Heckled

Unity.

Pretty good theme for a service this weekend.  We split the service, with the Associate Minister doing the sermon, while I did the prayers and insight.  Insight, for the uninitiated, is an introductory thought to the service.  A sort of substitute children's address for those occasions where there are no children.

Early on in the week, the AM and I exchanged emails regarding the service, and I suggested that, there were things that were a problem before the referendum that were still a problem after it.  It is only through us pulling together that we will be able to try to make a difference.  It was an idea I had the other week regarding the stories that have fallen out of the news, or have been obscured by bigger stories.  Perhaps we should devote some of our prayers of intercession to the stories from the newspapers from three months ago. So there are still people going hungry and relying on foodbanks.  There are also the problems of people being homeless, or being affected by the bedroom tax.  And on an international level, the Ebola crisis hasn't gone away.  It is only...

"BUT THIS IS SCOTLAND!"

...through working together...  wait, what?!?!?  Someone in the middle of the congregation has taken exception to me mentioning international affairs. And she took exception loudly.  I can't remember exactly what I said afterwards, but it was along the lines of, yes, this is Scotland, and the people of scotland have always worked to help those in need at home or abroad.  Perhaps I should have ignored it, but the hair trigger in me went off.  Besides, she was loud enough that everyone in the congregation must have heard.  I certainly heard her from at least 5 metres away.

This morning I was using my notes as a guide only.  I was being conversational, rather than scripted, and she threw me right off.  From what was a good and flowing delivery, she threw me enough that I had to resort to reading the rest of my script directly from my notes.  I was exceptionally angry.

I don't do this stuff for my benefit.  I genuinely want to help bring people closer to God.  I have had a few weeks recently where the topics haven't really spoken to me and I have struggled. While I certainly don't spend all week writing sermons, I'm certainly thinking about it for most of the week, bouncing around thoughts before they hit the page.   But I still want to try to get up there and make a difference. 

I came very close to leaving halfway through the service, once my bit was complete, but it was only because I wanted to hear what the AM had to say that I stayed. 

I was so annoyed that I went out for a cycle in the afternoon to clear my head.  30 miles later and I was starting to feel almost human.

I don't object to people objecting to my sermons.  Most of them have the good courtesy to let me know after the service where they object.  I have had some pretty good conversations as a result. Heckling makes you look like you are in a comedy club, and you have had a glass too many.