A Statement on Dialogue, Disagreement, and Communal Consultation

A Statement on Dialogue, Disagreement, and Communal Consultation

In days of old, Rector and Constable were able to rule as benevolent autocrats and were only accountable to an assembly of parishioners and that in a fairly limited sphere. In many ways this is much easier, and when all goes well it is fine, and it is also less time-consuming. But in today's world we can no longer, I believe, regard it as the right way for a Parish to run its affairs whether civil or ecclesiastical. An increasingly well educated and vocal community must have a part in the ordering of its communal life and this should now, in my view, be built into the official fabric of the working of both civil and ecclesiastical communities in our Island” (Canon Michael Halliwell, Rector of St Brelade 1971-1996)

In our life together as a parish, people often turn to Scripture for guidance on how to handle differences. One passage frequently cited is Matthew 18:15–17, where Jesus instructs us to address sin privately at first, then with witnesses, and finally with the wider church if reconciliation fails. This teaching is vital for dealing with moral fault and personal wrongdoing. Yet it is important to recognize that Matthew 18 is not about silencing debate or discouraging discussion. It is about healing relationships when sin has caused harm.

Disagreement, however, is not the same as sin. Throughout the New Testament, we see examples of faithful people debating openly about matters of practice and interpretation. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas entered into “sharp dispute and debate” with others over whether Gentile converts must follow the Law of Moses. The apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem, listened to testimony, and reached a communal decision. This was not handled privately, nor was it treated as moral failure—it was discernment through dialogue.

Similarly, in Galatians 2, Paul recounts how he opposed Peter (Cephas) publicly when Peter withdrew from eating with Gentiles. Paul believed this action compromised the truth of the gospel, and so he challenged Peter openly. This was not a matter of personal sin to be hidden away, but a question of practice that affected the whole community. Scripture shows us that open debate, even confrontation, can be necessary when the integrity of our shared life is at stake.

In our own time, we face similar challenges. Practices and traditions, whether liturgical observances, symbolic acts, or communal customs, can evoke strong feelings and differing interpretations. To treat every disagreement as “sin” is to misapply Scripture and risk stifling the Spirit’s work among us. Instead, we are called to distinguish between moral fault, which requires reconciliation, and honest difference, which requires dialogue.

The quote from Michael Halliwell remindeds that in days past, Rector and Constable could rule as "benevolent autocrats", accountable only in limited ways to parishioners. That may have been simpler, but it is no longer fitting for today’s world. We live in an increasingly well‑educated and vocal community, and it is right that parishioners have a part in ordering our communal life. This principle applies not only to civil governance but also to ecclesiastical practice. Consultation, transparency, and shared discernment are not burdens—they are blessings that strengthen trust and unity.

Therefore, when disagreements arise in a parish, I suggest the following:

• Disagreement is not sin. It is part of the Spirit’s work in shaping us together.
• Open dialogue is biblical. Acts 15 and Galatians 2 show that debate belongs within the life of the church.
• Consultation is essential. As Halliwell notes, our communities flourish when decisions are not imposed but discerned together.

Churches should therefore commit themselves to a parish life where differences are aired respectfully, where Scripture guides us toward discernment, and where consultation is built into our fabric. In doing so, we honour both the gospel’s call to reconciliation and the Spirit’s call to communal discernment.

The church should be one that listens, debates, and decides together, not as autocrats and subjects, but as brothers and sisters in Christ, seeking truth in love.

A Critical Scrutiny of the Social Security Minister's Statement

Damage Limitation after public outcry

The Minister’s statement of 19 January can be read as a defensive attempt to reassure the public that she has not cut JET’s base funding, but it is open to significant criticism when placed against the wider context of her tenure and the trust’s own response. She has been in office since early 2024, and during that time she has had ample opportunity to reform the outdated funding arrangement that governs JET’s support. 

Yet despite acknowledging that the arrangement is “old and out-of-date,” she has only now introduced a limited RPI-linked uplift, despite being nearly two years into her role. This delay makes her position appear reactive rather than strategic, as though she is responding to immediate criticism rather than having pursued a long-term plan to secure the trust’s sustainability. For an organisation that provides vital services to disabled Islanders, the absence of foresight is a serious failing.

The Minister’s statement confirms that JET’s baseline funding has been given an RPI uplift for the current year only, not a guaranteed uplift across all ten years. It is described as part of stabilisation funding for 2026. There is no commitment in the statement to apply RPI uplift automatically for each of the next ten years. Instead, the Minister stresses that future funding will depend on a new contract and Treasury approval, with “future‑proofing safeguards” considered once a sustainable model is agreed.

The previous reliance on one-off grants further undermines the credibility of her statement. She points to the £785,000 top-up in 2025 and the £200,000 in 2026 as evidence of government support, but these are ad hoc measures dependent on underspends elsewhere in the department. Such funding is inherently unstable, leaving JET unable to plan confidently for the future. A charity that depends on unpredictable top-ups cannot secure staff, develop programmes, or reassure clients that services will continue uninterrupted. By failing to embed inflation-proofed funding permanently into the baseline, or backtracking it over ten years, the Minister has left JET exposed to uncertainty, and her statement does little to disguise that weakness with her statement that she would never remove baseline funding. Critics can argue that this approach amounts to patching holes rather than building a sustainable foundation.

The Minister also places significant emphasis on data-sharing, suggesting that delays in agreeing to share information with government have held back reform. Yet JET’s board has made clear that it has, for years, shared all information it is legally permitted to provide. The barrier is not reluctance on JET’s part but the constraints of data protection legislation, a position of which the department was fully aware. This clarification exposes a gap between the Minister’s narrative and the legal reality. By framing JET as obstructive, she risks misrepresenting the situation and unfairly shifting blame onto the trust. In effect, she has used “data-sharing” as a scapegoat for her own delay in reforming funding, despite knowing that the law prevented the sharing of personal client data. This undermines trust between government and the charity, and it raises questions about whether the Minister is more concerned with deflecting criticism than with solving the problem.

The tone of the statement itself is reactive rather than strategic. By stressing that she “has not cut base funding,” the Minister appears to be engaging in damage control rather than setting out a vision for sustainable disability support. Her rhetoric about a strong disability inclusion agenda rings hollow when the funding insecurity of JET directly undermines services for disabled Islanders. The contradiction between policy rhetoric and practical delivery is stark: she claims commitment to inclusion, yet her actions have left a key provider uncertain of its future. This inconsistency weakens her credibility and suggests that her agenda is more about appearances than substance.

The implications of these criticisms are significant. Service instability means that disabled Islanders cannot be confident in the continuity of support. Public trust in government is eroded when ministers appear to misrepresent facts or deflect responsibility. And politically, the Minister is vulnerable to the charge that she had nearly two years to embed RPI safeguards and negotiate sustainable contracts but failed to act until forced by external pressure. The board’s clarification about data-sharing only sharpens this critique, showing that the obstacles she cites were known and manageable, and that her failure lies in not finding lawful, constructive alternatives.

Taken together, the criticisms highlight a pattern: the Minister has been slow to act, reliant on temporary fixes, and willing to deflect responsibility onto JET rather than confront the systemic flaws in funding. Her statement may reassure some that base funding has not been cut, but it does not address the deeper issue of sustainability. For Islanders who depend on JET’s services, this is not a matter of political rhetoric but of daily life and dignity. The Minister’s failure to embed inflation-proofed funding earlier, coupled with her misrepresentation of the data-sharing issue, leaves her open to the charge that she has undermined both the trust and her own disability inclusion agenda. In the end, the statement reads less like a plan for the future and more like an attempt to cover for past inaction.

