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Ten years on and America is hard to find*
It was shortly after two in the afternoon that I switched on the office TV to watch Tony Blair's speech at the TUC conference in Brighton. Just as it was about to begin there came a newsflash that...
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Love thy neighbour - it can be very hard
Loving our neighbours is a fairly important theme of the teachings of Jesus. In fact he sums up the whole of the Judaic law with just two sentences, one of which is about neighbours and harks back to...
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Don't mess with bloggers!
I love this story from New York where a PR firm tried to take advantage of a group of bloggers.
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Smethwick to be recreated as a parliamentary constituency
Smethwick may once again have a seat in its own name in the House of Commons. The boundary proposals published today will recreate the old seat augmented by the inclusion of West Bromwich central ward...
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Vintage Red by John Kotz: book review
When I heard that John had published his memoirs I immediately bought a copy. I expected lots of nostalgia from my Hackney childhood and my first faltering steps into politics. I enjoyed reading about...
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PLO ambassador says Palestinian state should be free of Jews
"The Palestine Liberation Organization's ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that any future Palestinian state it seeks with help from the United Nations and the United States should be free...
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Who really wants peace in the Holy Land?
"the key hindrance to security and a lasting peace for all in the region is the Occupation of Palestinian territory by the State of Israel, now in its fifth decade." Report to Methodist Conference 2010...
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They shoot donkeys don't they?
Anyone who has been to the Middle East will know just how important the humble donkey is to the economic welfare of many rural people. It was a donkey that took Mary to Bethlehem and a donkey upon...
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Cross post on Harry's Place
Nice to have a cross post on Harry's Place, the left of centre Jewish community blog.
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Our hearts and prayers go out to miners' families
It has just been announced that the fourth missing miner at the Gleison Colliery in South Wales has been found dead.During the day it feels as if the whole nation was willing good news only to have...
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Did Wesley really say that?
Methodists are fond of quoting John Wesley - especially in sermons and on the social media.But an American church historian is expressing concern that we are often putting words into the mouth of our...
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The Palestinian state
Efforts will be made later this week to change the status of the territories under control of the Palestinian Authority. This has already led to some interesting exchanges. Hopes that the UN will...
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Paying for Thatcher's legacy
Almost exactly to the day 44 years ago I picked up a half filled suitcase, got on a bus and went off to university. I left behind a maisonette on a council estate in Hackney.Yesterday I took one of my...
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Confessional politics
When I served as a Member of the European Parliament I occasionally asked myself whether I was "Christian politician" or a "Christian in politics"? The reason I asked that is because when you are a...
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Sad news from the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe has split following allegations of ballot rigging in the vote for Bishop.The Zimbabwean reports:The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe has split, with a rival faction...
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Warley Woods is England's favourite park - official
Congratulations to the Warley Woods Community Trust. The 100 acre woods have just been voted England's favourite Green Flag park.It is such a privilege to live opposite such beautiful parkland right...
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There is an alternative to financial meltdown
Yesterday shares fell on the world's stock markets. Today has been "jittery" with the FTSE 100 falling below the 5000 mark. We hear that millions of people who have money invested in pension funds and...
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Methodism's new hymn book
When it comes to music....well, let's say that I failed at "O" level. (Though I don't regret taking the course because it introduced me to the Brandeburg Concerto No 5 and Claire du Lune) So I haven't...
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Our harvest hope
Yesterday I led a harvest thanksgiving service at a local United Reformed Church. I had carefully organised my sermon to focus on the wonder of God's provision in Exodus 16 and the concern of Jesus at...
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Oh the joy of being the church treasurer.....
As the Connexional financial year ended on 30 August I'm now making up the annual accounts. So far the trial balance is £1417.83 out. Help!
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