Sunday, 29 April 2012: 4th Sunday of Easter. Today the absence of the Choir, Organist & Choirmaster, Assistant Priest and Deacon, all in Sweden with our twin diocese of Gothenburg, resulted in a said Eucharist, which was fine, and different. Sadly, Fr Ron Graham died, but all his family were present, which was lovely. His funeral is on Friday in church at noon. Interestingly, the sermon by Paul, our Rector, was on one of the readings today from John on inclusiveness and the importance of the inner, spiritual life, with which I agree and I told Paul that. He and I feel strongly about it. It comes as we debate the outcome of the Anglican Covenant which, if passed, will exclude all sorts of folk. Luckily, most dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church except Edinburgh, will have nothing to do with the Covenant. Edinburgh have a bishop elect so presumably it will be debated in their Diocesan Synod when they have their bishop consecrated and instituted. It will signal change or, as I would say, growth in The Church. The Anglican Communion General Secretary, Canon Kenneth Kearon, has written individually to each one of us regarding the sort of person the Crown Nominations Commission should seek for a replacement to Cantuar. I had e-mailed him to say that the Archbishopric of Canterbury should be for the Prime Minister and his government to decide with the C of E, and nobody else, whereas the Chair post of the AC should be decided in future by the other Provinces of the AC as the debates in this year's General Synod of the C of E show clearly the reluctantance of the C of E to change and move forward. Therefore, as the Provinces of the AC have already moved on it seems evident that the Chair should be the responsibility of the AC Provinces, not the C of E. I can see the retired colonels of the Crown Nominations Commission 'hrumpring' and snorting over my audacity and then throwing my e-mail in the waste paper basket. Ha ha!

Tuesday, 13 March 2012.

Having a sore back gives one endless opportunities other than gardening or walking. The day is fine and Springlike and a good day for both activities but I answered my body pains and Val and I went to Dalmeny Park for lunch in lovely surroundings. Walking around the garden we were amazed at the growth already under way. Shopping at nearby Tesco we returned home early to continue reading the Lent Study book for Lent - 'Love Unknown' by Sr Ruth Burrows. The book is not easy reading but it is challenging about the nature of God, of how our forbears saw him and the expectations of the then Church and the present Church. We shall join the group at St Ninian's Scottish Episcopal Church this evening after Eucharist. Re-reading chapters 5 and 6 I have warmed to the prophet Jeremiah. He suffered greatly at the hands of 'the establishment' of his day but emphasised the individual relationship each of us has with God ( assuming that he meant over and above that of the Church and God). We shall see what the discussion this evening brings. Meanwhile, back to the book and a wee dram...