My Wee Car

In a recent email, Larry -a good friend and reader of this blog- asked how my car situation was.
This is a picture of my  car 'situation:' a 2012 Peugeot 107. The '107' stands for a one litre en-
gine, which is enough car power for me. The roads in the North-East are pretty flat; there aren't
many long inclines. I have heard reports that this Peugeot car does particularly well on the mo-
torways, especially with its excellent gas mileage. It is more than enough car for me. It is a stand-
ard transmission, which I am enjoying after driving an automatic the year and a half I was in the
USA.

You might be wondering how a rather tall guy fits into such a wee car. If you are, there is a good
basis for your wonderment. It is a small car. I do have to fold myself up in order to fit into it, but I
am comfortable. There is enough leg room for me and I am able to step on the clutch comfortably.
I am cozy, but not cramped. I feel snug like a bug in a rug! Getting out is ok, even though it takes
awhile to unwind myself and get out of the car. There are times when I think I can 'hear' people
watching me and thinking how I am ever going to get myself into this wee little car. Since I feel
limber and loose enough, the getting in and the getting out doesn't bother me.

When I was first in Scotland from September 2003 until January 2011, I did not have use of a car.
I just did not have the money for a car nor a need that would have justified my having a car. But it meant that I did not drive for over seven years. I was content with walking, taking trains or buses,
and getting lifts from friends with cars. I really did not need a car. I was not hindered in any way
by my not having an auto for my personal use. Fortunately, the sixteen months time I had at
home in the USA gave me an opportunity to get back into driving again. Having a car really helped
me to do a lot of tasks more quickly than if I hadn't have had a car to use. Walking or taking the
bus to do basic errands would not have been a good use of my time. But that wasn't the case
when I was in Scotland.

When I arrived back in Scotland several months ago, I realized how important it was to have a
vehicle. I am able to do more things more quickly by using a car. I rented a car until my 3-year
lease car was delivered to me. The lease program was offered through a special arrangement
with the Church of Scotland. I had a limited choice of cars, but I am happy with the car I have
chosen. I feel very comfortable driving here in the United Kingdom. My mind quickly made the
conversion from driving on the right side of the road to driving on the left. I still have to work
on making left hand turns and changing gears more gracefully with my left hand. I am cau-
tious driving down narrow streets with cars parked on both sides of the road. But overall, I feel
very comfortable driving here. Again I am experiencing the joy of driving a car with a stick shift.

As always, I covet your prayers.

Blessing to you and yours, .....

My First Scottish Wedding

I officiated at my first wedding in Scotland last Saturday. I am realizing how significant it was
in the formation of my ministry here at St Fergus Parish Church. I saw your good comment,
Big R, and I will respond to it in time. But now I need to reflect on the wedding I officiated at
just the other day. It has been two days since the wedding, and I am realizing how much I in-
vested of myself in crafting the marriage ceremony. Yesterday afternoon after having directed
Sunday worship as well as the wedding, I felt drained and just a little down. Even though I en-
joyed both services. I felt worn out.

I started meeting with the bride and the groom a month before the wedding. I can imagine that
they were wondering what this tall American dude/minister would do. The groom, who is in his
late twenties, has been working as a hair dresser since he was 14. He and his older brother be-
gan their own hair dresser shop when he was 17. The elder brother has emigrated to Australia,
but the groom has developed the shop into a successful small business that also trains young
people for hair styling of both women and men. One of the first trainees was the bride. For over
thirteen years she has found a vocation at the hair shop, and for over twelve years has been with
the groom. Just several weeks ago, the bride and groom moved into their new beautiful home
that the groom and his father have been working on for the past eight years. I believe I have
gained two great friends as we have met together to get to know one another and plan for the
wedding.

I spent considerable time researching how weddings are conducted here in the North-East of 
Scotland. I asked questions of ministers and other people about the weddings they had been 
part of or attended, and watched a video of one wedding in St Fergus Parish Church. The lay-
out of the sanctuary posed some stiff challenges for me as I thought through the service. The 
bride and groom didn't really know what to do for the wedding, and were looking to me to tell 
them what to do. Things really came together at the wedding rehearsal. The bride and her maid 
of honor took my suggestions and added their input. I witnessed the transformation of the bride's 
view of her own wedding. The wedding had always been important to the bride, but something happened there at the rehearsal. Focusing on the rapidly approaching wedding date, something 
clicked within her and, in a way, she entered into her own wedding dance. It seemed to me that 
when the groom sensed that, something clicked in him, too, and he joined her. Together they be-
gan to dance the dance that crested on their wedding day. There were no thunderclaps or halle-
lujah choruses, but something was transformed in the couple. The result was a wedding that 
was honoring of marriage, beautiful, fun, and deeply meaningful, especially to the couple. 

