Everything's in a Whirl

I have had the best of intentions of posting frequently on the blog, but, alas, I have not been suc-  cessful. I will keep trying though. I am doing very well, but everything's in a whirl. Probably it is
best that I give you small snapshots of what's been happening with me. Even though the pace of
life here in St. Fergus is pretty laid back, things come at me pretty quickly. There are times I feel
like I am trying to take a drink of water from a high-pressure fire hose. It is very hard to do.

I enjoy preaching weekly (hopefully not weakly) again after being away from it since August,
2003, when I left pastoring two churches in South Dakota in order to study at the University of
St Andrews in Scotland. From that time to late 2008 I did not have opportunities to preach. As a
result, my preaching became quite rusty. Plus, I think that major heart surgery in 2006 had a neg-
ative effect on my preaching and critical thinking skills. Slowly I have been regaining my confi-
dence and skills that are needed for preaching. Since mid-July I have been using the lectionary
readings from Mark 6-8 and John 6 as my preaching texts each Sunday. I have been enjoying
focusing on who Jesus is. My desire is to encourage that we at St Fergus Parish Church have a
closer walk with Jesus.

I go into Peterhead frequently. It is only an eight-minute drive into the town centre. Two fel-
low ministers have become close friends. One of them, Abi, is minister of one of the three
Church of Scotland congregations in Peterhead. He is from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, studied and taught at a theological school in Kenya, and then came to the University
of Aberdeen to do a PhD in the Greek Old Testament. After finishing his thesis, he was en-
couraged to remain in Scotland to minister with the Church of Scotland. Abi oozes love for
Jesus as well as for people. He's a brilliant preacher. He was seen as quite a catch for churches
with vacant pulpits. I can imagine there were a lot of broken hearts at several churches when
he sensed God calling him to a church in Peterhead. I am glad the Lord sent him here. He has
quickly become a dear friend and ministry colleague.

Then there is Isabel who is the minister at the Methodist church in town. She came to pastoral
ministry in the Methodist Church after she and her husband had been serving in ministry to sea-
men and deep sea fishermen since the mid-70s. She has been at the Peterhead church for just
over a year, taking over a congregation which had been in serious decline in recent years. It is
already starting to shows signs of life under Isabel's pastoral leadership. Like Abi, she has a love
for Jesus and a love for people. I am attracted to the way she speaks with her Scottish lilt. I could
listen to her pray and preach for hours. Isabel and her husband Bob have become close friends
and dear ministry colleagues.

On Saturday mornings Isabel, Bob, and I attend a growing prayer group that Abi started recently
in his church. Then early Tuesday morning Isabel, Bob, and I attend a layperson-led prayer group
that has been meeting in the Methodist Church for many years. The four of us are committed to
praying long-term for revival to breakout here in the North-East of Scotland. It has been my plea-
sure and privilege to find them so quickly and to be so quickly drawn into a network of prayer
here in Peterhead.

There's so much to share with you. I hope to do a better job of posting on the blog.

Blessings to you and yours,

Agnes, My Friend and Neighbour

 Agnes: my next door neighbour and new friend

The photo above is of Agnes. She is many things: wife to Jim, mother to three sons and a
daughter, grandmother to five, one of the main caregivers for her elderly mum,  a part-time
early morning employee of the wee Shop in St. Fergus, and a friend to all in the village. 

For nearly three months that I  have lived in St Fergus, Agnes and her husband Jim have
been great next door neighbours who have become the best of friends. Whereas Jim is a
man of few words, Agnes has the gift of chatting. Boy, can she talk! But I like it. At first
she talks in a more common English, and then slowly reverts back to the Doric Tongue, es-
pecially when other people join us. It is good for me to hear people talking about the com-
mon life of family, friends, food, and other things in the common tongue. I ask her where to
get things I need, where to shop at the best prices, where I can get petrol, how to fix things
that are broken, and how to cook certain foods. 

A meal Agnes prepared for me: mince pie, fresh tattoos,
brown rice, and a carrot

One of the things I appreciate about Agnes is her ability to cook. Above is a photo of one 

of the meals she prepared for me. The mince pie was actually from a local butcher in Peter-

head. One day not too long ago, Agnes and Jim had their portion, and decided to share the 

rest with me. Fortunately I had not started cooking my supper that day when I heard a knock 

on my back door. Jim announced that Agnes had a dinner plate for me. I gratefully received 

it and ate with great delight. The mince was heavenly and the crust was light and tasty. The 

freshly dug boiled tatties (potatoes) were out of this world! The brown rice was a nice com-

plement and the one carrot was so good I wish there had been more. 

Agnes had recently been telling me about herring, a popular fish here in the North-East. 

Once again I heard a knock on the back door. When I opened it Jim presented me with a 

herring and fresh tatties dinner. It is the first time that I have had herring. It is a white fish 

that Agnes prepared with an oatmeal coating. It was very good. I also savoured her roast 

beef with tatties, Yorkshire Puddings, and a carrot. It, too, was heavenly. One afternoon 

she gave me a bowl of Scotch Broth. I have been well cared for and well fed. 

Agnes represents an older way that some people live here in the North-East of Scotland. 

She interacts with people by spoken words more than printed or digital words. Agnes en-

gages with her world through family, relationships, and friends more than through organi-

sations and government. She learns by doing things with others rather than reading a man-

ual or following directions. Even though she is on the roll of St Fergus Parish Church, she 

only comes twice a year when the church has communion. She's one of the best at provid-

ing things for a church fundraiser or selling tickets for a church event. But God does not 

have a place in her life even though her daughter and granddaughter are energetic believers 

and active in a Peterhead church. Agnes is so friendly and hospitable. I only pray that she 

will one day recognise God's gracious hospitality and enter into a personal relationship with 

Christ. 

Blessings to you and yours,