The 64 Million Pound Question

Last night the deadline passed and the Great Prize remained unclaimed.  Someone a few miles East of me missed out on £64 million. 

But there is good news of course.  First, the money will go to good causes which has to be better than the overseas property market and upmarket car dealerships where it would have gone.  Secondly, there must be many very tidy houses in Hertfordshire as a result of corners being swept clean in pursuit of June's imagined lottery receipt.

 

 

One glaringly obvious possibility is that the purchaser is inconveniently dead.  Becoming dead has many disadvantages when it comes to money and an inability to claim lottery prizes is just one of them.

 

Overwhelmingly more likely is another category: a living person who didn't expect to win.  Maybe they bought the ticket on the way to a distant destination and never checked back; maybe they bought so many tickets that week that they cannot remember which tickets they did or not have;  maybe they never check their tickets but just buy them on impulse assuming they will be found if they ever win.

 

In other words, either the person died or their dream died.

 

Somewhat the point of Advent is that, although the wait for God may be very long, it is not snatched away by death.  And that everyone who dreams hope wins. 



 

In a State

Norway and Denmark (but since 2000 not Sweden) have State Churches. This means that, literally, the parish church (Lutheran) is an arm of Government. This is anathema to Baptists of all shades and varieties. But surely it must provide mighty stability and resources?


Perhaps so, but when you read this introduction from the Kultur og kirkedepartementet (Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs) you can't help thinking the Government is struggling to know what to do with the Church:

The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs was established in 1982, at which time it was called the Ministry of Cultural and Scientific Affairs. Until then, the Ministry of Church and Education had had the overriding responsibility for cultural affairs in Norway. The Ministry changed its name to the Ministry of Church and Cultural Affairs in 1990. From 1991 until 2001, Norway had a Ministry of Cultural Affairs that was responsible solely for culture. From 1 January 2002, church affairs were once again amalgamated with cultural affairs and the current Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs was established on the same date. In January 2005 the Minister of Culture and Church Affairs was assigned responsibility for the voluntary sector. This was the first time the sector had been given its own minister.

The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs is responsible for culture, church affairs, the media (films, broadcasting, press and copyright) and sport, and for gaming and lotteries. Several other ministries also deal with cultural matters.


So there you have it. The Church and the Lottery go together!