Clerical Collars And Christmas Conversations

posted: 4 Dec 2012 comments: 11category:

Clerical Collar Advert I'm hoping to encourage ministers all round the country to start wearing their clerical collars during the weeks running up to Christmas. I believe that the clerical collar gives all of us who are ministers of Word and Sacrament an opportunity to bring faith into the market place. Over the years I've discovered that many opportunities arise allowing me to speak to people informally on the street about Christ because I'm wearing a collar. So I'm inviting my fellow...
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From Dundee To London

posted: 30 Nov 2012 comments: 2category:

Last Sunday evening I had the privilege of preaching at the Steeple Church Dundee. It was a great evening. Such an encouragement to see so many people enthusiastic about the refurbishment and the new lease of life and commitment this brings to Dundee Town Centre and the congregation. David Clark and his team have a great passion to share the gospel with the people of Dundee and it is heartening to see the Church of Scotland continuing to be a lead player in this...
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Polmont to Perth

posted: 22 Nov 2012 comments: 0category:

Today I visited Polmont Young Offenders Institute. I was reflecting with someone that the first time I was in Polmont must have been in the late 1960s . I remember going to play there with the Living Stones. Today I was invited to speak at the opening of the Multi-Faith Space. This is a space in the jail which traditionally would have been called the Chapel but now in an attempt to be inclusive it is known by the above name. After spending sometime with the boys Donald...
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Don't Force Your Children to Church - says the Moderator?

posted: 24 Oct 2012 comments: 2category:

A few weeks ago an article appeared in various newspapers, including Scotland on Sunday, purporting that I was suggesting that forced church attendance could be detrimental to the spiritual growth of some young people. It was one of those articles that makes you kind of screw up your face and cringe: because it was half right and half wrong.  The journalist was looking for an angle. The implication was that I implied ministers "rabbited on" thus being critical of...
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Its Time To Speak Out - Let's End Human Trafficking

posted: 18 Oct 2012 comments: 2category:

Tonight as I write my blog there are literally millions of people all over the world being sold into slavery.  It has been estimated at around 27 million people. The same internet highway that allows me to communicate with you allows others to buy and sell fellow human beings. Naively, many of us thought that slavery ended with Wilberforce and his social reformers. Unfortunately, today a sophisticated network of international criminals operate at all levels buying and...
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