So we arrived, and there's no snow (not unexpected)...
but also no suitcase!
So we're in a really festive house with lots of lovely decorations waiting to enjoy Julafton, only we have no clothes, no toiletries, no presents...
BA promised the bag would arrive later and be with us yesterday... its not here, their agents haven't reponded to calls, emails or faxs... so its not going to be a nice Christmas later this afternoon...
On the plus side, my hearing is back (my ears were agony on the two flights- very unusal for me), my throat's getting better...
and it really does look very nice with all the decorations, the tree and the lights...
So to everyone
Gud Jul
Monday 24 December 2007
Friday 21 December 2007
Music of the Day (Christmas Series)
In 1982 one of the nations favourite Christmas TV programmes was first shown. Every year since then Raymond Briggs The Snowman with its classic song "walking in the air" has been shown on TV as a tradition...
But, the best version is this one. Made as an advert for IRN-BRU it features some of the best known places in Scotland...
Enjoy
But, the best version is this one. Made as an advert for IRN-BRU it features some of the best known places in Scotland...
Enjoy
Thursday 20 December 2007
Music of the Day (Christmas Series)
OK, this might be embarrassing to admit, but I had a thing for old Bob Hope films when I grew up...
moving swiftly on...
Every time I hear this song I think of the film it was written for (The Lemon Drop Kid) and my mind goes back to my childhood... and I can't help trying to sing along...
So here is Silver Bells
moving swiftly on...
Every time I hear this song I think of the film it was written for (The Lemon Drop Kid) and my mind goes back to my childhood... and I can't help trying to sing along...
So here is Silver Bells
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year
This is where we'll be spending Christmas... only it probably won't snow, and I doubt we'll see the fat man in red!
Music of the day (Christmas Series)
Christmas Music is normally dire...
Apart from Carols and Classics, contemporary attempts are normally banal fluff (Fairytale of New York Excepted!)
But... back in 2000 XFM (UK based radio station) asked some (then) leading indie and alternative bands to either cover a Christmas song or write one. The result It's a Cool Cool Christmas raised money for charity and finally produced a Christmas album worth having...
I went into the Glasgow church one Christmas to prepare it for a Christmas program. After the service we were going to have a big "Christmas dinner/potluck/international food fest" and then after sunset games, etc. A few of us went in on Friday to get the hall decorated, etc (I even made a gingerbread model of the church) and I tool the CD in to play on the sound system... however, I forgot about it in the CD player. The next morning the head deacon arrived and went to switch on the sound system in order to play the CD he had left in from the week before... It wasn't the Bach he was expecting... luckily I managed to get my CD out before it got embarrassing!
The problem is finding any videos from the album,. It has little gems which were never released anywhere else...
So here is (because I can't find any thing else from the album on youtube...The Dandy Warhols and Little Drummer Boy
Apart from Carols and Classics, contemporary attempts are normally banal fluff (Fairytale of New York Excepted!)
But... back in 2000 XFM (UK based radio station) asked some (then) leading indie and alternative bands to either cover a Christmas song or write one. The result It's a Cool Cool Christmas raised money for charity and finally produced a Christmas album worth having...
I went into the Glasgow church one Christmas to prepare it for a Christmas program. After the service we were going to have a big "Christmas dinner/potluck/international food fest" and then after sunset games, etc. A few of us went in on Friday to get the hall decorated, etc (I even made a gingerbread model of the church) and I tool the CD in to play on the sound system... however, I forgot about it in the CD player. The next morning the head deacon arrived and went to switch on the sound system in order to play the CD he had left in from the week before... It wasn't the Bach he was expecting... luckily I managed to get my CD out before it got embarrassing!
The problem is finding any videos from the album,. It has little gems which were never released anywhere else...
So here is (because I can't find any thing else from the album on youtube...The Dandy Warhols and Little Drummer Boy
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Music of the day (Christmas Series)
Over the next few days I'm going to post some of my favourite music from the festive season and open up a bit and tell you the story behind them...
