As our society becomes more diverse and with pressure to make public and civic events more inclusive, this paper explores some of the theological challenges for Christians and offers some guidelines and possible models of engagement.
Praying Together in Multi Faith Contexts – Some Ecumenical Reflections (PDF)
Image: Shutterstock / Crystal Eye Studio
A recently circulated message from Nick Lowles, CEO, HOPE NOT HATE is quite helpful as we have been watching the news with horror as the crisis in Ukraine rages on. Everyday our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and all those around the world whose lives have been torn apart by conflict.
As our screens are flooded with images of war, it can be hard not to feel completely overwhelmed. We all want to do something to help, but it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why I wanted to write to you today, as a fellow member of the HOPE not hate community, to share some suggestions for actions you can take and information you can use in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Support organisations working with refugees and on the front line in Ukraine
This blog outlines a number of organisations and campaigns that you can support - we plan to keep updating this, so if you have other suggestions we could include please reply to this email to let us know.
Stand with people seeking sanctuary
It is crucial that the UK creates safe, legal and humane routes for people fleeing war and persecution in Ukraine and elsewhere. This includes immediately abandoning cruel measures in the Nationality and Borders Bill which is back in parliament next week. If passed into law, this bill will make it harder for Ukrainian refugees and other people seeking asylum to find safety here in the UK.
If you want to take action on this issue, you can join these campaigns by Together with Refugees, Refugee Action and Amnesty International, and sign this petition.
Call out hate
The best and worst of humanity are often on display during times of crisis and the situation in Ukraine is no exception. Everyday we’re hearing of extraordinary acts of courage and generosity in the face of oppression, but there are also those who are cynically seeking to exploit these events.
Our recent blog explores how the far right is responding and members of the HOPE not hate team discuss the hate and fake news surrounding the conflict in our recent Radio 43 podcast here. We’re also starting a new blog series where we dig deeper into the links between UK far right figures and Russia, starting with Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) who has a long history of pro-Putin statements, support from Russian media and Kremlin-linked misinformation campaigns - find out more out here.
It’s also been deeply disturbing to see a range of racist commentary as part of the coverage of the Ukraine crisis. You can read and share HOPE not hate researcher Safya Khan-Ruf’s take on this here.
Thank you for everything you do,
Nick Lowles
CEO, HOPE not hate
Alternatively, Luton Council has also compiled a list of organisations and appeals that you might consider supporting and would encourage anyone feeling powerless to visit the following weblink. https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Community_and_living/Pages/supporting-ukraine.aspx
And here’s a helpful link from Quakers https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/peace/ukraine/ukraine-refugees
In commemorating this year’s International Women’s Day, Ghar se Ghar (Hindi/Urdu Words meaning ‘Home to Home’) – a Luton based women’s group, with the support from Near Neighbours, GRASSROOTS and Luton Council of Faiths, held its annual “Precious Pearls” event online.
Concerned with women’s safety & wellbeing, this year’s event theme was “Women Keeping Safe”. Women contributed from different religious and professional perspectives, but some personal survival stories shared were tremendously powerful and inspirational.
Women’s safety is an ongoing issue. To educate women about identifying the signs and threats and for signposting women to the right places, numerous organisations such as Women’s Aid in Luton, Luton All Women’s Centre, Luton Against Sex Trafficking (LAST), Luton Samartians shared valuable information.
Women also held in their thoughts, hearts and prayers, all the Ukranian women & girls whose safety is so much in jeopardy at this time. Some words from a poem by Lesia Ukrainka – one of Ukraine’s foremost writers and a political, civil and feminist activist (1871 – 1913), were used as a sign of hope & perseverance to appropriately conclude the event.
“On this poor, indigent ground, I shall sow flowers of flowing colours; I shall sow flowers even amidst the frost, and water them with my bitter tears. And from those burning tears will melt the frozen crust, so hard and strong, perhaps the flowers will bloom and bring about for me a joyous spring.”
Caption for Pic: Women speakers and contributors at the annual Precious Pearls Event 2022
After weeks the war and fighting in Ukraine continues unabated.
The situation is particularly alarming, where there is shelling of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, resulting in an increasing number of civilians killed and injured. The devastation caused by all wars around the world has been horrific. Civilians, ordinary citizens, men, women and children pay the highest price.
Wars and violent oppression in all conflict torn areas around the world are inexcusable and intolerable.
Those providing humanitarian aid on the ground in a highly volatile situation are to be commended while those responsible for war and war crimes are to be condemned.
Recently, when GRASSROOTS Trustees & Team met together, they prayed together for the world and in particular for war to stop in Ukraine. Chair Rev Canon David Lawson said, “In our focus on Ukraine, let us not forget people continue to suffer in many other parts of the world due to continued oppression by the powerful regimes.”
