GadgetVicar

A Grand Day Off

In some great company, I cycled to Loch Lomond yesterday morning. It's a lovely ride, with a few main roads to cross and short on-road section through Dumbarton. On the return, by the time we reached Dumbarton, I was very saddle sore, and opted to catch the train back to Scotstounhill. I remain a wee bit tender following such exertions.

In the evening, I had a dinner date with a beautiful young woman, who will remain nameless for fear of embarrassing her (she is family, in case you are worried!). I had a voucher to use which had been given in February - I just hadn't got round to using it. We dined at Two Fat Ladies West End. Not being in a fish-frame-of-mind, I opted for the estate of Mey fillet steak with hasselback potatoes and a red wine jus and my date went for the roast breast of chicken with tomato and chorizo. Both dishes were beautifully presented, the meat was tender and tasty and the vegetables were perfectly cooked. We loved the antique china dinnerware and individual cutlery (all sourced on Ebay, according to our waitress, Katy). For dessert, we couldn't decide, so ended up having a bit of everything (Two Fats Grand Dessert), which we simply could not finish. Our favourite was the Bramble Cheesecake, which we did manage to eat.

All-in-all, it was a grand day off.

Training, Parliament & Rima

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.

We Get To Do This

After a few days break and a Sunday off (hooray), it was back to the calling yesterday. One of the problems with this way of life is that after time off, there often comes a deluge of work, because although our fantastic team does a great job without me on Sunday, there are still some decisions and activities that I alone can engage with. Hence the deluge of emails to respond to (thirty emails sent yesterday morning), phone calls to make (nine), letters to write or dictate (four), mini-crisises to steer through (2). It's enough to make a non-administrator like me weep. Add to that the fact that this week has something of everything I get to do going on with travel to London for a meeting on Friday, a funeral to arrange on Saturday, and a guest speaker coming for the weekend who will need looking after.

On the other hand, there were things happening yesterday that go with the ministry which remind me what a privilege it all is. The praying with people before they go in for an operation; the meeting and praying with a family to discuss a funeral service; the conversation with someone inviting them to consider following Jesus Christ. I am constantly amazed: those of us in ministry, whether ordained or not, GET TO DO THIS! I was tired last night, but somehow joyful and energised.

Some verses I read yesterday:

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 Peter 4:9-11

Christmas 2008

Many of the St Silas' congregation leave Glasgow at Christmas. Anyone with an Irish background returned to the homeland. There are so many of them that I've suggested that next year they should hire a bus or two and cut down on the costs.

The absence of so many regulars leaves room for visitors. This is a joy, but it does mean the church is busy with strangers, most of whom are visiting family or friends for the holidays. Nonetheless we had joyful and peaceful services.

After the Christmas morning service, we enjoyed the usual Christmas bash. I experimented with preparing brussel sprouts, chestnuts and bacon and it worked. The parsnips in maple syrup were good too. Both sets of grandparents joined us for the Christmas feast then we drove them all  home in time for a quiet evening.

Santa and friends delivered many wonderful gifts:

Grumpy Old Men: The Secret Diary by Stewart Prebble. I knew of the TV programme, but had never watched it. Having been given the book by a self-described Grumpy Old Git (in fact he operates at Grand Master level), I now discover that I am one too! Should I fight it?

A Sony Digital Reader. Hundreds of books downloaded onto a very slim and attractive gizmo that works beautifully. A surpise birthday/Christmas treat from Ms GV

A new dressing gown in blue which means my ancient green one has been consigned to the recycling.

Yesterday found me speaking and leading at both services, but now I am on a week off. We are staying put and have plans to declutter the study and paint some woodwork. Today has been spent on the long overdue tidying of the back garden. Thirty bags of leaves and other waste. The scaffolding from the re-roof is still up, but it makes for a handy frame for attaching Christmas lights to, so we have joined the ranks of homes now displaying exterior Christmas lights. I hope we're not making someone grumpy with that.

Holy Comfort

Our walk to the falls in the Dupont Forest was good exercise amidst beautiful scenery. I'd visited before and loved the place. It's not unlike a Scottish forest trail, only a lot hotter.

