• Last year’s predictions (2020) – how did I do?

    Well, thank you for asking.

    Here’s what I predicted for 2020 and here’s how I did.

    Scotland will not vote for Independence in 2020

    Scotland didn’t.
    Prediction accurate.

    No progress for those hoping for Equal Marriage in the Church of England.

    There was none.
    Prediction accurate.

    Narrow Democrat victory in American election – country as divided as ever – widespread belief that the election was rigged.

    Well, there was a Democrat victory in America. It wasn’t as narrow as it initially appeared but the country is as divided as ever with widespread belief that the election was rigged.
    Prediction substantially accurate.

    Scottish government proposals on reforming the Gender Recognition Act go through largely as proposed in consultation document.

    I’m sorry this didn’t happen and I’m sorry that trans people are at the epicentre of the latest culture war. The Scottish government’s proposals on Gender ID were pragmatic and sensible and no-one has come up with any better proposals on how a gender recognition certificate should be issued. (Statutary declaration by individual whilst criminalizing false or misleading declarations).
    Prediction inaccurate.

    Limited agreements at COP talks but derided as too little too late.

    No COP.
    Prediction inaccurate due to covid.

    UK leaves the EU and is subsequently unable to agree a substantial deal.

    Well, the UK did leave the EU and just about managed to agree a substantial deal though not a very good one.
    Prediction mostly inaccurate.

    No trade deal with the USA

    No trade deal with the USA.
    Prediction accurate

    Yvette Cooper will become the leader of the Labour Party.

    Missed this one but I note that Rosemary Hannah correctly tipped Starmer in the comments.
    Prediction inaccurate.

    Stock market lower at the end of the year than it is today. (FTSE 7,542.44)

    FTSE at 6470.
    Prediction accurate.

    Increasing visible support for LGBT Roman Catholics from within the Roman Catholic Church.

    This was the one that most people seemed to think bonkers. I actually had in mind something quite local which didn’t happen due to Covid but which I think might happen next year instead. However, the Holy Father came through for me – “Pope Francis backs same-sex civil unions” and in recent days we have had – “Head of German bishops, self-described conservative, calls for change”. Stuff is happening in the RC church. It is a long journey but there’s change in the air. Prediction accurate.

    Overall – not bad, considering…

7 responses to “Oh Lord, Kum by yah”

  1. Doug Avatar
    Doug

    I think the fact you feel glad that you are taking part shows a start to a good day hopefully.
    I really hope with Lambeth on a few months away and talk of sexuality in everyones minds that the listening day is productive!

  2. vicky Avatar
    vicky

    Like Kelvin I was not going to attend this day but am doing so now because of a change in how the day has been designed.

    However, I am under no illusions. We may all listen and we may all feel closer by the end of the day. We may also end up watching a dismaying Lambeth conference in which the status quo or even a more conservative line is opted for.

    One thing that needs to be heard is that, as things stand, being gay in the Church is a vulnerable position and one in which we are ‘allowed’ to be part of the Church because of the nice liberal contingent. Until we move away from a debate about whether or not it’s time to fully ‘integrate’ the LGBT members into the Church, LGBTers will always be outsiders invited into the Church to share at God’s table.
    I, for one, look forward to a day when I don’t need to share my experience of being gay in the Church because it really isn’t of any importance. The trouble is to get to that point we still need to move an awful lot further than we have.

    The question that I am left with now is, does a Christian denomination have to have membership rules or is testimony enough?

  3. chris Avatar

    Vicky, you’ve articulated very clearly what I’ve been thinking. I hope I can help to make this realisation grow, somehow. There’s still a long way to go, sadly.

  4. Lark Rise Avatar
    Lark Rise

    Whose ‘Church’ – in the widest sense – is it ?

    Christ Himself seems to have imposed little in the way of ‘membership rules’, inclusivity being for all. Tho many turned away and excluded themselves when face to face with Him and the challenge of Who He Was…

    That the ‘established’ church is being so small-minded and bigotted to so many loving, caring, beautiful Christ-ones begs that first question – ‘Whose church ?’

    Sheep and goats come to mind…….. and does a goat recognise that it is a goat……?

    (Despite current scientific understanding, the miracle of genetic change of ‘goat’ to ‘sheep’ is possible thru the intervention of the Almighty – S Paul found out about that – so hang in there sheeps – there’s some of us out here outside of your technically LGBTs fold who are rootin’ for yeez……)

  5. Kenny Avatar

    Amen to that, Lark Rise!

  6. Peter Ould Avatar

    Do you have a copy of what the agenda now is?

  7. chris Avatar

    The agenda is available to download here

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • The Archbishop, the gays and their sins

    One of the things that we’ve learned about Archbishop Justin Welby in recent weeks is that he gets upset about what people write about him on social media. He wrote at some length about how what gets written online is upsetting and he’d just prefer to have personal contact with him rather than sounding off…

  • Review: Orfeo ed Euridice, Scottish Opera

    This review originally appeared for Opera Britannia. Scottish Opera have managed to produce another underwhelming show that, though visually arresting, leaves one with more questions than answers. There are things to praise about Ashley Page’s directorial debut for Scottish Opera: his ballet background clearly has given him an intense sense of theatrical spectacle that was…

  • Unlikely alliances – sermon preached as farewell to Fr Chucks

    Here’s what I had to say to my Nigerian colleague Chucks who is moving away from St Mary’s to go and work down south. God be with you, Chucks – we are looking to you to sort out the Church of England. Sermon preached by Kelvin Holdsworth on 15 February 2015 from Kelvin Holdsworth on…

  • 10 Tips on How to Date a Priest

    Valentine’s Day being upon us and my being an expert witness in the matter, I feel it incumbent upon me to share my best wisdom in the small matter of how to date a priest. Firstly, accept that clergy are people, just like everyone else. I’ve met people who believed that when they were ordained,…