A Boston Red Sox and Celtic Fan Celebrating Christmas in Brave Heart's Land

Well, here it is, almost Christmas, and there are Christmas
festivities galore here in Cupar, Scotland. There have been
Christmas decorations and lights up on the main street of
the small town since late November. I listened to a drum
and bagpipe band do Christmas carols at a recent farmers'
market. Stores have been offering Christmas promotions
and sales since early November. I hear of many groups and
work places having their Christmas dinners or parties.
What amazed me was that Ken, my ministerial colleague,
was invited to conduct two Christmas assemblies at the
big regional school in town. He addressed over 700 stu-
ents between the ages of 11 and 13. They listened to Scrip-
ture about Jesus, sang Christmas carols, and heard Ken
share with them about the incomparable Christ. (The
three other ministers in town conducted Christmas pro-
grams for the other levels at the school.) At night I look
out my bedroom window to see a few houses that went all
out with outdoor Christmas decorations and lights. They
add a sparkle to the neighborhood.

At church we've been preparing for Christmas since the
first Sunday in Advent. Slowly we've been focusing in on
Christmas. People here take great delight in giving Christ-
mas cards. People of the church have been signing a big
Christmas card to be sent to forty street boys of an orphan-
age in Peru that the church has been supporting for sever-
al years. Money has already been sent for a big Christmas
meal and new shoes. Last Thursday evening there was a
family Christmas party at the church. The highlight for me
was watching the ceilidh (a Scottish social dance event).
Parents introduced the children to some of the well-known
Scottish dance steps. There also was a well done children's
nativity play last Sunday morning and a beautiful nine les-
sons and carols candlelight service that evening. On Christ-
mas Eve there will be a Family Service at 7 pm and a Watch-
night Service later at 11:30. On Christmas Day there will be
a service for the family at 10:30. This is a special time of
year for me and I have been enjoying it.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas,

Settling In

Since November 1 I have been settling into Cupar. The small
town of 8500 inhabitants is an ancient farming town that also
served as county seat of the 'Kingdom' of Fife until the 1970s.
Since St. Andrews is in the Kingdom of Fife as well, I have
been living in a kingdom for the past five years! I'll write
more about the town in due time. Meanwhile I'm finally get-
ting things in order and learning my way around town. I
have been quite busy. I'm taking off this week to catch my
breath and continue settling down. I have not had a string
of more than two days off for quite some time. I just wanted
to let you know that I am alright and doing well. I'm really
enjoying being involved in pastoral ministry again and liv-
ing here in Scotland. I will being writing more about that,
too.

Here is my address until 31 October 2009! (Boy! It feels
so good to have a stable address for a change. I won't have
to move for a whole year!)

38 Castlebank Gardens
Cupar
Fife
United Kingdom KY15 4DA

Advent and Christmas Blessings to you and yours,

'We're Glad You're Here, Laddie'

This is a short posting to let people know that I am doing
very well here in Cupar, Scotland. On Sunday, November
2nd, I was introduced to the people of the Old Parish Church
of Cupar as the probationer assistant minister for one year. I
have been busy with participating in worship services, observ-
ing four funerals, attending various committees, leading and
preaching at the latest Sunday evening service, and doing pas-
toral visitation in the homes of more elderly members. I have
felt welcomed and invited to share in the life and mission of
this lively congregation. I have quickly felt at home here and
have enjoyed being engaged in pastoral ministry again after
an absence of five years. Being involved in pastoral ministry
gives me the greatest joy. Recently I met with members of
the minister support group set up for me to review my first
few weeks at the church. I felt affirmed and supported. It
meant a lot to me when the convener, a retired but still very
active Church of Scotland minister, told me that after seeing
me in action the past few weeks he and other people were
glad that I had been assigned to Cupar Old. I'm glad to be
here, too.

Ever since June I have had considerable difficulty getting reg-
ular internet access. The situation has not been any better
here in Cupar. But I have recently figured out how to ad-
dress this problem. I hope to get more postings up.

Blessings, and all the best,

Some Thoughts on the Recent US Elections

Currently I am busy settling down in Cupar, Scotland, for a
twelve-month ministerial placement with the Church of Scot-
land. It has been difficult getting access to the internet, but
over the past several days I have found it easier to get on-
line. I have much to share with you about my transition
from St Andrews to the wee town of Cupar, just fifteen
miles away from St Andrews. But I have plenty of time to
do that in the coming days and weeks. I wanted to take this
opportunity to share some of my thoughts about the re-
cent US elections.

I was not able to get an absentee ballot for this election. If I
had voted for the president I would not have voted for Pres-
ident-elect Obama. I disagree with him on the issues of
Iraq, national security, taxes, entitlements, abortion, the
sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, ed-
ucation, the support of the military, interpretation of the
US Constitution, the role of judicial bodies on all levels, the
ability to carry out domestic drilling for oil, and the way
that the poor and neglected of our society are cared for. I
am alarmed by the people that he has chosen to relate to
over the years and that he is the product of the corrupt
Chicago political machine. I believe that he and his fellow
democrats are wrong on so many issues. But having said
that, I will never stoop to hating him, demeaning him, or
considering him evil. Even though I think he is wrong on
the important issues of this age, Senator Obama will be
my president, our president, come January 20th and I
will grant him respect and honor that goes with that great
office.

I am very concerned about the degree of hatred and ridi-
cule expressed concerning President Bush and Govenor
Palin. I have never experienced anything as ugly. My ques-
tion is what this does to the souls of those who express such
sentiments. I can only conclude that it results in self-inflicted
wounds of those who do such actions. I have heard some peo-
ple say that Senator Obama's victory will finally lay to rest
the evils of racism in the US. My fear is that many Americans
voted for Senator Obama because of the color of his skin. It
is still racism. We will experience racism laid to rest when
electoral decisions are based primarily on a man or woman's
political agenda, not on the color of his or her skin.

I have more to write, but my time online at the Cupar Public
Library is quickly running out. I have church work that I
need to work on. I am disappointed in the results of the elec-
tion. I do not feel secure with President Obama and the Dem-
ocrats in control of Congress. But life will go on in the country
I love and cherish.

Blessings and all the best,

Under Orders: I'm Moving Out Again

Tomorrow I leave St. Deiniol's Library in Wales and a host
of new friends from England, Australia, and the USA. I grew
fond of the Library and its small staff. My daily routine of
celebrating the Eucharist, working more on my thesis, and
being involved in sparkling conversations over great food
have been a joy for me these past five weeks. I will greatly
miss all of this. I am a wee bit sad.

On November 1 I begin a twelve month familiarsation place-
ment at a Church of Scotland congregation in the small town
of Cupar, Scotland. Finally! I can settle down for a year. I'll
write more about it as I settle into pastoral ministry there.
I sense that I am in transition from an old era of the past
five months to a new era in my life and ministry. I am grate-
ful to the Father for God's guidance, provision, and protection.
I pray that for you as well.

Blessings, and all the best,

You ok, Luv?

Ever since I came south to England from Scotland I have
noticed that English people whom I knew would greet me
with a "You ok?" This question perplexed me because I
began to worry that I must look pretty bad to elicit such
a question. But I gradually understood that it is an English
way of greeting someone, much like our 'how ya doin'?' Now
I don't give it any thought when an Enlish person asks me if
I'm ok. I now interpret it as a nice greeting to which no reply
is expected or wanted by the person asking.


When I first arrived here at St. Deiniol's Library in Wales
I headed to the dining room for a snack. I spied a nice slice
of chocolate cake that I thought had my name on it, waiting
for me to choose it. An attractive middle-aged dining room
attendant asked me: "You ok, Luv?" She called me "Luv!"
She called me 'luv" at dinner, too! I noticed that I had a
spring in my step and a swagger in my walk for the next
few days. I thought that I was quite the man! A couple of
days later after she returned from being off a couple of days
I noticed that she addressed every man as "luv." I immedi-
ately crashed and burned.

But my downcast spirits were lifted when I found a good
supply of regular Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper No Sugar at a
small store near the library. Imagine that! Dr P in a small
village in Wales. Do wonders never cease? Since then I have
cleaned out the remaining supply of Dr P and Dr P No Sugar
that other customers had not bought. Imagine that! Welsh
people drinking Dr P! I don't know when they will get in more,
but I was so surprised to see Dr Pepper here in such a small
town in Wales.