Debate in the States?

Now that there is a petition on the matter which has reached 5,000 signatures, should there be a debate?
Technically, the States Assembly could decide not to hold a debate even when that number is reached. But the damage of ignoring it would be considerable, because the threshold is meant to signal significant public concern and provide Islanders with a formal route into parliamentary discussion. If the Assembly were to disregard it, the message would be that even when citizens follow the rules and mobilise in large numbers, their voices can still be set aside.

A petition with 5,000 signatures represents a substantial proportion of Jersey’s population. To ignore it would risk alienating not just those who signed, but also the wider community sympathetic to the cause. In this case, the issue touches on disability inclusion and the funding of JET, which carries moral weight. Politicians who appeared complicit in brushing aside the petition could face reputational damage and electoral consequences, as opponents would seize on the decision as evidence of indifference or arrogance.

Jersey’s government often speaks of fairness, inclusion, and transparency. To ignore a petition that has reached the advisory threshold would undermine those principles in practice. It would look like a government unwilling to engage with uncomfortable issues, preferring procedural escape routes over open debate. That contradiction would be especially stark given the petition concerns services for disabled Islanders, a group whose voices are already vulnerable to being overlooked.

Finally, it should be noted that petitions are one of the few mechanisms by which Islanders can directly influence the Assembly’s agenda. If the Assembly ignored this one, it would send a signal that collective action is futile. That could discourage future participation, leaving Islanders disengaged and resentful. In a small jurisdiction like Jersey, where civic involvement is vital to community life, such disengagement would be damaging.

So while the threshold is advisory, ignoring it would carry real costs: undermining trust, damaging political credibility, contradicting values, and discouraging civic engagement. In practice, the Assembly would gain little by refusing a debate, but it would risk a great deal in terms of legitimacy and public confidence. Even if the debate is uncomfortable, holding it is the healthier path for democracy.

A Short Story: The Lecture Room

 

The Lecture Room

The room smelled of chalk dust and old varnish. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of desks—each one occupied, each student hunched over notebooks, eyes glazed, pens moving not with curiosity but obligation.

At the front, Dr. Ellison stood like a relic. His jacket hung loose on his frame, the cuffs frayed, the collar stained with years of coffee and indifference. He spoke without inflection, his voice a low drone that filled the room like fog. Behind him, the blackboard bore the scars of past lectures—half-erased equations, ghostly outlines of diagrams, and today’s fresh scrawl: a mess of symbols that might once have meant something.

He didn’t look at the students. He didn’t ask questions. He simply wrote, spoke, handed out the assignment, and waited.

The scripts came back in silence. He marked them in silence. Red pen. Tick. Cross. “Incomplete.” “Correct.” “See notes.” The rhythm was mechanical. The names meant nothing. The handwriting blurred together. He didn’t read—he processed.

Outside, the world moved. Leaves fell. Rain came. But inside the lecture hall, time was fixed. Each student had their place. Each lecturer had their role. The bounds were clear, the expectations clearer.

Once, years ago, Ellison had tried something different. He had paused mid-lecture and asked, “Why do you think this matters?” A few students had looked up, startled. One had even answered. But the department chair had called him in later that week. “Stick to the syllabus,” she’d said. “We’re not here to philosophize.”

So he stopped asking.

He stopped wondering.

He stopped trying.

Now, he taught the way he was taught. He marked the way he was marked. He existed within the system, a cog in a machine that neither welcomed nor punished deviation—it simply ignored it.

One afternoon, a student lingered after class. A quiet boy, always in the back row. He approached the desk and said, “I think I understand the equations. But I don’t understand the point.”

Ellison looked at him. Really looked. The boy’s eyes were tired, but not dull. There was something there - something reaching out.

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Then said, “The point is to pass.”

The boy nodded slowly. “Right.”

He left.

Ellison sat alone in the empty hall. The blackboard still bore his scrawl. The scripts still waited to be marked. He stared at the chalk in his hand, then at the board, then at the door.

He thought of saying something different next time. Of writing something that wasn’t part of the syllabus. Of asking again.

But he didn’t.

Because he remembered the meeting. The memo. The silence that followed.

And so he picked up the next script. Tick. Cross. “See notes.”

Alas for he that tries to be human.

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, August 1997 - Part 6

Still time to take part in the Celebration of Christian Reconciliation
Guernsey, 20th-27th September 1997

THE Channel Islands were the only British territories to be occupied during World War II. Many of the children were evacuated to England, separated from their parents and frequently from their brothers and sisters. On their return five years later, many did not know or recognise each other. Some even wished to return to their foster families. For many these painful memories were resurrected when Guernsey celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation in 1995, a joyful celebration for those who had endured the war years on the Island.

The Chairman of the Guernsey Council of Churches was herself a child refugee and felt the need to share the pain and confusion that World War II had brought to countless children on both sides. Thus the concept was born to invite German Christians of all denominations and those who were in Guernsey during the Occupation to pray and share these experiences together and enjoy a week in each other's company. The Rev Canon Paul Oestreicher of Coventry Cathedral, the Right Rev Jonathan Gledhill, Bishop of Southampton and other leading church-men will lead the prayers and discussion groups each evening, and church, cultural and outdoor events will be arranged for our guests and church members.

There is a poignant entry in the register of St Sampson's Church by Oberleutnant Burkert dated 8th May 1945. This was the last service he conducted for the German troops:

"I express my thanks for all the love of Christ which has come to us in this house of God during our stay in Guernsey. I pray that the Lord may lead the world towards the Eternal Goal of His Heavenly Kingdom and establish a Peace higher than all human understanding. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and to-day and forever."

This hope is shared by our Chairman and many others in Guernsey for the benefit of future generations. With the help of the German Embassy, Wilhelm Burkert, now aged 83, and his wife have been traced and they will also be in Guernsey for the Reconciliation Week. "We wish to take part in this important and helpful event." He speaks of the religious revival amongst the German troops in the winter of 1944/45 and how some studied Theology in the PoW camps in England and Scotland between 1945 and 1948 under his tuition. A reunion was held in London and Coventry in 1995 for this "University behind the Barbed Wire."

Reconciliation was the theme of the second European Ecumenical Assembly held at Graz in Austria in June this year at which Councils of Churches throughout Europe were encouraged to present reconciliation initiatives.

Robin Gurney from the European Ecumenical Council in Geneva together with the Bishop of Winchester have been to Guernsey to launch Guernsey's initiative. The Rev Peter Lane represented Guernsey at Graz. The invitation to celebrate Christian Reconciliation in Guernsey from 20th-27th September has been sent to Germany.

The Guernsey Council of Churches believes there are German Christians resident in the UK and people with Guernsey connections, particularly with wartime memories who would also like to take part. They are requested to contact Guernsey Travel Services Ltd, Les Goubeys, Vale, Guernsey for information on travel and accommodation.

Celebrate Christian Reconciliation in Guernsey this September 

 A WORLD of DIFFERENCE

THE celebration of Christian reconciliation will take place in Guernsey from 20th to 27th September 1997 and a warm invitation is extended to members of all Christian denominations throughout Germany to participate.

