• Somewhere over the rainbow

    rainbow

    I’ve just heard that I’ve been included in the Independent on Sunday’s Rainbow List. This is the new name for the Pink List – a list of gay, lesbian, bi and trans people whom the newspaper wants to celebrate as people who have made a difference in the past year.

    To be honest I’m surprised to be included again – I’ve been on the Pink List for the last few years and was really expecting to be nudged out of the way this year. But there I am and they’ve very kindly bumped me up over fifty places to number 34 and I’m in company that takes my breath away.

    It is great to see Vicky Beeching, Richard Coles and Colin Coward on there too, Bishop Alan Wilson heading the straight allies list, Jeremy Pemberton listed as one to watch and it isn’t too difficult to think of other heroes in the church who haven’t been listed this time around.

    I’ll be looking forward to meeting others who make a difference at the Rainbow List Party which takes place in London this week. Congratulations to everyone on the list and to everyone who was nominated. The world is changing. It isn’t changing fast enough for my liking, particularly in the church, but there’s much to celebrate and much to give thanks for. We shall overcome, one day.

    I remember when I was first named on the Pink List – it meant a lot, to be honest. You don’t get many thankyous for relentlessly going on about LGBT equality issues in the church. To have been named again a couple of times and again today is a great honour.

    My thanks to those who nominated me and those who quietly (and sometimes noisily) support me in this area of my life.

    You could say I’m over the moon.

    You could say I’m somewhere over the rainbow.

10 responses to “Yesterday”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Just to say the link to the BBC website is broken.

  2. asphodeline Avatar
    asphodeline

    The Sunday morning service on R4 is my regular church for now and it was brilliant to find it was with you yesterday.

    Loved the service and the music, as always, was wonderful.

  3. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    Thanks for the comments – the link is fixed now.

  4. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    Lovely to know that Bernard Porter is still about. One of the kindliest and most tolerant musicians this ex-tv producer ever worked with. He provided superb accompaniment to at least 4 major choral programmes, and an exuberant and beautifully played Voluntary in Holy Trinity, Ayr- in 1973. I can still hear it in my head.
    Thanks, Kelvin for a happy reminder.

  5. Victoria Avatar
    Victoria

    Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed listening to the service on BBC 4 on Sunday – meaty stuff with good quality music. Was pleasant listening when normally just want to reach for the ‘off’ button. But then I’m biased going to a SEC church myself with social justice and ecumenical concern at its centre and being a choral singer!

  6. Harry Monroe Avatar

    What a wonderful tribute to a real gentleman. Sang under him over 30 years ago at Diocesan Festivals. Minimum criticism and maximum praise seemed to be his maxim…. something we could all use as a way of life.

  7. Tom Allen Avatar

    Interesting review of Sunday morning here:
    http://irenelancaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/02/the-bbcs-even-h.html
    from the increasingly fantasy driven adviser on Jewish theology to the Archbishop of Canterbury!

  8. Jay Vos Avatar
    Jay Vos

    Yes! I’m over in Vermont USA. Ain’t internet grand? It was to listen to the internet broadcast on R4. Thanks.

  9. Kenny Avatar

    So sorry I missed “BJ’s” do! I remember traipsing round Scotland with him and the choir, singing in all seven main cathedrals in 18 hours! Boy did we have stamina then!

  10. Dr. Irene Lancaster Avatar

    Hi, Tom! Glad to see that you haven’t changed. The fantasy is, as ever, all in your head! Although I’d be very pleased to take on this auspicious role at Lambeth Palace, as far as I know they have no plans to take on such a person as you suggest – for the present at least. All a figment of the imagination, then!!

    I’m also terribly sad to have to inform you that I’ve just been invited to talk on the subject of my blog (to which you’ve kindly directed bloggers) at one of Britain’s most distinguished universities in the next few days (alas, not in Scotland, although I have lectured before now at Edinburgh).

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