Then yesterday, something else new was announced: all children aged 5-7 will be given free school meals. This is the latest initiative of the Scottish Government to try to improve the health of the Scottish people. It all sounds grand and I'm not getting involved in party politics here, but it was also said that there will be no new money to meet this initiative, but councils will have to implement it out of their existing money.
Today, I read the first newsletter from the Church of Scotland's Church and Society Council. They want to hear the views of people like you and me on 4 issues that will be debated at the 2009 General Assembly. I have a problem - the questions! On Alcohol, drugs and addiction the first question is this "Should people in Scotland drink less?" and the second one is no better "Should alcohol cost more?" There are simple answers to these questions and it would be easy to answer them in that way; they are open to a straightforward 'yes' or 'no' - end of story!
There is a section entitled Ethics of Defence and the second question there is "Are we justified in spending the equivalent of building and running 1000 schools for the next 20 years on Trident nuclear weapons, which will probably never be used?" That question has the expected answer written all the way through it! That's not my point, though!
My point is this: it is easy to make pronouncement and even decisions without have thought the consequences through. It is easy to say 'every child should have a free meal at school' and very few people will quibble with that; most people see the value in giving children good, nutritious food; most people will not disagree with getting something for nothing! But someone has to pay for it; education budgets across the country are cash-strapped at present; young teachers are finding it hard to get jobs because Councils have no money to employ them and this will surely only make matters worse. Free school meals makes a good political headline, but what will the reality be?
The Trams make a good headline and look attractive in the video that I've seen several times on television. They seem a good way of getting quickly from one side of the city to another when they are up and running. However, did we expect the degree of disruption that the work is causing? Were we warned? Will it be worth it?
It is easy for people to tell me 'The Church should be doing...' and run off a long list of new initiatives that Juniper Green Church should be pursuing; the list of new initiatives is presented as being the way forward and without these, the Church will not be here in the future. It's so easy to make these grand pronouncements but implementing them can be a whole different matter. Time, energy, people are all required for new things; the willingness to change is a big ask for some people because they just don't like it.
What new thing would you like us to do? What will it cost in money, time, energy, people? Then tell me!
Don't stop generating new ideas! Then we really are dead! But consider this - will you be prepared to be the answer to your own prayers?
