Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦

Pastor of @gracewoodgreen in London, England. Husband to Uliana. Leader of @GraceBaptistsE. Author:

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

My forthcoming book - "Every Man's Conscience: Early English Baptists and the Fight for Religious Liberty" - now has a cover and is available for preorder. Find out more and place your order(s) here: https://t.co/WEJGGPoI9K

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Today, I met an elderly man in the community for the first time. His father was one of the 132,000 soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy 82 years ago today. He survived the day, only to be killed (it is feared, by friendly fire) a few weeks later.

"How old were you?", I asked.

"Six weeks", he replied.

He never really knew his dad, and that has shaped his life. When we "remember them" - yes with utmost gratitude! - we must take care to remember all of them, those left behind, who went without, whose involuntary contribution to our freedom was being paid over a lifetime.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Always a privilege to lead this program!

[Grace Baptist Church @gracewoodgreen]

Today, our first @BeesonDivinity Cross-Cultural Ministry Practicum students of the year return to their homes. Nic, Jake, Noah and his wife Kat have spent the past couple of weeks serving alongside our pastor @RyanBurtonKing. Grateful for a fifth summer running this program!

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@khjamieson Thank you for praying, and sharing, Kristin! Glad you find my Ukraine tweets helpful. I hope you and the family are all well.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

In this picture from a few years ago, I am talking with Svitlana and her son Nazar after ministering at Open Bible Church, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. Yesterday, they stood by a mountain of rubble in Kyiv that used to be their mother-in-law/grandmother's apartment block. It was struck by one of over 700 drones and missiles fired at Ukraine as part of Russia's continued campaign of terror. They waited in anxious hope and eventually grief as their loved one's body was recovered from the ruins. Please pray that they would be comforted deeply on this darkest of days. And pray too, as we have been for many years, for a just end to this conflict, which means nothing less than the cessation of all air and ground assaults, the withdrawal of all invading forces, and the restoration of all occupied lands.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Last week marked ten years since Uliana and I were engaged. Grateful to get away, along with Sara, for some rest. Back in the saddle, as it were, tomorrow.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Meanwhile, the Reform UK representative told us he was running (in another ward) in part "to prove that the party is not racist" (he is not English). That should have been left unsaid if he wanted more of a chance at success. Regrettably, he embodied some of the more bizarre and chaotic stereotypes of his party, to the point of entertainment. Those in attendance will have had their 'favourite' (if we dare call them that) moments, but his impassioned proposal to ban a local area designated to encourage free speech is unbeatable in my opinion, and won him a rare rebuke from the Chair. I have much more I could say about this, but shall refrain for now... unless pressed in the comments!

6. Ward turnout for the last local elections was an abysmal 27%. Over 70% didn't bother voting, but will still complain. The most effective complaint today is a vote. After years in local power, the case Labour made was still (several election cycles in) "give us a chance." The other parties were united: "We need a change." But if the same people keep voting the same way and the rest stay home, there is no meaningful accountability. How then can we expect any improvement?

If you are registered to vote, please excercise your right. Vote not according to party lines, but according to your principles, for who you believe will most competently and capably represent your local interests. If that means spoiling your ballot, then so be it. Regardless, after today, treat your newly elected councillors with respect and hold them accountable.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Today English voters will elect a bit shy of 5000 councillors across almost 3000 wards, in 135 local authorities. Last week, I organised and chaired a hustings for my own ward, Noel Park, in the London Borough of Haringey. A few observations and points of concern.

1. Hustings are a very important part of the democratic process. However, I observed several constituencies where either candidates or voters seemed to struggle to find one. Some voters said they did not know what a hustings is, or did know but had never been to one.

2. Comms were appalling. It was far too long before I knew who the non-incumbent parties' candidates were. There seemed at times to be a total lack of engagement. Except for a new Labour candidate (who I had met previously over tea with mutual friends) and his colleagues (who I also know, including the head of the council), it seemed more difficult than previous years to successfully contact the candidates. I had to chase everyone (again except Labour, the incumbent party), some multiple times, to get even an initial response. The only campaign leaflet I received was for Labour - and it was the one distributed at the hustings (the other parties came empty handed).

