One of the problems with my line of work is that every so often, I am required to attend some kind of training, some voluntary and others mandatory. I’m not a great lover of the training course, no matter what the topic and am much happier just getting on and researching what I need, when I need it. I was told recently that I had to attend “Unconscious Bias Training” which I confess, didn’t delight me, but thankfully I was able to participate online and so made myself a cuppa and sat in front of my computer screen attempting to look as interested as possible. Much to surprise, it was one of the most fascinating courses I have attended in a long time, and I found the whole experience quite challenging.
I would like to have thought that throughout my life I have been open minded and have accepted all people as they are regardless of gender, race, colour, age, size, physical or mental ability, those with similar opinions to mine, and those who think completely different. The course wasn’t about our outspoken prejudices, but more about how we make snap decisions, how we judge other people often unconsciously, how we can cause hurt and build barriers by our unspoken gestures and our attitudes, about our unconscious reactions and judgements.
Today is Advent Sunday and The Methodist Church has launched the Advent Campaign under the title “There is Room” It reminds me of my first public role back somewhere in the early sixties when I was the Inn Keeper in the school nativity play. My pivotal role in the all expenses spared production was to wait until Trevor Eastwood, playing Joseph knocked on the inn door, and had to shout at the top of my voice “we have no room!” I practiced and practiced my four words, but in true form with school nativities all did not go to plan. The problem was that although Joseph knocked exuberantly on the stage curtain, it wasn’t in the least bit audible to me standing and waiting and I was oblivious to my queue, because I was too busy chatting with another friend, in whispers out of sight of the audience and I blew my one chance at stardom.
While we want to believe that the world has moved on people are welcome regardless of differences, there are people around the world, in our neighbourhoods, and dare I suggest, in our Churches who are told “there’s no room here for you” and they feel rejected, just as Joseph and Mary were rejected in Bethlehem. In our twenty-first century world as we begin out Advent journey, let us reflect on just how inclusive we are as individuals and as a Church.