HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

I've just been watching the fireworks over Sydney harbour as 2009 arrives in Australia. 11 hours left of the old year here! Yesterday and today I have made time to sort out my new office and get some pictures on the wall. It's now looking pretty tidy and ready for action in the New Year.

If you are looking for some inspiration in terms of your bible reading here and here, are a couple of interesting possibilities. Among all the bits and pieces I picked up during 2008, a mission statement from a church which Roy Searle had visited stands out.

"plodding hopefully in the right direction."

That will do for me in 2009!

Wishing you a year of peace and joy in 2009

Duncan

PAT ARTHUR

Pat Arthur's funeral took place this morning. It was the coldest day this winter, minus seven degrees at 10am, with the sun shining brightly. The church was packed with family and friends. The Scripture readings with their focus on the hope that we have through Christ were a great comfort. I particularly appreciated the fact that we had one of our own bands leading the worship. They played beautifully. Thank you to Stephen, Aileen, Shona, Jo and Rory. It was also great to have a variety of people who had shared with Pat leading prayers and doing the readings. Amidst the sadness of the day, there was so much to give thanks for about Pat's life. We will miss her so much, but as the poem below indicates, she is now experiencing unimaginable glory in God's presence.

this day in paradise

new feet are treading through

high halls of gold

this day in paradise

new legs are striding over jewelled fields

in which the diamond is considered ordinary

this day in paradise

new eyes have glimpsed the deep fire ready

to flame the stale earth pure

this day in paradise

new blood, the rose red juice that gushed at golgotha

now ripples and races down the pure veins

of a recently arrived beloved

this day in paradise

a new heart pounds in praise

a new body shaped by sacrifice

this day in paradise

the daunting dart of death has no point

no place and no meaning

and whilst we mourn and weep

through these human hours

this day in paradise

the blazing embrace

between saviour and daughter goes on and on and on...

(by stewart henderson)

PERUVIAN STREET BOY STORY 2008

Two Nights Ago

Elber, Nilton, Edwin, Julio, Dori and Edward were sound asleep in the shack they had built for themselves out of plastic, cardboard, straw mats, etc. which they had collected from road side garbage dumps over a year before.

Unknown to them, Augusto Cavero, House-Parent of Scripture Union ‘s new Home for Abandoned Boys was out looking for throw-away kids, often found hiding in the desert on dry mountain sides outside the dusty city of Ica.

It was just past midnight when Augusto came across them, huddled together in a crevasse of a desolate area known as Cerro Partido (Split Mountain). They were frightened. They did not believe what he offered them but nothing could be worse than this, so they followed him.

They told him and ‘mama Nancy’ of the not-so-good things they had done to get just enough food to keep alive, how the thing they most valued was water and about the bazooka they had found left behind by soldiers who had been on desert maneuvers. They kept it, as it kind of made them feel safe. (Have you ever read Lord of the Flies?) They told of ‘el accidente’, the day the weapon was accidentally fired, injuring a boy nearby. They told of their fear of being caught and of their promise to each other never to tell who had pulled the trigger.

They were happy in our Casa Girasoles – Ica and enjoyed the October week- long visit of the friends of Cupar, Scotland who through the Vine Trust had provided the funds to make this all happen. They loved the Bible stories, especially the ones of Jesus who knew full well what it was to be cast out, hungry and lonely. They liked the idea that they could talk to him, and most of all that they could tell him of their secret fears, knowing that he’d keep it to himself and tell no one. He knew about the ‘accidente’.

Then, just a few days ago Augusto and Nancy’s worst dreams came true. The dreaded police had caught up with the boys through the office of the State Attorney (Fiscal) with whom we have to register all our boys.

Augusto went to the Police Department and said that although he could not stop them from doing what they wanted to do, he would not let them in the home if they came in uniform, as “that would be showing me, my wife,
and our boys a singular lack of respect.”

It nearly broke their hearts, but Nancy and Augusto had to tell the boys of what at any moment was about to happen. They assured them that wherever they were taken, Jesus would go with them and would listen to them and that their new Mama and Papa would always welcome them back.

Julio said: “You are not to cry, Daddy. Worse things have happened to us before. You and Mama have been so good.”

Edwin, terrified, looked at the others and said, “let’s escape.” “No” they said, “we will all go together. Just remember we will never say who did it. We all did. Remember that.’ They all shook their heads.