Blessings and all the best to you and yours,

St. Deiniol's Library and the Joy It Gives Me

I've been here at St. Deiniol's Library in northern Wales
for eleven days now. I am the volunteer chaplain for the
month of October. My duties include celebrating the eu-
charist two or three times a week and being present as a
staff person three or four evenings a week. I am provi-
ded with a spacious room and two home-cooked meals a
day in return for my service here. I have really enjoyed
being here. I have especially enjoyed meeting people com-
ing from all over Britain and North America to do research,
write, or relax. It is a wonderful place to be. It took me
over a week, but I now feel quite at home here in this
great residential library.

There are three things here that have given me a lot of
joy: serving communion in the mornings, doing some
needed writing in a beautiful library setting, and en-
gaging in long chats with interesting people over home-
cooked meals. I truly have been blessed.

Blessings to you and yours,

England, Scotland, and Wales

I'm taking just a few minutes to give you an update on what
is happening with me these few days. Two weeks ago I was
invited to be an hononrary chaplain at St. Deiniol's Libary
in Wales October 11-31. It is a world-renowned residential
library that has roots in the Church of Wales of the Anglican
Communion. I get room and board in exchange for celebra-
ting the Eucharist during the week and being in residence
for pastoral concerns. Last Monday, just a few days ago, I
was asked if I could start September 29. I agreed to come
and start my duties on the earlier date.

As a result my life during the last few days has been in
turmoil. Yesterday I moved my stuff up from Holy Island
(where I've been since early June) to storage in St. And-
drews. This afternoon I catch a ride with a Church of Scot-
land colleague to the first of four probationers' residential
conferences that I have to do in the next twelve months in
preparation for transfering my ordination to the Church of
Scotland. On Sunday afternoon I'll return to St. Andrews
for the night. Early on Monday morning I'll travel by train
to the Library in Wales. Then I will have a month to enjoy
the Library in Wales, serve in a pastoral position there,
and do a significant amount of writing that I need to do.

Things are happening so quickly that it has been hard for
me to catch my breath. I realize that I am experiencing a
fair amount of grieving for leaving the people of The Open
Gate, other friends on the island, and the peacefulness, holi-
ness, and beauty that characterizes Holy Island. But I look
forward to getting to know the Church of Scotland as I start
the long final phase of the ordination transfer process this
weekend. Also I am eager to get down to the Library in
Wales to get some serious work done on my thesis. This has
been a special summer and fall for me, some of the best
times in my life.

I have often experienced transitions from one place to
another, but never have I had to go through three tran-
sitions as I am doing within these four days. I have been
keenly aware of the Lord providing for my every need.
I have felt loved, protected, and guided. It's a special time
for me, one that I will treasure in my heart. As I reflect
on these four days I realize that until yesterday I was in
England, that for these next three days I am in Scotland
where I've been for the last four years, and then that Mon-
day I am in Wales for a month. It is an adventure I am
really enjoying.

Blessings to you and yours,

A Little Time Out

Tomorrow I head out on the 'Iona Pilgrimage' for a six day
retreat to engage with the story, people, and present con-
cerns and commitments of the Iona Community. The Iona
Community is in the western islands of Scotland and is a
much larger sister community of the Community of Aidan
and Hilda (CAH), the community that sponsors the Open
Gate Retreat Centre where I've been since early June.
Last week Ray Simpson, one of the leaders of the CAH,
helped to lead a retreat at Iona on contemporary pilgri-
mage. Ray and other leaders thought it was important
that I go on the Iona Pilgrimage. They hoped that my
going would help strengthen the kinship ties between
the two sister communities.

We will spend the first three days, Saturday to Tuesday,
in Dunblane, a town in the central part of Scotland. The
program includes worship in the unique Iona style, becom-
ing familiar with the Wild Goose Resource Group, and hear-
ing about the ecumenical orientation of the Iona Community.
On one of those days we participate in the 'Glasgow Pilgrim-
age' in order to learn about the urban foundation of the Com-
munity. We will spend our last three days on Iona to learn
more about the present work of the Iona Community, its
ministry of healing, and the Community's Rule of Life. I do
not know how many people will take part, but I do know
that we will experience living in community and worship-
ping together. We are also told to expect time for relaxa-
tion and recreation.

I have been feeling a little worn out the past few weeks be-
cause I have stayed on Holy Island longer that I had ex-
pected. It was like I sprinted at the beginning of my time
when I thought I'd be there only six weeks. Only later did
I realize that I needed to run as a long distance runner. It
will be good to enjoy Iona (with Holy Island, one of my fav-
orite places in Britain) and have some time out for a week.
I expect to be refreshed and to continue my volunteering
at The Open Gate.

Blessings to you and yours,

Recently Found on Holy Island: A Supply of Dr. Pepper

Other than finding a stash of Dr. Pepper available for con-
sumption the other day, there really is nothing significant
to report. My routine consists of cleaning toilets, washing
dishes, preparing rooms for guests, leading a couple of
prayer times a week, and being available to people as they
drop by The Open Gate Christian Retreat Centre. God con-
tinues God's slow and steady transformative work in my life.

But here are some observations and thoughts about the last
few weeks:

I noticed one Holy Island resident sipping on a bottle of
Dr. Pepper a week or so ago. I went on a wild search for
the fine drink. My heart was gladdened when I finally
found a sizable supply at a little store in the center of the
village.

As of today I have been volunteering at The Open Gate for
three full months. I expected when I arrived here that I
would be here only six or seven weeks. But now I plan to
be here until October 31 when I move from here to take
up a placement at a Church of Scotland congregation near
St. Andrews.

There's been a significant and constant downpour of rain
the past week. Over on the mainland there has been con-
siderable flooding, but Holy Island has been spared. I don't
remember experiencing such a longterm downpour. Today
we saw a little sun peek out from behind the storm clouds. It
was glorious.

I have enjoyed the many American guests who pass through.
Last week I especially enjoyed a small group of Episcopalians
from St. Paul, Minnesota. I think they left St. Paul at this
time to escape the Republican National Convention in their
fair city last week. I thought they were all right even
though they were Democrats. I made sure that they heard
all the good news coming out of the RNC in their home town.
Yet it was refreshing to have fellow country people with
whom I shared a similar language and cultural cues!

Since I arrived here on Holy Island, England, I have been
receiving a crash course in all things English. I have been
told that I make a great cup of tea for an American. I have
learned that for a proper English cup of tea, milk is poured
before the tea. I do as I am told!

My time here at The Open Gate on Holy Island has been
an extemely meaningful time for me. I had no idea way
back in May that I would even be here. It has been a spe-
cial gift from the Lord to be here far longer than I had ex-
pected. It has been a very special time for me, these last
three months on Holy Island, especially the discovery of
the supply of Dr. Pepper.

Peace and blessings to you and yours,

Aidan: My Role Model

Over thirteen hundred years ago an Irish missionary bish-
op named Aidan walked on Holy Island/Lindisfarne, the is-
land in the northeast tip of England that I have been living
on since early June. His impact was so great that he has
been referred to as the apostle to the English. Last week
Christians from Holy Island, Northumbria (the surround-
ing area) and all over England celebrated St. Aidan's Week.
Numerous events throughout the week bore witness to a
great man of God who loved Jesus and walked in the pow-
er of the Holy Spirit, sharing God's love with whomever he
encountered along the way.

In 635 Aidan was sent out from Iona to found a monastery
and school in this region. He came at the request of his dear
friend Oswald, King of Northumbria, who wanted to share
the Christian faith with the people of his realm. Corman,
the previous missionary who had been sent by Iona, was
stern and hard on the people. His mission failed. Aidan pro-
posed a gentler way of evangelizing, and was sent to re-
place Corman. King Oswald gave him the island of Lindis-
farne as a base for sharing the Christian faith with the
Saxon peoples. The people loved Aidan. They experi-
enced his gentleness, humility, wisdom, compassion, purity,
and concern for the poor and sick. He is especially remem-
bered as a prayer warrior who walked everywhere he went
so he could talk with people along the way. He died August
31, 651.

