Christmas in Scotland

I know that Christmas is over and that you are tuckered out from all the Christmas festivities, wanting to forget about it until next Christmas. But I am still savouring the most recent Christmas. I have been learning more about Christmas here in Scotland that I want to share with you. I will try to keep it short, but I think it is important to learn about this in the country I now live.

I am a Church of Scotland minister. The Church of Scotland has had a strong influence on Scottish society until recent times, and this has included the celebration of Christmas. The Protestant Church of Scotland was the primary force in society for about 400 years, from 1560 to the late 1950s. Since that latter date, the Church's influence has dramatically decreased. During that time Christmas was essentially banned from observance. The powers that be in the Church frowned upon Christmas celebration. People have told me that as far back as the late 1950s, most people had to work Christmas Day, although children might have gotten gifts. Christmas celebration was what the Roman Catholics and English Anglicans did. Proper and God-fearing Scottish people did not behave like they did.

And that is why Hogmanay, or New Years, has always been the Scottish holiday of choice. For 400 years Christmas had been a normal day for most people in Scotland. It was noticed, but it was a quiet day. Hogmanay became a time to let loose and celebrate. Gifts were exchanged and families gathered together for festive meals at Hogmanay, not Christmas. People went house to house to sing, eat, and exchange gifts at Hogmanay. There was an open door policy. For children stockings were filled with a few goodies and sweets. Agnes, my next door neighbour, remembers that, as a young girl, her parents opened the door to their home for family, friends, and neighbours to drop by on Hogmanay. It was a festive time. Christmas, however, was just like any other day. These days, Agnes goes all out at Christmas, and doesn't do anywhere as much on Hogmanay.

Agnes tells me that all that began to change in the late 1950s. In 1958 the Scottish civil authorities declared that Christmas was a public holiday. This was perhaps due to the waning influence of the Church of Scotland and the cultural and economic influence of England and the USA. Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, was declared a public holiday in 1974. Christmas has become a time of Christmas festivity and gift giving; Hogmanay, as New Year's, is the big celebration time in Scotland. The latter is often characterised by times of riotous festivities. Since the 1980s, Christmas has been on par with Hogmanay, but Hogmanay is still far bigger in the eyes of the Scottish people.

Christmas in Scotland is now a significant holiday, although still not on the level of England or the USA. Saying that, the celebration of Christmas is exploding here. Christmas has become the season of gift-giving, festive family meals, Christmas decorations, and Christmas parties. Stores prepare for Christmas starting in late October. Black Friday has entered the Scottish vocabulary. I receive a good number of Christmas cards and Christmas gifts. I attend a lot of Christian functions in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I am busy with services on Christmas Eve, and even have had Christmas services to conduct. It is a fun time and I enjoy it. I especially enjoyed this past Christmas season.

New Year's, Hogmanay, is just a few hours away. I hope you had a very merry Christmas. Now I wish you a happy New Year! I hope to share about Hogmanay in a few days.

Every blessings to you and yours,

Merry Christmas from St Fergus

I had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas. As I write this, it is the day after Christmas and it is a Sabbath Day for me, a day of rest. Today I have been basking in the glow of Christmas. I am glad that all the activities of Christmas are behind me. The past week was especially hectic, to say the least. But Christmas Eve and Christmas were special to me because the focus of the last week has been on the birth of Jesus. I emphasised over and over wherever I was that Jesus is the reason for the season. 

Last Friday the students and staff of the St Fergus Primary School came down to St Fergus Parish Church for their Christmas program. This is the third year the school has been back to the church for that. After the kids did their Christmas program, I gave a short seven or eight minute talk to the kids and the adults. Two days later, on the Sunday before Christmas, there was an All Ages  Family Christmas service at St Fergus Parish Church. This was the third time in three months that we have done an All Ages  Family service at the church. That evening at St Andrews Church, I spoke about Advent as waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus. 

Christmas Eve was a busy day for me. At 6:15 pm children and their families from the village came to the church for a Family Carol Sing-Along, sponsored by the St Fergus Community Association. After a rousing time of singing carols, I spoke to the children about the birth of Jesus and led them in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Then we were visited by Santa Clause which created a lot of excitement. At 7:30, we had a good crowd at the church for the St Fergus Parish Church Christmas Eve Service. The service has grown over the last three years. At 11:00 pm I led a Candlelight Christmas Eve service at St Andrews Church. It was a beautiful service with a lot of music as we welcomed in Christmas and celebrated the birth of Jesus.   

At the two later services on Christmas Eve I pointed out that Jesus was born a king unlike any other king throughout history. In a recent Christmas card to me, a friend had written the first stanza of what I used in my short talks. I do not know the source of that first line, but I developed it further and came up with three other stanzas. Below I write out my friend's stanza with the three that I made up. I also added the line That king is King Jesus.

A thousand times in history 

a baby became a king;

but only once in history 

did a king become a baby. 

That king is King Jesus.

A thousand times in history 

people served their king;

but only once in history 

did a king serve his people.

That king is King Jesus. 

A thousand times in history

people sacrificed their lives for their king; 

but only once in history 

did a king sacrifice his life for his people.

That king is King Jesus. 

A thousand times in history

death conquered a king, even the mightiest of kings;

but only once in history

did a king conquer death 

and bestow on his people life in all its fullness

and life eternal. 

That king is King Jesus. 

My strategy for these next two Sundays (28 December and 4 January) is to continue to sing Christmas carols and celebrate Christmas. You could say that I am following the Twelve Days of Christmas routine. I relish Christmas carols such as Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angel Sing because they are so rich theologically. In the Sundays before Christmas I stressed Advent hymns. I only began to have us sing Christmas Carols seriously the Sunday before Christmas. Now with the stress of Christmas plans behind us, I figure we can linger for a bit longer on Christmas and Jesus Christ as the reason for the season.  I will keep telling them of the wonderful Story, the true Story of Jesus Christ and His birth that Christmas long ago. I hope it is a ripe time to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and proclaim biblical truth that leads us to life in all its fullness. 

I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and now may you have a very happy New Year. 

Blessings to you and yours, 

Advent in Buchan: Waiting for Jesus to Come

A Christmas wreath with the four Advent candles surrounding the Christ Candle in the centre

I enjoy the season of Advent. Over recent years, it has become especially meaningful to me. Advent is built around the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day. It is a time of waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus that first Christmas so long ago and so far away. There are rich blessings in the journey to the celebration of the birth of Christ that is conveyed by observing Advent. The seasons of Advent and Christmas make up my favourite time of year, especially as I minister in the life of a local congregation. 

Some churches observe Advent while others do not. Very few of the churches I have served over the years in one capacity or another have paid any attention to the four Sundays immediately preceding Christmas Day. Congregations that did have a time in their service for lighting the Advent candles did so without going deeper into the meaning of the season or integrating it into their service. I wonder if the more evangelical churches of which I am a part see it as too Roman Catholic or too much like the 'English' Church, that is, the Anglican churches. 

