'Will you love the "you" you hide?' - Inspired by John Bell
WATCH OTN Patron John Bell in conversation with our Co-Chair Alex Clare-Young [60 mins]. Video includes British Sign Language interpretation [BSL] thanks to Andy Higgins from Open Table Manchester.
Our Co-Chair Alex Claire-Young reflects on the experience of interviewing OTN Patron John Bell, whose inclusive music and lyrics have been a profound inspiration:
I FELT incredibly grateful to be able to interview social justice advocate, Church of Scotland minister, song-writer and fellow Iona Community member John Bell live last week, as part of my role as co-chair of the Open Table Network.
As ever, John shared openly and authentically and gifted us many gritty, honest, inspiring and humbling stories to reflect on. ,One of my favourite moments was when, having been asked what inspired him to write, John laughed, paused, and then said, in a typically matter-of-fact manner,
“It’s really kind of necessity. When you find an [identity or experience] that hasn’t been articulated, you have to.”
The Summons, by John Bell, is one of Alex’s favourite hymns. It includes the summons: ‘Will you love the “you” you hide?’ Alex recorded this hymn for our October 2020 online worship gathering on the theme of 'coming out', which is also on our YouTube channel.
This resonated with me, as my own sense of calling is entangled with the realisation that few trans voices are being heard in the Church, and trans people are wanting for support and advocacy.
Why am I out in my work? To echo John, it’s really a kind of necessity. John also helpfully reminded us that, ‘New life grows from the ground up’.
I strongly believe that the nurture - the light, water, and food - of voices like John’s enables those fresh shoots of new life to struggle up through stony ground.