Within minutes three officers, dressed in civilian clothing, walked in, apprehended the 6 boys, loaded them in a van and were gone in a cloud of dust.

Mama, Papa Augusto, and 34 boys looked through the windows in silence, each with his own thoughts, his own set of fears, and his own silence.

There may be no laws in place, but we feel we have a right to know where our boys have been taken and what has been done to them. Rumor has it that they are in Maranguita – a dreaded Lima prison, but they refuse to tell us. (One of Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship leaders once told me that the worst prison conditions in the world are in the Philippines and Peru.)

It took Augusto no time to find six new abandoned boys, so at the Christmas dinner table Wednesday night all chairs were filled. How can you have 40 spaces taken and yet have 6 empty? All tummies were filled and they all smiled – and even pretended. But, that’s O.K., isn’t it?

On Christmas Eve, shop owners pulled down their shutters, the streets went quiet, abandoned boys went back into their hiding places, church bells rang and marvel of marvels, Emmanuel – God was with us – and somewhere in a dark dungeon on a cold, damp concrete floor Jesus spent Christmas Eve with 6 little boys for whose freedom he gave his own life many years ago on a dry mountain side outside the city walls.

Paul and Marty

GAZA CATASTROPHE

Jesus spoke about the Old Testament maxim of an eye for an eye, and pointed his hearers towards the kingdom of God where we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In response to rockets from the Gaza strip, the Israelis have this weekend launched an attack which in one day caused nearly 300 deaths. About 100 of these deaths were civilian including women and children. In one day more people died in the Gaza strip than all the British forces killed in 7 years of fighting in Afghanistan. The Israelis in their devastating response have lost any sense of the proportion which an eye for an eye pointed to. In January, Barack Obama becomes President. Let's hope that his administration is able to bring some new thinking into the situation which will break the tragic cycle of violence and death. As you read the news report about the area, it is striking and tragic how often children are the ones who suffer and die in the conflict. Gaza in pictures here.

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Over the Christmas period, a number of Bishops have spoken out. Desmond Tutu criticised his own Government in South Africa for failing to confront Magabe.Bishops from within the Church of England have made some very pointed attacks on the current government.The Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, the Church's Bishop for Urban Life and Faith, said he feared Britain would simply return to a "financial system based on indebtedness" after the current crisis.

"The government isn't telling people who are already deep in debt to stop overextending themselves, but instead is urging us to spend more," he said. "That is morally suspect and morally feeble. It is unfair and irresponsible of the government to put pressure on the public to spend in order to revive the economy." You can read the full article here

Jesus had a great deal to say about both the poor and money, so I think the voice of the church in this time of crisis is to be welcomed. Over the coming months, it is becoming increasingly clear that many people - the poor most of all- are going to pay a very high price for the economic policies which have been pursued over the past couple of decades.

WATCHNIGHT/CHRISTMAS DAY GIVING

Every Christmas, we take an offering at our Services and normally we give half to an International charity and half to a local charity. This year we are supporting Casa Reom (Mozambique) and The Bethany Christian Trust. A sum of nearly £900 has been raised for these two charities which is great news. Thank you to everyone who gave so generously.

Lesotho christmas 2008

News from Robyn and Palesa which you can read here. Also here and here.

HILTON HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2008

The Services for Watchnight and Christmas Day were special occasions. Packed last night and very busy again this morning. The singing for watchnight was awesome. The band were outstanding. Andrew Wilson on the sound desk/av did a great job too in rescuing the situation when the powerpoint crashed during "O little town of Bethlehem." Jonathan opened the big cracker this morning which caused great excitement for all the kids. Thank's to everyone who helped in any way with these services. The pictures are from this mornings service.Have a great day. Christ's peace be with you.

We have seen his glory...

"What can be done to show his glory? So often the answer to this lies in the small and local gestures, the unique difference made in some particular corner of the world." (excerpt from Archbishop of Canterbury's Christmas sermon) You can read the full BBC report here. I think this kind of heart is reflected in many aspects of ministry across Inverness.

STEPHEN HUTCHISON

Stephen Hutchison, Medical Director of the Highland Hospice (and Session Clerk in his spare time!) has written an article for the Inverness Courier on Assisted Suicide. You can read it here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I spent time with Alejandro in 2004 on my first visit to Peru. He is currently planting a church in a very remote area of southern Peru called Colca Valley. A great place to see Condors!

