To Hyndland yesterday to the annual festival of the Scottish Guild of Servers. Having previously chuntered to the guild office bearers about having the service in far-flung places (including our companion diocese of Argyll and The Isles, over the water), I decided that I had better turn up yesterday when it was just a couple of miles up the road.

The Scottish Guild of Servers are the liturgical storm-troopers of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Their motto translates as – “No task too small, no liturgy too high”. So one is never disappointed at their festival service. I have to confess that I did wonder why we started ten minutes late, but perhaps that counts as being merely fashionably late in some parts of town. I also picked up one or two liturgical maneuvers to try out at home.

We had a nice F in Darke and Locus Iste from the choir who appeared to have more than doubled in number since I last heard them.

As always with these things, it is catching up with folk afterwards that is the highlight.

“Hello Kelvin, I knew you would be here, so I put on my polished black shoes”. Ah, words to gladden the heart. However a few more pairs of black shoes in attendance at the Guild of Servers Festival would not be out of place. (It is also possible that servers should be wearing their polished, black scoobies for Jesus rather than the Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow, but it was a most welcome gesture all the same).