As I write this post, it is raining heavily outside and there is a barrage of thunder. I enjoy listen-
ing to the downpour on the windows and rolling heavenly booms. There is more that I want to
share about the wedding, but I will put that off for a day or two.

Until then, blessings to you and yours,

A Response to Big R

It is always good to receive your comments, Big R. You know how to get a rise out of me. 

In over thirty years of some sort of pastoral ministry I have come to realize just how messy 

the Christian faith and church life are. Whether ancient Israel or the Church of the past two 

millennia, God's people have always been characterized by messiness. Nothing Christians 

do surprises me anymore. I did not write the blog post to place blame on anyone, especially 

young people. I was reporting what I heard people share with me. Things are pretty messy
with the Church today. 

As I have been walking around St Fergus and Peterhead talking to church-going people, I
have heard two key questions, two critical issues. The first is: where have all the young
people gone? The second is: where have all the people gone? A number of people remem-

ber how the churches of the area were filled to the brim in the 1950s, 60s, and even into the 

70s. Attending church activities for young people was part of growing up in Scotland. But 

now things are much different. Churches are not what they used to be. I can feel their grief 

and sadness as they participate in churches that are not what they used to be years ago. I 

have heard it said that the North-East of Scotland is about 20-30 years behind the rest of 

Scotland in terms of the decline of the established Church. Wales and England are also ex-

periencing the sharp decline of the Church. All the years of studies and reflection cannot 

take the edge off the trauma Church people feel for the rapid decline of the Church. No-

one seems to have an answer. 

In the face of this, I am optimistic. God delights to move in such situations. I see the Spirit
at work in Peterhead and St Fergus, and in churches round about. The Triune God is on the
move and I am seeking to fall in step with the Lord. There are churches reaching out to the

youth and there are congregations that are growing in number. I am meeting with believers 

from various churches in Peterhead who seek revival and renewal not only here in Peter-

head, but all over Scotland. Things are happening. But at this point in time, the advance-

ment of Jesus' kingdom is slow and at times barely perceptible. I hope to be writing more 

about this in future blogs. I ask for your prayers for this in the North-East of Scotland and 

wherever you may be. Big R, I'll be trying to engage with you remarks in upcoming posts. 

Blessings to you and yours,

Where Have All the Young People Gone?

Since arriving in North-East Scotland over two months ago, I have been chatting with a lot
of people. One issue regarding the churches comes up over and over: where have all the
young people gone? Boys and girls who attended Sunday School as children seem to disap-
pear from church once they turn twelve years of age. They found other things to do on Sun-
day mornings. Church does not have a place in their young lives. They might come to church
with their families on Christmas and Easter, but they disappear once they are employed or go
to the university. Adults who remember the large Sunday Schools in years past express sad-
ness and even grief when they observe that the young people no longer come to church. I
hear those feelings expressed here in the North-East; I have heard them in Canada; and I have

been hearing them for several decades in the USA. Where have all the young people gone? 

When I was a wee lad I remember a large Sunday School in my home church and classes for 

each grade level. It seemed that the church was filled to the brim with kids. But when I at-

tended my home church the past year when I was in the US, we were fortunate to have three
children show up for the Children's Talk before being dismissed to Sunday School. Many Sun-
days children were not present. Wherever I have been in Britain, Canada, and the US, the
question of where have all the young people gone is on their minds. Even for churches that
have Sunday School programs for children, the question is what happened to the children
once they turned twelve. They seem to disappear from church once they enter into their
teen years. Where have they gone?

In a few weeks time the Sunday School at St Fergus Parish Church will start up for another
year. Three mothers of young children and a young secondary student will provide crafts,
fun, and a Bible lesson to seven to nine children. They do an amazing work. They carry on
with the ministry of two elders who worked with children and young people for over twenty
years until three years ago. But the question I keep hearing over and over when I talk to peo-
ple is this: where have all the young people gone? They certainly are not in church.

I have wrestled with this issue for decades; and I expect that it will continue to capture my
attention for decades to come. I don't really know what to do; but that does not mean that
I am without hope. I put my trust in the Lord Jesus, stand upon Scripture, and act faith-
fully where the Lord has planted me. As always, I ask for your prayers.

Blessings to you and yours,