After Gary’s Clergy Corner in last month’s Magazine, referring to an article in the Daily Echo, and the website comments on it, Ann Lewin replies:

Thank you for last month's Clergy Corner piece - a very direct and appropriate response to the racial attack which happened locally. There is no excuse for personal abuse, but as I thought about the description of the vicar 'looking like a homeless person onto whom the Daily Echo had put a dog-collar', it occurred to me that the abuser had actually said something quite profound about the nature of ministry.

Clergy wear collars as a sign that they stand for God's truth in the world. Perhaps the 'homeless' aspect is a reminder that we have to sit lightly to earthly possessions and securities. the person whose call we respond to was also homeless during his adult life - he said, 'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head' (Matthew 8 v 20). He didn't need to wear a collar to show whose side he was on, for he was God.

The clergy are only doing and being, rather more visibly identified by their collars, what we are all called to do and be - and it's good to be reminded that it is the task of all of us to combat racism. As Gary said in his article, we can do that by rejoicing in the diversity of our community, as well as by speaking out against abuse of those who are different.