One of the things that I could happily consign to Room 101 is 'Health and Safety Regulations'. Whilst I can entirely see that some of these are necessary, more and more we seem to be plagued by all that is uneccessary. It adds to my frustration when this sort of thing comes up at PCC, because it reminds me that I will have to consider them even more as a Priest!

In the news today was the latest item to be under fire. Apparently pencil sharpeners were being banned from school premises because children are unscrewing them and taking out the blades to make weapons!!!! It seems to me that the problem is not with the pencil sharpeners but with the kids who see this as reasonable behaviour or the parents who exert little or no control over their offspring.

It is time we stopped tackling the symptoms and started looking at the disease. The trouble is the disease is something we mustn't talk about...it's a politically incorrect term....hold on to your hats...shhhh...lest someone is offended....'sin is the word'

The church must stop being afraid to talk of 'sin' and needs to start telling the world what is wrong and why Jesus is the answer. Young kids who carry weapons are seriously mixed up...they are, to put it in old fashioned Christian language, 'Lost in Sin' and I as a christian know that only Christ can help.

We christians, as Jesus representatives, need us to preach the gospel and also to help tackle the social problems that so many experience. The church must be involved in social action AND spiritual action. One without the other is meaningless. Poverty needs action but so does sin. We all need to face up to our responsibilities...something society is VERY reluctant to do a the moment.