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The SNP and Equal Marriage
The SNP must be wishing that they had never opened the can of worms that is labelled Marriage Law Reform. However, the truth is, it isn’t really they who have opened it. Equal Marriage is simply an idea whose time has come. It just so happens that the SNP find themselves needing to address the…
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Referendum? On a human rights issue?
At least one of the front pages of the Scottish newspapers is going to be full of Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s call for a referendum to be held on Equal Marriage – that being the issue that the Scottish Cabinet is due to talk about and hopefully make its mind up about on Tuesday. I think…
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Sermon preached on 15 July 2012
A few months ago, I decided to have my kitchen decorated. As many of you know, I don’t live in a church property – I live in my own flat. So it was the first time that I got to make all the decisions and all the mistakes for myself without having to negotiate with…
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Tales of the City #8
The scene is Glasgow Pride. The protagonists are making their way down Argyll Street in Finnieston. I am dressed in a black suit, clerical collar and small lapel ribbon in all the colours of the rainbow. The group I am with all carry colourful posters proclaiming “The Scottish Episcopal Church Welcomes You”. Mine is mauve. …
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On being Proud
Yesterday morning, an envelope slipped through the letter box. It felt like an invitation to something and on the back were the intriguing words “10 Downing Street”. It turned out to be an invitation from the Prime Minister to a reception to celebrate the LGBT community in the United Kingdom. Will I be going? You…
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Scottish Episcopalians at Pride Glasgow
There’s going to be a group of Scottish Episcopalians walking (marching? processing?) together at Pride Glasgow on Saturday. This is being organised by one or two people from St Mary’s but anyone is welcome to join in. You don’t have to be gay, Scottish or Episcopalian either. All you have to do is want to be…
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Same-Sex Blessings Authorised for Trial Use
Through the wonders of the internet, I was watching last night as the US based Episcopal Church General Convention voted to allow a formal liturgy for Same-Sex Blessings to be authorised for trial use in such dioceses and congregations which chose to allow them. It was an undramatic moment, it has to be said –…
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Equal Marriage: BBC Interview
It should not be long until the Scottish Government comes to its decisions about how to move forward on Equal Marriage in Scotland. Two members of St Mary’s, Jaye and Ruth Richards-Hill had a good (and surprisingly long) interview on BBC Radio Scotland yesterday. If you are interested in hearing it, you can find it…
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So out of touch
Sometimes you get through a lovely day at church and then look online or look at the papers and wonder just how Christian leaders manage to go about getting such bad press on behalf of an organisation which is at heart full of people who are basically generous and loving. Such was my weekend. I…
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Crunch time for the Church of England
It is make your mind up time for the Church of England this week on the question of whether to move to open the Episcopate to female candidates. Somehow or another the synodical process in England has reached what seems to be a very unfortunate place. After many compromises to ensure that those who are…