Blog

  • Michael Bawtree Organ Recital

    Michael Bawtree is playing an organ recital tonight in St Mary’s. As I announced on Sunday, he will be giving a similar organ recital in three of the great organ centres of the world over the next couple of weeks – St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Notre Dame in Paris and … St Mary’s Cathedral…

  • More on animal blessings

    There has been some correspondence regarding the animal blessing service which takes place at 1030 on 1 October 2011. Firstly, Freda has been in touch on behalf of Misty who cannot be there on the day and asks what can be done. Well, actually the request is more specific than that. Freda says that Misty…

  • The happiest in the world?

    There is an interesting piece on Forbes Magazine’s website about a piece of research which has come up with the finding that, in the US at least, clergy appear to be those who have the greatest job satisfaction for amongst many other groups, they reported themselves to be the happiest of all. I think it…

  • Blessing of the Animals

    Could I just give quick notice that we will be having a Blessing of the Animals at St Mary’s Cathedral on 1 October 2011 at 1030. It is the Saturday nearest to St Francis’s Feast Day and a part of the committment we have to engage with thinking about creation. The service will last about…

  • Ten Years Ago Tonight

    I’ve waited before posting a “ten years ago” today kind of blog post to late evening because in my case I heard about the attacks in the US literally rather late in the day. On the morning of 11 September 2001 I woke up in Paris. I’d gone there to look for and look at…

  • Back to School

    People are sometimes surprised to discover that I went to school in Bearsden. I don’t know why. After all, my prominent Bearsden accent is clear for all to hear. Today I had a trip back down memory lane with a visit to Bearsden Primary School where I was a pupil in the 1970s. I’ve not…

  • Tales of the City #6

    The scene is the building I live in. Utter chaos. Extensive stoor. Very Dirty Workman: OK then, that’s us. We’ll be off then. hesitates Er, can I ask you something though? Me: Yes, what is it? VDW: Er, well, I just wondered. Are you a minister or something? Me:  Er, well, yes, as it happens.…

  • Opera Review – The Seven Deadly Sins

    Here’s my review of last week’s show, now posted on Opera Britannia’s website. Rating: There cannot be many opera venues where it is possible to buy ear-plugs behind the bar. However, such was Scottish Opera‘s quest for novelty that we found ourselves in a venue more usually known as a rock venue in Glasgow than…

  • He took what? A Chalice?

    I’ve just been listening on the Radio to the new revision of the English translation of the Latin Mass of the Roman Catholic Church. It is being introduced this weekend across England and Wales and the service was obviously meant to showcase it. I wouldn’t normally be that interested in the liturgical goings on of…

  • Scottish Government Consultation

    Just to note with rejoicing that the Scottish Government has published its initial consultation on changes that are proposed to marriage law and civil partnership law in Scotland. I’m sorry that the consultation makes repeated use of the phrase “same-sex marriage”. What I’m hoping for is opening marriage to same-sex couples. We need there to…