I am usually at the local parish church most days of the
week for either Morning Prayer or worship. Each time I
pass by the the statue of Aidan that looks upon the ruins
of the medieval abbey. And each day I pray that God
would make me more like Aidan, that my life would be
characterized by a missionary spirit, gentleness, humility,
wisdom, compassion, purity, concern for the poor and the
sick, and a love for people I meet along the way. Lord, make
it come true.

Peace and blessings to you and yours,

More Specifics

On November 1 I will start a twelve month familiarization
placement at Old Cupar, a Church of Scotland congregation
in the town of Cupar, twelve miles south of St. Andrews. I
met with the minister, Rev. Ken Jeffreys, last week and we
had a delightful time. After meeting one another both of us
realized I would be a good fit for the church.

Ken is a Presbyterian from Northern Ireland who has com-
mited himself to renewal and revival of the Church in Scot-
land. Having served as a missionary in Africa he has a heart
for missions. I sense that over the six years he has been the
pastor of Old Cupar the congregation has grown both in num-
ber and community life. They have just finished a building
renovation plan that was tied in with financial support of a
mission in Peru. Ken and his wife are expecting their fourth
child in September and he will be off on paternity leave for
several weeks. Then he'll lead a mission team to Peru in Oc-
tober. That is the reason I won't be starting until November.

I asked the staff of The Open Gate Retreat Centre if I could
continue volunteering until the end of October. I had informed
them in June that I expected to be placed in a church by the
beginning of September. They are happy for me to remain
for the extra two months. Actually I was hoping I could re-
main here longer. There is something about this place that
is so refreshing for me. It has been such a joy and blessing
to be here! I am grateful to God for my unexpected oppor-
tunities on Holy Island/Lindisfarne and at Old Cupar. Truly
I have been blessed!

Blessings to you and yours, and all the best,

Attentiveness

I have now been here at The Open Gate Retreat Centre
on Holy Island, England, for ten weeks. I've washed loads
of dishes and pans, scrubbed a lot of toilets, prepared rooms
for countless guests, and led several dozen Mid-Day and
Evening Prayer chapels. I probably have two or three more
weeks before I head back up to Scotland to work with a min-
ister of the Church of Scotland for twelve months. I have not
received word yet about where I will be headed. I could be
anywhere in Scotland. I have been using a lot of my free
time to prepare to write more for my thesis. I have really
enjoyed having more time to develop my thesis. Soon I
hope to do more writing.

I sense that the Lord has been using my time of volunteer
service here at The Open Gate to form and shape me for
what is ahead of me in Scotland. I have been becoming more
attentive to other people that are our guests at The Open
Gate. It has been a learning experience for me to develop
sensitivity to other people. As a result I have become more
attentive to what is happening in me, especially in regards
to God at work in my life. It has been quite a rewarding ad-
venture for me. The longer I am here on the island, the more
I become attentive to nature: the birds, flowers. grasses, in-
sects, rocks, geological formations, cloud formations, tides,
wind, and rain. It has been an eye opening experience to be-
gin to notice the riches of nature all around me that is such
a treasure of the island. As a result, I have become more at-
tentive to who God is and how God is at work in my life. It
has been a truly blessed time for me here on Holy Island.

Blessings to you and yours,

The God in Nature Holiday Retreat

This Sunday has been a much needed day of rest after a
wonderful God in Nature Holiday Retreat here at the Open
Gate on Holy Island, England. Even though I am a volun-
teer here for the summer, I was involved with the team
that set up a substantial program for the week. I was avail-
able for pastoral care and spiritual direction for the eight
guests participating in the retreat. I served with Graham,
the warden of the Open Gate and co-leader of the retreat;
Carol, the hostess of the Open Gate who made sure every-
body and everything was taken care of; and Paul, who came
from a college in the midlands of England to co-lead the re-
treat with Graham. Paul combines a lively faith in Jesus
with a love and knowledge of nature and a skill in painting.
Our eight guests included people from all over England. It
was a fun group of people!

During the weekdays our pattern was this (everything was
optional): 8:00, Morning Prayer and Communion; 8:40,
Breakfast; 9:45, Morning activity; 12:00, Mid-day Prayer;
12:45, lunch; an afternoon activity; 5:30, Evening Prayer;
6:30, Supper; 7:45, an Evening group time; and 9:00 Night
Prayer. The table conversations at the meals were rich.
Even though I was assigned to do the washing up, my team
members often filled in for me when they saw me engaged
in conversation with one of the guests. I appreciated that!

The whole point of the retreat was to learn to be more at-
tentive to natue in order to become more attentive to God
and to one's self. We marveled at the beauty of nature, drew
closer to God, and enjoyed the presence of one another. God
was definitely present and at work in our lives! Some signifi-
cant healing took place among several of the people on the re-
treat.

There were planned activities that took us out into nature.
We examined the geology of the island; learned about the
flowers, grasses, and plants of the area; explored the coastal
shore of Holy Island; experimented with painting seascapes,
studied how sand dunes are formed; took a boat out to the
Inner Farne Islands to experience their bird paradise; walked
the Pilgrims' Way across the tidal flats (at low tide!); and mar-
velled at the spectacular beauty of St. Abb's Head in Scotland.
We tested one another in our ability to identify birds, flowers,
and geological features. I can only say that I became increas-
ingly attentive to nature, God, and myself as a result of the
retreat. It was wonderful!

Yesterday, Saturday, we said goodbye to new friends and
companions of a special time. But as soon as the last person
left, Graham, Carol, and I began preparing for guests who
would be arriving Saturday afternoon and Sunday. It is nev-
er ending. But we worked hard to make things ready so
that we could rest on Sunday and go to church. It truly has
been a blessed day of rest.

May you have a truly blessed day of rest as well.

Blessings to you and yours,

The State of My Heart

I'm not posting here about my physical heart-it is stronger,
perhaps, than it ever has been. I am referring to my spiri-
tual heart. All is well there, but I sense God is continuing to
do some major work on my heart as the spirtual center of
my life.

Yesterday I returned from a three-day, two-night St. An-
drews visit, my third since I moved down to Holy Island/-
Lindisfarne in early June. I enjoyed catching up with the
plans of several good friends, eating a stack of pancakes at
the North Point, walking by the North Sea, and being intro-
duced to newborn Lawson Ryan Parks, a Colleen and Ryan
production, dear friends from Canada.

As I travelled back by train to Holy Island, I had a strong
sense that my heart longed to be in St. Andrews. Although
I had informed the Church of Scotland that I was open to
serving anywhere in Scotland, I always have felt a strong
pull to St. Andrews. Recently I was informed by the Church
of Scotland that I should expect to be assigned to a church
in St. Andrews for my one year familiarization placement.
I could not imagine anything better. I am looking forward
to moving back up there and starting pastoral ministry in
Scotland. That is where I long to be!

But as I travelled by train to Holy Island, I also had a sense
of excitement about returning to the Island and my service
at The Open Gate. I realized that my heart is in St. Andrews,
but it is being shaped on Holy Island/Lindisfarne. My time
at The Open Gate on Holy Island is where God is preparing
me for the next phase of my ministry in Scotland. So I trea-
sure this time on Holy Island; it has been such a rich time
for me.

I covet your prayers as I continue on this amazing journey.

Blessings, and all the best to you and yours,

The Rest of the Story

In the last posting I shared about prayer, work, and study
providing the structure of my time here at The Open Gate
on Holy Island /Lindisfarne. After thinking about what I had
written I determined that I needed to add rest to those three.
That is the rest of the story.

After prayer, work, and study all day, as 9:30 pm approach-
es, I realize just how worn out I am. During my stay here this
has happened night after night and week after week. I have
not had any trouble falling asleep. When I wake up in the
morning I feel rested and am eager to carry on with the new
day. I have come to realize just how necessary rest is for me
to pray, work, and study as God would have me do. It is es-
sential for living before the face of God.

The four staff people here at The Open Gate take sabbath
rest seriously. They make sure that I get a day off for ev-
ry six I work, and that we honor the Lord in a special way
on Sunday. We also take rest seriously by taking breaks
during the day, meeting together for hearty meals and ta-
ble talk during the day, and taking naps.

Rest energizes everything else: prayer, work, and study. I
am grateful to the Lord for the rest God gives me.