We saw Tropic Thunder with its cavalcade of stars (Robert Downey, Jr, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Nick Nolte, Jon Voight, Tom Cruise and Steve Coogan). We enjoyed it for what it was and laughed a lot. Two sheriffs' cars were parked outside the theatre and officers were on duty inside. We later learned that there has been a little gang trouble focussed on the movie theatre. We wondered if we'd catch some more excitement like our tornado experience in Chicago. Thankfully all was peaceful.

Church today was an encouragement (shouldn't it be everytime, if I go with a humble attitude?). I shared first from my experience of GAFCON and where things in the Anglican Communion could be heading. At the eucharist, I shared from 1 Samuel 27 on not depending solely on what we think is the right thing, learning to think in a Godly way and how God uses people like David, even though they get so much wrong. The grace and transforming power of the Gospel was the focus.

I've visited here several times and spoken at the church weekend twice before, so there is some relationship. I can even remember some names! John Barr got GV Boy and me up for prayer after the preach, which was both humbling and supportive. Much appreciated. However, I was robed up like Friar Tuck. No pictures were taken of this aberration.

We're chilling out for the rest of the day in preparation for the long haul back by car to Chicago over the next two days.

In the Carolinas

It's been a busy and exciting few days in all sorts of ways, visiting with Yvonne Mildred at the SIM headquarters just outside Charlotte, where I met with the senior staff. They seem like a great group and the offices were modern and everything was very slick. I had hoped to visit as many of the missionaries that St Silas' supports while I was on sabbatical. Yvonne turned out to be the only one I've managed to see.

We then travelled from Charlotte down to Sumter, where we received a warm welcome from the delightful John and Laura Barr. Sometimes it is just so good to be around friends. It made a change to be staying in a home rather than a hotel room. On Thursday, we drove up to Hendersonville, in the mountains of North Carolina. It's a place I've visited several times over the last five years, and I've grown to love it. Scots descendants are here in large numbers and we only have to speak to be well received. Add to that the landscape up here is truly beautiful.

Today we went white water rafting on the Nantahala river. The briefing and video introduction were rather ominous ("invariably someone in your raft will fall in!" - it was bound to be me wasn't it?). We had a great two hours on the eight mile length of river. We'd been advised to beach the raft just before the final run in order to scout out a route down the last rapids, which we did. It turned out to be less fearsome than we'd anticipated. After much teamwork, ably led by Cap'n Barr, we made it in one piece, with no-one having fallen overboard.

This evening we dined at the Blackwater Grille, where I finally got to try out "Fried Green Tomatoes", followed by "Napoleon of Mountain Berry Ice Creams & Nut Cakes". The owner/chef even came and spoke to us for twenty minutes. The food was excellent, as was the service. We were thoroughly impressed by the quality of the ingredients, their preparation, presentation, and the overall enthusiasm for the menu displayed by the staff, as well as their attentiveness to the clientele.

Tomorrow we will walk up to the Dupont State Forest Waterfalls, where scenes from The Last of the Mohicans were filmed. We'll then return to Sumter, where we hope to see Tropic Thunder in the evening.

On Sunday, I am to share at the adults' Sunday school (on GAFCON) before preaching at the main service at Holy Comforter, Sumter.

Reflecting on all that we have done and experienced over the last few weeks, I am so grateful to have had the opportunities to learn, rest and have fun in so many different ways. Spending time with both GV Boy and Brother has been precious. Seeing old friends has been a blessing. Making new ones, likewise. Learning at Willow Creek has given me more vision for where God will take us in the months and years to come. More than anything, just being away has been so refreshing following what has been the worst year of my life. Though sad to leave the USA, I feel ready for the challenges  awaiting me at home in Scotland, knowing it's where I am called to be, and that God has surrounded me with people who love and care for me, and with whom I can work to see His kingdom extended. Things are moving.......

To Memphis

We drove through Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee today and used cruise control liberally. GV Brother is delighted to be ticking off so many US states on this visit. Curiously, my Ipod on shuffle played several songs which mention US States including "Hawaian Island World" by World Party and "I Love You, Goodbye" by Thomas Dolby.  It really didn't seem like a ten hour drive as we passed the innumerable fields of corn and soya.

