Apples from China - an update

Back in November I wrote about the apples the Co-op are using to make all sorts of things. These apples are imported from China. I also wrote to the Coop asking them about this. I eventually got a reply. Here it is....

Dear Mr Surridge,

Thank you for your recent email and please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in response.

Unfortunately, although we grow a large number of apples in our orchards at Tillington in Herefordshire, there are not enough to meet the requirements of all our products. In consequence we do need to look elsewhere for fruit which will yield the right qualities.

The market in the northern hemisphere for all fruit is very tight and because of the vagaries of the weather has been even more difficult in recent years.

Our suppliers have been active in many markets and believed the fruit which would best suit our requirements could only be bought from China in the volumes needed. However, before we approve such third party choices we do consider other aspects of our trading relationships because we take our procurement responsibilities extremely seriously. Indeed we take the view that engaging in effective dialogue with agents and suppliers in the chain is a very effective way of delivering a positive benefit to the workers who supply the materials used in co-op brand product.

As part of our responsible retailing initiative we have developed a sound sourcing code of practice to ensure that ethical aspects of trading relationships have a high priority. This code of practice covers such important issues as:

Absence of exploitation of Labour
No use of child labour
Living Wages being paid
Prohibition on excessive working hours
Absence of discrimination
Safe and hygienic working environment
A culture of continuous improvement.

While all of these are tremendously important it is perhaps the last one which we look to for the future.

As a result we require all suppliers to have clearly defined systems to demonstrate these requirements are met and that these systems are verified to show they work. Additionally we require all suppliers to sign up to an initiative called the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex).  This is a web-based system, which enables us to have visibility of key supplier data and gives an additional degree of assurance in terms of our relationship.

To satisfy ourselves further and as an additional rigour, we plan to use an independent resource to carry out further in-country audits.  

The material used for this product is not sourced and transported as apples, the fruit is first processed to a high quality concentrate and is shipped in bulk containers.

A large number of similar products are also sourced from China. The Co-operative may be the only major retailer who provides the information on pack and we believe this information helps in making an informed choice;  this would also apply for produce (the majority of or own brand) sourced locally.

I hope this helps.

Kind Regards

John Holmes
Customer Relations

I guess I am pretty pleased to have received such a comprehensive reply and understand the position the Coop is in.

However, it raises a couple of questions for me. One remains around the use of apples from the otherside of the world and, no matter what is done, it can not make sense to import them. If we are not growing enough apples then maybe we should grow more? The second is about our use of resources and climate change. If the apple harvest has become unreliable - maybe becuase of climate change - is importing more products from further afield a sensible reaction?

Things for me to reflect on.

Would I pay more for English apple juice?

The wisdom of Pooh

“Well”, said Pooh, “what I like best...” and then he had to stop and think. Because, although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you begin to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.

Little things matter (2)

Back in June I wrote about how little things make a big difference. It was mainly about how a good approach to people makes a big difference.

This week, the stark contrast between companies was brought home to me. One of our back doors has dropped so I called the company that fitted them. I won't mention who they are, but you might like to read some reviews other people have written here. Anyway, the doors were fitted before we moved in, and the company were not interested at all - they simply said they WOULD NOT come out and look at them. (Not even an offer, but with a basis that they would charge us. I still find it hard to believe a company could have such little interest in a product they made). So, I called a local company, who came right out, told me what was wrong, and so far have not charged me a penny. Good service versus bad service. Now, if you want a recommendation about where to try double glazing, drop me a line.

And remember Matthew 7:12 ('In everything, so to others what you would have them do to you').

Nothing is new!

TEDDY BOYS HELP CHURCH

(Click on picture to take you to the video)

There is a lot of talk about new ideas to help churches, and in particular concern about young people (and men) leaving the church. The way we talk about it, you would think that this is a recent issue and that we have to come up with a solution.

But the great thing is that these issues have come around before, and there appears to be some great ideas that are well tried and tested. This Pathe Newsreel is fantastic - the history (50 years ago), the voice over and the posed shots all speak of a time gone by (Mind you, I think I would watch a current day news programme presented in this style).

There are some interesting other facts that come out. The new vicar stayed at this church for 28 years - I wonder how long the Rock 'n' Roll cafe continued?

Apples from China!