Anglican Mission St. Philip
Cabanaconde – Arequipa - Perú

Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, thank you so much for your support and help in our mission work in the andes of the Colca Canyon. With love, we wish you a “Merry Christmas” your brothers and friends in Christ.

Doris y Alejandro Mesco

WATCHNIGHT/CHRISTMAS DAY

I've just finished preparing for the Watchnight Service which takes place tonight in the church at 11.15pm. Always a very special service in the year, with many visitors. We also have a Christmas day service at 10.30am. Last year on Christmas day we had about double the normal numbers attending (150 instead of 75) so it will be interesting to see if that was a positive blip or not.

Chrissie Shaw

The funeral took place this afternoon of Chrissie Shaw, the oldest member of our church. Chrissie was 99 and just 4 months short of her 100th birthday. She was a remarkable character who retained her health and strength well into old age. She was still walking to town and back from Hilton in her 90's (4 miles).This is not an easy time for those who have recently suffered a bereavement. Our prayers are with many people who are mourning at this time.

The Lighthouse

Gwen has posted a collage of photos of various events which took place at the Light house in the lead up to Christmas. You can see it here

YEAR OF HOMECOMING

2009 has been designated Year of Homecoming.Events of particular note in the coming year include the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. More about Burns in a future post. We hope to put on a special cafe night on 25th January with a Burns theme. In the meantime, I'm going to spend some time over the holiday season reflecting on themes and stories related to homecoming in the bible. The prodigal son is an obvious candidate. Are there any others which you think are worth considering?

Lectionary Readings

Christmas Eve

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-20

Christmas Day

Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm 98
Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12)
John 1:1-14

December 28, First Sunday after Christmas Day

Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40

PAT ARTHUR

Man was made for joy and woe, And when this we rightly know, Through the world we safely go, Joy and woe are woven fine, A clothing for the soul divine.

(William Blake)

These words from Blake have been our experience at Hilton Church this weekend. Amidst all the heart warming nativity plays and carol singing of yesterdays worship, we were coming to terms with the death of Pat Arthur, a lady of great grace and compassion, who was a central figure in the life of the congregation over many years. There's no words really to express the sadness we feel at this time. Pat's funeral will take place in the church next Monday at 11.30am. Our prayers are with Lloyd at this time of great loss.

CELEBRATING ALL AGE CHRISTMAS WORSHIP

A wee note at the end of a busy day to say thanks for all the efforts put in to the service today.
The Kingdom Kids were beautiful, and ever so cute singing Little Donkey. Fantastic. The readers and prayers were confident, and the microphone picked up on their lovely voices. Think they enjoyed the grown up feel of their input, and they certainly contributed really strongly to the songtime.And Chris and Elaine, thanks for all your comments and support. I loved the flow of the singing and readings.

And the advent candles weren't knocked over, the angels didn't set their tinsel alight, and the boxes were correctly filled! To God be the glory!

Have a good festive period.
Morag x

A helpers perspective...

Tuesday the 16th December, my Hilton Church day. Not Homegroup this morning, but helping to serve teas to 70 or so adults who came to church to experience 30 3&4 year olds from Hilton School Nursery present the Christmas story. It was quite delightful, a privilege to be there.
The occasion was calm, superbly organised by Catriona Patton & her team of Nursery staff, suitably & discreetly dressed-up too! The children said & sung their parts magnificently.

Hilton Primary School is tops in my book, catering for around 400 children aged 3-12, families, extended folk; it reaches upwards of 2000 people in the Hilton community. Hilton Church enjoys an excellent relationship with Hilton School through Duncan, our minister, Chris, our children's & youth worker, Colm, the Family project worker, Catriona Patton, nursery teacher.

However, there is loads of straightforward serving to be done by ordinary folk like you & me. The Nursery Nativity was a short, one-hour daytime event.
I don't know how many of those smiling faces had ever been in Hilton Church before........ It was warm, comfortable, pleasant and easy.

OK, you have a daytime JOB.
There are 2 early evening clubs, to which Hilton Primary children come, they need supporting. MYC- Monday Youth Club is for P6-7. HYPOP on Fridays, for P1-5, has Bible teaching, songs & games. Both clubs run 2 sessions per month, 6-7pm.(approx.)
They happen in school term time. So, if you helped at one, its LESS THAN 1 hour a week.

What for? To serve God. To be light & salt in the Hilton community. To show Jesus' love. So that God will gather his children into his kingdom. To help Chris. Outreach. Mission. To be a growing church............

