Twitter, Blogs and Mumblings

I have been an avid Facebooker for the last six years, or so, it suited me especially whilst I was at college.  Facebook however, has now taken a backseat in favour of Twitter. I have only been twittering properly for the last month. To be honest I couldn't get my head around it so I stayed dormant in my egg. For those of you that don't tweet - you can upload a photo of yourself to Twitter but until then a picture of an egg remains for all to see that you haven't quite cracked it. Twitter is a brilliant way of networking with those you wouldn't normally have contact with. It looks outward into the world, where as Facebook is much more inward looking.  It is not only a brilliant networking opportunity but a way of sharing thoughts and feelings and making new friends.  

Many of the people on Twitter also have a blog. Over the last few days I have enjoyed other people's blogs as well as sharing my own.  I have been greatly encouraged by the response to what I have written and I hope I have also encouraged others.  The subject on everyone's twitter beaks, blogging fingertips, and Facebook lips is the subject of women bishops. Turn on the T.V. open the newspaper, or sit in a cafe and the same mumblings can be heard. My heartfelt cry is, 'Wake up church!' It's time to change and accept women in leadership or become (even more) irrelevant to the average man and women on the Street.

Earlier I read Andy Goodliff's blog and his post 'There is a line of Women' quotes the words of John Bell's hymn that has been shared on Facebook and that Catriona Gorton has written an extra verse to. Please follow the link and have a look for yourself at their thoughts. I was inspired to write a reply to Andy in verse.

Here is the hymn:

There is a line of women 

extending back to Eve

Who's role is shaping history

God only could conceive.

And though, through endless ages,

Their witness was repressed,

God valued and encourage them 

Through whom the world was blessed.

So sing a song of Sarah

To laughter she gave birth;

And sing a song of Tamar

Who stood for women's worth;

And sing a song of Hannah

Who bargained with her Lord;

And sing a song of Mary

Who bore and bred God's Word.

There is a line of women

Who took on powerful men

Defying laws and scruples

To let life live again.

And though, despite their triumph,

Their stories stay untold

God kept their number growing,

Creative, strong and bold.

So sing a song of Shiphrah

With Puah close at hand,

Engaged to kill male children,

They foiled the king's command.

And sing a song of Rahab

Who sheltered spies and lied; 

And sing a song of Esther

Preventing genocide.

There is a line of women

Who stood by Jesus side,

Who housed him while he ministered

And held him when he died.

And though they claimed he'd risen

Their news was deemed suspect

Till Jesus stood among them,

His womanly elect.

So sing a song of Anna

Who saw Christ's infant face;

And sing a song of Martha

Who gave him food and space;

And sing of all the Marys

Who heeded his requests,

And now at heaven's banquet

Are Jesus' fondest guests.

John L. Bell @ 2002 WGRG, Iona Community, 
4th floor, Savoy House, 140 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3DH Scotland.   

And my response:

There is a long line of women

Numb and full of pain

Wondering if life

Will ever be the same.

There is a long line of women

Weeping at the cross

Wondering if you

Will mop their tears

And take away their pain.

There is a long line of women

Holding hands in unity

Waiting for you to do the same.

By Revdjo

I took this at an art exhibition in Gloucester Cathedral