17/05/2012 by jamesofee.

Owen in his Liverpool days

Manchester United has chosen not to renew the contract of Michael Owen, who has not played a competitive match since last November because of a thigh injury. It is doubtful whether Owen will ever play another match in the Premier League and it’s not likely with his fortune, whether Owen would ever accept a place playing in a lower league.

In the summer of 1997 I took my son, a Liverpool supporter, to see Liverpool play Linfield in Belfast. Owen was announced on the PA as the “teenage sensation” and indeed he scored a goal in that match, along with Liverpool’s established striker, Robbie Fowler.

The following season, 1997-8, Owen established his place on the first team where he became Liverpool’s top scorer. In short order he established his place on the England team and the most celebrated English player. In those early days Owen’s most notable qualities were his speed - which threw established England players such as Teddie Sheringham into the shade - and his certain finishing. 

Today, of course, Owen has lost that electrifying pace, but the game has been good to him.

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17/05/2012 by jamesofee.

Dean Inge

Yesterday I attended a meeting where the speaker opened his address with a quotation

“The proper time to influence the character of a child is about a hundred years before he is born.”

which he attributed to Dean Inge (1860-1954), the English divine, Professor of Divinity, author and Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral from which he gets his title.D 

Yet the speaker’s pronunciation of the name bothered me, which was “ing-ge” as if the name of a Scandinavian maiden. Afterward the meeting I queried this. Alhough I had never heard the name spoken, I had supposed it would be pronounced to rhyme with “cringe” and “singe”.   The speaker admitted that he had never heard the name spoken.

Yet after reflection of a few minutes I returned to the speaker who was assembling his possessions to suggest that the name might come from the common element in English “ing” - as in ‘Birmingham’ and ‘Tooting’- meaning ‘people’ and thus be pronounced to rhyme with “sing” and “fling”. 

Once home I found Wikipedia’s entry on Dean Inge who confirmed that his name was indeed pronounced in the latter way. But it has nothing to do with ‘ing’. Instead

Inge is a common given (personal) name in most Germanic language-speaking cultures, but primarily a surname (family name) in English-speaking ones. In most of Scandinavia the name is primarily given to boys, while in Denmark and in Dutch- and German-speaking countries it is given to girls. It is derived from Ing, an alternative name for the norse god Freyr.In the legendary prehistory of the Germanic peoples Ing was one of the three sons of Mannus and the ancestor of the Ingaevones. Since the Ingaevones form the bulk of the Anglo-Saxon settlement in Britain, they were speculated by Noah Webster to have given England its name.As a given name its pronunciation typically consists of two syllables with the stress falling on the initial one, while as a surname it is usually pronounced in England to rhyme with “ring.” Alternatively (especially in the USA) some families pronounce it to rhyme with “hinge.”

So the name may even be linked with the name “England”!

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16/05/2012 by jamesofee.

Graham Brady in Ulster 2008

Graham Brady MP has been re-elected unopposed as Chairman of the Conservative Backbench 1922 Committee. Our congratulations to Graham!

Link

Graham Brady re-elected as chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee BBC News 15 May 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18078088

Blog Links

Graham Brady MP in Ulster, by James O’Fee 

Thursday, January 17. 2008

http://www.impalapublications.com/blog/index.php?/archives/2419-Graham-Brady-MP-in-Ulster,-by-James-OFee.html

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14/05/2012 by jamesofee.

 Monday, May 14, 2012

INDONESIA – Churches in Sharia province told to close

Release partners say that churches operating under Sharia (Islamic law) in part of Aceh province have been given two weeks to disband or face forced closure.The authorities in Aceh Singkil district have given the blunt ultimatum to all local churches – and have closed at least 16 churches already this month. Our partners in Indonesia report that officials are claiming that these churches no longer have ‘legal permission’ to operate.

