Happy Christmas- Finally

HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Spent this morning Worshiping the Lord today in Church. Ok not a terribly pc phrase, but that's what I did. This morning's Christmas Service was great it really helped me to put politics and life in brilliant perspective. The great thing about Wycliffe is that it reflects the community of Park quite well with a mixture of people and nationalities.

The Service made me ask myself why bother? Why do it? Why spend time being a Governor? Why Campaigning? Why being a Street Pastor? It is good to question your own motivation sometimes, especially when I have had a couple of knock backs recently.

So after spending a lovely afternoon with the McKenzie tribe, I apologise to my sister for mucking up her Facebook status, I was reminded. It is to be found in a bit of the Bible, a book of the Old Testament, Isaiah in fact.

Its not about me it is about the coming of Jesus, which we celebrated this morning at church.

I am sure that my political opponents will seek to use this against me and those that support me might be uncomfortable but it is still inspiring and I share it with you to see what you can make out of it.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Happy Christmas Again, Again

Crumbs what a lot of snow......

Spent the morning knocking on the doors of a number of neighbours who might not be able to clear their drives. A good way to keep warm in the morning.

Have loaded up an album of Park Ward in the snow so you can get a feel for what it looks like in the snow.



2009-12-22 08:28

Happy Christmas-Again

Went to the Pakistan Community Centre Christmas Party last week.

It was great to meet up with members of the Pakistani Community, Christian Community and local politicians to celebrate Christmas. We also heard a speach from the Chair of the Pakistani Bar Association.

I enjoyed a mixture of politicians and religious speakers trying to explain what the message of Christmas. I was particularly pleased to see the PCC taking the risk to celebrate, what is afterall, a Christian feast.

At least two of the politicians or hope to be politicians weren't asked to speak, I was one. The other one spent the meeting fuming and rudely complaining to the leaders of the community centre that he wasn't asked to speak. I also hear that when he went to the RISC, his spiritual home, he was still in a bad mood and was, according to my correspondent, rude to the staff.

So it was great to meet members of the Pakistani Community across the Ward. I always enjoying meeting Saleem and his team, and want to record my thanks for the event.

If you are in the Christmas mood, I can recommend the Christmas Eve service at Wycliffe Baptist Church. It takes place at 11.30 and is always a moving service, laying out the real meaning of Christmas and its impact in the world.

If you miss that then there's the Christmas Day Service. For more details follow this link

So in short  I would like to wish both, I mean all my readers a very happy and blessed Christmas. I hope that you enjoy a good break and come back to 2010 refreshed and excited about the challenges ahead.

Good News and Bad News

Spent a cold afternoon looking around the student areas of the Ward, checking on how the area was left at the end of term.

The Uni will be pleased to hear that there was a lot less rubbish than there is usually at the end of term, but there were a few areas where rubbish has been left in the streets and these have been reported to both the Uni and Council.

The question really remains as to why the Landlords don't look after their properties properly. Am a bit nervous as I have noticed that one of the worst landlords in Reading has bought a property in my road. I have had dealings with him before as he had a property next to mine when I lived in Norris Road. Time will tell.

On top of this I am a little concerned about the state of the roads, having slipped over delivering leaflets the other day. I have asked the Council if they can start to grit the side roads to stop accidents and general danger.

So am looking forward to Christmas........soon be here.

Thank You For Your Help......And Happy Christmas

Snow in Reading, snow everywhere it seems. This is what the snow looked like outside my house in Park Ward on Friday morning.

Once I had got over the euphoria of the snow, I had to go and Lollipop out side Alfred Sutton for the last time this term.

I was really suprised when parents came up to me to thank me for clarifing the "Greenspin" being put out be others. It appears that the area has been calling out for clear and honest information, which others hadn't been giving.

Lollipoping in the snow is hard work, you have to look in both directions at once and make sure that you have left drivers enough time to stop. The last time it snowed I saw at least 5 cars shunt into each other as they didn't stop in time.