I used to find it very hard to get into the Christmas season. For me it was a busy time. I had all the normal church programmes, visits, and activities to plan and deliver. On top of that were the special gatherings, church, community, charity, etc. Then there were the extra visits, the extra services to plan (and normally nominating committee ran on into December too!). I was often too busy to really feel as if I was grasping the reality of the time, and was struggling to pass it on.
So I used to go to another Christmas service. You see, I really couldn't worship in my own, after all I had probably planed it and was too busy ensuring it went to plan to get to worship properly.
So I would find another Churches service. I would look for an Episcopal (Anglican) church as I felt at home there, and go to a traditional service of nine lessons and Carols. I went to the cathedral in Glasgow a few times and then when I moved to Edinburgh I went to St John's.
2004 was my first Christmas in Edinburgh and my first year on my own in the church (in Glasgow I worked with another minister) and I had only just arrived at the church. So on top of all the usual business I was trying to settle in.
The Scottish Mission had its Christmas Dinner in Crieff at the Hydro and then when it finished I shot down the motorway to Edinburgh and got to the church just in time to find a seat. Desperately needing to rediscover the meaning of Christmas I waited to the service to start.
And there at the back of the church, the single voice of the solo began and the choir processed singing this hymn.
And all at once the glory of the Advent was rediscovered.
"Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" Ar. Elizabeth Poston
(This is the only version I could find... It wasn't a male voice choir at St John's... but you should still get the effect)
I used to find it very hard to get into the Christmas season. For me it was a busy time. I had all the normal church programmes, visits, and activities to plan and deliver. On top of that were the special gatherings, church, community, charity, etc. Then there were the extra visits, the extra services to plan (and normally nominating committee ran on into December too!). I was often too busy to really feel as if I was grasping the reality of the time, and was struggling to pass it on.
So I used to go to another Christmas service. You see, I really couldn't worship in my own, after all I had probably planed it and was too busy ensuring it went to plan to get to worship properly.
So I would find another Churches service. I would look for an Episcopal (Anglican) church as I felt at home there, and go to a traditional service of nine lessons and Carols. I went to the cathedral in Glasgow a few times and then when I moved to Edinburgh I went to St John's.
2004 was my first Christmas in Edinburgh and my first year on my own in the church (in Glasgow I worked with another minister) and I had only just arrived at the church. So on top of all the usual business I was trying to settle in.
The Scottish Mission had its Christmas Dinner in Crieff at the Hydro and then when it finished I shot down the motorway to Edinburgh and got to the church just in time to find a seat. Desperately needing to rediscover the meaning of Christmas I waited to the service to start.
And there at the back of the church, the single voice of the solo began and the choir processed singing this hymn.
And all at once the glory of the Advent was rediscovered.
"Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" Ar. Elizabeth Poston
(This is the only version I could find... It wasn't a male voice choir at St John's... but you should still get the effect)
More Tests Yesterday...
I had to go into Edinburgh for some breathing tests yesterday. It appears that I "over breathe" or hyperventilate. When I breathe I expel to much carbon dioxide which can lead to dizziness, light headedness, cold extremities, pins and needles, etc.
Although this is only part of my overall package of symptoms, this one is supposedly easy to cure and hopefully in the new year I'll see someone about this. This is probably;y an issue because I used to be very active, and now that I'm not because of the CFS my body tries to over compensate...
Still, if I can get this under control and continue to make physical progress, things might look up for the future!
Although this is only part of my overall package of symptoms, this one is supposedly easy to cure and hopefully in the new year I'll see someone about this. This is probably;y an issue because I used to be very active, and now that I'm not because of the CFS my body tries to over compensate...
Still, if I can get this under control and continue to make physical progress, things might look up for the future!
Friday 14 December 2007
Thursday 13 December 2007
The future of the Church... is already here
I’ve been watching a few conversations develop online and thought I’d comment on one of them.
Over at Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight was looking at the subject of “EGens”: some recent research from the US (see his post post for the links to relevant articles) argues that the current generation of 18-30 year olds threatens the future of the church. He highlights 4 social forces which it is argued will effect this generations decision to attend church.
