Synod has begun this morning with a lovely Eucharist organized by the Liturgy Committee.
It is good to be celebrating Corpus Christi – we have not always done so when it falls on the first day of Synod. Good too to hear the Primus sing. I always like a singing bishop.
Bishop of Moray is not here as he is at an event with the Princess Royal in Inverness.
The Primus is currently welcoming Ecumenical Guests.
Laughed a lot – thought it was bang on.
I will say it again, though – in my experience no church ever grows unless it is offering a really good quality of worship and has an involved and welcoming congregation.
Similarly, any church which cannot offer these is a disaster waiting to happen.
But every shrinking church is not a church without these things, though too many are.
Learning to look out, to ask ‘How can we serve others by offering what they truly need?’ is a good place to start. Asking: ‘What if God wanting here?’ is indispensable.
Thank you so much Canon Cedric. Must admit to a touch of the spiritual glums last Sunday re the history of my personal stance in the Diocese of Oxford. Now you have me laughing all the way to the ‘bank of grace’ and the hope that lies within us.
The apples are nearly ready to start falling and the students are drifting back to the university. Autumn is here. The summer is over and we are not yet saved. (As the prophet says). There is a chill in the air some days too. Autumn crocuses will soon give way to frost.
How depressing – the Park of Keir hotel complex has been given the go ahead by the local authority. Ribbon development between here and Dunblane. A lovely wooded valley squandered for large sums of money.I've campaigned against this. At the moment it looks as though we have lost. There may be some kind of appeal…
Had a meeting of chaplains this afternoon here, at the University of Stirling. Napier, Edinburgh and Dundee Anglican chaplains were there, along with a student representative from St Andrews. The universities are so different. In one place, Anglican students sit around drinking port and talking about the Holy Trinity, whereas in others little of that…
No sermon today. We used a script from an Iona Community book this morning for the ministry of the word. I asked four members of the congregation to take and read parts. I had little voice this morning. I don't know about praising the Lord with song, I certainly praised the Lord with splutters.
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