too rich to die to poor to live

In the near future. You don't age past 25. Life is paid out a minute at a time. The rich can live forever. The poor die young.

As many people know My patch and reading don't go all that well. So movies tend to be my patch's time out. I do read but it takes time. Thursday night the young adults choose to watch in time as the movie. It has a very challenging story line as wel as many of the conversations. 

see the official trailer  

"Please take me home. I can't do that. Why? To keep me alive. How can you live with yourself watching people die right next to you. You don't watch. You close your eyes."

How oftern do we do just this close our eyes to whats going on in the world turn the page of the news paper, flick over the tv when a appeal advert comes on or the news shows shomtehing disterbing. thats if we actually even notice it..

what do we close our eyes too in the communities we live in. 

we are called to be Jesus with skin on to be HIS hand and HIS feet how can we do that if our eyes are closed.....

silent week

After the recent move things to slowly be coming together and stuff from boxes are finding homes. But there won\t be much blogging while I get settled in.. Though it's good to have tv and internet back... The few days last week without hearing or seeing what was going on not just in the world but in the local news was really strange... so it was great to get the odd bit of snail mail even if it was mainly junk...  But thinking back with so much information at our fingertips on demand. The latest updates to our smart phones, just how much do we really take in about whats happening. Why are we so interested is it just a new kind of voyeurism? 

are we becoming immune to the struggles? 

a fast food culture to being in contact we expect instant responces on bbm or email.. how many time a minute do we check our phones ? getting upset if someone doesn't reply in the time we expect...

do we treat prayer in the same way? guilty as charged maybe?. do we give up all to easy if the response isn't there straight away, impatience creeping in. 

A friend once challenged in a sermon is God saying to you what the iceberg said to the titanic. Stop slow down? 

Time and again God tells us to stop and wait on him, to be still and know  Isaiah tells us that the Lord..

He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

(Isaiah 40:29-31)

Just a thought from a week without any news...

  is it time you let a snail over take you.......

Lent already.......

can I find my way back?

O God, where did I go wrong?
How can I find my way back?
I am weighed down by this feeling
that I have failed – you, other people, myself.
My life is a mess.

Kyrie eleison (sung or said)

You know my weakness.
You know much better than me:

I can’t hide it from you.
How can I bear to face it too?

Kyrie eleison (sung or said)

Guilty as charged –
however much I argue my case.
It’s your laws I have broken;
it’s your way I have lost;
it’s your word I have chosen not to hear
over and over again.

Kyrie eleison (sung or said)

O God, where did I go wrong?
How can I find my way back?

Eggs and Ashes

(Book) 

by Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill

Practical & liturgical resources for Lent and Holy Week

I came across this a couple of years ago when a colleague who is part of the Iona community used another meditation about judas.  It made me think then, in this time of refocusing of examining will i will each of us be honesty and real with ourselves about who we are and where we stand with God. it's easy to kid ourselves to stick our heads in the sand and hide. but what part of our character what parts of our lives needs to come under the shadow of the cross

It's Oh SO Quiet......

It's Oh SO Quiet...... Well at least Blogging wise it has been for my patch.... 


 Last week I was back at Cliff College for a intensive lecture week towards a MA and what was to turn out to be my last full lecture week, my final paper before my dissertation will be a independent research study. 


Tuesday night was the college celebration the fortnightly service. 


The preacher that night asked what image of Jesus what image of God do you carry. that may seem like a simple and easy question but its far from it. I Like many others have been watching the New ITV series Eternal law, the story about a group of angles who work among us these ones are lawyers. Not most peoples idea when describing lawyers but for those of  us who have a different opinion then there a fallen angel who tries to work against them. The salvation story runs through so do the themes of hope, reconciliation and peace. One of the images that comes through in the programme is that of the God who punisishs as one episode brings this with the idea that Mr Mountjoy (God) seems almost determined to destroy the world if the angels fail to save everyone. This misses the love and reaching out to the world that took place when Mountjoy Jr (Jesus) came into the world. the image of God that we carry shapes our actions and views.  