I noticed today that the Apple and Raspberry Juice we bought from the Coop says that it contains apples from either Europe or China. Now, this struck me as pretty shocking. England is renowned for its apples and the idea that we should be importing apples, for juice, from China, seems ludicrous. Especially as the Coop brands itself as 'Britain's largest farmer'.

A quick bit of research shows that I am somewhat behind the times. In 2002, Friends of the Earth was highlighting that British Supermarkets were failing British apple growers. A year later an article in The Guardian was talking about the crisis in the British apple industry.

And apparently, China is a bit of a super-power in terms of apples - in 2008, 870,000 tonnes of fresh apples were exported from China.

Apples orchards were once part of the English countryside. The loss of apple orchards not only impacts on our local economy, but reduces the number of insects supported. This includes bees, the loss of which is a puzzle and a major threat - Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left". Which brings me back to the Co-op, because they claim to be pretty supportive of the bees.

I will be writing to the Coop to ask them about importing apples from China, and will post back any reply I get.

Amazing Paper Head ...

Originally uploaded by dutchct

Sometimes something can capture your attention, and nag away at it. And so it was with this amazing Paper Head which was made for Halloween. I think it is fantastic, shows a commitment and dedication which is special, and deserves the recognition it gets. It is a far cry from popping down to Asda or Tesco and picking up a mass made costume that was made in some squalid conditions by somebody working for a pittance.

The person who made this, Eric Testroete, is from Vancouver. You can find out more about him here.

Amazing People - update

Back in June, I wrote briefly about a man who I passed whilst I was driving. He was running with a tumble dryer strapped to his back. You can see more by clicking here.

Kez Dunkley was training for the Leicester Marathon, and raising money for Help for heroes.

The Leicester Marathon was on Sunday 11 October. I am afraid to say, I missed it completely. But when I found out about it, I did look and was pleased to see that Kez finished the marathon in 5 hours 53 minutes. An excellent result - well done.

You can find out more about the work of Help for heroes at http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

Great Bible Gadget

I love gadgets - especially ones that are free. So when I found one I can add to my Blog which links to the Bible, it was too good to miss.

So now, on this blog, you will see that whenever I make a Bible reference, such as John 3:16, you can simply hover over it with your mouse. The words should pop up. And if you want to find out more, simply click on the link and it will take you to the full verse, supplied by bible.logos.com.

. Goto for full details of how to use it.

Greenbelt 2009 (#gb09)

This year, we went as a family to Greenbelt, the Christian music and arts festival in Cheltenham. I thought I would jot down a few notes because I will forget otherwise...

But before I list my favourite five, a gripe about the queues. I know we are meant to be a nation prepared to queue, but I really struggled to work out how some of the queues were so poorly managed. It meant a few things that I had hoped to attend, I did not get to which is particularly disappointing as you are often left at a loose end - despite a programme apparently packed with exciting things to do. I felt particularly down on Saturday after queuing to get my son in the kids activities. 45 minutes of queuing still resulted in failure - frustrating immediately as I had decided against seeing Trent Vineyard in order to queue - but then a dawning realisation that we now had a 8 year old to factor in to our plans. The kids clubs queue seemed effectively to be a queue for a queue - I noticed seasoned Greenbelters who seemed to turn up still with their sleeping bags - or maybe they simply went from a late night event and slept in the queue for the kids club token.

In the end, we never used the kids clubs.

But the rest is good. So here are my five favourite things about greenbelt

The ice sculpture - Beyond produced 1.5 tonnes of ice sculpture. There was something enchanting about the sculpture and how it melted. You can read more about it here (link to Beyond). It was great to see people just sat watching and, although it was a shame, and somewhat disturbing, when people started to hack at it, I was pleased when I came back in the morning and found that it had regained some of its beauty - losing the rough edges. The melting of the ice marked the passing of time, something we noted each and every time we walked past the spot.

Beer and Hymns - the queue outside the Jesus Arms was testimony to the popularity of (a) decent beer and (b) beer and hymns. Although staying inside the tent proved too much for my eight year old son, listening the the hymns being belted out was uplifting and soul stirring. Excellent.


Of all the people in all the world - Stan's cafe in the Christian Aid tent. I found myself drawn back time and time again to this exhibition using rice to illustrate events and challenges in life, where each grain of rice represented one person. It was moving and thought provoking - and very well presented.

Rob Bell in conversation - I love the Nooma DVDs and whilst I have a few issues with Rob's book, Jesus wants to save Christians, it was great to see Rob chatting and answering questions. He was even sat on the grass a couple of feet away from my wife just before getting on the stage.

