Faith and Policy Conference 2008
We travelled to Swanwick in Derbyshire for this year’s conference which was on the theme of ‘Time for Relationship with God’. Worldwide President Rosemary Kempsall was with us for the first evening and encouraged us to work hard at getting the right balance of time for jobs, family, leisure, health and MU. She herself has several hobbies which she manages to fit in with a busy schedule.
The main speakers were Bishop Ken Clarke and his wife Helen from Ireland. He is the MU Diocesan Chaplain and Helen is in her second term as Diocesan President. Bishop Ken reminded us that faith has to be linked to policy because that is how the Bible views it. What we believe should determine how we behave, and he took as his focus Amos 5v 21-24.God does not want pious postures but practical action and in a world which is hurting we should respond with compassion, anger, prayer and action. He quoted two prayers which we could use for ourselves.
“Lord forgive us for looking at the world with dry eyes”.
“Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God”.
We were also privileged to have Reg Bailey with us and he spoke of his vision for Mothers’ Union this year. He would like to see every member looking outwards and not inwards and he had this vision of turning heads. He urged us to have servant hearts, to engage more with fathers, to listen to people who are close to us, to give a voice to powerless women and to move from maintenance to mission. That was quite a challenge but one which we will have to engage in if the MU is to move forward in the 21st Century.
For those who are willing to put all this into practice and who have access to a computer, try Googling ‘Micah Challenge’ and ask God to make you a shaker, not a sleeper.
Sue Smith and Liz Venn