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Looking Out...
"It's the closest thing we have to religion in this country" - so said someone on the radio this lunchtime, talking about football. It prompted questions - what is religion? Can you have religion without faith, or faith without religion? In essence, religion is a set of rituals and routines, repeated at set intervals, to give a grounding in something that we attach immense importance to. We do it with football (well, some of us do) - that Saturday 3pm feeling; checking the line-up; the songs and chants; reliving great moments from history to reinforce faith in the future; bringing people together. Big question in football right now - can you have the religion without the faith? Can you inspire a dedicated following if you remove the infrastructure of the team from the understanding that goes all the way back to grass roots? I don't think you can. So maybe football is like a religion, but it's not a faith. You start your love of football kicking a ball about in the park, beginning to understand how to control it, how it makes you feel, not from pay-per-view of people far removed from those wet and windy afternoons. Faith can exist in someone who's never been to a church service, never experienced 'religion' because it begins at the grass roots, in your heart and your mind.
A simple, moving, fitting funeral service for His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh - Covid is a respector of no one, and I'm sure so many can relate this past year to the denial of our accepted rituals and rites when a loved one is lost. This most personal of services, without the pomp, and no doubt chore, of endless dignitories having to be acknowledged, just maybe allowed the Queen and her family some personal time and space.
Get those jabs in your arms... we still need to be mindful of the hands/face/space requirements, but this will make a huge difference. God gave us brains for a reason, and they've certainly showed us what an incredible capacity for research and innovation we have.
We still need to do all we can, as a caring society, to minimise the spread of this disease, but we can really champion the hope that we will get through this. Stay safe and if you are in need of anything, even if it's just a chat, get in touch with us or the St Margaret's Hub and we will find someone who can help.
Churches are open for services, but see schedule
All the usual hands/face/space stuff applies.
1.9 million emergency food
parcels given out by Trussell Trust food banks from April 2019 to March
2020 - 1.2 million given out March to September 2020.
Whilst the
Trussell Trust are the largest foodbank organisation, they are by no
means the only ones. Food poverty is real and should not be happening.
1.2 million. In six months. In all of 2010 the number was 41,000.
I'll just let that sink in. You can read more on www.trusselltrust.org.
Saw this... 
...thought it was kind of lovely.