My American Thanksgiving Day in Scotland

In Britain there is nothing quite like American Thanksgiving. Many
churches here in Scotland have a Harvest Thanksgiving service some
time after harvesting is completed in late September or October. The
church where I now attend, Cupar Old Parish Church, had a Harvest
Thanksgiving service on October 3rd. It was a special service and I look
forward, God willing, to leading such a service in a church next year. I
have had people ask me about the special American tradition of Thanks-
giving. It is fun for me to share fond memories of Thanksgiving over the
years; they seem to sense my excitement about Thanksgiving. During
my first five years in Scotland I had great community Thanksgiving din-
ners with American students at the University of St. Andrews. Most of
us were connected with the theological college at the University, but we
invited friends who came from all over the world to be with us. Indeed,
those were special times.

Last Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the USA, I was invited over for an
American Thanksgiving Day meal at the home of Harry and Fay. Harry
is a recently retired Church of Scotland minister who has been hired
by Cupar Old Parish Church to be a part-time assistant minister. Both
Harry and Fay are from Northern Ireland where they were active in
the Methodist Church there. The short story is that Harry, Fay, and
their two sons were moved to Scotland. Harry sensed a call to ministry
in the Church of Scotland, and he served as minister in three parishes
since the mid-1990s. Last year, just after Harry had retired, he and Fay
spent three months in Portland, Oregon, with their son, his American
wife, and two children (Harry and Fay's grandchildren). There they
learned about the American Thanksgiving meal and took a lot of notes
and gathered a lot of recipes, with a stress on the latter. Fay and Harry's
son is a chef. He must have picked it up from his dad, because Harry, as
I had the great pleasure of experiencing, is an excellent chef himself.

David and Joan were also invited to the American Thanksgiving dinner.
They are an amazing couple who have been a great support to me over
the last two years I've been in Cupar. They both grew up just south of
Cupar, got married, lived in East Africa for a time, and then returned to
the area when their three boys were in their teens. David and Joan are
two of the friendliest people I have ever met. They are great at welcom-
ing people to church and greeting visitors. David and Joan also have a
heart for older children and teens. While Fay kept Joan, David, and me
entertained in the sitting room, Harry was doing his chef thing in the
kitchen. And, boy, did he do his chef thing. We started out with a sweet
potato soup before going to the main course of turkey, dressing, pota-
toes, and a variety of vegetables fixed in different ways. It was so deli-
cious; excellence in fine cuisine! It was a great American Thanksgiving
meal with great friends from Northern Ireland and Scotland.

After Christmas Pudding (a more English dessert) we sat and talked
for more than four hours. We shared about ourselves and heard and
told stories about experiences in Africa, Scotland, Northern Ireland,
and on ships at sea. It was a great way to get to know one another bet-
ter. What a delightful afternoon and evening of food, fellowship, and
fun! For me it was a great way to celebrate an American Thanksgiving,
and it meant a lot to me. David and Joan gave me a ride home. As we
passed through town we saw that the civic Christmas decorations were
up and the Christmas lights lit. It is now officially the Christmas season.
Last Sunday was the First Sunday of Advent. Attendance at Cupar Old
Parish Church was low because Cupar, like much of Scotland, was bat-
tered by heavy snowfall. A lot more is expected later in the week.

Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Blessings to you and yours,

Sozo and SOLAS

For a number of years now, I have had two key interests: Christian heal-
ing and the renewal of Christ's Church. Those two interests have only in-
tensified in me as I have been in Scotland, especially the last two years
as I have committed myself to ministering here longterm. Last Saturday
I had an opportunity to develop those two interests in the reality of liv-
ing in Scotland. It made for a long but rewarding day.

Saturday morning I went to a training session put on by the leaders of
the Healing Room ministry in Cupar that I am a part of. Our small group
of eight people has been offering prayer to persons in the town of Cupar
since early in the year. We meet every Thursday at 6:30 pm for prayer
and praise. From 7:30 until 9:00 we break up into twos and threes and
pray for people who come into the YMCA. We have been averaging two
people a night coming into Healing Rooms for prayer. I have witnessed
people's lives being changed and healed over time.

Saturday the team members and several people interested in healing
gathered to listen to the first DVD of a program called Sozo. The pro-
gram comes from the healing ministry of a church in Northern California.
There are four training DVDs, and we heard the first one on receiving
God's forgiveness and forgiving others. The Greek word sozo means to
save, deliver, heal, and preserve. That's our aim every Thursday night
as a group of us gather for our weekly Healing Room. For over ten years
now I have yearned that healing in all dimensions would be a vital part
of my pastoral ministry in a local congregation. So the training on Satur-
day and, indeed, the past year has been a wonderful time for me to devel-
op in healing ministry.

