Month: August 2012

This evening I’ve been with the Rector, Canon Jonathan Mason, and the Vestry of All Saints, one of our two congregations in St Andrews. It’s a special congregation with an Anglo-Catholic tradition – generations of students have ‘discovered’ the life and worship of the Scottish Episcopal Church in All Saints.

One of the most important parts of our Casting the Net movement is our Mission Action Planning. It starts with a meeting between Vestry and Bishop – this evening we had Rev Christine Fraser with us. She is one of two facilitators from the diocesan team who will work with the congregation over the next year. In about a year, we hope to see a Mission Action Plan which expresses the hopes and visions of the congregation for their future in mission

We’ve been learning all the time. My own feeling at present is that it is the process which is potentially a transformative influence on the life of the congregation. It’s two things really. It’s easy to say ‘we are all called to mission’ without having much idea of what theatre means in practice. Casting the Net and MAP have given us a language and a practical approach. The other is relational and cultural – at the heart of the Mission Action Planning process is a congregational meeting which encourages people to talk together about their faith, their congregation and their hopes. That encourages fresh voices and new agenda

I look forward to coming back for the next stage.

Another Thought for the Day for BBC Scotland.

I’ve been a bit slow about the blog. One has moods – but maybe it will change!

You struggle to get stuff to happen and it doesn’t. And then you turn your back for a moment …

They said to me that we have been trying to find a priest for the Central Fife Group of congregations – Lochgelly, Glenrothes and Leven – for four years. These are places which deserve the leadership and care of a priest. They are communities where it is really important that the Scottish Episcopal Church should be present and effectively so.

So one day the phone rang and a powerful vocational stirring brought Thomas with Cheryl and Joshua to Leven. His Service of Introduction was last night. It was a happy and encouraging moment. Our clergy were present in support – our ecumenical partners were also there and we were delighted to see them

This is what I said

Fintan O’Toole is one of Ireland’s best and bravest journalists. This is his piece in the Irish Times two days ago in response to the campaign in support of Sean Quinn.

Some of you may have heard me say that I believe that two things erode and corrode a society – moral ambiguity and weak leadership.

This stuff reminds of of how it was in the years of violence – and I hear the echo of Conor Cruise O’Brien who spoke of the ‘sneaking regarders’ – those who would neither condemn nor approve.

Ireland has today been mourning the loss of favourite author Maeve Binchy

She began her writing career as Editor of the Irish Times Women’s Page in the early ’70’s. It was a remarkable part of a great period in the life of the Irish Times. They just didn’t do the stuff which women’s journalism normally concentrated on

She moved on through Short Stories to the books for which she is best remembered – starting with Light a Penny Candle, Circle of Friends and many more.

She is remembered here for her huge personal warmth and love of people. I heard Jilly Cooper describing meeting with her as being like coming into a room with a blazing and welcoming fire.

Two very typical pieces of her writing stay with me. I thought the early short stories were the best of what she did.

I can’t remember whether it was Victoria Line or Circle Line – but she describes a rather mousey young couple who have decided to go to a wife-swapping party at the end of the line at Seven Sisters. As the train passes through each station, they become ever more apprehensive about what it might actually be like …. ‘Let’s just go home’ they say in the end

And somewhere in her journalism, he describes the experience of standing in a garden centre behind a young couple who want to buy a summer house. But they can’t quite afford it … And it begins to become difficult and distressing. You may have heard me say that in Ireland we don’t just listen in to other people’s conversations – it’s all right to join in if you want. Maeve listens in and suffers with them .. until she can bear it no longer, ‘How about a nice flowering cherry?’ she asks

A reminder of one of the reasons why Donegal is special. This is Tramore just to the west of Horn Head. But observe the sets of footprints on the sand and reflect on that story of the two sets of footprints becoming one …

The e mail from Lambeth reminded me that the Anglican Cycle of Prayer remembered us last Sunday – one of those moments when it is good to be part of something bigger. But does it make any difference .. objectively … really

To which I would say that I think it does. I surprise myself by believing implicitly in the grace of ordination – and it think it is all part of that. Beyond that, I listened to a sermon on Sunday about the Feeding of the Five Thousand – and I think it connects to the Miracles of Grace department of which Casting the Net is of course a part. And finally – for me anyway – I think it connects to the idea of vocation as a continuing journey. People sometimes misunderstand. The journey forward isn’t primarily about strategy, planning and organisation. It’s about calling and response.