Still, refusing to be overpowered by the darkness around the world, GRASSROOTS Trustees & Team lit together a candle each and held it in hand thoughtfully and prayerfully, meditating on the fact that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
The following concluding words of the prayer were shared by all together;
“We commit ourselves to bring healing and transformation to the world, and to foster a common vision of peace; Lord God, help us to know that goodness is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hate, light is stronger than darkness, life is stronger than death.”
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https://ctbi.org.uk/racial-discrimination-amidst-invasion-of-ukraine-rjaf-statement/
In a statement, The Ecumenical Racial Justice Advocacy Forum (RJAF) has issued a statement calling for prayer and action for Black and Brown people facing racism in their attempts to flee from conflict zones in Ukraine.
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http://grassrootsluton.org.uk/news-events/2022/2/25/praying-for-peace-in-ukraine
Earlier through a statement, GRASSROOTS, jointly with Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF) & Near Neighbours Programme had urged all faith communities and all people of goodwill in Luton to pray for peace for the people of Ukraine and the region. It said “Although war makes dialogue and peacemaking far more difficult, we know there are people in both Russia and Ukraine working tirelessly for peace. We continue to uphold and stand in solidarity with them at this violent and perilous time.”
http://grassrootsluton.org.uk/news-events/2022/2/25/praying-for-peace-in-ukraine
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Also words of a poem by John Roedel are powerful. It says “In the face of war I’m so small. Yet love is big. I can’t force peace on the world but I can become a force of peace in the world.” To read the full poem, please click on the link here;
https://www.johnroedel.com/post/in-the-face-of-war-i-m-so-small-yet-love-is-big
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Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Council, added: “We are all shocked by the devastating news coming from Ukraine. Luton has a long history of rallying around when people are in need. We saw this most recently with the plight of refugees from Afghanistan and an incredible cross-community response to the Covid pandemic.
“The council is not collecting donations directly, but we have compiled a list of organisations and appeals that residents might consider supporting and would encourage anyone feeling powerless to visit our website. https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Community_and_living/Pages/supporting-ukraine.aspx
“But let me be clear, we are expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people in line with the position of the UK nationally. We understand this solidarity as an act of protest against the actions of the Russian government, and not in any way aimed at the Russian people.
“People of all backgrounds are welcome in Luton in the spirit of harmony and respect for diversity. We will never tolerate hatred of any kind in our community, and condemn it when it happens elsewhere.”
Goodness is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hate, light is stronger than darkness, life is stronger than death - GRASSROOTS Trustees & Team lit a Candle of Hope amidst Despair
During this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight 21st Feb – 6th Mar 2022, St Christopher's Church (Round Green), in partnership with Luton Fairtrade Steering Group, GRASSROOTS, Luton Council of Faiths & Near Neighbours Programme, held its Annual Fairtrade Cake Baking Competition.
The cakes were presented with recipe and the packaging as evidence of fairtrade ingredients used. Prizes were given to the top three winners, voted in by the guests.
Vicar Revd Anne Crosby highlighted how Fairtrade helps to address issues of poverty, deprivation, unfairness and inequality across the world.
A participant said when we do shopping we want fair or rather cheaper deals. We never think if it will be a fair deal for the farmers or for the producers too.
Martin Luther King had once said, “Before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you've depended on more than half the world.”
This ‘inter-dependence’ on one another, is at the very heart of the Fairtrade message.
Fairtrade is not about doing charity to people; it is about doing justice by paying people what they deserve for their labour and for their sustenance.
We all can do our bit by choosing to buy products with Fairtrade logo on it.
This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight Theme “Choose the World You Want – Climate, Fairtrade & You” also highlights how farmers and workers are facing life threatening risks despite having done the least to contribute to climate change.
The Fairtrade Foundation UK and thousands of campaigners are working hard to promote trade and climate justice across the world. For more information please visit https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/choose-the-world-you-want/
Prize Winners at Luton’s Annual Fairtrade Cake Bake Competition 2022
https://www.facebook.com/lutonukrclub/posts/3130148603908573
Luton branch of Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain
Dear Friends of ours! Thanks again for the donations today! We continue to collect help for Ukraine, please pay attention to the information below:
We are open: Mon-Fri, from 10 am to 7 pm
Address: 16 Cromwell Hill, LU2 7PY
Contacts of Collection Coordinators:
07817932117, 07912854806, 07846637785, 07552288298
Collecting currently as a top priority please:
· Medicine (first aid kits, painkillers, dressing pads, bandage)
· Sleeping bags
· Clothes: warm socks, thermal underwear, gloves, hats
· Food: Tea, Coffee, tinned food, ready to make soups
· Nappies (for babies and adults)
· Military protection equipment: helmets, vests
Collecting money for thermal night vision cameras:
Account Details: 40 30 32 | 82498278
Association of Ukrainians in GB Luton branch
Thank you very much for your help!
