Only 4 days

It has only been four days since my last post, but it seems much longer ago than that!

We enjoyed meeting up with friends on Saturday evening at one of the local hotels. They joined us for Communion at church on Sunday, the last Sunday before I begin my duties as minister.


In the afternoon, we joined our friends for a walk up Ben Hope, some 3040 feet (927m) high. It was a great break from unpacking and storing at the manse. The weather was good, dry but not too hot. The summit was clear most of the afternoon, but it was capped by cloud by the time we arrived. We were getting late, and there were hordes of midges, so we had a brief snack, took some photos, and headed down again. However, there were many fine views both climbing up and during our descent. I'm sure it won't be long before we're back to try again for a clear view from the summit.

On Monday we headed out to Thurso for our first major shopping expedition. It's a 90-mile round trip, but it didn't take too long. Soon we were back home with all that we need for the celebrations this weekend.

The unpacking is nearly finished now, and I have begun to give some thought to my first few weeks of preaching. A plan is now in place, and the first couple of weeks are beginning to get some detail.

I've already made my first pastoral visit, organised my first meeting, and today I even received my first enquiry about a wedding! The Big day isn't until next year so no big panic - yet!

It's been sunny quite a bit this week, and I am still revelling in the beautiful views around the manse. Below is the back garden in the evening sunshine, and then the view this morning from the front door over Castle Varrich and the Kyle of Tongue.

Second Day

After a first night in the manse, camping on the floor, we were glad to see the removal van arrive. The unloading took all afternoon, but by teatime, the guys had headed off for a well-deserved weekend.

During the evening the sun came out giving us a beautiful view over the Kyle of Tongue. The tide was out and the sandbanks and mudflats were shining and glistening in the sunlight. The second evening.



The Second Day began this morning with a glimpse of sunlight on the slopes of Ben Hope. Today the clouds are higher than yesterday, but the summit at 3041 feet (927m) is still shrouded in cloud. Perhaps it will clear later in the day.

Our second full day in our new home beckons. A day full of unpacking, but also with a visit by friends from Edinburgh. They will be staying in Tongue over the weekend.

First Day

Well it was 8:30 in the evening when we finally arrived in Tongue yesterday - the first evening.

The journey was uneventful. We were driving gently, since neither of us had driven Edinburgh to Tongue in one go. On previous trips we had always swapped drivers part way along the road.

But for this trip we had both cars with us, so there was no co-driver! We did swap cars at Inverness. It was good to be able change driving positions. My car led the whole way, with Liz driving it from Edinburgh, and me driving it from Inverness.

Andrew chose to sit in my car the whole way. I don't whether that was because he liked my new stereo, or my car-seat is more comfortable, or that he couldn't be bothered changing over!

Up above you see the removal van being loaded up in Edinburgh. Below you see our two cars parked at our new home in the manse at Tongue. The advance party has arrived and eagerly awaits the arrival of the removal van, which spent the night in Inverness. The van should be halfway here by now, and they hope to finish unloading by the end of the day.

There was evening, and there was morning - the first day! Genesis chapter 1 verse 5.

Leaving Home

Today is the day that the Removal company arrive to pack up all our stuff and load it into the van. Some of the family are staying on in the house, so we need to make sure that all the things they need get left behind. And we need to make sure that all the things we need up North in Tongue don't get left behind!

It's going to be a full-on day, leading up to final loading and departure tomorrow morning. Too busy to be sad. Too busy to be excited.

But we know that Jesus has called us to follow Him. He has called us to live and serve Him in Tongue. He will be with us every step of the way. He is trustworthy and faithful.

You can trust Him too.

Coming Home

Many stories in the Bible tell of travellers returning home. Some of them had a warm reception - like the Prodigal Son. Others had a harsh reception - like Jesus coming to Nazareth.

Today was the last time my family and I worshipped at Davidson's mains parish church before some of us head North to the parish of Melness and Tongue in Sutherland.

