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PDF Version Team : District Enablers
The news has finally filtered through that Wesley Owen, the Christian bookshop in the centre of Nottingham has closed its doors for the last time after 25 years of trading. I noticed how much it downsized when it moved from Heathcoat Street to its new premises on Castle Gate and with its parent company, IBS-STL in administration, it was only a matter of time for this cherished store to meet its end. Should we be sad? Do we need a shop which specialises only in Christian literature? Should we be trying to save the enterprise when there are so many pressing demands on our time and finances? I went to David Lloyd this morning, not for a work out but to retrieve a bottle of shampoo I had left in the changing rooms (for the umpteenth time). As I parked my aging and modest vehicle next to a group of 4x4s manufactured by Volvo, BMW, Porsche and Audi I realised how organisations like David Lloyd are there for the rich and powerful. As I left, I followed a Volvo 4x4 and watched it career left without signalling and felt the impulse to give a reprimanding hoot of my horn – but what’s the point?
We live in a world where the pressures of the large financial institutions are unstoppable. For Wesley Owen, the might of Amazon and the sheer convenience of buying Christmas gifts on this one-stop shop has taken its toll. There’s nothing in Wesley Owen that can’t be bought elsewhere, and often cheaper. I think of the situation with Post Offices which are also struggling to survive. Most people today have no need to visit a Post Office except for weighing parcels and buying non-standard stamps. Pensions are paid directly into bank accounts, cars are taxed on-line, stamps are available at newsagents and supermarkets.
Sue Barrett spoke on Radio Nottingham the day after Wesley Owen’s closure and said that people visited the shop for more than just a book. They would enjoy the atmosphere or receive prayer. Likewise, Post Offices in rural communities exist for more than the goods they sell – they act as community hubs. But, can they resist the financial pressures of today? Likewise churches up and down the country are facing the same financial pressures. No matter how warm and rich their fellowship may be, their viability is threatened by the same financial pressures which saw the closure of Wesley Owen.
At the heart of Christianity is the word ‘powerlessness’ Christ was born in a stable powerless, he died on a cross powerless. But Paul reminds us that ‘God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’ (1 Corinthians 1:27). Christians always have been, and always will be in short supply in any society. But that’s no reason to give up. We have to find ways of preserving our faith and witness whatever the prevailing mood or culture. The book of Acts tells us that the early church grew by looking outwards. Paul himself made colossal sacrifices for the work of the kingdom and expected all Christ’s followers to do likewise and not to seek material gain out of it.
Many of us will be looking afresh at our finances this year and making decisions about how we should use them. For me a bottle of shampoo was worth making a special visit to David Lloyd for. For some of the members there it wouldn’t be. One way of deciding how to use our finances is to be self-focused and put holidays, cars and household goods at the top of our wish list. A better way is to reflect upon those areas of real need in society and the institutions we really value. Yes, it may mean sacrificing some home comforts and luxuries in order to support the weak and powerless but that sacrifice is well worth it when we reflect on the closure of Wesley Owen. We need to stand our ground for what we truly believe in, no matter what the cost – because that’s what Christ did. |