All the best to you and yours,

Prayer, Work, and Study

The past six weeks here at The Open Gate on Holy Island/
Lindisfrarne have been such a rich time for me. I have de-
veloped a very simple order of life as a result: prayer, work,
and study. I sense that these three daily routines are shap-
ing and forming me for the next stage of my life.

Ordered prayer three times a day adds to my own personal
time of prayer. Every morning at 7:30, Monday through Sat-
urday, I meet with a small group of residents and visiters to
the Island for Morning Prayer at the parish church. We read
through the Psalms, hear Old and New Testament lessons,
and pray for the Church and the World. It is the anchor of
my day, and noontime prayer and night prayer at the Open
Gate are the structure of my day. Three times a week I lead
the prayer services at the Open Gate that combine the anci-
ent faith with contemporary forms of rich Celtic Christian ex-
pressions of that ancient faith.

But hard work fills most of my day. I am realizing how much
prayer and work influence and enrich one another. I spend con-
siderable time setting up and preparing for meals and wash-
ing up after meals. I also spend a lot of time preparing rooms
for arriving guests, changing bed linen, and cleaning toilets and
showers. I also prepare for the three prayers services I lead ev-
ery week at The Open Gate prayer chapels that, as the name
implies, are always open to the public. The work is very hard, and
many nights I feel worn out. But I feel great joy in doing it. It is
a wonderful way to serve other people and Jesus Christ.

It is also important for me to nurture my mind, and so I try to
make time to study in some way. I continue to work hard on
expanding my thesis, but I seek opportunities to read for en-
joyment. I love that, and it refreshes me. I try to make small
times throughout the day to do that. But many times I am too
worn out to do much, so I grab a quick nap or go to bed.

I am experiencing much joy being here and doing what I am do-
ing. I am surprized by joy because I did not anticipate this or
plan for it. It has turned out so much better than I could ever
have imagined.

Continued blessings and peace to you and yours, Jeff T.

The Latest

Not only have I been hardpressed to get online, but it has
been especially difficult for me to do blogging. Only recent-
ly have I found some down time to to read recent emails
and to prepare a blog update.

I continue to be profoundly grateful to the Lord for sending
me here to The Open Gate and Holy Island/Lindisfarne. I
am often busy and wornout, but nothing that a good night's
sleep can't remedy. I continue to be amazed by the Lord's
provision for my needs, frequent divine appointments with
people, nourishing table fellowship with amazing people, the
beauty of God's creation all around me, and witnessing and
experiencing personally God working in the lives of God's
people. I'm glad that I'm able to continue to serve here un-
till the end of August. It has been a precious time for me.

Several weeks ago, the Church of Scotland (C of S) notified
me that I have been authorized to transfer my ordination
from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to the C of S. As I ex-
pected, I will be placed with an established minister for
twelve months in order to become more familiar with the
C of S. During that year I will attend seminars on working
with children and young people, study C of S law, do read-
ing on the history of Christianity in Scotland, and attend
four mini-retreats. I do not yet know where I will be placed
for my twelve month familiarization program. I will receive
a full stipend for the placement with a church.

Although I have not yet been able to do more writing on
my thesis, I have been able to think about a lot of things
while I make beds, wash dishes, and clean toilets. I am
really excited about what I want to write about, and I
am so grateful to the Lord for providing me with another
year to develop my thinking and writing in a greater way.
I am not tired of my thesis; I really desired more time. I
plan to start writing very soon.

All the best to you and yours,

Holy Island/Lindisfarne Update

It is hard to know where to begin sharing with you about
my time here at Holy Island/Lindisfarne. I've now been
on the island for just over two weeks. I am well versed in
the proper way things are done and I have been able to
shape my personal living space in the small trailer next to
the house. I have an increasing sense that God wanted me
here to serve and to be further prepared for what God has
in store for me. At times, especially at night, I feel worn out.
But good times of sleep always seem to restore me day by
day. Just today I have caught up journaling about my first
week here. There were so many people, conversations, and
observations to reflect on and write about. Now that I am
caught up with the journaling, I feel I can move on with my
life.

There are so many things that have touched me: the rous-
ing chorus of birds that awaken me every morning; the
bark of the seals when the sandbar is exposed at low tide;
days of glorious sun with just a touch of chill in the air; un-
expected conversations over a meal that turn out to be sa-
cred moments; being excited to learn that the Boston Cel-
tics won the NBA championship several days after the event;
seeing how quickly meal washing up and room cleaning take
with another pair of hands; the stillness of the air when the
tide changes and the tourists have left the island; and short
naps in the afternoon after all the room cleaning is done.

I'll try to keep you posted in the weeks ahead. But it is hard
for me to get access to a computer.

Blessings, and all the best to you and yours,

A New Era of My Life Begins

I want to give you just a quick update of the last ten days.
I sense that one era of my life has ended and a new era has
just begun. I am excited about how the next period of my
life will slowly blossom.

On Thursday, June 5th, I had two hours of interviews with
representatives of the Church of Scotland about my inten-
tion to transfer my ordination in the Presbyterian Church
(USA) to the Church of Scotland. On June 24th I will be in-
formed by the Ministries Council of their decision whether
I proceed or not with the transfer of ordination.

Friday, June 6th, was a very hard day for me. I said my
goodbyes to so many people, packed up all my belongs
here, and prepared to leave St. Andrews, my home for
over four years. It was a hard day for me, but I got through
it all. I mourned the loss of a very special place full of good
friends, friendly surroundings, and precious memories. I
wondered if I would ever get over the sense of loss of this
very special place.

On Saturday, June 7th, I moved from St. Andrews to Holy
Island/Lindisfarne, a tidal island in the far northeast corner
of England. It was the ancient site of a vibrant missionary
community of women and men of faith that evangelized
the pagan people of Britain from the sixth century to the
tenth. A good friend of mine, a fellow doctoral student,
picked me up at 6am, prepared a wonderful breakfast for
me, and drove me to the train station. From the moment I
got on the train to when I laid my head down on my pillow
to sleep on Holy Island, I was engaged in rich conversations
with special people. I was so wrapped up in listening and
talking that I did not miss St. Andrews. Truly a new era
had begun, and I was eager to get on with it.

The past week has whirred by, and it has been delightful!
I am volunteering at the Open Gate, a Christian B&B on the
island. The staff of three seeks to provide hospitality to up
to ten people a night. I'll write more about them later. The
important thing is that they quickly accepted my offer to
volunteer to help them for at least seven weeks. Hopeful-
ly I can give them eleven weeks. My week was full of cut-
ting vegetables, washing dishes, changing bed linen, doing
laundry, washing dishes, cleaning toilets, preparing rooms
for guests, wahing dishes, putting out seed for the birds,
dusting, preparing coffee and tea, washing dishes, hoover-
ing (in American English, vacuuming), leading evening
prayer, washing dishes, and, over a meal, listening to peo-
ple share from their lives. It wore me out, but it was won-
derful!

Today was my day off-boy, did I need it! I'm back in St. An-
drews for a farewell party. I and the families of five other St.
Mary's PhD students are leaving St. Andrews during June
and July. It was a special time to have fun and say goodbye
to close friends. I am fortunate that I will come back to St.
Andrews every ten days or so. Tomorrow I will return to
Holy Island. It gives me much joy to be there! I will miss
the people here, but it is no longer an aching loss. That is
what being at Holy Island has done for me. I thank the
Lord that I am there!

Blessings, and all the best,

The Great Disruption

It is 11:30 on Friday night. In six and a half hours a good
friend from Seattle, a fellow PhD student, will pick me up,
make me breakfast, and take me to the station to catch the
7:48 train going south. In a little more than two hours later,
I'll be at Holy Island/Lindisfarne. I'll write about what I will
be doing there in the weeks to come.

But right now I'm staring into the face of a great disruption.
I spent most of the day saying my goodbyes to a lot of people.
Most of the goodbyes were short and sweet, but there were
a few that I lingered to chat, putting off a little bit longer the
final packing. I just spent the last few hours packing and put-
ting most of my stuff in storage. So, I'll have stuff in both St.
Andrews and Holy Island.

To say goodbye to people I've cared about, to put my stuff in
storage, and to make a leap into the unknown of living in a new
and different place-all of that makes me feel overwhelmed
with a wave of disruption. I feel like I'm in a free fall and that
at any moment now I will lose it all.

