Rebecca Inglis - February 9, 2020
Courageous Relationships
In April 2018, Suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett became the first woman to be honoured in London’s Parliament Square. Her statue stands alongside 11 statues of male politicians in the square, which include Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and Nelson Mandela. Fawcett was a leading campaigner for women’s suffrage, fighting for women to get the vote from the age of 19. She was an integral part of securing the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which allowed some women over the age of 30 to vote in elections. Her statue is holding a banner that reads, “Courage calls to courage everywhere” - a line from her speech following the death of activist Emily Davison who was trampled by a horse at the Epsom Derby of 1913. Then Prime Minister Theresa May, at the unveiling of the statue said, “I would not be here today as prime minister, no female MPs would have taken their seats in parliament, none of us would have the rights and protections we now enjoy, were it not for Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett. For generations to come, this statute will serve not just as a reminder of Dame Millicent’s extraordinary life and legacy, but as inspiration to all of us who wish to follow in her footsteps.” The courage of one woman changed the lives of many to come. Fawcett not only fought for her own rights, but inspired many women to speak out and step up in advocating and activating change. This Sunday we conclude our series “Courageous Living” and are reminded that although God changes us individually, his greatest moments for us, are never for us alone - they are always about our lives impacting the lives of others. As we live courageously for Kingdom causes, our courage can be contagious.
