1st Sunday of Advent: 02/12/07.

The Collect for today: "Almighty God, give is grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son, Jesus Christ came to us in great humility......"
Well, it is all about change, isn't it? The move from darkness to light in our lives. But note that the prayer invokes the Holy Spirit of God for us to achieve this; meaning, by his Grace. I often wonder, as everyone else wonders, why God doesn't answer our prayers immediately, when the need is greatest. Yet as Christians we are always urged to watch and pray first. Have patience, in other words. In our search for a new Rector, the Diocesan Dean said the timescale we have drawn up must start with a waiting and watchful, prayerful time. Curiously, God does answer prayers but not always when we ask, but later when we often have not noticed. I have been praying for someone in great and awful anguish and their need for relief and for God's grace was immediate. However, God didn't answer immediately. Then, lo and behold, all the terrible and awful anguish had gone, replaced by contentment and happiness. I was reminded of a woman in labour and in the midst of terrible birth pain. But when the midwife plonks baby on her breast for that first bonding to take place, which is vital, the mother, despite tiredness, is content and calm; the anguish has vanished. I am but a mere man, who cannot experience childbirth pain as a mother does, but I do understand my person's terrible unhappiness and great anguish. Now it's all gone. It is a miracle. Yes, I know, don't forget to give thanks to God for his mercy and the answer to my fervent prayers. I did laugh as I recall Rabbi Lionel Blue saying that he prays so fervently and loudly that perhaps even God may hear him!
Versicle: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
Response: And his mercy endures for ever. Amen.

Sunday, 25 Nov-07: Christ the King / Sunday Next Before Advent.

The period up until Advent was called the Kingdom of Christ by a previous RC Pope. It was adopted by the Anglican Catholic Church and is now part of the Common Lectionary of the Church. It certainly changes the tempo today as we look again, at the end of the Church Year, at the end of Christ's earthly life and we re-visit the cruxifiction, all in anticipation of Advent. Already the Church is preparing the Advent services including the annual Festival of Nine Lessons with Carols when we once again go through the Bible, first re-reading the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of The Lord, and then the NT accounts of his humble coming. So year after year we experience the coming of a baby, who is Christ the Lord. As the hymn describes him as 'Crown him the Lord of years'.

The Episcopal and Anglican seasonal changes, with changes in the colours of frontals, vestments, service settings and attention to seasonal Bible readings, hymns and prayers has always endeared me to The Church. Other Churches do not lay emphasis on this at all which, to my mind, is rather dull by comparison. The changes even in the Liturgical prayers enhances the period of Advent or, as the Liturgy also calls it, "The Anticipation". The richness of the central focus, which does not change, is the Liturgy itself, is a wonderful feeling of 'sameness', of basic security always there for us.

Busy time and a new atmosphere then at St Aidan's; also to do with Colin, our Assistant Priest, taking over the day-to-day work, although much is delegated outwards to folk as he is supposed to be part-time! We all know that part-timers work as long as full-timers.
I am attempting to draw the Vestry towards a more structured, business like approach in church business and I am trying to formulate a detailed committee structure from which we can delegate specific tasks outward. At present we have three Committees - Finance, Fabric and Social. I shall suggest a third - Administration Committee. In all Committees there will be delegated work from the Vestry, and delegation to certain folk, not necessarily on the Vestry, who have particular expertise. Our first meeting of the newly elected Vestry is on 12/12/07, so we shall see.

Wednesday, 21 Nov-07. St Columban, Bp, 615AD.

It was pleasing to note that the Bishop of Edinburgh and the Moderator of the General Assembly of The Kirk, the Rt Revd Sheila Kestings both signed a Covenant with the Toiseach, Alex Salmond at Parliament recently in Edinburgh, to categorically state that we in Scotland declare we are a peaceful nation and will not wage war. This is 'one-in-the-eye' so to speak, for "The Broons" - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister in England, who confirms his support for Mr 'Boosh' as we call him, in his war against Iraq and Afghanistan. No wonder this angers even moderate Muslims to attack us, for they see it as an Imperialist war against their very existence. The split with the English majority in favour of continuing the war, is in sharp contrast with the Scots who had the Peace March in Glasgow and Edinburgh when Blair went to war against the wishes of the people of Scotland. No wonder Labour lost out in Scotland for the first time for many decades. Labour can't plead that they were not warned. I had challenged our MP whom I know, and met and challenged our MSP who lives just down our road, but both are young men born after the war and obviously are incensed with Labour rhetoric about the 'just war' and like Blair, have ignored the lessons of history. Yes, the new Chief Constable of Strathclyde has said that there will be more terrorist attacks in Scotland.
What a sad state we are all in, through pig ignorance by some MSPs and MPs.

