Charles Flynn

Let us pray. God the Father reveals that Christ, His Divine Son, is to be our Saviour. Confident in his great love for us, we voice our needs and the needs of the World. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us. We pray for the Church, and for all Bishops, especially Graeme, our Bishop, and all priests and deacons who bring the light of the Gospel to those in darkness. May we use the gifts given us by the one Spirit in the service of the one Lord. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us We pray for world leaders in these times of fear and tension. May they be less concerned with retribution and domination and more interested in co-operation and dialogues for peace. May they be endowed with wisdom, mercy and respect for humanity. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us We pray for the poor and needy, and the helpless. Let us hear their cry and be their help in their hour of need. We pray especially for those suffering famine and natural disasters. May people who live with war find peace and those who suffer oppression find freedom. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us. We pray for all engaged and married couples: that they may be channels of God’s love to one another and signs of God’s presence in our society. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us We pray for all who are ill especially ............ That God will strengthen them and relieve them in their distress. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us. We pray for all our family and friends who have died especially.......... May they rest in peace in the light of God’s glory, and may those who mourn be comforted. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us Let us pray for a moment in silence, remembering our personal needs and the needs of our families. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

What not to wear in church A pig farmer decided one morning to attend a church in town. He went into town in his work clothes smelling remarkably like his pig pen. The churchgoers were outraged at the smell. The Vicar said to the farmer: "The next time you come here, ask the Lord what you should wear." The farmer agreed. The following Sunday the farmer returned to the same church ...in his work clothes. The Vicar asked: "What did the Lord say?" The farmer replied, "The Lord said he had never been to this church and didn't know what to wear."

- THE MANX PASSENGER WATCHDOG - Information Bulletin 1 – January 16th 2007 A public meeting took place on Monday 15th January 2007 at the Empress Hotel in Douglas to consider the possible formation of an independent Manx Passenger Watchdog. Around 70 people attended and at the end of the meeting there was overwhelming support for setting up TravelWatch Isle of Man. Some 15 people volunteered to be actively involved in the work of setting up the new Watchdog. Efforts are already in hand to begin the work of turning the idea into a reality. Two websites have offered help in building up TWIOM during these early stages. The Positive Action Group – whose initiative it was to set up the initial meeting – will post news of TWIOM on their website www.positiveactiongroup.org TravelWatch North West will also post news of TWIOM on their website www.travelwatch-northwest.org.uk An early task is building up a supporter base. Already some 40 people have registered support for TWIOM. Anyone seeking further information or wishing to support TWIOM is invited to contact Brendan O’Friel, co-ordinator for TWIOM, on brendan@ofriel.fsnet.co.uk TWIOM intends to publish regular information bulletins for passengers and supporters to report progress. The url for travelwatch is temporarily: [url=http://www.positiveactiongroup.org These are early days and the inaugural meeting of volunteers will take place next week. A new website will appear over the next month once principles, priorities etc. have been established.

I attended this evening’s meeting arranged by the PAG. The aim was to initiate setting up a Manx Passengers’ Watchdog. Brendan O’Friel, outgoing Chairman of the North West Public Transport Users Forum addressed the meeting and answered questions. He is an ex- Prison Governor and thought his theme may be “from jail to rail!” He posed the question why do we need a passenger watchdog? His answer revolved around the various problems that passengers often experience - lack of appropriate information to passengers, no early buses to the airport or sea terminus, difficulty for Manx people in knowing the arrangements for onward travel say at Liverpool etc. He advocated the formation of a Travel Watch Forum - the Manx Passenger Watchdog with presumably himself as the main driving force. He said: 1. This would have at least one public meeting per year. 2. The website of the PAG and this new body would be interlinked - perhaps part of the same. 3 .The Forum would concentrate on getting the best deal for passengers in terms of safety, reliability, affordability. The operators of bus, taxis, coach, air, sea, and train operators etc would be asked if they have done surveys to help passengers. 4. There would be regular meetings between this group and the operators particularly on vital services such as sea and air links which are not as good as they should be currently with airlines pulling out of routes, cancelling services etc. 5. There should be regular surveys on passenger complaints and how particular matters have been handled. 6. The Forum should build up links with other Travel Watchdogs in the U.K. The 80, 00 people on this island travel regularly and so we could exert a lot of influence on UK thinking. 7. Mr O’Friel thought much more information must be given to passengers when matters go wrong - e.g. why are passengers left stranded at airports with little chance of compensation when flights are cancelled? Action: Mr O’Friel asked for 5 - 10 people to be actively involved in the formation of TravelWatch I.O, .M. Information on this is available at www.postiveactiongroup.org In addition, he wanted a wider support group to do surveys etc. It was emphasised by Leonard Singer who was in the audience that the group should not be a group of whingers but people who are positive and are willingly to interact positively with government and the operators. Resources for the Group. These would come from the operators - providing facilities for meetings etc. supporters and possibly Government. A similar group has been set up in Jersey called the Jersey Air Passenger Association. Questions from the floor. These were wide ranging. The various points raised include: The almost monopolistic control of taxi services was queried, as was the quality of people driving taxis, which could put passenger safety at risk according to the questioner. I am just reporting! The scope of the group - initially it would concentrate on matters, which could be dealt with quickly such as information, but later on strategy planning issues could be tackled. There would be co-operation with other groups on the island and elsewhere .e.g. environmental, planning, hospital user groups Taxi buses could be a more creative way for transport particularly in rural areas. The question of regulations came up such as in the Steam Packet User Agreement. The Manx Watchdog must be independent and not linked to government. A sizeable part of the population has no car - so how do we deal with their quality of life? Availability of special offers, discounts etc to Manx passengers travelling in the UK. Route licensing as regards airlines. Difficulty of getting information from the Tourism and Leisure Dept.of Government School buses. Why couldn’t the Sea Terminal be used for the buses? Air Transport Users Council to resolve difficulties for passengers. My impression was that this was a valuable and worthwhile initiative which if progressed could help passengers greatly. I would not criticise the voluntary service and the volunteers in doing this and I for one wish them well.

