This week with the Rev John Cree, of Immanuel Church, Feniscowles, Blackburn

I HATE shopping. I have to be dragged along to the shops by my wife. You can always identify us reluctant shopping husbands.

We stand, trying to look inconspicuous, with a cultivated expressing of boredom on our faces, staring into space somewhere near the checkout. If possible we hope to be close to a television shop where we can look at the screens which just might showing a football match.

As the recent election campaign gradually enfolded us in its grip, I couldn't help thinking that I was being appealed to as a customer. I was being invited to "buy into" one or other of the conflicting political parties policies. But I didn't want to be massaged by political advertising. Democracy is more important than just buying into another one or other of the political products.

I began to feel disenchanted by the propaganda machine of all the parties, and realised that I was intellectually standing back at the checkout becoming bored with the whole political shopping business.

I did vote of course. I battled through the hail (hail in June?) to cast my vote. But I did so, not because I was persuaded by the propaganda, but because electing someone to represent us ordinary people is important. Democracy is a serious business, too serious to be left to the political party advertisers.

Now that the election is over, let us make sure that we remind those whom we have elected that they are there to serve us ordinary folk.

Perhaps its also worth reminding them, that, as in a few years time we will again have the opportunity to cast our vote in judgement of them, God will one day make a final judgement on the way they have exercised the responsibilities they have been given.