We enjoyed a fabulous Mexican meal tonight. We have avoided appetisers at meal times, and we often haven't  been able to finish the entrees because the portions are so enormous. Dessert has been out of the question! We've only had one dessert and that was at Lollapalooza last Sunday.

After dinner, we enjoyed browsing through books at Barnes & Noble. It's frustrating that books in the UK cost in £s what they cost here in $s.

Every restaurant was packed out, especially if had an outside eating area. It's 10pm here and the temperature is still in the late eighties. I hope to get to church in Nashville tomorrow evening. In the morning it will be the visit to Graceland and a whirlwind tour of downtown Memphis.

Willow Creek

It's been two exciting few days at the Global Leadership Summit. I've attended the Scottish versions of this event twice at which the talks are viewed on dvd and those have been great events.But, from the stunning Willow Creek Community Church campus to the committed service of the five thousand church members who have volunteered to look after us during the conference, the real thing has been exceptional. The church has escalators, two balconies and the seats are better than those we sat in when we went to the cinema the other evening. This local church has more people attending it at the weekend than the whole of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is BIG (but servant-hearted!).

The quality of the teaching has been very high and I have been both uplifted and challenged by what I have learned or been reminded of. I believe the expression used over here is "God has rocked my world".

Catherine Rohr of Prison Entrepreneurship Programme was amazing today and the powerful testimonies of the former prisoners who shared the platform with her moved everyone in the auditorium. She articulated a huge problem - how is it we can handle David and Paul as murderers, because they are oldschool, but can't offer real forgiveness for people today who have paid their debt to society but will forever be ex-cons in the eyes of the world? Where is the new beginning for them? We have a problem in the UK getting faith-based programmes like this into the prisons. Yet the statistics indicate that real transformation is taking place in prisoners' lives through this ministry.

Bill Hybels shared in the closing session from his study of Mother Teresa's life on how to pursue relentlessly the calling the Lord has given us.

So many of the faculty have shared nuggets on personal management, casting vision and keeping focussed on the task at hand. I am brimming with ideas and excitement at what the Lord wants to do. The Summit comes to Glasgow on 3-4th October - I recommend church leaders and business people to check it out. You can get a flavour of what's been happening here.

I've also spent some time with some new friends from the Church of the Resurrection (Rez), Wheaton, Illinois. I even got to sit in on one of their staff meetings this afternoon over lunch. It's nice to know the issues dealt with are universal.

Tomorrow we begin the road trip part of our time in America with a long drive to Memphis probably via St Louis.

I'm going to Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee..............

Vertical Velocity

I had a really good meeting over breakfast yesterday with some guys that we might work with. It was so encouraging to hook up with people whose heart, vision, and methodology are similar to ours. Hopefully I'll be spending some more time with them over the next two days at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.

In the afternoon, we went on this ride. It was very scary....

Tornado!

We went on an architectural boat trip around Chicago last night. It is probably the best way to see the fascinating buildings of this city. The guide was witty and knowledgeable. We had been warned that we might get rained on towards the end of the hour-long tour. Little did we know what lay ahead......

Our host, Jim, received a call from his wife to say that a tornado warning for downtown Chicago had been called. We thought little of that until shortly before we docked. We could see clouds rolling in very fast over the skyscapers. Lightning in the distance. Then it began to rain. Hard. Then sirens began blaring. Tornado warning sirens. The boat slammed fairly hard into the dock, and though we had taken shelter below decks, we were ushered off the boat into the pouring rain, while thunder and lightning cracked and illuminated all around us. We ran for the cover of Navy Pier, all the time avoiding the shelter offered by the trees. It seemed quite dangerous, yet strangely it felt surreal - I thought for a moment that I had entered the set for a disaster movie. We were urged to keep away from the windows by our host, "just in case" the tornado hit. Talk about excitement.

Though soaking wet, we ended up in a very fine seafood restaurant on the Pier and enjoyed the most spectacular forked lightning display with our fish and steaks.

We were grateful that this storm didn 't hit the day before, while we were at Lollapalooza. The chaos it brought would have been very dangerous to the crowd there.

Here is the storm as it came in. I love the tour guide as she continues to talk (about Oprah!), while the rest of us begin to worry....