The theme of the Second European Ecumenical Assembly, held in Graz in June, was titled: 'Reconciliation - Gift of God and source of New Life'

Local Councils of Churches throughout Europe are being encouraged to promote initiatives which will develop this theme, in ways appropriate to their own situations. In Guernsey there are churches of many traditions, Catholic and Protestant, and all would welcome the opportunity to meet Christians from the new Germany, of their own as well as of other denominations. It might be possible in some cases to arrange for individual congregations to be "twinned" with their Guernsey counter-parts. It is believed that there is much to be shared between both Christian communities and to be learnt from each other.

The Secretariat of the Conference of European Churches has defined "Reconciliation" in this context as "Getting on with each other again and being friends; it is the work of God's love as expressed in Jesus Christ."

Guernsey has many excellent hotels and comfortable guest houses where you would be made very welcome. This will not be a typical holiday as the occasion is seen by the Guernsey Council of Churches as a special opportunity for shared Christian friendship. In addition, those taking part will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery and cultural attractions which the Island is proud to offer, meet local Christians and their families, join in Church gatherings and receive a warm welcome from the Guernsey Tourist Board

 

A WORLD of DIFFERENCE

NINE BY FIVE - that's the size of it. That is Jersey. A mere speck on the face of the Globe. Are we then just too small to figure in the affairs of the wide world?

Well, we may not be the centre of the universe but that should not diminish our significance or role. Our world is a precious whole which each of us affects for better or for worse. There is only one world and in it, each of us is creative or destructive. Each of us adds to or detracts from the value of its life. Each of us can poison or pollute it. Each of us can sweeten or refresh it. Each of us has a significant part to play in it.

You remember John Donne saying that no man is an island entire unto himself. Well, no island is an island entire unto itself either. We belong to our world and to each other and we cannot divorce ourselves from the reality of the responsibilities implied therein.

Moreover, God knows we are important and asks us to join Him in recreating our world, which is His world, which we can all share together. With regret, all of us know that in too many ways it is sadly damaged and neglected.

But let's take heart. Even as a small Island we can contribute usefully to the value of the whole of human life. We have many blessings to share and many more we can find in our world if we look for them.

I commend to you ONE WORLD WEEK which comes in October from 19th to 26th. Look out for ways to share this in Jersey.

Do we need a challenge to enjoy life? Read Deuteronomy 30 where God says to us: I set before you this day, life and death, blessing and cursing. Choose blessing and life!

BILL MATTHEWS

One World Movement
TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD

No Island is an island entire unto itself and jersey has a vital part to play in sharing responsibility for our world.

All of us have a precious part to play in shaping the future and maybe the survival of our planet.

We can rejoice in the riches of our world BUT . . .

issues have to be tackled and tasks embraced before our hopes can become realities.

One World Week addresses these issues:

I. POVERTY

Perhaps our biggest problem but one we can solve given the will. We work together in the International Decade for the Eradication of Poverty.

2. ENVIRONMENT

Our precious planet needs our loving care and we alone can save it.

3. RACISM

Self-interest has shattered human communities but we can rebuild from where we are.

4. OVERSEAS AID

As a rich Island we give less than we could to help others.

5. DEMOCRACY

Effective participation is difficult even for us in Jersey but it is not even an option for too many powerless people.

The One World movement seeks ways of re-educating each other to make a better world a reality for Century 21.

Saturn Falling

One from  the archive from 21 February 2005. This looks at the idea in Neopaganism of "Drawing Down the Moon", and also draws upon the descent of the planetary spirits in C.S. Lewis "That Hideous Strength", but here the object is not the moon but Saturn, in the old solar tongue, known as "Lurga".

Saturn Falling

Come Saturn, ancient planet,
In far distant space, cast a net,
And draw in rings, many bands
Of colour, falling light on lands;
Antiquity rising, now come down,
Cold pressure descending, a gown
Of mystic purpose, heavy burden:
A crushing weight of glory then,
Like mountains of centuries past,
Layered, deep, so huge and vast;
Freezing waters, such biting cold,
Unendurable sorrow, so very old;
Yet strength as well, hard as rock,
As granite walls, the waves do mock,
Fling back the breaking seas, endure:
This is Lurga, ancient of days, sure
To strengthen us with powers blast;
But a fraction of the planet cast,
More would unmake us, take care:
Saturn descending, become aware.

Visitors Guide to The Channel Islands 1967 - Bars - Part 4

WOODLANDS HOTEL

Delightfully situated with panoramic views overlooking the Royal Bay of Grouville, the famous Mount Orgueil Castle and picturesque Gorey harbour.

The bar is spacious, opening to our terrace, and the dance floor is small but intimate with dancing to the popular Jim Henry Trio Tuesdays and Saturdays. Dine in our most attractive Restaurant and dance later. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, dancing to the Seeburg Discotheque.

Manageress: Mrs. J. M. Barnes.

Hours of opening:
Weekdays: 10.30 a.m.-2.0 p.m. 6 p.m.-12 midnight
Sundays: 11.0 a.m.-1.0 p.m. 6 p.m.-11.30 p.m.

ROSE GRILL
Old Government House, Guernsey 24921.

Worth a trip to Guernsey!

For that extra special evening the Rose Grill offers an extensive a la Carte menu and wine list at reasonable prices. Realising that comfort and good food are of little value without good service kind and constant attention to the requests of those visiting the Rose Grill is the first aim of every member of the staff. Diners show their appreciation by the frequency with which they return. Diners are also most welcome to the amenities of the delightful Rose Bar adjacent to the Grill. A new speciality is Escallop de Veau Elizabeth, and a range of 72 different wines is offered to diners.

Manager: J. S. Penman.
Chef: Gunter Loser. Head Waiter: Andre.

Lunch: 12.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Dinner: 7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.

RESTAURANT LU-SHAN
Maufant, St. Saviour, Jersey,
Tel. East 808

This restaurant, situated in the quiet countryside of Maufant in a granite farmhouse, boasts no gimmicks other than good food.

You can enjoy an excellent Chinese dinner or banquet cooked in the style practised in Central China, with one or two favourite Cantonese dishes included. The price is moderate—about £1 per head for an excellent dinner; the wine list is small but inexpensive.

DUCK is the speciality of the house.

It is advisable to book as the restaurant is small, and as it is not easy to find ask for directions.

Proprietor: C. K. Chiang.

Recommended by the Good Food Guide of Great Britain.

Lunch from 12-2. Dinner 7-10.30
Tuesday — Closed
Sunday—Dinner only.

Christianity in Action: Lesson 13: Control of our love of Ease.

Lesson 13: Control of our love of Ease.
By G.R. Balleine

[Warning: Balleine was writing in the 1920s and 1930s, and his views and language reflect many at that time. However, as a time capsule of the prevailing beliefs, this can be very useful for the historians of that period.]

LESSON FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT.

PASSAGE TO BE READ : St. Matthew viii. 18-20.
TEXT TO BE LEARNT : " What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul " (St. Matt. xvi. 26).
HYMNS: “Jesus calls us o'er the tumult " and " 0 Jesus, I have promised."
COLLECTS for Second Sunday in Lent and St. Matthew.

AIM : To save your class from becoming soft, flabby, pleasure-loving, easy-going mollycoddles.

