angels, Shepherds and Wise Men. I would suggest that the majority of people who choose to send cards relating to the birth of Christ believe that this is the most important of the Christmas messages. So if beliefs surrounding Christmas are, indeed affected by what we are taught then from whom is the teaching received? The answer could be parents, other members of the family or friends. It could be the Church by way of, for example Sunday school. But what about those places which are specifically responsible for teaching – our schools?

In my job I visit Primary schools all over Hampshire and our diverse educational system always intrigues me. In 2011, about one third of the 20,000 state funded Primary schools in England were faith schools – approximately 7,000 in total, of which 68% were Church of England schools and 30% Roman Catholic.

When I walk into a faith school I am normally greeted with a Christian symbol such as a Cross or a large copy of the Lord’s Prayer. Immediately I can sense I am entering a learning environment in which teaching and learning will be based on Christian principles, with the birth of Jesus naturally central to Christmas celebrations. However in non -faith schools it would be politically incorrect and teachers could get into serious trouble if they say or do anything that could be interpreted as proselytizing.

So children in faith schools will still know all about snowy winter scenes, Santa and his reindeers and the importance of family but they will also be taught about Jesus, His birth at Christmas and His death and Resurrection at Easter. In non -faith schools, however children will know all about snowy winter scenes, Santa and his reindeers and the importance of family but they will hear no mention of Jesus – how sad, how very sad.

I appreciate the advantages of a diverse educational system but wonder if they are outweighed by the personal, social, emotional and spiritual experiences provided by schools underpinned by principles drawn from the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth? Teachings can, of course be rejected or accepted but it is surely important that children, in fact everyone, is given the opportunity to make informed decisions. I would suggest that making informed decisions relating to issues of faith is less likely for children attending non- faith schools. In addition which school a child attends seems to have little to do with choice but everything to do with the catchment area in which the child’s family lives.

This is one reason why I am so passionate about Risen! The Musical – if people don’t know the facts of Christ’s Resurrection then how can they make informed decisions as to whether or not to believe?

Anyway all at Mustard Seed Songs and Risen! The Musical wish you a most wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of God’s Son.