The four social forces are
1) A growth in higher education, which most if not all will take up
2) Delay of marriage (in the US the average for a male is 28)
3) A changing economy, no jobs for life, many career/job changes
4) Parents extending support to children for longer
These, it is argued will lead to a fall off in church attendance (see the articles for the explanation as to why, but they include: an unstable family life, EGens missing out on church for 15-20yrs, “sexual serial monogamy”).
Yet as I read the articles I didn’t get a feeling of aha, or a sudden sense of seeing the light. Instead I kept thinking, “what’s new about this?” Because these are the social contexts that I’ve grown up in here in western Europe... (in fact here in the UK- as I blogged on my old blog several years ago- we are even further down this path, the average age for marriage is 32 and rising, more than 50% children are born out of wedlock, etc...)
When I went back to the Scot McKnight's blog I saw several others from Europe make the same point.
So maybe Americans shouldn’t look across the pond and sneer (the cathedrals of Europe are “so inspired... so grand... so empty..."), instead maybe they should eat humble pie, and instead of trying to export church growth programs, they should be coming here to try and learn from us in Europe. Maybe its time for a reverse, instead of all the Europeans going to see Willow Creek, Saddleback, etc, Americans should come here and see Holy Joes, Grace, Ikon, Greenbelt, etc...
(and whilst they’re here we’ll also use our history to show them the error of their ways when it comes to church and state!)
Over at Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight was looking at the subject of “EGens”: some recent research from the US (see his post post for the links to relevant articles) argues that the current generation of 18-30 year olds threatens the future of the church. He highlights 4 social forces which it is argued will effect this generations decision to attend church.
The four social forces are
1) A growth in higher education, which most if not all will take up
2) Delay of marriage (in the US the average for a male is 28)
3) A changing economy, no jobs for life, many career/job changes
4) Parents extending support to children for longer
These, it is argued will lead to a fall off in church attendance (see the articles for the explanation as to why, but they include: an unstable family life, EGens missing out on church for 15-20yrs, “sexual serial monogamy”).
Yet as I read the articles I didn’t get a feeling of aha, or a sudden sense of seeing the light. Instead I kept thinking, “what’s new about this?” Because these are the social contexts that I’ve grown up in here in western Europe... (in fact here in the UK- as I blogged on my old blog several years ago- we are even further down this path, the average age for marriage is 32 and rising, more than 50% children are born out of wedlock, etc...)
When I went back to the Scot McKnight's blog I saw several others from Europe make the same point.
So maybe Americans shouldn’t look across the pond and sneer (the cathedrals of Europe are “so inspired... so grand... so empty..."), instead maybe they should eat humble pie, and instead of trying to export church growth programs, they should be coming here to try and learn from us in Europe. Maybe its time for a reverse, instead of all the Europeans going to see Willow Creek, Saddleback, etc, Americans should come here and see Holy Joes, Grace, Ikon, Greenbelt, etc...
(and whilst they’re here we’ll also use our history to show them the error of their ways when it comes to church and state!)
That Romney Speech...
I’ve watched several online conversations following Romney’s speech last week. And yet I find it hard to join in enthusiastically. I think its because I look at things from a European context.
Such a speech would not be made here. Our former prime minister has since gone on the record stating that he didn't talk about his faith because he would be viewed as a "nutter". Whilst it made an amusing soundbite, I think the real reason is deeper contemporary European resistance to the role of religion in public life.
We resist for several reasons; secularism/multiculturalism, the decline in religious practice, historical precedent.
We in Europe, unlike the United states have either had wars of religion, or conflicts which used religion to further secular/political causes (unless you count the Governor of Missouri's 1938 Mormon "extermination order"). These wars have affected pretty much every country in our continent over the last thousand years, so you can see why we are weary of people in power who argue theta religion and freedom are inseparable- that simply hasn't been the European reality. We also look back and see examples of where the state has co-opted religion. Hitler's first speech declared that he saw that "both Christian denominations the most important factor for the maintenance of our society". The German church was largely subverted by the Nazi regime (the church was used by Franco in spain too).