I. THE CHOICE.

(a) Pope Benedict XIV decreed that no one could be canonized, that is to say, officially given the title of Saint, unless his life showed in a marked way four great virtues—Courage, Justice, Prudence and Self-control. We shall think of the first three virtues later. During Lent we are thinking about Self-control,

(b) The Greeks had a well-known legend of the Choice of Hercules. They said that when he was a big boy he went for a walk to think out what he should do with his future life. Two girls met him. One had bold staring eyes, and was dressed in gaudy colours. " If you will take me for a friend," she said, " you shall have a jolly time. You shall eat and drink and sleep and dance, and never do any work or take any trouble." " What is your name ? " he asked. " My friends call me Pleasure," she said, " but my enemies call me Vice." The other girl was modest and graceful and dressed all in white. " I want you to be my friend," she said, " but I will not deceive you with promises of an easy time. God gives nothing excellent without care and labour. If you wish to be loved, you must serve. If you want to be honoured by your country, you must work for it. If you want to have a strong body, you must train it by toil and exercise." Here Vice interrupted the second maiden, whose name was Virtue, saying : " Don't you see, Hercules, how wearisome a road this girl will make you travel Mine is a short and easy path to perpetual merriment." " Shameless liar," replied Virtue, "you destroy all those who follow you. My friends have the only true enjoyment, which comes as the reward of labour. No honourable deed is ever done without me." We know which maiden Hercules chose, for his twelve labours made him famous, and he became a mighty hero.

(c) The Old Testament tells the story of the Choice of Moses. The daughter of the King of Egypt, when she went to bathe, found the baby Moses floating in a, basket in the Nile. The baby was " exceeding fair," and, when he began to cry, she took pity on him and adopted him as her son. Moses was brought up like a prince in the royal palace, dressed in the richest clothes, fed on the daintiest foods, waited on by an army of slaves. He was " instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," and became " mighty in words and in deeds." Josephus says that he became commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army, and that Pharaoh intended to make him heir to the throne. Whether that is true or not, by the time he was forty he was a prosperous and important person, enjoying the luxury, and the culture, and the enjoyments of the Court. But one day something reminded him that he was an Israelite. He determined to visit his own people. " He went out unto his brethren, and looked upon their burdens." He found them poor, ignorant and dirty, digging clay out of muddy pits, kneading it with feet and hands, and shaping it into bricks, while Egyptian overseers with long whips refused to let them rest. Then this daintily brought-up Prince made an amazing choice : he determined to throw up his position in the palace, and to throw in his lot with these downtrodden slaves. " When he was grown up he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season " (Heb. xi. 24). His decision was a fine one, but his next step was foolish. He murdered one of the Egyptian overseers, and then as he had no plans ready for a revolt of the slaves, he had to fly into the Wilderness, and work there for years as a shepherd, waiting for a chance of doing something to deliver his people. If he had chosen the soft path his name might have been known to-day to a few scholars as one of the minor characters of Egyptian history. But because he chose the hard path, his name is known to everybody as one of the greatest figures in the world's history.

(d) The New Testament gives us the story of the Choice of Jesus. When our Lord left the carpenter's shop to take up His public work, He had to think out what plan He should follow. There arose before His mind a vision of " all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them," and the thought stole into His brain, " Why should I not be a King ? " At this time the whole known world was ruled by one man, the Roman Emperor, and this post was not confined to any one family. The most capable man in the Empire could be Emperor. The Empire contained no one so wise and powerful, if He cared to use His powers, as Jesus Christ. Why should He not rule the world as Emperor ? But He saw that this could only be done by lowering His ideals, by bowing the knee to Satan. He thrust the thought away with the words, " Get thee hence, Satan " ; and He chose the way of poverty ; He became a wandering preacher without a shelter for His Head ; He chose the road that ended in arrest and the cross. And, because He did so, half the world recognizes Him as its greatest Hero.

II THE SLACK LIFE.

(a) A slack self-indulgent life is bad for everyone. An Indian Rajah said to his vizier, " Why am I so often ill ? I don't go out in the rain. My clothes are warm. My food is good. Yet I am always catching colds." " Overmuch care," replied the vizier, " is worse than none at all. Let us walk in the fields." They met a poor shepherd. His cloak was torn. He was always exposed to dew and frost and heat. He slept in a draughty but made of plaited branches. " Do you ever suffer from cold ? " asked the Prince. " No," said he, " I have never been ill in my life." But the Prince said to the vizier, " This man proves nothing. He is probably so strong that nothing could make him ill." " Let us see," said the vizier. They took the shepherd to live in the palace. He was sheltered from cold and heat, And fed on dainty food. One day he stepped on a damp floor that had just been cleaned, caught cold, and died.

(b) Lot was Abraham's nephew. In time their flocks grew so large that it was necessary for them to separate. Abraham generously allowed Lot to choose what part of the land he would settle in. Lot saw the Plain of Jordan " that it was well-watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord " ; and there stood the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, offering a rich market for his butter and cheese, his wool and his meat. " That is the place," he said, " to grow rich easily. That is the place for me." First he " pitched his tent towards Sodom." Then he went to live inside Sodom. Then he became one of the elders of the city and " sat in the gate." But things did not go well with him. The rich city was raided by desert tribes, plundered and sacked, and Lot would have ended his life in slavery if Abraham had not rescued him. Then God wiped out the sinful city by a great volcanic eruption : and Lot ended his life as a penniless refugee, living miserably in a cave. It was Abraham, who chose the hard life on the barren hills, who became great and prosperous.

(c) Legend says that a bird of Paradise rested by a river in which a crane was catching snails. " Where do you come from " asked the crane in amazement. " I come from Heaven," said the beautiful bird. " What is that ? " asked the crane. The other began to describe the glories of the Land of God, but the crane interrupted, " Are there any snails there ? " " No, of course not." " Then you can have your Heaven. I want snails." Abraham chose Heaven. Lot chose the snails. Quote Text.

III. THE STRENUOUS LIFE.

(a) The finest race among the Greeks was the Spartans . Their laws put down all luxury. No houses might be built of anything but logs of wood. The only beds allowed were bundles of reeds from the river. Lest they should feed too daintily, meals of broth and cheese and figs were served at public tables, and no one was allowed to eat at home. But they grew to be the strongest and hardiest race in the ancient world.

(b) But we take as our example, not the Spartans, but Christ. Notice how He spurned all luxury : born in a stable ; working as a carpenter ; a preacher without a home ; sleeping in the open air. Read Passage. He said that the rich man surrounded by luxuries would find it as difficult to be a Christian as a camel would find it to pass through the eye of a needle.

(c) The young Christian must follow the advice which St. Paul gave to Timothy : " Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. ii. 3). Lent calls us to make a special effort to practise this.

Jeeves and the Cocktail Catastrophe

Jeeves and the Cocktail Catastrophe
(in the style of P.G. Wodehouse)

It all began, as these things often do, with Aunt Agatha. She rang me up one morning, her voice brimming with the sort of steely resolve that usually precedes a demand for matrimonial sacrifice or moral improvement.

“Bertie,” she said, “you are to attend Lady Snodgrass’s social evening on Thursday. It is a gathering of the right sort - no jazz bands, no chorus girls, and absolutely no trousers of a dubious hue.”

“But Aunt Agatha,” I protested, “I’ve a prior engagement with the Drones Club’s annual sardine relay.”

“Cancel it,” she snapped. “You must learn to mix with people of substance. And wear something that doesn’t make you look like a Balkan revolutionary.”

With that, the line went dead, and Jeeves, who had been lurking with the air of a man about to suggest a restorative, raised one eyebrow.

“Lady Snodgrass’s social party, sir?”

“The very same, Jeeves. Apparently, it’s the height of glory of the early twentieth century.”

“Indeed, sir. I shall lay out the grey lounge suit and remove the crimson cravat from circulation.”

