The Methodist Church has responded to the wave of anti-immigration sentiment that has swept the UK, releasing a new song it hopes will quell the rising tensions.
Britain has been rocked in recent months with protests against the government’s lackadaisical and unsustainable immigration policies, along with a failure to act against illegal immigration, resulting in men like Tommy Robinson leading nearly 150,000 people to protest in the Unite the Kingdom rally earlier this month.
The Methodist Church of Britain, a progressive denomination that long ago ceased being a prophetic voice in the country, announced on their website that they have responded to the unrest in song, releasing a new arrangement of Marty Haugen’s 1997 hymn “All Are Welcome.”
The hymn is intended as a response to the recent protests in London, the disorder outside the accommodation of those seeking asylum and the ‘Raise the Colours’ campaign that have all led to a growing sense of intimidation. Crosses and other Christian symbols have even been seen at some demonstrations where they have been used to communicate hate rather than love.
They’ve also encouraged other Methodist churches to record and send in their own versions, which they say has netted them an additional 140 recordings. At the time of writing, their new hymn has been viewed on YouTube 1319 times.
Ben Lawrence, the Digital Content Producer at the Methodist Church who also produced the recording, explained: “Many people have been made to feel, not just unwelcome, but frightened and intimidated by what is happening. We want this to be a song of reassurance, friendship and understanding.”
Likewise Jonathan Hustler, the Secretary of the Methodist Conference, reveals: “The Methodist Church proclaims itself to be inclusive and justice-seeking. We believe that the Church has been called into being to proclaim that God’s love is indiscriminate and unbounded, and which seeks to become a sign of God’s reign from which no one is excluded and in which no one is devalued.”
3 responses to “Methodist Churches Respond to Anti-Immigration Protest By…Releasing New Hymn?”
There is a place where all are wanted and welcome, no matter what, no matter how wicked …
It’s called Hell …
Many years ago now, a woman on a train had enough of seeing none of her countrymen among all the immigrants on the train with her and literally freaked, asking, “Where are the English people.” When the train stopped, the cops were there to arrest her. THAT WAS MANY YEARS AGO.
The illegal invaders are just looking for some lebensraum …