Then in the afternoon I went to a conference co-sponsored by Ravi Zach-
arias International Ministries and a group called SOLAS. The conference
focused on Jesus bringing light and life to all people in Scotland. I have
always admired the evangelistic and apologetic ministry of Ravi Zacha-
rias and his large international team. What Francis Schaeffer was for
generations of Christians emerging in the 1970s and 80s, Ravi is for the
younger Christians coming of age in a whole different world. I had ex-
pected that only 50 people would turn up, but there were over 600
people in attendance. SOLAS, a Scottish ministry, was the main spon-
sor of the conference. Solas is a Gaelic word meaning light and the min-
istry seeks to be light in the darkness by promoting the proclamation of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Scotland, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
SOLAS emphasizes that the Cross of Jesus Christ is central to the procla-
mation of the Gospel. I left the conference with a renewed focus on what
God did through Christ on the Cross and with a bigger view of what God
is doing here in Scotland, the UK, and Europe.

The singing at the conference was out of this world. People really sang
from their hearts. The conference ended with In Christ alone my hope
is found, one of my favorite songs. I end this posting with the first stanza:

In Christ alone my hope is found,
he is my light, my strength , my song;
this cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

Blessings to you and yours,

The BBC and Me

Ever since I made the decision just over two years ago to remain perma-
nently in Scotland, I have endeavored to learn more about Britain in
general and Scotland in particular. I find that I and many Americans
have been confused about what Great Britain, the United Kingdom,
Scotland, and England refer to. The concept of Great Britain is com-
plex and fascinating. Essentially it is made up of three countries: Scot-
land, England, and Wales. There are also some islands that are consid-
ered part of Great Britain. I have found that we Americans often use
'England' when we really need to use 'Great Britain'. People in Scotland
and Wales tend to view England as domineering in the relationship. The
former have taken the initial steps to disconnecting from England, thus
ending Great Britain. But that is for the future. However, never refer to
a person from Scotland or Wales as English! The United Kingdom refers
to Great Britain (Scotland, England and Wales) plus Northern Ireland.
But enough of that!

The BBC (the British Broadcasting Corporation) has helped me to get to
know more about this great land. I try to listen to an hour of BBC news
podcasts each day. By downloading the news onto my iPod I can listen
to the news as I walk, do errands, or cook my meals. I learn a lot about
the British people by listening to the news podcasts. The BBC is also
world renowned for its global newscasts. I do appreciate BBC news, but
I do find the BBC's left-of-center slant a bit much at times, especially
when it comes to their coverage of US politics and foreign affairs. I lis-
ten to podcasts of conservative talk show hosts Michael Medved and
Hugh Hewitt in the US for a different perspective. But I really appre-
ciate hearing these contrasting points of view.

Early last year I stumbled across the BBC's i-Player which allows view-
ers to watch shows online seven days after they were presented on TV.
I had wanted to watch a series on the history of Scotland, but I was un-
ble to watch its scheduled airings. Somehow I found out that I was able
to watch it at any time during the next seven days on the i-Player. It
was brilliant! For over a year now I have scanned the schedule looking
for programs on British history and culture, focusing on Scotland. I
watched series on the history of Scotland, the history of Britain in the
20th century, and the contributions of the people of Scotland to the
world. I've watched shows on favorite drives by car, trips by train, and
hikes on foot throughout the beautful land of Britain. I have especially
enjoyed a series called 'Coast' which explores different portions of the
coast of Britain. This year there have been programs on the Battle of
Britain and the evacuation of Dunkirk because it is the 70th anniver-
sary of both of those significant events during the Second World War.
This past week I have watched shows about the First World War, cli-
maxing in Remembrance Sunday.

There is a rich history here in Britain, the land is beautiful, and the Brit-
ish people are a great people. I have really enjoyed getting to know this
great land and its people.

Blessings to you and yours,

We Will Remember Them!-Remembrance Day 2010

During the last two weeks or so, people all across Britain have been wear-
ing an artificial poppy in remembrance of those who died in Britain's wars
since the First World War. Members of the Royal British Legion offered
the bright red poppy as they collected funds for helping British war vet-
erans. The poppy only flowers in soil that has been disturbed and over-
turned. Death and devastation were all that soldiers in Flanders saw
from their muddy trenches during the horrendous fighting of the First
World War. The soldiers themselves were the only living things. But at
the first hint of warmer weather, the poppy sprang up! It became a sign
of hope and life amidst all the destruction and carnage of war. Last week
it seemed everybody I saw was wearing a bright red poppy.

