Day Conference on Islam

It was good to be back at the seminary in Finchley again last Saturday this time to hear Tim Dieppe on the subject of the Challenge of Islam. Tim heads up Christian Concern and over the years had gathered a great deal of information about Islam in this country and written on it many times (much of this has been put together in a recently piblished book). The pattern of the day was that Tim spoke in the morning and took questions and then after lunch (kindly provided) he did something similar but more on reaching Muslims rather than simply on Islam. At the end of the day we heard from a converted Muslim seeking to win others to Christ to this day, an appropriate way to close.

Lord's Day June 15 2014

So this Sunday I went along to the Kensit Evangelical Church in Finchley, next door to the LTS. In a piece of poor timing I managed to choose a Sunday when the minister Spencer Cunnah was away but Owen Jones is a familiar face (like Spencer he often leads the community singing at the Aber Conference). He and his wife are back in London working with students at Oak Hill, where their son Ashley once studied.

Owen preached straightforwardly with a three point sermon on 1 Peter 2:22 in the morning (Christ's purity, patience and twofold purpose) and in the evening from Joshua 3 on God before, beside, behind, beyond and beneath).

The congregation was a similar size to the one at St John's Wood Rd (ie around 50) but with an older demographic I guess, though perhaps the same number of children under 11. The church is also a modern building though an older one and with the hymns projected onto the wall (though you had the choice of using the hymn book - the new Christian hymns which we also use). They used a piano keyboard in the morning and the organ in the evening. There were about half the number present pm. There was coffee after that service but I was quite tired and did not hang around.

Local induction

It was good to be in Finchley on Saturday for the induction of Spencer Cunnah to the pastorate at the nearby Kensit Memorial Church, oops Kensit Evangelical Church that should be. Former pastor Philip Eveson chaired and the preacher was my father-in-law Geoff Thomas, who preached (having escaped the floods of the Aber area) an excellent sermon (see the basis text here). So it was a rather Welsh affair Spencer and his wife Wendy, like myself, being Welsh and Aberystwyth University graduates. The Finchley church, despite being on the same site as the LTS, has been without a pastor for several years and they are very grateful to have found another Welshman (Andrew Davies was the previous pastor). Despite the rain we've been having Saturday afternoon proved to be nice and sunny in North London and so we enjoyed an excellent tea on the lawn. We'll be having deja vu when the LTS end of year takes place in a fortnight's time.

Finchley and Golders Green

So the election is on us. I found this useful info at politics.co.uk for the Finchley and Golders Green constituency.

Sitting MP: Rudi Vis, Lab, standing down

Candidates:
Alison Moore, L
Mike Freer, C
Laura Edge, LibDem

Majority Election Result 2005: 741 Lab (1.7%) Majority Election Result 2001 3,716 L (8.5%)
2005 Swing: 3.4% L to C

Constituency info:

Pop c 106,000 constituency covers Finchley, GG, Childs Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb in London Borough of Barnet (N London). NW of Hampstead, SE of Mill Hill and SW Friern Barnet.
Following a review, Boundary Commission modified constituency. It gains part of the Woodhouse ward from Chipping Barnet and small parts of GG, Finchley Church End and Garden Suburb wards from Hendon constituency, while it loses most of the Coppetts ward to the Chipping Barnet constituency.

Early medieval period - Finchley sparsely populated woodland. From 12th century farming began. Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (later GNR) reached here 1867. 1905 tram services established in Finchley, eventually replaced by trolley buses. 1933, Underground New Works Programme (35-40) announced. Lines through Finchley electrified and connected to Underground, Archway to E Finchley via new tunnel.
After WWII, introduction of London's green belt undermined pre-war plans for Underground here, and upgrading between Mill Hill E and Edgware abandoned. Line used by steam freight trains until closed completely, 1964.
GG has been place in the parish and manor of Hendon since c 13th century. Building of Finchley Rd (1827) resulted in development of a hamlet and by late 19th century around 300 people in the area.
1907, transport links improved by opening of GG tube station, leading to development of area west of Finchley Rd. Establishment of Hampstead GS brought major changes to area east of Finchley Rd. Temple Fortune Farm demolished and a retail district established along front of the road.
Finchley and GG constituency has a large and well-to-do Jewish population. Represented by Margaret Thatcher and a safe Con seat until Vis's unexpected victory 1997.
Lab's tiny majority certain to be overturned by Con gain in 2010. Possible an exceptionally good result for Cons could give them a share in excess of 50% here, as though national figures indicate this is unlikely, the swing to the Cons is sure to be above average here, looking at the nature of the voters.