3. Candidate participation was poor. Every invited party was represented. But only two actual candidates for our ward were on the panel: for Labour and Green parties. One neighbour lamented that the choices for the evening were Left and far Left, with no actual candidates for anything more to the centre and right present. Do they want our votes or not? See next point.

4. Some candidates are not in it to win it. My hustings panel had representatives from Reform UK, Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and the Green Party but only two actual candidates. The absence of the other candidates is a truer message than the ballot paper would indicate. The Liberal Democrat representative (a candidate for Crouch End) was extremely articulate in making his case, but he is not our candidate. We were told afterwards that the Liberal Democrats are not truly competing in the ward, they only have paper candidates. So we have the mere illusion of choice...and yet it is at the same time very real. What happens when one of the paper candidates actually gets elected? What quality of engagement could we expect from such elected representatives?

5. Parties should vet their candidates more carefully and train them more thoroughly. Re training: a neighbour commented that apart from the Reform UK candidate and interjections by a non-panellist Labour candidate (the head of the council) from the floor, she could not hear the other panellists. Her feedback was that they mumbled, at best speaking conversationally, instead of projecting. This could be addressed more readily than other concerns.

Also, re. both vetting and training, the Conservative panelist was a lovely Kenyan-born older lady who lives locally and is running in a neighbouring constituency. I knew that she was not a candididate for Noel Park, but at first was not sure that she did, as she introduced herself otherwise over the phone and doubled down when I asked. On the night, she could not tell us the names of the candidates we should vote for or anything about them other than they were running for the Conservative party. Her answers were rambling, anecdotal, and seldom constituted a material addition to anything already said by the other candidates.

More in reply post...

[Grace Baptists in Europe @GraceBaptistsE]

This year's month of prayer and giving articles were so widely appreciated that we have produced a booklet of them for the continued use of our partners in the gospel. If you would like to receive a copy, please send us a direct message containing your address details.

[Arsen Ostrovsky @Ostrov_A]

This is one of the most jaw-dropping, chilling interviews I have seen. Watch this Rabbi from London, respond to question about the terror stabbing in Golders Green!

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Noel Park ward friends may like to attend tomorrow evening's hustings, which I will be chairing!

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

My latest for @EvangelicalsNow, on Russian attacks on Protestant Evangelical churches in Ukraine, with thanks to the research of @MissionEurasia, and the recent commentary of Myhaelo Brystyn and Igor Bandura.

No paywall for this one!
https://t.co/pcfsTafITd

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@Jon_proctor_Esq @HaringeyLibDems I had already done both earlier this week, but as I wrote, have not had any communication back, thus this as last resort.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@HaringeyLibDems Hello, I have been in contact to organise a hustings in the Noel Park ward for next Tuesday, but have not had any communication back. Could you advise as to how I can contact the candidates or a suitable representative directly?

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@HaringeyGreens hello, I have been in contact to organise a hustings in the Noel Park ward for next Tuesday, but have not had any communication back. Could you advise as to how I can contact the candidates or a suitable representative directly?

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@SWGCAX Thank you - just wrote!

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@SWGCAX hello, I have been in contact to organise a hustings in the Noel Park ward for next Tuesday, but have not had any communication back. Could you advise as to how I can contact the candidates or a suitable representative directly?

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

Yesterday night before bed, Sara told me for the first time - quite out of the blue and not repeating or prompted at that! - "I love you". It was very special.
She immediately followed it up by throwing a punch, and tugging aggressively at my beard. 😂

[Grace Baptist Church @gracewoodgreen]

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 All are welcome to join us at Grace Baptist Church Wood Green tomorrow.

📖 11 am series continues through Matthew (5: 27-30).

☕️🥐 5 pm Tea and Talk series continues exploring big themes of Proverbs.

#Bible #preaching #church

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@chinaonthehill @JDVance "Be careful upon which partners you rely on". Quite.

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@JDVance Mr. Vice President, if a foreign power invaded the US and annexed, occupied, or otherwise requested withdrawal from, say Ohio and the central Appalachian belt of eastern Kentucky (approx 136,000 sq km), would it be worth fighting for/defending?

[Ryan Burton King 🇺🇦 @RyanBurtonKing]

@chinaonthehill @JDVance Ukraine has not been/is not being humiliated- quite the opposite! And they have been very cooperative in negotiating, unlike their counterpart. So I assume you must be talking about Russia. In which case, yes.