Farewell to my colleagues

posted: 25 Sep 2012 comments: 0category:

It's an early Monday evening in late September in Seoul. I'm sitting in what can only be described as a very expensive coffee shop attached to the usual business hotel. You know the kind of place. It's perfectly adequate for what it was designed to do, but it has no soul. It could be anywhere in the world. The canned piano musack, only underscores the corporate feel. A couple of business men chat over coffee. I drink my water, I'm too mean to spend $9.00 on a coffee....
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Reflections on the Korean experience

posted: 23 Sep 2012 comments: 1category:

20120923-233539.jpg Having visited the Korean Presbyterian Church General Assemblies its now time to begin to reflect on the experience and write from time to time about the differences and also what can be shared cross-culturally for the benefit of both our churches and also the world church. One very interesting area of empowerment I've notice is the role that has been given to the theological students. Over the past few days they have acted as our hosts, sitting with us from time to...
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Korean General Assembly Choose 'The Least of These' As Their Theme

posted: 20 Sep 2012 comments: 0category:

20120920-212259.jpg South Korea is a country with a past steeped in suffering. It's a past in which Scotland has been involved.The catastrophic Korean War, which was essential a civil war brought about by external forces (the confrontation between Communism and Capitalism) left the country a divided wasteland. This was the first intervention of a United Nations force, involving US, UK, Australia, in total twenty nations contributed to the allies. Literally, over a million people lost their...
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A shortest Scheduled Flight in the World.

posted: 17 Sep 2012 comments: 1category:

20120917-174006.jpg When Friday morning came it was off to Papa Westray. I had received a text message the night before advising me that the winds might prevent the plane from landing at Papa Westray. However It was full steam ahead on Friday morning the winds had died down. The night before there had been an 135mph gale blowing. As I was driven to the airport skies were clear. This is an unusual flight. The whole trip takes about 15 mins however it allows another two minutes to fly...
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Meeting the civic and business community

posted: 15 Sep 2012 comments: 0category:

20120915-120543.jpg I arrived back in Orkney on Thursday morning. It all seems a bit of a dream. I guess it's because you are moving from one meeting tithe next. This was the day to meet the Convener of the Council Stephen Heddle and the Depute Chief Executive Leslie Manson. I believe meetings like these are very important. it gives me as Moderator an opportunity to explain the possible partnerships that can be developed between Church and Council. this proved to be a very productive...
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