A colleague who was originally a Minister in South Africa before settling in Scotland was recounting a story of a parishioner who following bereavement had lapsed into a very deep depression. Nothing he said or did seemed to help the lady recover from the death of her mother. In desperation, he contacted an old colleague […]

As we approach the end of British Summer Time, and we prepare for the clocks to go back, I am conscious that as my granny used to say, “the nights are fair drawin’ in.” Of course, we will all soon enough experience the darkness of winter nights, but I am aware that there are many […]

You will be familiar with the expression, ‘when life throws you a curved ball’ to indicate an unexpected event or series of circumstances that you experience. At times our lives can be quite settled and smooth and then something occurs to jeopardise our equilibrium. That might be hospital tests, bereavement, a change of job, or […]

I have been watching an Australian-New Zealand comedy drama TV program, entitled ‘800 words.’ In it, George Turner is a popular columnist for a top selling Sydney newspaper, writing an article which he insists must be exactly 800 words. After his wife dies, over the internet and unseen, he buys a house in New Zealand […]

At the turn of the year I received an invitation from the Ministries Council (121) to attend the Renewing Ministry Conference at Kinnoull Monastery in Perth for four nights/ five days. This conference was aimed at ministers in their fifties with 15-20 (or more) years of ministry behind them and around 10 still to go. […]

A Happy New Year to all our “Record” readers. I hope you have had a good Christmas and the New Year has begun well for you. Between Christmas and New Year our hospitals have been ‘under pressure’ as you will have no doubt read and heard elsewhere. While doing my ‘hospital rounds’ I have been […]

At a recent Chaplaincy Team meeting for our Bishopbriggs Academy Christmas Service, the Chaplains were planning what to do this year. Each year it seems to me that Christmas comes around ever faster, and I have to begin my preparations earlier than I would like. We always like to review the TV ad campaigns of […]

Sometimes my opening article provokes a reaction from our readers, but not always. Last month having read about radical acceptance, a few members shared with me their experiences and difficulties in accepting the circumstances of their lives. One of our members has kindly agreed to me sharing their personal aphorisms which they have found helpful […]

There is a prayer of thanksgiving for life which has the line, “We acknowledge with gladness that ever gracious love of God which with the gift of life freely gave also the greater gift of acceptance…” I have been thinking a lot about acceptance recently after I heard of a man who had undertaken a […]

In my old barbers, as I sat in the barber’s chair looking at my reflection in the mirror, there was a small notice pinned to the top right corner, which read something like this: “Everyone brings joy to this shop some when they enter… others when they leave…” On Wednesday mornings during my Vestry hour, […]