The marathon task of photocopying packs of papers for St Aidan's congregational AGM is over and the AGM went smoothly last evening, ably chaired by the Diocesan Dean, the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan, who has a sense of humour for such occasions, was very able as a Chair and he dealt with awkward questions neatly and politely. I think it pays to do one's homework and paperwork as Secretary to the Vestry, before the meeting so that all Elections had typed nominated names installed first on one sheet so that proposers and seconders could just be entered in each column, saving the past and antiquated method of having lots of bits of paper with nominations written on them.

Our new Vestry includes innovative folk. One is the recently retired Librarian to Glasgow Caledonian University. She and her husband were formerly the Librarians to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Jane Wilkins, the new Vestry member, has agreed to my request to Index the past Minutes and correspondence on the computer, which will saves hours of paper searching. She has also agreed to update the Inventory of the church and its artefact's. The last one I have on paper was done in 2001. Once it is done the Treasurer to the Vestry will engage Ecclesiastical Insurance to re-value the items. I have also requested the Diocesan Architect, Rebecca Cadie, to undertake a Quinquennial Survey of the now empty Rectory. Rebecca is in private practice too down south in Ayr. The Survey will enable us to highlight what needs to be upgraded before the appointment of a new Rector by say July-08.

Both Val and I are quite tired for Val is also on the Vestry, is Hall Lettings Convener - no mean task in itself, runs the Prayer House Group and is on the Finance Committee at church. Think we shall go out for lunch tomorrow to a nice, family run Indian restaurant in the West End. They are all lovely folk and all come and want a chat with you, including the brother who is the chef. The food is delicately done with fresh vegetables and served with style. We have the Kirking of the Vestry on Sunday during the 10am Family Eucharist; otherwise we would have gone away for the weekend. Perhaps the following Advent weekend.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Saturday, 17 Nov-07

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Saturday, 17 Nov-07

Saturday, 17 Nov-07

All the AGM papers stapled together automatically by the 'with-it' photocopier, saving hours of manual work. Great! Took the documents to church this morning. Met Mr Mitchell, our Landscape Gardener from Newton Mearns who was re-doing the Memorial Garden. We had a chat and I said I was impressed with his cleanliness and workmanship. Left the AGM docs with a note on the church table for folk to take a pack and to check the Church Roll I had put out in the Hall for inspection / amendments. Met Kenneth Wilkins, the Sacristan who came with his wife Jane to prepare for the Eucharists tomorrow and mid-week so we had a chat. I'm hoping Jane will be elected at the AGM to the Vestry as I have a task for her. She has just retired as Librarian at Glasgow Caledonian University. Kenneth also was Librarian to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, so both talented folk. Kenneth was a Chorister with us but now sings in Glasgow Cathedral Choir although is Eucharistic Minister with us and serves at the 8am said HC and mid week services. Anyway I was pleased that Jane agreed to my suggestions of (a) indexing this Church Year's Vestry Minutes on the computer, (b) to undertake the upgrading of the Inventory and, with our Insurers' help, upgrade the valuations of artefacts and effects. (c) and there was another task, but it's late and I cannae recall what it was! After putting out the WNS (Weekly News Sheets) and material for any children, I locked up and left. During the afternoon I drove over to the Dean's house in Pollokshields, Glasgow, forgetting that there was an International football match on at 5pm at Hampden International Stadium for the match between Scotland and Italy, so the place was crammed with flag adorned folk in national dresses of both countries. All 76,000 hotel beds in Glasgow are full, according to The Herald, our national daily! That's extraordinary. Strathclyde 'Polis' have football crowds well martialled with Police horses and a friendly camaraderie, gained over many years of policing Rangers and Celtic grounds. The Italians were all martialled to different streets and parking than the Scots. All buses and trains all have British Transport Police escorts. Cars are banned from areas close to the ground and martialled into double parking in certain side streets and then guarded by police officers during the match. Anyway, found the house of the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan and gave him a pack of AGM papers for Tuesday as he is chairing the meeting. Admired his Jaguar car - same colour as Morse's Jag. Then the rain got heavier so I left for home via a circuitous route to avoid the crowds, now heavier and strung out across roads, all walking to Hampden. The dreich day had not dampened them at all.

St Margaret of Scotland - Friday, 16 Nov-07.