The entertainment - okay, so that is a pretty broad group, but I am struggling to get everything into a list of just five things. yfriday, Sixpence none the richer, Shlomo, The Welcome Wagon and Athlete - all great on the Main Stage. Some of the bands busking and appearing around the Racecourse were great as well, as were the Love and Joy Gospel Choir in the Big Top. The comedy as well - we particualrly enjoyed James Dowdeswell.

There were loads of things I couldn't do, and probably some things that I did that I should have put in the top five.

The atmosphere - was fantastic. We enjoyed it - the kids had a great time - Tee-shirt painting, staying up late, rock climbing, skate boarding and drinking far too many hot chocolates from the cafes around the course (they voted The Tank the best hot chocolate).

All in all, an excellent bank holiay weekend.

Giving Blood

I heard to day that one of the potential consequences of the swine flu will be a real shortage of blood. You see, you can not donate blood if you have flu. And blood supplies often run low anyway. So during the flu season - later in the year when numbers of people suffering from swine flu is expected to increase, blood supplies could become really low.

Now, I am not some expert who has given blood all their life. In fact, I first gave blood in April this year (you can read about it here). But my experience of giving blood was so much more than simply 'doing the right thing'.

So here are my five reasons for giving blood:

• The opportunity to take an hour out of a busy schedule to relax, reflect, meditate, etc - and at the same time people recognise that you are doing something good;
• the feel good factor for 'doing the right thing' - a feeling of slight euphoria;
• a chance to meet a great group of people (the nurses, and the other donors);
• a free cup of coffee or tea - okay it is not Cafe Nero, but it is wet, free and welcoming;
• there is always the possibility of receiving your own blood back (okay, unlikely, but you never know when you might need some extra blood!);

Find your nearest blood donor session


Here is the latest blood stock info

Little things matter

I have started to notice - I know, some what late in life, just how important the small things are. They are obviously not all that matters, but there is little point in getting the big things right and forgetting about the little things.

Today I got a phone call from the campsite we will (hopefully) be staying at for our summer holiday. They just called to say they had received our deposit cheque. Nice touch, and I am already looking forward to the holiday a little bit more because of that. It also tells me that the site is run by people who are interested in other people. A good sign, because if something does go wrong, they are more likely to put it right.

My local Spar shop also told me about an offer on Mars bars. In stead of 50 p each, I could buy four for £1. Now I probably buy more Mars bars than are good for me, but when I do pop in for one I will often pick up something else. So buying four for half the price I would normally pay not only means I save some money, but I will not go to the shop as often. Poor practice? I think not, it means I feel better about the shop.

I like these touches. It is the reason I use Ocado - I like the text reminder and their drivers have always been courteous. Checking I am all right and treating me as a person rather than a number or somebody who should be treated with scepticism. The Co-op Bank are, in my experience, also good at this. In fact, most companies I deal with are like this because I stop dealing with those who are not.

I liked standing in Argos, a couple of years ago, watching them deal with a lady who was returning some products. It was obviously causing a bit of a stir and the manager came to deal with it. Shortly, the lady left with gift vouchers and a smile. The manager then served me, apologising for the delay. I enquired what the problem was, to be told, simply, she was returning a product Argos did not sell. Yet they gave her vouchers.

So, now that I have realised just how important these touches are, I must make more effort to do it myself. It is all too easy to slip into the situation where I am too busy, got too much on. And the small touches disappear; yet if they are important to me, maybe they are important to others.

So, I will try.

'Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.' Mother Teresa

Jesus said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." (Mark4: 30-32, NIV)



footnote:
I realise that if small things matter for the good, they must also be bad. Small sins (is there such a thing?) must be as destructive as small acts of kindness can work for good.

Amazing people - make you feel humble

Earlier today we passed, on the road past Whetstone tip, a man running with a washing machine strapped to his back. At first sight, as we appraoched from behind, I wondered whether it was somebody without a car doing the decent thing, and taking it to the tip. But as we approached I noticed the sign 'Help for heroes' on his back.

Bless, the chap was exhausted and I felt pretty humble when we stopped the car to find out what he was doing. Training for a marathon in October which he intends to run carrying this washing machine on his back. Now running a marathon is pretty amazing (I always use the excuse of poor knees to get out of any running) but anything like this is either ridiculous or amazing - or both.