Here at St Fergus, I have tried to move slowly with the congregation in introducing Advent to them. I have not heard or sensed any negativity to Advent, but certainly there still is no appreciation for the deep meaning of Advent. The members and friends of the congregation treat me well. They chose me as their minister and so are willing to go along with what I bring to them. This is the third Christmas season I have been serving them, and therefore the third Season of Advent. By lighting the candles each Sunday, I am able to highlight some truth about God, ourselves, and salvation. Advent is a theologically rich time to bring to people's attention great biblical truths and realities. 

At the centre of the Advent Season are the Advent wreath and five candles. The circular wreath stands for God who is eternal; the greenery points to eternal salvation. The four candles that ring the central candle mean different things to various Christian traditions and customs. One tradition that I am familiar with has them stand for hope, peace, joy, and love. Another tradition follows the order of repentance, forgiveness, preparation, and salvation. Sometimes great figures in biblical history are highlighted with the lighting of each candle. The candles can also be in different colours to portray various biblical themes. There is no one accepted position for the meanings or colours of the candles.   

At St Fergus, I use the wreath and candles in a very simple way to teach the essentials of the Christian faith.  Although the people of the church are great, as I mentioned above they could use a better grasp of Christian basics. Advent time is a wonderful opportunity to proclaim these basics within the framework of the beautiful Christmas Story. So each Sunday of Advent I am able to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people. I am also able to preach the Old Testament prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus as presented in the New Testament Gospels.  That's why I enjoy preaching and worshipping during this time of year. 

Until the next post, blessings to you and yours, 

Remembrance Sunday, 9 November 2014

I know, it is early December in the season of Advent. As usual, I have put off posting to my blog. I find it hard to write and post a blog. I have been thinking of one on Advent, but Remembrance Sunday has been on my mind all this time. I can't move on with writing other things for the blog until I get it written and posted. So here it goes. 

Ever since I arrived in Scotland in the autumn of 2003, I have been moved by the British observance of Remembrance Sunday. As I have travelled around England, Scotland, and Wales, I have noticed memorials to the dead of the two World Wars. They are in every village, town, and city. The people of the United Kingdom paid a high price in those two great wars, especially the First World War. The lists of the fallen of the first war are always two or three times longer than the lists of the fallen of the second. Every Remembrance Sunday people surround the local monuments to proclaim that they will never forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. World War One started on the 28th of June, 1914. In 2014 all forms of media in the United Kingdom have been remembering the start of the Great War a hundred years ago. An armistice went into effect on the 11th of November, 1918. It was a time of great loss of life. Over 15 million soldiers on all sides were killed during the hostilities. Over seven million soldiers are still unaccounted for. The civilian losses were also staggering, millions losing their homes, loved ones, and their own lives. 

That first eleventh of November, 1919, set the tone for a national day when everyone in Britain would be asked to remember the sacrifices made by others during the Great War. That date of November 11 is still known as Armistice Day. On that date in 1919, a peace agreement was signed between Germany and the Allies. After the Second World War Remembrance Sunday was instituted for the second Sunday in November in order to remember all those who died in both world wars and other wars. 

Every Remembrance Sunday, the Queen and the Royal Family gather together with military and political figures at the Cenotaph in London to lead the nation in remembrance of the fallen in all the wars. The highpoint is a powerful two-minute silence that was started by King George V in November 1919. It is a national occasion when 'in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on remembrance of the glorious dead.' Also prominent in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday is the wearing of paper poppies on outer clothing. These paper poppies are made by disabled veterans of the wars in order to raise funds for the care of those who took part in service to the United Kingdom. 

The poppies are delicate red flowers with tissue-like petals that grow wild in fields and hedgerows. They flourished in the fields and ground disturbed by the battles of World War One. These blood-red flowers carpeted the ground in the summer after a particularly bloody battle had devastated the land. In 1915 a Canadian medical doctor named John McCrae composed a poem entitled 'In Flanders' Fields.' His poem is displayed below in this blog post. He wrote that the poppies blossomed in the fields of battle where men had died in mortal combat. Out of this came the tradition of wearing paper poppies as a reminder of the sacrifices of so many people during the Great War. 

I experienced my first Remembrance Sunday in 2003 in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was recently arrived in Scotland as a student at the University of St Andrews. On the second Saturday in November, I took the train down to Edinburgh to explore that great city. I spent the night in a hostel and went out early Sunday morning to look for a church service. I ended up at St Giles Church. There I heard about Remembrance Sunday and all that it meant. Following the service, we proceeded outside onto the Royal Mile where there was a crowd gathering. Military units marched in procession accompanied by military bands. Dignitaries took their positions in areas of prominent display. At just a few ticks till 11:00 it was announced that there would be two minutes of silence. What followed was solid silence among the large crowd of people. This was my first two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday. I had no idea that that Sunday was such a solemn occasion. The two minutes of silence has been the essential element in Remembrance Sunday throughout the land since 1919.

I have led the last three Remembrance Sunday services at St Fergus Parish Church. Remembrance Sunday ceremonies are services of solemn remembrance for those who gave their lives in the wars of the United Kingdom, especially the two world wars. There is a group of people from the village who only attend church on Remembrance Sunday. I sought every opportunity to bear witness to Jesus Christ. After the two minutes of silence we proceeded out of the sanctuary to the Memorial to remember St Fergus men who were killed in the wars. The World War One list contains the names of over 30 men who were killed in the Great War; the list for the fallen of the Second World War has five names. After the service ended, a small group of us traveled several miles out to the ancient church cemetery. There are the graves of three Canadian naval officers who were killed in action in the last year of  World War II. At another grave we stopped and remembered a young boy who was killed just after the Second World War ended. He was with a friend hunting for bird eggs on St Fergus Beach. The beach was still defended by mine fields. He was killed when he stepped on a mine. We remember him each year as well as the Canadian naval officers. 

As a Christian minister, I believe it is important to remember the dead from war, and the courage, bravery, and sacrifice that is common in such times. But I must admit that I am uncomfortable with the practice of a civil religion within the context of the Christian faith. There is plenty of reference to God in general, but not to the Lord Jesus Christ in particular. Some Christians I know would not tolerate such a service in their church. Usually it is because they are pacifists and practice the non-violence of Jesus. Others are concerned about the corruption of the Church by the political State. Although I don't accept fully these stances, I do take their concerns seriously. They cause me to critically evaluate our practice on Remembrance Sunday, especially at St Fergus. The sentiments of Remembrance Sunday are just too ingrained into the consciousness of the British people. I am not willing to pay the price of confronting it. I chose battles that I can win, and Remembrance Sunday services at St Fergus Parish Church is not one of them. But still I can shape the way we observe Remembrance Sunday at St Fergus Parish Church. 

That is why I seek every opportunity to bring the Name of Jesus into my prayers and meditation. I speak about Jesus' supreme sacrifice upon the Cross for the forgiveness of sin and His mighty Resurrection from death to life on the third day. I speak to a small group of people who only come to the church on Remembrance Sunday as well as those who come regularly. As I do every Sunday I focus on Jesus Christ's redeeming sacrifice for us and His victory over sin, death, and Satan. In the service I also call upon the congregation to say 'we will remember.'