Demographics: Housing: Owner-Occupied 63.1%, Social Housing 11.9%, Privately Rented 21.6%, Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom 6.4%
Education: Full time students 7.3%, Graduates 16-74: 44.6%, No Qualifications 16-74 15.8%
Ethnicity: Not born UK 35.9%, White 74.2%, Black 5.2%, Asian 12.3%, Mixed 3.2%, Other 5.1%
Faith: Christian 40.0%, Hindu 6.8%, Jewish 19.6%, Muslim 6.0%
Gender: Male 47.3%, Female 52.7%
Age: Under 18 21.0%, Over 60 19.0%
Local issues: Taxation, 'Static screening unit for Finchley Memorial hospital' campaign, Post office closures

Previous election results

2005 General Election:

Turnout 61.9%
Rudi Vis L 17,487 40.5%
Andrew Mennear C 16,746 38.8%
Sue Garden LibDem 7,282 16.9%
Noel Lynch Green 1,136 2.6%/Jeremy Jacobs UKIP 453 1.0%/Rainbow George Weiss Rainbow Dream Ticket 110 0.3%

2001 General Election:

Turnout 57.3%
Rudi Vis L 20,205 46.3%
John Marshall C 16,489 37.8%
Sarah Teather LibDem 5,266 12.1%
Miranda Dunn Green 1,385 3.2%/John de Roeck UKIP 330 0.8%

1997 General Election:

Turnout 69.7%
Rudi Vis L 23,180 39.7%
John Marshall C 19,991 39.7%
Jonathan Davies LibDem 5,670 11.3%
G Shaw Referendum 684 1.4%/Ashley Gunstock GreenPlaid Cymru Alliance 576 1.1%/D Barraclough UKIP 205 0.4%

Flickr Foto Series 26

Finchley Longhorn

Exclusive

I walked past this exclusive brethren building in North Finchley the other day. I'd not noticed it before although I have heard it mentioned. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Three Trips to Finchley

Saturday afternoon - I was at the LTS for the packed annual end of term service. Around 9 students were leaving - 5 British and 4 from the far east was it? They all spoke well. Luke Jenner has been under us during the two years and is about to become an assistant in Welwyn with Mostyn Roberts. Mr Eveson, the Principal, was looking well despite treatment for cancer at the end of last year. Graham Harrison is retiring after sterling service from the inception 30 years ago. Iain Murray preached well from Acts. Tea on the lawn followed as usual and (apart from sneezing with hay fever) I greatly enjoyed the time to chat with everyone.

 

Sunday evening - I was back to preach in the same chapel for around 60 who gathered for the evening service of the Kensit Memorial Church. I preached on John 3:16. Communion followed. We were one communion cup short - so I went without wine (a rather Catholic thing to do in the heart of Protestantism - it's the PTS HQ). The congregation seems to be much more white and middle class compared to us. They are without a pastor at present.

 

Monday morning - This time I was in the Library and meeting under the auspices of the John Owen Centre in the Theological Study Group. Six of us, mostly pastors, meet every few months to discuss a book. This time it was an EP book by American pastor Tom Barnes on Living in the hope of Future Glory on 'The glorification of the Christian'. We all appreciated the book but felt it laboured under certain deficiencies - Chiefly a lack of clarity and a questionable approach to systematics. I prepared the outline for the study and it is always good to work through a book for an occasion like that. Next time we are planning to look at John Owen on justification.

What a privilege to have such a place on my doorstep. Next week they will have Mark Garcia lecturing on Calvin on union with Christ. I'd love to be there but for various reasons it's just not going to happen.