That's when the words of David that I read early this morn-
ing come back to me: "Be strong, and let your heart take
courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" (Ps. 31:24). I take
comfort in those words.

Blessings to you and yours,

An End of an Era

I am grieving an end of an era of my life. Saturday, the day
I leave St. Andrews for Holy Island, is quickly approaching.
How quickly the time has passed has staggered me. It is the
people here that I will miss the most. I am grieving the loss
of them in my life.

I've been going through doing a lot of things here in St. An-
drews for the last time: the last morning prayer, the last Sun-
day church service here, my last day of volunteering at the
Ladyhead Bookshoppe, my last dinner at Dean's Court, the
final home group meeting, the last pancakes and hot choco-
late I have from the North Point...so many things that sup-
ported me and nurtured me over the past four years. That
era of my life is coming to an end the day after tomorrow.

And yet I have glimpses of a new era that is just beginning.
Today I met with Church of Scotland representatives for
interviews. They will let me know of their decision about
the transfer of my ordination on June 24. I felt good about
the interviews, and would hope that there is a place for me
in the Church of Scotland. My time of doing volunteer ser-
vice with The Open Gate on Holy Island is a fitting way to
begin a new era in my life.

I grieve the door of the past four years closing behind me,
but I am becoming more aware of a door opening in front
of me, one brimming with new adventures of a different
sort.

As always, I covet your prayers on my behalf.

Blessings to you and yours,

The Next Step

Finally, I am certain of my next step. Next Saturday, the
seventh of June, I will leave St. Andrews and move to Holy
Island/Lindisfarne. I will be doing some short-term volun-
teer service at the Open Gate, the hospitality house of the
Community of Aidan and Hilda. The latter is a dispersed
Christian community that draws from the rich heritage of
ancient Celtic saints and seeks the renewal of the Chris-
tian Church in Britain in these days.


Ever since I first made contact with the Community in
early 2004, I personally have been renewed by five re-
treats at the Open Gate. So it is a thrill for me to serve
where I have been truly blessed and nurtured in my life
in Jesus. I have informed the small staff that I promise to
be there June and July, and I hope I can do longer. They
will have me preparing rooms for guests, cleaning toilets,
changing bed sheets, doing meal preparation, and being
available to help in any way people who stop by. I will be
working with a hostess and a couple who are the wardens.
For more information on the Open Gate and the Commun-
ity, see their website: < http://www.aidanandhilda.org/>.


Holy Island/Lindisfarne is a tidal island on the east coast
of England, just below the Scottish-English border. There
is a causeway between the island and the mainland that
is open for roughly six hours two times during every 24-
hour period. It has become a place of modern-day Chris-
tian pilgrimage because Christianity was brought by mis-
sionary monks from Iona to the island in northern Eng-
land in the sixth century. During the second half of the Sec-
ond millennium many Celtic Christian women and men
ministered from there, taking the Gospel all over Scotland,
England, and Wales. So, it really is a holy place. Further-
more, it has gained a reputation as a place to watch birds.
It truly is a great place to be.

Volunteering with the Open Gate is a great way for me to
make the best use of my time while I wait to see what will
happen with me and the Church of Scotland. . I have a signi-
ficant interview with the Church of Scotland next week. I
hope I can gain a better sense of what lies in store for me
as I continue in the process. I have no idea what the next
few months will be like or where I will be. But at least I
know what my next step is, and that means a lot to me. I
want to be active in a ministry while I wait. There is the ad-
ded benefit that I won't have to pay for housing or food be-
cause the Open Gate will provide that for me. Plus Holy Is-
land will be a great environment to work on my thesis. I am
ever more grateful that I have more time to work on it. I
have ideas pouring into my mind. It is fun!


I am enjoying how my summer is shaping up during this
transition time from university research to parish ministry.
A week ago I was anxious about my immediate future; I did
not see anything taking shape. But now I am taking my first
step. As always, I covet your prayers.


All the best, and blessings to you and yours,

Failures, Disappointments, and Challenges

I've been thinking a lot about the failures, disappointments,
and challenges that I've experienced over the course of my
life. My experiencing them has contributed to my growth as
a Christian man. Although it would be a stretch to consider
the viva result a failure, it was a disappointment and a chal-
lenge after all the time and work I've spent here in St. An-
drews. But the disappointment and the challenges have
only motivated me to grow deeper in both heart and mind.

I have heard it said that championship athletic teams be-
come better through losses; that successful business man-
agers learn from business failures; that the most gifted
writers often have seasons of their labor being rejected for
publication; and that life's most glorious times often come
out of the darkest moments. I cannot say that I interpret
the viva results as a great loss, a failure, a rejection, or a
dark night of my soul. Nor is it a disappointment that will
get me down and depressed. Rather I see it as a challenge
to use up to a year to interact more with Orlando Costas
whom I spent so much time researching. The interaction
with his theology of mission is what I sensed I needed to
do, but had not done by the time my academically allotted
time ran out. Now I do have that official time to do what I
need and want to do.

I must admit that I do feel wounded. But also I have heard
it said that woundedness yields godly character, especially
wisdom. That is what I most desire. May it be so.

As always, I covet your prayers. Blessings to you and
yours,

Hey, Hey, I Really Am OK! Eh?

The Canadians have a wonderful way of employing 'eh'
with just the right tone and timing when talking. The
Scots also have their own distinct way of using 'aye' in
their speech. The desired response by the hearer of
said 'eh' or 'aye' is to trust what the speaker has just
said. When I employ 'eh' (I couild have used 'aye') in
the title above, I am asking you, dear reader, to trust
me when I state that I am OK with the results of the
viva. In fact, I welcome the opportunity to continue to
work on my thesis for a bit longer.

I am not mentally quick; I ponder, wrestle, labor, and
struggle to think well. I have never learned things quick-
ly, and so I rarely do things right the first few times. In
terms of mental activity I am a tortoise, and not a hare;
a hotair balloon, and not a jet airplane; a crockpot, and
not a microwave oven. I hope I am more like an aged
fine wine one savors with a good meal than instant cof-
fee gulped down in the morning. I remember times long
ago when l would race ahead of my mother and look way
back to see her slowly making her way to our common
destination. Well, my thinking is like my mother's walk-
ing: sooner or later my thinking gets me to the desired
location.

Even though I feel disappointed about the outcome
of the viva, and because I am a crockpot-type think-
er, I actually welcome the opportunity to do some
more work on my thesis for re-submission. My the-
sis is like a good meal in the crockpot that smells
ready to eat. However, after having tasted it, I rea-
lize it still needs a little more time in the crockpot.
But boy, do I look forward to enjoying it when it
has cooked a bit longer. All the ingredients are
there; it is just going to need a little more time in
the crockpot.

Having the degree of PhD is not as important to me
as having had the chance to study and reflect on Or-
lando Costas, the topic of my research. I am appre-
ciative that my two readers maintained high stan-
dards and did not just wave my thesis through.
Their comments were useful and challenging. Be-
cause of that I hope to have a much better thesis
to resubmit.

Blessings to you and yours, the Crackpot Crockpot

Today's the Day!

Today is the day of my viva, and I am ready to get on with
it! I have spent the last ten days preparing for this day after
not having touched the thesis since it was submitted in Jan-
uary. I look forward to critical feedback on what I worked
hard on for four years. I am eager to get into the viva.

I had a good rest last night and woke up refreshed. Soon I
will head off to Morning Prayer at the University Chapel,
and then go for a walk along the North Sea, have pancakes
and hot chocolate at the North Point (a hangout of mine),
and then probably take a little nap. I don't know what
I'll do yet after that. The viva is scheduled for 2:30. I'll
try to remember to post the outcome of the viva some
time tonight.

All the best,

It's Time for Viva Time!

Well, in less than 24 hours I will have gone through my viva
and heard the outcome of the oral defense of my thesis. I am
experiencing a great sense of peace that will abide with me re-
gardless of the outcome of the defense. If there are things I
still need to work on, I want to hear it; if my thesis stands up
to the panel, I want to hear the affirmation. Regardless of what
happens, I believe I win both ways.

