Richard’s Blog

Did you hear the story of the man who left his £250,000 violin on the train?[1]

To his great relief, musician Stephen Morris’ 310-year-old violin was returned to him after being contacted by a member of the public. You may have seen his interview on BBC news. To my surprise, he played a tune. The irony was not lost on me when he began to play.

The tune was the famous ‘Amazing Grace’. As he played, I mouthed the words, “I once was lost but now I’m found…”. An apt choice for such a story. But not just for this story.

This stirring, spiritual song has been the anthem for so many throughout history. Since it was written in 1772 by John Newton, these words have been the emotional echo of hearts from protestors in the Civil Rights movement, to the day Nelson Mandela walked free from prison; it was sung when the Berlin Wall came down, and after September 11^th, 2001, to comfort a mourning world. Its words have been the source of comfort and strength for so many who at times felt lost and needed a spiritual idea to help them find their way.

This summer, as I drove through a humble Buckinghamshire town called Onley, I was shocked to read on its welcome sign, “Welcome to Olney, the home of ‘Amazing Grace’. It was hard to imagine this insignificant town was the birth of words that would be sung the world over. Written by a man who was himself once lost.

John Newton was a slave trader. On one sea journey in 1748, he encountered such a violent storm that it threatened to sink his ship. It was in this moment, lost and powerless, that he cried out to God to save him. That night, after the storm had passed, he sensed that there was a God who hears and answers prayers, who could save even the worst of men. Later, Newton changed from his lifestyle of profiting off the suffering of others to serving others – this man who was once lost was now found.

This is the grace the song speaks of – receiving an undeserved fresh start and new beginning – leading to a transformed life.

Maybe you feel lost in life right now, in need of a transformation. Maybe life has been cruel to you, or you’ve been cruel to others. Life may not make sense for you at the moment; you may not see a way forward. If so, I invite you to listen to the words of this song and see if this it can help you find a way forward.

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-50280238/musician-stephen-morris-shock-as-lost-250000-violin-returned

[Photo by Dominik Scythe on Unsplash]

Could faith and fencing help prevent knife crime?

I remember my heart racing as I raised the sabre. Enclosed in my helmet, I felt uniquely closed off and alone. Staring at my opponent with sabre raised, we waited for the instruction to engage. With some thrusts, swipes and lunges later, the point of my sabre hit his torso – I had scored a point! With a smile, we saluted one another and took off our helmets to shake hands.

It was exhilarating! The buzz of combat. The rattle of the sabre on your helmet. The thrill of being stabbed but with little pain. Just a game. And respect for the opponent. Welcome to fencing.

But could this unconventional sport ever help those who would otherwise stab someone, this time for real?

This is what Steven thinks. He’s a fencing instructor for an inner London youth charity called XLP. He is a man dedicated to doing something for his community. He is also a Christian with an unconventional approach. He believes the experience of fencing may help prevent the knife crime epidemic.^[1]

Wait a minute, isn’t this Christian business about turning the other cheek? Indeed, but before we give him short shrift, let’s ask the question, how can fencing help knife crime?

Steven believes that fencing teaches you self-control and respect. Two things missing on the streets and between gangs. It’s what I learnt in my fencing experience as a young boy (ironically, at a Christian camp). When you face an opponent in fencing, it gets the adrenaline going. The prospect of being hit, although you are protected, forces you to keep yourself calm, to challenge your fear and tame it. This ability to notice your emotions and then regulate them can be a game-changer in a real-world conflict. And regardless of who lost the point, you both have to salute one another before the beginning of the next round. Respect for the other in the face of defeat takes one-up-manship out of you and revenge is given no breeding ground.

But it is Steven’s faith that informs the most important value he believes can be instilled through fencing. To treat others as you would want them to treat you. This is the foundational principle that Jesus himself taught.

Maybe in a society where life and individuals are seen as cheap, this principle can help us rediscover a lost understanding of the unique value we possess and the value of life itself.

^[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-50101362/steven-a-christian-thinks-fencing-prevents-knife-crime

[Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash]

Nearly everybody likes some type of music. Music plays with our emotions, lifting us up, calming us down, even sometimes depressing us. Whether it is a pop song playing in a retail store, a live choir, a classical piece playing in a film or on TV, music affects us all.

Recently, I went to Birmingham Symphony Hall, a superbly designed professional music venue. The event was called ‘Music for Youth’ where nine school choirs aged between 8 and 13 years old get to perform their well-rehearsed choir pieces. They each sang three pieces in different styles and were judged by a panel of two.

The enthusiasm of the choirs was a delight to see, as was the energy, commitment and joy shown by each choir leader. The standard was very high, each choir reflecting the hard work and discipline of the group.

The audience was mainly made up of proud parents and grandparents. It is very moving to see your 8-year-old granddaughter singing her heart out!  But every child in every choir did just that. The largest choir had about 40 youngsters in it, while the smallest had just 9.

I hope all those young singers keep singing as they grow up. It is such an enjoyable thing to do, whether in a choir, a group or all alone in your bathroom. Music brings life, energy and enjoyment into our lives. Of course, people like different kinds of music and while I enjoy a wide range of music, I am not a fan of rap, though I know many people are.

But whatever kind of music moves you it is interesting to think about what is behind it. In the case of those choirs, think of the hours of practise and hard work, not just by the singers, but by their leaders. All of them doing it for no reward, working outside their school hours for the joy and satisfaction it brings.