Epiphany 2 1 Samuel 3,1-20 In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen We live in a world where we can be contacted at anytime, anywhere. I do not know what percentage of the population have a mobile phone but certainly, amongst the younger generation it must be quite high. Probably some of you will have one with you right now, switched off or on silent, I hope. Naturally, we want to be reached, as it may be very important. We do not want to miss that call. But, when was the last time God called? Now this is what our OT lesson is about this evening - God calling. All of us know the story of Samuel. We remember that his mother Hannah could not have children. She went to the Temple to pray one day and promised God that if she and Elkanah were granted a child, the child would be given back to the Lord for service. True to her word, she brought the three-year-old Samuel to live in the house of the Lord with Eli so that in time he would assist the aging and nearly blind High Priest and Judge in the temple at Shiloh in the land of the Canaanites. According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, Samuel was about 12 years old when this scripture story happened. This is the same age that Jesus was found in the temple discussing scripture with the rabbis. In our story Samuel had been learning about the Jewish faith from Eli since he was three. Eli had been his teacher, his friend and his father. At the beginning of the story in verse 2 it says ”the word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not common.” This reflects the situation at the end of the Book of Judges. Everyone did as they pleased worshipping many Gods including the God who brought them out of Egypt. It has been described as a time of spiritual desolation, religious corruption, political danger, and social upheaval. Moreover much of the blame could be put on Eli who had done little to stop it. So God’s revelation to Samuel was completely unexpected. Neither Eli nor Samuel expected God to speak at this time. In fact Eli was lying down in a room and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, besides the ark of God - the place, which for Israel, was where God dwelt and could be found. The lamp beside the ark would be filled with just enough oil to keep it lit during the night, as it must according to Pentateuchal regulations. It was just before dawn. Probably it was quiet. Then Samuel hears, “Samuel! Samuel!” Of course, the boy thinks it is Eli. After all Eli’s eyesight was failing. Perhaps he had got up, and needed some help. Samuel goes to Eli. However, it was not Eli who had called, so Samuel goes back to bed. Once again, the boy hears Samuel, and once again, he runs to Eli thinking the old man had called him. Once again it was not Eli and once again Samuel goes back to lie down. Then it happened a third time, “Samuel, Samuel.” The boy rose and went to Eli still thinking that Eli is calling his name. By now, Eli had worked out who was calling the boy. It was God calling. Eli tells Samuel when he hears his name called again to answer, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel came to know the voice of God because Eli helped him recognise the voice as that of God. What did God say to him? God’s prophetic message was about change, about the ending of the old ways of doing things in Israel. The message was that God would not allow Eli’s immoral sons to lead Israel. Eli’s priestly family would be removed and they would no longer be the priests and guardians of the temple. Samuel was afraid of telling Eli this, but when he told him Eli’s response was not one of anger but of acceptance and he knew it was right. He simply said, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.” Very few of us surely have had a similar experience as that of Samuel. This does not mean God is not calling us by name Perhaps we find difficulty in recognising God’s call. Even Eli, a priest, took three times before he realised it was God calling Samuel. Moreover, Samuel needed Eli’s help to know God was calling his name. Perhaps we too need help to recognise God’s call. We surely need help to recognise the call of God from the voice of another human being or from our own imagination. How do we know God is calling? Well God is not going to ask us to do something wrong. Turn to the Bible for help in discerning God’s call. “All scripture is inspired by God.” Moreover, as Eli helped Samuel, we can turn to our priests for help and guidance. Through meditation and prayer we can seek confirmation of God’s call. Take time to listen for God. Maybe as with Samuel it will be in the still of the night. Prayer is not speaking, it is hearing. And hearing attentively. Waiting for God to be heard. Perhaps our mobiles and other modern day technology need to be turned off now and again for us to hear God. We might miss an important call if we do not. After we have discovered it is God who is calling, we must follow Samuel’s example and be obedient. Like Samuel we must respond to God. We must seek out that Voice of God in our own lives and then respond to His words. Loving our neighbour as ourselves, praying for those who many feel unworthy of prayer, proclaiming the Gospel, serving God according to the gifts He has given us. Why would you be given them if they were not to be used? Whether it is to serve on others at lunches, to cook, to entertain, to decorate the church, to clean, to count the money, to care for the ill, to preach, to teach, to make music or whatever it is - maybe becoming a prophet like Samuel who listened to God, let each gift be used in His service. God speaks our name. We will hear if we listen. Some know they have been called and wonder why and how it could be. Some still do not. Do not worry - the call will come. Do not be too busy to notice. May we have ears to hear the voice of God and the heart of Samuel to respond in obedience and in faith. I will end with the lovely words of James Drummond Burns: Hushed was the evening hymn. The Temple courts were dark: The lamp was burning dim Before the sacred ark; When suddenly a voice divine Rang through the silence of the shrine. O give me Samuel’s ear, The open ear, O God, Alive and quick to hear Each whisper of your word, Like him to answer at your call, And to obey you first of all.” May this be our prayer in this Season of Epiphany. “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Amen.

monks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A man is driving down the road and his car breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, "My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?" The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, even fix his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. A sound unlike anything he's ever heard before. The Sirens that nearly seduced Odysseus into crashing his ship comes to his mind. He doesn't sleep that night. He tosses and turns trying to figure out what could possibly be making such a seductive sound. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." Distraught, the man is forced to leave. Years later, after never being able to forget that sound, the man goes back to the monastery and pleads for the answer again. The monks reply, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." The man says, "If the only way I can find out what is making that beautiful sound is to become a monk, then please, make me a monk." The monks reply, "You must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of grains of sand. When you find these answers, you will have become a monk." The man sets about his task. After years of searching he returns as a gray-haired old man and knocks on the door of the monastery. A monk answers. He is taken before a gathering of all the monks. "In my quest to find what makes that beautiful sound, I traveled the earth and have found what you asked for: By design, the world is in a state of perpetual change. Only God knows what you ask. All a man can know is himself, and only then if he is honest and reflective and willing to strip away self deception." The monks reply, "Congratulations. You have become a monk. We shall now show you the way to the mystery of the sacred sound." The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, "The sound is beyond that door." The monks give him the key, and he opens the door. Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man is given the key to the stone door and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby. And so it went that he needed keys to doors of emerald, pearl and diamond. Finally, they come to a door made of solid gold. The sound has become very clear and definite. The monks say, "This is the last key to the last door." The man is apprehensive to no end. His life's wish is behind that door! With trembling hands, he unlocks the door, turns the knob, and slowly pushes the door open. Falling to his knees, he is utterly amazed to discover the source of that haunting and seductive sound...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... But, of course, I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk.

