[OccupySheffield] Invite to Bishop Steven from Occupy Sheffield

[Ben Jackson]

I think one or two of us may have reservations with the reference to god.
BJ

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 6:19 PM, Nicole Jewitt <nicole_jewitt at hotmail.com>wrote:

>  Amazing... great job Dave!
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:48:16 +0000
> Subject: Fwd: Invite to Bishop Steven from Occupy Sheffield
> From: deacondave777 at gmail.com
> To: occupysheffield at email-lists.org; info at occupysheffield.org.uk
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Bishop of Sheffield* <bishop at bishopofsheffield.org.uk>
> Date: Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 4:06 PM
> Subject: RE: Invite to Bishop Steven from Occupy Sheffield
> To: deacondave777 at gmail.com
> Cc: Sue Davis <sue at bishopofsheffield.org.uk>
>
>
> Dear Dave****
>
> ** **
>
> Thank you for your message.  I’m following events around Occupy Sheffield
> closely.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> As you may know the Cathedral are working hard to arrange a meeting
> between ecumenical church leaders and the members of the occupy camp to
> explore the issues you are raising and I am looking forward very much to
> taking part in that conversation.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> I took my own thinking and speaking on the issues a little further on
> Saturday in a Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod.  The full text is
> on our website but I have pasted what I think are eight key discussion
> points below.  Perhaps these could form part of the agenda when we meet?**
> **
>
> ** **
>
> I will be interested when we meet to explore what the members of the camp
> think needs to be done about the problems you are seeking to draw to the
> world’s attention.  If you could send me a concise statement of the main
> points of the protest and the action you are looking for that would be
> really helpful to me and to others.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> With kind regards****
>
> ** **
>
> +Steven****
>
> ** **
>
> Extract from Presidential Address****
>
> ** **
> ** **
>
> **1.     **Each human person is made in the image of God and is of
> infinite and equal worth. ****
>
> **2.     **Greed for more money and possessions does not lead to
> happiness.  It leads to dissatisfaction and to more greed.   ****
>
> **3.     **The laws and customs of a society should not encourage greed
> but hold it in check.  Where those laws and customs simply give free rein
> to greed there is something deeply wrong.****
>
> **4.     **A healthy society should take care of the poorest, the least
> and weakest who are not able to help themselves.  ****
>
> **5.     **Human beings are not independent.  We live interconnected
> lives.  We flourish best in families and in community.****
>
> **6.     **A healthy society should strive for equality and fairness more
> than it strives for prosperity.****
>
> **7.     **A healthy society is one in which people take responsibility
> for their own actions and are very cautious indeed about debt. ****
>
> **8.     **Human beings are made for life in community and life in
> communion with God.  We are called to live in the perspective of eternity.
> If we do not, the result is emptiness.       ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Dave Havard [mailto:]
> *Sent:* 17 November 2011 10:55
> *To:* Bishop's secretary
> *Subject:* Invite to Bishop Steven from Occupy Sheffield****
>
> ** **
>
> Dear Bishop Steven,
>
> I have been asked to contact you by the General Assembly of Occupy
> Sheffield.  Thank you for your recent statement about the Occupy movement.
> We all thought that was very helpful.  We would like to invite you to meet
> us at a General Assembly at a time convenient to you.  Best time for us
> would be any evening at 7pm when we have the most number of people at the
> camp.
>
> I am disturbed that the main message from the Church of England getting to
> the media at the moment is that the cathedral does not welcome the occupy
> camp and wants us to leave.  We also seem to be getting bogged down in
> minor points of health and safety.  I would hate to see this diocese
> repeating the public relations disaster that happened at St. Paul's.  We
> are asking the cathedral to engage with us in the "Big Discussion" you
> called for.  They have chosen to only engage with us through Carl and this
> approach is clearly not working.  Given that the protestors and the
> cathedral share a common vision of inclusivity and social justice this
> seems a real pity.
>
> I have tried to meet with the dean but up to now he has not returned my
> call.
>
> Thanks again for speaking out on these vitally important issues.  I look
> forward to seeing you soon.
>
> Your brother in Christ,
> Deacon Dave Havard****
>
>
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