He is raising money for the charity Help for Heroes, which supports service men and women who are injured during service. You can find more at www.helpforhereos.org.uk

Do I need a very large needle?

Today has been a strange day. At times it felt like I - and maybe the whole family - were under attack. And to may shame, it has taken a considerable time for me to realise that my response was wrong - because it was my response.

All too often I revert back to my own strength, only to find out how little strength I actually have. But Jesus said 'No one is good except God alone'.

And over the course of today, God has revealed loads to me. I received comfort and strength when I took out my pocket bible (on my phone - available from www.thewordtogo.com) and it started at Saul's conversion - comfort because God rarely choses 'perfect' people to do his work.

And tonight, I keep coming back to various readings. Readings that give me comfort and faith - and a reminder to put more faith in God's strength because, by comparison, I am a weak, frail person.

It is hard, but I have faith in Jesus Christ.

'All things are possible with God'.

TOO BUSY FOR WHAT?

Well, modern technology makes it, apparently, easier for us all to keep in touch. But I stll find that when I get really busy, things drop by the wayside. So even though I have a Facebook account, and Twitter, the last few days have been so busy that I have got behind.

But today I got a surpise that I was not expecting. An email arrived telling me that, on my Twitter account, Jesus is following me. Now, call me a traditional - but surely that is the wrong way round?

I can follow Jesus as well - simply by clicking 'follow'. The Good News? Well almost.

Today at the Community of the Holy Cross

Today I went with some of my new friends (from St Nicholas, Fleckney) to spend a few hours in quiet at the Community of the Holy Cross in Rempstone, north Leicestershire. (click here for more details of the the community).

It was a wonderful day, in a beautiful place that is well served by prayer. And if you ever get the chance to spend some time there, I would suggest you take that opportunity.

But what I really wanted to write about was something specific that happened to me today.

Fr. Colin gave the first talk. It was all about the importance of prayer - it told me nothing I did not know, but it was all a good reminder of what we should be doing. During this talk I felt the presence of the Spirit settle on me very strongly. At the end 0f the talk, people started to get up and leave - we were, after all, in a dull room and the sun was shining brightly outside on the wonderful gardens. But I could not move, and remained in the same seat for some considerable time.

I stayed in prayer and remember some turmoil in my thoughts - although I no longer remember whatsoever it was I was reflecting on. Over time I drifted - maybe I fell asleep, I don't know, but I remember this turmoil continuing.

And then I came round. Not with a jolt, but I was aware that something had gone. Something was (and still is) missing. I felt calm - and almost excited - about it. Like a weight having been lifted. I tried then to reflect on what it was that had changed - what had gone, but I could not remember what my mind had been reflecting on. I could remember the turmoil, but not the cause or focus of it.

In fact, there was just a sense that something had been lifted.

Even now, I do not k now what it was, but whatever it was, it has gone and been taken. I feel lighter and better just knowing that. Thank you God.

(By the way, the rest of the day was fantastic. Greatly relaxing, wonderful company and fellowship. But this lifting of something was the high point for me).

Use the comments (below) if you have any suggestions!

Giving Blood

I have just come back from giving blood. If you have given blood before, none of this will be new – and you might want to stop reading now.

But if you have never given blood, it maybe worth reading.

I had never given blood before. Always meant to, a good intention, but never really got round to it. Too many other things, and, well, two or three years ago (23 actually) I was told not to give blood ‘for a couple of years’ – because I had had jaundice following a bad case of glandular fever. And, well, you can never be too careful can you?

But, as part of the Church of England (http://twitter.com/c_of_e) Love Life Live Lent campaign, one of the days actions was to do something like, give blood (March 27th). So, before I could worry too much about it, or come up with all the ‘valid’ reasons why it was not for me (remember, that jaundice 23 years ago, maybe my blood is not good enough) I booked.

And today was the session.

To be honest, I have been getting pretty nervy about it. I am not good with blood or needles, and I was pretty terrified when I left the house. To delay arriving, I got my hair cut and popped into Café Nero where I asked for an extra shot in my cappuccino.
So at 1.15 I turned up at the church hall. I don’t know what I expected, but the hall full of people all lying down already giving blood came somewhat as a surprise. And every few minutes, somebody else arrived.
I checked in, answered more questions and was given a rather large glass of water which I thought I would never drink, but had emptied by the time I was taken to have my blood tested. At every stage, part of me was hoping they would say ‘No thank you Mr Surridge’, but another part of me was dreading them saying no. How would I feel if I left without giving blood. But I seemed to pass the tests and before I knew I was being taken to me own bed and asked which arm I wanted to use.

