To Hyndland this afternoon for the collation of Fr James Milne as Rector of St Bride’s Church. (For those who care about ecclesiastical arcaniana, a collation happens when the bishop is the sole patron of the charge, whilst an institution happens in almost all other cases).

It was a splendid occasion. Over a hundred and thirty packed into St Brides and filled both bits of the church, which is as asymmetrical as Ms Quant’s hairstyles.

It is good to be able to wish James well. I’ve known him since we both trained for the priesthood together. In the end, I was ordained sooner than he was as he kept getting sent off on jollies (to places like Melanesia and Milton Keynes). He is a good priest and the people at St Bride’s would be wise to love him and keep him.

It was nice to hear James Macmillan’s A New Song sung by the choir which originally premiered it. They also sang the lovely setting of Darke in F.

St Brides is one of the nearest neighbours to St Mary’s. Up the hill in Hyndland, they take their faith seriously and gloriously. This collation marks a new start for Fr James and a new start for all of them, and it is not difficult on a day such as today to wish them blessings all round.

(BTW, does anyone know why we were invited to St Brides’s, Kelvinside rather than St Bride’s Hyndland? I thought for a moment when looking at the invitation that there must have been a schism).