Win a family ticket to New Wine - see page seven
Reporting from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire www.oxford.anglican.org
Making your vote count By Jo Duckles
CHRISTIANS are being called on to make their voices heard in the General Election. As churches across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire organise hustings, Bishop John has sent out a pastoral letter to clergy, outlining some of the issues Christians might want to consider. “The gap between the richest and poorest in society is still widening and therefore we must be alert to policies which endanger those struggling with debt or unemployment,” he wrote. “If Christians are following their Lord they will give a voice to the voiceless who carry little clout politically and are not organised to make an impact on political agendas. Fair treatment for asylum seekers is part of this – and isn’t ‘sanctuary’ a better term to use than ‘asylum’?” He said: “When politicians speak from the heart about the alleviation of global poverty I am always impressed. If they came into politics because of a concern for justice, they will be sharing many agendas with the Church.” Bishop John said he wanted to reaffirm the political process. “Everyone has been demoralised by the scandals about MPs’
expenses – not least MPs themselves. He said that while there was serious work to be done in repentance and reform, no one was helped by cynicism. He added: “Not many of the constituencies in the Diocese of Oxford are marginals and therefore key battle grounds for the election, but our concern is a deeper one and that is to have people we trust and respect representing us in Parliament. We will be voting for a person as well as for a government. May God give us the integrity and wisdom we will be asking of them.” The Revd Glyn Evans, Diocesan Rural Officer, has produced a paper, encouraging rural congregations to engage with the issues. He states: “According to a recent survey by the Commission for Rural Communities, 48 per cent of rural people feel that policy makers ignore the needs of their local area. Rural Christians have a voice which they can use on behalf of rural communities and the work of rural churches.” Approximately 40 per cent of the population of Oxfordshire, 35 per cent of Buckinghamshire, 11 per cent of Milton Keynes and 21 per cent of Berkshire are classified as rural communities. See ruralofficerdiooxford.blogspot .com/ for more information. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
May 2010 No. 213
How many clergy can you f it in a portaloo?
Inside: Reflection Martyn Percy on Rublev’s Trinity
PAGE 2
News Getting in the zone in Great Missenden ‘Lord, bless this pub’ PAGE 5
Feature Voting - why it matters PAGES 10 and 11
Door Post What’s on around the Diocese PAGE 13
Comment
Pic by KT Bruce
Call to action: Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard, is pictured with local clergy outside Oxford’s New Road Baptist Church, raising awareness of the plight of those who have no access to water or sanitation as Christian Aid Week approaches. For the full story, see page three.
Two teenagers describe their views on voting for the first time PAGE 19
God in the Life of Bob Atkins - Metropolitan Police Authority Treasurer PAGE 20