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Editorial:
Minority Report
Anna Rankin
Comment:
Racism in Ulster: Up-front and Ugly
Ken Newell
From
the Director: Naming Our Sin
David W Porter
Faith
in Ulster: Facing Up to Diversity
Stephen Skuce
Faith
and Practice
Walter Lewis
Interview
with Rose Ozo: Where the Heart Is
Anna Rankin
Craigavon:
Religious Liberty in the Shadow of Drumcree
Small Steps
Tim Foley
Embracing the Stranger
Richard Kerr
Review:
On Eagle's Wing
Ethel White
Review:
Conflict, Controversy and Co-operation
John W Morrow
Review:
The Subversive Manifesto
John Kyle
Review:
L is for Lifestyle
Claire Martin
Review:
It Will Not Be Taken Away From Her
Cary Gibson
Review:
Prophetic Untimeliness: A Challenge to the Idol of Relevance
Paul Rankin
Review:
Two Little Boys
John Gillespie
Review:
Son
David Smith
SMALL STEPS
IN THE BIBLE narrative our response to the ‘stranger’ is a test of our commitment to God. Hospitality is a central practice of the faith: do we welcome the stranger amongst us in our willingness to dialogue, eat, play and converse together or do we make the stranger an enemy? The Old Testament commands the people of God to care for the stranger, though the enemy does not have the same privileged position as the New Testament. In the New Testament it is everywhere: Jesus as a child refugee, Jesus embracing outsiders of all kinds, his solidarity with the excluded on the cross, all pointing to Paul’s revelation that the divisions between peoples were destroyed by the cross. We were strangers to God and yet were not abandoned by God, rather we were received into the very life of God from the cross. In turn how we treat the stranger indicates what we really believe. On top of it all, the stranger might be an angel!
Portadown churches are taking a few small steps in the right direction but much more could be done. There is plenty of sermon material on welcoming the outsider, and good worship resources from Corrymeela or Iona. The social dimensions of the sacraments – for example communion as the space where all of us acknowledge our status as welcomed outsiders or baptism as the act where enemies of God join God’s people. Local Methodist and Presbyterian churches have directly addressed the issues and even had parts of sermons published in the local paper! Churches could interview someone from a minority background to get right to the heart of the issues. Ken Newell said it right, “Christians need to stand up and say that this is not the kind of society we want to live in. If minorities are being attacked, the first people round to support them should be the members of our churches. We should be doing all we can to create a multiethnic and inclusive society.” (CRC News March, 2004). We have found that a visit right after an attack or act of intimidation was very warmly welcomed.
Probably the most important thing is to visit, talk and eat with these strangers in our midst. As Ken Newell put it, “Open your hearts and your home.” ( Belfast Telegraph, 09/08/04) Some of us have begun to do this with Filipinos – a very enjoyable experience as we have found them to be a warm and generous people. Find an excuse – offer support when a story breaks of minorities under pressure; invite them for a meal; ask them to show your children where their country in on a world map; thank them for their contribution to your town (cultural diversity, hospitals, food preparation, restaurants, etc). The CE of Craigavon hospital has said that the hospital would need to drastically curtail its operations if the Filipino nurses went home.
In Portadown, where many of the minorities are Catholic or from Catholic backgrounds, the Catholic clergy are active in visiting and building relationships with them. Once a month the church has a Filipino mass. PACE [Protestant and Catholic Encounter] Portadown used the theme of the ‘stranger’ for the annual carol service this year, and in June organised a CRC funded public Question & Answer event to help air the issues around minorities.
A local Christian of Indian origin – Nelson Rajh – has a gathered a few of us to organise events to bring minorities and locals together. The first of these – an ethnic feast – was a success despite low numbers (around 20 minorities, outnumbered 4:1). Nelson cooked Indian food for all of us and showed a video of Portadown’s growing ethnic pluralism. There was some ethnic dancing and singing, both Filipino and Irish. Everyone agreed it had been a good night and we should do it again.
Several voluntary and statutory bodies have come together to form an Ethnic Minorities forum for Craigavon. This has met three times and currently includes two church representatives (hopefully this will be expanded). The forum aims to have representation from all the minority groups in the area before setting any definite agenda. The last thing needed is for us to tell the minorities what they need. Currently we are trying to establish the demographics, which is proving to be a difficult task.
Community groups on Loyalist estates have been working on the ground to ease the tension around ethnic minority issues. Loyalist community leaders have a tough job in areas where people are already finding change difficult but they are tackling the issues. The PSNI have appointed a community officer to focus on racism who has proved to be very supportive to all of us.
Could it be that welcoming ethnic minorities might help churches in Portadown to work together constructively? Might God be calling us to this as our opportunity to witness to God’s character at this time? It could very well be.
TIM FOLEY is a Mennonnite pastor working with the Green Field Community in Portadown.
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