When Lambeth Feels Normal

Its funny when you realize what has become your new normal.  A year ago, I would have been telling the world that I was going to London for an event at Lambeth Palace.  But there I was on the train feeling completely unphased by my destination.  I have lived in Liverpool for over a year now, and I will be here until next September.  These feeling of normalcy doesn’t mean that I have lost perspective on how blessed I am to even be in this position, but it is nice to be so comfortable where I am.

Today I am on my way to the launch of the Clewer Initiative, which is a new program meant to combat human trafficking and modern day slavery.  In November we will host an evaluation event for Liverpool Diocese that will steer our work on this topic as we help to pilot this program.  We will talk about how human trafficking and modern slavery manifest in the Liverpool City Region and what we as the church can do to both aid in the work already being done and bring this egregious matter to the forefront of conversation.  

Over 200 years have passed since the abolition of the slave trade and it is estimated that there are still 45.8 million people trapped in modern slavery.  This includes men, women, and children.  It is believed that there are up to 11,700 potential victims in the UK alone.  If you want to read more about the Clewer Initiative and the reality of Human Trafficking and Slavery you can follow this link: https://www.theclewerinitiative.org/

Working on topics like these can be exhausting, but we are all motivated and called to keep going. Our work is built around the call to action we are given in Micah 6:8.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and the walk humbly with your God. We cannot live complete lives of faith unless we are doing justice.  In a world where church planting and new congregations are the loudest heard calling of the moment, justice is a must.  We must work to make sure a just world is being created in these congregations and that the bridge between the old and new is strengthened.  We must make sure that all of our growth within the church is helping the world to grow as well.  Unless our actions reflect the changes that need to be made and are done with the rights of others in mind, then the rest will be in vain.  Love is not limited and if we are truly working to be like Christ then our love for others must have no bounds.  The right to justice and peace should not come with a commitment to sign on the dotted line of Christianity.  Our duty as Christians is to serve others regardless of faith, class, or creed.  Our love is not meant to be limited to those who also go to a big building every Sunday morning.  This is something that we hope to reflect in our work. We don’t think that our actions will suddenly solve any problems, but we do hope that through our work others will feel the call to love and seek out the injustice in their community and then engage with it, so that tomorrow is better than today.  

My day at Lambeth went well and I did have couple butterflies as I walked in.  I was able to talk to some amazing people about all the work they are doing and I even spent time chatting with an aid to an MP about the project and why it needs support.  By the end of the day I felt very official.  The Clewer Initiative is only one of the many projects that we, the Social Justice team, at Liverpool Diocese work on.  We are blessed to be able to spend our days encouraging others to act and love as Christ did.  What a wonderful way to feel after a long day of work.

I know I haven’t posted much of anything in the past few months, I think I got caught up in what I was doing and then didn’t do anything with it.  I love the work that I am doing and I owe it to all of you to share it.  I’m going to be trying a new plan where blogging will be part of how I process what is going on, so the hope is that I will have more to share more often.   

As always, I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment or send me an email. Thanks!!!

*all statistics from https://www.theclewerinitiative.org/

the outside of Lambeth

Look who I saw! At a previous trip to Lambeth, our group was welcomed by Arch Bishop Justin Welby.

The Chapel in Lambeth, before the Clewer Commissioning service.