Blessings to you and yours, 

The Holiness of God

This is the banner outside St Andrews Church/Peterhead
that announces the seminar on the holiness of God

It seems that for the past ten years  I have devel-oped a passion for the holiness of God. I never had a plan to speak to this glorious theme until several months ago. I was given the opportun-ity to carry on with the seminars begun by my dear colleague Abi near-ly three years ago at St Andrews Church in Pe-terhead. 

When Abi left St An-drews Church to pastor another Church we agreed that I would con-tinue with the seminars. I was rather reluctant at first, but stepped out in faith to do that. I was astounded and amazed at the way the Lord opened up the path for me to do this. I couldn't believe the way things opened up for me. It didn't take long for me to chose God's holiness as the theme for the autumn seminar. 

The holiness of God is a great and magnificent theme. Even though God is proclaimed by the Seraphim as holy, holy, holy in Isaiah 6, it is neglected by most of God's people whom I encounter. We (I put myself in this camp) spend little time tending to the majesty and glory of the Holy Triune God. I explore and develop the biblically and theologically rich theme of the holiness of God. I speak to the theme on three evening services at St Andrews Church in Peterhead. The congregation is like a big sister to St Fergus Parish Church which is just up the road and where I pastor. I have developed strong connections with people in other churches in Peterhead. I really look forward to proclaiming God's holiness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those assembled in the next few days. 

My first evening service is only hours away. I am ready, but I always struggle with my ability to speak to this marvellous theme. I have spent tens of hours preparing for each of the three evenings. Yet I am anxious about my ability to execute the plan of my speaking to God's holiness. In times such as these, the Lord always gently reminds me that God has called me to do this and that I am called to trust in God's Spirit to carry it out. This seminar is a big step for me. I have to trust in the Lord that God has called me to this and will empower me to carry it out. 

I ask that you lift me up in your prayers, that I would be faithful to what God has called me and trust in God rather than focusing on my own abilities or inabilities. May the services be honouring to the Lord and life-giving and a blessing to the people who come.

Blessings to you and yours,   

Thursday Night Bible Study

Thursday night Bible Study at St Andrews Church / Peterhead 

There is currently no Bible Study at St Fergus Parish Church, the congregation where I am pastor. I ask around to enquire if there would be any interest in a Bible Study here in the village. There just is not any interest in studying the Scriptures together in a small group. Several people have shared with me that there was a 'Bible Study' twelve or thirteen years ago, but it was not well attended. It was more of a lecture by the minister rather than an interactive study of the Bible. One of my goals for St Fergus is to have a group Bible Study in two or three years. Meanwhile I make every effort to encourage the people of the congregation to study and ponder Scripture. 

I have valued meeting with other people in small groups of 8-12 persons several times a month to study the Bible together. Studies of individual books of the Bible or biblical themes have enriched my spiritual growth over many years, even decades, of my life as a believer in Jesus Christ. I can't say enough about the support I have received from being a member of a group. I have long term friends from my time in these Bible Studies. While I was at the University of St Andrews, I was supported and nurtured by a group from a Scottish Episcopal Church in the town. When I spent over a year in my hometown in the USA awaiting my visa to re-enter Scotland, I was invited to be part of a Life Group of another church in town. The group encouraged me and sustained me in what was a difficult time in my life. Small Group Bible Studies and other types of small groups have been an important part of my life, nurturing me more deeply in the Christian faith and providing support for my walk with Christ. 

For close to two years here in North-East Scotland, I did not have contact with any small group of Christians. That changed when I heard about the Small Group Bible Study at St Andrews Church in Peterhead, the big town just down the road from St Fergus. My good friend and colleague Abi, who recently assumed the ministry at another Church of Scotland congregation in the south of Scotland, attended a Bible Study in the church. He didn't go there to direct it, but handed over leadership to two elders. It meant a lot to him to attend and he encouraged me to attend as well. There had always been some sort of Bible Study Group since the 1980s at St Andrews Church, but it really took its current shape and direction in the last ten years. Two elders, Kath and Joseph take turns leading the Bible Study on various topics in Scripture. We are currently studying prayer in the lives of biblical characters. Last week the group studied Hannah's story in I Samuel 1 as a model of prayer. Each Thursday there are fifteen minutes of visiting and singing, forty-five minutes for Bible Study, and half an hour for prayer. There is always plenty of discussion and reflection based on our study of the Bible. I always leave feeling satisfied and refreshed. 

I am always impressed by the attentiveness of the people in the group to God's Word. I would say that each week twelve to eighteen people show up. The group has faithful members. They read the Bible seriously and are not afraid to speak up to make comments or ask questions. Nor are attendees shy about speaking up. Discussion is always lively. They are hungry to study Scripture. It is so good to see this because I haven't witnessed too many fellow Christians here in the North-East having such an interest in God's Word. I am always touched by seeing the careful way they handle tScripture. This is truly a work of the Spirit. But people who attend the Bible Study are saddened that there are so many other members of St Andrews Church who have no desire to study Scripture. They pray for the time when there will be many people involved in Small Group Bible Studies. They wonder why the majority of the congregation finds no benefit in studying the Scripture together. 

I find that I really need the fellowship and spiritual care that a Small Group Bible Study provides. I don't know how I would cope if the St Andrew's Bible Study were not there. I am heavy hearted that there is no such Small Group Bible Study at St Fergus. Some day I trust there will be. I constantly pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work in the hearts of the dear people of St Fergus Parish Church so they would have a hunger for the study of Scripture, a thirst to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and a desire to fellowship with one another. Our small congregation will continue to slowly fade away unless the Spirit of Christ Jesus is at work in our lives. If you are so inclined, I ask that you pray for us at St Fergus Parish Church. 

Many blessings to you and yours, 

Jet Lag

My theme verse for the last two years of ministry at St Fergus Parish Church

I have now been back in St Fergus for more than one week. I still feel like my mind has been fried. It is hard to find stability in a world spinning around me. My thinking is muddled and my brain feels like mush. I continue to savour my recent visit back to see friends and a few family members in SW Washington, USA, and Vancouver, Canada, but I am seriously challenged by all the demands that call for my immediate attention. I had hoped that all the demands would take care of themselves and be dealt with and solved by the time I returned to town. Fat chance of that ever happening! They are still very much present. Now they even more forcefully demand my immediate attention. My foggy mind makes it difficult to bring a sense of order to my schedule and life. More than a week after my return to Scotland, I still feel like a wreck. That's jet lag for you.  

It was so good to be back home in Longview/Kelso, Washington, USA. Somehow or other, I was able to cross out names on a long list of friends I wanted to see. Unfortunately, there's now a short list of names of those whom I was not able to contact and visit. Time just flew by. I bit off a little more than I could handle and I was worn out by the middle of the second week. It was great seeing friends I had not seen for nearly two and a half years. After nearly two weeks in Longview/Kelso, I spent a quick 24-hours in Vancouver, BC, Canada, visiting friends from my Regent College days. Again, I didn't see everybody I had wanted to see. 

