Apparently I have "slammed" my colleague from St Mary's Cathedral. You have to hate the Sun, don't you? All they did was pick up the Scotland on Sunday story. They didn't speak to me and I suspect the same is true for Kelvin. Mind you, he's quite pleased with his photograph.
See here.
Think I need to learn to say, "No comment", because it really doesn't matter to the world what our pastoral concerns are....the press simply want a story where people take sides.
I'm not into this kind of campaigning and wish we could just shut up about the subject. Pushing it causes division.......
It's an amazing thing: texting, twittering and blogging have all played an enormous part in what has been happening in Iran. It's clear why the powers-that-be are so nervous about modern technology. It is just too difficult for the state to control everything. That must be good news.
We've had a busy Sunday, with the morning service being followed by our Annual General Meeting. One vestry member re-elected, and three excellent new members, all of whom are women, so we'll do ok when the Scottish Episcopal Church does its gender audit in the wake of the General Synod this week. It means we have a full complement on the vestry for the first time in a while. This time of year always leaves me feeling humbled by the immense capabilities and gifts of the staff and people of St Silas'. And that God continues to provide all we need........
The West End Festival kicked off across the road this afternoon, so we had plenty of visitors this evening wanting to use our loos (tip to all welcomers: the answer to the question, "Can I use your toilet?" is always, "Yes! You are welcome!"). One of these visitors came up with a new mission statement that I'd love to use on our noticeboard outside, but fear it might break a decency law or two. When we suggested he was welcome to use the toilet, he replied, "Aye, Jesus welcomes every c***!"
We got some visitors tonight who came because of the service being in the Festival programme. It was good to welcome them and we chatted for a long time. One recently arrived American, married to a Glaswegian and living in Glasgow, told me how negative towards Americans she had found people here. "Go home!", she had been told many times. It saddens me whenever such things happen because of a national government's actions. People are people, and that kind of general racism makes me angry.
The evening was rounded off by an invitation to visit the home of a someone who came in for help at the end of the most excellent "Deeper" service. Five of us had to make sure she got home alright but the task was carried out with joy.
Very tired and feeling unwell after a busy week and a sleepless night, but today has been encouraging in so many ways.
On Monday I had the pleasure of working with colleagues on drawing up a profile of the diocese in preparation for the Diocesan Synod on June 20th, where the long process of electing a new bishop for Glasgow and Galloway will begin. It felt like a good meeting.
On Tuesday, I visited the new home of Glasgow City Mission (of which I am a Director). The building is due to be completed this month. It's a superb purpose-built facility with a gymn, computing and artistic facilities. The main offices will be based on the third floor with the first two floors housing the facilities that will serve the neediest people of Glasgow. Andrew Lowe, the Chief Executive and his team have done a tremendous job on the project. It gave me a flavour of what we might face at St Silas' in the coming year when we start building our new hall. Exciting!
Today after meeting with our staff, it was a meeting with the Gibson Street Gala committee. This community event takes place on the 21st June and is part of the West End Festival. St Silas' will be open all day making a contribution to the activities. We need to find a few responsible people to steward the activities for children which the committee have organised. Any takers?
GV boy completed his schooling today, as he sat his last exam. I took him out to celebrate by seeing Terminator Salvation (get the irony?).
I have to spend considerable time in Edinburgh over the next ten days. I haven't been there much since 1995 when we moved to Glasgow, so I'm looking forward to it.
First up is a meeting of the Scottish Episcopal Evangelical Fellowship tomorrow at St Thomas', Corstorphine. We've finally called people together after not meeting for three or four years. It will be good to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.
Next Tuesday is this conference at P's & G's. I'm excited about the conference content, but also because I'll be visiting the church where I was a curate back in the eighties. I haven't seen the new facilities yet, but will enjoy doing so soon.
It's back to Edinburgh for General Synod Thursday-Saturday of next week. After twenty-one years of ordained ministry, I am finally going to be a fresher at Synod. Someone suggested to me the other day that I must have drawn the short straw. What have I let myself in for, I wonder?
It was a joy to have Rima with us in church tonight, having been returned safely to Glasgow yesterday. Many thanks to everyone who has prayed and shown such concern.
Her case now goes to judicial review, so our concerns for her remain very real.
