"Marginalisation And Young People"

Please take the time to read TheMe's excellent sermon at his blog Conscientisation. He preached at MadPriest's church yesterday in their Lenten series on "Marginalisation". Too often, young people have been marginalized by negative stereotyping, and it is to this subject that TheMe directs his sermon. Here's a snippet to entice you to read the entire sermon.

When Jesus states the single grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die in order to produce many more seeds, he is metaphorically speaking of his own forthcoming crucifixion. But I think that he is also speaking about the grain of wheat, as the precious ideas we hold of what is and what is not. Individually, to what extent are we prepared to enter the desert as Jesus did in the gospel reading at the beginning of Lent? To step outside of our comfort and be prepared to confront information that challenges and denies our view of the world. I am not gong to suggest as David Cameron did that you all need to go out and ‘Hug a Hoody’, it is not the calling and gift of everyone to exercise ministry directly with young people or with any specified marginal grouping. But collectively, as a church, what do we do to challenge the negative stereotyping? What as a church may we need to change about ourselves in order not to marginalise and distance people from the grace which is freely offered by God? As the voice from heaven proclaims it is only in this sacrificial attitude that we can give glory to God.

It was a joy to meet TheMe and his Beloved at our gathering on Saturday, and I would have loved to hear him preach the sermon. I tried, but the trains on Sunday are infrequent, and there was no way.