It was great being back in my USA hometown. But it also felt good coming back to my second home here in North-East Scotland. I have found that getting to feel at home in a new place requires leaving it for a period of time and then returning. I have had two plus years of experiences and memories here in St Fergus to add to a lifetime of experiences in Longview/Kelso in the American Northwest. When I returned to my house in St Fergus after being away for over two weeks, I really did feel like I was coming back home. It left a nice, warm feeling in my heart. Emotionally, it is a good place to be. This is home because the Lord has called me to be here in order to serve God and others in Jesus' Name.

It is now more than one full week since I returned from one home to my current home in Scotland. I still am looking for a pattern of sleep that I need to be refreshed for a new day. Most mornings I have awakened early and set about reading for two hours or more. Then I go back to bed and sleep soundly for two hours or more. As a result I have been getting up later than I am used to. Most days I have had to take deep draughts of long afternoon naps that leave me more dull of mind than refreshed. There were nights when I dreamt that I was still in transit from the USA to St Fergus. This caused me to feel stressed and anxious as I slept. My mind repeatedly failed to recognise that I was in my own bed back home in St Fergus.  I have not had restful sleeps as a result. Please pray that my mind may settle down and rest so that I in turn may have a peaceful and restful sleep.  

   

Proverbs 3:5-6 comes to mind as I reflect on my life and ministry here in St Fergus and my recent trip back to my hometown. Wherever I am, I realise that I never know what I am doing. There is always so much to do and never enough time to do it. I have come to realise that my life is not in my hands, but in God's hand. Jesus is the Lord of my life and the Lord of my time. Therefore I trust in the Lord with all of my heart and do not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I submit to Him knowing he will make straight my paths. I can never handle my life and my time. Therefore I entrust them to the Lord, not trusting in my own abilities and efforts. May this be our constant prayer.  

Every blessing to you and yours, 

Pluscarden Abbey: Entering into an Ancient Tradition

Pluscarden Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery in Morayshire, Scotland 

A little while ago I spent four refreshing and renewing days at Pluscarden Abbey, a medieval Ben-edictine monastery in Northeast Scotland. Only a short time before that I learned that the monastery was less than two hours away by car. I also read that male guests are welcome to stay in the guest wing of the abbey for times of personal retreat. So a few Sundays ago, after visiting some people and packing a small piece of luggage, I drove to Pluscarden Abbey. Four days later I drove back to St Fergus feeling refreshed and satisfied with my time there. 

The purpose of my going away to the Abbey was to spend time waiting upon the Lord for my next step in ministry at St Fergus Parish Church, the congregation that I pastor. I went because I wanted to be in a disciplined Christian community in which I could have a peaceful and quiet place to concentrate on my relationship with God. I was not there because I was tired, stressed out, or worn out. I was not there just for personal time. I was there to reflect intentionally on my first two years of ministry at St Fergus Parish Church. The result was that I had a wonderful time.   

The photo of the abbey above is the view that I saw as I approached it on foot that first day of my retreat. When I turned the bend and came onto the Abbey grounds I entered into the rich ancient traditions and heritage of Christian monasticism. I became part of a Christian community that is far greater than me. Being a Benedictine monastery, the community of monks there follow the Bene-dictine way of life.  The order is an ancient one founded by St Benedict in the sixth century after Christ. Benedictine monasteries spread rapidly throughout medieval Europe. 

The Benedictine order was part of Christian monasticism that is as old as Christianity itself. There have always been Christian men and women who have desired a life of prayer and contemplation. It began in Egypt and over time spread to Western Europe. There have been many different monastic orders over the centuries. In general monastic Christians committed themselves to witnessing to the eternal truths of God and practicing charity in human relationships. Monasticism has flourished as a protest against materialistic society and the resulting worldliness and social disharmony.

The Benedictine movement is one of the most prominent orders throughout Christian history. The women and men who commit themselves to the Benedictine order participate fully in the general monasticism described in the previous paragraph. They are particular from other monastics in that they commit themselves to following the Rule of St Benedict. The Rule is a specific guide in life and a lived way of expressing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pluscarden Abbey is one of sixteen Benedictine houses in Britain. There are also eleven houses of Benedictine nuns. In 1988 there were 600 monks and 334 nuns in the Benedictine houses in Britain. There are currently 21 monks in Pluscarden Abbey.

Like their Benedictine brothers and sisters, the monks of Pluscarden Abbey see their primary service as prayer, regular observance of Roman Catholic holy rites, and living life in community. They withdraw from the world, yet commit themselves to praying for the world. According to Benedict's Rule, guests receive hospitality. Men and women are welcomed and received regardless of faith. There is a wing of the abbey set aside for male guests. There is a guest house not too far from the abbey for women. The Benedictines affirm that hospitality is a requirement of the Gospel. I was blessed by the hospitality of the monks of Pluscarden Abbey. I hope to write more about that in future postings.

Blessings to you and yours,  

Saying 'See You Later' to Abi

Rev Dr Abi Ngunga 

Abi Ngunga, minister of St Andrews Church in neigh-
bouring Peterhead, is leaving the area to be minister
of a Church of Scotland congregation in southwest
Scotland. The news of his leaving was a shock to me,
something I never thought would happen for several
years. It was hard news to receive. But after several
weeks of processing what was happening, I truly see
his moving as of the Lord.

I have known Abi for just over two years - ever since
I moved to St Fergus in June of 2012. Abi and I hit it
off from the very beginning. He is a close friend, a dear
brother in Christ, a fellow pastor/scholar, and a won-
derful colleague in the Gospel ministry. We spent a lot
of time together travelling and participating in the re-
cent General Assembly and a Scottish Theological So-
ciety conference. Whenever we are together, we are al-
ways talking with one another, sharing deeply from our
hearts and minds. Theologically and ministry-wise, we
are a lot a like. We both are energised by what the oth-
er is thinking and action.

I wrote about Abi in a previous posting entitled Andwele - 'God Brings Me' (14 October 2013), but I did not refer to him by name. He was born and grew up in a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He was so keen to receive an education that he walked seven miles to the nearest school for his first eight years of schooling. At the end of the day it was seven miles to walk to get back home. He accepted Christ when he was in his late teens and was recognised for ministry training. He received training from the Christian and Missionary Alliance school in the DRC and served in ministry there. Soon he was tapped to pursue further theological and biblical studies in Kenya. After a time of ministry in Kenya, he was selected for PhD studies in biblical studies at the University of Aberdeen. Abi's thesis deals with the theme of messianism in Greek Isaiah. His thesis has been published as a scholarly book and scholarly pursuits are an interest of his, perhaps in the future. Abi is married with three children, ages 11, 17, and 24, or there about. Abi's first language is French; his children are bilingual and bi-cultlural, having grown up in Kenya and Scotland.