Thursday arrived with all the ominous trimmings. I found myself deposited in a drawing room that smelled faintly of lavender and moral superiority. The guests were already assembled, sipping cocktails with the sort of delicacy usually reserved for communion wine and exchanging remarks about the weather, the Empire, and the correct way to fold a napkin.

“Good evening,” said Lady Snodgrass, appearing like a duchess in full bloom. “Do come in.”

I complied, as one does when faced with a hostess who could probably have you flogged for declining.

The lounge was a sea of polite nods and conversational nonsense. One fellow was explaining the virtues of his new umbrella stand, while another waxed lyrical about the decline of the cucumber sandwich. I attempted to inject a note of gaiety by mentioning the sardine relay, but was met with the sort of silence usually reserved for tax audits.

Jeeves, meanwhile, had stationed himself near the drinks tray, dispensing wisdom and brandy with equal precision.

“Jeeves,” I hissed, sidling up to him, “this is ghastly. I feel like a waxwork in a museum of etiquette.”

“Indeed, sir. The atmosphere does appear somewhat... performative.”

“Performative? It’s a blasted theatre of triviality. These people are frittering away the hours with fashionable idiocy.”

“Quite so, sir. Might I suggest a discreet exit?”

“Can you engineer one?”

“I believe Lady Snodgrass’s cat has a tendency to become agitated near the piano. A well-timed disturbance may provide the necessary diversion.”

Five minutes later, the cat - a Persian with delusions of grandeur - was yowling atop the piano, having been gently encouraged by a strategically placed sardine. The guests scattered, cocktails sloshed, and I made my escape under cover of feline chaos.

Back at the flat, I collapsed into a chair and regarded Jeeves with the gratitude of a man rescued from conversational purgatory.

“Jeeves,” I said, “you are a marvel. That party was the very definition of how the mighty have fallen.”

“Thank you, sir. Shall I prepare a restorative?”

“Make it a double. And burn the invitation list.”

Plough Sunday Service

🌾 Plough Sunday Service

A Celebration of the Agricultural Year

THE WELCOME

Welcome and Notices
(Congregation may stand as the plough is brought to the church door)

A Farmer says:
We come on Plough Sunday as representatives of the people to this Parish Church
to offer the work of the countryside to the service of God.

The Rector responds:
The Lord prosper you!
The Lord look over you and bless you,
and may God preserve your going out and your coming in,
from this time forth, for evermore.

---

HYMN - We Plough the Fields and Scatter

(As the hymn is sung, the plough is carried through the church)

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it
The compass of the world and they that dwell within
The Lord looked upon the earth and filled it with his blessings
While the earth remains, seed time and harvest,
and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.
Those that plough should plough in hope.
Our help is in the name of the Lord who has made heaven and earth.

---

PRAYER

(Please sit or kneel)
Let us pray. (A silence is held)

Almighty God, with whom we can do everything,
without whom we can do nothing.
Open our eyes that we may see you,
open our lips that we may praise you,
open our hearts that we may know you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

---

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

A Farmer leads us in confession.

No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back,
is fit for the Kingdom of God.

When we are grateful for the rain, and the sun, the snow and the frost,
in their season, and forget they are God’s gifts to us.
When we are blind to the mystery of germination,
and forget it is God’s handiwork.
When we fail to reach the high standards of animal husbandry we set ourselves,
and forget they are God’s gift to us.
When we are unkind to people and forget they are God’s children.
When we scamp our work, and forget we are God’s workers.
When we lapse in our stewardship of the land
and forget it is the splendour of God.
O God, forgive us.
O God, forgive us.

Absolution:
May the almighty and all-loving Father make you clean
from the wrong you have done in the past.
May our merciful Lord and Saviour Jesus
make you strong to sin no more in the future.
May the gracious and life-giving Holy Spirit
make you faithful to God again today,
to whom be the glory for ever and ever.
Amen

---

HYMN - For the Beauty of the Earth

(Feel free to stand. Please sit afterward.)

---

READING

Reader concludes:
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

---

THANKSGIVING

A Farmer leads us in thanksgiving.

From God comes every good and perfect gift.
From God comes every good and perfect gift.
The rich soil, the smell of the fresh turned earth
From God they come
Keenness of a winter’s frost, workers’ breath, and horses steaming
From God they come
The hum of the tractor, the gleam of a cutting edge
From God they come

The wheeling of the birds, worker’s shouts and laughter
From God they come

The seamed hand, the knotted arm, the sweat of the brow,
the skill of the ploughman
From God they come

The beauty of a clean cut furrow, the sweep of a well ploughed field
From God they come

Blessed be God in all his gifts
and holy in all his works.

---

🎶 THE GLORIA (to the tune of Amazing Grace)

(Please stand)

All Glory be to God in heaven,
for peace on earth we sing,
we worship you, we bring you thanks,
our Father, glorious king.

Lord Jesus Christ, oh Lamb of God,
God’s only son, be praised!
Have mercy, take our sins away,
receive the prayers we raise.

For you alone are God most high,
you are the Holy One
to Father, Son, and Spirit sing;
the glorious Three in One.

---

📖 A READING

(Please sit)

Reader concludes:

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

---

🗣️ SERMON

(Please stand for the hymn following)

---

🎵 HYMN

(Please stand. Sit afterward.)

---

🚜 THE BLESSING OF THE PLOUGH

A Farmer says:

Before the soil can be broken, or the seed sown,
or the green corn grow, or the grain be reaped,
or the bread baked, or the people be fed,
we must plough the field.

The plough is the sign of all our labour in the countryside;
the plough is the foundation of the farmer’s work.
We ask for God’s blessing on our labour.

The Rector responds:

God speed the plough;
the plough and the plougher,
the farm and the farmer,
machine, tractor and driver.

God speed the plough;
the beam and the mouldboard,
the slade and the sidecap,
the share and the coulters.

God speed the plough;
in fair weather and foul,
in success and disappointment,
in rain and wind,
or in frost and sunshine.

God speed the plough.
God speed the plough.

By your blessing,
let this plough be a sign
of all that you promise to us.
Prosper the work of our hands,
and provide abundant crops
for your people to share.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
God speed the plough.

---

🌱 BLESSING OF THE SOIL

A Farmer says:

All the earth is yours Lord.
We bring before you this rich and living soil
that you may bless us and our land with abundance.

The Rector responds:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
in your wisdom you have made the earth fruitful
and entrusted it to our care.

You shaped this island out of sea and rock
and gave us soil
that holds the memory of generations.

Send your blessing
upon the soil of this island:
renew its fertility, refresh it by your Spirit,
and make it a place of life and growth.

Restore what has grown tired,
cleanse what has been polluted,
and protect what is fragile.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

Those who care for soil and sea and land:
God will renew the face of the earth.

---

🌾 THE BLESSING OF THE SEED

A Farmer says:
All life comes from life, from the seeds that God has given.
We bring before God the seeds of his creation,
and ask for his blessing on our sowing and planting.

The Rector responds:
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
in your goodness you have given us this seed to sow.
In it we perceive the promise of life,
the wonders of creative love.

By your blessing, let this seed be for us
a sign of your creative power,
that in sowing and watering,
tending and watching,
we may see the miracle of growth,
and in due course reap a rich harvest.

As this seed must die to give life,
reveal to us the saving power of your Son,
who died that we might live,
and plant us in the good seed of your word.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

“By itself the earth produces:
first the stalk, then the ear,
then the full grain shall appear.”

