Friends in High Places

It's been a busy week for ordinations and inductions in the C of S.  If your 15 month probation starts in the summer, then October and November is the busy season for those who want to be in charge before Christmas.  I can think of at least four in the past fortnight or so.  Some more preaching as sole niminees, and there are other nominating committees roaming the countryside as we speak.

2010, a long time ago, or so it seems now, I tagged along to a meeting of some church candidates.  I hadn't thrown my hat into the ring at that point, so I was still wondering exactly what a male spouse of a minister gets up to.  One of these people had been studying and training for a couple of years, and despite never having met them before, I knew them.


I had been following their blog for a while, so while the rest of the group were in the house discussing degrees and training, we were in the garden, and I made introductions, as two bloggers meeting in the real world.

Since that day, I am proud to have been able to call them a friend.  They have supported me throughout my call and training, and I hope that in some way I have managed to reciprocate.

It's unfortunate now that we will find ourselves at opposite ends of the country, so we can't sneak off to the national library for a quick brew (or a photo-shoot!) as easily anymore. 

But it was an honour to be present at their ordination, and was quite surprising to be mentioned if not in person, at least by reference to my motorbike, in their ordination sermon.

So here's some sagely wisdom from their first blog post that my friend may need reminded of...

"Dog collars strangle you if you tell lies."

Now may God give you the power to do outrageous things.

P.S. You WILL ensure you take time off.

P.P.S. Every manse needs a dog.

Search and Rescue

My friend, Rev Shuna from Aberlour asked me to share this message, and I would encourage you to fill in the petition.

Dear Friends,

I just created the petition "Keep the Mediterranean Search & Rescue" and wanted to ask if you could add your name too. I was moved to tears watching the news last night that the EU are to scale back the search and rescue missions in the Med for asylum seekers fleeing North Africa. In effect hundreds are being left to die - men, women, children and babies. Please see this report:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29807759 Our Government supports the scale back.

I do not normally circulate petitions but this cause is dear to me heart as I am a speaker for the Church of Scotland Guild's project Out of Africa...into Malta which seeks to support asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta, many of whom arrive n these boats.

This campaign means a lot to me and the more support we can get behind it, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign the petition here:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-the-mediterranean-search-rescue

Thank you!

Shuna

P.S. Can you also take a moment to share the petition with others? It's really easy – all you need to do is forward this email or share this link on Facebook or Twitter:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-the-mediterranean-search-rescue

Rev Shuna Dicks
Aberlour Parish Church of Scotland
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An Odd Night in the Pulpit

I had been asked to preach at a short service in what I thought was a small church.  It should have been a very short lesson, and I was expecting to do all of it, or about 10 minutes.

Then I got to the church.  It was massive.  Easily the biggest building I have ever spoken in.  And the service had morphed from a quick ten minutes, to a full collaboration with a number of different speakers.  The minister that asked me to speak had neglected to mention this fact.  And of course the church was full to bursting.

And with this being a bit of a posh do, I was told by the minister that my suit wasn't good enough, so I had to round up a set of robes from somewhere.  Fortunately the choir were able to help out.

When the service started, someone got up and did the call to worship that I was supposed to be doing.  I was a bit annoyed, but you have to keep a professional air, so I said nothing.

Finally, I got up to deliver my sermon, which I had hurriedly re-written to reflect the theme of the day.  As I got into the pulpit, I realised that the lectern wasn't adjustable, and the previous occupant must have been nine foot tall.  I barely stuck out over the top.

I placed my notes on the lectern, looked out at the congregation, then looked back down.  My carefully prepared notes had been replaced with a collection of wine-gums, with the sermon written on top of them.

So then I woke up.

When I eventually got back to sleep.  I had another dream where one of my probationed buddies took me to one side and told me that my delivery wasn't great.  I hope they get afflicted by their sermon turning into wine-gums.