See it on the Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/lutonukrclub/posts/3130148603908573
It is with huge sadness we watch the situation of war escalating in Ukraine. Wars lead to unimaginable suffering and lifelong damaging effects, particularly for women and children.
As people of different faiths and also those of no particular faith, working together in Luton, we are convinced that the world cannot develop and find answers for the challenges of today by resorting to might and violence, by showing disdain for shared human values.
We denounce any and every use of deadly armed force to resolve disputes that could be resolved by dialogue. Concerned with protecting the sanctity of human life, we call for an immediate end to the current armed hostilities.
We urge all faith communities and all people of goodwill in Luton to pray for peace for the people of Ukraine and the region.
Although war makes dialogue and peacemaking far more difficult, we know there are people in both Russia and Ukraine working tirelessly for peace. We continue to uphold and stand in solidarity with them at this violent and perilous time.
Together, we must strengthen our resolve to continue working together for peace and unity in our world, globally as well as locally.
We pray for the peace in the region.
We pray for the bloodshed and violence to quickly end.
We pray for wise leaders, and peacemakers on every side.
We pray that comfort and compassion may conquer fear and violence.
We pray that although efforts to prevent war have failed, but efforts to end it must succeed.
May we all rise up to find ways of defending the vulnerable, as we always have.
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Many other organisations have also shared their concerns and prayers for Ukraine as following;
WCC https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-calls-for-an-immediate-end-to-the-current-armed-hostilities
Pope Francis https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-02/war-in-ukraine-pope-francis-goes-to-russian-embassy.html
Church of England https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/attack-ukraine-act-great-evil-statement-archbishops-canterbury-and
CAFOD https://cafod.org.uk/News/International-news/Ukraine-crisis
Quakers https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-condemn-attack-on-ukraine
With support from Near Neighbours Programme, young people’s organisation called “The Feast” has teamed up with Youth Network and Zero Carbon Luton to host Climate Conversations for young people (aged 11 – 22).
The aim is to create a space for conversation about the climate issue, where young people can share their thoughts, frustrations and ideas; a space where they can think about what change they want to see and what they can do to bring it about.
There will be no speeches, lectures or other input by adults.
The role of the few adults there is to create the space for conversation to happen (and to ensure the safety of the young people).
Our hope is that this will be the beginning of a longer-term engagement with young people on the climate issue.
The event is open to any young person between the ages of 11 and 22.
We invite all adults to pass this on to their young people and to encourage them to attend.
BOOKING is essential.
For more info or bookings please contact:
Ulrike Hunt | The Feast Luton Development Manager
07833146155 | ulrike@thefeast.org.uk
You are all invited to join at St Christopher's Church Hall, entrance on Felix Avenue LU2 7LE for the Annual Fairtrade Cake Baking Competition on Saturday, 26 February at 3.30 pm.
Please bring your cake, the fairtrade packaging, from three ingredients, along with the recipe.
Like every year, during the annual Fairtrade Fortnight 21st Feb – 6th Mar 2022, the Fairtrade Foundation UK has announced its virtual Choose the world you want festival.
Fairtrade Fortnight is a great time to make or renew our commitment to Fairtrade, pledging to buy and use Fairtrade products at work or at home.
Fairtrade isn’t Charity – It is Justice.
To give people what they deserve – Please Support Fairtrade.
Fairtrade helps disadvantaged farmers and communities in developing countries.
It guarantees them a fair price for their produce.
It pays them an additional premium, with which they access education, healthcare, and sustainable farming methods.
So please buy products with Fairtrade Logo as seen above – teas, coffees, sugar, fruit, biscuits and chocolate are all widely available in most supermarkets.
By choosing Fairtrade, you will support 7 million people in 59 developing countries.
Thank you for your support.
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get-involved/current-campaigns/fairtrade-fortnight/
693 lives have been lost to date as a result of Covid -19 in Luton. The Peace Garden initiative gives grieving families an opportunity to plant a tree in Luton in memory of a loved one.
For further information please visit: https://peacegardens.org.uk/
People of all ages from Luton’s diverse communities volunteered to come together in the second and third tree planting sessions held on 15th February at Wardown Park, Popes Meadow & People’s Park and on 16th February at Mayne Avenue (Hockwell Ring area).
