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Lima is an amazing city with over 8 million of a population. You can sense the changes that are happening in society. Increased wealth and confidence and a booming economy. Yet we need to be reminded that the country still has a hinterland of rural communities which are being challenged by the enconomic improvement of [...]

I think I hear someone saying so, “what are you doing in Lima? Well apart from the fact that Lima is rapidly becoming one of the world’s best cities for fine dining. I’m here on my annual visit to enable me to report back to the Board of Vine Trust about the work that we [...]

Here in this piece of art Manna was responding to the mood of the church and the worship of the moment as she put together this painting. The interesting thing is that she painted it with a feather in her hand. And her eye and her heart tuned in to worship. I’ve entitled this painting “Too Close for Comfort” not sure what the artist will think of my presumption in naming the painting. However it speaks to me of the God who comes closer to us than we can imagine. Sometimes it is an uncomfortable feeling like lips being burned with the coal from the alter, or depending on your next meal to arrive with ravens. Yes God can be found in the ordinary but too often the ordinary is too difficult for us to trust or even understand.

Well who would have thought my 598th post to this blog would be a huge thank you to all who have taken time to send congratulations with reference to my nomination to be Moderator Designate of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Thank you all for your prayerful support. It is greatly appreciated [...]

When David slew Goliath with a sling we are told that all Israel rejoiced at his death. When I read such words I can’t quite understand, I can’t get excited about any human beings death. I think it is hard for those of us who have lived in stable democracies all our lives to imagine [...]

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending Jolyon Mitchell’s Inaugural Lecture, marking his appointment as Professor of Communications, Arts and Religion in New College Edinburgh. Jolyon has been given a well earned honour by Edinburgh University. He has worked tirelessly to bring academic credibility to his subject and has sought to inspire theologians and [...]

I believe the powers that be in Philadelphia are not too pleased, to say the least, that Brad Pitt’s potential blockbuster, “World War Z is being filmed here in Scotland. So why did he not use Philadelphia? Well from what I can read it would appear that the City of Philadelphia dithered when it came [...]

I can never forget the picture that I saw on a Mega Church wall on one of my visits to the United States. It simply read ” You Build It : They Will Come.” Underneath was a picture of Noah waiting for the animals to arrive. It has stayed in my mind because I fear [...]

Taoiseach Enda Kenny who told the Dail yesterday that the culture of the Vatican was dominated by ‘dysfunction, disconnection, elitism, the narcissism’. Photo: Dara Mac Donaillaoiseach Enda Kenny (file). Photo: Dara Mac Donaill

I watched BBC Newsnight once again dissecting the the fall out of the News International scandal. Its getting to the stage of being ridiculous, so much important news being missed or not reported in depth. Anyway at the end of one interview the question was asked what is happening to all of our Institutions in [...]