We can easily slip into a wrong image of God, the preacher that night gave the image of Jesus found in the gospels ( matthew, mark, Luke and John..) the question Do you have this image of Jesus. 

My answer wasn't the answer I had thought it would be... whats yours

Just Another Bear!!

Earlier this week I posted the photo below on my photo blog. The day I saw it walking the dog it really stopped me. It really isn't something you expect to see. One of the things this blog was about was seeing God in the little patch that I live and work in. To see God in the everyday in the ordinary of life. This image has stayed in my thoughts all week. one comment left saw 'peace offering'. I don't no the story behind why this was done a joke or a remembrance of a accident. So what was the photo 

Bear behind barbed wire on the top of a wall. So many of those who live next door or down the road to. Those who are our neighbours and even yes even each of us can be just like this bear at times that wanting to be loved, cared for love me lots. Yet there are hugh sharp barriers around keeping us in and others,  and hurting ourselves and others out.

The amnesty international symbol also came to mind with this picture 

 

Hope and light in a dark place in the candle and wire, love and peace comfort behind wire in the image of the bear in both these images is what our communities need.

Today another image spoke to me that of Holy Saturday that saturday between Good Friday and Easter day. Esther  De Waal writes about a image of what took place on this day something that artist struggle to show. yet on a font in a English church 

 is a dramatic and dynamic scene, portrayed with extra- ordinary vigour and richness. Christ is dragging Adam out of a limbo of twisted knots, rather like clinging tentacles. (An antiquarian brochure, written by someone who had no idea of the context, described it as a man being pulled out of a thorny hedge, and somehow I always felt that this homely interpretation was no bad way of catching something of the difficulty and discomfort of how entangled we become and how we need the help of a strong hand to drag us upward.)  Seeking Life.p.14-15

The bear at the end of the road here a daily reminder of the mystery and grace of Easter that there is nothing not even a barb wire fence that will stop the Love and grace of God reaching out to His creation. Not matter what the darkness in life may be His light will shine through and the comforter will be there alongside by His Spirit and by His People being Jesus with skin on.

Top moments of 2011

A friend posted on her blog her top moments of 2011(here) then sent out a tweet to challenge to do the same and STF posted her 11 for 11 (here)...

So my moments for 2011 Hmmm it's been a really hard year for MyPatch in a lot of ways.. but lets see how far we get.....

1.  Hesse (link) with a friend is always good enjoy these trip with this friend a lot...

2.  Trip though the Finnish Archipelago over night with STF and had breakfast on the boat looking out over the harbour in Sweden. playing wii bowling in the children deck very funny oh and Playing M&M poker

3. Getting a second merit for a MA assignment which meant I could go on to the full MA at Cliff College. Thanks due here to STF and My/Our friend and mentor Rev Dr P Meadows. Who believed and encouraged.

4.  Robes project... talking and serving the homeless who stayed one night a week with us in vauxhall over the winter months. For many there were good news stories of lives renewed starting jobs.and new homes.

5.  My New Home and New post in Leicester -

6. Bryan Adams in Concert at the O2 amazing night

7. Cub Camp - eating pizza in Akkalas car that had been smuggled back to camp by her and another leader so the other didn't find out...

8. Little women- Helping with the Lighting at the inner city players production.

9. Tea and home made scones on the patio in wonderful sun in Turku

10. Trip to Greenwich and the docklands museums picnic lunch band in Hyde Park on a hot sunny sunday afternoon Regents park too tea at the teahouse theatre

11. Street party in vauxhall for the royal wedding and wandering round London the night of the wedding chatting and taking in the atmosphere.

Last year year bryan adams was in Tampere I was in Turku Finland I thought about going but decided it would be crazy with the weather. Then a call from a friend here in london I know you wanted to go last year but couldn't  I've just got two tickets do you want one  for london.. So it's been a long wait but I'm just about to leave to go down to london for the night.

Music and Theatre are things that really refill me..