Training
You get excellent Child Protection training at Hilton Church.
Chris will explain what he would like you to do at each session- and if he doesn't, ASK!

Chris Watt can be contacted at church Tel: 01463 233310; chris@hiltonchurch.org.uk Speak to him. Please don't leave this to someone else or wait for him to try to persuade you. I believe that we are all called to be witnesses for Christ. And its EASY!!

Pam Clark.

The Oscars came to Hilton

Last night saw around 25 of our young folk attend a special 'Oscars' evening, held in the Light House. The evening was great. Everyone dressed as if they were attending the Oscars for real, it was great. We had a four course meal, then the presentation of the 'Oscars', which then led us to the large hall of the church for the 'after show' party.

If you are wondering what the Oscars were all about, I shall explain...a bit like secret Santa in that the young folk picked someones name out of a hat (we used a cup instead) and instead of buying that person a present they had to think of something that person would win an Oscar for. So each person was presented with an Oscar and a certificate. See some photos below. The leaders were also presented with an Oscar.

It was such a great night and a great end to what has been (personally speaking) a pretty hectic few weeks. We have a great bunch of young folk in our church and last night proved it. Big thanks to everyone who helped.

Below are just a few photos which give you an idea for what the evening was like.

Chris

PS. It was Fiona's birthday too which is why she is blowing out candles.

PAPERLESS CHRISTMAS

Todays 20th paperless christmas really puts the important aspects of life in very sharp perspective. There is also great wisdom in the 19th post for why are we waiting.

Peace Labyrinth

Emergent Kiwi has news of another fantastic christmas project

SU PERU AT CHRISTMAS

One week before Christmas
Dear Friends,
You’ll probably have little time during this busy Christmas Season to be reading letters, so I’ll keep it short. Just the briefest report on recent happenings:
* SADLY, we have had to close our Iquitos Programme that many of you have visited. I took the hard decision and the Scripture Union Board approved it at once. The reason was exclusively a financial one. Our local income and donations from abroad dropped dramatically and we had no choice. God is in control and the program which opened in 1990 will be reopened when we have a solid economic base on which to rest it. Pray that the boys may see Jesus even in this closing, scheduled for this Saturday, Dec. 20. NOTE: Puerto Alegria is continuing as is the medical ministry – independently financed.
* HAPPILY, the year will end with forty abandoned boys in the Homes in Puerto Alegria, Kusi, Ica and the Sacred Valley – 36 in Kawai.
* THANK GOD for our incredibly motivated staff and a brand new Board of Directors, extremely well equipped to face rough seas ahead with creative thinking and single hearted commitment to reaching children who have been dropped by the wayside and unfairly left behind.
We shall all this Christmas remember, each in his own way, the One who was laid in a manger, no crib for his bed.
Paul & Marty Clark

RE-FRESHING WORSHIP

There's room at the Inn this year for anyone in Perth looking for a watchnight service with a difference.

NIGHT CARE SHELTER

A project involving a number of churches across Inverness to provide accomodation for rough sleepers is being piloted in February. For more information you can read here

Advent ideas

For more practically minded people, here's an interesting advent blog called grasp ideas. Some ideas here for next year perhaps. Here's another advent calendar which will appeal to those with a sense of wonder. The pictures are truly remarkable.

HILTON CHIP SHOP

To celebrate a family birthday tonight, we decided to go for a family favourite - fish and chips. I have heard a lot of positive reviews of Hilton Chippie from various folk in the church, so we tried it out tonight. Amazed at the number of people there! It was absolutely packed, which is a good sign in itself. The fish and the chips were excellent and the prices were substantially better than the local competition. Well worth a try.

THE GOSPEL UNDER OCCUPATION

I've been to Israel three times. On two of these occasions I led groups from Hilton Church.(1997 & 1999) I'm grateful for the opportunities I have had to visit, and it has undoubtedly heightened my appreciation of the Scriptures. It's great to be able to picture the geography as you read stories of Jesus visiting Jericho or calling the disciples to follow him on the shores of Lake Galilee.
I've just seen this trip advertised by the Amos Trust. I think it would be fascinating to get a little bit of the beaten track and meet local believers facing the challenges of occupation.. The number of Christians living in the Holy Land is diminishing fast.One of the highlights of our trips was a meeting with Elias Chacour, a Priest who was thrown off his land along with his family when the State of Israel was established in 1948.

