Thursday, 06/12/07: Bp Nicolas of Myre again

Bishop of Myra

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

As Bishop of Myra, Nicholas lived the qualities that caused his fame and popularity to spread throughout the Christian world. His vigorous actions on behalf of his people and in defense of the Christian faith reveal a man who lived his convictions. Nicholas was not timid—he did what was necessary and was not easily intimidated by others' power and position. His concern for the welfare of his flock and his stand for orthodox belief earned him respect as a model for bishops and a defender of the faith.

Selection

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Nicholas' selection to be a bishop was unusual. After the former bishop's death, other bishops gathered to select the next bishop for the See of Myra. During the conclave, the wisest bishop heard a voice in the night telling him to watch the doors of the church the next morning at matins. The first person to enter named "Nicholas" was to be the new bishop. The wise one told the others, counseling them to be at prayer while he waited at the doors. When the hour came, the first to arrive was a young man. When asked his name, he replied, "I am Nicholas." The bishop addressed him, "Nicholas, servant and friend of God, for your holiness you shall be bishop of this place." They brought him into the church and placed him in the bishop's seat where he was consecrated the new Bishop of Myra.

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Grain Ships and Famine

Myra experienced famine in AD 311 and 312, and again in 333. Crops had failed and people were hungry. Bishop Nicholas learned that ships bound for Alexandria with cargos of wheat had anchored in the harbor. The holy man implored the sailors to take a measure of grain from each ship so that the people would have food. The sailors said, "No," as the wheat was "meted and measured" and every bit must be delivered. Nicholas replied, "Do this, and I promise, in the truth of God, that it shall not be lessened or diminished when you get to your destination." So the sailors took a measure from each ship and continued on their way to Alexandria. When the wheat was unloaded, the full amount was accounted for and the tale told—all the emperor's ministers worshiped and praised God with thanksgiving for his servant Nicholas. Throughout the famine people came to Bishop Nicholas for wheat. He gave it to all who had need and the grain lasted for two years with enough remaining to plant new crops.

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Council of Nicaea

In 325 Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, which was the first ecumenical council ever held. More than 300 bishops from all over the Christian world came to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity, one of the early church's most intense theological questions. Arias, from Egypt, taught that the Son Jesus was not equal to God the Father. This was the Arian controversy which shook Christianity's very foundations. According to one account, when confronted by the unyielding Arias, Nicholas slapped him in the face. For such a breach of decorum, Nicholas was brought before Constantine, who stripped him of his office and had him thrown into prison. During the night, Jesus with his Mother Mary appeared to Nicholas: Jesus bringing the book of the Gospels, and Mary, the bishop's stole which had been taken from him. In this way Nicholas was reinstated. Many Eastern Church icons of St. Nicholas reflect this event with Jesus on the left returning the Gospels, and Mary on the right, bringing the bishop's stole or omophorion.

Thursday 06/12/07. Nicholas of Myre, Bp, 4th Cent

Lazy rise today. Pouring with rain - 'stottin doon'. Val had gone to Troon with St Aidan's Strollers ( the "SAS") the other day, for a stroll and then Christmas lunch by the Yacht Marina but had left her mac there so, we set off for Troon down the dreaded A77, heading for Prestwick Airport but diverted onto Troon Promenade where, as often happens on the coast, the rain had gone but the sea was rough. We went into Scotts, looking over both Troon Harbour, such as it is, and the Yacht Marina. Had a delightful and quiet lunch; excellent cuisine and service. Saw some folk I knew by sight and chatted to them. Afterwards we went into the Ferry Terminal, now closed until March. This is the ferry from Troon to Northern Ireland. Ferries to and from Northern Ireland are always worrying, in view of an easy route for extremists to enter Scotland. The Cairnryan, P & O Ferry still operates throughout the winter months and is used by heavy freight to and from England mainly. The proposed Mull of Kintyre to Ballycastle route had now closed again. Most folk breathe a sigh of relief.

This afternoon it was doing up the calendars and cards for posting. Val went up to Carmunnock village Post Office up the road, to post them. We have lost the Post Office in our own village of Busby; now the Post Office are to close Carmunnock PO also. There is a question mark over the next nearest one in Clarkston remaining open, leaving journeys to East Kilbride or Glasgow to find another. What is required is some enterprising firm to set up a postal service; one which would sell stamps, have letter boxes, deliver the post to premises and have an excellent parcel delivery service. I had written to the national Press in Scotland suggesting that our Government in Edinburgh ask a firm like the US Postal Service to come and set up such a business here in Scotland as the Royal Mail, now privately run, is an absolute waste of space and unworthy to serve us in Scotland. Ha ha!

Today is the Feast of Bishop Nicholas of Myre who died in the 4th century. How is it we know so little of this man? The fact that he is in the Church Calendar warrants an explantion. I shall Google him!