Lies, Damn Lies and the Green Party

Am truely flabbergasted, the Green Party have set hares running by claiming that the Alfred Sutton Playing fields have been earmarked for development.

The only problem with this is that it isn't true. I have had a number of Alfred Sutton Parents ask me what is going on. Having checked with the Council I have found that there are NO plans to build on the playing fields.

The fields won protection when I and others fought in 1999 to protect them.  I was very involved in the campaign to restrict the number of houses in the Green Road development. I clearly remember working with residents to make sure that the field couldn't be built on.

If it comes to it we will fight again but it is dangerous and rediculous to try and frighten residents.

It is amazing the Greens are putting this rubbish in to the press and delivering leaflets trying to sell this lie. It is especially concerning that the Green's candidate is a Governor at Alfred Sutton and this kind of missinformation can only bring the school in to disrepute.

I attach a letter I have received from the Council about the playing fields which I publish here for you to read.


This will not be the end of the matter I am sure.

Crumbs Been Away

Sorry for long time away from Blogger, had to have a 2nd op last week and the 1-2 move of the 2 ops really wiped me out.

Absolutely did me in. Again hospital really good, really clean, really efficient. Am now fully mended, if a little washed out.

Went to see one of Reading's best kept secrets, Reading Youth Theatre. Ok my daughter is in it so am a little biased. The Theatre was set up as part of the RBC's effort to engage with the town's youth. There are several young people who come from East Reading, including my Sophie. They perform in the small Borough theatre South Street. They write and create all their own work utterly brilliant.

If you get the chance, go...

Now I am feeling better have been working on a big issue which I will talk about shortly.

Plant a Tree Save the World

Spent Saturday morning planting trees with other East Reading residents and Anneleise Dodds Labour PPC at Palmer Park Stadium. It was part of an effort to plant 1,000 trees in an hour with the BBC Tree O'Clock Campaign

It was great to see that people could work together to improve the environment. Strange though didn't see any politicians from other parties planting trees, shame really. The picture shows the volunteers just before we started digging.

The adults were planting Yew Trees in a hedge on the banking at the stadium and the children and young people were planting Beech Trees in front of the stadium.

Not sure how many trees were planted but after an hour or so the row of trees that we were planting looked pretty impressive.

This picture shows the the trees that I planted.

I had to retire hurt at the end of the session. On the same subject I have to go back in to hospital on Tuesday for somemore work on my kidney, nothing major but another day under General Anaesthetic. As I know I have a particular readership in France, in the Stassburg area I understand I attach a link to a youtube clip to give an indication of what happened last week and what will happen next week.

Click here for the link

Let there be light

Have spent the week recovering from my operation last week. Frankly felt very poorly most of the week. I found that if I sat on the sofa and didn't move to the left or to the right I was alright. Any movement and....

Despite this the ward work still piled up. I was in Newtown of an evening and noticed a lot of street lights out of order, so this necessitated some calls to the council to get the lights fixed. Once I had started the lights seemed to be out everywhere, so lots of phone calls to get them fixed.

Monday evening we brought the PCSO petition to the Council. Kelly, the Labour Candidate in Redlands made a very good speech to the Cabinet about the importance placed by residents and students on the PCSO's. I couldn't stay to late to hear the whole Cabinet as I was feeling a bit sore. As you can imagine my wife is very supportive to what I do but she has pointed out that I am supposed to be recouperating. Monday evening I thought she had a point.

I got a phone call on Wednesday to remind me that there was a governor meeting that I needed to go to. A couple of painkllers later then I appeared at the Community Committee meeting and ended up as Chair. I have to say it wasn't the best meeting I have chaired I am looking forward to the work we have to do. The painkillers were really strong and I felt quite strange at the meeting. Then to bed.

By the middle of the week I was fading again and so reverted to my sofa to try and feel better.