Blimey, I had not thought about that. Maybe it was written down in the instructions, but I could not remember. I plumped for my left arm thinking, if anything went wrong, I would cope better without that one (that really was my reasoning). But I immediately knew it was the right answer because as I lay down, straight in front of me was the cross – my focus for the next few minutes.

More cheerful nurses (blood donor supervisors) took blood pressure and then found a vein to use (hold on, aren’t they important?). And then Richard (my blood donor supervisor) was talking away – I was terrified and wondering what was going to happen, waiting for some awful pain and a draining sensation. Surely my arm will go limp, or light weight as all that blood drains out of it? But he said ‘About six more minutes’. What – they were already taking my blood – when did that happen?

I was left alone (well, as alone as you can be in a hall full of people) and pondered on the cross. This monumental step for me seemed so insignificant. I relaxed. I wondered whether anybody ever fell asleep whilst giving blood. A rather unfortunate track came on the radio (Animals - We've got to get out of this place) but it only sought to make me smile. And then that was it. I was being told to sit up, having a plaster put on and taken for a cup of tea.

No passing out, no feeling feint. And whilst I was drinking my tea and eating my biscuit (three bourbons actually), I was booked in for my next session in 13 weeks time.

Only 5 per cent of the adult population give blood. Now I am one of that five per cent, and feeling slightly pleased with myself. With God’s help, and some prompting, I have overcome one fear of mine, and done something good. And I might need my blood back at some point – I am looking on it as a potential deposit of blood – maybe I will need it back in the future.

Find out more at www.blood.co.uk

The Easter Passion on Facebook

This is really for all Facebook friends..

Somebody with more time on their hands than I have, and an incredible understanding of the Passion and a great flair for design, has put together how the Passion may have played out on Facebook.

You will either love it or hate it. But have a look.

http://www.peter-ould.net/wp-content/uploads/facebookpassion.pdf

A story for today

There was a wealthy man. He lived in a beautiful home, with a lovely family who loved him very much.

Each day, he went off and did what he needed and what he wanted. And each evening he came home and did what he needed to do. He would eat, and enjoy clean clothes and a clean home. And when he went out, everybody thought he was wonderful. He showed compassion and love to those he met.

Yet sometimes, when he came home, things would not go smoothly. Most times he would get home and enjoy a wonderful meal with his family. Yet every now and then the meal would not be ready, and he would be hungry. Later on he would get annoyed, and say "Whenever I am hungry, you do not feed me".

Most mornings he would go out in his beautiful clothes that had been cleaned and pressed. But sometimes his beautiful wardrobe would not have been cleaned or ironed, or his favourite shirt would not be ready for his big meeting. And later on this would annoy him, and he would say, "Whenever I need my shirt, you have not cleaned it."

And many times people would be there to help him do whatever he wanted or needed. People would be there to help him explore new things, make exciting discoveries, and to hold his hand when going somewhere new or frightening. Yet every now and then he would have to do it alone. And later he would get annoyed, and say "Whenever I need your help, you are not there."

And often I will take for granted what God has done for me. And I will sometime get annoyed when he appears to not have done something for me. And then, I might even say, "God, whenever I need your help, you are not there." But I would be wrong, and my anger would be hiding all the times that God has given me just what I need, and I would be unable to see that, even at that time, God is actually giving me just what I need.

Thank you LORD.

Paying Attention

As part of my Course, this week I was asked to reflect on three of four discussions with people - recalling what I heard and what I did not hear. Or where I listened and who I did not listen to.

Despite the obvious weakness in this approach - simply being aware that I was to listen to people has (I hope) made me far more open to listening, it has been a great task. And as I have to record it, and am sat at the moment waiting for a bit of other work to arrive in my Inbox, I thought I would now put finger to keyboard to record three of my observations.

I have far more examples, this week, of where I feel I have listened to people, and God, than not. This is not because I some sort of superhuman who rests constantly I God's care - though I strive for it - but much more because I have been aware that I am meant to be listening!

A windy day
So, late last week, when I went to the Opticians where I was efficiently parted with large sums of cash, where I listened the first time. It was a windy day - very windy in fact. I drove in to Market Harborough and parked near Tesco's - although I had no intention of shopping there that day. I had about fifty minutes before my appointment and planned to get some photo copying done - which I needed for a meeting later on that day - and grab a coffee during which time I would tend to my e-mails and other work related issues.