Sharia or strict Islamic law was imposed in Aceh from 2001.The churches affected appear to be small Protestant congregations – 12 of them from the Papak Dairin Protestant Christian Church. One of the churches, based in Mandupang village, had already been forced to meet outdoors in a palm plantation for months.Meanwhile, in West Java, members of the Filadelfia Batak Protestant Union (HKBP) church in Tambun, Bekasi regency, were  again barred from meeting yesterday. Hundreds of local protesters blocked roads leading to the church again yesterday – as they have done for months (Prayer Alert, May 9). Bekasi officials closed down the HKBP church in 2010 – a decision overturned by a court ruling in 2011. However, the current regent of Tambun has ignored the court’s decision. Local Christians hope that the new regent, Neneng Yasmin, due to be inaugurated today, will be more tolerant of minority groups.

• Pray for an end to church closures in Aceh province, which is under Sharia. Pray for a breakthrough in the stand-off between churches and protesters in West Java. Pray that officials such as Tambun regent Neneng Yasmin will uphold the religious rights of all citizens.

NEWS UPDATE:
Pakistani Christians Ruqqiya Bibi and Khurram Masih will be back in court over the next fortnight. Ruqqiya Bibi is appealing against a 25-year jail sentence for blasphemy at a hearing in Lahore on Thursday. She has been in custody for more than three years since being accused of ‘touching Islam’s sacred scripture without ritually washing’ (Prayer Alert, November 5, 2011). The next hearing in the blasphemy trial of Khurram Masih, accused of burning pages of the Koran to make tea, is on May 25, also in Lahore (Prayer Alert, May 3, 2012). • Pray that both Ruqqiya Bibi and Khurram Masih will be found not guilty of blasphemy – and allowed to return home to their families immediately. (Sources: Release partners, The Jakarta Post)

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13/05/2012 by jamesofee.

King David

Psalm 18:1-29

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Psalm 18^[a]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹ I love you, Lord, my strength.

² The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield^[b] and the horn^[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I have been saved from my enemies.
⁴ The cords of death entangled me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my distress I called to the Lord;
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire came from his mouth,
    burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him –
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.^[d]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.

²⁰ The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
²¹ For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
²² All his laws are before me;
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³ I have been blameless before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴ The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶ to the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
²⁷ You save the humble
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
²⁸ You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.
²⁹ With your help I can advance against a troop;^[e]
    with my God I can scale a wall.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolises strength.
4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade

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12/05/2012 by jamesofee.

Yesterday a match for the World Chess Championship began in Moscow. The contenders were Viswanath Anand (Champion, India), and Boris Gelfand (Challenger, Israel). The latter grew up in the former Soviet Union but emigrated, like many other Soviet grandmasters. 

The response of much of the chess world has been a yawn.  In his column in the current (12 May) isse of THE SPECTATOR, Ray Keene writes -

The first game of Viswanath Anand’s title defence against Boris Gelfand takes place on Friday 11 May….I wish the Israeli grandmaster well but, for reasons explained in my previous column, I believe that this is one of the greatest mismatches in a world championship clash since Alekhine overwhelmed Bogolyubov in 1934.

and 

… Up-to-the-minute chess ratings have Carlsen, Aronian and Kramnik occupying the top three spots, and they are the only members of the magic 2800 club. Anand is 4th while Gelfand languishes in 21st position, probably the lowest of any world title challenger in the history of the championship.

Alekhine defeated Bogolyubov by +11-5 = 9 in 1929, and by +8 -3 =15 in 1934. Keene’s view is, I guess, that, while Bogolyubov was at least a credible challenger in 1929, by virtue of his tournament victories, he was no longer a threat to Alekhine in 1934. In those days the champion could play whomsoever he wishes. At least the choice of Bogo gave Alekhine “cover” for failing to give Capablanca, Alekhine’s most dangerous opponent, a return match, after Alek had wrested the title from Capa in 1927. 

In his column of 5 May, Keene wrote -

World Champion Viswanath Anand defends his title against Israel’s Boris Gelfand at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow from 11 May till 30 May in tie-breaks are necessary. The match consists of 12 games so it will be concluded by 28 May if a clear winner emerges.

 There has been much cautious speculation as to the eventual outcome. In general, Anand is regarded as the favourite, though John Saunders, editor of Chess Monthly , has come out and defeated that he is the heavy favourite.

 I would go even further than that. Gelfand has not defeated Anand in classical chess (i.e. not rapid-play, blitz nor blindfold) since 1993. Gelfand is not even in the world’s top ten and Anand is a vastly more versaatile player, at home in any kind of opening. Indeed, I would be surprised if Gelfand even scorces one win in this contest.

