FROM ST. GILES‰ CURATE

IONA RETREAT š A TREAT

On 28^th September I boarded the night bus from Victoria bound for a week on the Hebridean island of Iona.æ St. Columba landed on the Island in the 12^th century and formed a community.ææ The Abbey he built was restored in the 1940s and now accommodates hundreds of visitors each year.ææ In fact during the summer months the number of visitors staying at the Abbey at any one time (100) is only slightly fewer than the number of residents on the island.

The Abbey provides spiritual direction and a focus for those who wish, or one is free to pursue one‰s own programme.æ I did the latter and divided my time on the

I read that on Iona 'the divide between the material and the spiritual is paper thin'.ææ Writer James Findlay said that the life of prayer can be likened to 'a delicate, subtle fire - a desire without name, which people sense to be the presence of God calling them to union'ææ I believe I got an inkling of this in my stay on the island.

If you might be interested in going on a retreat yourself, please contact a member of the staff of either of our churches who will provide details of some of the very varied opportunities available - most are nearer than Iona!ææ And, of course, the word 'retreat' includes the word 'treat' so along with prayer and reflection remember to leave space for conversation, fun and laughter.

Blessings.

Mike Bisset

 

 

 

Quote: In the 16th Century Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that work should be broken up by times of reflection as ‹When you come back to work your judgement will be surer since to remain constantly at work will cause you to loose the power of judgement.Šæ

æIona Community

"The Iona Community is an ecumenical Christian community, founded in 1938 by the late George MacLeod of Fuinary. Gathered around the rebuilding of the ancient monastic buildings of Iona

Abbey, the community has sought, ever since, the "rebuilding of the common life", bringing together work and worship, prayer and politics, the sacred and the secular. The community today is a movement of some 200 members, 1,200 associates and 2,000 friends. The members, men and women from many backgrounds, countries and denominations are committed to a rule of daily prayer and Bible study, sharing and accounting for their use of time and money, regular meeting, and action for justice and peace.

The Iona community maintains three centres on Iona, Mull, and its base in Community House Glasgow, which also supports the work with young people, the Wild Goose Worship and Resource Group, and a publishing house Wild Goose Publications."

 

FROM ST. GILES‰ REGISTERS

Baptisms

Oct.æ 13^thææææææææææææææ Amy May King

æææææææææææææææææææææææææææææ Harvey Eric Morrisæææ

Weddings

Sept. 21^stæææææææææææææ Philip Rowland Goode and Nioka Jane Dean

ææææææææææææææææææææææææææææ Aaron Maximillian Yorke and Zoe Clare Bradbury

Oct.æ 12^thæææææææææææææ Graham Jones and Penelope Foster

æææææææææææææææææææææææææææ Timothy Andrew Blanks and Lucy Catherine Grove

Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium

Sept. 17^thæ ææææææ ææææWilliam Lesley Franklin, aged 93ææææææ (Cremation at Hanworth)

Sept. 18^thææææææææææææ Matthew Charles Wilkin, aged 16 (Following a service in St.Giles‰ Church)

ææææææææ 24^thææææææææææææ Patrick King, aged 71

Oct.æ 18^th æææææææ ææææJames Whitby, stillborn

Burials of Ashes

Sept. 25^thææææææææææææ Matthew Charles Wilkin

FROM THE U.R.C. PASTORAL ASSISTANT

The "Friends Reunited" website seems to have become extremely popular, and has enabled many people to contact old school friends with whom they had lost touch.  What do people talk about when they finally meet up?  I guess there will be much reminiscing about old school chums, teachers, P.E. lessons, school dinners, field trips, and all the many things that went on in their school days.  It isn't only older people who enjoy remembering the past!

November is a month for remembering.  You don't need me to tell you whom we all remember on 5th November!  But the month begins with All Saints Day.  Saints are not all famous or found in stained glass windows. In fact the Bible uses the word "saints" as a general term for all Christian people.  So "All Saints" is a time to remember people who have gone before us, and whose memory brings us encouragement.

On 11th November we remember those who lost their lives in two World Wars and in conflicts since.  This sort of remembering brings home the human cost of war, and acts as a solemn warning to us in these days when the word "war" is once again on the world agenda.

Throughout the year, not just in November, Christians celebrate Holy Communion.  As we receive the bread and wine we remember that Jesus died on the cross for us.  Why? To restore the relationship between sinful human beings and their holy Creator.  The Communion service is a
particularly potent sort of remembering, because it brings something from the past (the death of Jesus) right into the present.  People today can know the power of Jesus' forgiveness and the peace of being restored in their relationship with God.

I began the article with old school friends being brought together again, but being restored to God is of utmost importance, and lasts for ever. It is really the ultimate in "friends reunited"!
Anne Dove

FROM THE U.R.C. REGISTERS

Cremation at Breakspear Crematorium

Sept. 18^thææææ John Rowlands, aged 92

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