We are also weary, because historically our rulers claimed a divine right to rule. This led them to act, often in the interests of a small minority without accepting dissent. It was the abuse of this claim that led to the down fall of several of Europe's ruling dynasties (through revolt or rebellion) and the beginning of constitutional secularism. So you can see why we get shivers down our spines when someone like Franklin Graham saying G W Bush was president because "God wanted him to be" (I thought he was president because the supreme court wanted him to be) or when Mike Huckabee tried to claim, God was behind his recent improved poll showing last week..
Europe is also a continent where religion is in decline. In Western Europe (even in the few countries which still have established churches) church attendance averages between 3-15%. So we recognize we are in a minority and so Christianity can't claim to be a dominant tradition anymore. Within the 27 EU states religious discrimination (either negative or positive) is illegal, so Europe is a de facto secular or multicultural continent. (This also leads to some interesting questions about popular Adventist eschatology, for example how can one envisage a universal Sunday law in such a context?)
We also worry whenever anyone tries to use a Christian "tradition" as an argument is that in Europe this is often code for nationalism/neo-fascist/"white" supremacy movements.
For all these reasons, we Europeans find it hard to believe that Mitt Romney not only said what he did, but that he felt he needed to in the first place. We find it hard to believe that a country which claims it is so advanced and is an example to the rest of the world would want advocate a medieval view of church and state. We understand that the USA lacks the history, but we hoped it would look to Europe and see the problems we had.
I'm not convinced (as many in Europe are) that faith has no place in politics, however the contemporary, evangelical US example does little persuade me that European lessons have been learnt.
Such a speech would not be made here. Our former prime minister has since gone on the record stating that he didn't talk about his faith because he would be viewed as a "nutter". Whilst it made an amusing soundbite, I think the real reason is deeper contemporary European resistance to the role of religion in public life.
We resist for several reasons; secularism/multiculturalism, the decline in religious practice, historical precedent.
We in Europe, unlike the United states have either had wars of religion, or conflicts which used religion to further secular/political causes (unless you count the Governor of Missouri's 1938 Mormon "extermination order"). These wars have affected pretty much every country in our continent over the last thousand years, so you can see why we are weary of people in power who argue theta religion and freedom are inseparable- that simply hasn't been the European reality. We also look back and see examples of where the state has co-opted religion. Hitler's first speech declared that he saw that "both Christian denominations the most important factor for the maintenance of our society". The German church was largely subverted by the Nazi regime (the church was used by Franco in spain too).
We are also weary, because historically our rulers claimed a divine right to rule. This led them to act, often in the interests of a small minority without accepting dissent. It was the abuse of this claim that led to the down fall of several of Europe's ruling dynasties (through revolt or rebellion) and the beginning of constitutional secularism. So you can see why we get shivers down our spines when someone like Franklin Graham saying G W Bush was president because "God wanted him to be" (I thought he was president because the supreme court wanted him to be) or when Mike Huckabee tried to claim, God was behind his recent improved poll showing last week..
Europe is also a continent where religion is in decline. In Western Europe (even in the few countries which still have established churches) church attendance averages between 3-15%. So we recognize we are in a minority and so Christianity can't claim to be a dominant tradition anymore. Within the 27 EU states religious discrimination (either negative or positive) is illegal, so Europe is a de facto secular or multicultural continent. (This also leads to some interesting questions about popular Adventist eschatology, for example how can one envisage a universal Sunday law in such a context?)
We also worry whenever anyone tries to use a Christian "tradition" as an argument is that in Europe this is often code for nationalism/neo-fascist/"white" supremacy movements.
For all these reasons, we Europeans find it hard to believe that Mitt Romney not only said what he did, but that he felt he needed to in the first place. We find it hard to believe that a country which claims it is so advanced and is an example to the rest of the world would want advocate a medieval view of church and state. We understand that the USA lacks the history, but we hoped it would look to Europe and see the problems we had.