What is your vision, your dream for the future? How do we build a sustainable world appropriate to our needs without plundering the world’s natural resources and which has due regard for the human spirit? For years, I have campaigned on issues - economic, social and environmental. Rarely do I meet anyone who is able to articulate a vision for the future, which is wholly generous. The vision is usually one of restriction in which joy is way down the priority scale. Today we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Christ is nothing if He is not a person of joy, love and generosity. He wants a world which is sustainable in which future generations are looked after and in which wonderful things happen. A world in which the child’s values are paramount - full of fun, beauty and kindness for our fellow creatures on God’s planet. No war, no hunger, and no poverty - a world of fairness and justice in which all God’s creatures have worth and are treated equitably and justly. This is not the world, as we know it. Bad news is everywhere. The economic indicators are not as good as they should be. Hospitals have huge waiting lists. The earth is warming. Insane people are rife and we do not necessarily know who they are. We need visionaries to lead us out of this despondency and to allow us to realise our blessings and make us happy. Today, you are the visionary. What kind of sustainable world do you want to live in? This world undoubtedly must be one in which economic, social and environmental factors are in balance, where renewable resources are replenished, pollution is controlled, the population is stable, hunger and poverty are no more and in which government is democratic and responds to the needs of its people. However, what else do you want for your children and their children? In a sustainable world, what would your home be like? Where would your energy, your water, your food come from? How are old people and young people treated? Is it a place of beauty and joy? What work are you doing in this place? With whom are you doing it? How do you get to work? How do you view the rest of the world? How are conflicts resolved? How do the people fit in with nature - the planets, the animals, the soils and water, moon and stars? What pace of life do you want? What makes the people laugh? Will you want transport or will you be happy to be at home in the place you love or nearby rather than travelling around the world? Now you have the makings of your vision. The trick is to translate this into reality through political and community action. This will take time. Christ has been working on the Gospel -the Good News, for 2,000 years. However, all will be well in a world full of love and generosity. We must make it so. This is my dream.

Service for Christmas Morning. INTRODUCTION I bring you good news of great joy: a Saviour has been born to you! Unto us a child is born, a son is given. Alleluia! HYMN: Hark the Heralds Angels sing LIGHTING THE ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS CANDLES. After counting the weeks of Advent we have come to Christmas Day. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. Light the candles. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. Hear the words of St. Luke: When the angels had gone from them, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they hastened, and found Mary and Joseph,\and the babe lying in a manger. He is Christ the Lord. Alleluia! We worship and adore him. Alleluia! PENITENCE. As we bow our heads with the shepherds before the new born Christ child, we open our hearts in penitence and faith: You, Lord, were born for our salvation. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. You came as Saviour to bring wholeness and peace. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. You came to bring light into the darkness of our lives. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever. Amen. COLLECT for Christmas Day. Almighty God, you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. THE CREED. We affirm our faith in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. GOSPEL: John 1, 1-14. The Gospel According to John The Word Became Flesh In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. HYMN: O Little Town of Bethlehem SERMON. HYMN: While shepherds Watched their Flocks by night PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Let us pray: Beloved in Christ Jesus, rejoicing in the love of God that has taken flesh among us in Jesus of Nazareth, let us with confidence bring to the Lord the petitions of our heart this Christmas Day. We bring before God our needs and the needs of his world. Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Wonderful Counsellor, give your wisdom to the rulers of the nations. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Mighty God, make the whole world know that the government is on your shoulders. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Everlasting Father, establish your reign of justice and righteousness for ever. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Prince of Peace, bring in the endless kingdom of your peace in the world, in our island, in our home at Ellen Vannin and elsewhere. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Saviour of the World, in a world of homeless people and where children are born in pain and poverty, may there be room at the inn for all of God’s people. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer Father, when your Son came on earth he filled the world with your glory. Help us to live as children of the light, so that when our earthly journey is over, we may come to the kingdom of everlasting day. Almighty Lord, Hear our prayer, and fulfil your purposes in us, as you accomplished your will in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. So, united as members of the Lord’s family, we pray with one another and voice: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. HYMN: O Come all ye Faithful THE BLESSING. May the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of the Christ child be yours this Christmas. And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon us and remain with us always. Amen

A seasonal joke from Gavin Esler at Newsnight: Last Christmas I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in the overall performance, particularly in the Flower and jewellery applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 un-installed many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5 and then installed undesirable programs such as: Football 5.0, Rugby 4.3 and Cricket 3.0. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs; it simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, to no avail. What can I do? Signed, Desperate Dear Desperate: First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Try entering the command: C:/I-THOUGHT-YOU-LOVED-ME to download Tears 6.2, which should automatically install Guilt 3.0. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. But remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence2.5, Happy Hour 7.0, or Beer 6.1. WARNING: Beer 6.1 is a very nasty program that will create Snoring Loudly. CAUTION: Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-in-law. This is not a supported application and will crash Husband 1.0. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. I personally recommend Hot Food 3.0 and Lingerie 7.7. Good Luck, Tech Support

Christmas Hymn to be sung to the tune of “The Ash Grove” When Joseph and Mary so wearily wended Their way from their cottage in Nazareth’s street, Then slept with the oxen in Bethlehem’s stable, And laid in a manger their Baby so sweet, Enduring discomfort and squalor and hardship, Compelled by a merciless tyrant’s decree, Few were there on earth who in such tribulation God’s greatness and goodness and glory could see. God’s glory we see in the sun, moon and planets, In river and ocean, in mountain and plain, In flowers and butterflies, forests and gardens, In moors with their heather and fields full of grain. But angels sang “Glory” when in great privation Our Lord came in Bethlehem’s manger to lie; For His greatest glory’s the glory of loving, That led Him to suffer, that led Him to die. Lord, give us Your glory, the glory of loving, A love for all people, the great and the small, For saints and for sinners, for friends and for strangers, For black folk and white, like Your love for us all, A love like Your own that for others is ready To suffer great hardship if that should ensue; You said that whenever we love other people We also, in doing so show love to You. Roland Howorth. Rathmell, North Yorkshire This was a winner in the hymn competition in October 2000 organised by Settle Methodist Circuit. The theme was simply Christmas, and the tune had to be The Ash Grove. And just for fun in days gone by! 'while shepherds washed their socks by night, all watching itv, an angel of the lord came down and said watch bbc' i think.. and 'we three kings of orient are, one in a taxi, one in a car, one on a scooter, beeping his hooter, smoking a Hamlet cigar.' oh star of yonder, star of light, sit on a box of dynamite, light the fuse and off we go, all the way to Mexico.' The things kids come up with...

Thursday 14th December 2006 - Film - Al Gore's "an inconvenient truth" Manx Museum Theatre Douglas - 2 showings @ 6.00pm and 7.45pm - Admission free - for tickets phone 863106 or e mail info@positiveactiongroup.org "You owe it to yourself to see this film" - "global warming is a real and present danger" First showing now full. Second showing tickets still available

ISLAND AGENDA 21 Contact: Chairman: Charles Flynn. QUESTIONS FOR ELECTION CANDIDATES NOV 2006 1 Will you encourage SUSTAINABILITY and if so how will you incorporate it into the government’s decision-making process? What is your understanding of the term "sustainability"? 2 According to some legal firms there is a real possibility of negligence being proved because of lack of action on CLIMATE CHANGE. What should the IOM government do about coping with climate change? 3 How do you see the island in 5-10 year’s time? What developments do you want to see happening? What do you want to prevent? 4 If elected would you encourage the use of energy efficient vehicles? If so - how? 5 How would you reduce waste and encourage recycling? 6 Would you encourage local and organic produce? If so-how? 7 How would you encourage energy efficiency in government, among the general population and in businesses? 8 Cycling can improve health and reduce obesity. Would you support initiatives such as creating cycle-tracks and encouraging cycling to school? 9 Many Manx schools are still providing unhealthy food. Would you be willing to champion a healthier diet campaign? 10 The Isle of Man has a car culture. Public transport is underused and costly. How would you integrate transport and encourage people out of their cars? Many thanks and good wishes for the election. Charles Flynn. Notes for Editor/Candidates Island Agenda 21 is essentially about 'quality of life'. It is a process that asks those in government to work in partnership with the community to develop a strategy that will set out how we will work together towards the goal of sustainable development. Safguarding the environment is a key feature of Agenda 21, including issues like pollution, waste management anthe protection of the environment. Agenda 21 recognises the interdependence of environmental, social, health and economic issues. The level of success is dependent to a large extent upon the level of commitment and co-operation from Tynwald. It is our hope that this will be on a much higher level in future than it has been up to now.

