Common Ground

Rev Victor Sohail

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to St Matthew’s Church, Burnley. My name is Rev Victor Sohail, and I work alongside the clergy here. It is a privilege to welcome you.

St Matthew’s is a church where people from many different cultures, backgrounds, and faith journeys gather as one family in Christ. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. The stories, experiences, and traditions we bring enrich our worship and help us reflect something of God’s kingdom, where people of every nation and culture are welcomed and loved.

My own journey started in Pakistan, and through God’s guidance I found my calling within the Church of England. That journey has taught me how beautiful the Church becomes when people from different backgrounds worship, serve, and grow together in faith.

As we begin our worship, we give thanks to God who makes us one family through his love and grace.

MUSIC – BE THOU MY VISION (St Matthew’s Choir + The Daily Service Singers)

Fr Alex Frost

We begin our service with a prayer for the Inclusive Church that we use here each week. It’s written by Steven Shakespeare.

Searching God:

To you No one is lost

No one is left behind

No one is the price to be paid for the greater good.

Give us the same restless desire

The same fierce joy

Which finds grace in every child of earth and makes a community open to all.

We ask this in the name of Jesus,

Who loved the world and did not count the cost. 

Amen

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

Our first Bible reading this morning is read by Councillor Afrasiab Anwar MBE, Chair of Building Bridges in Burnley, an interfaith organisation who we work alongside here at St Matthew’s. He’s also Leader of Burnley Council.

The reading is from the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Proverbs chapter 11 beginning at verse 14.

READING – Councillor Afrasiab Anwar

Proverbs 11:14-22 (NIV)

For lack of guidance a nation falls,

but victory is won through many advisers.

Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,

but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

A kind-hearted woman gains honour,

but ruthless men gain only wealth.

Those who are kind benefit themselves,

but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

A wicked person earns deceptive wages,

but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

Truly the righteous attain life,

but whoever pursues evil finds death.

The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,

but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,

but those who are righteous will go free.

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

Oluwaseun (known to most of us as Pope) and his family, joined the St Matthew’s church community about four years ago. Pope is now an Authorised Lay Minister and faithful altar server. His daughter Ayooluwatomi (Tomi) has recently been confirmed and is a joy-filled member of our JAFFA Club children’s group and SMYLE youth group. They tell us about their experience.

POPE AND TOMI – TAPE

MUSIC – PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU – AMY BEACH (The Daily Service Singers)

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

As we heard from Tomi earlier we have a children’s choir at church – we hear them now singing Psalm 23.

MUSIC: PSALM 23 (St Matthew’s Children’s Choir)

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

Our second Bible reading this morning is from the first letter of John. It’s a stunning exploration of the love of God, made known to us in such a startling way through the death of Jesus. It’s read by Tomi.

READING - 1 John 4: 7-19 (NIV) – TOMI

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

MUSIC 3 – A NEW COMMANDMENT (St Matthew’s Choir + The Daily Service Singers)

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

We hear now from Karen Storms who’s been part of the St Matthew’s church family since 2022. Karen is a brilliant part of our church community assisting with church communications, the youth ministry team, and helping with both the Youth Choir and SMYLE youth group.

KAREN – TAPE

MUSIC 4 – MAKE ME A CHANNEL OF YOUR PEACE (St Matthews’s Choir + The Daily Service Singers)

SERMON – FR. ALEX FROST

I have just returned from the beautiful region of Fetiyhe in Southern Turkey where I had the utmost privilege of meeting the long-term partner of a very close relative of mine. My family member is a Christian, her partner is a Kurdish Muslim. It was wonderful, he was a delight, deeply courteous, respectful, and clearly very much in love with my relation. That is what many of us seek isn’t it, for those we love and care for?

We seek for them, a devoted partner, they can trust, support, and encourage as they build a new lifetime together as adults. Realising this person was all those things has been a moving and enriching emotion and experience.

Recently I was challenged about that relationship. A white British girl with a Turkish, Kurdish Muslim, man. Surely that shouldn’t be happening to a relative of a Church of England Priest.

Surely, theology, eschatology, and downright ignorance should ensure that common sense would prevail, and I would do nothing but condemn this coming together of two people from two different, cultures, religions and backgrounds.

The reading from 1 John this morning, tells us that where God is, love is, and where love is, then God is. And so, when challenged, I was fully expectant to go on the defensive, the conversation took a dramatic turn, for the better!

Because what happened next was a beautiful example of humility and the honest recognition that the person raising the concern had made a mistake.

He explained to me that on paper, there was no way he could support the relationship because, that relationship just didn’t look right, because it didn't conform, to an archaic narrative. But with maturity in his tone, he went onto explain, that when he saw the pictures, and read the social media stories, he could clearly see this was a man and a woman who are very much in love. I was encouraged by his comments, and replied, ‘That’s good to hear’, but do you know what you did’?

‘Go on’ came the reply.

‘You made a judgement, based on a false ideology, on an idea perpetuated by a narrative, that we simply can’t live in harmony, in unity or even by God’s grace, in a loving relationship with someone that is different. The town of Burnley has had its own difficulties. As recently as 2001 we suffered what are known as the Burnley race riots. A moment in time that showed off the worst of us instead of the best. The recent disturbances in Belfast are a reminder that fragile towns and cities are places to be concerned and cared for as we encourage them to be places of love and cohesion rather than intolerance and criminality.

It can feel at times that we are subjected to an intimidating, nationalistic sentiment that this British country, is no longer a place of welcome, tolerance, compassion and empathy.

