Sculpture at St Paul’s captures horror of war; Church of Scotland partners with Fresh Expressions; Metal theft legislation “step in right direction”
Sculpture at St Paul’s captures horror of war
A new sculpture depicting the devastating human cost of war has gone on display at St Paul’s Cathedral. The artwork, ‘Sorry, Sorry Sarajevo’, is a life-sized bronze sculpture of a man holding another man languishing in his arms.
It was created by Nicola Hicks in 1993 at the height of the Bosnian War and is being displayed in the cathedral as a reminder of the brutal warfare still blighting parts of the world.
The sculpture has been deliberately placed directly opposite Henry Moore’s 1983 sculpture, Mother and Child: Hood, to stimulate reflection on the contrast between birth and relationships, and the horrors and devastation of war.
Sorry, Sorry Sarajevo will remain on display until the end of 2013 and its display comes as the nation and the wider world prepares to mark the centenary of the First World War next year.
The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley, Chancellor of St Paul’s said: “The First World War claimed the lives of 16 million people and was described as ‘the war to end all war’. However, human conflict did not stop and within Europe as recently as the 1990s, the Bosnian War saw around 100,000 people killed, up to 50,000 women raped, and over two million people displaced.
“Nicola Hicks’ sculpture is a powerful and affecting study of the true grief of war. It is a military, but also piercingly human, pieta. The universality of the work reminds us that such militarised violence and death are still part of our world, and that history will always record the peacemakers and reconcilers, working to end the carnage, as the blessed ones.”
Its display at the cathedral has been welcomed by former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown, a vocal advocate of British action in the Balkans at that time and later High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He said: “Sarajevo is one of the greatest cities in the world. What it suffered over twenty years ago is a scar that painfully bears many lessons for not only Bosnia’s future but the world’s. I am really very pleased that Nicola Hicks’ sculpture is in St Paul’s Cathedral to help those lessons be learned.”
Church of Scotland partners with Fresh Expressions
The Church of Scotland has announced the start of a new partnership with the Fresh Expressions initiative. Fresh Expressions was launched in 2004 by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York together with the Methodist Council and has since grown to include The Salvation Army, the United Reformed Church, Church Army and 24/7 Prayer.
The springboard for the initiative was the Church of England’s ‘Mission-shaped Church’ report, which first coined the term ‘fresh expressions of church’.
The movement has given rise to the pioneering of hundreds of new congregations to complement more traditional forms of church.
As a part of the Fresh Expressions movement, the Church of Scotland will be supported in its efforts to develop fresh expressions of church.
Welcoming news of the partnership and appointment, Bishop Graham Cray, leader of the Fresh Expressions team, commented: “We have been working informally, and very fruitfully, with the Church of Scotland for some time now so I am delighted to see our partnership formalised. I look forward to many years of creative and effective mission through the planting of fresh expressions of church.”
The new partnership has been in formation for the last five years through the Church of Scotland’s Mission and Discipleship Council and the Ministries Council.
A new Joint Emerging Church Group (JECG) was created last year and its vision-setting report discussed at this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
The report spoke of the need to address the “many years of decline across the life of the Church” and invited every parish to explore the possibility of establishing a new expression of church appropriate to the local context by 2020.
The partnership with Fresh Expressions ties into this new impetus within the Kirk and will serve to help congregations by sharing experience.
The Reverend Colin Sinclair, Convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council, said: “There is a need for fresh thinking and trying things that are different because over 90% of folks in Scotland are just not connecting with the church.
“Not all are hostile to the church and some have had a church background but they need fresh ways to reimagine what they think the church is to be, what the Christian faith is all about, and how it could link to their own lives and context.”
Rev David Cameron, former Convener of the Joint Emerging Church Group, added: “One of the great things about being part of a Christian church is that we have much to learn from our brothers and sisters in many different denominations across the world.
“One of the things we’ve been impressed with over the years is the support that we’ve had from Fresh Expressions as we’ve begun to dip our toe in the water and attempt to turn the tide here in Scotland.
“We’ve been grateful for the experience thus far in journeying alongside Fresh Expressions, for the support and encouragement they’ve given us. It’s our hope that in entering into that partnership we’ll be able to glean from them, and learn from them, the lessons that will help us in this context as we move forward.
Metal theft legislation “step in right direction”
The Church of England has welcomed new UK legislation to punish rogue traders who buy and sell stolen scrap metal for cash. The decision to fine law breakers £5,000 and force all scrap metal dealers to apply to their local council for a licence to operate is good news
for the Church.
This is because parishes around the province have been the victim of more than 10,000 cases of metal theft between 2007 and 2012. The cost to repair the damage done was a staggering £27m.
Up until today’s announcement by the government, the lack of any legislation meant thieves and unscrupulous dealers could exploit soaring metal prices by targeting lead and copper roof coverings and pipes.
However, the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, clamps down on rogue traders and also gives local authorities and police new powers to inspect premises where they suspect illegal activity.
Magistrates will be able to issue fines of up to £5,000 to scrap metal dealers who trade in cash.
As well as having the power to issue licences, councils will be able to refuse or revoke licences if a dealer is deemed unsuitable.
Anne Sloman, Chair of the Church of England’s Church Buildings Council said, “The Council has worked hard with the Home Office to get this legislation on the statute book and we are grateful to Ministers and officials who have approached this problem with such determination.
“We believe it will be crucial in reducing the scourge of lead theft which has scarred so many of our churches in the past few years and caused such grief to congregations and communities who work hard to keep our 16,000 parish churches in good condition.
“The numbers of thefts are already going down, but we cannot be complacent. Every church roof that is vandalised by thieves is one too many and we must all remain vigilant. But this legislation is a very important step in the right direction.”
The UK’s Crime Prevention Minister Jeremy Browne said that metal theft costs the economy around £220 million a year and it has a huge impact on communities – from disrupted rail services to desecrated war memorials and damaged church roofs.
“Our changes, including increasing financial penalties and banning cash payments, have already helped slash metal theft across the UK,” he said.
“This new legislation will help tighten the net around rogue dealers who flout the rules and wilfully purchase stolen metal, while reforming the system to support legitimate businesses.”
For more information about the new law visit http://bit.ly/1bq8FAT