But Abi's passions are evangelism, preaching, prayer, and pastoral ministry. He comes out of vibrant and energetic Christian churches of the DRC, Kenya, and Aberdeen. Abi came to St Andrews Church in North-East Scotland a year and a half before I arrived in St Fergus. Both of us are called to be pastors of congregations in the Church of Scotland. Therefore we both value preaching, teaching, praying, and shepherding God's people. Abi is a gifted evangelist and preacher; I too am a preacher, but my gifting is more as a teacher of theology and Scripture. Both of us see prayer as essential to revival breaking out here in the North-East. Abi and I are aggressive in reaching out to and working with other Christians and churches in Peterhead. In May, when the Open Brethren in Peterhead had evening evangelistic services for three weeks, Abi and I attended services in order to show our support for what they were doing. The Brethren are not known for reaching out to other churches, so Abi and I went to them. Abi also cancelled Thursday night Bible study in order that the group could to attend the service. It was good to be with our Brethren brothers and sisters to support them. That is the way Abi thinks, and I supported him in that.

I view the Christian community in Peterhead (and St Fergus is with them) to be like a professional football team; not in the sense of World Cup football, but in the sense of a National Football League  team in the USA. Both Abi and I were 'drafted' by our churches to be quarterbacks. Both of us gifted, talented. and experienced. But Abi is what I call a franchise player: that is, a winning team is often built around a franchise player such as Abi. I am good as a player and gifted, but I am not a franchise player. I was converted from quarterback to wide receiver. With Abi as quarterback and me as wide receiver, we were a dynamic duo. We know each other, we anticipate each other, and we connected for exciting touchdowns. We worked well together. But the Christian community here in Peterhead is just learning how to work together. We are not Championship caliber yet; we are not even playoff ready. We are learning to win now, but we have a long ways to go.

Since the days when he came to Christ, Abi has been involved with an active, energetic Christianity in the DRC, Kenya, and even Aberdeen. That has not been the case here in North-East Scotland. The Lord used Abi mightily for His Kingdom purposes here. He was faithful to his calling to be here in Peterhead. As I look back on Abi's time here, it seems that he was being prepared here for ministry elsewhere. The church that has just called Abi discerned his skills and gifts and, with prayer and waiting on the Lord, pursued him. Their minister had recently retired after over thirty fruitful years of Gospel ministry. They heard about Abi, came to hear him preach in Peterhead, had him preach at a neutral pulpit, and then voted on him after the whole congregation heard. It was an unanimous vote in favour of calling him to the church. The people of the church discerned God's hand upon Abi as their minister. Abi and his wife also had a strong sense of the call to ministry at that church. I sense it is of God that this is happening. The calling church is playoff caliber; it is even Championship-ready. Abi is their man for such a time as this. Abi has been prepared for this new position.

I am saddened to see Abi go, but I know for sure that this is of the Lord. I am committed to staying here in St Fergus/Peterhead until the Lord calls me elsewhere. Both Abi and I have been seeing God doing amazing things here. We pray that the Christian community in Peterhead may soon become a 'playoff' caliber team. The Lord is raising up men and women for positions of leadership in this community. I have served in Christian communities that are not playoff contenders, but struggle to have a winning season. I am used to it; it is what God has equipped me to do. Abi is tailor made for energetic, vibrant churches such as the one he soon will be servicing. I affirm Abi's call to the new position, but my place is here in the Peterhead area.

I am already missing Abi. His departure from the North East will leave a big void in leadership of the Christian community here in Peterhead. But already God is raising up women and men who are assuming leadership. I am not saying goodbye to Abi, I am saying see you later. As men and women in Christ, we know that we never say goodbye, but see you later. May it be so, Lord Jesus. As always, I covet your prayers.

Blessings to you and yours,        

Two Years On and Counting at St Fergus Parish Church

St Fergus Parish Church in Scotland, where I have served as minister 
since 14 June 2012. 

On June 14, 2012, I was
inducted into ministry at
the Parish Church in St
Fergus, a wee village in
North-Eastern Scotland.
I have enjoyed being the
minister here the past
two years and have no
intention of leaving. I do
not desire to go to any
other place. This is now
my home.

The Doric Tongue con-
tines to be a challenge
to me. Fortunately my
next door neighbour,
Agnes, continues to
learn me the Doric. I
am grateful that she
also provides me with mince and tatties, fish cakes, and Scottish Broth once a week or so. Agnes
and her husband Jim take care of me and keep an eye out for me.

It is quiet and peaceful here in St Fergus. The population of the village has been just over 700, but there are new families flowing into it. From my front lawn, I can see four new housing starts being raised up. Every time I address the young students at the St Fergus Primary School, I have been surprised by their growing numbers. I have heard the enrolment  in past years was just over 70 or so, but now it is well over 100. I walk around the town, listening, observing, and talking to people. I enjoy having my home in the Village.

Everywhere I have moved to in my life, there I have experienced a honeymoon period. It was no different with being in St Fergus. The honeymoon lasted about a year or so. The newness and the sense of adventure has worn off. I have my routines and set patterns which take the romance out of being here. But still, I enjoy being here in St Fergus.

I seek every opportunity to be seen by the village people. The people, especially the session, of the church, are fond of me and take good care of me. We haven't had a major blowup yet, and I don't anticipate one is brewing. I keep repeating to them that I firmly believe I have been called to the church and that I have no desire to leave. St Fergus Parish Church is where the Lord has called me to be. Even though many of the people in the village don't come to church, I feel like I am well thought of and respected.

My attention remains fixed on the dear people who attend the church here. Things seemed a bit bleak here when I came to the church two years ago. I was concerned about the long-term effects religion and tradition would have on the life and mission of the congregation. I sought to proclaim the crucified and risen Jesus whenever I could. Over the past year I have sensed that the congregation has been growing both spiritually as well as in number. The growth may have been minimal, but at least it is growth. I sense that more people are finding it beneficial to them to be at St Fergus Parish Church on Sundays, but we have a long way to go.

My vision for the congregation is threefold: 1) that Sunday attendance continue to move up from the low twenties to the thirties; 2) that the core group of elders become connected to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; and 3) that the Lord would move on people, especially young families, to visit the church and decide to make it their home church, as several people and one family has done the past year.

I often pray in the sanctuary for the church. I do see things happening. I see changes occurring in people. God is on the move in St Fergus Parish Church. My desire is to see life break out here among the people of the congregation. Please remember us at St Fergus Parish Church in your prayers.

Blessings to you and yours,

The Dance of the Queen and the Church, Scottish Style

         

                            The Royal High Commissioner and his entourage approach the red-coated hon-
                             our guard at the entrance to Assembly Hall. Once inside, the Commissioner and
                             a smaller party ascend private stairs to the Royal Box to observe the proceedings 
                             of the General Assembly on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.  

