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                                                                                                                                                26.04.01

Morning Worship on the 26^th by the Pacific region. 

The morning worship service was taken by the Pacific group.  The start of the service was in a very “X-SIGHTING” manner where every one was asked to look in each other’s eyes in a very romantic manner and say: “Aren’t you glad you are sitting next to me”?.  The worship service was short and nice.  Everyone present was asked to be like the open flower, which gives out its smell to the world, which by its beauty attracts everyone and forces those who see it to stop and think about it.  We should also become like the flower and be a model Christian for others to see and say: “Yes, there goes a true Christian”.

“Distribution of Power itself determines the use of power among us”,

                                                                - says Dr. Musa.

Before we start the gist of your keynote address we would like to say that in Hindi language MUSA is the name for Moses.  Moses showed the way and liberated his people where people walked across the sea.   But folks this is 21^st century and here in GOA also near the sea we have a lady Musa…among us..WOW!         

Today we discovered how Jesus gives us power to celebrate and live out our liberation in our Christian lives. The power given to us women and men by Jesus has to be used affirmatively in relationships.  There is a link between power and gender.  In most cases and places women are denied power on the basis of gender construction.  Women are denied the following powers such as economic, political, intellectual and social power. They are also denied spiritual power.  They are encouraged to take it up but when the time comes a woman pastor is not accepted in the church.  This one-sided slant in the distribution of power between men and women is unhealthy.  Musa used examples from the bible to show how women were treated in the days when Christ lived amongst us.  Two incidents were quoted, the first one was about the bleeding women and the second one was about the little girl who rose from the dead.  By telling us these incidents Musa actually got us all to see the small incidents, which we never noticed.  For example, Musa brought out the women and their role in these incidents.  The gender divide and the power distribution in the presentation of the bleeding woman and Jairus’s approach to Jesus speak for themselves. 

Power characterizes all our relation ships and generally refers to “the ability or means” to do some thing or accomplish certain ends. 

“We strive to break down barriers which still divide women and men”, says Rev. Patricia Sheerattan Bisnauth of the WARC.

WARC and CWM have a lot in common said Patricia.  She said she and Francis met and saw that there were a lot of similarities in what they were doing.  As department for gender awareness and leadership development a lot of workshops and programmes are held.  In the workshops they concentrate more to adopt the method of sharing of experiences and they found out that for this types of workshops they do not need convener but a facilitator.  Patricia said that they do this regionally.  Gender issues when explained by the women who are facing them come from heart.  And the women have to be comfortable to speak about it.

Recently they had a workshop in Zambia in which Bishop Bowa also participated.  This is just the starting and they look forward to having more workshops in the future.  Southern regions are more emphasized.  We have regional area councils and we have local facilitators.  A local facilitator is called because an outsider will not have that much effect.  We are planning to have an workshop for Asia region in Sri Lanka.  We want to be supportive and work together on common issues like area of gender and economic justice.  Networking among the regions is very important and it is same as the team visits we are talking about here. 

We must be curious and find out what each other are doing and support them fully. 

I have learnt many things from this conference and I am also looking forward for a collaboration between us.    

Mrs. Muriel Garrow – United Reformed Church in the UK

Mrs. Muriel today brought out the facts that were not known to many of the participants.  She brought out the facts in the form of statistics.  The statistics were for the percentage of men and women attending the CWM councils and the percentage of men and women getting scholarships.  She also explained the reasons for why the number went up and down.  During an informal talk with her we came to know that she likes to tell stories.  In the early years she was involved in the Derbyshire links to India, but then after some years left it because her husband retired from ministry and they had to move to London.  “My work is important and it has given me a lot”, said Muriel.  She has visited the CNI and Taiwan and many other countries. 

During talking to her we found out a very interesting thing about how Derbyshire and India had a link.  In the year 1977 an Anglican Bishop from Derby told and Indian Bishop: “Let us have a partnership” and the Indian Bishop said ,”NO, first go back to your own church and start an ecumenical movement and only then we will have partnership”.  So then the Anglican Bishop took the challenge, went back, and organised an ecumenical group.  And thus started the famous Derby link. 

Poem…

Are you liberated – Liberate others

Are you healed – Heal others

Are you Empowered – Empower others

As the father sent Him –

So Jesus sends you !!

By Catherine Nkosi  [ Janam din Mubarak ho!] Happy Birthday in Hindi from all the CWM group members in Goa attending the conference on CWMM.

My Response to Theme Talk – 2, by Lucy Chua Malaysia

I am Jesus in so much as

He did not regard Equality a Thing to be grasped but willingly laid down his right to be equal to submit to the father’s will.

As a woman I am equal before God and man, I have as much right to everything a man has.  But as a wife and woman, I willingly lay down my right to lead and submit to male leadership so that he will understand what submission to God is.

I am a Scribe and Pharisee when I start telling others what to do.

I am the woman caught in Adultery when I allow circumstances and my weakness to dictate my actions.  Yes, we quote the law/ bible/ tradition to support our interpretation.  But isn’t that what we are doing here at the conference? 

Structural Violence has taken decades to construct. It may need to be removed brick by brick step by step.