Raining or Sunshine, cold or windy, brave volunteers got those trees in the ground. This initiative also supports and complements the Queen's Green Canopy initiative.
A volunteer said, “We had fun as we got to pull out the Parks service van stuck in the mud.”
It was lovely to see High Schools getting involved and also the Principal of Luton Sixth Form College who said, “We must feel proud of our young people in town. Lets work together to nuture them with our wisdom and draw upon their wisdom too.”
Many individuals and faith communities have donated already to this initiative, but more donations are needed to meet the funding target of £30k.
We request all places of worship, faith communities or faith organisations in Luton to please contribute any amount from £5 onwards but a £50 donation will help plant 1 tree for 1 life.
You can support the planting of as many trees as you wish.
When making a donation here https://bit.ly/3niSwdi, we encourage you to please use the name of your faith community and/or place of worship, and share a message of solidarity with the bereaved families and individuals.
Please support if you can.
Please watch a short awareness video about the project: https://t.co/X0u1SboQO0?amp=1
Please watch a short video on the first Tree Planting Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HuH_nGXasY
Here are few other short videos on the Second Tree Planting Day and the maintenance and aftercare of those trees:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=522S5v8CGnQ
https://www.facebook.com/PeaceGardenIni1/videos/714277619944092/
The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) is asking if you are ready to change your life and transform someone else's this Lent?
Challenge yourself to walk 200k this Lent and help stamp out hunger, one step at a time.
You can walk, roll, skip or stroll your way to 200k. You can boldly go it alone and take it on 5k a day for 40 days, or you can smash the target all at once as a team.
There are 200 million children in the world whose lives are at risk from malnutrition. So, this Lent, challenge yourself to conquer 200k, and help give hunger its marching orders.
Rt Revd David Oakley, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton also supports CAFOD's Walk Against Hunger campaign. In his message on the link below, Bishop David encourages everyone to pray and support those who are living in poverty by Walking Against Hunger during Lent 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=045IdC3iCKg
For more details on CAFOD’s call for Walk Against Hunger in Lent 2022, please visit https://walk.cafod.org.uk/
Sunday 6th February 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. On this special anniversary date, HM The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
In a special message, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire pays tribute to the Queen's sense of duty and long reign, and makes reference to the celebrations that will take place across Bedfordshire, the Nation and the Commonwealth to celebrate this Platinum Jubilee. This includes tree planting, services of thanksgiving, street tea parties and lighting of beacons.
Please listen to the Message from HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire at the link below;
Prayers of Thanksgiving for the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee
For a second year, due to Covid, Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) Service 2022 was nationally commemorated online last week, in which Holocaust survivors shared powerful stories of loss, grief, and resilience.
At the end of the online commemoration, as part of the 'Light the darkness' initiative, many households across the UK lit candles and safely put them in their windows to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust alongside the millions others killed, under Nazi persecution and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. It was also about our collective commitment to stand against any form of prejudice and hatred and to stand in solidarity with people today who face persecution because of who they are and their religious beliefs.
The theme for this year was “One Day”.
Talking about the One Day when everything changed, sometimes for the worse and sometimes for better, Iby Knill, Holocaust survivor said, “You didn’t think about yesterday, and tomorrow may not happen, it was only today that you had to cope with and you got through it as best you could.”
Gerald Fox, Luton’s HMD Convener said, “Working towards unity and increasing interfaith understanding feels even more urgent, and vitally important, in light of the deeply troubling anti-Semitic attack earlier this month in Colleyville, Texas.”
A special prayer by CCJ (Council for Christians and Jews) said – Help us to remember and recognise the sanctity of each human life. ‘One day’ we pray that genocide and hatred will be no more, and that love will triumph over evil.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Archbishop Justin Welby lighting a candle with Darfur genocide survivor Jeddah Zakaria as part of the 'Light the darkness' initiative
Published in Luton News on 2nd Februrary 2022
Once a year, Christians come together to pray for their unity. With more than 100 years of history, this annual observance called the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, lasts eight days and is celebrated internationally.
Every year, a particular region prepares resources for this. This year it has been prepared by the churches of the Middle East, the history of which was, and still is, characterised by conflict and strife.
Churches Together in Britain & Ireland are encouraging Christians to pray for the church unity, interfaith understanding in the Middle East & Holy Land, and good relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the UK.
In Luton, a special service of prayer for Christian Unity was held at Holy Trinity Church, Biscot on Sunday 23rd January 2022. The service was jointly led by Revd Jairo Nyaongo of Vicar of St. Augustine Church with Holy Trinity Luton and Bishop's Adviser for Minority Ethnic Concerns, Father Richard Brown SSC of Holy Cross Church Mars Farm Luton & Father David Kesterton of All Saints Church with St Peter Luton & Area Dean of Luton.