I have been learning a lot reading my thesis through several
times and I am making new connections as a result. I worked
hard on the thesis for four years and received the word from
my supervisor to submit it. I really enjoy reading my thesis
and I look forward to the viva tomorrow. I actually hope to
have some fun during it. I want to discuss my argument with
two scholars whom I respect. There are times when I feel
like my stomach is in my throat; but most of the time I am
eager to be in the viva discussing what has become very im-
portant to me.

So, Wednesday, the 14th of May, at 2:30, is a date and a
time I will long remember.

All the best to you and yours,

Viva Time: It's Getting Closer!

May 14th no longer seems so far away. It's only a few more
days until my oral examination, and I continue to read through
my thesis to prepare myself for the viva. I have not read
closely some parts of it for nearly two years now. I enjoy
reading what I've written and my argument seems to be
sustained until the end of the thesis. I am confident in what
I have written. By that I do not mean that I expect no neg-
ative criticism. What it does mean is that I want to hear
comments about both the good and the bad aspects of my
work. I expect that my two readers will be forthright with
me so that I can be better at doing written research like
this. It is a privilege to have two scholarly readers taking
considerable time to pay close attention to what I've writ-
ten, take my research seriously, and give me critical feed-
back. That's what I want. So I am eager to get on with it.

But it is the time after the May 14th viva that worries me.
I'm planning to move out of university housing at the end
of May and I don't have anywhere to go yet. At that point
I am no longer a student protected by the University and
I am not yet in a relationship with the Church of Scotland.
One possibility has not worked out as I had hoped. I feel
vulnerable. It is like the time is at hand when I have to
jump from a place of security. The problem is that I do not
see any place to jump to. Again I have to learn the lesson
of trusting God in all this. As usual, I covet your prayers
on my behalf regarding this concern.

All the best to you and yours,

One Week Until V-Day!

It is 6pm on Wednesday, May 7th. At this time one week
from today I should be out of my viva (oral examination for
my PhD thesis). For some time now I've been committing
the viva and my two readers to the Lord Jesus. So whether
i t passes with distinction, or I'm assigned to do some more
work on it, or even if it should fail, I'll know it is of the Lord.
I am eager to discuss my research with two very able Chris-
tian theologians. I want their feedback and their critical
comments. I have put so much into this thesis, but my iden-
tity and self-worth are not wrapped up in my project. As I
recently have been reading through my thesis, I have grown
more confident in what I have written. I really look forward
to critical feedback on my work. I want to know whether I
am on track or whether I have gotten bogged down some-
place. During the next week I have planned to study my
thesis carefully so that I am prepared to defend it before
the panel of two scholars. I am really looking forward to it!
I ask for your prayers.

As for my transfer of ordination to the Church of Scotland,
things are moving faster than I had expected. A few days
ago I was informed that everything that I had submitted
to the Church of Scotland was in order. Yesterday I was
asked to appear before a subcommittee of the Ministry
Council on June 5th. That's really good.

As usual, I ask for your prayers.

God's blessings on you and yours,

A Quick Posting

On April 30th I began preparing for my viva-my
oral defense. I haven't touched my thesis or thought
about it much since I submitted it on January 21.
But I planned to begin reading it carefully two weeks
before my viva. It is close, less than two weeks away,
and I am enjoying getting back into it. I'll plan on
reading it through three times before I defend it.
I'm on the seventh of nine chapters of the first read-
ing of the thesis . I am very satisfied with what I
have written and don't see anything I could have
done differently. I will write more later on the viva
and my thesis.


Meanwhile I have been busy volunteering at a near-
by Christian bookstore and coffeeshop. I had been
putting in four to six hours a week since February.
But three weeks ago I was invited to do 12 hours
for pay. I do enjoy it, but it has really thrown my
schedule out of wack. I'm still trying to adjust to
the extra demand on my time.


I had expected that I would have more free time
once I submitted my thesis back in January. But
it seems that I have been busier than ever. I sub-
mitted all of the paperwork for the Church of Scot-
land on May 1. Getting that done and sent off was
a major ordeal for me. It took up a lot of my time
and energy over the past three months. Now I am
spending considerable time preparing for my viva.


One thing I enjoy is talking with people. The past
three weeks have been especially rich with planned
and unplanned conversations. I spend a lot of time
reflecting on those chats in my journal as well. I
have really enjoyed the conversations, but I ne-
glected keeping up with the blog.


If you do remember me in your prayers, please pray
for my transition time from St. Andrews to wherever
I go with the Church of Scotland. I am no longer con-
sidered a student at the University, and right now I
have no place to go. I have no idea how long the pro-
cess with the Church of Scotland will take, so it is
hard to make any plans. I want to be able to meet
with them as soon as they call. I don't know my next
step yet, so I would appreciate your prayers for the
Lord's guidance, provision, and protection.


I will keep you updated.

Under Orders

I admit it: I've been struggling for the past few weeks, if not
longer. I am firmly convinced that God's orders for me are
to remain in Scotland for the time being as a minister with
the Church of Scotland. That's all I know. I don't see any-
thing specific beyond that. I'm under orders. But I would
rather be going elsewhere other than Scotland.

I am reminded that I have pledged myself to God, that I
would go wherever He sent me, and that I was, and am, un-
der orders. I've had four marvelous years in St. Andrews,
Scotland: I treasure the people I've met, the places I've vis-
ited, and the things I've done. I was anticipating that I would
soon be leaving Scotland with happy memories and on my
way to the next destination in life and ministry. But my or-
ders are to stay and not go. I am under orders. But I desire
to go someplace else other than stay here.

Even though I am under orders, I take small opportuni-
ties to resist taking the necessary steps to complete the pro-
cess of transferring my ordination from the Presbyterian
Church (USA) to the Church of Scotland. I do everything
that I can in order to evade doing what I need to do to sub-
mit the application. Rather than working on the application,
I read books, volunteer six hours a week at the Christian cof-
fee and bookshop nearby, chat spontaneously with people as
long as I can, meet with friends to watch sports events, clean
my room and office, and do countless other things. But when
it comes to the application, all I do is drag my feet. I don't
really want to stay here in Scotland; I'd rather go someplace
else. But than I remember that I am under orders.

And so I ask (but only if you want to) that you would remem-
ber me in your prayers, that I would willingly and joyfully live
and serve under orders.

Blessings to you and yours,

Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!

I am still savoring the lingering flavor of a marvelous Holy
Week here in St. Andrews. During the past week I saw,
heard, tasted, smelled, and touched the Gospel of the Death
and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in ways that I
have rarely experienced before. It was a special week for
me, one that I will not soon forget.


Holy Week began at a Palm Sunday service at Holy Trinity,
my home church here in St. Andrews. It is a large Church
of Scotland parish church for the town. A large turnout pro-
cessed around the ancient church. As is my usual custom,
Monday through Friday I joined with two to five others for
the short Morning Prayer at the ancient University Chapel.
For Holy Week we prepared for Good Friday and Resurrec-
tion Sunday by reading from John 18-19. On Wednesday
there was Evensong and on Thursday evening, Compline.
These activities that I attend throughout the University
academic year helped me to prepare myself for Good Fri-
day and Resurrection Sunday.


Starting Thursday, I attended five services at a very liturgi-
cal Scottish Episcopal Church in town. Each service was a dra-
matic reading of Scripture that focused on one event in the
last few days of Christ's life. It was a very moving time for
me when I was able to focus on the passion, death, and Res-
urrection of Jesus Christ. For Maundy Thursday there was
a Solemn Eucharist of the Lord's Supper and a moving Strip-
ping of the Altar. Early on Good Friday there was a short
service when we meditated on the Stations of the Cross. Our
salvation, lives, and resurrections were seen in the light of
the Cross of Christ.


A highlight for me was the evening service of the Good Friday
Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion. The central theme of the
service was the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion as por-
trayed in John's Gospel. We ended the service by taking part
in the Lord's Supper. Saturday morning I attended a short
service that reflected on Christ's crucified body being laid in
the tomb, awaiting the Resurrection on the third day. The
highpoint for me was the late Saturday night Solemn Euchar-
ist of the Easter Vigil. It began with a service of light of a can-
dle that was brought into the darkened sanctuary and used
to light the candles of the congregation. Then we listened to
Scripture readings about God's great acts of creation and re-
demption. This was followed by a personally meaningful re-
newal of our baptismal vows. The service ended early Eas-
ter morning with the celebration of the Lord's Supper.


