St John's Windlesham

Our Churchyard Garden

A team of dedicated volunteers undertake a variety of tasks during the year which enable this area to be kept tidy, presentable, and reflective of our care for God’s created environment.

We need a few more helping green-fingered hands to look after the front borders, mow the lawns and sweep up leaves during the autumn leaf fall season.  All of these can be done when it suits a volunteer and involve a limited time commitment.  If you are able to help, please speak to Ian Baker (01276 476708).

How do we understand and respond to the tragedy in Norway?

"..I am glad if my comments can contribute to constructive openness and building of bridges, instead of increased enmity and xenophobia. I think we need you and all our friends globally to help us in entering into all these very difficult questions." Eilert Lund from Norway responds to St John's message of sympathy.

He continues:

"It has really been a shock for the whole Norwegian population. That an act of violence and terror should happen in our land, - although we have theoretically known that it was possible. And further that such immense brutality and evil was shown by just shooting down very young and innocent people, one by one. Finally, when we knew that the killer was one of our own, and we couldn’t point at anyone from ‘the outside’ and blame it on other value systems, religions or cultures, I think we have been overwhelmed by how evil can take control and totally motivate a person's actions. Even one of our own kind. I think a collective trauma was a fact.

In a different scenario one can only speculate what kind of anger could have come up (perhaps someone would even have justified it as a collective therapy for the deep grief and sadness for all the killed individuals) if the perpetrators had been groups or networks that we could have identified as “different “ from ourselves. I just wonder.......

And so, instead of counter-violence, instead of uncontrolled anger, instead of identifying “the others” that could be blamed, people have actually mourned. We have cried and expressed how deeply sad we are about all this with lights, flowers, torch marches, prayers, and other symbols of sorrow. Last Saturday, 15.000 football players at Norway Cup were marching with a rose in their hands. All these roses are now collected, will be composted into soil, and form the basis of a memorial for the youth that will be built up at the football grounds nearby my house. And our leaders have encouraged us to direct our energy and to have confidence in building more democracy and more openness.

But then, gradually we will have to look deeply into the political, moral and value challenges that this experience has given our society.

We see already that the Labour Party is attracting a lot of support, and if this immediate political enthusiasm doesn’t disappear as quickly as it came, the local elections this fall will probably not be the victorious break-through for the right wing party and the conservatives, as expected. But that emotional enthusiasm and political support (especially if it is only anchored in an emotional reaction to the tragic and evil events) will probably die out sooner or later.

I don’t think that these violent actions are indicating that large numbers of people are willing to go to these extremes in promoting their political positions. The message from our political leaders and from hundreds of thousands in the streets marching for more openness and more democracy, testify to the dominant view of the Norwegian population. Although the perpetrator justify his actions in political views that can be found among right-wing and religious (Christian) extremists, there is still a long way from views emerging in an open political discussion to the violent actions we have recently seen. Still, we will have to enter into new and very concrete political discussions on immigration, integration, multi-religious society and multiculturalism, and on protectionism. And many other issues. We will have to see how political and military actions internationally and alliances that Norway are part of, also might contribute to advancing extremism as ultimate responses. And if groups and people are totally cornered, it can easily instigate extremist positions and represent a threat of terror.

We will have to discuss how we can reject and marginalize all ideologies that might be used as justification for violence, denial of basic rights for all and exclusivity. Hopefully we will also be brave enough to discuss the whole concept of terror to also include as victims all those children, youth and women who daily confront death because of poverty, malnutrition, hunger, wars, and all kind of unequal distribution of resources in the world. Not because there is any reason for minimizing the horror and evil and inhumanity of the recent events in Norway, by pointing at others who are also suffering, are victimised, and even pay with their lives for global injustice. But because we need to see our own suffering and our own losses together with all the other millions daily suffering and dying because of the structural exclusiveness and injustice of the few privileged peoples in the world.

And I think we need you and all our friends globally to help us in entering into all these very difficult questions."

Additionally, here are some articles with good insights which may be useful:

Johan Galtung on the lessons from the massacre

A symptom of wider Islamphobia

Palestine's Norwegians

Toddler Praise

Toddler Praise is a fun, lively and informal time for pre-school children and their parents/carers. We gather together for a time of singing, to share a simple Bible story and enjoy a craft activity.   There is then time for the children to play, have a drink and snack while the rest of us chat over coffee/tea and refreshments.

We meet during term time twice a month on a Friday morning from 10.00am to 11.15am in the Almond Room, St John’s Link and would love to see you whenever you are able to join us. Take a look here to check the dates for 2012.

Women's World Day of Prayer

This year the Brook Church in Bagshot will be hosting the service, on Friday 2nd March at 1.30pm.