Connected with the needs of the world

13th July 2020 was the 35th anniversary of something unique. A year before I was born. 

Live Aid was a benefit concert held on Saturday 13th July 1985, as well as an ongoing music-based fundraising initiative. The event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. 

Held at Wembley Stadium, London with 72,000 people, and John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia with 89,400 people. 

The 1985 Live Aid concert was a follow-on to the successful charity single "Do They Know It’s Christmas?” In October 1984, images of hundreds of thousands of people starving to death in Ethiopia shown in the UK in Michael Buerk’s BBC News report on the 1984 famine. 

This led to one of the most successful concerts in history with performers such as Status Quo, Adam Ant, Paul Young, Queen, The Who, U2, David Bowie, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and many more. What a fantastic lineup and that was only the UK! 

Phil Collins appeared at both concerts thanks to being able to fly Concorde. 

One billion viewers in 110 countries watched the live broadcast thanks to thirteen satellites. £40 million raised and the world was united! People were connected. 

The main act was Queen and performed for 21 minutes. The performance was incredible and Freddie owned the stage and the song Radio Ga Ga with 72,000 people raising their hands looked amazing. It was that good it felt like I was even there. Queen at first wasn’t going to perform, but after 21 minutes of pure entertainment the donations went up and Elton John was up next knowing he had to follow that and he said thanks or words to that affect. 

Freddie Mercury & Brian May preformed a song called ‘Is This The World We Created?

Is this the world we created?
What did we do it for
Is this the world we invaded
Against the law
So it seems in the end
Is this what we're all living for today
The world that we created
You know that everyday a helpless child is born
Who needs some loving care inside a happy home
Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by

This was 35 years ago. But still they is so much need in the world. Have we learnt and is this the world we created?

The most vulnerable counties in the world are affected after Covid-19.

Almost 2,500 children admitted to hospitals in England suffering malnutrition in 2020. 

People at the beginning of the lockdown saying how much it’s nice to hear the birds, but the roads have soon become busy again. Have we learnt in a world God created?

Is this the world we created?
We made it all our own
Is this the world we devastated, right to the bone
If there's a God in the sky looking down
What can he think of what we've done
To the world that he created

I think God also wants us to reconnect with the reality of the world. To be connected with the most vulnerable. 

Like the song ‘Radio Ga Ga’ says ‘Not to be some background noise’. I think theirs some truth in that. For we are called to be instruments of change. For our music of love is to be played so that the most vulnerable can hear. To speak out.


Jesus reminds us that when we welcome the stranger we did it for him.


35 years ago people stepped out and made a difference. And as a living temple of God, we are called to do the same. 



We thank you, God, that you are a creator God who created the world through love. So may we return that love to speak up for your people and not to be some background noise. Amen. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dealing with My Depression: Feeling Much Better

Image
Hello everyone, It was exactly a year ago that I shared my news with you because I wanted it to be my story. Today, I want to update you on my journey and how I’m feeling much better now. When I was first diagnosed, I felt like I was in a black hole. I experienced feelings of rejection, loneliness, and uselessness. My mind was overwhelmed with doubts and worries. During this dark time, I found comfort in Jesus’ cry from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34). His words reminded me that even in my suffering, I am not alone. The journey to recovery wasn’t easy. I started on antidepressants and received counselling. The support from my friends and family has been invaluable. I’ve had my share of “wobbles,” but overall, I feel much stronger and more hopeful. One of the significant realisations during my recovery was the importance of talking about mental health. There’s a stigma around depression, especially in the church, where people...
Read more

Living in Darkness

Image
I haven't updated my blog for a long time.  I want to share something with you. Two weeks ago my GP diagnosed me with depression.  We can’t control how we feel and the thoughts we get. The average person will typically have more than 6,000 thoughts in a single day, and the brain can process these thoughts. However, I wasn’t able to think straight because of certain things that had happened and I wasn’t in control of it. This goes back to Autumn’s Synod in the London District. I put my name down to attend the Methodist Conference as a presbyter. The London District had two spaces for Presbyters and three applied. I came third and the other two Presbyters were chosen fairly. Some reading this might think this is trivial and it’s only a conference but don’t forget we can’t control our thoughts because we average about 3000 thoughts per hour or 50 per minute, just under one per second.  I have taken this badly. I struggle with ministers who have attended the Methodist Confere...
Read more

The Power of Touch

Image
One of the difficult things during the pandemic is not being able to hug family and friends.  Grandparents can only see their grandchildren on the other side of the window.  Some people have lost a loved one and we want to hug them, for others, we live miles away.   Touch is important. Physical touch matters for your wellbeing.  Touch plays a primary role in our development and physical and wellbeing. Lepers were never touched because the danger of infection was too high. Living as we have during Covid-19 gives us the insight into the life of the leper. For nearly a year we’ve not been able to embrace and welcome people with a hug, handshake or kiss. Covid has given us insights into what it’s like when we see people as ‘problems’ and not individuals.  Jesus looks beyond the problem and see’s a person made in his Father’s image.  He touches the outcast and the person is healed.  A part of loving your neighbour is keeping your distance, wearing a face co...
Read more