Why is Good Friday 'good'??

What is Good Friday and why is it 'good' when the events it commemorates are about suffering and death?

For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. We believe the cross and the resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. 

On Good Friday we remember that Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 John 1:10). This is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith (Romans 6:5).

The name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save people from their sins.  The good news of the gospel can only make sense if we first recognise the darkness of our sin.  The cross is where we see the convergence of great suffering and God’s amazing forgiveness.  Psalms 85:10 speaks of a day when “righteousness and peace” will “kiss each other.” The cross of Jesus is where that occurred, where God’s demands, his righteousness, coincided with his mercy. We receive divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment, the result of God’s righteousness against sin.  Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. 

That’s why Good Friday whilst being so dark is, in fact, so Good!!

Green Week Quiz

We've had a great time doing GREEN WEEK. Raising awareness about environmental issues and running our BARGAIN CORNER.  
I'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the students who helped out this week  ... Maimuna, Areti, Moksha, Joshal, and Angel. 
Thanks also to Frank, my faithful right-hand-man who helped cover our sales on Tuesday whilst I was busy with the Well-Being Festival.

Our three days of Bargain Corner sales raised £89.30!!  
This money is fed directly back in to Chaplaincy run student activities.

Throughout the week we also ran our Green Week Quiz  ...  which 54  people took part in.  It's too late to enter, but if you wish to test your knowledge you'll find the questions below, with the announcement of winners and answers at the end of this post.

Green Week Quiz

1.     Re-cycling just one aluminium can saves enough energy to run a TV for how long?

a)     One hour     b) Two hours    c) Three hours

2.     During the time it has taken you to read this sentence,

how many 12oz aluminium cans have been made?

a)     30,000       b) 40,000        c) 50,000

3.     How long does it take for a modern glass bottle to

decompose?

a)     1,500 years    b) 3,000 years    

c) 4,000 years or more

4.     What percentage of landfill is made up of packaging

material?

a)     One-third     b) One-quarter   c) Half

5.     Rainforests are being cut down at a rate of …

a)     100 acres per minute     b) 100 acres per hour       

c) 100 acres per day

6.     How many sea creatures are killed annually as a result of

plastic bags/materials being thrown in to the ocean?

a)     500,000       b) 800,000      c) One million

7.     How much of the planet’s water is usable?

a)     1%              b) 5%           c) 8%

8.     How many times can paper be re-cycled before the fibres

become too weak?

a)     4 times       b) 6 times          c) 8 times

9.     Per Capita, which country is the largest producer of

rubbish?

a)     China        b) America      c) United Kingdom

10.            By the end of the 21^st century, if greenhouse gas

emissions continue at the current rate, how much will the

average temperature increase?

a)     By 10%       b) By 12%        c) By 15%

The average score worked out at 3.5 answers correct  ...  some of us are obviously not fully aware of what's happening to our planet!!

And the winners are ...

With a score of 7 out of 10 our overall winner is ...

Phil Sanderson, who wins a £10 Amazon voucher

and a bags of munchies!!

We have three runners up who scored 6 out of 10 ...

they are Raluca Radu, Lina Kamergi and Sophia Osijo 

who each win a re-usable cup and some munchies.

Answers
1. (c) three hours
2. (c) 50,000 cans
3. (c) 4,000 or more
4. (a) one-third
5. (a) 100 acres per minute
6. (c) one million
7. (a) 1%
8. (b) 6 times
9. (b) America
10. (b) 12%

Diversity Fair

Being part of the annual GKUnions Diversity Fair is always good fun and this year our Chaplaincy Tea & Scones stall was especially popular.

We also had quizzes and colouring

Some of the girls from the Islamic Society were there doing henna ...

In addition there was Gospel music from Mayowa and dancing by the Nepalese Society.

World Water Day

World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21^st century.

Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption. Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at home; affecting their health, education and livelihoods.

Sustainable Development Goal 6 commits the world to ensuring that everyone has access to safe water by 2030, and includes targets on protecting the natural environment and reducing pollution.

 

Environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes. 

When we neglect our ecosystems, we make it harder to provide everyone with the water we need to survive and thrive.

Nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of our water challenges. We need to do so much more with ‘green’ infrastructure and harmonize it with ‘grey’ infrastructure wherever possible. Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands will rebalance the water cycle and improve human health and livelihoods.

Well-Being Festival

It's always good for Chaplaincy to have a presence at the Well-Being Festival; or any such related event. And it's so good to see the three universities at Medway networking and working more closely together on these events.
They provide useful engagement with students, but also an opportunity to network with other university departments, as well as external support groups.

Why not take a few moments now,
take a deep breath and let go of all
those things weighing heavily on your
shoulders. Take some time just to 'be'.

Love your Planet!!

Have you seen this month's display outside

the Chaplaincy office??

Green Week (March 19th-23rd)

is about to start and we will be running our

Bargain Corner

on Monday 19th, Tuesday, 20th

and Friday 23rd (10:30am-2:30pm).

Pilkington building

Come find yourself a bargain  ...

and have a go at our

Green Week quiz!!!

I'd pick more Daisies

I was recently at the funeral of a dear family friend. A wonderful woman of God who lived her life well. Her final years, in particular, were too full of pain and discomfort; but we have said 'goodbye' in the confidence that she has gone to a better place, to be with her Saviour.

This wonderful poem, by Nadine Stair, was read at her Thanksgiving service.

If I had my life to live over again,

I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.

I’d relax.

I’d limber up.

I’d be sillier than I’ve been this trip.

I would take fewer things seriously.

I would take more chances,

I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would, perhaps, have more actual troubles

but fewer imaginary ones.

you see, I’m one of those people who was

sensible and sane,

hour after hour,

day after day.

Oh, I’ve had my moments.

If I had to do it over again,

I’d have more of them.

In fact, I’d try to have nothing else - 

just moments, one after another, 

instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those persons who never

goes anywhere without a thermometer,

a hot-water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.

If I could do it again,

I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had to live my life over,

I would start barefoot earlier in the spring

and stay that way later in the fall.

I would go to more dances,

I would ride more merry-go-rounds,

I would pick more daisies.

National Speech Day

Whilst updating my calendar of cultural/religious event and recognised days of celebration, I have discovered that today is National Speech Day.

Here are just three famous speeches  ...

The Sermon on the Mount - Jesus Christ (AD30)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The Sermon on the Mount is considered the heart of Jesus' teachings which emphasis the role of compassion and forgiveness.

I have a dream - Martin Luther King (28th Aug 1963)

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live

out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day."

Civil right leader, Martin Luther King, made this speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 250,000. He called for an end to racism in the United States and this speech was a defining moment in the civil rights movement.

We shall fight on the beeches - Winston Churchill (4th June 1940)

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

This was the second of three major speeches given around the period of the Battle of France, with the others designated as the "Blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech of 13 May, and the "This was their finest hour" speech of 18 June. Events developed dramatically over the five-week period, and although broadly similar in themes, each speech addressed a different military and diplomatic context. In this speech, Churchill had to describe a great military disaster, and warn of a possible invasion attempt by the Nazis, without casting doubt on eventual victory. 

Stephen Hawking

Personally, I am not a scientist, or a physicist, nor a cosmologist; reality is, I'm not particularly academic at all.  
I am a firm believer in God and in His Creation. Despite these differences, 
I believe the world has lost a great and inspirational figure in the person of Stephen Hawking.

I have been looking at some of the quotes made by Professor Hawking over the years and thought several warranted recording here ...

ON LIFE:  "One, remember to look up at the starts and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and without it, life is empty. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there, and don't throw it away."

ON FAME:  "The downside of my celebrity is that I cannot go anywhere in the world without being recognised.  It is not enough for me to wear dark sunglasses and a wig.  The wheelchair gives me away."

ON BEING DIAGNOSED WITH MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE:  "My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus.

ON LIVING WITH A DISABILITY:  "My advise to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit, as well as physically."

ON THE REASON WHY THE UNIVERSE EXISTS:  "If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason - for then we would know the mind of God."

World Cafe

Some of our regular customers ...

International Women's Day

Thursday, March 8th is

International Women's Day

Why not say thank you to a woman
you admire.

Here are 12 inspirational women who, I think, have helped shape our world in a positive way ...