THE MANX CHURCH CHARLES FLYNN, READER, SODOR & MAN – Church of England Central Readers Council Executive Member Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man) Isle of Man residents are accustomed to being asked about Manx cats, kippers, the T.T. races and Tynwald, the oldest continuous parliament in the world. When I meet Reader colleagues on the adjacent Isle (this is the way the Manx refer to mainland UK – the Isle of Man is the mainland!) they usually peer at my name badge and ask about Sodor & Man. Where is Sodor? Even, where is Man! Most ask how many Readers are on the Island. I hope this article will provide some of the answers concerning the church in the Isle of Man, while answers to the other questions can be discovered by visiting this “Jewel in the Irish Sea.” The Early Church It is traditional belief that Christianity came to the Isle of Man in the year 447, although there are some who believe St. Patrick founded a church on what became known as St. Patrick’s Isle during a possible stay in AD 444-447. Others take the view that Celtic missionaries who were Patrick’s disciples from Ireland introduced it. Whatever happened the early Christians left behind them a legacy of early churches known as keeils, whose remains are scattered throughout the Island. Out of the original 200 or so keeils, only 35 can still be seen; others are buried beneath the foundations of later parish churches, such as Kirk Maughold, while others are simply marked as map sites. The most impressive artefacts from that time are stone crosses dating from 650 - 800 AD. They range in style following on from Oghams with their basic burial inscriptions. Ancient Irish sources indicate that this early church was well organised and strongly established by the sixth century. Four bishops are mentioned: St. Germanus, a nephew of St. Patrick, who is said to have founded the church in Man, as well as Conindrus, Romulus and St. Maughold. Maughold was originally known as MaCuil. He was, according to legend a fifth century murderous bandit who was ordered to be cast aside as a penance by St. Patrick in a coracle made of a single ox hide. Although it is not known whether St. Patrick ever visited the Isle of Man, two churches are dedicated to his name as well as seven keeils. Later on, Scottish missionaries appear to have visited the Island, as there are dedications to the Saints Andrew, Ninian, Brendan, Ronan and Columba. The Scandinavian word “kirk” has been retained in place names rather than the Celtic “kil-“. After the pagan Viking invasions when Christianity was probably extirpated, it is assumed that the Isle of Man, (as part of the Scandinavian Empire ruled by King Olaf of Norway) became Christian again in around the middle of the tenth century. The first recorded Scandinavian Bishop of Man was Roolwer, consecrated in 1069, as recorded in The Chronicle of the Kings of Mann & the Isles. The first Bishop of Sodor and Man was Hammond, a Manxman, appointed by the Viking Godred Crovan in 1079 when he separated Mann and the Isles from Norway to become an independent kingdom. Mann is simply an older version of Man. The name “Sodor” was derived from the dioceses Sodorensis, the Latinised form of “dioceses of the Sudreys” from the Scandinavian name for “the South Islands”, which were the southernmost of the western islands of Scotland. Rushen Abbey In 1134 Olaf I granted permission to the abbot of the Savignian Order in Furness Abbey to build a daughter house at Ballasalla. In 1147 it was placed in the control of the Cistercians. Cistercians made manual work, particularly farm work the key to their lives. They worked hard, and Rushen Abbey prospered. Its’ chapter controlled all the best farm land, took charge of all mining, and controlled the fishing. The abbot, a baron in his own right had the power of life and death. The Cistercians were exempted from all Episcopal visitation and control, by charter granted by the Pope, and were, therefore, only subject to his rule and that of the abbots of their own order. At the Dissolution of the Monasteries Rushen Abbey was the last of the British monasteries to hold out against the King’s edict, but the abbot and the remaining six brothers were finally ejected on St. John the Baptist’s Day in 1540. On the same day the nuns of St. Bridget’s Nunnery were also removed – one prioress and three sisters. Bishops of Sodor and Man Between 1250 and 1320 the fate of the Isle of Man was being determined between Scotland and England. During this period the Bishop of the Sodorenses with Mann retained his control of the Scottish Isles and Mann. However, when England took control Mann was separated from the Scottish Isles, which were attached to Scotland. The Scottish bishops being elected by their own kings ceased to use the title of “Sodor”, and were called “of the Isles”. However, the Manx Bishops have retained the title Bishop of Sodor and Man to this day. The style and title of the Bishop, by which he is now consecrated is “Bishop of Man, of Sodor, of Sodor and Man, and of Sodor of Man” In 1458 a bull of Pope Calistus united the Church of Sodor, Isle of Man to that of York in the episcopate of Thomas of Kirkham. In 1542 Henry VIII, by an Act of the Imperial Parliament placed the Diocese of Man, in the Isle of Man under the metropolitan jurisdiction of York, which was confirmed by an Act of James II. After the Reformation during the lordship of the Stanleys, the parochial clergy, headed by the Bishop became more influential. In 1610 Bishop John Philips, a Welshman, produced a Prayer Book in Manx Gaelic, the first book ever to be written in the language. Many of his clergy subsequently copied it by hand. In 1663 Bishop Barrow raised a fund to establish parochial schools, and he established a trust that led to the founding of King William’s College, the first Manx public school at Castletown. Bishop Thomas Wilson The most famous of all Manx bishops was Thomas Wilson, who held the post from 1698 until 1755. He was a great demander of discipline, both from his clergy and his flock – including the Lord’s entourage. Differences of opinion between Lord Derby and his bishop culminated in the bishop’s imprisonment in Castle Rushen. When he was released the common people carried him home to Bishopscourt in a triumphal procession, the like of which had never been seen in the Island before. “The day of his release” said an eye witness “was a jubilee throughout the island. The people, on his return home, scattered flowers in his path, and for three miles the roads were lined with farmers on their best steeds. For want of better instruments the cavalcade had furnished themselves with flutes made of the elder-tree, of which they contrived to make a loud and merry noise whilst in the village if Kirkmichael itself a band “testified to the general joy”.” Bishop Wilson did many good things, for he was undoubtedly a saintly, affectionate and just bishop. He died in 1755 aged 93 in the 58th year of his consecration. He had been offered translation but declined with the comment “I will not leave my wife (the diocese) in my old age, because she is poor.” To Modern Times As a result of Bishop Wilson and his successor Bishop Mark Hildesley (1755-1773), the Manx Church prospered. Successful missions by John Wesley and others established Nonconformity. In 1878 a Sodor & Man theological school was established for the training of candidates for Holy Orders, and is also responsible for the training of Readers today as the Isle of Man's own Diocesan Training Institute. The power of the Manx Convocation to make canons, though not exercised since 1704 has never been abrogated, and the Manx Church remains a separate national Church governed by its’ own laws, which, however must be approved by the insular Legislature – we even have 2 women priests now! Readers At the 1902 Convocation Bishop Straton advised the clergy to have lay readers, and on July 24th 1904 he licensed 10 lay readers in St. Matthew’s, Douglas, the first service of its’ kind in the Island. They were chosen on the basis of the work they did in their parishes, following an examination. One of the more famous Readers was A.W. Moore, the Manx Historian and Speaker of the House of Keys (1898-1909). Today, prospective Readers undertake a course of three or more years with the Diocesan Training Institute, similar to that in England. There are now 34 licensed Readers on the Island, along with Readers Emeritus who are still active – one being in his 91st year!