(Please sit)

---

🤝 THE BLESSING OF THE COMMUNITY

O God, who gives each one of us our work to do for your sake,
prosper, we pray, throughout this year
the work and workers in the fields
and on the farms of our island.

Let the ploughman's hope be fulfilled in a plentiful harvest.
Let your people be fed
with the wholesome food of the countryside.
Let town and country,
united in gratitude to you,
be drawn nearer to the understanding and true service of each other.

Grant that we who work this land
in fields, glasshouses, gardens,
orchards and allotments
may use your gifts wisely,
care for the land with gentleness,
and delight in its harvest.

Give fair weather, patient labour,
and safety for all who farm and fish.
May this island, and all who dwell here,
live in gratitude for your creation
and walk gently upon the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

---

🙏 THE LORD’S PRAYER

As a community, let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen

---

🎵 HYMN - Come ye thankful people come (Harvest Home)

A collection is taken. 

---

✝️ THE BLESSING

Jesus, who walked with farmers and fishermen,
walk with us now, as the time comes to depart.
Stay with us Lord, in work and rest,
in mind and soul, in heart.

May God the Creator bless your labour.
May God the Son walk with you day by day.
May God the Holy Spirit inspire and strengthen you
as you work with him.

And may the road rise to meet you;
May the wind be always at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May the rains fall softly upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with all of you, this day and always.
Amen

---

✨ Closing Prayer

Tend the earth,
care for God’s good creation,
and bring forth the fruits of righteousness.

Go in the peace of Christ.
In the name of Christ. Amen.

---

🙏 Gratitude

Thank you to all who have made this service possible.
Please stay for refreshments.

📜 About Plough Sunday

Plough Sunday is a traditional celebration marking the beginning of the agricultural year.
Historically kept on the first Sunday after Epiphany, it was the moment when the community gathered to ask God’s blessing on the land, the soil, and the tools of farming before the hard work of the new season began.

In many rural parishes, the village plough was brought into church, prayers were offered for those who work the land, and everyone gave thanks for the rhythm of planting, tending, and harvest.

Today, Plough Sunday invites us to pause at the start of the year, to acknowledge our dependence on God’s creation, and to pray for all whose work—visible and unseen—helps bring food from field to table.

---

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, August 1997 - Part 5

DISTRACTIONS

RECENTLY, I was out walking in Waterworks Valley re-discovering the beauty of this tranquil part of our Island. As I became more absorbed in my surroundings, I was amazed at the variety of species of trees bordering the tracks. My gaze followed the sweep of the branches reaching up to the sky, with leaves like, upturned palms, as though in rapturous worship to the Lord.

Further along the bank where the constant tempo of water trickling into the reservoir provided the accompaniment, to the songs of the birds, I spied a duck and a solitary offspring in close attendance. They waddled with difficulty along the slippery bank, before launching themselves on to the shimmering surface of the reservoir. The baby duckling seemed to relish the freedom of paddling away in the water in what appeared circular movements, whilst the mother effortlessly headed straight towards the opposite bank.

This scene set me thinking how our own lives as Christians are sometimes like this. We follow the Lord with great intent and then before we know it we appear to be wandering off on our own course, influenced by all the daily routines and distractions. We are constantly tempted to steer our own course and shut God out of our lives. We need to be constantly reminded that He came to us, so that we may receive the gift of salvation and that we are commissioned to go out and tell others so that may receive this most precious gift.

DIANA LE TOUZEL

FAITH COMES TO LIFE...
HAVE FAITH IN THE REAL WORLD

TRYING to relate faith to life is not always easy. The events and concerns of life in 1997 often seem far removed from those of biblical times, and when Christians try to attach a particular Bible text as guidance in some situation, it can seem rather contrived.

How, then, was it possible for the authors of a report like the recent one on "Unemployment and the Future of Work" to reach conclusions and to speak with Christian conviction? Its compilers go back to a Biblical vision, of men and women "made in God's image" and with steward-ship of a world that God himself saw "was good."

But they also apply broad principles of faith, conscious that God's kingdom is one of harmony and justice, not merely for a few, but for all. It is this universal nature of the kingdom that challenges any social or economic system that allows people to be divided into powerful and powerless, rich and poor.

If we are to relate faith to life, we need to be aware of the broad themes that run through faith, themes which are expressed and explored in scripture and through the life and worship of the church.

But, as the Bishop of Liverpool points out in this report, linking faith to life means taking care to understand what is happening in life too. Only then can real faith come to real life.

 

BIKER REVEREND REVS UP TO CHANGE LIVES

NEW Reverend and leather-clad motor-cyclist Alan Lowther, is revving up to reach bikers whose spiritual "tanks" are on empty. Alan (47), who has just been ordained, is working with the Bible Society to produce a New Testament aimed specifically at helping bikers realise that the road to true freedom is by getting alongside God.

As he continues to help organise Holy Joe coffee bars and "helmet parks" at biker rallies all over the country, Alan is confident that the New Testament —called the Manual for Life — will be a real turning point for fellow bikers.

President of the Christian Motorcyclists' Association (CMA), Alan is a driving force behind the "Biker's Bible" which has been published by the Bible Society using the new and widely-publicised Contemporary English Version translation.

The end result is the Manual for Life, using everyday language, with a striking cover depicting the motorcycle culture. It contains notes for guidance, and powerful stories from Bikers including Alan — on how the Bible has affected their lives.

Some 5,000 copies of the Manual for Life have been printed, and will be given free to bikers who are interested in becoming Christians, and want to know more. Leaflets will also be distributed at rallies, inviting people to write to CMA for a copy.

YOUNG PEOPLE APPOINTED TO WORLD YOUTH FORUM

TWO young people have been appointed by the Catholic Bishops Conference to represent England and Wales as delegates at the 6th International Youth Forum in France, 14th-18th August 1997.

Clare Waldron, 25, works as a residential youth tutor for the Diocese of Lancaster. Paul McManus, 20, is a full-time student at Oxford University, where he is studying theology.

The International Youth Forum, which is part of the 12th World Youth Day, gathers representative young people from each country for a four day meeting. The Forum aims to offer the young delegates a direct experience of the world-wide scope of the Catholic Church; to reflect on topical issues and offer Christian responses; and to foster international dialogue between young Catholics, the bishops and Rome. The World Youth Day events take place every two years.

Rt. Rev David Konstant, Bishop of Leeds, has been asked to speak at World Youth Day as one of the English-speaking Episcopal catechists. Twenty of the English and Welsh bishops are also due to attend.

Stormbringer

Storm Goretti was a terrifying event, lashing the Island with gusts of wind up to 95 mph or even greater. Buildings shook as they were battered by the elements. People posting on Facebook about how frightened they were, still haunted by memories of Storm Ciaran. This poem - a Villanelle - attempt to capture the atmosphere of the night.

Stormbringer

The storm comes, and with it rain
And night falls, end of birdsong
Now is the time of fear and pain

Terror in the dark is such a strain
I tell myself I must stay strong
The storm comes, and with it rain

The storm awakes, and gusts gain
Dark forces come, gather, throng
Now is the time of fear and pain

The angry storm god and his reign
Awake from sleep, he comes along
The storm comes, and with it rain

Pray that winds may swiftly wane
Pray the agony will not prolong
Now is the time of fear and pain

The trees have fallen in the lane
The hours pass, it seems so long
The storm comes, and with it rain
Now is the time of fear and pain

1986 - 40 years ago - January - Part 2

January 20-26

THE Constable of St Helier, Mr Fred Clarke, denies any knowledge of the system which requires recipients of welfare to produce estimates for items such as children's shoes. The Island's beer and spirits suppliers fall out over pricing policy. Le Masuriers put up beer by 4p or 5p a pint and spirits by 2p a tot, but Ann Street and Randalls put up beer by only 3p to 4p a pint and spirits by 5p.

