Indeed, one of the most moving aspects of coordinating the worship for me has been receiving these images: the inspiring work of post-earthquake reconstruction in Pakistan, the relief effort following the cyclone in Burma, feeding stations for the poor in Burundi, the primate dancing the gospel in Brazil, an interfaith conference in Mauritius or a lunch club for the elderly in Hong Kong. Just to put a crude economic value – which would amount to billions – on this work is to realise that without such Christian witness societies all across the globe would simply grind to a halt. This is before we consider its psychological, social and spiritual significance, to name but three of the dimensions of human flourishing it encourages and enhances.
Of course the structural questions will persist. If you belong to an institution like a church with representative responsibilities and accountabilities you can’t – and mustn’t – avoid them. But let’s never forget their context is one in which foot-washing, literally life-giving service – the stuff of which real communion and communities is made – still transforms the world.