Wednesday 8 May 2013

europe and bees

So Nigel Lawson has declared that when/if there is a referendum he will vote for Britain to come out of Europe. In the last referendum he voted for Britain to go into the EU while I was very grateful that I was away on holiday with friends (who I met at Assembly over the weekend). I remember it well - it was the same summer that snow stopped play at a big cricket match! I was 27 back in 1975, I knew how to sew and how to keep my sanity while bringing up two small boys but I didn't know whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing to go into Europe!
I am quite a bit older now, although I don't feel it inside and I am very fortunate to have a skeleton and muscles that still behave themselves even though other bits are not so good!
But I still would not know which way to vote. We don't know what life would be like if we had not gone into the EU back in 1975 and we don't know what would happen if we came out of the EU.
But I am very grateful that we are in the EU and I will now quote from 'Riverford', from whom we get a box of fruit and vegetables each week and who won 'Farmer of the Year' in 'Radio 4's Food Awards'.
"Hurrah! In a triumph for bees and the independence of science, our Environment Secretary and the chaps from Syngenta were defeated last week by an EU commission vote, which will now restrict the use of neonicotinoids on flowering crops. To descend to the Defra position, where nature is expendable unless it can be demonstrated incontrovertibly that it is worth saving on economic grounds, would be hugely depressing. It makes me ashamed to be human and even more ashamed to be British. Thankfully there was more enlightenment elsewhere in Europe - as well as a great number of passionate Brits campaigning here."

Monday 6 May 2013

Women! written Saturday posted Monday!



Getting a wifi signal while at the Assembly can be difficult - and coming away without the laptop’s charger makes life even more difficult! At last I have some time to blog but this may not be posted until after I get home on Monday although I’m writing this early on Saturday evening.

Great news, we have a new General Secretary - a woman! Lynne Green - and if you read my previous post - she was one of the names I had in mind. I knew of Lynne when I was on the Baptist Union Council - everyone seems very happy. We also have a woman Moderator of Council, a woman Moderator of the Trustees and a woman Vice President. This has been a huge change - only a few years ago all the top positions were held by grey haired men in grey suits!
Today has been one of meeting up with friends as previously arranged but also bumping into friends; one from over thirty years ago and the other from my childhood and teenage years, totally unexpected and quite wonderful!
Having met my blogging friend for breakfast we went to Morning Prayers; a quiet reflective time which we both felt was very special. It was led by Amanda who I first met when I went to meetings at the Baptist Headquarters in Didcot. Amanda will be leaving at the end of next week, and I wish her God’s blessing in her few weeks off before starting an exciting new position. 

Friday 3 May 2013

Blackpool

It has been a bit quiet on the blogging front due to Easter, a holiday in the Lake District when I went down with a bug that had been going around Chapel - although I don't think I caught it there as folk know they have a cold I appreciate it if they stay at home! and also more home improvements but with someone else doing the work!
I have now arrived in Blackpool for the annual Baptist Assembly.
There is so much to look forward to... and meeting friends comes top of my list - and I've already bumped into a blogging friend. I was so concerned that our paths would not meet that we have arranged to have breakfast together tomorrow.
Then I'm meeting a friend from teenage days - gosh we have been friends for 50 years!
Tomorrow morning the new General Secretary will be announced. The Baptist Union is going through a big shake up and like the position of Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope - no-one wants the job. It will be very interesting to see who gets it! I have a couple of ideas - but doubt if I'm right!
But first things first... I'm off to a prayer meeting - it is so good to start the weekend together in prayer.