I'm not convinced (as many in Europe are) that faith has no place in politics, however the contemporary, evangelical US example does little persuade me that European lessons have been learnt.
Arghhh... or The Secret
One of my biggest frustrations at the moment is that I've been unable to walk, climb or just get out and enjoy the outdoors since I got Ill in April. For those of you who know what I used to be like (2-3 trips to the climbing wall a week, climbing trips to Mexico and Europe to climb, winter walking/climbing, about to get involved in instructor training, etc...) will have some idea what it must be like. Every time I see the local quarry through the now leafless trees I just go mad... something so near and yet so far...
But, I am getting better and the desire to climb is getting stronger.
So every time I see something I have a feeling of inspiration, tinged by a feeling of deep regret.
But, on Monday, in a great early (for the Ben) start of the Scottish Winter Climbing Season, The Secret was climbed. The story of what is probably the hardest onsight winter lead in Britain can be found here.
Now there's no way I can claim to climb anywhere near this level, but you got to find it inspiring...
(This video of the ascent Will give you a taste of the day)
(this video sums up Scottish mixed climbing beautifully... a lot of hanging around, trying to trust your placements and your gear, trying to Psyche yourself up for the move, and finally a move.... this is why it takes so long to climb!)
Please, I don't have to be able to climb this hard, but please just let me be able to feel the touch of rock and ice again, please, please, please...
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Music of the day
Ok, so this one's almost 3 years old, but its still a little newer than my usual choices!
So here is Athlete and Wires
(next will be an (old)new version of a classic Christmas song)
So here is Athlete and Wires
(next will be an (old)new version of a classic Christmas song)
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Music of the day
I know I promised an newer song... however, it is almost Christmas, and it is my blog...
So, with one of the greatest Christmas songs ever, here is The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl and Fairytale of New York
So, with one of the greatest Christmas songs ever, here is The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl and Fairytale of New York
Gratitude
I want to thank everyone who drops by with encouraging words, or who calls or e-mails. I really do appreciate it. I'm sorry that I'm not very good at getting back to people at the moment- I still have good and bad days. Hopefully I'm on the road to recovery and will get back to normal (although I wasn't the best at keeping in touch even then...)
I also want to thank an old friend who I'm afraid I've not kept in touch with as I should, who somehow found my unadvertised amazon wishlist and sent me a book from it. Thank you very much. I'm looking forward to reading it when I travel at Christmas.
Thank you all very much
I also want to thank an old friend who I'm afraid I've not kept in touch with as I should, who somehow found my unadvertised amazon wishlist and sent me a book from it. Thank you very much. I'm looking forward to reading it when I travel at Christmas.
Thank you all very much
Sermon Update
Thanks to everyone who posted encouraging comments or who e-mailed or spoke to me last week.
Somehow a sermon(ette) came together (the first three words survived, but not at the start), and despite a few little complicaions on the day, everything seemed to go well.
Thank you.
Somehow a sermon(ette) came together (the first three words survived, but not at the start), and despite a few little complicaions on the day, everything seemed to go well.
Thank you.
Friday 7 December 2007
Tomorrow's sermon
I'm supposed to be preaching tomorrow- it's the first time I've done that in year. Here's the problem. I'm having difficulty preparing. I'm not able to get into my old routines, I'm not in touch with any of the issues in the church...
But to make it worse, this hasn't been a good week. I've been struggling to concentrate, I have been getting headaches, etc... so at the moment I have an order of service, a title, and the first 3 words...
To make matter worse, my mind isn't working so well and I can't trust my memory, so I need to have it all written out...
This is not looking good.
But to make it worse, this hasn't been a good week. I've been struggling to concentrate, I have been getting headaches, etc... so at the moment I have an order of service, a title, and the first 3 words...
To make matter worse, my mind isn't working so well and I can't trust my memory, so I need to have it all written out...
This is not looking good.
