The whole process leading up to the refusal of my application to re-enter Scotland
as a minister of religion is quite a story. The story begins over two years ago when
I spent four months in 2008 volunteering at a Christian retreat center in northeast
England. I will always cherish the opportunity to serve for those four months at the
center in England. But during the early weeks of that period I strongly sensed that
the Lord was calling me to remain in Scotland with the Church of Scotland (C of S).
Several colleagues who are C of S ministers had been encouraging me to transfer
my ordination from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to the C of S. I applied, was ex-
amined, analyzed, and tested, and finally invited to enter a 12-month familiarization
process to receive credentials from the C of S. With my student visa soon to expire,
I applied for a minister of religion visa. I was informed that most applications are pro-
cessed within six weeks.
Before six weeks had gone by I went to another ministry opportunity for a month. I
notified the government bureau processing my visa of the change of address and re-
ceived confirmation that the change had been received. But I did not receive my visa
or passport for over five months. After I had not heard anthing after three months I
looked for it, but to no avail. Fortunately I was able to track it from the time it left
the bureau that had processed it. Everywhere I contacted had not received my visa
papers. The short of it is that a friend of mine at my original address played detec-
tive and located my package and forwarded it up to me. It was five and a half
months since I had sent in my application for the visa. When I opened the package
I learned that my application for the visa had been refused because I had not been
in fulltime ministry for twelve continuous months within five years before I applied
for the visa.
I was downcast when I received the news of the visa refusal. The C of S had recog-
nised my ministerial credentials, but the Bureau of Immigration refused me because
I did not fit into its time scheme. I was four months into the twelve month familiariza-
tion program in which the C of S had enrolled me. I consulted an immigration lawyer
who cautioned me from appealing the decision. I made the decision to continue on
with the program to its end so that I would be able to serve in the C of S. My sense
is that it would have taken longer and been more difficult to minister in Scotland if I
had cut the process short and moved back to the USA. I continued with everything
I had been doing. In due course I completed the process, received authorization to
minister in the C of S, and accepted a call to minister at St. Fergus Parish Church.
I returned to the USA earlier this year and applied for permission to return to Scot-
land as a minister of religion. I submitted all the necessary documents and declared
that I had overstayed my visa. I hoped that those documents would outweigh the
fact of my overstay. But as you and I now know, that was not the case. I learned
that overstaying a visa is now an automatic refusal for 12 months. The Home Of-
fice of the UK had every right to do that and I have no justification for what I did.
I am not able to appeal the decision.
However, I am grateful that I can re-apply in January of next year, which I will
do whole heartedly. The people of St. Fergus Parish Church and the Presbytery
of Buchan await my arrival. I firmly believe that the time between now and then
is in the Lord's hands. I am planning to be installed as minister of that dear con-
gregation. It will only be nine months after we first planned that to take place. I
am eager to see what the Lord has in store for the people of St. Fergus and for
me in the coming months. That is exciting! I covet your prayers for the coming
months.
Blessings to you and yours,
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