Fr David preached an encouraging message about the importance of working together with Christians of other denominations. He highlighted the fact that at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, one of Christianity's holiest sites, the space is shared by numerous ancient Christian denominations and the key to the church has been held by the generations of a Muslim family.
Also, Luton Ecumenical Deans’ Group organised an event for Christians in Luton Reflecting on the Church post-Covid on Sat 22nd Jan’22.
The esteemed guest speaker Rt Rev David J Oakley, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton, focused on Christian Unity and how must we move forward in the post-Covid context.
He said “Our communion may not be perfect but it is real. Our common witness and collaboration in the post Covid context must include us all talking together about the spiritual, social and ecological problems of our world. Our faith cannot be hived-in separately from our concern for the well-being of the whole world.”
He added, “We are pilgrim people of God. We are not there yet, but we are on the journey. We have come a long way already. It’s only a matter of time when we get there. In the meantime, let’s not give up on one another”
Reminding Jesus called us all to be ‘child-like’ and not ‘child-ish’, Bishop encouraged all to pray together for God’s grace and mercy and encouraged all to share our building and resources together in the service and care of those in need in our town.
He expressed concerns that in our post-Covid world, there are many exploring the meaning of life; many fear death, many are afflicted by poverty, mental health and isolation. Our communities need our pastoral care.
He said the pandemic has forced us from inward-looking to be outward-looking.
Luton Ecumenical Deans described Bishop David Oakley’s deliberations as thought-provoking, challenging, intriguing and enlightening.
May the spirit of tolerance and compassion, listening and learning, guide our thoughts and actions and may we all be driven to establish peace and goodwill in our world. AMEN.
Rt Rev David J Oakley, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton, focused on Christian Unity and how must we move forward in the post Covid context in a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity event held in Luton on 22nd Jan’22 at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Luton.
Luton Ecumenical (Methodist & Anglican) Deans described Bishop David Oaley’s deliberations thought-provoking, challenging, intriguing and enlightening.
L to R:
Rev Patrick Gbanie Kandeh, the newly arrived South Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit Superintendent Minister with pastoral responsibility for Farley Hill, High Town & Strathmore Avenue Methodist Churches
Rt Rev David J Oakley, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton
Revd David Kesterton, Vicar Parish of All Saints with St Peter, Luton & C of E Area Dean of Luton
L to R : Father David Kesterton of All Saints Church with St Peter & Area Dean of Luton, Revd Jairo Nyaongo of St. Augustine Church with Holy Trinity and Bishop's Adviser for Minority Ethnic Concerns & Father Richard Brown SSC of Holy Cross Church Mars Farm Luton jointly leading a special service of prayer for Christian Unity at Holy Trinity Church, Biscot on Sunday 23rd January 2022
In the Queen’s New Year's Honours List 2022, an MBE has been awarded to David Jonathan of the Grassroots Programme, Luton Council of Faiths and the Near Neighbours Programme for services to community cohesion and interfaith relations in Luton
In LUTON TODAY Steve Sims reported on Monday, 3rd January 2022 that a Luton man shares MBE for strengthening community cohesion with those who have supported his work over two decades
Full news article can be read on the link below;
On 6 January 2022, The United Reformed Church’s Communications Officer Ann-Marie Nye posted on the URC’s website;
David Jonathan, a member of Bury Park United Reformed Church (URC) in Luton, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2022. Full news article can be read on the link below;
https://urc.org.uk/luton-urc-member-gains-mbe-in-new-years-honours/
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Since the award announcement, hundreds of greetings, prayers, blessings and congratulatory messages have been sent for which GRASSROOTS and David Jonathan (Johny) are extremely grateful and feel blessed.