In 1918, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month,
four years of carnage and bloodshed of what we now refer to as the First
World War came to an end. Ever since that first Armistice Day, the hour,
the day, and the month have become a special time to remember those
killed during the First World War. After the Second World War, Novem-
ber 11 became Remembrance Day in Britain and Canada. It was a day to
remember all those who were killed during the two World Wars and other
conflicts. In the USA, it has become known as Veterans Day when all mil-
itary veterans are recognized.

Last Thursday, November 11, I was in St. Andrews to visit a good friend
who is minister at one of the churches there. He also served as a chap-
lain with the Royal Marines, a military group that is very similar to the
US Special Forces. Around 11 my friend led a short Service of Remem-
brance in the church garden. Right at 11:00 there were two minutes of
silence, followed by his playing the bagpipes. Then he recited the fourth
stanza of the poem 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Today is Remembrance Sunday, the Sunday closest to November 11.
This morning, there were Remembrance services at war memorials
and churches throughout Britain. I attended one at the War Memorial
here in Cupar at 10:30 this morning. A good sized crowd gathered de-
spite the cold rain. Cupar, like most communities in Britain, was devas-
tated by the loss of sons and daughters in the two World Wars, especi-
ally the First World War. Each town and village has a war memorial with
marble tablets engraved with the names of the fallen. The lists for those
killed in the First World War are usually much longer than those for the
Second.

Military cadets from the schools around Cupar stood in formation before
the war memorial. We sang 'The Lord's My Shepherd'. Then Scripture
was read by two of the four ministers in town. A bugler played the'Last
Post' to introduce the two minute silence. The silence was broken by
another bugler playing 'Reveille'. A minister then led us in a time of prayer
before a veteran recited the poem 'For the Fallen'. Wreaths were laid be-
side the memorial by families, clubs, and societies. The service ended with
everybody singing 'God Save Our Gracious Queen!' It was a very moving
service for me and many others. We do remember them!

At 11:30 I attended another Remembrance Service at Cupar Old Parish
Church where I served as assistant minister last year. Again there were
two minutes of silence followed by the poem 'For the Fallen'. Wreaths
were placed at the marble tablet of names of church members who were
killed in both World Wars. The list of names was much longer for the First
than for the Second. The service again ended with the singing of the na-
tional anthem, 'God Save Our Gracious Queen!'

Today is the eighth Remembrance Sunday in which I have participated.
I am struck by how much Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday
are woven into the very fabric of the British soul. Several British Chris-
tians I have talked to are concerned about what they consider the unholy
alliance between the British military and the Church. They fear that the
Church is being used to justify British involvment in Iraq and Afghan-
istan. At this point in time, I do not desire to state my position. I am
aware of how American I am and how I must listen more and speak less.
I have been seeking opportunities to learn more about the First World
War. All this week I have been watching BBC programs on the Great War.
It was horrendous. So, I have been wearing my poppy and participating
in events of remembrance. We will remember them!

Blessings to you and yours,

The Thesis Is In! Now Back to Blogging!

I resubmitted my thesis Wednesday afternoon, 3 November, the day
after the important midterm elections in the USA. The past three years
have been extremely challenging for me regarding the thesis, but it has
been a remarkable period of time for me. I'm grateful to the Lord for
being present with me during this time and providing for me in every
way. The thesis proved to be far more work than I had planned on, but
that was my decision. I was committed to completing what the Lord
had called me to do at the University of St. Andrews. I finished strong
and I finished well. Thank you so much for your prayers and encour-
agement.

Now I turn from the thesis to the search for a pastoral position. Again
I ask for you prayers and support. I put the church search on hold for
the past six months so that I could focus on the thesis. But now that
the thesis is resubmitted, I am focusing on church vacancies. I intend
to be as focused on finding a ministry position as I had been for the
thesis. I covet your prayers on my behalf. I am eager to get back into
fulltime pastoral ministry again! I have really missed it. I enjoyed my
twelve months at Cupar Old Parish Church as assistant minister, but
I desire to move on to the next stage in my ministry.

I was also very pleased with the results of the recent midterm elections
in the US. I was able to follow the run up to the elections and the results
of the elections online. It would have been extra special if strong incum-
bent Democrat US Senators in California, Nevada, and Washington had
been voted out of office. But it was not to be. California voters even with-
stood the Republican surge by voting in a Democrat for governor, thus
setting the stage for what many foresee will be a financial disaster. It is
hard to believe. But life goes on. Onward and upward.

Blessings to you and yours,