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The Embryology debates
From time to time, one finds oneself thinking about how one would vote in the House of Commons if one were there. Now, this is idle daydreaming, to be sure, but remember that I was actually a candidate at the last General Election. I set myself up for that daydreaming in the most public way…
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Alleluia! He is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
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If there should be a resurrection
Just in case there should be a resurrection tomorrow morning, all is prepared. The church is clean – brushed, polished & bedecked with flowers thanks to an host of folk who turned up this morning to help. The times of the services tomorrow are: 7 am – Easter Vigil with Blessing of the Fire, Bishop…
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Good Friday Sermon 2008
We split the preaching of the cross up between the cathedral clergy this year. Each of us took one of the words that Jesus spoke on the cross. Mine was “Mother behold your son, son behold your mother” – the exchange referring to Mary and beloved John. Here’s what I said: Every year I encounter…
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Maundy Thursday
Not much clergy blogging going on this week. We’ve all been working flat out to get everything ready. Just a few notes about Maundy Thursday. The focus of the worship today is the supper. Here at St Mary’s, we have a choral mass, that means that the choir have been preparing special music which they…
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To Uddingston
To Uddingston yesterday for the institution of the new priest for Uddingston and Cambuslang. It is many a year since I’ve been to that town. Heard +Idris in his sermon say something to the effect that the distinctive thing that anglicans have to offer in Scotland is to stand up to intolerance, especially where it…
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Bishop Joe Devine
What is the best way to respond to the RC Bishop of Motherwell’s reported comments about the Scottish Gay Conspiracy? Bishop David has had a go at making a response, and I welcome that. I had lunch with my nearest local RC priest yesterday who is warm, friendly and reasonable. Such a contrast to what…
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Diocesan Synod
Last Saturday was the diocesan synod here in Glasgow and Galloway. I came back from it pretty depressed and with powerpoint fatigue. Why depressed? Well, I’m starting to feel uncomfortable about hearing conversations about mission being held as though it is inevitable that congregations will shrink, clergy will die off and become rarer and there…
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The view from across the pond
We had a pilgrimage group from the states with us last week at Evensong, in addition to the pilgrims who came from around the diocese. They were off to Iona and Lindisfarne. (Only visitors from across the pond would try to do both in a week). It was led by Padre Rob, who reports here,…
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Buildings vs Clergy
I suddenly realised in the middle of a complicated meeting yesterday that it seemed as though people in many situations would actually prefer to have a church building than a priest. Is that so? Is that true and is that one of the key things which gives life to those who long for freshnewlocalcollaborativetotalministryofthebaptised?