Three Wise Men

From this month's New Internationalist.

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Baby!!!!

POSTSCRIPT!!!: Reuben. We've settled now on the name Reuben which means "Behold! A Son!" which, although Kate's suggestion, was pretty much what I felt when I saw him.

This is Reuben in Hebrew: רְאוּבֵן (Re'uven)
This is Reuben in Chinese:

This is a "Reuben" (a sandwich with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese.)

And this is Reuben!

The newest addition to our family (and pubchurch) was born at 00:48 this morning. He's a boy, 8lb 1oz and probably called Reuben but he hasn't told us for sure yet.

Wise men (and women) bearing gifts are welcome. Visiting hours 2-4/6-8pm. Please let us know before you come.

Simon and Kate

Remember

A reminder to all to spare a thought and a prayer for those who died for what they believed during wartime past and present. This year, in addition to wearing a red poppy (to remember those who died fighting for what they believe) and a white poppy (to remember the ongoing fight for pacifism as an alternative to war) I'm also wearing a white feather. This is to remember those who were branded cowards and traitors during wartime. I believe this is especially important this Remembrance Sunday, the first since WW1 veterans executed for desertion, cowardice, falling asleep at their post or striking a superior officer, were pardoned by Act of Parliament.

I urge you to remember those who have died and are dying for what they believe. I hope you will pray that we would be willing to also lay our lives down fighting for what's right and good and true in this messed up world.

Poppy appeal
White poppy
300 WWI soldiers receive pardons (BBC 16/08/06)

"Smoke!" Says the Teacher

Ok, so I was told by Chris that if I was to get any discussion going on this site I was going to have to ask some direct questions instead of my usual luke-warm, semi-thoughtful posts. As a response, I'd like to share with you a little bug-bear of mine which I think is of great importance to BarNone.

Rachel told us a little encouraging story from the "Everything is Meaningless" gig a couple of weeks ago. Basically, she noticed a group of guys come in who hadn't been before take a seat at the back. Sensing that they seemed a little uncomfortable, she felt the right thing to do was to hand them an ash tray. They get out their fags and seem to enjoy the evening, even getting really involved in the discussion. Great! Right?

Certainly yes! Rachel made a gesture that made them feel welcome and accepted. A gesture that is common in Pubs across the country .. for about 5 more months!! In April, it will become illegal to light up in any public place including, I presume, BarNone (someone step in if I've got this wrong).

We've all got different views of the smoking ban. I for one think that overall its a good idea and I'm glad the Welsh Assembly saw sense and went further than the partial ban put forward in the Whitehall White Paper. But, it might surprise you that I do believe there is nothing wrong with smoking in moderation (I've been known to smoke the odd cigar on special occasions, e-g. my impending fatherhood - take note, Chris!) Although I think no-one should have to socialize or work in smoky environments, I feel that it would be fairer to allow rooms for the sole purpose of smoking in bars, with separate doors and ventilation where people could go for their cigarette, without bothering either non-smoking customers or staff. That said, I do think we have to have a think about what it means for our little community.

Our community prides itself on being welcoming to all (the clue's in the name - Bar None!) whether male or female, Christian or Atheist, Gay or Straight, Smoker or non-smoker. But just occasionally, being welcoming to one group isolates another. Meeting in a pub means we are unlikely to attract practicing Muslims to our meetings. Strong Quakers, for instance, or Alcoholics Anonymous members would also be groups that may feel unable to join in. Similarly, we are not likely to attract families into our group either (we have one parent who is in the core of BarNone and I don't believe its very easy for her to be involved at present).

As a soon-to-be new parent, I know I can't take our baby to a smoky pub (one or two of you have already got a harsh word from me for smoking near our unborn child!). I guess my question is, are we really content with a church community that parents and their children are unable to join in? Is a childless church a church at all?

Of course, family-friendliness extend far beyond people's right to smoke. Smoke-free pubs are already common-place and sometimes more popular than their more hazy counterparts, and in a few months when the ban takes effect the smoking/non-smoking debate will be irrelevant anyway. In the meantime, I think its worth talking about whether we need to identify as smoker-friendly or smoke-free, family-friendly or family-free, child-friendly or child-free, and perhaps, while we do so, we'll make some decisions about where our priorities lie.

Please discuss!

Death and doctoring

Dear pubchurchers,

Thanks for those of you who prayed over the mistake I had made in work this week. Thankfully, it seems I had dealt with it in time and the lady concerned survived and looked one heck of a lot better today than when I saw her last on Friday. She's still as old, frail, cognitively impaired and immobile as she was before this episode but there is a strange rule that says that it is those patients who live on and those who are young who don't. To illustrate that rule one of my younger patients who I had shared a lot with died unexpectedly over the weekend. I am honoured that, before he passed, he shared some of his deepest thoughts with me. Even though I knew him for only a coupld of weeks, I'll miss him.

Tomorrow is my last day working on this ward. From Wednesday I'll be on leave awaiting the new life aboout to enter my family.

Life is filled with death and suffering and birth and joy.

When times are good be happy. When times are bad, consider: God made the one as well as the other.

So says the Teacher.