Margaret of Scotland was an asylum seeker of her day. She arrived in this country via England and married Malcolm, King of Scots (Colm Mor). She was cultured and spoke English and Latin. Indeed, she arrived from England with her Confessor in tow. Malcolm was uncultured and had no English and spoke only the Gaelic. Margaret set about trying to restore the RC faith in Scotland, which did not go down well at all, until she endeared herself to the Scots by identifying with the poor and dispossessed and affording a safe haven and free ferry for pilgrims at what we now know as Queensferry. Such pilgrims were guests within the castle at Dunfermline. There is still a ferry there and Margaret had a chapel also within Edinburgh Castle. Today that chapel is used daily for prayer and is cared for by a large group of women on a rota, all called Margaret by name. They pray, keep the chapel clean and provide fresh flowers daily there. For a country which is predominantly Protestant and Presbyterian, this is remarkable. But then, Margaret was remarkable and her faith paid off and influenced others. The ancient Roman faith is still practiced in Scotland. In the Scottish Episcopal Church we have a number of dedications to her, notably near me in Glasgow, St Margaret of Scotland Scottish Episcopal Church, Newlands.

Another busy time as I have just completed all the mounds of documents for our own congregational AGM on Tuesday, 20/11/07 and will take the bus into Glasgow at lunchtime to go to the Diocesan Office, where Christine and Jean have kindly agreed to photocopy packs of papers for the AGM, including a Voting paper and a letter to the congregation inviting comments about the sort of person we seek for a new Rector. They then cannae say we
have'nae asked them! Ha ha.

Confession and Reconciliation for Scots Episcopalians

Day by day I pray personally, usually using an Office to guide me, and ask for God's forgiveness for sins I feel I have committed; often unwittingly. Weekly at the Holy Eucharist we have corporate Confession as well as personal Confession. The Rector and Assistant Priest are also available to hear Confessions. However, since the Reformation it has never been a regular occurrence in the Scottish Episcopal Church. For example, no Scots Episcopal Church that I know of, has a confessional box, which is a common sight in Roman Catholic churches. Even in the RC Church, Confession is not as frequent as it used to be, well, in Scotland, although in other countries, notably Malta GC, it still is. RC personal Confessions are heard before Holy Communion. In our reformed tradition ( we used to be 'protestant' whatever that means today ), now reformed catholic and episcopal; emphasis has always been made on corporate Confession at the beginning of the Holy Eucharist. If we are contrite, we receive absolution via the priest who pronounces it with the sign of the Cross.

The Invitation to Holy Communion has a Responsory: 'Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the Word, and I shall be healed," which we all repeat before receiving Holy Communion. As a psychoanalyst by training I believe an interesting phenomena occurs during the Administration. The Episcopal, as well as the Anglican words intoned by the Celebrant as he profers the Host etc are..'the body of Christ given for you....preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life...' and so on, result in us feeling and experiencing that, with the taking in of bread and wine, we take in the body and blood of Christ. So, by introjection the unconscious experience of Christ within us, becomes us or, to use psychoanalytical jargon, it becomes ego-syntonic. This is no different at all from the RC view. Whatever you believe, by God's Grace, we are changed by the unconscious and inner experience. If you watch folk coming away from the altar rail after receiving HC you see that some are pensive, some serious, some quietly content, all are pre-occupied, some in tears and emotional, some walk away quickly back into external reality. Children are the most interesting. If they are not receiving HC but come for a Blessing from the Celebrant, they all take it seriously and watch, open-eyed, as to what is happening to the grown-ups kneeling at the rail. Even the hyper-active ones are quiet and wait to be Blessed, then skip away down the aisle with their parents or fellow Sunday School children. Indeed, all, children and adults recognise that they - we, have experienced something uniquely different in our everyday lives. All Christians say they miss it if they cannot come to church. Christians going on holiday nowadays always check on the .net to see where they can attend church for the Holy Eucharist - yes, it continues to be important - THE important experience in our lives. Therefore, I see a natural and seamless connection between feeling contrite, Confession, Absolution and the 'Holy Mystery' of receving HC during the Eucharist. I have asked folk if it is important to them or not. All regular Communicants say emphatically that it IS important in their lives, although many can't describe why or what has happened to them. This is because it is an 'Holy Mystery', as the Rubric of the Scottish Prayer Book calls it, so it is difficult to find earthly words to define the experience. This is common in my practice as a psychoanalyst. I have defined it as 'the space between words' and I often allude to the 'Holy Mystery' of an inner experience that can't be described normally. It doesn't mean it is less important. On the contrary, it is MORE important than words can describe. It is highly subjective, experientially, and so personal, which is what it is all about for the Christian. We all continue to seek God's Grace and continue to confess and seek reconciliation over and over. Amen.