“Wonderful news, a thousand congratulations and very very well deserved.” (Revd Canon David Lawson)
“What fantastic news to start the year. So well deserved. Good to see the honours system working as it should.” (Revd Phil Horner)
“What wonderful news. Many congratulations Johny. So well deserved”. (Janet Bird)
“Sooo well deserved and we are sooo proud of you. It is so good when such wonderful work is recognised and shared. What an inspiration. We thank God for you! Thank you for letting us share in your light.” (Deborah Purfield)
“Congratulations Johny. Very well deserved. A great way to start the year.” (Brian Roe)
“What a well-deserved award, great news, Congratulations and all good wishes.” (Ruth Tetlow)
“Yay! Well deserved! Recognition at last. So proud.” (Revd Maggie Hindley)
“Hurray and at last well deserved, super proud of you and the huge amount of work you have done over the years. I'm thrilled for you.” (Kim Greig)
“SO WELL DONE for the MBE. Great news for you Johny and all of us. You so deserve it. Hope this is the shape of things to come for 2022.” (Ann Hyde)
“A Huge Congratulations to David Jonathan (Johny) MBE for joining the Queen's New Year's Honours. So well deserved. A great booster start for 2022. You make us proud. Congratulations again.” (Mohammad Ryad Khodabocus)
“Many many congratulations 🎉 Johny for receiving the MBE”. (Kishore Kaler)
“Congratulations Johny sahib. A most deserved honour. We are very pleased for you and your family! 😊” (Zafar Khan)
“Many congratulations Johnny. We are very happy for you. Well deserved 👏.” (Yogesh Mistry)
Many congratulations to Johny. This is great news! Thanks for all the work that he has done to make Luton a better place to live and to enrich the lives of many different communities. To have this recognised through the award of an MBE is wonderful and very well deserved. We in the URC and in the wider CWM (Council of World Mission) family have been and continue to be blessed by his faithful service and ongoing commitment to promoting peace and understanding between communities and faiths in Luton.
Many congratulations on this award - very well deserved! The Grassroots project has been such a success in so many areas and has brought people and communities together in such a variety of ways. Yes, it has been a huge collaborative effort, but that also needs someone with determination, enthusiasm and vision to drive it forward. David Jonathan (Johny) has been the lynchpin, drawing others round him to create opportunities for people to grow, to become friends, to reach understandings and to influence behaviour and relationships. Well done to all at GRASSROOTS , but especially to Johny, for achieving this honour in recognition of his combined efforts.
Congratulations on your richly deserved award. You have made Grassroots what it is and Luton would not be the same without Grassroots. Your welcoming infectious smile has bridged many gaps. Enjoy this moment. Love and prayers.
The honour is well deserved. David Jonathan has worked hard for many years to build up good solid relationships between various groups. Although we all recognised this locally it is fitting that it’s now been recognised nationally. I am sure it will also be an encouragement to all those who work with him.
Many congratulations to David Jonathan on his MBE. Great news and so well deserved . A tribute to all his inspirational work in Luton and more widely. I am delighted for him and Grassroots. When the time comes I hope he has a great investiture.
Congratulations on a well-deserved honour and an endorsement of all the great work carried out so patiently and humbly by David Jonathan and the Grassroots Programme. I’m delighted to see how much has been done to encourage hope and a positive future amongst the different cultural, racial and faith communities in Luton. There really is so much to celebrate and to rejoice. Grassroots is an advent group of living and new life within our struggling society. I wish every blessing for the coming years.
I am delighted to learn David Jonathan has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours in recognition of his long and dedicated service to community cohesion and interfaith relations in Luton. This honour is richly deserved and affirms the work of Grassroots. I hope he and his colleagues will be encouraged by this public and national recognition. Congratulations and well done.
I am delighted in sending this note of congratulations on Johny’s recognition in such a way as an MBE. He has been such a key to the success of this work with his humble, thoughtful, positive and fearless approach to community cohesion. His wisdom and faith shine through all he does. It was a joy to be alongside and support him in tiny ways during my ministry in Luton. Keep lighting the candles Johny!
I am so delighted that David Jonathan has received such a well-deserved honour in the New Year's List. It is such a pleasure to see him recognised for the outstanding work that he has done for our community. I am sure that many people whose lives he has influenced for the better, will also be pleased to hear of this national recognition. Many thanks again for all that he does and my very best wishes for his continuing success.
What tremendous news this New Year’s Day that all the incredible work of David Jonathan for the Luton community over the last 20 years has been recognised by him being honoured and becoming a member of the British Empire. All the work that he does is incredibly important. We thank him for what he has achieved and it is very significant that he has been recognised in this fashion. This is a very happy day not just for him and his family but also for GRASSROOTS, LCoF & NEAR NEIGHBOURS Programmes.
Congratulations to David Jonathan for getting an MBE in this year’s honours list. This is very well deserved and an excellent tribute for all his years of hard work.
Huge congratulations to David Jonathan on receiving his MBE – such wonderful news, very well deserved and testament to his tireless work over so many years. I hope he & GRASSROOTS has got a fitting celebration planned to acknowledge this honour.
It is with great pleasure that I write to give my warmest congratulations to David Jonathan on his Royal Honour which has been long overdue. If it was in my gift, I would have Knighted him years ago for his tireless work for promoting interfaith understanding and community cohesion in Luton and beyond. I have been speaking many times in the past about how his work deserved to be nationally recognized. He has been greatly admired by those of us who have known him over the years and now he will inspire many more who did not know about him yet. VERY WELL DONE INDEED, JOHNY! May God grant him a long, healthy, happy and productive life which will make a difference to the society in which we all live and work. With warmest wishes and congratulations to Johny and his family for this wonderful achievement and for a very successful 2022.