More later :)

Time to play

My friends over see-through- faith and storyteller have been doing Godly play for a while. It was through them that I heard about it and went on a course in June to be a godly play teacher. Yesterday I got to 'play' it's the first time for a long time I have had my paints and craft things out. there was a reason behind this I made my first set of Godly play materials 

Set of advent plaques....just missing the Holy family characters. Normally I'm complaining about christmas being in the shops so early but to think about the plaques as they were being prepaied was to let my mind wonder each piece had to be done slowly and with care sometimes we can lose that and rush through the time of advent and christmas and miss just how much care and wonder that actually went into that first christmas.. 

if your not sure what Godly play is about you can read about  what storyteller has to say about it here 

I got to play in a different way for a few minutes last night as well. It was a first time I've ever got to have a small go at bell ringing  and was a real eye opener   I've only ever heard the wonderful results.  To see just how much work really goes into it, mentally and physically. 

mystic moggy

A friend posted this on FB

(click on the X to remove adverts)

yeah it's very funny and I do love cats and the very silly things that they do. 
But it got me thinking.....What image of God do we give to those in our patches. There are many stories in the world about the con artist. About those who fake the things of God who add things to thier storie of what God has done in them the "amazing" change that took place since they met with God.. But why embellish the work of God..  or the other side and the dumbing down of the gospel message. 
Its a sad place to be but I have heard people do both, and people I have know a long time. 
More than anything we need to be less like the cat in the video, not giving a performance of "god". We each you and I need to be showing the truth of God day to day in our lives in the little things. Honesty at the till if too much change is given. we are quick enough to complain if the casher gets it wrong and gives us less. Integrity in our speaking in public and in private.
I recently had to get medicenies from the hospital I wasn't expecting to have a perscription made and had no money on me I went to the dispencery and they let me have my meds but took my name and address. three days later i went back to pay. they lady was shcoked and said no one comes back to pay... 
It was a chance to share the gospel with her that opened up.
paul tells us in his letter that we are ambassidors for christ in our patches 
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
how we live matters... the God we show to people matters ... 

12.7/1

That's the ratio of people per vacancies in Lambeth My current patch falls in to the borough of lambeth (read here)

Region       Unfilled Vacancies    Total Jobseeker's              Ratio
                                                         allowance Claimants  
Lambeth              932                       11.799                           12.7

it put's us in the top 40 of the table for the worst place to find a job in the country London as a whole tops the list at almost double the national average

Region       Unfilled Vacancies     Total Jobseeker's               Ratio

                                                         allowance Claimants    

London              22,401                     226,182                        10.1

it's hard reading and with the population of lambeth being one of the highest in density in the country  and the council looking at selling more land for housing things set to look to continuing to be as hard. Much of the housing many of those in the community i work with would only dream of owning.

I joked today with a friend who had to find a home in the area when her husband relocated here just after I did they have two small children and that the price for my new house to rent in leicester was really expensive we both laughed as she knew I was on a wind up. My two bed house with a garden frount and back two big bedrooms is cheaper per month than the council rented flats in my block..  And is for many of the places to rent a short walk away the same as you will pay a week.

I do wonder what will be the outcome for this patch over the next few years and for those who I have come to know. Some of whom I know work two jobs to make ends meet.....

School assembly

I'm doing the assembly at Archbishop Sumners school today... and following on from easter and other assemblies I've done this year on building your life on the right things as I was looking at ideas I came across this wonderfully simple video (I've got it ready to use at the school hope it works I think they would enjoy it I know I did when I saw it.)

Either way

I'm gonna use flash paper and strong paper to show that when we build our lives on God even when we're shaken (strong paper is hard to tear but it does happen) the base of our lives are in God and though knocked we can deeped on God..

flash paper is cool it burns in an instant and leave no ash or any sign it was ever there... when we base our lives on things not based in the truth of God just like the house on the sand there is nothing to hold on too.....

I'm not saying about using God as a crutch but as a climber I know that if you don't have a strong anchor for your rope there is only one result if you find a loose rock or slip and fall.....

What this day are you building your life on what I am I building my life on...

How is that lead out into what we building into the patch's that God has given each of us to tend...