The guest preacher today, Pirie Mitchell, from Canada, was 'Coming Home' to the church at Davidson's Mains, where his grandfather had been minister, and where his father had left home to seek his fortune in Canada at the age of 17.

As we make our final preparations for departure, it was nice to be reminded that we can come home. We might be moving, but the congregation at Davidson's Mains will be staying - to continue the ministry of Jesus in this place.

I was also reminded that God has a place for each person in his home. Everyone is invited. Each person can make a choice to go there, or to stay away.

Jesus came to bring that Good News to the whole world. The work of the Church is to tell everyone the Good News. That's what we will be doing in Melness and Tongue.

Endings and Beginnings

Beginnings and Endings go together.

A journey begins and ends. The universe began, and one day will end. Life begins with a seed, and hopefully produces fruit, before it ends.

When I began to train for Ministry, in August 2005, a journey began, that one day come to an end. With the grace of God, that journey ended fruitfully, in November 2009, with successful completion of my training.

But that end heralded the beginning, and continuation, of a search for the people and place that God was calling me to serve. The end of that search, by the congregation's election of me to become their next minister, triggered the ending of my 49 years of living in Edinburgh.

That ending will be accompanied by a new beginning, of my living in the Sutherland village of Tongue. I will be serving the people who live in and visit the parish of Melness and Tongue, comprising those two villages, and the surrounding communities that make up the whole parish.

The transition between ending and beginning takes place in only a few days now. The removal people will arrive, pack up our belongings, and take them North, ready for us to start again.

The Bible is full of journeys, with all their beginnings and endings. God walks with us every step of the way, leading us onwards, drawing us towards Him and his home.

There is always an Exception to the Rule. God was, and is, always will be. Those who put their trust in Him, walk with Him through his son Jesus Christ, live with Him forever.

God's party is not a private party! Everyone is welcome, but no-one is forced. Everyone can choose, to be there, or to stay away. The journey goes on ...

Counting Down

Today I made the last of my visits to the congregations in which I have trained during the past 6 years. It was great to see everybody and they made me feel very welcome.

However, it was also a poignant experience, knowing that for some of the folk I saw today, or maybe even many of them, it will be the last time we meet each other.

That has been a feature of the past few months really. Folk we have known, perhaps just at a surface level, or perhaps more deeply, we will no longer see or meet.

Of course, one of the benefits of the internet, of blogs, of Facebook (if I am allowed to mention that site here!), is that it makes it easier to keep in touch with folk. We can read of their activities, or see photos of them, or where they have been.

But it is not the same is meeting with someone in person; talking to them when they can hear our voice, seeing them, listening to them, being close with them.

The whole experience makes me think of Easter, particularly that first Easter. Jesus had been crucified and was dead and buried. The disciples were in shock, grieving together, drawing strength from their mutual friendship of Jesus. They thought they wouldn't see Him again. That's how I am feeling about many, or maybe even most, of my Edinburgh friends.

But only a few days later, the disciples were over-joyed to meet Jesus again. Their grief was turned to celebration. Their desire to stay shut away from society was replaced by an enthusiasm to tell everyone they knew, even everyone they met, that Jesus was not dead, but instead He was alive!

I expect that in the years ahead, people will come to visit my wife and me in our new home in Tongue in Sutherland. In fact, some of my friends will be with us for my service of ordination less than three weeks away now! Whether soon, or not, it will be great to see folk we have known from our years in Edinburgh. It will remind us of those Good Old Days!

The Bible records the lives of some of the key figures as they have known God. It gives us an insight into their relationships with the God they worshipped. We learn about God at a distance, both geographical distance, and a chronological distance.

The great thing about God, is that we can get to know Him for ourselves, here and now - right this second. He is only a prayer away -

Dear God, help me to know you. Let me hear your voice whispering to me, leading me, guiding me, teaching me, loving me. I am sorry for letting you down so much. Thank you giving me a fresh start, to love you, serve you, and worship you. Amen.