Christmas Assemblies

This afternoon, we were taking the Christmas Assembly at Inverness Royal Academy. In a departure from previous practice, pupils had a choice as to whether to to attend the service or not. I felt the service worked really well. The theatre was nearly full and the pupils present entered into the spirit of the occasion, singing and listening well. Special mention must go to Miss Robertson and her S5/6 Choir who sang a beautiful song called "Bethlehem's boy Child." The song was written by Miss Robertson and I'm sure it will become a favourite as other choirs come to hear of it.If anything, it would be good to work out ways in which the pupils can participate more in the Service. Perhaps we can look at having some more choral or musical items as part of the service next year.

Sadly, the Secondary assembly clashed with the P4-7 Hilton Primary School Asembly, so we missed out on Chris Watt leading that service. Hilton's two nurseries also came to the church for services on Tuesday. At all the services , our welcome team co-ordinated by Colm Back put on hospitality for the parents and friends visiting. We are delighted to have these opportunities together with Hilton Primary School to welcome many people into the church at this time of year, and we're grateful to everybody who helped making and serving teas/coffees and mince pies. Your hard work is much appreciated.

LECTIONARY READINGS

The readings for this Sunday are below. On Sunday morning, there will be an all age worship service with a Nativity from the Kingdom Kids, as well as partipation from the Sunday Club. We will focus on the lectionary readings at our 6.30pm service.

2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16

Luke 1:47–55

Romans 16:25–27

Luke 1:26–38

BAPTISM

In August we had some baptisms in Loch Ness by full immersion. A repeat performance in January wouldn't be a good idea given the temperature, so tonight I have been trying to research possible ways of having a baptism by full immersion in the church. I'm concious that there are some pretty significant health and safety issues linked to having large quantities of water in the sanctuary. Read this article for example. I remembered John Sentamu's baptism's every Easter in York, so I followed links which led me to a youth service called G2. They have had a baptism indoors using a portable pool with heated water. Perhaps we can set it up in a corner of the Large Hall or maybe we could set it up (outdoors) at the front of the church and fill it with warm water. Is there anybody reading this with any ideas about where I might be able to get a pool similar to the one in the photo? It's fun trying to think through these kind of challenges.While I was doing my research I listened to this fascinating talk by John Drane - Can anyone teach me to pray? I'm praying for a pool!

SCOUT POST

This is a blog which among other things seeks to tell something of the goings on around Hilton Church. Tonight, I've been reminded of the many ways in which members of the church are involved in some great work in the community. I've just been round to the Scout Hall to pick up my son, Peter's scout post for delivery. While I was there, I saw Gillian Neil, leader of the cub's and Mairi Ross busy sorting out letters for delivery. Scouts do a great work with children. It is good to see these groups thriving in the local area.

Greetings from Denver

Great to hear from Keri & Angie as they prepare to celebrate their first wedding anniversary in Denver. You can read their newsletter here

MORNING BELL

Morning bell is a txt message or email sent to you early each day with some wisdom from the Christian tradition a prayer practise and meditation. You can find out more about it here. If anyone has used it, perhaps you might like to comment.

THE ROAD TO BETHLEHEM

A BBC correspondent is retracing the steps of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. You can follow it here. The journey will involve at least 5 Israeli checkpoints as the journey weaves in and out of the Occupied Territorities. Today Gordon Brown has called once again for a 2 state solution for Israel. Without a viable Palestinian state, it is hard to see any end to the turmoil in the middle east.

ETERNAL ECHOES

From the darkness of
his mother's womb,
born of blood,
and sweat, of
toil and pain,
came the light
of the
world
that night.

... he came
needing care,
needing shelter,
needing his
mother's breast,
light of the world,
born into darkness…

This is the wonder,
this is the joy,
God with us
Immanuel!

This is the good news…
this light,
this treasure,
born in darkness
bringing light.

Sally Coleman

The readings for advent this year are not comfortable and cosy. Isaiah 61 highlights Jesus' kingdom manifesto. Last night I discovered eternal echoes, a blog which I think reflects some of the challenges of Jesus' kingdom. Here, Here and here provide food for thought.

BANA FUND RAISING

The Concert for Bana raised nearly £1000. In the last 6 weeks the coffee morning, the ceildh and the concert have raised nearly £3000 towards Robyn's work in Lesotho. It is exciting to see the way so many people have connected with this exciting venture. Please continue to remember Robyn in your prayers as she seeks to work out the way forward. David and Ruth Shepherd were back at Hilton today having visited Robyn last week. It was great to hear from them about the contacts Robyn is already making with street boys. We're grateful for the way that God has led us into this project together with Robyn.