Wednesday, 05/12/07

It has continued to be very busy with this and that. The city is busy with traffic; an unusual thing for Glasgow during the daytime. Saw a colleague for supervision this morning. Although officially retired she asked for a continuing monthly meeting with me. Then I had lunch at a favourite Italian restaurant, now taken over by the well-known Italian Paccitti family. It was nice to see old lunch friends - folk from businesses locally and musicians from the RSNO nearby.
Then off to the RC Chaplaincy at Glasgow University and met Fr John, the Chaplain, as he came out of 1pm Mass. Also chatted with Harry, the eccentric, who answers the door, takes the Mass Collection, answers the phones - sees all visitors. He was at Glasgow Uni and did Philosophy then Theology and was training for the priesthood but gave up. He lives alone locally and is rather isolated but is a valuable front-of-house man who complains loudly how everyone there at Turnbull Hall is mad, but everyone loves Harry the eccentric as he is such an asset. He invited me to the community free lunch upstairs but I politely declined. He gave me a large magnum bottle of Reserved French wine, which was a pleasant and unexpected surprise and I thanked him warmly for his gift. I spent some time in the chapel of St Mungo praying the Angelus to myself, with one other man there. I learned from John that after Sr Bridget was transferred after so many stalwart years at Turnbull Hall, the burden and pressure of this full community of students became too much even for him. So the Archbishop has arranged for some nuns to move into the Chaplaincy to help out - well, two sisters who are Benedictines, the first one is due in February. I miss my regular sessions in the Prayer Room at Turnbull Hall. The Prayer Room was where folk consulted me professionally - an apt room for my psychoanalytical work, and handy for the chapel next door too. A nice bunch of folk there. It's like a busy Parish Church. Local residents use the chapel too for the Daily Offices, daily Mass and Confessions. During the daytime the dining rooms upstairs are used by Medical and Nursing degree Students for lectures now. Sister Bridget's old office-cum-study-cum-lounge is now a computer room. Then one of my 'faithful' who had had a distressing time in Paris flew home unexpectedly today and so I had long chats on the phone with her. Think she is calmer and less self-punishing now, until we meet later in the week. Then Val left her mac in a restaurant in Troon the other day. St Aidan's Strollers ( the SAS!) had a walk there and then retired to the Yacht Marina for Christmas lunch. So, Val and I will drive to Troon on the south-west coast tomorrow to collect it and probably have lunch too. Meanwhile, back home I had been busy doing church administration from 8am, making phone calls, etc. Spoke to Lawrence Maclaren today, who is a most able, retired Chartered Accountant and he, like me, is so busy it isn't true. Not only is he doing our Accounts and Freewill Offering Scheme weekly, he also does the Accounts for 4 other Episcopal Churches in the Diocese. We agreed that it is actually busier as volunteer workers, than running our own family businesses.

1st Sunday of Advent, 02/12/07 again -

After the Family Eucharist we devoured mince pies in the Hall; left-overs from the Christmas Coffee Morning yesterday. 50% of what we made between 10am and noon totalling £600 goes to Sight Savers International in Edinburgh; the rest for church funds. Not a bad amount for 2 hrs. Considering that Williamwood House, a residential Home run by the C of S locally for the 'confused elderly' also had a coffee morning on. I busily put out the Church Calendar for December, then put out the Weekly News Sheets (WNS) which I now type weekly on the back of the Readings and Prayers for the day. We deliberately keep the Link Corridor lights on between the Hall and the church and the church doors open and lights on. It's a bit like attracting flies to the honeypot! Anyway an interesting couple wandered in - the Gilsepies from locally. Both Presbyterian, she is a Child Care Worker and he said he is on the staff of Williamwood House although not a care worker. Douglas said he washes up, is paid very little, but loves being involved in the care of the elderly confused - "and it's Church work" he added. They were curious about seeing an altar with candles on it. They wondered what the man was doing. It was Kenneth Wilkins, Sacristan, preparing the Altar for the 8am, 10am and 4.30pm services today. Knowing that most Presbyterians haven't a clue what this means as they have no Calendar since the Reformation and don't have an altar or candles, I explained that we were a Catholic, yet not Roman Church; not protestant, deriving our beginnings from St Columba of Iona, and the support we gave to the RC Bonnie Prince Charles Eduard Stuart; at least that's the romantic notion. In fact we were once both Presbyterian and Episcopal for a while after the 1560 Reformation but in the 1580's split off from the predominantly Presbyterian membership to form the present reformed catholic, SEC. I told Douglas that he should perhaps sample our service of Family Eucharist as he said he loved to hear the organ and choir because they no longer have that in the C of S - just songs on a screen and guitars.
I also said that he was doing a very important job as a washer-upper for without his work the Home would stop operating. He grinned broadly. I added, 'It is God's work, you know'.
Afterwards Alec Philip, our People's Warden and Fabric Convener asked me to accompany him to the Rectory to do a final check of the premises before the Rector and his wife leave. Paul and Sheenah have got rid of most of their stuff yet some items still remain including a piano, a bed or two, table and chairs plus a few boxes. They promised to get rid of these items as fast as possible. They handed over the keys yet keep one set. I said we were now taking back possession of the Rectory and two members will visit twice weekly to check on things to cover us for Ecclesiastical Insurance cover during the Interregnum. I tugged at Alec to leave and we did. I said I thought it'd be better we did as we were being bombarded with details of this and that that we should do to the property. Anyway I did not answer the Fletchers as I had written to the Diocesan Architect down in Ayr and requested Rebecca Cadie to undertake a Quinquennial Survey on the Rectory, which is overdue anyway.

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

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

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.