All Saints EP EP/CF 2 Kings 22 In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This evening we are going back to the days of King Josiah - some 600 years BC. Three hundred years earlier King David’s kingdom had been split into two. Israel with 10 of the 12 original tribes had been captured by Assyria and so formed the Northern kingdom. The two remaining tribes constituted the Southern kingdom of Judah. Judah had been lucky, as they had just escaped the fate of Israel. The besieging Assyrian army had fallen ill from a plague while they encamped around Jerusalem. The army decided to withdraw when the Judeans agreed to pay tribute to the Assyrian throne. Both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms had transgressed God’s law as the people worshipped many gods depending whether they wanted rain or war or whatever. Even the most sacred places indulged in pagan worship. Now a new King came to power in Judah. His name was Josiah. Josiah was only 8 years old when he ascended the throne of Judah in 640 BC. His father Amon was an idolater worshipping Baal and had been assassinated by high officials within his household.. Josiah reigned for 31 years in Jerusalem, and according to the Chronicler in 2 Chron 34,2 “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” Josiah tackled Judah’s wickedness. When he was 16, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and when he was 20, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of their idols, the wooden images, the altars of Baal. He burned the bones of the false priests on their altars. He was zealous in his obedience to God as he recognised the calamity that had come on Judah because of their idolatry and others acts of disobedience. He purged not only Judah and Jerusalem of their idols, but also he was able to do the same in much of the northern territory as far as Samaria. Assyrian power was waning which enabled him to do this. He then concentrated on restoring the worship of the one true God - Jahweh. The Levites collected money to repair the temple in Jerusalem and the work was started. Then a very significant event took place. It was during the rebuilding and repairing that Hilkiah, the chief priest of the Temple, found a scroll of the law of God. This discovery proved to be a turning point in Judah’s return to God. Priests before Hilkiah’s time had either misplaced it or hidden it for safekeeping as their king and people had turned from God to idolatry. Hilkiah who some believe was the father of the prophet Jeremiah, instantly knew the importance of the find and quickly delivered the scroll to Shaphan the scribe. Shaphan wasted no time carrying it to Josiah. He then directed the king’s attention to the Book of the Torah and began reading from it. When Josiah heard the scribe reading the words of God, he was greatly distressed and he tore his clothes. This was a common expression of grief and anguish. Why did Josiah react as he did? Perhaps Hilkiah had found the original copy of the Law that Moses had commanded should be placed beside the Ark of the Covenant. There is an account of the discovery in 2 Chronicles, which refers to “the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses”. Some scholars believe the “Book of the Law” was a scroll of the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 28, 29 and 30 describes the curses that would come to the tribes of Israel if they disobeyed God. The shock of hearing the fate of his kingdom described in such graphic terms may well have been the cause of the anguished reaction of the king. As a result, the king commanded “those who are left in Israel and Judah” to seek God’s will regarding wayward Judah. As a result, they went directly to Huldah, the prophetess. She confirmed the curses that would surely come on a nation that rejected God. However, Huldah had words of comfort for Josiah himself. She told him that the Lord says, “because your heart was tender, you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants”. Because of these predictions verse 33 of our reading says “Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country, and made all in Israel diligently serve the Lord their God.” Part of God’s instruction that had been ignored was the command to observe His festivals. Josiah restored them beginning with the coming Passover. He restored the priests to their proper duties and instructed the Levites to return the ark of God to the temple Solomon had built. He also centralised all worship to Jerusalem to control it under the Chief Priests, and pensioned off many of the country priests. No employment legislation existed then! I notice there is a case currently in the U.K. news about this. The court has decided that a priest should have the same rights against unfair dismissal as the rest of the population. The Passover season was a fitting time to begin the process of national repentance as the central part of the religious ceremony involved a sacrificial shedding of blood as an atonement for sins and to bring reconciliation to God. Josiah was a great ruler in the annals of Judah’s kings. Only Josiah and his great-grandfather, King Hezekiah, 60 years before, turned Judah back to God in such a wholehearted way. So what does the example of Josiah tell us today? First, we can be glad that God does not look at age when he chooses a willing servant. Josiah was just 16 when he began to root idolatry out of Judah. He was the son of a wicked man yet he obeyed God. Our religion depends on one’s self under God, who gives grace. Throughout his life, Josiah faithfully followed God’s commands just as he pledged to do. Secondly, as today is Bible Sunday we should remember this story as it shows the remarkable turn around in fortunes that can result from heeding God’s words. It also illustrates the dangers of diluting our faith with other practices. Thirdly, only in the case of the events surrounding his death did Josiah fail. He hadn’t realized that God was dramatically shifting the regional balance of power from Assyria to Babylonia. Josiah didn’t ask his faithful advisers for advice and so in a battle against Pharaoh Neco II, who was trying to head off the Babylonians and reach his allies the beleagued Assyrians by passing through Judah. Neco told Josiah he had no quarrel with him but Josiah didn’t listen and tragically on the Plains at Megiddo he was killed in a hail of arrows, and according to the Chronicler, was brought back dead to Jerusalem. Alternatively, it is thought by some he was wounded and brought back to Jerusalem where he died. Josiah had made a fatal mistake. He should have consulted God before hand instead of relying on his own judgment to go into battle against the Egyptians. It is a common weakness of successful people that they believe too much in their own judgment rather than taking due heed of advice from others especially God through prayer or the Bible. It is shown throughout the Bible that God intervenes in the affairs of humankind. Sometimes, as with Josiah, He provides a faithful, obedient ruler for his people. Judah listened to God for a time during Josiah’s reign, but soon returned to their idols and spiritual adultery under the leadership of succeeding kings. It was not long before the prophesised disaster struck but by that time, Josiah was dead. Amen.