What absolutely fabulous news -and so well deserved, after all his amazing years of dedicated work and inspirational encouragement for peace and justice and community cohesion in Luton and beyond! We still quote his work and describe the influence of GRASSROOTS in ours and many others’ thinking. Long may your work continue, and we send our loving hope for a more healing, loving and just 2022!
I am so very delighted to learn that David Jonathan has been honoured with the MBE. He certainly deserves the honour for the wonderful work he and his GRASSROOTS team has done in the cause of peace and reconciliation in quite a difficult situation. I felt a little personally proud that I had facilitated his coming to the UK in the first place. With love and good wishes for the coming year to him and his family.
CONGRATULATIONS, Johnny; that is absolutely wonderful news and very, very well deserved. I was only in Luton for about two years, (working with the Luton and Dunstable group of Churches.) but in that time I became most impressed by the work you were doing. Since then you have kindly kept me in touch as your work at Grassroots continues to progress. So, Johnny, enjoy a little bit of celebrity fame for a while! No doubt you have ongoing plans for what you will tackle next, but be assured that you have already helped many people, and steered them through the difficulties (and rewards) of absorbing more than one culture. Well done!! Every good wish for 2022!
It is with great delight that I learn of David Jonathan’s very well deserved honour of an MBE. It is an honour which I know he will say is also for GRASSROOTS, and his colleagues. We moved away from Bedfordshire, but I will always retain an interest, and affection, for GRASSROOTS and for Johny’s wonderful work for the people of Luton. Many congratulations Johny! God bless you for everything you do in His name!
I was so pleased to hear about the award of MBE you have received from the Queen. It is very well deserved and helps to restore one's faith in the honours system. I do think the more that Luton's efforts in building inter-faith and inter-cultural relationships can be broadcast to the wider public, at home and abroad, so much the better. And, of course, you have been / are at the very heart of that. I do despair at times when I see the lack of real ecumenical and inter-faith engagement and activity. It seems to me that as we face the challenges of the pandemic, the evil gulf between the very rich and the very poor, and climate change, people and nations must learn how to work collaboratively and respectfully together - aware that, more often than not, more unites us than divides us - hence, the Global Ethic. Keep up the good work. God bless you, Grassroots and LCoF.
On behalf of the Management Committee and the Trustees of Shree Sanatan Seva Samaj, many many congratulations to you for the prestigious honour of MBE bestowed upon you by H M the Queen. We are very proud of you. It is a big honour for LCoF. A well deserved honour. Finally your services to the Faiths Community have been recognised. Well done.
I am so thrilled to hear that you have been awarded MBE by Her Majesty. Congratulations to you. A very proud moment for us as well. You thoroughly deserve it. Keep up the fantastic work you do in the Community.
Johny is such a brilliant human! So very well deserved! Never leaves home without his smile! Congratulations to him and his beautiful family! Much blessings brother!
Johny is probably one of the humblest of people you will ever meet in life. He is a servant leader and works thankless hours striving to bring goodness to our town. His efforts have brought communities together and inspired many of us to strive for fairness, justice and solidarity. He is our local hero who keeps us smiling even through challenging times. Congratulations Johny!
Methodist Recorder Published 4th Feb'22
https://twitter.com/LutonRising/status/1480492983904575489
https://lutonnewsdesk.blogspot.com/2022/01/new-years-honours-2022-for-bedfordshire.html
https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/news/Pages/Lutonians-recognised-in-New-Years-Honours.aspx
Due to Covid, Luton's Holocaust Memorial Service 2022 will not be held this year.
You are all invited to join the ONLINE UK Ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 which will be streamed on Thursday 27 January at 7pm.
Please register below to watch the Ceremony online.
https://www.hmd.org.uk/take-part-in-holocaust-memorial-day/ukhmd/
It’s Christmas once again. As the world has (they call it) progressed, so has Christmas celebrations which have become extremely materialistic, swamped by our consumerist culture as seen in this image here.
I find this image and the words below so apt that one of my mentors Ranjan Solomon in India has put together as his Christmas greeting.
Long time ago in Bethlehem,
The Christ Child was born
In a manger
His journey was humble
And of service to the poor and lonely,
To the broken hearted and sick, captives, and the bruised
His choices angered the rich and powerful
The powerful consigned him to the Cross
But he rose again and He lives.
