A Sense of History

I've had a couple of 'historical' experiences this week.  Following last week's heritage weekend, I decided to walk the conservation trail around 'old' Cockermouth last Wednesday. You do get a sense of an industrial past, with buildings that were formally mills or small factories; with houses to match, accommodating the various workers at the time. Much of Cockermouth is Georgian, 18th and early 19th centuries, corresponding roughly with what came to be known as the Industrial Revolution. We are fortunate that so many of our old buildings and streets have been retained.

Last night, Les and I went to see the film 'Dunkirk' at the Kirkgate Centre (one of the aforementioned 'conserved' buildings, though in this case rather later than Georgian.) I came away wondering what it was all about.  It was certainly ingenious, weaving together one week of the soldiers trapped on the beach; one day of a small boat, sailing as part of the flotilla; and one hour, of a Spitfire pilot, trying to protect shipping from enemy bombardment. The special effects were tremendous, making you feel you were really there. At times, making you jump. (Incidentally, the Kirkgate sound system was well up to this!)  But I couldn't help feeling there was something propagandist about the film, very British. So much so that one member of the audience tried to applaud when it was over.

When I spoke at last week's Civic Service, I spoke not just about heritage but also about hope. In preparation for next week's Mission Community weekend at Rydal Hall, I have been thinking about expectations. It seems to me that trying to recreate an image of an 'old England' is doomed to failure - and 'old church' is part of that. We have to think in terms of the work God is doing a creating a new heaven and a new earth. The key, for me, in terms of church, is that we really must expect more people to become Christians, turning to Christ, being changed from the inside out, instead of merely trying to get more people into church in order to perpetuate an institution. After all, in that period I referred to above, not only was there great social and economic change, but there was a spiritual change to go with it - otherwise known as the Evangelical Revival.