Maundy Thursday

This morning I was at Southwark cathedral for the service there which was great  was so glad I went the opening Hymn was sung with such power and truth that you thought the roof really would be shaken. I'd never sung this before but was hit by the words 

Refrain:

Lift high the cross,
the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore
his sacred Name.

Come, brethren, follow where our Captain trod,
our King victorious, Christ the Son of God. Refrain

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. Refrain

Each newborn soldier of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died. Refrain

This is the sign which Satan's legions fear
and angels veil their faces to rever. Refrain

Saved by this Cross whereon their Lord was slain,
the sons of Adam their lost home regain. Refrain

From north and south, from east and west they raise
in growing unison their songs of praise. Refrain

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
as thou hast promised, draw the world to thee. Refrain

Let every race and every language tell
of him who saves our souls from death and hell. Refrain

From farthest regions let their homage bring,
and on his Cross adore their Savior King. Refrain

Set up thy throne, that earth's despair may cease
beneath the shadow of its healing peace. Refrain

For thy blest Cross which doth for all atone
creation's praises rise before thy throne. Refrain

I'm missing a service tonight at St Peters vauxhall one I'm sad to miss last year it was a amazing service and the first time i had witnessed the stripping of a church and was very much looking forward a agin to being part of it again this year.....

but I will be at another place and my first visit to the famous globe theatre and will be hearing the King james bible read...

THURSDAY 21 APRIL

6pm – Midnight: Esther, Job and Psalms

Free tea and coffee will provided after 11pm.

This session features the book of Psalms containing 150 beautifully written hymns, psalms and prayers covering the whole range of human emotions from joy to anger, from hope to despair. Many famous verses have roots in the psalms including, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, ‘The Rivers of Babylon’, ‘Handel’s Messiah’. The book of Job explores the problem of sufferance in an unjust world, where God appears not to care about the fate of the just.

Two of my favourite books will be read Esther and psalms and yeah I'm very much planning to listen to the whole evening not sure what it is going to be like but I'm sure it will be a wonderful evening though the expectation is that people will drop in and drop out throughout the sessions. its suggested it will take a team of actors 69 hours to read through the bible in Holy week and will conclude on easter tuesday. What I found really interesting is that there will be no reading on Holy saturday. That it was actually called by the theatre Holy saturday the real name for the time of waiting and not easter saturday as it's often miss called.

I like the statement in a interview too that The Globe's artistic director, Dominic Dromgoole

"We are celebrating the word," he says. Whatever one's spiritual convictions, the anniversary is significant; it is hard to think of any other work that has played such a large role in shaping English-speaking culture.  

celebrating the word.

Tonight I just plan to sit and listen no distraction no phone or gadgets this Maundy Thursday no words of my own just the words inspired by God written down by man to wash over

At the table

© 2011 Julia Lohmann

I had to smile today, I really did not want to go to church today as wesley once wrote in the famous journal entry  "I went very unwillingly". I haven't been all that well again this week, and had been ill during the night and again during the service. But I was acting steward today so went. Toward the end of the service just as we came together to read the liturgy for communion our youngest member who's about 18months wandered over to the communion rail reached up and almost danced along the rail and played under the table. I was wonderful to see... then his older brother joined him it was great to see the freedom of these two young lives free at the table free to crawl and play and dance... in their fathers house. I came to remember the verse from Song of Solomon 2:4

He brought me to the banqueting house, 

And his banner over me was love.

There is a song called his banner over me that I was singing to my self as I sat there just watching the boys part of the words go   

He brought me to his banqueting table 

And his banner over me is love 

I am my beloved’s and he is mine 

And his banner over me is love 

We delight ourselves at your table oh God

we delight ourselves at your table oh God I love that phrase but it also comes with a "ouch" the ouch do I really delight my self at HIS table like the two young lives did today.....

who's pulling your Strings......

The 1967 Uk entry to the Eurovision song contest was puppet on a string Last night I got to meet one of my all time favourite puppets from childhood sooty.....

