There has been plenty in the news in recent days and weeks on being a British citizen.

This gives us the rights and protections of our country and we form part of its culture.

One of our rights is to vote, provided we are registered.

We now go to the polls to elect (in the area of St Albans where I live) both a county councillor and a district councillor.

On a more national scale, some of the recent news items have been somewhat trite, such as on the colour and country of production for our new passports once Brexit is Brexit.

But some have been much more serious, such as to how we have treated the Windrush generation of immigrants. What is emerging makes me ashamed to be British.

I’ve been checking up on how someone can become a British citizen who is not one already.

The process of ‘naturalisation’ involves all kinds of residency requirements, knowledge of English and the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

I really wonder if I would pass this. There are 24 questions on British traditions and customs to be answered in 45 minutes. Cue: panic!

The Bible teaches that disciples of Jesus Christ are no longer foreigners or strangers but members of God’s household, fellow-citizens with all God’s people.

That is a wonderfully affirming statement of status for absolutely anyone who becomes a Christian, whatever their earthly nationality.

And you don’t need to show a landing card to prove it!

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