Any musician or singer to get to a high standard will have had to put in hours and hours of practise. Many will have a natural talent, but talent still needs hard work and discipline to develop it. Singers need to develop and improve their voice, to learn how to breathe properly and sing from the diaphragm, not the throat.

Nowadays, because we can store thousands of different songs on electronic devices, and the fact that music is the background to TV programmes, films and in so many shops or restaurants, we can easily forget how much work has gone into producing it. Learning to play an instrument or learning to sing well takes discipline. It is not a case of being able to just do it when you feel like it; good music is the result of hard work and discipline over many years, indeed for professionals, it is a lifetime’s work.

Successful people in any walk of life will have had the discipline to learn and apply the skills they needed, just like those musicians and singers. What are you wanting to achieve in life? What are you wanting to gain mastery in? Whatever it is, it will take discipline and hard work – success is hard-won, but always worth it. Don’t be put off through the hard times, if you need to rest, then rest but don’t give up because as the ancient proverbs says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty”.[1]

Keith Hartrick.

[Keith is a retired Managing Director and the church leader of our Leeds congregation, Grace Communion International. He is editor of Richard’s blogs.]

[1] The Bible, Proverbs 14:23 (NIVUK)

Many readers of this blog may not remember Jaguar’s famous advertising line in the 1950s and 60s. Grace related to the design and style of the car, space indicated that they were roomy and comfortable inside, and pace indicated that they were a fast sports car. They certainly lived up to their advertising in those days, maybe they still do today.

But that advertising line also has a meaning for Christians although you may not immediately think so, especially if you have your doubts about God. So let’s have a look at those three words and their possible deeper meaning and perhaps challenge you to think about them, too.

Grace refers to God’s unconditional love. God’s love for you, for all humanity, is so great he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of every individual human! That awesome truth is summed up in that word grace. It means what we receive is totally undeserved and unmerited. We can do nothing to earn it, it’s ours as a gift.

Space refers to the fact that God allows us not to believe in him. Contrary to what some may think, God is not in a race to reach and save every human being now! God will not force you or anyone to believe in him today. The Christian message is one that believes God provides a future opportunity for every human to know him one day, even after death!

Pace refers to the fact that God allows each individual to proceed at their own speed, whether a new Christian slowly setting out to follow God or one who is desperate to find out as much, as possible as quickly as possible. Some people are ready to jump in and change their way of life overnight, others take time to come to a fuller understanding of what being a Christian means.

Even people who have been Christians for many years go through seasons of faster and slower growth. So maybe it’s time to think about what grace, space and pace mean to you? Maybe nothing at this time or perhaps it starts a thought process which makes you wonder if you don’t need to know more? Just as you have a key to start a car, why not ask God to give you the key to understanding him and his word?

Keith Hartrick.

[Keith is a retired Managing Director and the church leader of our Leeds congregation, Grace Communion International. He is editor of Richard’s blogs.]

[Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash]

But that is not what ships are built for!

As anyone who makes a living from the sea will tell you, it can be both friend or foe. While ships need harbours, they are built to be out on the sea carrying passengers and cargo to a destination.

Travelling on a calm and pleasant day is an enjoyable and relaxing experience for most people. But travelling through a storm is neither pleasant nor relaxing. In most cases, ships are built to withstand and ride out the storms, but occasionally things go wrong and they can end up sinking or being shipwrecked.

There is a life lesson here.

Are we trying to remain safe in our harbour, avoiding the risks in life? Sometimes we shrink from the challenges that life throws at us. We try to live a safe life and avoid the storms that can come in our personal, work, or social life. But there’s a cost to this cautious approach.

Leaving the harbour means taking risks on what the sea might throw at us – on whether it will be calm or stormy. In the same way leaving our personal safe harbour means facing the risks of life. We can’t always see the way ahead and if sometimes we think we can then the unexpected may soon throw us off course. But there’s much to be gained from this risk.

Of course, we will try to reduce the risks as much as possible but stepping out demands that we prepare to take them, too. Stepping out – leaving the harbor – might be as simple as asking someone out on a date, not knowing whether the person will say yes or no; it could be going for that promotion at work you don’t think you are ready for, biting off more than you can chew, then chewing like mad!

In Christian terms, it is called stepping out in faith. I believe we, like ships, have been designed to take risks and battle through the storms of life. Yes, I know, it’s tough if a relationship goes wrong, it’s tough if we fail in our jobs, it’s tough if we feel frustrated, undervalued and not able to use our gifts and skills because of a setback! But that’s life! The important thing is not to give up.

The thing about taking sensible risks is that life becomes fuller, more fun, more challenging, and more satisfying. Indeed, you may be surprised at what you achieve or could discover.

In times past, when the UK was a more religious nation, being a Christian was a safe and socially acceptable choice to make. But this has changed as the UK becomes a more secular nation; Christianity is regarded with greater contempt. Yet, I find it curious that some will still leave their safe harbour for the seas of faith and possible storms that come with this journey. For some people in other countries with less freedom than we enjoy, taking this step of faith means risking their life. I used to wonder why some would do this until I took this step of faith myself.

What about you? Have you ever considered what Christianity is all about? Have you ever thought why some die for their faith rather than renounce their Christian beliefs? Why not take the risk of finding out just what Christianity is all about?

Keith Hartrick.

[Keith is a retired Managing Director and the church leader of our Leeds congregation, Grace Communion International. He is editor of Richard’s blogs.]

[Photo by Jean-Pierre Brungs on Unsplash]