September 2022

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above; then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord for all his love.

Familiar words, and words that we will sing this morning as we metaphorically; ‘Plough the fields and scatter’.

When was the last time you saw a field being ploughed? For some of us I suspect it was a while ago and the closest we are likely to get to scattering seed are the seeds we sow in the hope they will germinate and find a home in our gardens.

Decades ago as a society we lived closer to the land...

“⁷for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it…’ 1Timothy 6:7

How often have you heard those words? They are commonly used at the beginning of a funeral to remind us that we come from God and return to God; and as such need nothing in the way goods and chattels to make ourselves complete in God’s presence. When we have gone what is left of us are our possessions but hopefully more than that, the good memories of our deeds and actions.

Throughout our lives many of us acquire ‘things’...

Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me (John 14:1)

Who could have imagined the outpouring of public grief this past week? It has at times been overwhelming. We have all, in different ways, been caught up in the drama and emotion of this momentous event – the loss of a beloved Queen.  In our conversations, on social media and in the newspapers, we cannot avoid it. We have seen the private grief of our royal family being lived out so publicly with such dignity and respect.

Let me share briefly three unexpected encounters this...

At the close the Sung Eucharist we will commend the soul of Her late majesty Queen Elizabeth to God.

Rest eternal grant unto her O Lord. 

EDINBURGH DIOCESAN OFFICE, 21A GROSVENOR CRESCENT EDINBURGH EH12 5EL

09 September 2022

My Dear Sisters and Brothers
‘There was evening, there was morning...’ a new day.

May I offer my love and encouragement at this time of national loss. I suspect that in these days of mourning we shall discover that we are affected by the death of our Queen in unexpected and surprising ways. This will be true of the whole nation and, as the church of God, we must step up to offer welcome and opportunity for people to express their sorrow and find solace. I hope you...

“Possession is nine points of the law”. That old Common Law precept makes the point that, in law, your shirt or your blouse are yours unless someone else can come up with either a document or compelling evidence showing that it belongs to them. The saying came to my mind because possession is the theme of all three of today’s readings.

In our reading from the Hebrew Scriptures, God is telling the people of Israel that they will be blessed in the land that they are “entering to possess”, provided that they love God and obey God’s commandments. They are...