"The lady with the lamp", Florence Nightingale, nursed wounded soldiers during the Crimean war (1853-1856). Her passion and dedication to the profession changed the public's perception about this profession. Her insistence on improving sanitary conditions for the patients is believed to have saved many lives.

"I think one's feelings waste themselves in words;

they ought all to be distilled in

actions that bring results."

Sojourner Truth escaped slavery with her infant daughter in 1826. In 1828, Truth brought a case to recover her son to court and won the filing — and was the first black woman to achieve such a victory over a white man. She became an outspoken advocate for civil rights and women's rights until her death in 1883.

"God will take care of the poor trampled slave; but where will the slaveholder be when eternity begins."

Emmeline Pankhurst, a passionate feminist, was an influential women's activist who fought along with her husband for the rights of the women in late 19th century and early 20th century. After she lost her husband, she teamed up with her three daughters and formed 'The Women’s Social and Political Union' - best known as the suffragettes (women's right to vote).  

"We are here not because we are law-breakers; we are here in our efforts to become law-makers"

Born in Warsaw, Marie Curie became the first woman Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences at the Sorbonne in 1906. She had Masters Degrees in both physics and mathematical sciences and was the first woman to obtain a Doctor of Science degree. Madame Curie was also the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. The first was in Physics in 1903, with her husband, Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel, for their study in spontaneous radiation. The second was in Chemistry in 1911 for her work in radioactivity.

"I was taught that the way of progress is

neither swift nor easy."

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 and she became the first woman pilot in 1935 after flying solo from Hawaii to California. She embarked upon her lifelong dream of flying across the world in 1937, however, her flight went missing on that trip and she was never seen again.

"Never do things others can do and will do if there are things others cannot do and will not do."

Also know as "the first lady of civil rights", the African-American Rosa Parks was a pioneer of civil rights in a racially segregated Alabama in 1950s. In 1955, she refused to give away her seat to a white passenger in a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, thereby, disobeying the bus driver's orders. This act of hers sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that crippled the state capital's public transport system.

"I have learned over the years that when one's

mind is made up, this diminishes fear;

knowing what must be done does away with fear."

Helen Keller was an author, activist, and the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Keller was a tremendous presence in advocating for people with disabilities, women's suffrage, and reproductive rights. In 1980, on the occasion of Keller's 100th, birthday, former president Jimmy Carter designated June 27 as Helen Keller Day in Pennsylvania.

                                                 

"Character cannot be developed

through ease and quiet. Only through

the experience of trial and suffering

can the soul be strengthened,

ambition inspired and success achieved."

During her stay in the Netherlands while hiding from the German forces, Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, was gifted a diary by her father when she was 13. However, her diary was published after her death in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 15. The diary served as a unique eye-witness account of life during the Holocaust (mass murder of approximately six million Jews during World War II) and it has become one of the world's most read books.

"In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all

is a kind and gentle spirit."

Originally from Macedonia, Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun. Although she spent the majority of her life in India, her international charity work included helping evacuate hospital patients in war torn Lebanon, doing earthquake relief in Armenia, and ministering to famine victims in Ethiopia. She founded the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the sick and poor. Among many other honours, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitutes a threat to peace.”

"If you can't feed a hundred people,

then feed just one."

As the 11th prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was the first woman to head a Muslim state. She ended military dictatorship in the country, and was noted for her battle for women's rights. She was assassinated in a suicide attack in 2007.

"Democracy is the best revenge"

Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest at the hands of Burma's military regime for her pro-democracy campaigning, only gaining release in 2010 following an international campaign to see her freed. In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, with the committee stating "Suu Kyi's struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades."

“In societies where men are truly confident

of their own worth, women are not merely

tolerated but valued.”

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani advocate for girls education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. In 2009, when Malala was just eleven she began blogging about life under the Taliban, speaking out directly against their threats to close girls’ schools. (Pakistan has the second highest number of children out of school and two-thirds of them are female.) The blog on BBC Urdu garnered international attention while also making her the target of death threats. In October 2012, a gunman shot her and two other girls as they were coming home from school. Malala survived the attack and in 2013 published an autobiography, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. In October 2014, Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Indian children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi.

"The terrorists thought they would change my

aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed

in my life except this:  weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage were born."