All Saints EP Revelation 3, 7-end EP/CF 26.11.06 In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This evening we go to the last Book of the Bible to a book, which many of you are too scared to read. Hidden in the opening chapters is a story of seven very different churches. By studying them, we can learn much about our church, ourselves and others in our church. They are representative of all churches. The book of Revelation was written as a letter and it was intended to be circulated around the churches. The seven churches mentioned are located in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. While each church is addressed individually, all seven messages are important for each church to read. At the end of each address John writes, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” So all of us need to heed what was said to all the churches. The seven letters to the churches in Revelation depict many things. First, they depict the state of affairs of seven actual churches. Some are alright with some bad points, some are good, and some are bad. Secondly, each church is representative of a period during the church age. Thirdly, every Christian can be categorised by one of the seven churches. Finally, every present day church falls into one of these seven categories. Therefore, the purpose of studying these churches is to look at ourselves and our church to see how we match up to Christ’s evaluation. Our passage speaks about the churches at Philadelphia and Laodicea. Therefore, I shall speak about them. It is up to you to go away and read about the five others as well. Philadelphia was known as the city of brotherly love. It was named after a king, Attalus II who was known for loving his brother, Eumenes II - 200 B.C. This is highly appropriate for this church. Jesus says nothing bad about this church. Every church and every member should be like this. Jesus has opened the door to them and no one can shut it. The church of Philadelphia has kept Christ’s word and not denied his name. It is a small church, not big in numbers. We tend to think of larger churches as those Jesus wants. However, this is not the case. Not all churches are bad, but big churches have worldly power Power brings the tendency to forget God. The church, which is likely to seek God in prayer, is the small church, which can hardly afford to pay the quota. A small church survives more because of God’s grace rather than their own ability. Because of their faithfulness, Jesus would make the enemies of the church fall down at their feet and acknowledge that Jesus loved the church. There is a lesson here. We should all strive to live such good lives that no matter how much someone dislikes us, in their heart of hearts, they still know and understand God loves us - that we are Christian and we do what we do because we love God. This is the view taken about the Philadelphian church even by its enemies. Also, because of the faithfulness of the Philadelphian church, God would spare them from the “hour of trial” that would fall upon the whole earth. Now we come to the second church. Laodicea was the wealthiest city in Asia Minor. It was well known for its banking industry, medical school and textile industry. It was also known for its lack of good drinking water. If the report on the church of Philadelphia was all good, then the report on the church of Laodicea was all bad. Jesus had nothing good to say about this church, as it is the opposite of the Philadelphian church. Jesus calls the church lukewarm and warns that he is about to spit them out of his mouth. This refers to the quality of the drinking water in the area that the church would have been able to identify with. The church of Laodicea is the large church that I spoke about . They are wealthy. They think they can survive without any help from Christ. Jesus calls this church wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. This fits many of today’s churches. Churches are too often seen as a business and it is the bottom line, which counts. What really matters is spiritual growth of the members, otherwise all the baptisms, growth in attendance, new members, and youth attendance will eventually go to waste and they will desert the church as quickly as they came. If we think of the Parable of the Sower, the church of Laodicea, is planting seeds. However, they are not taking care of their plants. They ignore the plants that have a shallow root and let them wither and die. They see weeds surrounding other plants, but they do not pull out the weeds. They allow the cares of the world to choke out young Christians. The church of Laodicea counts how many plants they have and decides they are doing a good job. However, God looks for fruit and sees that the church has failed to produce much fruit. He is ready to rebuke this church. There is a call to repentance. Jesus stands at the door and knocks and will come in if anyone answers the door. Revelation 3,20 “Behold, I am standing at the door and knocking” is a common verse used to discuss salvation. However, this verse is really about the condemnation of the church of Laodicea. Jesus is standing outside of the church and knocking on the door. This is not good. Jesus should not be outside but this is the situation at Laodicea. They have decided they can stand on their own two feet and do not need God. The seven churches of Revelation depict every church and every person. Our duty is to determine what All Saints is like and what we are. If we are going to prosper and do good, we must match the church of Philadelphia not Laodicea. If we wish to thrive, we must not compromise our Christian principals. We must stick to God’s word. We must suffer. Suffering is imposed by God on those whom he loves in order to test and strengthen their character. It must be our prayer that we will have courage and ability , so that we may share, through God’s grace and mercy, the blessings of the church of Philadelphia which still holds aloft the banner of the Christian faith. Let us remember Christ holds the key of David. He has the authority to admit us into the kingdom of God, and he also has the authority to keep us out. Let us be worthy to receive Christ’s name. He is the King of righteousness. He is our faithful and true witness. Amen.

