We began with a joint service in the local Episcopal church. Four congregations sharing communion together and five members of the clergy sharing a sermon that lasted for twenty minutes (in total!!). A glorious foretaste of heavenly fellowship.
Then the wind blew and took the felt off our large hall, and the roof off our small hall, and with the rain that followed there were streams of water flowing in the halls and even some in the sanctuary.
No, it wasn’t some sort of divine judgement… The wonder was that no one was killed with the roofing felt skewered into the ground like javelins.
The good thing was that people came and helped clear up the damage, and the funeral that was arranged duly happened without major problems. Offers of help came from sister churches, offers that will be taken up.
The problem now is waiting for loss adjusters arriving to tell us what we can proceed with and what needs to be put to tender. We’ve been told to get the church and halls watertight, which has happened, thanks to the skill of one of our members, remaining on site to supervise the work for most of the week.
The waiting is now annoying. I know that the loss person will be busy, but when they don’t some when they said they might, it holds things up.
Pray for us so that repairs can be allowed to happen quickly and that what seems to need replaced can be done promptly too.

Am I the only one who is aghast at the very prospect of the man who helped out a ticket inspector might be charged with assault ?
Having watched the viral phone recording, it is patently obvious that the young dodger was both lying about his ticket and becoming more and more belligerent in his attitude, swearing at the inspector.
The helpful ‘big man’ should be applauded for helping out.
There is too much of this trying to get something for nothing and then playing the victim card in the hope of sympathy.
Let Judge Judy decide this one…..

It’s official. I saw my first Nativity in a school today and it didn’t disappoint. The usual innocence and enthusiasm was on display and it warmed the heart. There will be other nativities and they will each have their memorable moments.
I’ll be thinking of families facing tough times this Christmas through bereavements. It’s never a good time to have a relative die, but Christmas seems particularly tough. Thoughts and prayers with all out there leading up to the big day. May we have time to remember why it’s called Christmas, and not resort to seasons greetings….

The Scotsman has an article today telling the world the Kirk has ‘finally’ made a decision about its stance on gay marriage.
That’s not actually true…(but when has that stopped the Press…) The Kirk has affirmed a ‘traditional’ stance for many years and has been pushed into a corner where it has to reiterate its stated policy.
The term ‘gay marriage’ is a confusing one. Marriage, by definition in law, as it stands, it between man and woman. To advocate the term only serves to confuse matters.
I understand that the Assembly will be looking at its position on marriage this coming year and the ‘controversial’ aspect of the debate is whether or not to have ‘divorce services’. I don’t know who thinks up these nonsensical notions. Another non-Biblical idea that is an attempt to ‘move with the times’.
So called ‘progressives’ who want to abandon Biblical teaching are being heralded as great thinkers and in chime with the times.
Sometimes things are just wrong…

I find it remarkable that the government talks about ongoing negotiations when their spokeman tells us all that the best deal is on the table and it won’t get any better. That doesn’t sound like negotiation, that sounds like ultimatum.
The government cannot now blame a previous government for the way things are. I see precious little being done to curb the bankers bonus culture giving the lie that we are ‘all in this together’…
It seems Mr Osborne (a man I’ve never felt able to trust – he looks like he could do with a good blood transfusion !!!)  is playing a dangerous game by maintaining his political enonomic philosophy at the expense of people who can’t afford to pay for his mistakes.
The government cannot see that the ‘workers’ have been driven to this, not because of rampant extremist views, but real fear over the handling of the economy.
I listened to PMQ’s today and could not believe the crass stupidity of one Rees-Mogg who spoke about the patriots who were keeping the borders open… Time to come out of the darkness into the rea l world I think….

I’ve just had the chance to attend a Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit conference in Edinburgh. Mentally tired, but challenged and inspired.
Perhaps challenged most by a Coptic Christian serving children in Cairo, and an Ethiopian priest who miraculously escaped electrocution for preaching at funerals not once, but twice.
The priest actually suggested that it was harder for Western Christians, because we have succumbed to the temptation not to pray and not to read our Bibles as if we mean it.
Humble, gentle, inspiring people who help you at a distance to take a stand for Christ once more.

So the cricketing trial has come to an end and no surprises about the guilty verdicts. What has been a slight surprise is the press indignation at what has been going on. It has been going on for some time and only now do people feel morally outraged… hmmm

And then there’s Mr Terry. The press were astonished when he had the England captaincy removed from him… why ? The man betrayed his team in the world cup by squealing to the press. He’s guilty of adultery, and now possibly of racism too. What a glorious role model for young guys to look up to. NOT.
I’ll take no lectures from the liberally minded who tell me that on the field he is brilliant and that’s the role model he’s presenting. Sorry. It has to be the whole package. And he is not the real deal.

There should be a ban on eggs for Halloween. The number of times we have to go and clean our windows thanks to the ‘tricksters’ whose sole purpose is to terrorise the manse family is getting way beyond a joke.
There are times when the ethical constraints of being a minister are very restrictive and I’d like, just once, to let the little angels be on the receiving end of their so called fun.
The police know, but there is little they can do as they are understaffed and over stretched on evening like that.
I had hoped that the weather would keep these idiots inside.
CCTV helps time the event though…..

Albert Bogle is the Moderator Designate for the Kirk. Great Day. I wish him well in his year as the Kirk faces troubled times. His visionary attitude is what the Kirk really needs right now, and his genuine compassion will see him through.

Just back from a well earned break and while in Spain I observed the Sun headline of ‘That’s For Lockerbie’ in response to the death of Gaddafi.
I have very mixed feelings about the manner of the man’s death, even that he escaped a trial, but for the Sun of all newsrags to attempt to take the populist high ground with such a headline beggars belief. That particular newspaper chain has nothing to say on the matter of morals and for them to even hint at some kind of retributive ‘justice’ is disgraceful.
The trouble is that the great public lap up such drivel and continue to pay for such appalling journalism.
They get what they pay for, I guess.
However, there are serious questions to be asked about just what happened. It can be understood without necessarily being condoned, I feel.