Laugh A While…

Once a group of women and men went for a trek on the Mt. Everest.  While they were climbing they came very close to the peak and suddenly there was a problem! The rope, which was holding the 15 people was suddenly very wobbly.  So the whole group of 15 people were hanging by the rope between two mountains.  The leader of the group said that the rope was designed to hold the weight of only 14 people and so one of us had to sacrifice their lives.  No one came forward and the time was ticking.  It was an either one die or all die kind of a situation.   The leader was getting desperate and said that he would have died but he has a responsibility to look after everyone.  After some time the only women in the group said that she would sacrifice her life for the 14 men.  The men all started saying Thank you’s to her.  The time was short and the lady said that she would like to give a last speech.  So then all the men listened to the speech.  The lady became very emotional in her speech and by the time she finished her speech the men were so charged up that all of them gave a large cheer and clapped for her!

Never underestimate the power of a woman!

 Middle Time

Between the exhilaration of Beginning

And the satisfaction of Concluding

Is the Middle-time

Of enduring – Changing… Trying

Despairing Continuing…  Becoming.

Jesus Christ was the Person of God’s Middle-time

Between Creation and…  Accomplishment

Through him God said of Creation

“Without mistake”

and of Accomplishment

“Without doubt”

And we In our Middle-times

Of Wondering and Waiting

Hurrying and Hesitating

Regretting and Revising

We who have begun many things

And seen but few completed

We who are becoming more and less

Through the evidence of God’s Middle-Time

Have a stabilising hint

That we are not mistakes

That we are irreplaceable

That our being is of Interest

And our Doing is of purpose

That our Being and Doing

Are surrounded by Amen.

Jesus Christ is the Completer

Of unfinished people

With unfinished work

In unfinished times

May he keep us from sinking, from ceasing

From wasting, from solidifying

That we may be for him

Experimenters, Enablers, Encouragers,

And associates in Accomplishment.

                        Lona Fowler

Goa CWM Conference…

1. CWM Conference which is being held in Goa,

Has people from Korea to American Samoa.

There are representatives from the member

churches numbered to 32,

Which includes everyone from me to YOU!

2

Worships in the morning are done by different region,

And every day we all pledge to fly a pigeon.

A white pigeon of Peace , Equality and Prosperity,

And to live life together with constructiveness and hilarity.

3

Evening worships by Rev Verna, keynote addresses

by Dr. Musa and daily announcements by Francis,

are heard with lots of attention without taking any chances.

Group discussion are a time where everyone speaks,

And such is the concentration that no one

hears even if some one shrieks.

4. The group bring out lots of women’s problems and issues,

And all this is being done without the help of tissues,

Which are needed to wipe away the tears,

But now at this meeting there is no fear.

5

Fear of being rebuked for raising your voice,

Fear of being punished for voicing your choice.

Everyone here is equal and believes in Honesty,

No one is higher, lower or a member of a dynasty.

6

We are here to talk as one,

Solve the problems and fight and blame none.

We have to get our rights,

With love and might.

7

CWM is always here,

To help me and you dear.

To bring us out and fight issues as ferocious and dangerous as a Bear.

Who attacks even after being trained, because it is an animal brain.

So friends just like the unpredictable animal brain,

The issues and the problems will keep on raising its ugly head,

And you will be reminded of the issues in your dreams, long after you have gone to bed.

By Shona Thangavel

Candle light service in the evening…

The evening service was all about candles.  There was a candle lit on the table in the front, which added to the peace and calm of the worship service.

  Rev Verna reminded everyone of the previous worship service and how we all had spoken out loud the names of the persons who were a cloud of witnesses around us.  We were also reminded of confessions that were made, confession made to each other.  There were confessions we did not say to our neighbours and instead wrote them down.  There were also confessions that we did not confess and did not write even when we knew that they were going to be burned.  God has promised that he will forgive them.  Delegates were asked to share with each other passages from the bible, which empower others.  Many passages were shared…there were many verses that were quoted.  A mosaic of passages of Scripture was how Verna described the saying of the verses. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path’, was sung during the saying of the verses.   

A story was told about a little boy who started a project, which was about that if someone had done well for you then you should go out and do something good for three other people.  So he chose three people, which consisted of his mother, friend and teacher.  Boys always bullied his friend and so he decided that he would be brave and see what he could do about.  One day when the boy was going to his place he saw that his friend was being bullied.  He went to save his friend and saw that as soon as he went to save his friend the boys scolded him and then he was embarrassed that could not keep his promise.  But after some time he went and tried to save his friend and he was pulled and stabbed to death.  The whole community was shocked.  Then one day the boys mother and the saw that lot of people came to her house all with a lit candle.  Soon there was a small crowd; it was because the people had come to know about the project of PAY FORWARD.  So then the whole group sang this song.

CARRY YOUR CANDLE, Run to the darkness,

Seek out the helpless, Confused and worn,

Hold up your candle, for all to see it,

Take up your candle, Go light your world.

Your Reactions:

Well! Well! I would not say there was an “overwhelming or tremendous” response, because there was no such thing.  Actually out of the 40 participants I think only 4 persons read the newsletter!  Because only four replied.  All 4 were females. And all the 4 answers were YES she should have sat down.  Why did the men not respond is an mystery.  Maybe they think that it is an women’s thing.

Now why do you all think that she should have sat down?  Why could not she stay standing for the rest of her journey?  We say that that women and men should have equal rights and powers so why should she accept the seat. By accepting the seat she is ignoring the fight for gender justice.  This place will be available for your further comments.  Please write a few lines and you could put in your name if you want to.

I heartily thank those four Ladies who replied back.  Thank you very much for your responses.

CWM Family members at GOA.

Produced by:

Ms. Shona Thangavel, Church of North India,

For the Council for World Mission, Reporting from Goa.

E-Mail:  shona@nagpur.dot.net.in

&         develop@nagpur.dot.net.in