Public Works launch a fierce attack on the opponents of the flooding of Queen's Valley in a 60-page report on water resources, rejecting the campaigners' 10,000-signature petition and accusing them of producing false information and rejecting the democratic process.

An equally strong reaction is registered by the campaigners, however, Advocate Richard Falle calling the report "deliberately and grossly offensive".

The committee set up to investigate glue sniffing and other forms of solvent abuse announces its intention to present a report to the States.

Post Office director Mr Mike Orbell re-leases figures which show that a record number of letters were posted in Jersey in 1985. Altogether, the Post Office dealt with 24,728,609 letters and packets in that year.

All three of the Island's oil firms reach agreement over a pay dispute. Employees at Petroleum Distributions Jersey Ltd., Fuel Supplies and Channel Oil Marketing had been in dispute over a pay award.

Former States Senator John Averty, the managing director of Modern Hotels, replaces Mr Colin Sutton as a director of Jersey Gas Company.

 

January 27 —February 2

THE new Deputy Bailiff, Mr Vernon Tomes, is sworn in before a full sitting of the Royal Court.

Senator Dick Shenton is named as a director of St Helier Port Services Ltd., a new company set up to offer a full range of shipping services in Jersey.

The Jersey Electricity Company announces record profits of £3.4 million and promises that because of factors which include the importation of French power, the price of electricity will remain low.

Wing Commander Richard Le Brocq is appointed assistant secretary to the Lieut. Governor. He succeeds Commander John Tournay, who is to retire later in the year.

Facilities at St Helier Harbour are criticised by Tourism president Senator John Rothwell, who says that "people can hardly be enamoured with the reception that they get coming off the boat".

A mother carries her four-year-old son to safety when a fire starts in an upstairs bedroom at Elysee Estate. Mrs Helen Turner, her son, Anthony, and his sister, Lorna, are all unhurt.

Parents lose the absolute right to send their children to Hautlieu School. The Education Committee decides that a panel will reach decisions in cases where there is conflict about 14-plus transfer.

The Police Court Magistrate, Mr R. G. Day, criticises the police for causing Court delays by not presenting evidence correctly.

Christianity in Action: Lesson 12: Self Control

Lesson 12: Self Control
By G.R. Balleine

[Warning: Balleine was writing in the 1920s and 1930s, and his views and language reflect many at that time. However, as a time capsule of the prevailing beliefs, this can be very useful for the historians of that period.]

LESSON FOR FIRST SUNDAY IN. LENT.

PASSAGE TO BE READ : St. Luke iv. 1-13.
TEXT TO BE LEARNT: “Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things " (1 Cor. ix. 25).
HYMNS : " Forty days and forty nights," and " We are soldiers of Christ." COLLECTS for First Sunday in Lent and St. James.

AIM : To lead to the resolve : " We will master the flesh and its longing restrain ; we will not be the bond slaves of sin."

I. WHAT IS SELF-CONTROL ?

(a) During Lent we are going to talk about Self-control. Let us first ask what it is. We see a bicycle dashing downhill. Its brake has broken. It is out of control. It seems as though the rider must be killed. But here comes another bicycle in pursuit. The second rider overtakes the first : he bends over and grasps him firmly by the waist ; then he gradually puts on his brakes. His own bicycle is under perfect control. Both slow down. A disaster is avoided. Why was one man nearly killed, while the other was perfectly safe himself, and able to save his friend ? Because one had his bicycle under control, the other out of control.

(b) Boys always admire one who has control over men or things—an engine-driver, a sea captain, a lion-tamer, a leader. They think nothing of a general who cannot control his men, an engine-driver who loses control of his engine, a lion-tamer who cannot master his beasts. Yet they forget that one of the most important things to control is Self. Can we say like Henley :

" I am the master of my fate :
I am the captain of my soul."

(a) Another word for this virtue of self-control is Temperance. The Catechism says, " My duty is to keep my body in Temperance." Let all repeat Text. Refer with older children to the history of the word. Think of a sword. When first formed it was soft. If bent, it would not spring back. You could twist it into any shape. Then it was made red-hot and plunged into water. That made it hard, but brittle. It would easily snap. Again it was heated, till it turned white ; again it was thrust into water. Then it became elastic. It could bend without breaking. It would spring back like a thing alive. This process is called tempering. It was now called a well-tempered or finely-tempered blade.

(d) Then by a kind of little parable the word was applied to human beings. We speak of people who have " lost their temper " or are " bad-tempered." We mean that they are like a blade that snaps under a strain. To-day we use bad-tempered of a person who cannot control his anger, and intemperate of a person who cannot control his desire for drink. But Temperance means every kind of self-control, the cultivation of a character like a well-tempered blade, with nothing weak, nothing flabby, nothing brittle about it.

II WHAT HAS TO BE CONTROLLED ?

(a) There is a great deal in our nature that needs to be controlled. On one side of our nature we are part of the animal kingdom. We are related to the tiger and the fox and the pig. The Bible speaks of some who still bear " the mark of the beast " (Rev. xiv. 9). If we let the tiger instincts or the fox instincts or the pig instincts get out of control, we shall soon sink back to the level of animals.

(b) Again, we have all of us descended from savages. We have not got to look very far back in our family history to find an ancestor who wore no clothes, and lived in a cave, and went out hunting with a stone axe. From that wild barbarous old fellow we have inherited instincts, which must be controlled, or they will drag us back to his level.

(c) Self-control is necessary for success in any department of life. Capa was a dark-haired bearded man who lived in Corsica. One day a stranger came to him, saying, " I want to know whether you will take me into partnership with you ? " " Do you drink ? " " Yes. I have my flask with me. Will you taste my wine ? " " Do you smoke ? " " Certainly. Let me offer you a cigar." " Do you like comfort ? " " Of course I do. It is in order to grow rich quickly that I want to be your partner." " That can never be. Those in my trade must be very temperate. They must bear hunger and thirst. They must lie all night on the ground. They must walk many miles without a pause for rest." What do you think was Capa's trade ? He was a brigand. In order that he might be fit and alert for his bad work of robbing and killing, he was strictly temperate. He knew that a slack, pleasure-loving man would be no use as a robber.

(d) St. Paul draws an illustration from the athlete's training. Repeat Text again. The young Greek runner for ten months before the race came off lived on a strict vegetarian diet of figs, porridge, meal-cakes and cheese. He rose early every day to run in soft sand. He spent hours in long, dull, complicated physical exercises. " Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown (a wreath of pine leaves), but we' an incorruptible."

(e) We must control our appetites. We need food and drink, but many people are slaves to them. Jesus began His ministry by a forty days' fast in the Wilderness. Read Passage. He taught His body to do without things before He began His work. The worth of Gideon's soldiers was tested by a simple test of this kind. He was marching to try to drive out the Midianites who had invaded the land. His men were thirsty, and he led them through a brook. Some stooped, as they marched, and gathered water in their hands, and drank. Others broke ranks, and knelt down, and drank their fill. All who broke ranks in the neighbourhood of the enemy in order to quench their thirst were sent home in disgrace. A good soldier must have his appetites under control.

