GadgetVicar

Hear And Respond To The Cries Of Suffering

Beat Attitude has done a great job on the Bible in Two Years programme, with sixty odd people having signed up to take part. I'm on another, slightly more intensive programme, which will mean my pastor colleagues and I will have read the whole of the Bible in ten months. It's quite intense, and immensely challenging.

This week we have been reading Exodus, and we met in Starbucks on Byres Road this morning to share what we had been given. In my case it was a lot about reverence for God, our call to canniness (see the Hebrew midwives in chapter 1 for example), and the sense that God sees, hears and responds to our cries for help. Yet often, the suffering in the world makes no sense, and God's response or part in it is hard to discern. I struggle.........

All of which prompts me to respond somehow to the horror of the Haitian earthquake. It's distressing to watch such suffering, and I feel so utterly powerless in the face of it, but I know we can pray and help by giving here or here.

Talent

An utterly amazing Talent Show last night. The audience enjoyed comedy, music, song, dance and even some swinging from the rafters from trapeze act, Aerolocos. The standard was very high indeed, and some of the acts were profoundly moving. One such piece was Cheen's performance on the piano and Powerpoint which she dedicated to her papa and to her home province of Szechuan following last year's earthquake.

As usual with these things I feel humbled and very limited in my abilities!

Thanks to Alison (who put the whole thing together), the caterers, welcome team, techies and performers. Thanks too to everyone who offered their skills and participated in the auction.

The whole thing was fundraiser for the Building for the Future Project but it also served as a wonderful evening simply enjoying God's creativity and one another's company.

(Picture courtesy of Grayza)

It's not too late: The Big Jig 2 - 7.30pm, Saturday, 24th January 2009

It's not too late. There will be tickets on the door. A Burns Night Buffet. Much dancing.

Credit Crunch Dinner

We were feeling well enough last night to venture out for the Glasgow City Mission Annual Staff/Board of Directors Christmas Dinner (billed this year as the Credit Crunch Dinner). Rather than go to some fancy restaurant, it had been decided to have a home-made do, and at St Silas' to boot! Ewan was chef (it runs in the family) and was ably assisted by a group of mostly St Silas' volunteers. It was all fabulous: mackerel pate, ham, turkey and tiramisu. The event gave us a lovely opportunity to catch up with some people we'd not seen for a while. Apparently when I disappeared up some ladders into the loft above the kitchen to try and sort out the water heater, there was a frisson of excitement, as a few people thought I'd gone up to get into a Santa costume and would be dishing out presents. Maybe next year? Hold on a minute, does that mean I've reached the stage where I make a good Santa?

The City Mission is in the middle of building a new facility to further develop the work among the most disadvantaged in the city of Glasgow. If all goes well this should be ready by the summer. Like all charities, we're nervous about the effect that the current economic difficulties will have on giving. As we prepare to enter a new phase in our ministry, we'll keep trusting in God's provision for this important work.

Rwentobo School, Uganda

St Silas' has agreed to support the development of World Shine Ministries' school at Rwentobo in Uganda. This support will come from our Building for the Future fund, and stems from our a desire to share God's goodness as we develop the property He has given us in Glasgow. Our first contribution will buy some of the land necessary for further development.

It's a big vision, and the long term hope is to build a school which produces community leaders of character and integrity. Such partnerships are going to be important for our life here.

The Big Jig

People In Need

This morning I conducted the funeral of a baby whose mother is seeking asylum in this country following the murder of her husband in her homeland. She had lost contact with her teenage sons, but regained that contact this week through a woman from an opposing tribe who was in the detention centre with her. I can only imagine the pain she and so many thousands like her must be going through. It's hard to know how to help, other than to offer loving kindness. A couple are doing just that in a most beautiful way.

Recently I had some contact with a man from India, who came here illegally in the back of a lorry. He had put his land up as security for the journey. If he is returned to India, he will lose everything and will not be able to support his family. He is unable to work as he is ill, but isn't registered for medical care here, for fear of appearing on the authorities radar. He speaks little English but we have been blessed with having a number of Punjabi and Hindi-speaking Indian families in the congregation, so I've been able to communicate with him, though I think he understands English better than he's letting on. Again, it's hard to know how to help him, but we are trying. We need wisdom.....

Last Sunday night, a homeless guy we've known for many years showed up in church. We haven't seen him for a while. He avoided me, but then I'm nervous when I see him as several handbags have coincidentally disappeared when he has been around. He knows the score - we don't give money, but will buy some food. He also knew better than to ask members of the congregation for money while he was in church. Which is why he stood outside and did it instead. I know because one upset person called me the other night to tell me how pressurised she had felt by him.

While I was in the USA, Nick called to ask  for a little advice on how to deal with a man seeking financial help to travel somewhere. He claimed that I knew him (I didn't, but he must have checked out the notice sheet and seen I was out of the country, so couldn't contradict his story). Nick told me yesterday that this guy turned out to be a scammer and that one minister on the southside had given him £300. This is a bad thing. i suspect that minister has now realised this. I've heard so many of these stories over the years ("My daughter has died in Plymouth. Can you give me fifty quid to get there?"). My usual method of dealing with this is either to flatly refuse or to go the extra mile, take them to the bus station, and get a bus ticket with my credit card (they can't get a refund on that) and physically put them on the bus. To date this has a 100% success rate of ensuring that they don't take the bus, as their only intention is to get money. I've advised colleagues to try this, and they are surprised by my caution and that the counsel works so often. One person recently took someone to the bus station, only to have them disappear as he stayed in the ticket queue while his new-found friend went to the loo.

Compassion can't be blind. We need to be "wise as serpents, and gentle as doves", and that requires a lot of thought and prayer.

Tots 'n' Co Nearly New Sale Tomorrow

Saturday 23 August 2008 10:00 to 12:00in St Silas' Church:

Tots 'n' Co (our fantastic carers and toddlers group which meets on Monday mornings) have organised a sale of childrens' clothes (0-10 yrs), maternity clothes, buggies, toys and nursery equipment. £1 entry at the door, all funds raised are going to the Building for the Future project.

Beat the Champ

....at chess that is.

Jacob Aagaard, the current British Chess Champion (and who happens to attend St Silas' with his lovely family), will be playing all comers at chess at Kelvingrove Art Gallery from 10.30 am onwards. Jacob will play 12 people at the same time and every time a game is over some one else can take that place. So far 70 people have signed up to play.

So if you fancy yourself as a Grand Master, get on down there and play or just go and support. It should be a sight worth watching.

It is £5 to play and the fee is going to Building for the Future and Chess Scotland.

Transformational Business Network

We've just been learning about the Transformational Business Network. This is good stuff and links in with my trip next week to Kampala and Kabale, as we seek out projects to support in the developing world with our Building for the Future Fund.

I eventually had coffee with Bishop Onesphore of Byumba this morning. He has invited me to visit him in Rwanda while I am in Uganda. I thought this might be tricky, but it turns out that Brits don't need a visa. It's only a drive of an hour or so from Kabale. Please pray it is possible.