WOKINGHAM has been changing over recent years – you know it.
Our schools and housing estates are a kaleidoscope of diverse cultures, nationalities and skin colours.
Our restaurant chefs serve us Japanese, Thai, Indian, Mexican, American, Turkish, Italian dishes – and yes, a fabulous Sunday roast dinner.
How blessed are we!
Some struggle with it all of course – any change brings challenges.
Interestingly though, despite what some loudly claim, the Christian faith loves this diversity.
When the Bible pictures heaven it speaks of a vast crowd of every nationality and language gathered into one huge, united family around God’s throne.
This technicolour heavenly vision is the reason it’s so wrong for some to claim the English flag (cross of St George) as a symbol for a divisive, monochrome agenda: these people show how little they understand their Bibles.
The cross of Jesus is all about unity: reuniting people with God and one another into one big, diverse family.
The church I lead, along with others in our town, has worked hard to live out these convictions as we’ve welcomed people from all around the world into our church community.
We’ve made great new friends, and the quality of our meals together has sky-rocketed.
As Wokingham becomes more diverse, of course we need to be patient with one another – cultural differences take patience to adjust to.
But it’s an enriching experience we’ll do well to get used to: it’s actually a foretaste of heaven.
Revd Nick Hudson is minister at Wokingham Baptist Church, where Sunday services take place at
For information, visit: wokinghambaptist.org.uk
