(This article was written by Dr Scott Boldt and was placed in the Methodist Newsletter August/September 2009 issue). 

When I was twelve years old, I came home from school to a commotion as my Dad, two of his friends and my brother seemed to be stuck half-way down our basement stairs with a huge green table. After much jostling and some strong language, I was permitted to see the cause of all of this activity – a second-hand table-tennis table that dominated our concrete basement floor.

I watched as the net was carefully positioned and became entranced at the k-nip, k-nop sound of play and at the shouts as a ‘slam’ was deftly delivered. Little did I know that my ‘ping-pong’ apprenticeship on the south-side of Chicago would later figure in my reconciliation work in Northern Ireland.

The focus of much of the work of the Reconciliation Programme in Edgehill is on creating opportunities for relationship amongst and between people who would not otherwise ordinarily meet and doing so around a common interest or concern. It is my contention that when we bring people together because they are different, the experience tends to be cautious and formal, the relationship temporary and forced; whereas, if you encounter someone who shares your interest (e.g. traybakes or cribbage) or concern (e.g. water charges or anti-racism), the connection humanises the ‘other’ and opens up possibilities for friendship, understanding and acceptance.

A couple years ago, I was approached by Ali Copur of the Northern Ireland Tolerance, Educational and Cultural Association (NI-TECA). NI-TECA is a group of Turkish speaking Muslims living in Belfast. Ali wanted to meet to discuss the possibility of a dialogue event exploring a common theme for Muslims and Christians. As we talked, it occurred to me that the focus of his organisation was primarily to create better understanding of the Muslim community and to establish some friendships with people here. I proposed that rather than organise a formal event, we should first gather around a table for a meal with our wives and children.

We hosted this modest meal in Edgehill and a number of ministerial students attended. Lo and behold, the table-tennis table was there in the dining room and it turned out that many of our guests were both keen and competent. This connection resulted in a decision that evening to have a little tournament three weeks later. It was a great evening where people with nothing in common (i.e. Turkish speaking Muslims and Methodist ministerial students) saw so much of what they had in common (e.g. table-tennis, university concerns, holidays, children, etc.). I should close this story by stating that I made it to the final, but, of course, I was required and obliged to allow Nick McKnight (Minister of Glastry and Portaferry) to emerge victorious.

The Reconciliation Programme has been running for nearly 10 years in Edgehill. The programme was initiated through the vision of Rev Dr Dennis Cooke and was delivered for many years by Olive Bell.  Throughout the years the programme has been funded by the European Union. At present, the programme operates under a three year grant from the EU Peace III Programme - ‘Priority 1: Reconciling Communities, Theme 1: Building positive relations at the local level’. The funding covers a diverse range of activities which serve the MCI, including the Exploring Theology course, inter-church training placements and engagement with minority ethnic communities, young offenders and paramilitaries.

Hydebank Wood Young Offenders’ Centre and Prison serves any young person in Northern Ireland aged 16-23 who is on remand or who has been sentenced. The prison is high security but has a relatively caring environment. I helped establish a programme there which explores questions of identity and issues related to sectarianism and racism. When I wanted to offer an additional creative course, I went up on the landings to promote it by speaking directly to inmates and explaining what it was about.

On every wing, there was a table-tennis table. I immediately challenged anybody I saw to a game before saying anything about the course. I think this gesture ‘humanised’ me and created a connection. Although not all of the guards were supportive, winning a few games of ping-pong was the key to opening conversations and engaging with some folks who otherwise would probably have had little interest in why I was there. As it turned out, we got a list of 46 names of people who were interested in participating in some drama workshops; I was told that I’d be lucky if twelve people signed up for it.

I want to leave off the table-tennis talk to reflect on recent events in south Belfast involving people from the Roma community. I wonder how different things might have been if there had been more positive interaction between people at earlier stages. I was impressed by a number of things that happened. I should note that the Reconciliation Programme is partnered with EMBRACE, the inter-church Christian group involved in the situation who served both as a Church witness and as a link between statutory/voluntary agencies and the Roma families. Therefore, I had first-hand and excellent second-hand information on the context and issues surrounding  this story which I balanced with views and opinions of some of the para-military leadership and young people in the area.

One thing that struck me was the widespread positive response to the events, in particular, by the Church, significantly City Church, Fitzroy Presbyterian and Belfast City Vineyard. I was displeased, however, with the call by some so-called ‘anti-racists’ for “RACISTS OUT”, the principle of which is itself racist. Others spoke of those ‘thugs’ and ‘scum’ who perpetuated the intimidation, overlooking the fact that those ‘thugs and scum’ are mainly young people from the community and our society. Could it be that some of the anger directed towards the largely vulnerable Roma families was a re-direction of anger pointed at these young people by other, older and well-established members of their community and society?

The whole episode reminded me of the lessons and promptings I had heard on Pentecost Sunday. Edgehill with its partners Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin and the Society of African Missions, Dromantine organised an inter-Church dialogue with Rev Ken Newell (formerly Fitzroy Presbyterian) and Fr Gerry Reynolds (Clonard Monastery) on ‘No sitting on the fence: Reconciliation in Scripture and on the streets’. This was attended by 112 people who were shown the Biblical mandate of reconciliation and Jesus’ vision of universal reconciliation: “People will come from the north, south, east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of God”. St Matthew 8:11; St Luke 13:29.

Ken Newell’s insights and Gerry Reynold’s experiences and stories that day recalled a quotation by Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche community.

'When Jesus sent his disciples out on mission, he told them to be poor, to take nothing with them. And he told them to do things that were impossible for them to do all by themselves. So it is for all missions. Communities and their members are called to be poor and to do impossible things, such as to build community and to bring healing, reconciliation, forgiveness and wholeness to people. Mission is to bring the life of God to others, and this can only be done if communities and people are poor and humble, letting the life of God flow through them.'

This quotation reminds me that Jesus sends us. We are asked to go somewhere different, to meet different people and in many cases do different kinds of things. A South African, Alexander Venter, speaks about the need to ‘relocate’ if we want to seek reconciliation with others of whom we know little (e.g. white and black South Africans, Catholics and Protestants, Roma families). Venter argues that Christians have to move into community with the ‘other’ whether that means literally moving into their community or regularly moving ourselves into places where we can meet them in their own context as a listener and learner with our own culture, gifts and insights to contribute.

As we journey in our faith, we are sent on a mission and we all have a ministry. It seems to me that Christians participate in an ongoing mission of reconciliation throughout life, being reconciled to God and reconciling ourselves to others. Much of this work, as Vanier points out, is impossible, especially if we rely solely on our own gifts, ideas and plans. The examples of Ken Newell and Gerry Reynolds and the response of so many people to the plight of the Roma families indicate how ‘God can flow through us’.

While all this involves a level of risk and a challenge to ourselves, most of the work is fairly simple – greeting someone we do not know, asking people with knowledge and experience how we can help, responding with compassion according to our gifts. All this work is perhaps done best when it is steeped in who we are and what we like doing; at least that is the excuse I can use when an opportunity for table-tennis presents itself.

The Reconciliation Programme has an office in Edgehill Theological College and is run by Dr Scott Boldt, Programme Manager, and Ashleigh Hunter, Administrative Assistant (028 90 68 69 33 / rec@edgehillcollege.org).