abbotsford.org.uk

Where have all the ministers gone?

Fiona, our minister, recently attended a conference, in Peebles, on the state of the ministry and its future,within the Church of Scotland, beyond 2020. 

As our previous minister of some 15 years only recently moved on to pastures new, our Presbytery Plan (cue spinal shiver!) clicked in and mapped Abbotsford's future as a linkage with Dalmuir Barclay Church, 1.5 miles away.

Our congregation therefore learned, in a most sudden & dramatic way, that ministers are becoming few and far between.

I am glad to say that in the case of OUR proposed linkage, Dalmuir Barclay already had an excellent minister and our congregation voted for the linkage... and the minister! 
But enough of me trying to sweet talk my way into heaven :-)...

The aforementioned conference threw up a LOT of very interesting statistics regarding the 'age' of ministers. So much information, in fact, that I am simply going to give a link to an excellent report on the conference written by Peter Johnston of St Andrew's Parish Church in Blantyre...

Builders, Boomers, Xers and Yers

A dear green place...

It is said that Glasgow and the title "Dear Green Place" could derive from the Cumbric (part of the Celtic Langauge group) 'Glas Cau' meaning 'green hollow'. Although that goes back to the days long before the city grew into what we know today, it is certainly still the case that there are some 'dear green places' amongst the grime of city life.

Over the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of visiting two of these lovely places - Kelvingrove Park & the Botanic Gardens and I will start a new Picture Gallery (below right) to give a taste of what God can do with a paint brush. (Pic on right is a sampler - click on it for larger view)

However, in both places, the other side of life in a large city can be glimpsed.
Four homeless men using a picnic table in a quiet, out of the way corner of Kelvingrove for their afternoon drink - no, not tea!
The older woman getting a 'wee heat' in the Kibble Palace at the Botanic Gardens.

Clichéd perhaps, but just the tip of a very large iceberg!

For our Harvest Thanksgiving this year, Abbotsford once again collected tinned food for Glasgow City Mission - "a group of Christians who work with adults and children who are vulnerable and disadvantaged, people who are often leading chaotic or difficult lives...to help them to break free from their oppressive situations". 

It is a sad reality that in the 21st century there is a growing divide between those who have much and those who have nothing but what they try to stand up in.

Perhaps if you like what you see in the picture gallery, you can give thanks for what you have... and perhaps think of the homeless and the work of Glasgow City Mission as the nights grow ever longer.