BURNSIDE CHRISTMAS SERVICE 2008

For many years, Hilton Church has led a monthly service at Burnside Residential Home. It is a veritable "home from home" for the residents, having a wonderful homely atmosphere and a highly committed staff who consistently "go the extra mile." Despite the fact that the residents and all their families are so happy with Burnside, the Home has been under constant threat of closure for many years. This is not an easy scenario for the residents to live with.

This afternoon we went to do our anual Christmas service. We had a good number of children from the Sunday club together with a healthy contingent of adults. Shona led the carol service and Doda gave an inspired talk. She shared on the special person her father had been to her as she grew up in the Western Isles, and she reflected on the love of the Father who sent his Son into the world for us. After the service, we were treated to some very kind hospitality which included a very tasty fruit punch. Thank you to everyone who came along this afternoon and to all the people who have helped to lead this service throughout 2008.

Christmas Parties

It's been a busy weekend with all the Christmas parties taking place. Last night it was P6/7 in the LIGHThouse. This afternoon it was P1-5 and Kingdom Kids in the Church. We're grateful to all the leaders for their hard work in organising these parties and to the many volunteers who have been helping in the background with catering. Teenscene and nitelife are having a very special christmas oscars party next Saturday night in the LIGHThouse. Hopefully some of the party goers will blog about it afterwards.

Dance to the beat!

I'm struck every Sunday by the way so many of the children are drawn to the drums after the service is over. Last night it was great to have the church filled with the various rhythms of the drum beats. Is this something we should be doing more of as part of our worship and celebration at Hilton? I think so! I took the picture at the Hamburg marathon last April. This group entertained the crowds dancing and playing the drums.

MUSIC FOR BANA

On the strength of Barry's recommendation, I went to the music for bana concert last night. The concert began with young Mairi Keen singing A whole new world and it finished with her mother, Julie singing River. Their renditions of these two songs were quite outstanding. One of the surprises for me was that throughout the night there wasn't one weak performance. Acapella singing from Incahoots, Romanian and Hungarian tunes on the violin from Simon Evans, Drumming from Bear Roots and a stirring set of tunes from Maureen Burnett on violin and Lorna MacDougall on cello.. If we didn't already know, we also discovered that Peter Donald at Crown Church is a great pianist. All in all, it was a wonderful evening of live music with a crowd of about 150 present. Julie Keen's singing of Papa can you hear me? and Maureen Burnett's Czardas were personal favourites in the midst of many highlights. Thank you to Jeremy and Julie Keen for putting together such an outstanding event.

GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS

Here is a wonderful christmas message from David & Adele Ellis:

Christmas is a time for thanksgiving. Now let me tell you a story.

As the pair of us now have more than 144 years’ experience of the Lord’s goodness, we decided we would do something unusual. We have much to be thankful for; and we are deeply grateful for our children and grandchildren. We wanted to have a special family thanksgiving to express our gratitude to God for his mercies and also to give testimony to his faithfulness throughout our lives.

Captain Scott’s famous ship, the Discovery, in which he set out to reach the South Pole, is moored here in Dundee. We learned that it is possible to hire the ship for an evening, have a guided tour, and end up with a meal in the wardroom. It seemed to us an ideal venue in which to have our thanksgiving meal - but expensive!

When we heard what it would cost, we thought long and hard. But we had really wanted this to be a special thanksgiving for the family. A testimony to God’s faithfulness that our grandchildren would never forget. (Check out Deuteronomy 14:24-26)So we decided; announced to the family that we were going to have a special thanksgiving meal; booked the ship and paid the deposit! So then can you imagine how we felt when the midday post that very day brought a totally unexpected cheque?It came from a Chinese couple in Australia whom we had known in Indonesia, back in the 70’s. It was for a sum which almost completely covered the bill. It was as if the Lord was saying to us: ‘You want to testify to my faithfulness - here, I’ll help you to do just that in a way all of you will never forget!’ As John said, ‘Isn’t that just like God!’

The ship’s timbers must have shivered as together we sang the old ‘CIM Anthem,’ and the pair of us wondered if it had ever been sung before with such joy by such a grateful family in such an exotic place:

How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful unchangeable friend,
Whose love is as great as his power
And knows neither measure nor end.