But as I walked from the car towards the town centre, I was stuck by just how windy it was. This was clearly illustrated by an old lady, bent almost double, legs moving slowly as she battled into the wind - heading towards the footbridge over the river. Yet no matter how much her short legs moved, she was making no headway against the wind.

Her head was bent down; I imagined her teeth gritted with determination. And before I knew what I was doing, I was stood alongside her offering my arm to help her. She took it and there I was walking slowly against the direction I was going in and appreciating the sheer strength of the wind. We walked slowly - she was heading for Northampton Road - a slight panic went through my head - at this rate I will never get back to the Opticians in time. But this is the walk this lady had embarked upon. It would have been her day. I offered to get my car - she declined but a few minutes later - and only a few yards more progress - she asked if I would get my car. So I did, and we drove out of the car park, along parts of town I had never been on before - to her destination. Driving still took almost ten minutes - helped by the never ending road works that typify Market Harborough (water mains work this time).

All in all, it took my thirty minutes out of the fifty minutes I had available. But I listened - helped others - and still had time for the photocopying and a quick coffee - and very few e-mails that needed any attention. And still got to the opticians which allowed them to take my money.

Not listening to my kids
What shame. To write and record it here - not listening to be children. The significance of this came really after the event - when in the prayer room and reflecting on what is and is not important. How often I get it the wrong way round.

So, at the weekend Phoebe bought a skateboard from a car boot sale. Now, I was pretty pleased with myself over the car boot sale. As far as I am concerned they are the epitome of an awful time - my life is too full of clutter as it is, why would I want to fill the house with clutter other people are wanting to get rid off. But the kids love them - so good for me. Pat on the back. And they got some great things - headphones (allowing the playing of the electric guitar without major disturbance), a new keyboard, and this skateboard.

Now, it is a Bratz skateboard, and Phoebe was keen to paint it. She was so keen she got the paint out. I kept explaining - sort of - that it needed more than just painting. That it needed some thought - white emulsion would not do. It was really me saying, 'No not now, things to do. Washing, tidying. Sitting doing me things' and I failed to understand and appreciate the enthusiasm that Phoebe had to do this. I should have been more receptive - so Phoebe, I am sorry.

Listening to my Kids
But I did redeem it - in a way. No, the skateboard is still not painted. But on Sunday it was Samuel's birthday party and on Monday I promised to read one of his new stories. But time dragged on and on. The kids did not seem to understand the importance of getting ready for bed. Nor my work that I had still to do, or the poster to design, or the essay to write, or the clothes to iron. The pressures that the children just do not understand.

So it got to the time when, eventually, they were ready for bed. I told them, 'lights out'. And guess what. They complained. I had promised to read them a story. Did they not understand - it is their fault. They have delayed, made me annoyed. My work was outstanding - important and now, urgent. I was annoyed - they could have had a story if they have not delayed in getting ready for bed. They have to learn - they can't have everything. They have responsibilities as well.

But then I remembered I was meant to be listening. And the prayer room had reminded me about precious moments; those times all too often missed and then lost forever. So, I picked up a book and told the kids to get comfortable. And I read, and read. It was a book about the second world war - bombings in London, and a young girl - the children's age. How she missed her Mum and Dad during the evacuation, the problems of then living in London and the pressures her Mum faced. It doesn't sound so good, but it was spell binding. I was the master story teller - my kids held their breath at the key points, and hung on to every word.

And boy, did I enjoy it. Work did not matter. Essays were not important. The ironing did not need doing. But I did need to be with my kids.

Listening to God
I can't sum up this week without a thank you to the Prayer Room (www.tinyurl.com/kfpraise) and how spending time with God has opened me up to hearing his voice. There are too many examples this week for me to list or describe here. But just to say, thank you to all of you who have spoken to me this week. It has been appreciated and I have taken loads from it.

Thank you Lord for opening my eyes and enabling me to listen.

You can find out more about the Certificate of Christian Discipleship here http://www.leicester.anglican.org/diocesan-info/subsite/school-for-ministry.aspx and click Certificate of Christian Discipleship. I am studying at St Wilfrid's, Kibworth.

The Prayer Room

It was three years ago since the first prayer room came to the village.