Our Christmas cannot be about jingle bells and the sleigh,
Santa Claus, and the fancy treats that contemporary Christmas days depict
Like Jesus we must absorb the bona fide meaning of Christmas as the call
To serve the least and lost, the dispossessed, those who live in the margins
May Christmas teach us to be like Christ the Liberator
Ranjan Solomon (formerly worked at World Alliance of YMCAs & World Council of Churches)
We are all created to join in God’s purposes in the rich variety of ways in our life, through our actions at work or through the choices we make in our personal lives, as well as in our quiet prayers.
Revd Canon David Lawson, Chair GRASSROOTS has shared these words in his Christmas greeting;
‘Optimism is the belief that the world is changing for the better; hope is the belief that, together, we can make the world better.’ These are words of the late Jonathan Sacks, a former distinguished Chief Rabbi, and they seem very appropriate for the times in which we are living. Grassroots is privileged to work with and amongst the diverse communities of Luton, believing that working together we can make Luton a fairer, safer and stronger town. We send Christmas greetings to all our partners, indeed to everyone across Luton and beyond, wishing you all a hope-filled and peaceful New Year, as we play our part in making the world better.
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Here is a short video of Christmas Greetings in different languages from CAFOD that Deborah Purfield represents as one of GRASSROOTS Trustees.
Considering Climate Change has been big on everyone’s Agenda this year, here’s one more creative attempt to get the message across for Climate Justice - SAVE SANTA’s HOME. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okKN9Vw1hGY
And
Bedfordshire Hospitals Chaplaincy team have directed their very own Christmas production - Christmas Ba Humbug! This is available to watch on this YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzSxUQb-kD4&t=421s "In December 1843, Charles Dickens wrote his book “A Christmas Carol” in response to the British society’s attitude towards poverty. The Chaplaincy team’s portrayal of Dickens’ story, produced with a flavour of pantomime, will make you smile and even laugh in places", says Rev’d Varkey Eappen, Head of Chaplaincy, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, L&D University Hospital.
Revd Canon David Lawson, Chair GRASSROOTS Wishing you and everyone a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The real and the full story of Christmas begins with a manger and the birth of Jesus Christ and it ends with the cross and Jesus’ resurrection. Without the cradle, there can be no cross. Hence the song says: ‘Man shall live forever more because of Christmas Day’.
This is on a lighter note and yet in its own way this is quite profound and thought provoking.
https://ctbi.org.uk/climate-sunday-whats-next-after-cop26/?ct=t(CTBI_Monthly_Newsletter-Dec21)
Webinar: Thursday 20th January 2022, 7-8.30pm.
COP26 may be over, but it will continue to be vital for churches to build on the progress made over the Climate Sunday campaign. We’re calling on churches to continue to deepen their understanding of creation care and climate justice, to continue to take action in their buildings and community for the environment, and to raise their voices to put pressure on the UK government to scale up and follow through on climate commitments made in Glasgow.
Join us to hear about where you can go next in the pursuit of creation care and climate justice. We’ll be focusing on three main questions:
How can churches continue to incorporate the environment and climate in their teaching and worship?
Why is it helpful for churches to be part of a greening scheme as they make commitments for the climate?
What needs to happen to keep 1.5 degrees alive?
We’ll have panellists from the Climate Sunday steering group as well as guests from the greening schemes to tell you about their campaigns and actions. The panel will be chaired by Andy Atkins from A Rocha UK.
Please register to attend.
https://ctbi.org.uk/racial-justice-sunday-13-february-2022/?ct=t(CTBI_Monthly_Newsletter-Dec21)
This is very much a call for all Christians to engage in the righteous struggle for racial justice because racial justice is everyone’s business.
As we shall see in this resource for Racial Justice Sunday 2022, the Bible has a lot to say about justice because as God’s Word, it reflects God’s heart for justice. It can be argued that we should love justice because God does! Racism and racial discrimination are justice issues because they deny basic justice and human dignity to women and men who are made in the image of God. Equally, they are sinful because, among other issues, they assume all are not equal before God and are not part of God’s family.
For those who have previously not engaged with RJS because they did not feel equipped to do so, this resource will provide them with the tools to play an active role in this work.
It is an opportunity for all churches to focus on the three ‘R’s of ‘Remembering’, ‘Reflecting’ and ‘Responding’:
Remembering the importance of racial justice.
Reflecting on human diversity and thanking God for it.
Responding by working to end injustice, racism and ignorance through
prayer and action.
This publication is divided into two sections:
The first contains a range of materials that will enable churches and congregations to carry out an act of worship or a service focusing on racial justice.
The second section provides churches, congregations, parachurch groups and individuals with information, ideas and activities that enable them to continue the conversations that may emanate from RJS.
Racial Justice: What’s it got to do with me? (PDF, 1.4MB)
