Minister’s Blog 8 August 2021

I saw an advert that simply said “Admire, Aspire, Acquire” and it struck me how accurately these three words can sum up life for many these days. Advertisers are constantly pointing out how empty our lives are without this or that thing and how our lives will be complete if we get it. We are…

Minister’s Blog 11 July 2021

I have a difficult relationship with social media. Maybe it is because when I was growing up, one of the worst things you could be told was to “stop showing off”. It was hugely embarrassing to be told that your behaviour was simply a ploy to get people to pay attention to you. Yet there…

Minister’s Blog 4 July 2021

Today I’m going to be using the “f” word a lot in my message. I’m warning you in advance because it’s a word we don’t hear a lot in church. I don’t know why, but it could be because there’s a lot of stigma attached to it? Anyway, it comes up as our theme for…

Minister’s Blog 27 June 2021

One of the great figures in British history is Lord Horatio Nelson who was blinded in one eye early on in his naval career. During a battle, his commanding officer sent a signal to Nelson to break off the attack. Nelson, sensing a chance to win, raised his telescope to his blind eye and remarked…

Minister’s Blog 20 June 2021

It may have escaped your attention, but over in Europe, the European Football Championships are taking place. Of special interest, to me at least, is the fact that Scotland has qualified for them after an absence of participating in international competitions since 1998! It is fair to say that Scotland is therefore not considered to…

Minister’s Blog 13 June 2021

We will be having a different style of worship service in church this week as we welcome Melissa Neumann from the Synod Intergenerational Team who will be leading our intergenerational service today. Given the activity that has been going on over the last few weeks, it promises to be a very different sort of service…

Minister’s Blog 6 June 2021

There is a Japanese proverb that states “the nail that sticks out most gets hammered down” to make the point that it is difficult to be different. If you are different, you stand out and, as a result, can make yourself more of a target for abuse or contempt. If you think back to your…

Minister’s Blog 30 May 2021

Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday where we reflect on our unique understanding of God to be three distinct persons, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. While it’s a famously difficult concept to understand, we should maybe see the Trinity as more like a mystery to marvel at rather than a problem to be solved. While…

Minister’s Blog 23 May 2021

It must have been amazing for the disciples to be in the presence of Jesus. Here was someone who could show them what life in the Kingdom of God looked like. Through watching Jesus and learning from Him, the disciples could see that there was a difference between how the world was and how it…

Minister’s Blog 16 May 2021

This week, I was thinking of a quote from Dr Samuel Johnson. He said, “Depend upon it Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully”. It is a cheery thought I know, but when time is short, we do tend to recognise what the more…