WINDOW ON THE CHURCHES

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 1, 7 January 1971, Page 5

WINDOW ON THE CHURCHES

A New Year, a new decade, a new opportunity. In 1971, and during the decade which it heralds, there will be changes of such force and quantity, of such depth and compiexity and of such variation, that those who see both the beginning and the end of this decade will in fact have lived in two different worlds. Maybe it is daring, but certainly it is positive to predict that at long last the new world of the 1970's may be more concerned with the quality of life, with the individual, and with equality and justice, than any other period in historical memory. The Christian World Service Appeal at Christmas drew us to consider and act towards these concerns with one catch-phrase f°r their whole operation during 1971 - "self-sufficiency." What this means is that C.W.S. "machinery" transmits our efforts here to the C.W.S. "machinery" amongst various impoverished peoples about the globe. The on-the-spot christians try their best to lift their people to the simple dignity of selfsufficiency. As the cover of the inter-Church Youth magazine, Moment, said photographically and explicitly, Mary, Joseph and Jesus are still on the run! Mums and Dads and children and their cousins in all sorts of places are grappling with the twin human fundamentals of existing and belonging. And a high proporti°n of these nomads of today's world are not wandering in jungle or sand but in asphalt and brick. As they pause for a breather and squat on their cardboard boxes and sacks, what do they hope for during the 1970's? It is the Christian task to keep needling the conscience of the rest of the world so that action is taken to put some quality of living into their lives and to assure them that they do belong to a place of their own on the world scene.