Half term holiday

Blogging has been light in recent months for a number of reasons tht don't need posting on a public forum, but I hope that normal service will be resuming shortly.

Last week saw us on a family jaunt to Newport and Cardiff. As always the Caravan Site at Tredegar was up to the usual standard, in one corner of the grounds with parkland, cycling and Asda all nearby. 

Among other things we did were visiting the Welsh assembly building for a tour and going down Big Pit. Learning about mining it struck me how the men had a sense of camaraderie, sharing in the risks but contributing and working together gave them a sense of solidarity and achievement. A sense of community which is largely lost in our society. It affects men and women of course, and mining in earlier times was a whole family occupation, but I was struck by how the changes have left men feeling bereft and uncertain.

These gender questions key into issues for our society (particularly with young men) and with church life (see Carl’s thought provoking blog on worship here). I have no answers but a day down the mines certainly got me thinking.