All Saints Celtic Communion 3.12.06 Advent 1 Luke 21, 25-36 In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. I bring you good news. We are now in the season of Advent. We are waiting during this special time for the coming of Jesus. Anticipation and preparation are the order of the season. This is the spirit of Advent - expectant, preparation, longing. The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival” The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation and hope of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. We are told to prepare ourselves, get ready! Watch yourselves! He is coming, and you do not want to miss it. So prepare! As in Lent, we are penitently waiting, praying and watching. We are fasting, and keeping guard at night, knowing that He is coming. It is an exciting time in the church year because we know what is coming. Christ takes on our flesh and we receive Him. The incarnation presents our Lord to us and Advent has us waiting actively and expectantly. The colour at this beginning of the Church year is purple - the colour to mark penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. Purple of course is used throughout Lent and Holy Week. This points to the important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The purpose of the “Word made flesh” and dwelling among us, is to reveal God and His grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching, but also through his suffering, death and resurrection. . Therefore, Advent is a time to reflect. A time to reflect historically on the people who appear in the Christmas story. We should think about Mary and Joseph, and also Elizabeth and Zechariah. The stories of the angels visiting Mary and Joseph are well known. We are told that Zechariah and Elizabeth were old and had no children of their own. Zechariah was a priest in the temple and one day when serving there, he saw the angel Gabriel. He was so unbelieving of the power of the Lord that he was struck dumb until Jesus was born. We know very little else about any of these people, but they are crucial to the story. Luke gives us a potted history of Joseph’s ancestors, and he provides us with some of the most wonderful words that we still use in some of our services, which he attributes to Mary and Zechariah. The words of the Song of Mary - the Magnificat - are Mary’s response when she visits her cousin Elizabeth and is received with great joy. After the birth of his son, John, Zechariah speaks words of wonder and praise. We call it the Benedictus. Someone, somewhere, in the world will be saying or singing these songs now. It is important that we think about real people from the bible at this time. What were they thinking? How did they feel? How would it change their lives? As both sets of parents looked forward with a mixture of fear, excitement and anticipation, what they could not have foreseen was the impact that both of their sons would have for the rest of time. So what does the birth of Christ mean to us today? Advent is a beginning, a time to look forward, a time to prepare. However, it is not just a preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The whole point of Advent is that we are to start this year and every New Year by preparing ourselves for the second coming of Christ. Towards the end of his teaching, Jesus promised his disciples, as he promises us, that he will come again. However, the point He makes is that we will not know when He is coming. He will come “like a thief in the night”. There will be no warning, so we need to be ready. To be ready and prepared to let Christ come into our lives - the crucified and resurrected One. It is a time of hope. Hope! But you may say where is the hope in today’s Gospel Reading? There is doom and gloom, destruction, chaos and catastrophe. We hear of mysterious signs in the sun, moon and stars. Where is hope? There is hope in this passage from Luke. Jesus says: “when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near”. He speaks of fig trees, a symbol of life out of death, a symbol that comes after the winter, the hope of new birth. Redemption, God’s kingdom and new birth are the images of Advent. Hope indeed! Redemption - God’s act of freeing His people in need, giving us the promise of freedom. God’s kingdom is near means the realm of God is here on earth. It comes in human form, not only with Jesus, but also in all life on earth. In addition, the hope of new birth. Well we have to be prepared in a time of war, malnutrition, ecological disaster, global warning - An inconvenient truth the film by Al Gore is coming soon. I suggest you go and see it. We do not necessarily have to move to a new planet as Stephen Hawking as suggested Our hope is that there is something beyond this chaos. Our hope is that out of death, comes new life here on earth. After winter, comes Spring. After Advent, a new baby is born. We have to ensure we are ready to celebrate not only Jesus at Christmas but also to receive Christ at His Second Coming. In this hope lies our future. We must prepare ourselves, for the Child of Hope is coming. God’s kingdom is at hand, and our redemption is near. Ours is to be a life of service in light of his coming again. Amen.

Another reply to Dr. Alsop. I do not know how I got into this correspondence in the Manx Independent but I've sent this reply to Dr Alsop's letter published 3.11.06. It was not published. Sir, Like Dr. Alsop, I agree any debate on the monetary value of human life is fraught with many ethical problems. However, to inform him as he requests, presently an estimated 150,000 people die annually because of global climate change due to air pollution, extreme heat events, infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever etc. The ability of human systems to adapt to and cope with climate change depends on wealth, technology, education, information,skills, infrastructure, access to resources and management. The least developed countries are more vulnerable. His continuing support for the Copenhagen Consensus is interesting. Does he know that this report was funded partly from the Saskawa Peace Foundation, which had been started by a Japanese fascist and organised crime figure with links to Rev. Moon's Unification Church? Moreover, the report's main advocate, Bjorn Lomberg, may be a statistician but he has never published a single article in the scientific press regarding climate change. I do not understand how Dr. Alsop can assert that "the battle, if not the argument, (on green taxation), has been lost in the U.K." Where is the evidence, statistical or otherwise, for this statement? It is agreed that there are many uncertainties surrounding climate science and the best way forward. However, to sustain my view that there is consensus in the scientific community on the reality of anthropogenic climate change, I point out that 100% of a sampling of 928 articles on climate change in the recent scientific press supported the consensus view that a significant fraction of recent climate change is due to human activities. I will have to leave it to the statisticians to tell us what fraction and what activities! Finally in answer to Dr. Alsop's recollection that "equally prominent scientists warned us 30 years ago that we were entering a new ice age" I would say the scientific community predicted nothing of the sort. This myth, mainly from the alarmist popular press, came from three sources. First, global temperatures did cool slightly in the 1940's until 1970, but the scientific community cautioned against interpreting anything from short temperature records. Second, there were investigations at the time about the mechanisms for past Ice Ages suggesting one every 20,000 years recently revised to 50,0000 i.e. not in the near future. Third, research was also being conducted on the potential for sulphate aerosols to have a cooling atmospheric effect, as indeed was the case for the period 1940-70. The research at the time was robust and did not support this myth, which Dr. Alsop repeats. Sincerely, Charles Flynn.

Dr Alsop's reply to my letter on climate change (Manx Independent 20.10.06) contained many spurious and misleading remarks. 1. He mentions "pernicious regulation and the unjustified use of taxation for ill-conceived intervention". Contrary to his view, the main UK political parties accept the need for "green taxation". In the USA, states such as California are leading the way on measures to prevent climate change. If the existence of climate change is accepted. it is logical to support reponsible initiatives to combat it so that future generations will survive even if the undisclosed financial and business interests of some, such as right wing George Bush supporters, are affected. 2.How much we spend depends on how much we value life. Money spent on diminishing within the air we breathe a toxic gas such as sulphur dioxide, or traces of the acrid smelling corrosive sulphuric acid have great value. If, in Dr Alsop's admitted terms, the cost is the main factor, I suggest spending money on climate change reduces the burden on the NHS, on business etc. as well as on the emotional distress of families seeing loved ones die prematurely. 3.Charles Darwin in the "Origin of Species" wrote, "Climate brings on the most severe struggle between the individuals which subsist on the same kind of food". This is still true despite modern research and climate systems engineering. Too many species including 150,000 people die each year because of climate change. This will increase. What value do we put on life? 4. The Copenhagen Consensus ranking climate change at the bottom of their priorities, below disease prevention, was produced by economists who failed to identify and communicate a true consensus. Most prominent experts have come to a different conclusion, one saying that the Copenhagen Consensus had used "junk economics". Dr Alsop fails to mention that "The Economist" was one of the co-sponsors of the project, so its support for the group's conclusions is hardly independent. 5. Dr. Alsop agrees with me that the subsidy on aviation should be removed by universal agreement so that each passenger realises the true cost to the planet of travelling by air. There is hard evidence for human induced climate change and so most scientists, politicians, journalists and environmental activists are doing us a great service compared to critics who although educated to appreciate scientific facts, choose to ignore the need for urgent action by advocating doing too little, too late. Letter sent to Manx Independent for publication .