I loved this cheeky little bear. So there was a reason to be playing with puppets well at cubs tonight we had a visit from a puppeteer. The cubs were mesmerised by them. Now I'm not always a fan of puppets I hate the ones that look human so the old guys off the muppet show are out... but cuddly ones like sooty sweep and sue 

Though there is much fun and laughter with puppets. What I got to thinking about was the string puppets I have a few of these. the ones that work by strings that make it move. The question was who's pulling your strings. Who is it that guides your motives and actions. 

This can be taken further who is pulling the string on the street, in the flats or over the estate that we live in. Who is it that is being allowed to run things. Is there a time for a change a time to bring about a new way of thinking a new way of being. 

By placing my hand inside sooty I could control to guide the bears actions... am I as willing as the bear to allow my actions to be guided by God. To allow those action and ways to make a difference on my patch.... 

Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?

I guess many will instantly know the painting here, the scream by Edvard Munch yes thats right not Vincent Willem van Gogh. It has been used time and time again as a illustration of pain and anguish that is suffered. Its in many ways a good friday picture. so what do I mean by that. I part to be very honest here I don't know. It's a place that for each of us is very different. A place of soul searching of a place where the end of the tunnel seems so distant there is not even a pin prick of light at the end of it. A place of loneliness, of betrayal (very real not always true) a place where you cant even breath a place that seems like drowning. For jesus he went through this too, the feeling of abandonment, the gospels recount those last hours and words, 

“At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” 

(Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46).

there on the cross Jesus was praying the words of psalm 22 a psalm that starts with pain with sorrow and ends with praise to God, to his father. He Knew the such a deep suffering and anguish. Yet did not give up on His father did not let go that relationship. 

yet the writer of the psalm asks that ever present question in time of grief and pain "why" "why have you forsaken" what is being experienced by the writer is how we find ourselves , with situations and places that makes no sense; where things do not fit together."Why" God seems very distant in both space and time theres a emptiness left. The wandering through trust and question, hanging on by finger tips to faith. blistered,sore and bleeding finger tips but hanging on.

yet sometimes we need others being Jesus with skin on to help us hold on even if at the time we seem to think that we don't want it.  And are doing our best to be horrid to those who are around us. Doing the very best impression of a hedgehog prickles out and curled up into a tight ball.. but you know even when a hedgehog does that if you hold it right.. have patience when it feels safe and trusts who's doing the holding then it will unfurl again and slowly venture out again... but it takes time. 

why say all this today, because I am that hedgehog right now .... A decision on saturday left me in a place that makes no sense and left me walking through the shadows and anguish. 

Five Star Doorway

Mayfair Isn't my normal haunt especially on a saturday but today I was off to one of the most sought after postcodes in London. If you are familiar with the traditional version of the game monopoly you will know that Park Lane and Mayfair are the most expensive places on the board not much changes in real life. I've never been around Mayfair, and so walking past the houses and through a lovely park was really nice. I'm sure that on a sunny day this would be even more beautiful. But today it was icy cold and no-one was wanting to sit about in the park and maybe the place to have gone to eat my pack lunch (even if this time last year the picnic was at minus 28) but was far to cold and I made tea and stayed warm.

stayed warm not all could do that today!!! 

The reason for this little trip was to go to a workshop on Homelessness, Day after day in Vauxhall countless homeless sleep under the railway arches and in the underpass between the two blocks of flats where I live. The stark contrast between those who have and those who don't was in sharp contrast as I walked past a guy maybe my age asleep in a doorway. One of the things we were reminded of today at the workshop was that as one person said we are all 3 steps away from being homeless that’s a scary thought. 

Jesus junk

I'm not sure you can have Jesus and junk in a phrase like the title of the blog post today but sometimes with some of the junk that goes around in church circles that can be true. I'd have said that about plastic glow in the dark crosses yes you read that right they are what some of the youth are wearing.

but Jesus junk stopped me in my tracks this weekend while on a sleep over with the brownies. As one of the guides showed me theres she had promised to after a recent story she told me about it.

Over the last few months I've got to know a couple of the  guides and had some interesting conversations with them. And taken some a fair bit of stick in the form of jokes from them(but have given some back:)) They have taken to asking questions some of which they may not normally ask others they made that known a while back.

