Dear Friends
Ten years ago, this very month, I was coming to the end of a three month visit to Kenya. It was
part of an exchange programme between Ridley Hall Cambridge and a theological college in
central Kenya. I had a wonderful time, but I remember one very sad incident which I wish to
relate.
I was walking along a dusty African road in the heat of the afternoon when a man came up to me
and shook my hand. “Praise the Lord!” he said. I replied in the same fashion, as is traditional now
in that part of Africa. A discussion ensued, in which the man asked me if I was “saved” and a “
born again Christian”. I confirmed that I was indeed a Christian and he beamed widely with
delight. “My brother – it is so good to meet you – you must come to my home and meet my wife
and children”.
We continued to walk along the road, talking happily, and soon it emerged we were both heading
towards the same bus stop. We boarded the bus together and continued our happy conversation.
Then came the question.
“So brother, what are you doing here in Kenya?”
“I am studying theology”
“And where is that?”
“St Andrew’s Kabare”.
At this the whole demeanour of the man changed. Friendliness vanished and the talking dried up.
It was as if I had become invisible, and I found it impossible to start the conversation up for the
rest of that bus journey. The reason being - I was an Anglican, and in this person's eyes,
Anglicans were not real Christians.
Such sort of prejudice is not of course just an African phenomenon. One only has to look at
Northern Ireland to see similar hostile sentiments. Indeed, in parts of England, religious prejudice
still exists, and going back in time and looking at English history we can hardly feel proud of our
record for tolerance.
Thankfully, the situation has improved considerably in Europe in recent decades, and
organisations such as Churches Together in Malling work closely together to bring Christians
from different denominations together in worship and prayer. One example of this will be the
Churches Together in Malling prayer meeting on Saturday March 6th and there
will be similar events over Holy Week in April.
I am writing to tell you about a very exciting new venture which will be happening in May. On
Pentecost Sunday, May 30th, we will be joining with the Methodists and Roman Catholics and
other Christians from the local area for a joint service at the Friars at 10.30am. There will be no
10am service on that day at our church. Next year, 2005, on Pentecost Sunday, the joint service
will be at our church. We hope that this will become an annual joint service.
I am excited about this because up to now, joint church events have been “supplementary” to the
normal programme of church activities. For the first time in this part of the Malling area, we are
disturbing our own worship pattern for a greater purpose, that of expressing our unity in Christ.
It is admittedly just a small step along the road to unity, but nonetheless it is an important one. I
pray for the day when all Christians throughout the world will be united, not just by God’s Spirit
(which I believe is already the case) but also in terms of worshipping together, sharing their
common resources, and becoming in deed as well as in creed, one family. I hope we will not “
rubbish” such an idea as too idealistic, for it lies at the very heart of New Testament prayer that
Jesus prayed in John chapter 17 about his church:
21 My prayer for all of them is that
they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in
you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
22“I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are—23I in
them and you in me, all being perfected into one.
I do hope to see you at the Friars on May 30th.
All good wishes
Simon Tillotson
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