http://www.bishopdavid.net Fri, 16 May 2008 23:12:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en They certainly know how to pick their hymns in the Church of Scotland. This morning began with: Just as a dry and barren land/awaits a freshening shower .... Business as usual - and business-like. Membership may have ebbed to under 500000 but income is up 21%. I've been ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=825 Yes the Church of Scotland General Assembly certainly started the way it means to go on - second line of the opening hymn at this morning's worship. It's really interesting to be here. The Assembly is an impressive, meticulously-prepared event - the public face of a strong and self-confident church. But ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=824 My Irish Times headlines by e mail this morning included one about growth in the Church of Ireland from Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent. Since I was not prepared to invest the 2 euro needed to find out what he said, I'll have to surmise ... I expect he's talking ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=823 It's been a pretty easy-going weekend out at Blogstead.  The dead septic tanks are still a slight blot on the horizon, as it were.  But we're promised movement in that area this week. We set out for 11 am in Muthill this morning.  Beautiful day .. joys of spring .. faithful ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=822 So if you think that Edinburgh is the A720 and Hermiston Gait and all that, you've missed it. The alternative Edinburgh is set out on the excellent cyclists' map provided by Spokes - the Lothian Cycle Campaign. Their website quotes President John F Kennedy as saying 'Nothing compares ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=821 I've spent the last two days at meetings in Edinburgh - it makes me thankful that I do less of that than many other people. I found myself in the middle of the Forth Bridge trying - and failing - to connect my Blackberry to Stagecoach's free wifi. ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=820 Hot, hot day today in the Synod Office as the Church in Society Committee dealt with grants. It's one of the remarkable things about the SEC that it gives quite significant amounts of support to places where the church is engaged in community. I keep wanting to explore ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=819 Like Kelvin, in the end I was glad I was there. I didn't particularly look forward to it - too much angst and too many false starts for that. So what did I learn? Hard to say really. I think the witnesses whom I listened to reminded me of the - ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=818 Always enjoy a good headline.  There's a famous example - maybe skewered by Myles of the Irish Times - lazy headlines beginning 'Bid'.  Give thanks for that patriotic Irishwoman - 'Bid to resolve decommissioning impasse - Bid to end world hunger, etc.'  Then there was the famous [and distasteful] 'Gotcha!' ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=817 I spent this evening in Stirling with the Dunblane Area Council who had joined together for an Ascension Day Eucharist.  Our Area Councils have sometimes seemed to be casting about and looking for a role - this evening they had a joint choir with all the trimmings.  Seems to me ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=815 You would think that, after all these years, I would have worked out how to pace things.  But I haven't.  I think some of it is that I still haven't come to terms with the way in which a whole day can go - a meeting in Edinburgh or the conference ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=814 Could spring have sprung at last? I came out of St Serf's, Comrie this morning into clear blue sky and warm air. The cold wind seems to have gone. The staff are beginning to bring the Blogstead croquet lawn back into commission. +Bruce and Elaine, like ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=813 I've been watching the response which has been stirred by the placing of the body of Padre Pio on display.  The protestant in me finds it all a bit difficult.  But it gets better if you step sideways and ponder the power of that kind of spirituality - the stigmata ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=812   My 'Conspiracy' comments on Bishop Devine's lecture ignited a lengthy sequence of comments - including a dialogue with Phil about the church's treatment of gay people. You may be interested in exploring that because he moved me out of the comfort zone. I thought it had reached ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=811 Average sort of day today!  Train to Edinburgh for the College of Bishops where we addressed an agenda which probably required two or three days.  Train back to Leuchars for the Institution of David Wilson at St Andrews, St Andrews - a great day for the congregation.  All sorts of ... http://www.bishopdavid.net/?p=810