• Sunday Trading and the Churches

    Dear the Churches of England

    If you campaign against Sunday trading you are going to seem to the People of England to be as bad as you are. Campaign instead for the rights of shop workers of all religions who work at all times and the People of England might be more convinced. If you take on the Sunday trading thing you are going to lose anyway.

    Here in Scotland things have been much more liberal for a long time. We did have quite strict liquor laws which meant you couldn’t buy booze on a Sunday morning anywhere. This meant you couldn’t buy an emergency bottle of wine for communion on a Sunday morning in case it led to drunkenness, which always seemed to me to be a little odd. Even this law has been relaxed now.

    Seriously – the fight against Sunday trading isn’t one that churches can win and look sensible or fair. Please don’t make the rest of us look foolish.

    Remember the Sabbath day and what it was about and keep what it was about holy. It was about making sure workers got rest. It was about making sure there was time for leisure. It was about making sure that there were opportunities for worship. Churches should campaign for all those things. In multicultural Britain these things do not coalesce any more in the idea of one shared day off a week which is inevitably on a Sunday.

    Dear churches of England and the Church of England in particular – pick your battles wisely.

    Thank you for your attention.
    KELVIN

8 responses to “Two innovations”

  1. Zebadee Avatar
    Zebadee

    hi uncle kelvin,
    this is from your greatest fan and the bestest niece in the history of girls!!!
    i think the pics of your church are brilliant!!! especially the one that is done like a sketch!! it was nice seeing you in england shire in january!! i am sat here now with thee old grandparents!!! the boys are fine sat on there nintendo’s(as usual!!) high school is so great i like it so much more than primary making lots of new friends and also going to church there!! hope to see you soon……..
    love from the bestest niece in the world=NH x x

  2. Kirstine Avatar
    Kirstine

    Pssst Kelvin!
    If you look at the other photos in the series, you’ll see some snow. Besides which, it is a highly meaningful illustration of what chickens tend to do ‘in the snow’; namely they sensibly try to stay out of it!

  3. Gordon Avatar
    Gordon

    Stop worrying Kelvin! I have just added my photographs to the site. Knowing your penchant for photos, I have included no less than 11 of your good self. Thank you again for welcoming the flickr group into St Mary’s I have had lots of very positive feedback about your tour and the building.

  4. gail Avatar
    gail

    “Innovation” suggests this event may recur – I DO hope so – having kept my bugs at home in my sick bed, I was most disappointed to have to miss the fun – but thankfully not ALL of it – I have heard great comments from various people, and now have seen some tremendous photographs – thanks Kelvin for the inspiration, and thanks to all photographers for sharing your results.

  5. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    Here, here for doing it again! What a talented bunch of photographers.

  6. Shona Avatar
    Shona

    wherever do you get all those good ideas?

  7. kelvin Avatar

    Like I said Shona, it was a great idea!

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