Apparently because the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meets tonight as a court of law, the proceedings won't be broadcast on the internet. It is strange then that there will be a public gallery and overflow into the Rainey Hall, so that some people will be able to observe the debate case.
It seems at least possible that the bureaucracy are concerned that whichever way the debate goes, there will be embarassment, hence the lack of broadcast. Maybe they are worried about people walking out? I doubt that very many on either side of the debate will do that.
I note too that mobile phones are to be switched off, which must be designed to stop people using Twitter or blogging. There might also be a possible motion to stop people talking about the subject if some sort of listening commission or study group is set up which will report in two years. In other words, there won't be a lot of transparency evident.
Some questions:
What is it with the Church - why do we feel the need to obfuscate and prevaricate?
Are laptops with mobile connections allowed in tonight's proceedings? If so, will anyone live blog?
Will the overture from Skye and Lochcarron be webcast (assuming of course that it doesn't get torpedoed during the day)?
Update: The Skye and Lochcarron Overture will be webcast though it is likely to be very late in the day, or possibly into Sunday morning?.
Good news this evening when Alison called to say that Rima's deportation has been cancelled. I was sitting at the Strangers Bar on the bank of the Thames when the call came and had just been talking about Rima's situation with an MP. He commented that asylum seekers are briefed to hook up with churches as they will aid their cause and to destroy their papers so that age and background are more difficult to discern. He also suggested the problem in this country is that for the last twelve years our immigration policy has been too open. Frankly, that hasn't been my experience, but what do I know? I still think we need to be generous and compassionate, pursuing procedures as far as they can be taken before anyone is deported.
I watched the large Tamil demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament. I am sad for their plight, yet know that the LTTE tactics were as shameful as the Sri Lankan government's. It's hard to know what to think or what to pray for. Magnanimity and reconciliation?
Morale at Westminster seems very low. I listened to a government whip exhort my blogging MP friend to fight back and not to be miserable about what is happening. Senior politicians, like some church leaders, don't like bloggers because they give an alternative voice, hence the whip's concern. My impression is that the government now has a bunker mentality and is out of touch with how people are feeling. They simply can't or won't see how bad this situation is. It is like the dying days of empire.
It was said to me this evening, "I don't want everyone to look at me and think that I'm a crook". No wonder MP's are feeling low. My friend's expenses will be published in a Scottish paper over the next few days as he has made them available. Tonight, I''ll sleep in his second home, a very modest former council flat in Pimlico. I don't think he has a moat or duck house to his name.
My central thought as I go to bed is that we need to pray for our MPs more now than ever. Maybe the current crisis will cause a few to consider their spiritual state, and those who have had integrity will need our ongoing support and encouragement.
Watch the Church of Scotland General Assembly live (surely that's an oxymoron?), courtesy of the techie crew from St Andrew's, Boness. Might be especially interesting to watch on Saturday evening? Keeping the Kirk in prayer.........
I'm enroute to London via Virgin Trains Pendolino service. They used to say, "Let the train take the strain", and so far it's been stress-free. The outward ticket was only £10 extra for First Class, so I had to do it, didn't I? It won't be like this tomorrow night when I return in cattle class (First Class is an extra £100 for the return journey). Anyway, wifi, food and drink are all included and there are only two other people in the carriage. I quite like chatting to strangers on journeys, but I'll have to save that for tomorrow.
Tonight I hope to dine with, and stay in the second home of an MP. It should be a fascinating time to hear about the doings of our parliamentarians. Michael Martin's resignation is something of a sadness to me. I've had some business with him over the years, mainly to do with members of the congregation with immigration issues. On the whole, I've found him to be helpful. However, he does not come over well publicly and his outbursts over the expenses issue sealed his fate. What remains to be seen is how parliament clean up their act. I had my hair cut yesterday and the cutters were very angry indeed. When I said I might see an MP tomorrow, they invited me to give him a good kicking from them. I explained that I couldn't possibly do that. No wonder Gordon Brown is ruling out an autumn election.......
Rima has been moved to England, thus short circuiting the due legal process. I am sad and angry. The Herald has run an article. We go on praying for Rima and her friends here.
How is someone's age assessed? Can't we give people the benefit of the doubt? Or is meeting the quota of those to be kicked out all that matters? I grow increasingly dismayed at the UK's policies. We seem to be morally bankrupt in so many ways. Care and compassion - that would be my election platform.
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