In the last couple of years, for me, June has become a month full of birthdays. Over recent weeks there has been the compilation of birthday lists, the arranging of parties, the purchasing of gifts, the writing of cards,…
When the roll is called up yonder…
As we approach the end of one Presbytery year and begin another, the focus of the Presbytery office is very much on getting the right people onto the right lists, with the right information beside their name. You might be…
GA thoughts from Natasha Hepburn
My First Time at the General Assembly – A Few Reflections This year I had the chance to attend the Church of Scotland General Assembly in Edinburgh – not as a commissioner or delegate, but as a visitor. It was…
Reflections on the General Assembly
The General Assembly closed yesterday with a view to meeting again on 15 May 2026. There has been much debate and discussion, with a number of significant decisions being made over a range of subjects. We will need to take…
Assembly required
Lego kits can be incredible fun, with tremendous satisfaction when they are completed. They can also be very challenging. Getting all the right pieces in all the right places can be a nightmare. And if you go wrong, trying to…
Rock and refuge
On Monday I encountered a different kind of ‘bourach’. As many of you will know, ‘bourach’ is an old Scots word, meaning a ‘muddle or mess’, but seemingly it was also used to describe a ‘small, humble house’. Davy’s Bourach…
Healthy Debate
Last night at our Presbytery meeting, the subject of debate arose and the question was posed by one of our presbyters, “how do we generate a spirit of debate?” It was part of a discussion around improving the workings of…
Resurrection Life
‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’ Luke 24:5 It’s a stark question for the women, as they come to anoint the body of their beloved Lord. And a wonderful proclamation. Jesus is not dead. You will…
‘Holy’ Week
Have you ever wondered why it is called ‘Holy’ Week? Or indeed, when the practice of marking the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday began? Some describe it as the Great Week because great deeds were done by God…
Hosanna Rock
Finding new songs and new ways of celebrating the events running up to Easter Sunday was a part of parish ministry that I really enjoyed. A number of years ago I came across Hosanna Rock, which became a firm favourite…