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Viewpoint from Rev Helen Lynch 13/12/2019
 Rev Helen Lynch
Assistant Curate, Great Yarmouth Team Ministry
as published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury
When you read this, it will be the day after the General Election. In fact, even though I’m writing this in November, I did vote yesterday - with my postal vote!
I honestly have no idea what the result will be. I know that you will have many different opinions as to what the Government of this country should be. As the results of the election are announced, some of us will be pleased, and some will be discouraged. Whoever is elected, there is a lot of work to be done in this country after the ups and downs of the past few years
 One of the unfortunate side effects of the political problems of recent times is that many people have felt that they have had to choose sides - we’re this, and you’re that. In doing that we can get so caught up in our differences of opinion that we lose sight of what we have in common
I haven’t been in Yarmouth for very long. Some of you will have lived here all your life, and it’s been lovely meeting people whose whole families live in the area. Huge clans of wonderful Yarmouth folk. Others have travelled from all around the world and ended up here. I’ve come from South Norfolk - not so exotic! Some left Yarmouth to do other things, and eventually found yourselves back. Some will have children or friends who have left and never want to return. Our community is all the richer for all the different stories within it
 Humans are story telling creatures, and stories are a brilliant way to break down barriers. They help us make connections, and find our common ground. Our grannies might have been living on opposite sides of the world, but they both baked wonderful bread. You might drive a fancy motor, while I wobble down the road on a fourth-hand push bike, but we’re both diehard Norwich City fans
Jesus knew this, and used stories to draw people together, and to help us to understand how much God loves us - whoever we are, wherever we live, and whichever way we voted
Whatever the election result, I hope it will be the start of new community stories, where we come together for the common good, building trust, understanding, and love
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