I certainly did not know what to expect when I attended my first General Assembly (GA) of the Church of Scotland (C of S) in mid-May. I was totally unprepared for the part the Queen's ap-pointed Lord High Commissioner played in the GA. Like many Americans, I harbour a distrust for anything that smacks of Royalty, while at the same time recognising a deep fascination with royalty and its trappings, especially the British version of it all. Deep down inside me I perceive that I have a love affair with royal affairs. 

At 9:10 on Saturday, the seventeenth of May, the first day of the GA, I was seated on the ground floor of the Hall waiting for the opening session to begin. Then I noticed that my fellow commis-sioners had stopped talking and were looking up to the three large monitors in the Hall. The top  picture in this post gives you a good idea of what we were watching. 

We were watching a procession of the Lord High Commissioner (LHC) and his entourage passing a red-coated honour guard on their way to the Royal Box to observe the GA. Soon we heard a horn fanfare announcing that the LHC was in the building. Shortly thereafter the monitors showed   another red-coated soldier with a mallet winding up and striking a big gong. We not only saw him do it, we heard the thunderous clang it made. 

Almost immediately, we could see with our own eyes the Lord Commissioner and a smaller party coming up the stairs into the Royal Box. First there was an attendant carrying a royal crown on. He set it on a stand beside the throne where the LHC would be sitting. Then came another attendant with a mace, another sign of power and authority. There were several other people who spilled into the box before Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex came into the Box and the LHC stood at the throne with the Countess next to him. 

All those present in the GA had stood when the crown had been seen entering the Royal Box. Our attention was focused upon Prince Edward, the THC. Then he nodded respectfully to us on his right. We nodded in return. This was repeated to the assembly in front of him and to his left. Then he sat down and the Assembly resumed breathing normally again. I was touched in a good way by the sense of royal pageantry. It was regal and substantial. 

I researched more about the LHC's entourage that accompanies him in his official capacity as the LHC. The Commissioner's party includes a purse bearer, a chaplain, aides-de-camp, a lady-in-waiting, an extra lady-in-waiting, maids of honour, a mace bearer, and other attendants as needed. They made up the large entourage crossing the courtyard on their way to Assembly Hall. The Queen makes no financial demands on the C of S for this, thus maintaining the inde-pendence between the Sovereign and the Church.   

                           The General Assembly in session. The eyes of the Commissioners are on the fig-
                            ure in red at the front of the Assembly Hall. Behind and in the gallery above the
                            figure in red is the Royal Box where the Lord High Commissioner and his party 
                            sit when observing the General Assembly.  The Moderator sits and speaks from 
                            where the figure in red is. That might be the Moderator speaking. 


What I saw happening that first day of the GA I describe as a dance of the C of S with the Queen. The Dance began with the Royal Procession into Assembly Hall. I had thought that the Scottish people were fiercely independent when it came to all matters English, especially regarding the Sovereign. But all in all, the people of the C of S gathered at the Assembly were curbed and tame in regards to the presence of the LHC. The LHC, whoever it is, is always addressed as Your Grace and greeted with a bow or curtsy. 

Ever since the 18th century, the LHC has always been appointed by the Sovereign as the Queen's or King's personal representative to the GA of the C of S. He or she attends the GA as an observer who has no voice and no vote in the affairs of the Church. The role is essentially ceremonial. In 2000 Prince Charles was appointed by his mother, the Queen, as the LHC. Two years later the Queen herself attended the GA. I looked at the long list of LHCs over the centuries who have been chosen by the Sovereign as LHCs. They are usually men and women who have a distinguished record of pub-lic service in Scotland. They have often been closely connected with the C of S. The High Commissioner have usually made brief appearances at the Assembly most days before travelling out and about Scotland on official visits and ceremonies. After the GA has finished its business, the LHC reports directly to the Queen about all that transpired at the GA.

What I found fascinating was the dance between the Church and the Sovereign. The dance began when the LHC was announced and entered the Royal Box up in the gallery behind the chair of the moderator. The Lord Commissioner then bowed to the commissioners who are standing and they bowed back. The next order of business of the Assembly was the formal election of the Moderator. You might say the dance partner was selected for the Royal Dance with the Queen who was represented by the LHC. The Assembly stood as the incoming Moderator entered the GA to assume the duties of Moderator from the outgoing Moderator. There was a Prayer of Consecration and brief remarks by the outgoing Moderator. 

The first order of business conducted by the new Moderator was in regards to the LHC. The Principle Clerk, who stands at the right hand of the Moderator, received the Queen's Commission of the LHC. He accepted the parchment that was lowered down from the Royal Box and read it out loud to the standing GA. The GA remained standing as a letter from Her Majesty was also read. Then His Grace the Lord High Commissioner addressed the Assembly that still was on their feet. The Commissioners were finally able to sit after the Moderator made his reply to the LHC. A committee was appointed to make a reply to the Queen's letter. I had the strong sense that it was critically important for the GA to go through this Dance. Once this Dance was danced, then the GA could move on to the orders of business. The LHC also addressed the GA at the closing session of the GA on the following Friday.  

                                Four important people in the Royal Dance of the Queen and the Church of
                                Scotland, from left to right: the Right Reverend John Chalmers, the present
                               Moderator of the General Assembly; the Countess of Wessex; the Right Rev-
                               erend Lorna Hood, the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly; and
                               Prince Edward, the Queen's appointed Lord High Commissioner. 

The persons who fill the roles of Moderator of the General Assembly and the Lord High Com-missioner change every year. The Moderator of the General Assembly chairs the daily business of the Assembly. The GA is authorised to make laws determining how the Church of Scotland op-erates. It fiercely defends the Church's independence from any political power, especially the Queen.

The third person from the left in the photo directly above is the Right Reverend Lorna Hood, the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly. Lorna brought a graceful woman's touch and a pastoral heart to her year of serving as Moderator the year before this. She has a wonderful and caring way of relating with people. After a full year of responsibilities, obligations, and visits that come with the territory of being the Moderator, she returns to the congregation she has served as pastor for over thirty years.  

The first person on the left is the Right Reverend John Chalmers, the current Moderator of the General Assembly. John has served as the Principle Clerk of the General Assembly. He knows how to get things done in the Church of Scotland. John has been the chief counsel and advisor to a good number of Moderators over the years. When the Moderator-Designate for this year withdrew because of health issues earlier this year, John was asked to take his place. It was a wise move, because John knows probably better than anyone else what the Moderator does. The role of Moderator is a labour of love with unending responsibilities and demands. 

The gentleman on the far left is Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, and the Royal Lord High Commissioner for this past General Assembly. Edward's wife, the Countess of Wessex, stands second from the left in the picture above. I really enjoyed the presence of these two at the General Assembly. The two times Prince Edward addressed the Assembly, he was personable, witty, intelligent, and humble. There was evidence of an eager and growing faith. I never heard the Countess speak, but her very person and presence radiated beauty, grace, and gracefulness. I main-tain that the GA was blessed to have them with us. 