Having just spent a wonderful two hours in the company of Samuel and God, it makes me woner why we waited so long. Now, I know that we are all busy and it takes a fair bit of faith for the organisers to actually say, lets commit a small village to pray, none-stop, for 40 days and nights, but when you are there, in the room, surrounded by the love of other people and in the presence of God, why would you be anywhere else. Why do we let ourselves become so busy that we get destracted by life and forget about love?

There is more on the Kibworth and Fleckney Praise blog site at http://tinyurl.com/kfpraise

Vision Day - Ludger's Talk

The start of the Vision Weekend at St Wilfrid's Church, Kibworth, has started really well.

It was great to see so many people in the church hall, and we all enjoyed a Fish and Chip supper provided by the (award winning) KIbworth Fish Bar.

Ludger gave a short talk. You can listen to it. CLICK HERE

Blessings
Jonathan

Lent is here

Today is Shrove Tuesday - pancake day and a day that marks the start of Lent.

It is traditional for people to give something up for Lent, but so far I have not come up with anything, but I have signed up for inspiration from a couple of sources.

Tearfund are encouraging people to cut back on carbon for Lent. They have called it their Carbon fast. You can find out more at http://www.tearfund.org/carbonfast,
on Twitter http://twitter.com/badgerspotting.
and Facebook. You can sign up for e-mails which will give you an action to do each day which will help reduce the amount of carbon you are using.

The Church of England is also running the Love Life Live Lent campaign again. It is similar to Tearfund's although broader it the actions. Find out more here www.livelent.net at Twitter http://twitter.com/c_of_e and Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/love-life-live-lent.

There is also the 24-7 Prayer Room on the High Street. The last time it was run, the response - both humanbeing and spiritual, was phenominal. It is an amazing undertaking, 40 days on none-stop prayer and the village is blessed for it. Those taking part talked about the blessing they received, so if you are popping by why not pop in.

Over the next fw days I will be finding out just what Twitter does - let me know if you already know!

All the best
Jonathan

The Shack - update one

On Sunday, I spoke about how popular The Shack was. Little did I realise just how popular it actually has become.

Amazon are now restricting orders to two per person. And this does not relate to individual orders, but Amazon will actaully count up previous orders as well.

This is what Amazon are saying,

We are limiting orders to at the maximum of TWO per customer to ensure that as many of our customers as possible can enjoy the item "The Shack ".

Remember, copies will be available at Church, and there are numerous share copies going around the village. Let me know if you want to borrow a copy.

Jonathan

The Shack, by Wm Paul Young

I first read The Shack in October 2008 and wrote a review of it for our church magazine. A couple of people have asked for copies of the review, so I thought I would post it here for convenience.

The Shack, by Wm Paul Young

When a book, which was turned down by all publishers and ends up being self published, sells over a million copies and enters numerous best selling book charts, it has done something well. When the same book gets praise from across the globe, and is described variously as “The most heart warming, inspirational story I have read in decades”, “Riveting” and “a beautiful story of how God comes to find us in the midst of our sorrows, trapped by disappointments, betrayed by our own presumptions,” then we can really believe it is something special.

And The Shack certainly is. J. John, preacher, teacher and writer, reckons 'if you only read only book this next year...' If you are only going to read one book, you want it to be entertaining, informative, moving, and one that you would be unable to put down. The Shack certainly fits the bill.

Following the moving story of Mack, including the abduction of his youngest daughter and the great sadness that descends upon him, he then receives a strange note, apparently from God. The notes invites Mack back to 'the shack' where his nightmare began.

Without giving too much away, Mack goes back to the shack and gets answers about his pain. The book deals sensitively with issues such as 'where is God' and, portrays, the Trinity in a unique and interesting way – perhaps not entirely consistent with the Bible but certainly a way that enables you to start to understand how the Trinity may work.

An exciting and gripping story – just right for a holiday read and relevant for both Christians and non-Christians alike. But remember, it is only a story. Some people (including some I have a lot of respect for) have got very worked up about it, questioning some of the theological assumptions made, and its Biblical relevance, but it is just a story based very much on the author's personal life and his own faith journey. It will make you cry, laugh and think more about God

If you are not yet convinced, you can preview the book at www.theshackbook.com, but be prepared to dash out and find a copy as you won't be content with just the first chapter.

Note: If you are reading this is Facebook, and you want to forward it on to a friend who is not in my list, it is easiest to refer them back to the original blog at http://jmsurridge.blogspot.com/