On 30 November 2006, CHIPS celebrated its 40th Anniversary at the Royal Commonwealth Society. Around 140 people attended including many long time supporters of CHIPS but also guests from fraternal organisations, politics, business, trusts, diplomats, and the media. A massive thank you to the sponsor, who wishes to remain anonymous, for allowing us to celebrate in style. Audio recordings of the proceedings can be downloaded by clicking on the name of the speaker of interest in the report below…
The Archbishop makes his address
There was an excellent buzz in the room as people arrived for drinks and canapés before the main part of the evening was introduced by Lord Anderson of Swansea (1.2 MB), a long time Advisor to CHIPS who, as Chairman of the proceedings, introduced our first speaker General Dr Gowon, former president of Nigeria.
General Gowon (4.1 MB) commended CHIPS’ work at the grassroots level which, he said, complements efforts for peace at the political level, and issued a challenge to Christians to be people of action who need to embrace the personal sacrifice required to work for peace. In fact he went so far as to reveal that Roy Calvocoressi, CHIPS Founder and trustee, worked for the CIA – to the relief of all he meant a “Christian In Action”!
General Gowon & The Archbishop of York
Mr Roy Calvocoressi OBE (2.1 MB) followed on and focussed on the importance of the team in CHIPS work. They are there not so much to “negotiate a settlement as to mediate a peace”. He used an analogy of an “echo for peace” describing a bucket hitting the water in the well chamber under Markah castle in Syria and sending out reverberations. As the CHIPS team connect with the local people, such an echo is set up which sends ripples effecting an area well beyond the vicinity where the team are working directly at grassroots.
Following Roy’s address we watched a film giving some background to the work of CHIPS after which the new Director, Dr Mark Cuthbert (1.2 MB) gave a short address on the future of CHIPS. After describing how CHIPS makes a unique contribution, working within the context of conflict and development, he described the vision for the steady growth of CHIPS by starting new projects in several regions of the world while keeping its focus on the long term grassroots involvement of small teams working at the local level. This will initially mean consolidating the work in Uganda before, providing the necessary support is offered, starting a new project in West Africa. He finished with a challenge to all those present to reflect on what part they can play in making this vision become a reality.
Guests enjoying the proceedings
The final speaker was The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu (3.0 MB). He commended CHIPS work for peace and encouraged all to ‘dig deep’ in their financial support for its work. He challenged us to be peacemakers who take risks, not just peace lovers who wait for others to act – to be the change we want to see through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ who is our Peace. There was a call to take on, using a form of resistance borne of love and peace modelled by Jesus, the great evils of militarism, idolatry, materialism and racism which threaten our global village. Peace, he said, must begin in ourselves, in our own hearts, but also requires respect for international law to avoid the effects of militarism out of control. He suggested that the UN needs to regain its place as a mediator of global conflict rather then being seen as an obstacle to be overcome by those so ready to unleash ‘the dogs of war’. The Archbishop ended with an encouragement for Christians to transcend the tribalism to which humans are so prone so that we may seek and find the way which is of the truth and brings the life, to deeply live out the way shown by Jesus of Nazareth within the communities to which we belong.
After the Archbishop’s address Lord Anderson made some closing remarks before the Archbishop said a prayer and blessing (1.4 MB) and spontaneously called Mark Cuthbert to the front and prayed for him, with friends and family gathered around, “just in case he thought that he could do this work in his own energy”.
There was plenty more time for refreshments and fellowship, rounding off a fun and informative evening. Cards of a Karimojong painting by Shirley Parkin (who sadly died recently) were on sale with proceeds to CHIPS and Keith Lindsey was signing and selling copies of his book “Making Peace”. Both are available from the CHIPS office. Everyone was given a ‘pack’ as they left which included a booklet by Roy entitled “An Instrument of Peace”.
Various articles have since appeared in the media about the event – click here to find out more.
Thank you to all who helped organise and support the event including Ekklesia for their help with promoting it, for everyone who took part in the proceedings, and to all our guests for coming to celebrate with us.