October 2015

Re: The pigeon - a metaphor for the Holy Spirit?
A brilliant and challenging article! It would have made a good postscript to the chapter on The Drinking of Pigeons in John Stott's book, The Birds Our Teachers.
David Buckingham

Twice in the past 2 weeks a pigeon has walked into and out of our Cafe which was open for teenagers. This has never happened in the past 11 yrs we have been open.
It was very calm and we have been wondering since if this has meant something. I came across this article today. We will keep praying.
Penny Dilley

Re: Bogus refugees
I am shocked that Theresa May is promising on the crackdown on asylum cheats now as if she was appointed Home Secretary yesterday. She has been the Home Secretary since 2010 and yet nothing changed under her leadership if not for the worst.
Statistics have proved that she has failed dismally to reduce immigration and kick out failed asylum seekers. She is treading on a dangerous political path and her failure to sort out things will prove to the electorate her inability to be an effective leader.
Asylum is complex and she cannot control what happens to countries where asylum seekers are coming from. If she is a tough leader how can she give temporary asylum to asylum cheats? This clearly show weaknesses in her bid to sort out the asylum mess. She remember that John Reid was talked tough on immigration and failed to sort it out. I am disappointed again that some refugees are called, ‘’ bogus refugees’’. 
Refugees are people who have gone through the Home Office interview through immigration courts to be recognised as refugees and therefore nothing should be called bogus refugees. Theresa May should not promise on crackdown on asylum cheats now but she should concentrate on actually sorting the immigration chaos that she failed to sort out for the past five years. She may try to change the asylum laws but she is just a drop in an ocean and cannot do it overnight. She need support of other countries to do so.
Handsen Chikowore

Re: Daring Greatly through mission... with the courage to step outside the box
we shine best in the darkest places.....
Jacqueline Alty

Re: The Big Conversation 
I'm writing to comment on your description of Susan Myatt's interview with Glen Marshall, and the following quote 'Susan has a call to minister to the Deaf community'. The problem is the description of 'minister to the Deaf community', as this infers that Deaf people are passive recipients. It would more appropriately be 'minister among the Deaf community' as Susan is herself Deaf.
In a discussion with her about this terminology (which was used with HEBA paperwork, where I am a trustee), she tells me she and the Deaf community prefer Deaf ministry while 'ministry among the Deaf community' is acceptable.
I am currently doing my PhD research on the relationship between disabled people and Baptist churches. While Deaf people do not identify as disabled the use of language is a significant factor in the way disabled and non-disabled, and Deaf and hearing groups relate to one another.
Martin Hobgen