The Positive Action Group had Mrs Anne Craine MHK as their guest speaker last evening. Anne gave a very well presented and thought provoking talk on "Counting the Cost of Families in Crisis". She told us that she places great store on family values and the community. She went on to prove it. She spoke about parents today being seen more as "providers" rather than "carers", which in her view was the wrong way around. The nuclear family is breaking down. There are major health concerns over healthy eating with lunch box audits in many schools. She said that the IOM has the poorest dental health in the British Isles. Moreover, we have low levels of breast feeding which is essential for good bonding between mother and baby especially in the first 6 months. The Archbishop of Canterbury has pointed out in an article entitled "Good Childhood Family" that child rearing needs to be changed, and that infant deaths result from violence within often dysfunctional families. In the IOM 16,399 children and young persons receive child benefits. 2250 children are covered by the family income supplement. The budget for the DHSS for children is £13.6 million p.a. The Employment Bill supports parenting in the early years with maternity leave and also paternity leave rights, the latter being unpaid. Flexible working also helps. It is important to get the right balance in the early life of a child as the first two years of life is responsible for later patterns of behaviour. "Give me the child till he is seven and I will give you the man" is a truism. In the UK 67% of women return to work within six months of child birth (2001). In Mrs Craine's view the mother should have far more support at home. She asked " What is the sustainable level of our economy for our community?" She wanted far more being put into family values. Parents should prioritise care over provision. Maternity and paternity leave should be extended to two years Tax incentives, means testing and child benefitis should be reviewed to enable better parenting. Breast feeding should be emphasised to ensure the proper maternal relationship and to provide more self esteem in the later life of children. She was critical of parents, through no fault of their own but as the result of financial problems, both having to work to pay the mortgage, having to place their children in nursery schools rather than spending time with the mother at home. One example of good practice she thought was the Scandinavian model where children don't start school till they are seven. Mrs Craine felt Government policy was enticing children away from their families. During a long question time it transpired that there are some 147 tests for children between 5 and 16 years of age. Many within the audience , possibly everyone, supported the need for parents to be helped in bringing up children. There was a call for more discipline within the family to prevent the "yob" culture which seems to be prevalent. Youths do not seem to know about courtesy and right behaviour. Perhaps the parents themselves do not as well. One question which wasn't raised was the effect on children of not always being able to have contact with their grand parents. There are many instances in the IOM of grand - parents living in England and vice versa ,of grandparents living in the IOM with the grand children being across. It is always distressing to see the concern of each when this question is raised. Could I suggest a special travel fare deal to help with this problem? Any comments? E & O.E.

Manx_Independant_letter_25.9.rtf.rtfLetter sent to Manx Independent The Editor, Manx Independent Letter from Charles Flynn, 31 First Avenue, Douglas. Tel: 673925. Sir, With reference to Dr Fox and Mr Alsop’s letters on Climate Change (MI 22.9.06). Whilst I am very pleased, Dr Fox is supportive of the Government recognising the importance of Climate Change it is incorrect to state that the scoping study the DLGE has commissioned focussed on mitigating and adapting to climate change. At this stage, it has focussed exclusively on adaptation. Further studies of course may be undertaken in which mitigation will be the main concern. The One World Centre and Friends of the Earth are persistently informing the Manx public on mitigation measures such as recycling, energy efficiency, and buying local produce etc that it can undertake. Mr Alsop states that climate change “is a complex subject which few of us are capable of understanding”. This is no excuse for denying the essential facts of human induced climate change. If I can briefly answer his main criticisms: 1. He says, “Should we not be encouraging sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions which reduce the warming effects? I would say please do not. If you have smelt the fumes of sulphuric acid in a laboratory, it would tend to put you off any encouragement of sulphur dioxide emissions. Sulphur dioxide causes major health problems. In fact, in the ‘great smog’ of London in 1952 more than 4,000 deaths through heart disease and bronchitis were attributed to it. 2. Where is his evidence to suggest, “life forms, including man, are equipped to adapt to climate change”. Does he not know how many deaths are caused each year because of these phenomena? Living systems have a limited capacity to adapt to climate change especially now when the rate and extent of climate change is expected to be faster and greater than in the past and could exceed nature’s maximum adaptation speed. 3. He points us to the Copenhagen Consensus to suggest Kyoto-type policies are not cost effective when compared to aid for diseases, malnutrition and water provision. Unfortunately, many of the calculations in this study used were subjective and not objective and could lead to a mutitude of possible erroneous conclusions. It could easily be argued with a different set of parameters that climate change control might produce more money to spend on health and nutrition not less. 4. Aviation has led to a big increase in greenhouse emissions. This will need to be curbed by international agreements on emissions trading schemes, extra taxes and improvements in technology and operational efficiencies. I am not advocating undue measures to curtail it but recognition that we must do more to mitigate its effects. Yours sincerely, Charles Flynn

Attended Zero Waste Man event at Loch Parade sorry the Promenade Methodist Church last evening. Two great speakers and experts on recycling - Mal Williams from Wales and Iain Gulland gave us a three hour insight into how waste can be managed. Dudley Butt MLC chaired the meeting. However only 38 attended which was rather disappointing for the organisers. Basically the advice was to keep it simple. 1. Put waste in separate bins 2. Collect material for recycling weekly 3.Everybody must take part for it to work. According to Dudley the Dept.is committed to Kerbside Collection. Presently only 5% of household waste is recycled. This is extremely low when the fact is that 80% of household waste can be recycled. More info can be gleaned from: www.crns.org.uk Local contacts: Muriel Garland at Zero Waste Man Stephanie Gray at DOLGE Patrick Lewis 07624 497915; 825826 Email: buck@askbuck.com who achieve 99% recycling rates. It's easy to recycle, just askbuck.

A new website has been launched for the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment - www.spmce.com Please feel free to send us your comments on Planning Applications, any environmental concerns and let us have any relevant LINKS which you would like us to include on the site.

Tonight I preached on James 3,1-12 which speaks about the damage the tongue can do. Shortly afterwards my Vicar, Rev. Mary Railton-Crowder sent me the attached - the text of the Pope's speech which I think could be of interest to you.

I came across a wonderful website today - www.pandora.com It's for music fans as it only plays music. But it's different - it's your choice of music. Give it the name of an artist or a track and it makes the selection for you. Just like having your own juke box! Top of the pops returns for me!!

Do successful politicians have principles or are their principles discarded on the way? We hear so much throughout the world that politicians are corrupt, dishonest. Most we are told would sell their grandmother to the highest bidder. To reach the highest level of politics you must be conversant with lying and cheating - Jeffrey Archer is a prime example, Jonathan Aitken - now reformed - is one who was convicted for betraying the truth and there are numerous others who it is alleged are simply not to be trusted. Most aspiring politicians speak of public service - of how they want to make a difference. Few mention the money - though they are not adverse to increasing their salaries when elected. Some go into politics because it is in their blood - almost part of their genes - or their close relatives want their offspring to reach the dizzy heights which they themselves did not achieve. So what is the answer? Principles or power - the power which ultimately corrupts - and which all are destined to lose because in the end in a parliamentary democracy the public become dissillusioned and remove them from what the politician craves. Is blood about to be spilt in the Isle of Man in November because the principles which were espoused in the last manifestos have not been realised? Or is the realm of politics so divorced from the lives of ordinary people that we do not care one way or the other whether the politician has principles or not because quite bluntly we do not really believe a word they say!