Robert Burns and Bright Eyes!
I noticed in the news yesterday that the sixth Duke of Roxburghe at Floors Castle in Kelso has uncovered a hither to unknown piece of correspondence written by Robert Burns dated 13 May 1789 hidden in an old autograph book. the letter was addressed to James Gregory, Professor of Medicine at Edinburgh University and head of the city's famed Medical School. Burns invites him to comment on the poem he had enclosed entitled " On Seeing A Wounded Hare" It got me thinking...
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A couple of weeks ago I got a call from the local Fire Brigade to say that the bins at the church had been set on fire. I think this must be about the third time this has happened. When I arrived to survey the damage there was a group of kids looking on. I proceeded to say that it had been some of the young people who attended the our youth club who had reported the incident. " Perhaps", said the fire officer, " but more often than not its the same people who start the...
I'm going to represent the Vine Trust at the funeral of Tom Dunn a retired naval architect who was strategic in making the dream of the Trust's medical work in Peru a reality. Some people make an impression on you not by what they say but by the things they do. Tom for me was one of those people.
It was way back in 2001 that I first heard the name of Tom Dunn being mentioned by my colleague Willie MacPherson. Willie had first met Tom when he was the Chief Naval...
I thought I'd remind you what was on sale 100 years ago to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the King James version of the Bible. My mother in law bought it at a church jumble sale over 25 years ago and she gave it to me as a present. Yes tits a little miniature Bible chained to a lectern. It is so cool because you can even read it.
This year sees the church in the UK celebrating the 400th Anniversary of this book which has shaped and changed the world. I...
So how do you keep your faith alive as a minister through the hard times? How do you keep writing ? How do you keep going when you see others falling away? How do you sustain the strength to keep going when people who once travelled with you turn aside? How do you survive the disappointments, the criticisms from people who should know better. How do you continue to minister when there appears to be such an increase in secularity both within and without the church....