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David Cameron has lost his party, lost his country, lost has way and lost his mind. He’s lost his party. (Not that I mind- I don’t vote Tory). The Times records it as ‘ Cameron Reels from Huge Revolt on Gay Vote’. 60% of his MP’s are at odds with him on the vote, with warnings from the party they may lose the next election because of it. He’s lost his country. We are a cautious bunch, careful with change and protective of our roots. Our roots are Christian. Marriage is between one man and one woman. It’s been that way since we became the country we are today. He’s lost his way. How can a gay marriage be consummated? How can a gay marriage be for ‘procreation’?   Is he really going to change the law and delete all the references to ‘husband and wife’? He’s lost his mind. Usually pragmatic and clear thinking, he has been persuaded to move in a direction that cuts against all we are, all we have been and all we should be.

His name was Rene Mouchotte and he was a Free French Second World War pilot. The former newsreader Jan Leeming first came across him when she chose to sponsor a name on the Battle of Britain memorial in Kent. Having been given his name, she turned detective. He died at the age of 29 after yet another battle in the skies. His grave was in Paris. Not knowing how to contact any living family, Jan left a note on his grave. Four months later she was contacted by Rene's sister, now aged 101. Jan found out that the sister had never received his war medals after the war. More detective work. Because he had used an alias name for safety (as the German's had announced they would execute any Free French flying in the British Air Force), his medals had never been properly dealt with. Three weeks before Rene's sister died, she was presented with his medals - the Croix de Guerre and Legion d'Honneur from the French and the Distinguished Flying Cross from the British. An amazing end ...

This week, astronomers discovered another galaxy. This one is big enough to accommodate five of our Milky Way galaxies inside it. Back in 2004, scientist discovered that new-born galaxies are still being produced and that the universe is still growing. The bible says ‘ I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewellery, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?.... God , brilliant Lord, your name echoes around the world.’ To which I would add ‘God, brilliant Lord, your name echoes around the universe.’

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.                 John 1: 14

There is no greater power than a community discovering what is cares about. Ask "What's possible?" not "Whats wrong?" Keep asking. Notice what you care about. Assume that many others share your dreams. Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters. Talk to people you know. Talk to people you never talk to. Be intrigued by the differences you hear. Expect to be surprised. Treasure curiosity more that certainty. Invite in everybody who cares to work on what's possible. Acknowledge that everyone is an expert in something. Know that creative solutions come from new connections. Remember, you don't fear people whose story you know. Real listening always brings people closer together. Trust that meaningful conversations change your world. Rely on human goodness. Stay together.                                     ...

I became a Christian when I was 15 years old. Since then, the Bible has been my companion. It’s been a good book to base my life on. More importantly, our nation is based on the Bible- on a set of Judaeo-Christian beliefs. It has been a good book to base our nation on. We don’t always get it right, but the belief system we have developed has served us well and given us solid foundations. I saw our Prime Minister on the news last night. With little thought to our foundations, he intends to remove one. The Bible is clear- marriage is between one man and one woman. That’s what our nation is based on and we have historic records to that effect. Marriage goes back to the dawn of time. Marriage in our nation is written into our laws. Over 3000 laws refer to it. Many would have to be rewritten to remove the terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’. Cameron wants to change marriage. It’s not something that was in his manifesto. He has chosen to ignore the considerable reaction against his views. And, more ...

You never know what’s around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you’ve climbed a mountain. Tom Hiddleston [We are] created to walk in precarious places, not on the easy levels of life. Amy Carmichael