I did not get to bed until around 2am on Sunday morning.
I had planned to get up early for a very moving Sunrise ser-
vice put on by the area churches that I have attended in
Easters past. But when my alarm clock went off, I decided
not to go. I felt content to continue to rest in what God had
done through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I
did get up in time to attend a wonderful Easter service at
Holy Trinity. An Easter lunch with a good friend, a long nap,
and time to read and journal concluded a special Holy Week
that culminated in a glorious Resurection Sunday.


Easter Blessings to you and yours,

Viva the Viva! ('veeva' the 'viva')

Recently I was informed that my 'viva' will take place at
2:30, Wednesday, 14 May 2008. At that time I will meet
with an academic from St Mary's College, my school, and a
British academic who specializes in my field of research, the
theology of mission. They have agreed already to take part
in it. I will be examined orally by the two readers on my the-
sis for one to three hours. Based on my defense of the argu-
ment, they will determine whether my work is up to PhD
standards. My advisor, whom I have worked with for the
past four years, would not have allowed me to progress to
this stage unless he was confident that my thesis was ready.
I am confident as well, and am eager to receive feedback on
my work from two scholars I respect deeply. My only wish
is that it were taking place much earlier than 14 May.


In blog postings to come I will share more about my readers
and the viva process. I would appreciate you remembering
me in your prayers.


All the best to you and yours, Jeff T.

Bowel Movements of Nursing New Borns

The other day I went downstairs to the Common Room to
eat my lunch. I encountered three of my fellow Divinity PhD
colleagues having a lively and intense discussion. I soon rea-
lized it was not about weighty matters of theology or bibli-
cal studies, but about the critically important issues of chil-
dren and parents. One of them was seriously concerned
that his breast-fed, three-weeks-old, first born daughter
had not 'pooped' for 24 hours after feeding. The mid-twen-
ty-something new father was worried that something was
terribly wrong, and was consulting with two fellow mid-
twenty-something colleagues who had both recently gone
through this whole process. With great interest I listened
as the experienced two asked him questions and offered
their advice. The next day he announced that a close
friend, a medical doctor in the US, had confirmed the ad-
vice the other two had given him.



It was exciting to see that there are certain things in life
that are more important than our academic pursuits ever
could be.


Blessings to you and yours,

A Late February Update

It has been five weeks since I submitted my thesis, but still
there is no date set for my oral examination that must be
convened before April 21. Meanwhile I try to keep the shape
of the day that I had before I finished my thesis, but without
the intensity and stress. I continue with Morning Prayer on
weekdays and the North Point a couple times a week. I am
usually in my office from 9:30 or so in the morning until 8:00
in the evening, leaving my office often to eat meals, run er-
rands, go for a walk, and nap, a gift from God.

There are plenty of things for me to do each day. I have dis-
ciplined myself to read through Psalms and Proverbs each
month and to work through the whole Bible in five or six
months. I have people whom I remember in prayer. If I neg-
lect this spiritual discipline in my life, I get discouraged and
run down. I am working hard to respond to all the letters
and emails that I have neglected since the summer. I am
reading Robert Kaplan's Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts,
Stephen Lawhead's The Iron Lance, and Christopher Wright's
The Mission of God. Also I am correcting a colleague's doc-
toral thesis and volunteering four hours a week at a Chris-
tian coffeeshop and bookstore nearby. Considerable time is
spent filling out all the paperwork for the admission process
to the Church of Scotland. I am beginning to dismantle my of-
fice desk and bedroom in preparation for the next task God
has given me to do.

Overall, it is a pleasant time to be in, but I am eager to move
on to the next stage in my life. Please keep me in your thoughts
and prayers.

All the best to you and yours, Jeff T.

Compline Splendor

I recently came to recognize compline as one of the unex-
pected jewels of my time here in St. Andrews. It is one of
the little-known diamonds of this ancient university town.
Ever since I first arrived here in the fall of 2003, compline
has been a special part of my life as a divinity student. At-
tending the 10pm compline service every Thursday of term
at the little St. Leonard's Chapel became a weekly routine
that I rarely missed.


The ancient Christian order of compline is a quiet service of
reflection before rest at the end of the day. The word comes
from the Latin word for completion. The 25-minute service
is a rich blend of crying out to God and hearing God's prom-
ises through spoken and sung Scripture. It is composed of
an introit, several blessings, a confession of sin, a congrega-
tional hymn, a choral anthem, prayer for protection through
the night, a confession of faith, and a committal of one's self
into God's hands. It ends with three minutes of silence fol-
lowed by people leaving quietly. Compline is a time of rest
for me because I lay aside the busyness of my life and enter
into God's Story. I am reminded of the ways God has guided
me, provided for me, and protected me. I hear again of God's
unrelenting redeeming love that will never let me go. Com-
pline is my weekly anchorage in a haven of rest.


Last Thursday, the seventh of February, I looked forward
to crowning my birthday with compline. The simple chapel,
constructed around 1450, was lit by the glow of candles
placed around the interior walls. The stalls of seating hold
no more than sixty people and face one another across a cen-
tral aisle. There was a steady stream of students entering
and finding seats in the back section of the chapel. In the
stalls up front fifteen or so students decked out in their red
academic robes made up the choir. The organist, usually an
advanced student organist, was setting the mood for the ser-
vice. I felt like I was at home and I was content to wait for
the service to start.

It was just a few minutes until starting time when I noticed
that the appointed minister for the night had not arrived. I
also observed that the choir director and the university mu-
sic director were discussing something. Then they looked at
me. Before I could fret and bolt, the music director was in
front of me asking whether I would be so kind as to take
charge of compline. I gulped, said yes, and moved over to
the minister's seat. The choir director gave me a list of the
music that would be part of the service. Before I knew it,
the choir was singing the introit. I announced the choral
music and the hymn that we would soon be singing. And
then we were off in the majestic beauty of compline.

It is my fourth year of attending compline, so I was confi-
dent about what I needed to do. I have always desired to
lead compline, but I never expected that I would have the
opportunity to direct God's people in compline in such an
ancient place of prayer. I felt like a director who is charged
with bringing order to the interaction of a choir and chorus.
I used my voice to set mood and tempo, thus guiding the
people through the beautifully crafted liturgy. It gave me
great joy to do that! Before I knew it, we had entered into
the three minutes of silence. And then I left refreshed, ready
for my nightly rest.

Blessings to you and yours

The North Point

For over two years Morning Prayer and the North Point
have been the keystones of my weekday morning routine.
I wrote about the former in a previous blog. The latter is a
small coffee shoppe in town where I do my journeying and
journaling du jour. Every weekday at 8:45 I go to Morning
Prayer at the University Chapel. By 9:05 I am usually down
the street sitting in at the North Point and cradling a hot choc-
olate or Fair Trade mocha in my hands. I have been attend-
ing the prayer time for over four years now, but only in the
last two years has my North Point time become a part of my
morning ritual.


Like the University Chapel, the North Point has become, to
a great extent, sacred space for me. In the morning I usu-
ally put in an hour or more of work at the office before tak-
ing a break that begins with prayer in the Chapel. My time
at the North Point has become the continuation of a daily
mini-Sabbath that begins with the earlier prayer time. Morn-
ing Prayer and drinking a mocha have become essential
morning activities of my weekday routine.

The North Point Coffee Shoppe is a small place crammed
with six two-seat tables, two three-seaters, three stools by
the window, and six tables that seat four people. The Hap-
py Hour was what first drew me to the North Point and
what continues to attract me there now. For the price of
one British pound (about $2US) I have a place where I can
sit, write, talk, and enjoy a good hot drink until I leave at
9:45 or so. Not many people are there at 9am when I usu-
ally take a place at one of the two-seat tables. There is a
quietness then that comforts me and soothing music that
makes me feel at home. By the time I leave, there is a con-
stant stream of people coming and going. I'm always as-
tounded at the thunderous sound of three dozen or so peo-
ple talking at the same time, all compressed into such a
small place.