Yesterday’s game was a draw where Anand had the advantage of the White pieces. Gelfand defended with a Grunfeld Defence and, indeed, had rather the better of the opening when Anand had to choose some accurate moves to achieve a level endgame.

Link

World Championship G1 – a fighting draw sets the tone 11.05.2012 http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8148

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11/05/2012 by jamesofee.

Yesterday Cormac Bourke, form,er curator at the Ulster Museum, delivered the 2012 St Comgall’s Lecture to the Friends of Bangor Abbey. The title was supposed to be “The Bangor Bell”. While Dr Bourke did explore the significance of the bronze Bangor Bell - the greatest treasure remaining in the town relating to the heyday of the great Bangor monastery - Dr Bourke’s talk ranged much wider than that, exploring the significance of the medieval Christian iron and bronze bells in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and even England and Brittany. 

My two photos show (a) (left to right) Canon Ronnie Nesbitt of Bangor Abbey, Leanne Briggs of Bangor Museum and Dr Bourke and (b) Dr Bourke alone (sorry, I caught him with his eyes shut).

Group

Dr Cormac Bourke

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29/04/2012 by jamesofee.

John 14:15-27

(New International Version)

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ ‘If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.’

²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’

²³ Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

²⁵ ‘All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Footnote:

1. John 14:17 Some early manuscripts and is

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26/04/2012 by jamesofee.

I’ve received a letter dated 19 April from Mr Ian C Beaney, Grounds Maintenance Manager of North Down Borough Council in which he writes -

 St Gall Floral Display - 1400th Anniversary

I am pleased to advise you that North Down Borough Council have agreed to provide a floral display in respect of the above event. 

Plans are well underway for these works and I hope to have the display in place during October 2012 and it will stay in place until late November 2012. Demand for the display bed is at a premium hence the tight timescale which I hope would still be acceptable.

Naturally I greatly welcome the Council’s decision, having forwarded the proposal, at the suggestion of former Councillor Marsden Fitzsimons.  I expect the display to appear in the normal place, close by the town’s main Post Office.

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23/04/2012 by jamesofee.

Friday, April 20, 2012 

KUWAIT – Fears of ban on new churches and tougher blasphemy penalty

Legislation being drafted in Kuwait could make it illegal to build any new churches in the Gulf state – as lawmakers attempt to introduce a death penalty for blasphemy.

Kuwaiti MP Osama Al-Munawer is reportedly drafting a law banning the construction of any new churches or non-Islamic places of worship. Existing churches would be permitted to remain.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti parliamentarians recently voted in favour of a legal amendment which would impose the death penalty on anyone defaming God or Islam’s prophet, Mohammed. The vote followed a recent case of alleged blasphemy on messaging website Twitter, which caused a furore in the Arab state. A Kuwaiti man was arrested for allegedly insulting Mohammed – a charge he denies. Some MPs have already called for him to be executed.

In a first vote by Parliament, a majority of MPs backed the amendment to the blasphemy laws but MPs must vote on the proposal again in a second session. The amendment would need to be approved by the country’s Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah. Blasphemy is illegal in Kuwait under legislation dating back to 1961, and currently carries a jail term.

The moves will dismay Kuwait’s Christian community who currently make up 13.7 per cent of the population; many are expats. Sunni Islam is the state religion and proselytising is banned.

NEWS UPDATE:
Greater Grace Church in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, has been told it must wait until April 25 before a judge will decide its future. The church is threatened with liquidation under the 2009 Religion Law which requires the compulsory re-registration of religious groups (Prayer Alert, April 16, 2012). Release sources say the case has been adjourned until next Wednesday. Greater Grace Church, which registered in 2003, contends that it believed its registration still held good. The action is considered a test case which might set a precedent for further church closures.

(Sources: Operation World, Release sources, Reuters, VOM USA)

• Pray that any legal move to limit religious freedom in Kuwait will prove unsuccessful. Pray that these threats to religious freedom will in fact spur Christians in the Gulf state to be more determined in their witness to God’s love.
• Pray that God’s peace and grace will be with members of Greater Grace Church in Baku. Pray that the judge next week will rule against church closure.

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