On Friday and Saturday nights a team of about 12 Street Pastors, from a pool of trained volunteers from various churches and denominations, mixes with revellers coming in and out of the clubs.
At weekends the city centre population nearly doubles as the night life attracts many from greater Glasgow and other cities. The aim of Street Pastors is to make our city a safer place by listening, caring and offering practical help. As they walk the streets from 10pm to 4am, they come alongside individuals in need.
Drunken girls are particularly vulnerable. They stagger because of alcohol and their incredibly high heels. People watch as Street Pastors get involved, kneeling on the ground, opening toes and fitting them with free flip flop sandals and they are amazed. “What is a Street Pastor?” “Why do you do this?” It is such a small humbling, but God, through caring for feet in the city, does something powerful. This simple action starts up many God conversations and requests for prayer as people tell their stories.
Loving Kindness as the Flood
One Saturday night John, Susan and I were standing at the corner of Royal Exchange Square, a popular pedestrian precinct that was full of revellers who had spilled out of the nearby clubs. Some had come out for a smoke. Loud music blared. The scene was noisy, boisterous with well-oiled laughter and a few high jinks. We picked up and disposed of a few bottles, potential weapons should an aggressive affray break out.
The atmosphere seemed so godless; I felt a heavy sense of foreboding as if like in the days of Noah God could come in judgement and wash everything away.
We stood at the corner, looking totally ‘uncool’, wearing heavy Street Pastor jackets and little skip caps. Suddenly a young man was coming through the mass of bodies. He was stooped over as he approached, but then knelt down and hugged John’s knees, sobbing his heart out. Gently John raised him to his feet. He was tall and John practically disappeared in the embrace which seemed to last forever. Then he told us his story. Pete was Australian, travelling in his gap year, the son of Christian parents, but himself, very far from God. Our presence was enough to encourage his repentant reconciliation to his Father in Heaven and his decision to return to his family in Sydney.
I’m reminded of that lovely old hymn, ‘Here is love, vast as the ocean. Loving kindness as the Flood.’ Jesus, in becoming sin for us on the cross, has opened the floodgates of God’s mercy in place of judgement, and ‘kissed a guilty world in love.’ The writer was a Welshman, William Rees, and his hymn became strongly associated with the Welsh revival of 1904-1905. May we see God do it again in our day and in our city.
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