A place and a time to journal my life journey while sipping
on a Happy Hour hot chocolate are what I like best about
my North Point routine. By journaling I chronicle and reflect
on people I meet, conversations I have, movies I see, things
I do, books I read, thoughts that emerge in my mind, and
insights that occur to me. It is a personal way that I signal
to God that I am paying attention to what He is doing and
whom He brings into my life. It helps me to take God seri-
ously in everything I do. And there are times I enjoy rich
conversations with friends, colleagues, and people I just hap-
pen to meet in the North Point. At other times I tune out
everything around me and read from a good book. There
have been occasions when all I have done is just sit there
doing nothing. The North Point has become a refuge for me.

Whereas some form of morning prayer is a discipline that
I will exercize for the rest of my life, my North Point rou-
tine is not. For the past two years in St. Andrews it has been
a wonderful ritual and an important part of my life. But it is
temporary. Soon the time will come when I will leave St.
Andrews. I will no longer enter the North Point; the Hap-
py Hours will become deeply cherished memories. But un-
til that time comes, I will continue to enjoy the journeying
and journaling du jour at the North Point.

Blessings to you and yours

Morning Prayer

With the submission of my thesis I have stopped the daily
routine of reading, writing, and editing that characterized
four years of doctoral research. But there is one routine I
continue even though my academic program has finished:
weekday Morning Prayer at the University Chapel. It has
been the foundation of my time here at the University of
St. Andrews. It gave focus, perspective, and shape to my
scholarly endeavors here.


Ever since the end of September, 2003, I have set aside ten
minutes starting at 8:45 of every weekday of the academic
term for Morning Prayer at the University Chapel. Over
the years a small group of as many as eight academic staff
and students have met for a short time of praise, prayer,
and Scripture reading. Usually it has been just the univer-
sity chaplain and myself. Sometimes I am the only one
there. But I sense the presence of the Lord no matter the
number of us in attendance.

The setting is the splendid majesty of the University Chapel
that has been revered as a place of prayer since 1450. I am
always soothed by the sanctity and peacefulness that per-
vades the place. The central aisle leading to the communion
table and pulpit is flanked by two sets of five rows of seating
that face one another. So we proclaim alternate verses of the
psalm of the day to the persons facing us across the aisle.
There are a variety of fixtures around us that bear testi-
mony to the faith of women and men through the ages.


Before I came here I made a vow to the Lord that I would
set Him at the center of my life in academia. I wanted to be
nurtured and supported in my scholarly journey by prayer
and God's Word. Without God at the center of my life, every-
thing I did would have been pure vanity. I came to Morning
Prayer every weekday that I was able. I needed it day by
day just as much as I needed three square meals a day. Ac-
tually, I realized that I could get by without eating for a day.
But Morning Prayer was not as easy to miss. It provided
order to my day and put whatever I did in proper perspec-
tive. I felt out of sync whenever I missed it. That is why I
went to Morning Prayer just before I submitted my thesis.
My work did not make any sense unless it was seen from
God's perspective and done to His glory.


Over the past two years I have realized I was called to join
with others in prayer at the very heart of the university.
Christian scholarship must be coupled with praise and prayer.
Without those two, our academic endeavors are misinformed
and deformed. The latter is evident everywhere I look in aca-
demia. Furthermore, I have sensed-and I may be wrong
here-that St. Andrews, both the town and the university,
has been the ancient spiritual center of Scotland. And so as
I have discerned that I am called to contribute to the renew-
al of God's people in Scotland, it has become imperative for
me to join with others in praying at Scotland's spiritual
heart. Morning Prayer has been for me four years of being
prepared for ministry here in Scotland as well as providing
the foundation for my doctoral research.


As always, I ask you to please entrust me to God in prayer.


Blessings to you and yours

Yes, I Know, the Pats Lost the Super Bowl

I was cheering for my favorite American football team, the
New England Patriots, to win the Super Bowl, be only the
second team in National Football League history to com-
plete an entire season undefeated, and be crowned as per-
haps the greatest football team in NFL history. But as I
was slowly waking up early this morning I was informed by
a distinctly British accented BBC news presenter that, in-
deed, the New York Giants had beaten the previously unde-
feated New England Patriots, 17-14. I spent the rest of the
morning moaning and groaning.

The latest Super Bowl pitted the overwhelmingly favored
New England team, MY team, against the feisty, spunky,
and upstart New York Giants. No one even considered that
the Pats could be beaten, especially in their fourth Super
Bowl in seven years. But it was a setup for an upset, and the
Giants pulled off a giant victory for the ages. It wasn't ex-
actly the news I had wanted to hear. But hey, life goes on.
I have a lot of things I need to do.

All the best.

Is There Life after Completing the PhD Thesis?

Yes, there is life after submission, but it is still rather hec-
tic. Ever since I submitted on 21 January, I have had sev-
eral things on my mind. Mind you, I have been making ev-
ery effort to decompress from the final submission run: I've
taken long naps, been sleeping in, and reading fun stuff, too.
But I haven't been able to slack off too much.

Just because I have submitted my PhD thesis does not mean
that I have my PhD. By 21 April 2008, I have to defend the
argument of my thesis to two academics who know my field
of research, the theology of mission. Based on a close reading
of my thesis, they will determine whether I am granted a PhD
degree or not. I am still waitng to hear the date of my oral de-
fense and will write more about this when I know more.

For the past week I have been working on extending my stu-
dent visa that expires at the end of January. Since I have sub-
mitted my thesis, I have found that I am on shaky ground
as a student. Despite my flimsy status, I have been advised
to present my case for an extension. However I still have to
be prepared to return to the USA for a brief time if those ef-
forts fail. I'll keep you posted.

The biggest news for me is that a committee of the Church
of Scotland has assessed my qualifications and experience as
a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and determined
that I meet their criteria for entering a process of transfering
my ordination from the PC(USA) to the Church of Scotland.
I discern a strong calling from the Lord to remain in Scotland
as both a scholar and minister. Even though I have no idea
how that will work itself out, I can do no other than plan to
stay in Scotland for the time being as a minister in the Church
of Scotland. I covet your prayers and will keep you informed
as the process unfolds.

While I have these three crucial items to attend to, I eagerly
await time to decompress in the near future.

Blessings and peace to all of you.

Three Things I Did Before I Submitted the thesis

The process of researching, writing, and submitting my PhD
thesis has been my sole focus for over four years now. I came
here for no other reason and I committed myself to accom-
plishing the task. I rid mysef of anything that hindered me
from completing such an undertaking.

I have identified three routines that helped me to carry out
this process: a rhythm of daily morning prayer, regular
times of journaling at a local coffee shoppe, and frequent
walks on a nearby bluff that overlooks the North Sea.
Those three were foundational during my four years here.
Without them my life would have been disordered, dis-
tressed, and in disarray. They helped me to keep in relation-
ship with the Lord, to be in touch with myself, to connect
with people, and to enjoy the finer things of life.

Last Monday, just a couple days ago, the 90,ooo plus words
of my thesis were stored in my memory stick ready to be
printed out on paper. Since I had over an hour before the
printing office opened I did what I have done for most of my
four years here. I took a brisk walk along the top of the bluffs
and was re-energized by the fresh air. I remembered concerns
I had expressed to God and was reminded of God's lovingkind-
ness and faithfulness. Then it was time for morning prayer at
the University Chapel. Since it was Monday,I was the only one
there. But I knew I was not alone. I went over to the coffee
shoppe for a hot chocolate. I was too excited to journal, but I
shared with a friend, a fellow PhD student, that I was submit-
ting within the hour. When the printing office opened, I had
three copies of the thesis printed out. Within an hour they were
delivered to the college office.

It was important to me to do those three things because they
had been so foundational to my life here. Now that the thesis
has been submitted I probably will never go back to it the way
I had done. But I will always do some variation of each of the
three things I did before I submitted. I'll share more about
each of those in future postings.

Peace and blessings in Jesus to you and yours.

Birth Announcement

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

It's a PhD thesis!

Name: 'The Ecumenical Third World Missiology
of Orlando E. Costas'

Delivered by Jeff Tippner
St. Mary's College office, University of St. Andrews

10:30 am, Monday, 21 Jan. 08

Length: 243 pages

Weight: 90,000 words, 946 footnotes

Thesis has no hair and does not cry!

Godfather: Prof. Mario Aguilar

Both thesis and postgrad student are doing well