In a year of political upheaval in the UK is the church waking up to its calling to God’s justice?<\/p>\n
It’s been a year of political shocks for the Church in the UK (something much of the world experiences because of us very often!).<\/p>\n
But with the increase in welfare cuts and changes, the withering of legal aid, public debt, and the rise of anti-minority rhetoric from both press and politicians it has been, in the UK, a challenging year in which to be hopeful.<\/p>\n
On Sunday evening I joined a group in Birmingham for Political Night Prayer, inspired by the activist-theologian Dorothee Soelle. Nearly a hundred people turned out for an ecumenical Sunday evening service rooted in social justice and activism. This doesn’t happen!<\/p>\n
The National Estate Churches Network<\/a> has a new team, and a huge amount of optimism about it with over 400 members and good numbers with great energy in both its north and south gatherings. The Jesus Shaped People<\/a> course has a new life and is changing churches so they engage more deeply in both spirituality and social justice.<\/p>\n UTU is seeing a recent increase in membership and, following a move of its teaching base to Sheffield city centre has new energy for finding new members and partners.<\/p>\n