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Holocaust Memorial Day
Yesterday the Muslim Council Of Britian voted to abandon its boycott of Holocaust memorial day. It had previously argued that the focous should be wider, the day should not just focous on the holocaust but also on other acts of genocide (such as Darfur). However, this position has been misinterpreted as anti-semitism so they have decided to support the day.
Interstingly, on the same day the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust released some results of a survey. It says that although 53% of Britons know that genocide is taking place in Darfur, only 17% will do anything about it...
Maybe the Muslim Council of Britian had a point...
Interstingly, on the same day the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust released some results of a survey. It says that although 53% of Britons know that genocide is taking place in Darfur, only 17% will do anything about it...
Maybe the Muslim Council of Britian had a point...
(Christ/X)mas
A few stories in the press have got me thinking about christmas/securalism/”christianophobia”.
The first was a story in the “torygraph” which was picked up by the BBC. It claimed that in a survey of 100 schools, only 1 in 5 was having a nativity play. This was, it was claimed (with no quotes from the schools/local authorities/etc to back their propaganda up), “because schools don’t want to upset non-christians” and held up as an example of political correctness gone wrong.
Sorry but the rag has got it wrong.
Thinking back to my primary school days (over 20 years ago) even then we only had 1 nativity play in 4 years. The rest of the time it was plays based on fairy tales, or classic children's stories. This wasn’t due to political correctness either (the only non white was a Sikh classmate of mine...) no it was because school found it boring to produce the same play every year and wanted to mix it up a bit...
next...
Tory MP Mark Pritchard is calling for a parliamentary debate on what he is calling ”christianophobia”. He wants the country’s “Christian tradition” protected (oh yes he quoted the bogus nativity play “research” as evidence...). He went on to say "It's gone far enough. If there are those who want to see the Christian church reduced to the margins in this nation they should have the courage to say so, rather than using the rights of other religions as an excuse."
Well maybe he should check out the facts... less than 6% of this country goes to church on a regular basis... the church IS on the margins... and whilst I’m not happy about this I don’t think attacking multiculturalism is the answer (unless you’re a tory who is frightened that the BNP are getting your votes...)
But (before you write me off...) I was saddened on sunday to go to a christmas shop. There were over 20 different snowy town scene you could buy, but only one crib set... yep, we’ve forgotten the origin of christmas...
The first was a story in the “torygraph” which was picked up by the BBC. It claimed that in a survey of 100 schools, only 1 in 5 was having a nativity play. This was, it was claimed (with no quotes from the schools/local authorities/etc to back their propaganda up), “because schools don’t want to upset non-christians” and held up as an example of political correctness gone wrong.
Sorry but the rag has got it wrong.
Thinking back to my primary school days (over 20 years ago) even then we only had 1 nativity play in 4 years. The rest of the time it was plays based on fairy tales, or classic children's stories. This wasn’t due to political correctness either (the only non white was a Sikh classmate of mine...) no it was because school found it boring to produce the same play every year and wanted to mix it up a bit...
next...
Tory MP Mark Pritchard is calling for a parliamentary debate on what he is calling ”christianophobia”. He wants the country’s “Christian tradition” protected (oh yes he quoted the bogus nativity play “research” as evidence...). He went on to say "It's gone far enough. If there are those who want to see the Christian church reduced to the margins in this nation they should have the courage to say so, rather than using the rights of other religions as an excuse."
Well maybe he should check out the facts... less than 6% of this country goes to church on a regular basis... the church IS on the margins... and whilst I’m not happy about this I don’t think attacking multiculturalism is the answer (unless you’re a tory who is frightened that the BNP are getting your votes...)
But (before you write me off...) I was saddened on sunday to go to a christmas shop. There were over 20 different snowy town scene you could buy, but only one crib set... yep, we’ve forgotten the origin of christmas...
Monday 3 December 2007
Music of the day
Another 90's indie (I think I still have the single somewhere...)
I think I'll have a break and post something a little more up to date next,
but first here is 3 Colours Red and Beautiful Day
I think I'll have a break and post something a little more up to date next,
but first here is 3 Colours Red and Beautiful Day
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