(f) We must control our nerves. The next part of Gideon's story shows that. He had only three hundred men left. With these he surrounded the enemy's camp by night. He gave each a trumpet and a lamp hidden in a pitcher. When he gave the signal, every one blew his trumpet, smashed his pitcher, and flashed his lamp. The unexpected noise and lights so startled the Midianites that they lost their heads, and began to kill one another in the darkness, and before long the whole host was flying in wild panic from three hundred men. If there is a fire in a picture palace, those who rush for the door get trampled to death ; those who keep their heads escape without difficulty.

(g) We must control our thoughts. Hence the importance of the tenth commandment. All actions begin as thoughts. Remember the motto of the Knights of the Garter : " Honi soit qui mal y pense "—" Cursed is he who evil thinks." To think bad thoughts brings a curse on our whole life. Refer again to our Lord's temptation. He " was in all points tempted like as we are " (Heb. iv. 15) ; therefore there was no visible Devil. He only knew that Satan was near, because He found bad thoughts stealing into His brain ; but in every case He drove them out by thinking hard of some beautiful thought out of the Old Testament. He remained master of His own mind. He would not let any thoughts linger there, except those that He wished to think.

III. WHO IS TO BE CONTROLLER ?

(a) But who is to keep all these unruly impulses in order ? This is the work of our Will. You know that you have within you something which is able to say firmly, " I will do this." Where there's a will, there's a way. The will must hold the reins firmly.

(b) Self-control can be developed in exactly the same manner as we tone up a weak muscle—by little exercises every day. Lot the will force the rest of the body to do regularly some little thing that it is not anxious to do : for example, to jump out of bed at the moment of waking ; to refuse the second slice of cake ; to do without sugar in tea ; and it will steadily strengthen its control, and win the mastery. This is one reason why the Church encourages acts of Lenten self-denial. We have all heard of the Scout's rule to do one good turn every day, Charles Kingsley's rule was even better : " Force yourself to do every day something that you find really difficult."

(c) But, if we close our lesson at this point, we shall be heretics, like the Pelagians who are denounced in the Thirty-Nine Articles. Pelagius was a pious British monk, who visited Rome, and was shocked at the careless lives of the Italian Christians and their easy excuse that fallen nature could not do any better. He told them that they could do a great deal better ; that any man could be good, if he would only make up his mind to try ; that it was simply a matter of using our will-power. But when the great teacher Augustine heard this, he was sincerely shocked. He knew that it was not true. He himself had tried hard to be good, and failed again and again. Only when God's grace had been given had he succeeded. And the Church decided that he was right and Pelagius was wrong. Our wills are too weak to control our impulses without help from above. But God is always eager to help those who ask Him ; and with His help we can become " more than conquerors."

A Counting Issue for Jersey’s Next Election

The Counting Issue for Jersey’s Next Election

The forthcoming election in Jersey, scheduled for a Sunday for the first time, has sparked debate and uncertainty over when votes will be counted. Traditionally, polling and counting have taken place on weekdays, but the move to Sunday voting has raised logistical and legal questions about whether the count should begin immediately after polls close or be delayed until Monday morning. This issue has prompted concern among politicians, parish constables, and officials, with fears that a delay could disengage voters and undermine confidence in the electoral process.
The Source of the Debate

The controversy stems from a proposition lodged by the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) to amend electoral law. The proposal would allow counting to take place at venues other than polling stations. The PPC argued this was necessary to accommodate scenarios such as recounts, which might extend into Monday, when schools used as polling stations would no longer be available. The committee also cited concerns about volunteers and staff working excessively long hours on election day, increasing the risk of mistakes, and the potential costs of weekend overtime.
Political Reaction

The suggestion that counting might not begin until Monday drew sharp responses. Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham expressed surprise and alarm, warning that postponing the count would disengage voters. He emphasised the excitement and community engagement that comes from staying at the count on election night and seeing results concluded promptly. Farnham argued that delaying the process would undermine this sense of participation, which is already fragile.

Constable Deidre Mezbourian echoed this sentiment, stating that parishes were “crying out” for confirmation that counting would take place on Sunday. She stressed that parish officials wanted clarity from the autorisés—the Royal Court officials appointed to oversee polling stations and counting—about the timetable.

 
Clarification from PPC

Following the debate, PPC chair Deputy Steve Ahier sought to clarify the committee’s intentions. He explained that the proposition was not designed to shift the entire count to Monday but to provide flexibility in the event of a recount. If a recount were required, some polling stations might be unavailable because they are schools, hence the need for alternative venues. Ahier reassured that PPC was satisfied counting would begin as soon as polls closed, regardless of the day of the week.

Next Steps

To resolve the issue, staff from the Judicial Greffe are scheduled to meet with the Constables Committee. Committee chair Constable Mike Jackson emphasised the urgency of resolving the matter quickly, noting that while the Judicial Greffe had concerns, the general preference among constables was to complete the count immediately after polls close. Jackson argued that getting the count “over and done with straight away” was the best way to maintain confidence and engagement.

Broader Implications

The debate highlights tensions between logistical practicality and democratic engagement. On one hand, concerns about staff fatigue, recount logistics, and costs are legitimate. On the other, delaying the count risks alienating voters and diminishing the communal excitement of election night. The issue underscores the importance of clear communication and planning, particularly as Jersey adapts to Sunday polling for the first time. Ultimately, the decision rests with the autorisés, but political leaders and parish officials are pressing for assurances that counting will begin promptly on Sunday evening.

The Situation Today

Current guidance from the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) and the Judicial Greffe indicates that the count is still expected to begin immediately after polls close on Sunday evening, with flexibility only in the event of recounts.

Risks & Trade-offs

• Staff fatigue: Long Sunday shifts can increase error risk, which is why some jurisdictions build in relief teams.
• Venue availability: If schools or parish halls reopen Monday, recounts may need alternative venues.
• Costs: Weekend overtime is a factor, but most countries accept it as part of democratic infrastructure.

Why Guernsey adopted scanning but kept manual ballots

• Speed: Counting 30,000+ ballots manually would take much longer.
• Accuracy: Reduces human error in tallying.
• Transparency: Paper ballots remain available for verification.
• Speed: Counting 30,000+ ballots manually would take much longer.
• Accuracy: Reduces human error in tallying.
• Transparency: Paper ballots remain available for verification.

Guernsey introduced scanning technology for paper ballots in its last two elections, largely following the Canadian model.

Here’s how it works:

• Ballot papers remain paper-based so voters still mark their choice manually.
• Optical scanning machines are then used to read the ballots.
• The scanners tally votes electronically, speeding up the process compared to a purely manual hand‑count.
• Manual oversight remains essential: officials check doubtful or spoiled ballots, and the paper record is the legal proof in case of recounts.

Speed Comparison

  Manual counts (pre‑2020):Ballots were hand‑counted at parish polling stations.
  Results often took until the early hours of the next morning, sometimes stretching well past midnight.

Scanning system (2020 & 2025):
  Ballots were transported to a central venue and scanned electronically.
  Preliminary tallies were available within a few hours of polls closing.
  Most results were announced before midnight, with final confirmations by early morning.

In Conclusion

If Jersey adopted scanning like Guernsey:
Results would be faster and more consistent, especially in larger parishes.
Staff fatigue would be reduced, since machines handle the bulk of counting.
Parish ritual would change, as the communal hand‑count tradition is replaced by a centralised process.

I think it is time for a change, and Jersey to follow Guernsey's lead, and join the 21st century!