What I like is some of the seemingly silly stories they tell me, but have such meaning behind them. One of the stories was while one of the guides was babysitting. she didn't want to turn the light on so they wouldn't wake up the younger child they were watching but needed to get around the room. Not thinking she told me in full flow that she noticed that the plastic glow in the dark cross was giving enough light to see where she was going.

It really made me smile,

Santa's and chicks

Christmastide doesn't officially finish until 6th January the twelfth day when we remember the wise men bringing there gifts. Theres still chocolate santa's at a reduced price on the shelf... so I thought I was caught up in some strange time warp when I went into Tesco's to pick up some flu meds to find a shelf full of chocolate bunny's eggs and cows... I was glad the lady next to me also stopped looked and exclaimed surly i'm seeing things.. It wasn't just me..

yes the manger and the cross are intimately woven together in our history without there being christmas celebrating Christ with us God taking on human form that He may draw us back to himself there would be no easter no offering of new life through the cross... We do remember this at christmas in the making of the christingle the red ribbon that represents that sacrifice...

but chocolate chicks on 3rd january 2011 this was a little bit too early for me... 

What would you give

Today I went to two VERY different fellowships for worship...

The second was a little bit different as it's aimed at the gay community and meets once a month in the methodist church building in vauxhall. I don't want to get into the different arguments and politics about the right or wrong of this so please respect that.. The sermon and service theme was based on epiphany and used the readings for today used in the rest of the parish and circuit and I must admit I enjoy the occasions when I get to go the welcome is always warm and the fellowship after over food is always fun even if I'm the odd one out :). At the moment there is a very interesting question being asked amongst the fellowship is how to open up to others so that all are welcome.. thats a vey real question for us all how do we make ALL welcome not matter what their background might be..

  As part of the sermon we were told " The wise men brought three gifts with them as they followed the star towards bethlehem" .. and then asked 

 "what gift would you give Jesus" 

What I loved was the response that came back from the congregation.. a hug, a meal, a place to stay, a drink, and my favourite from one guy a fellow traveller from nottingham :) was this

'' I'd give Him a foot massage as He would need it after all the traveling''

Those were not what I was expecting but really made me begin to think what would I give him.. those weren't what you would call text book answers the ones that I expect to here at a Bible college or study group... these were answer that came from the person they were real and from the heart..

we sing in the carol in bleak mid winter the words to the final verse are 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

What can I give Him? what ever your answer let it come from the heart 

New Years Eve

I'm sat in my living on the sofa trying not to fall a sleep and hoping the bug I've had all week will behave and it's only 18:30 at 22:00 I need to be at church to run through the service tonight for the first time I've been asked to act as deacon for the watch night service at the Anglican church.. Scary very.

But while I ate my supper I picked up a copy of the big issue that I by from a friend. I saw her today and found that it is her birthday tomorrow. 

One of the articles in this addition is a letter to santa written by the founder of the big issue John Bird he opens his letter 

Dear Santa

I am going to be greedy this year. Not content with a few bags of sweets and socks and hankies.I want big stuff in my stocking please.

Big stuff big Issues!!  as Christians are we willing am I willing to ask big things of God to step out with big requests expecting for them to be answered. What are the things that make us burn with righteous anger in our communities. To see the need and ask God to move and to go further and be the answer to that prayer. Are we content this year with staying where we are with God or moving deeper into Him deeper into that personal relationship He calls us into, or instead will we stay content with ''sweets and socks and hankies'' the choice is there for each of us.

What is the big stuff? 

for John Bird 

''I would like a big box of CLARITY. Followed by some LEADERSHIP. And then, you can never get enough UNDERSTANDING. I suppose the other big want, and I hope you are in a generous mood, is SOLIDARITY.''

What would I write

I would like UNDERSTANDING that we could have that empathy and concern for another even when it's hard for us.. To HEAR and LISTEN to each other and what the other is saying rather than what we would like to hear. That each of us would be JESUS with SKIN on to all we meet.

I'm not going to say the rest of the article to do that would ruining the ethos of the big issue if you want to read it go by it from a vendor or get a back issue.