But I’d like to suggest that by being welcoming, being tolerant, showing compassion and empathy isn’t woke or weak it is an integral part of building a society that values all people...and for me it’s simply being a Christian. Displaying these characteristics truly demonstrates where God is love is and where love is, God is.

Like many Christian communities, and particularly in Church of England congregations, the matriarchs and patriarchs have gone to meet their makers in heaven, and sadly here at St Matthew’s that has certainly been the case. But because of our desire in recent years to be in cohesion with our community, we have welcomed numerous new faces to our church, and not just new faces, but new communities, new ethnicities, new colours, new voices, new traditions, new challenges and new opportunities.

Our church has moved from a pastiche of a ‘stereotypical’ and observational comedic’ (Dave Allen) kind of congregation to being a vibrant international celebration of people from across the globe. We have people from, America, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Poland and; Russia to name but a few, working alongside locals born and bred here in Burnley. We have people who are straight and who are gay, we have people who vote for parties across the political spectrum. We visit secular schools, Christian schools and at church we welcome, atheists, agnostics and, not forgetting Roses rivalry, even our neighbours from Yorkshire!

We work and build bridges with our friends in other faith communities, we work with the NHS, with the police and with social services and together we make a difference – For the better.

And why do we do that? Well, I can’t speak on behalf of my congregants that is for them, but I do it, and I hope they do it and I’d like you to do it, because where God is, love is, and where Love is, God Is.

The first letter John is not to be confused with the gospel of John. The former we understand, and perhaps ironically discover was probably written in Ephesus, in Turkey. And was written to counter some ‘strange ideas’ being floated around communities at the time. John intentionally wanted to bring people back to what God’s message truly was and is.

And that message is to show love. Love is the absolute DNA of this passage, it is the perfect antidote to any message of division, disunity and detraction.

He expresses that love is real. not a made-up abstract, fluffy meaningless sentiment. It is tangible, it is visible, it is beautiful and it is worth striving for.

God’s desire for loved filled communities and relationships, and that should be our desire as well, it’s something worth standing up for and speaking out about.

And as we do so, we know, we are fallible, because we are human beings and we make mistakes, but like the individual who I referred to earlier, seek forgiveness, don’t judge, accept things that make us uncomfortable and love because where love is, we will find God.

To return to the couple in the opening of my sermon a white British Christian female and a Turk, Kurdish Muslim man. I give thanks, that together they have found and love, and together they have found God. And wherever you are may you find both love and God.

Amen

MUSIC – Goodness is Stronger than Evil (Tutu / John Bell) (The Daily Service Singers)

PRAYERS

Read by Rev Victor Sohail

Heavenly Father

We pray for this Parish of St Matthew's and this town of Burnley, and for all your churches in Lancashire and the United Kingdom,

In our different traditions, and theologies may we come together as one in a prayer for community cohesion,

That together we are places of hope, reassurance, community, tolerance and forgiveness,

We strive as Christians to be a community of inclusion and welcome, to those of other faiths, creeds and none.

Lord in Your Mercy

Response: Hear Our Prayer

MUSIC – The Kingdom of God is Justice and Peace (The Daily Service Singers)

Read by Belinda Wong

Heavenly Father,

We pray for wholeness and healing upon your broken world, that we can build bridges together.

We pray for the marginalised, the homeless and those disenfranchised from loving thy neighbour,

We pray for people in places suffering because war and conflict,

We pray for those in the UK worried by the recent disturbances and unrest of recent weeks,

And we pray for people, who seek refuge, from a storm raging in their own lives that it can be found through you,

Lord In Your Mercy,

Response: Hear Our Prayer

MUSIC – The Kingdom of God is Justice and Peace (The Daily Service Singers)

Read by Karen Storms

Heavenly Father,

We pray for the leaders of our nations, and all those who stand in public office,

We pray for the peacemakers and those seeking unity,

And we pray for those who dwell in places of anger, frustration, and disturbance.

May they discover that peace and love is the antidote to hatred and violence.

We pray for people in our communities, who are hurting in, mind body and spirit, and may your healing and reconciling love bring them hope in their time of distress,

We give you thanks as the Prince of Peace, and place our trust in you,

Lord In Your Mercy

Response: Hear Our Prayer

MUSIC – The Lord’s Prayer (The Daily Service Singers)

Rev Kat Gregory-Witham

Our closing hymn is Love Divine, All Loves Excelling which looks ahead to the new creation, where a great multitude from every nation, from all communities, people and languages will praise God together (Rev 7:9). Although we’re not there yet, we are privileged to witness God’s Kingdom breaking through in the here and now. In a fragile and fractious world we have great hope because of the love of God. We recently had a Fun Day celebrating hope because our Community Action Network wanted to treasure diversity and reject divisiveness. Maybe God’s love can inspire you to celebrate hope too.

MUSIC – LOVE DIVINE (BLAENWERN) (St Matthew’s Choir + The Daily Service Singers)

BLESSING - FR ANDREW HOLMES (AREA DEAN OF BURNLEY)

We’ve focused on our community here in Burnley this morning, to tell a powerful, hopeful story, yet in a world that can often feel divided, we can all be part of that story — one where people of different cultures and backgrounds work and grow together in mutual respect. At the heart of this story is a simple but profound idea: love.

Love is not just a word spoken. It is something lived out daily — in conversations with neighbours, in acts of kindness, and in our commitment to building a community where everyone feels valued and welcome.

Let us ask for God’s Blessing.

The blessing of God the Father, who made from one every nation that occupies the earth; of God the Son, who bought us for God from every people and nation; and of God the Spirit, who brings us together in unity, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.