Hi folks, I hope that you are well, as things begin to ease in relation to lockdown, the leaders will be meeting on zoom to start to think about how we might be able to arrange ourselves over the next few weeks.
This Sunday we will meet on Zoom at 8.00pm and i’ll post the link later in the week in the BFX messenger group. If you aren’t part of that but want to be involved in the conversation let me know.
With that in mind, Pete Johnson sent me an email a while back after a phone conversation we had, that talked about the resurrection and post lockdown and how things might look and what if anything BFX (BeachcomberFX) could begin to think about for the future…
So here are some of Petes thoughts…
Spurred on by Beachcomber songs for Holy Week (this was a playlist created on Spotify each day of holy week) I began to think about what resurrection might mean, not only for me but also perhaps for society, particularly at this moment in time amidst all the turmoil of the corona virus pandemic.
My thoughts were further shaped by some words sent to me on facebook:
‘Nothing should go back to normal- normal wasn’t working. If we go back to the way things were we will have lost the lesson. May we rise up and do better.’
That phrase ‘may we rise up and do better’ really stirred me up.
I felt a desire to rise up by trying to ensure I was part of the solution rather than the problem- to do whatever I could to ensure things did not go back to normal. Out of the ashes of despair and suffering brought about by the second world war arose those beacons of hope-the NHS and Welfare State.
So too with the pandemic-too many people have lost too much and given too much for us to just return to the way things were a few months ago. So much good has also arisen out of the crises – things like appreciation and care for health service staff, care home staff, shop assistants and people who empty our bins, people volunteering to help meet the needs of the lonely and vulnerable, firms once involved in cut throat competition now working together to develop a vaccine or build ventilators etc,etc.
Resurrection for me would be about ensuring these don’t become short term relics of history. So that led to the question:
What can I do to ensure a return to status quo doesn’t happen.
What could Beachcomber FX do?
We can certainly pray about it but faith needs to be matched by action, so how about collectively putting our thinking hats on and coming up with ‘suggestions for good practice’ for those who think the same.
I feel lockdown of some sort will be with us for a long time- the ‘new norm’- and it is essential we do whatever we can to ensure that this retains some of the good which has developed.
Furthermore, given the damage to our economy there will likely be a critical shortage of funds and extreme competition for available resources that at least some strands of the new norm will be highly dependent on volunteer provision if we are to avoid a great deal of collateral social damage.
Furthermore I feel politicians in particular will wish to go back to where we were as quickly as possible because it is the safest option but of course not the best option.
For me there are three strands to this:
- What can I / we do as individuals?
- What can we collectively do as a group?
- How can we bring pressure to bear on decision takers at both local and national levels.
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
