On Monday morning of 30th July there was another murder in Woodhouse Park, about 1/2 mile from our church. As I understand it a man was murdered in his own home this time. There have been several murders, including shootings, in Wythenshawe in the last few years. Some involving teenagers caught up in gangland violence.
A family from st. marks lives nearby to where this recent murder has taken place. They began to talk together about it - an 8 yr old, a 17 year old and their mum and nan. There is fear in Woodhouse Park about the levels of violence. It seems that some of the murders in Wythenshawe are targetted and others are not. In this same week a member of st. marks congregation was attacked by two men locally.
About 6 months ago a woman was beaten to death by 6 men in a pub near where this recent murder has happened. It was inside the pub. This violence - beatings, shootings, are very near to us. Many are people related to members in the church or neighbours in the same road or people we have known to bump into locally.
We grieve this violence and these deaths. We believe that change is happening in our church by the spirit of God that is positive but where we live can sometimes be very difficult for us in Woodhouse Park, Newall Green and Benchill. We believe God does not want these deaths or this violence but we do not know how to respond.
There are opportunities for involvement. The churches are places where the funerals take place. But for us this week we have been asking several questions in prayer and discussion together:
- Are we fearful people in Woodhouse Park? What & who do we fear?
- Does our fear dominate our behaviour as followers of Jesus? Does our fear dictate what we will not do - eg some don't want to step into a situation of violence, some do not want to speak out, to report information, as in Moss Side, for fear of the consequences on them & their families & church.
- What does it mean for us to say of our church that we are committed to 'Overcoming Violence-Building Peace' right here where we live? What does it mean this week? Today?
- What may it mean for the families of those affected by the murders and violence in our communities in Wythenshawe?
- How else could we get involved in the transformation of Woodhouse Park?
- Should we work with the police? Should we build more grassroots relationships?
- How can we pray in these situations?
Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to build God's kind of community in these communities - where there is fear, violence and death. There is much overcoming of violence to be a place and people of flourishing peace.
God help us be who you call us to be - even here and now as we pray.