‘Tis Jesus the first and the last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home.
We’ll praise him for all that is past,
And trust him for all that’s to come.

Christmas is a time for thanksgiving. We join with Mary and say: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’

With our love and Christmas wishes as together we give thanks for his unspeakable gift.
David and Adèle

A BOOK WORTH READING

Every once in a while I come across a book which I feel I can confidently recommend. The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne is one such book. As I read Isaiah 61 which Jesus quoted from in the synagogue in Nazareth, I wondered what this might mean for the Church today. I believe Shane's journey, which takes him to both Calcutta (with Mother Theresa) and Baghdad, gives us some important clues. I plan to quote from the book on Sunday morning. He has a great gift for identifying very telling quotes. Here's one from Martin Luther King,

"We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's roadside...but one day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved. We are called to be the Good Samaritan, but after you lift so many people out of the ditch you start to ask, maybe the whole road to Jericho needs to be repaved."

lesotho christmas concert

Tonight at 7.30pm in the Church, there will be a Christmas Concert for Lesotho. Tickets can be purchased at the door, and if last years rave reviews are anything to go by, it will be a great evening

Great Readings for Sunday

There is quite a bit of illness about at the moment. I'm not feeling too hot myself, so I am at home keeping my germs to myself, trying to prepare for Sunday. The readings for Sunday from the Lectionary are some of my favourites:

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Psalm 126 1

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

John 1:6-8, 19-28

PICADILLY CIRCUS, HILTON

When we moved to live in Hilton in 1994, Tomatin Road was a very tranquil place. Few householders owned a car and there was always plenty of spaces to park in front of the shops. Now many of the gardens have been converted into parking spaces, the street itself is full of cars, and there is a competition for parking spaces in front of the shops. I have just watched a lorry unloading in the middle of the street because there is no proper loading bay, an operation which caused chaos for the other traffic. The setting around Hilton Church and the Light house has changed dramatically over the last few years. Sunday morning causes its own challenges too in terms of parking. It remains a constant challenge for us to be good neighbours in terms of parking considerately. We have wondered about having a walk to church Sunday (the last mile for those who live further away!)sometime soon to help us to reflect more fully on the impact cars have on our lives and the community.

Christmas video

I’ve just seen a Christmas video produced by St Helen’s, Bishopsgate. Really well produced.Here’s the url: http://www.st-helens.org.uk/xmas/

GREETINGS FOM KABUL

A few years ago we had the pleasure of having the McCulloch Family at Hilton when Alen was serving as chaplain to the Black Watch at Fort George. Alen is now stationed in Kabul, and this e-mail from him arrived today.

I read this a few weeks ago, and I hope it will be as helpful to you, when far from our loved ones, as it has been to me here. Rev. Dr. Iain D. Campbell and his wife have friends of ours since the mid-1980's. They were in the next door parish when we served on the Isle of Skye. He presently serves on the Isle of Lewis. Commenting on Genesis 31:49, on the http://www.backfreechurch.co.uk/ website, Iain writes:

It was a prayer that God would watch over them in their absence from one another. They knew that there was a God in Heaven who never parts from his children, and who is able to watch over them when they are parted from each another. The assurance that gives us is great indeed. We are able to pray not only for ourselves, but for our loved ones wherever they may be. Life is made up of meetings and partings. We cannot freeze the moment, or stay in the sunshine forever. Sometimes we are called to move into the darkness, and into the shadows. But even when we must be parted from those we love most dearly, we are able to rejoice in the knowledge that the God of Heaven will never leave us nor forsake us. In covenant with his people, he is bound to them in the cords of love, which cannot be broken. May we be able to invoke his blessing on all our relationships, and say, "God watch over us while we are absent from each other." Greetings from Kabul this Christmas! Alen

LIGHT HOUSE OPENS

The Lght house cafe opened for the first time today. Judging by the smile on Gwen's face when I called in during the afternoon, it was a good beginning. The cafe was busy throughout the morning. It was quiet over the lunch hour which was not surprising given that the cafe is not yet serving lunches.

Why are we waiting

On Sunday, Barry posted a very encouraging blog on the positive benefits of the life with god weekend. Today on the why are we waiting advent calendar, there is a very helpful talk on mindful waiting by Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford.

TIME OUT

Last week I posted a blog on the forTnightly Time out group. Here are a few pictures.