Blessings to you and yours,  

The Rich Heritage of the General Assembly, 2014

          A view from the visitors gallery of the 2014 General Assembly  
of the Church of Scotland                               

Despite the last six months being one of the busiest periods of time I can remember, I took seri-
ously my responsibility to participate as a  commissioner to the 2014 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The annual General Assembly has always taken place the third week in May, most of the time in the Assembly Hall on the Mound in Edinburgh, Scotland. When I first learned 
that I was a commissioner to this General Assembly, I saw it as a major interruption in my busy schedule that was focused on St Fergus Parish Church. It meant nine days away from where I 
really wanted to be. I even looked into asking that another minister from presbytery take my 
place. But I decided to go and take it seriously. 

I was one of roughly 850 commissioners who attended the 2014 General Assembly from May 17-23. Eight of us from the Presbytery of Buchan joined other ministers, elders, and church workers to attend to the business of the Church of Scotland. The first General Assembly took place in 1560 when what we now know as the Church of Scotland arose out of the turbulent times of the Scottish Reformation. There have been very few years when the General Assembly did not meet. I was greatly moved to consider I was joining a great deliberative body that had been meeting annually for over 450 years. There was a profound historical depth to the General Assembly. I was humbled by the privilege and responsibility of taking part in a great heritage.

Participating in the General Assembly is not the first time I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the rich heritage of a Scottish institution. I was just as overwhelmed and humbled when I was living and studying at the University in the town of St Andrews. The town was one of the top sites for Christian pilgrims in medieval times. The University was founded in 1413, the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. In the mid-16th century St Andrews was home to John Knox, the leader of the Scottish Reformation. This rich heritage oozed out of the stones and mortar and was heavy in the air of the town and university. I sensed it wherever I went in St Andrews. 

What I sensed in St Andrews I sensed in Edinburgh and the General Assembly. Edinburgh is a world class city, both in this day and age as well as in history. I had a profound sense of rich history as I stepped for the first time onto the floor of Assembly Hall the day before the start of the General Assembly. It is hard for me to describe, but during the week of the General Assembly I was drawn into a reality that combined the debate of issues of the modern era with the profound spiritual heritage of a community of saints stretching back to 1560 and John Knox. I was involved in something far bigger than me. I was in awe at times. I hope I can write more about my participation in the General Assembly in the days to come. 

Blessings to you and yours, 

Christ is risen! Christ is risen Indeed!

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!

I Corinthians 15:1-8 (ESV)

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

I know, I know. Or as they say here in Buchan Land: I ken, I ken. It is nearly two weeks after Easter and just now am I getting up a posting on Easter. Well, I have been super busy, and sometimes I find it too easy to keep putting off a posting for another day, and the days of putting it off just keep stacking up. But I perceive that my busyness has been a good type of busyness. 

I Corinthians 15:1-8, the biblical text printed out above, focuses on the Cross and the Empty Tomb as a message of first importance for God's People. The Apostle Paul proclaimed that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared' to over 500 witnesses. 

As believers in Jesus Christ we are called to proclaim the Good News of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ and appeal to people to put their trust in what God has done through Jesus. If the proclamation of his death and resurrection are diminished in any way, our Christian faith is thereby diminished as well.  The Cross of Christ and the Empty Tomb are at the heart of the Scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I acknowledge that I have neglected the Cross and the Empty Tomb throughout much of my time in ministry. I certainly did believe that Jesus died on the Cross for the forgiveness of my sins and that God raised him from the dead on the Third Day, but it was just a belief without much substance to it. Six years ago when I was working on my thesis, the crucified and risen saviour Jesus Christ came to the foremost place in my life as well as in my theology. I have always believed in the Cross and Empty Tomb. But from that time they took central place in my life whereas they were off to the side before. Now the Cross and the Empty Tomb stand solidly at the very heart of my life. The Gospel changes things and changes my life. The Gospel is at the centre of God's People. 

Last year was my first Good Friday and Easter at St Fergus Parish Church. Besides myself, only one person, an elder, from the church showed up to join in Holy Week services in other  churches in nearby Peterhead. Fewer people attended the Easter Morning service than we normally had on other Sundays. People seemed distant from the Crucified and Risen jesus Christ. There was little awareness of the death of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and his resurrection from death to life. 

From Easter 2013 onward I vowed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ as often as I could. Sunday by Sunday I pointed to Jesus' death on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins and his being raised from death to life on the Third Day. That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is what we proclaim. The Gospel of the Crucified and Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is at the very heart of the Christian Faith. Without trusting in what God has done through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ, we have no faith, no life, and no hope in this world. 

As I preached through the Gospel of Luke through most of 2013 and through the Gospel of Matthew since November of last year, I sought to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ every Sunday. The gospel message is embedded in the Scripture. Whenever I lead in the service of Communion I proclaim the Mystery of Faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. 

I have sensed that change is taking place in people. It is a slow change, but a noticeable change in terms of their view of Jesus.  I sense that the Good News of Jesus Christ is slowly seeping into their lives and changing things in their lives. My hope is that they will start to see the crucified and risen Jesus Christ dwelling in the very core of their lives. 

This Good Friday and Easter Sunday I sensed that God is at work within the people. There was a sweet spirit in the air on Resurrection Sunday that I hadn't sensed before. Things are happening. May the dear people of St Fergus Church know and put their faith in Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins and his resurrection from the dead. Come into our lives and our congregation. May it be so, Lord Jesus. 

Blessings to you and yours, 

Passover Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday in Buchan Land

As I write this posting, it is Saturday evening.  Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, or as others say, Resurrection Sun-day. I am eager for the service tomorrow morn-ing at St Fergus Parish Church.

This past week, Holy Week, has been for me a rich banquet of re-membrance of the last week of Jesus' life, especially his death on the Cross and his being raised by God from death to life.

After a hectic two months, I have been able to slow down to ponder what God did through his Son so long ago in a land far away. This special time of Holy Week actually began for me the week before. I have had the pleasure of speaking at the Baptist Church in Fraserburgh, a fishing town ten miles north of St Fergus. They've been without a pastor for over two years now, but have never wavered in their hunger to praise God, study Scripture, pray, and go evangelising.  

The speaker is from Northern Ireland and now serves with Faith Mission in Scotland. He spoke on the seven sayings of Jesus from the Cross. I love listening to someone from there who speaks in the lilting tongue of Northern Ireland. I was able to sit and listen to a fine Biblical preacher as he drew us closer to Christ on the Cross. I could only attend two evenings, but my heart was prepared for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

There was nothing going on at St Fergus Parish Church during Holy Week except on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. I made people aware of all that was going on in Peterhead, five miles down the road. There are four churches in Peterhead that are beginning to do things together for the Gospel. There's Abi at St Andrews, one of the three Church of Scotland congregations in town; James at the Congregational Church; Isobel at the Methodist Church; and Bram and Eileen from the Salvation Army. I have always sought out any opportunity to meet with and serve cooperatively with other churches. Even though St Fergus is not a part of Peterhead, they have welcomed me into their united activities. It is right and good to serve with them for the sake of Christ.

From Monday of Holy Week through Good Friday, James led a short Lunch Time service at the Congregational Church. People from various churches came for the daily services and stayed for a finger buffet after each service. From Monday through Wednesday, Abi spoke on the Words of Jesus from the Cross at evening services at St Andrews Church. Abi, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has a passion for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There were good turnouts of people from different churches in Peterhead. At Maundy Thursday services, Communion was served at the Lunch Time service at the Congregational Church and at evening services at one of the other Church of Scotland congregations in town and at the Methodist Church. On Good Friday there was a short service at the town square in Peterhead. Although it was organised by Isobel and the Methodist Church, I and other ministers took part. It was a powerful witness to the Cross of Christ. That evening the four Church of Scotland congregations met for a Good Friday service although I saw many people from other churches.

Wednesday evening I attended a Messianic Passover Seder at an episcopal church in a nearby town. It was led by Kanaan, a Messianic Jew from Greece and the USA who is now living in the North-East of Scotland. It meant so much to me to look to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As a result of the Seder, I now look at Good Friday with increased understanding. Even though I did attend and even took part in many of the services, I was able to sit and drink in what other ministers had prepared. My view of Holy Week has increased dramatically and I have gained further blessings from my going through Holy Week, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. Not only did I ponder God's work through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus, but I was blessed by seeing Christians from various churches  in Peterhead working together for the Lord.

Resurrection blessings to you and yours,

Speaking the Gospel in Public

I enjoy preaching and speaking in public. Of course there are the weekly Sunday mornings service at St Fergus Parish Church where I preach through the lectionary for the year. This is Year A and the readings for the Gospels are drawn from Matthew's Gospel. Following the lectionary keeps me on my toes and discourages me from preaching from those biblical texts that I fancy. Some of the lectionary texts have proven challenging to me. There have been times when I began my preparation for Sunday wondering how I would ever preach from the assigned text, but after a few days of studying it, the text blossomed in profound meaning that had never been evident to me before. I have been surprised by the LORD many times in my sermon preparation. It helps me grow.                                                   

Because St Fergus Parish Church does not have a Sunday evening service, I am available to speak at churches that have such a service. Last Sunday I spoke at the Deep Sea Fishermen's Mission in nearby Peterhead. It was my third time there in a year and a half. Since the Mission attracts people from a good number of churches in the area, the services there are scheduled after the evening services of other churches. I am always blown away by the singing of the fellowship there. The people love the Lord and are hungry to learn more about Jesus and the Scripture. I also have the privilege of preaching regularly at an United Free Church in a nearby village. I am out there ten times this year. Although they are a small congregation, I have fun being with them because they exhibit a lively faith. A Baptist church in a town down the road keeps asking me back. They are a mature congregation and hungry for preaching based on Scripture. I really enjoy being among them.

Since I have gotten back from Israel, I have not only spoken in the churches mentioned above, but I have also spoken at school assemblies in the village primary school and at two men's prayer breakfasts. Since October, I have been teaching a basic survey of the Bible on Friday nights at a sister church in Peterhead. I have my hands full this week: on Thursday I speak to the seniors group at the Baptist Church in Peterhead; on Friday I teach the Bible Survey course at our sister church; on Saturday I serve as the speaker and honorary chairman at the Peterhead Gospel Male Voice Choir concert that draws choirs from all over Scotland; on Sunday I lead morning worship and preach at St Fergus Parish Church; and on Sunday afternoon I crash and enjoy a long Sunday nap.

My speaking skills have been stretched since I first came to St Fergus Parish Church in June of 2012. Back then having two speaking engagements a week was a bit of a challenge for me. Since then I have learned how to graciously and gracefully prepare for speaking up to five times a week. I have been stretched to the point where I feel I can handle it and still enjoy speaking. But I have also realised how I have the tendency to focus my attention of what I do rather than on what God has done through the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection are the heart of the Gospel. I catch myself building up my own identity and self worth through my speaking and preaching. That is wrong. I have to continually be reminded that my identity and worth come from Christ's death on the Cross for the forgiveness of sin and His resurrection from the grave. I constantly find myself seeking the glory of my own name, extending my own kingdom, and doing my will rather than God's when I am busy with preaching and speaking a lot. If you are able and so desire, please remember me in your prayers in this regard.

Blessings to you and yours,                   

Britain's Storms and the Limits of Governmental Power

Flooding of a residential area in southern England earlier in the year

Here in the North East of Scotland we have been enjoying a fairly mild winter. There have been heavy downpours of rain, but that is what people in this region have come to expect every winter. They have learned to put up with it. And there has been very little snow to speak of. The amount of rainfall has been a bit higher than in years past, but not enough to cause serious problems. We've not had the devastating storms and flooding that people down south in England and Wales have been experiencing this winter. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people in southern Britain who have had to contend with meteorological forces that pounded them from early October through late February. The storms and the heavy rains may have let up, but the devastation that they wrought surrounds and engulfs the people. I feel heartbroken for them.

I find it difficult to comprehend the ferocity of the storms that battered areas down south. They came in different forms: powerful tidal surges; strong, mighty winds; downpours of heavy rains;  massive flooding of rivers that broke through built-up and reinforced banks; and pounding ocean waves that destroyed seaside dwellings. The storms have now subsided, but people are still in a state of shock as they begin to come to terms with the immensity of the damage and begin to sort out the massive mess that has inundated their homes and communities. Over 5000 residences and businesses have been flooded and abandoned. There have been power outages and disruption of travel. The economic and human toll continues to mount day by day. There is massive damage and disruption. Individuals, families, and communities face enormous challenges for years to come. Even though I live way up in the security of the north east, I feel helpless when faced with the pictures and reports of the damage and devastation down south.

During the start of the season of storms, there was the strong expectation by the people in these affected areas that the government would act decisively to solve the problems that would be brought on by the forces of nature. But the reality became apparent that there was little the government could do in the face of these mighty forces. People have felt a range of emotions: frustration, anger, and disappointment regarding the government's response. It was found lacking in its ability to provide substantial resources in the face of these storms and floods. The government seemed incompetent and meagre in its response. What strikes me about Scottish people in particular and British people in general is their belief that the central government can solve the immense problems of society, if only given enough time. Perhaps this belief is a belief that the Brits share with other people in Western Europe and North America. It is the belief that a strong central government will solve all our problems. But the government was overwhelmed by the immensity of the forces that wreaked havoc on the people of Britain.

I affirm the importance and necessity of the significant role the national government plays in the running of society. But I also see the limits of the power of the central government to deal with serious problems of society. Here in the UK a strong central government continually struggles with issues of national health care and social issues. In the USA the current administration of President Obama promotes the federal government's Affordable Care Act and exhibits the belief in the redeeming power of the federal government. I do believe in the importance of government at all levels, including the local community level. But as I have read history, politics, and theology, I testify to the radical inability of central government to promote the general welfare and prosperity of the people under its jurisdiction. There are limits to what big government can do. But let us pray in support of the people who even now are seeking to move on with their lives after such devastation.

Blessings to you and yours,