Message from Rev. Peter Donald, Our Interim Moderator

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Kiltarlity and Wardlaw Churches

Message from Rev. Peter Donald, our Interim Moderator.

Dear friends,

Seeing news that Luis Palau is back in Inverness shortly, it reminded me of how he held up a particular verse to guide the huge mission events he fronted. It is in fact a verse which matters to us all, for it speaks in one sentence of what Jesus holds out to us in faith. “I came”, Jesus said, “that they may have life, and have it abundantly (or ‘in its fullness’)” (John 10.10).

God gives of Himself to us, committing love, assuring us of mercy and forgiveness, pointing for us the way to go, because it matters how we live. It is God’s gift that we might live abundantly, knowing full measures of joy and peace and purpose. And this, so wonderfully, is God’s gift to all sorts of people. It does not depend on our background or intellectual ability, nor is it only for those who can afford it. Jesus’ passion to point people to himself was rooted in him being well aware that so many alternatives grasped at by the likes of you and me do not in the same way open up joy and peace and meaning. He offered himself as the one for us to keep close to on the good path, walking in the light. He offers himself still.

What do you believe in ? Believe in Jesus who came to lead us into life ! And see the church therefore existing primarily to sustain folk in that faith; to help people to discover faith; to help people to deepen faith. Why do you believe in the church ? Believe in it because it is absolutely committed to Jesus’ leading.

Here we are now moving towards the end of summer. Schools are back. Though you may still have holidays to look forward to, we are most of us back in life in ordinary. I write this to encourage you to be very clear what we are about in Kirkhill and Kiltarlity Churches. We are not about keeping buildings open, that is not our primary task. We are not about doing things as they have always been done, that probably is not very clever. We are not about hanging in there until there is no-one else, though pessimists try to point us that way. We have been excited by faith. We are a people of hope. We are those who know we are called to love as we have been loved by God, and though we are well aware therefore of our constant failings, we are impelled to go towards the ever greater freedom of being children of God; where we have let ourselves be trapped or tempted or just plain caught up in ourselves, that is not where we want to stay !

Believe in Jesus. Believe in the church. And help others to do just the same. Let good news come out of what you say and how you live !

Every blessing!

Peter

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 1 of 24

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What would the UK be called without Scotland ?

The UK crops up on postcards, passports, in the United Nations and the Eurovision song contest. Would its name change if Scotland says "Yes" to independence ?

In reality the country could, and probably would, continue to be known as the UK. It's difficult to imagine a Westminster government advocating anything else. But the suggestion that "UK" might need replacing if Scotland becomes independent after the referendum on 18th September has already led to some alternative shorthands being bandied about.

"The rest of the UK" is the handle used most commonly - it appears 293 times in the Scottish Government's white paper on independence - but leaves England, Wales and Northern Ireland in danger of sounding like Scotland's cast-offs. It's also a bit of a mouthful. Its abbreviation, rUK, is already used by Scottish universities to differentiate between students from Scotland and those from the rest of the UK in relation to tuition fees. It regularly appears in Scottish newspapers such as the Herald and Scotsman.

Meanwhile, several Scotland analysis papers published by Whitehall favour the onward plodding of "continuing UK." "Future UK" has been floated as an idea by John Lanchester in the London Review of Books and "Former UK" by the Spectator columnist Charles Moore. Snappier perhaps, but as both writers have pointed out, the abbreviation - fUK - is somewhat unfortunate.

The UK has had its fair share of makeovers in the past and the different names used are often loaded, Prof Linda Colley of Princeton University points out in her book Acts of Union and Disunion. Jonathan Swift wrote in 1738: "Pox on the modern phrase Great Britain," unhappy that it excluded his native Ireland. For a time Scotland was sometimes referred to as "North Britain" - a term coined in the 17th century by unionists which would now be considered highly derogatory by most Scots. Perhaps England, Wales and Northern Ireland should take comfort in observing that Scotland is not immune from the rebranding question. Newspaper readers north of the border are by now used to seeing references to an independent Scotland as "iScotland."

‘Our Daily Bread’ books are produced quarterly and contain a daily scripture reading and a Christian story. The book can be used for personal devotions, or to share with the whole family.

The new quarter’s book is now available on the table at the back of the Wardlaw Church sanctuary. You are most welcome to take one away to use at home. Thanks to Flora Morrison

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 2 of 24

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The Scot who hunted Jack the Ripper

A memorial has been unveiled in Thurso in honour of a teacher- turned-police officer who investigated the murders of Jack the Ripper. Donald Swanson was born at Geise, near Thurso, and went on to become one of Britain's best Victorian detectives.

Donald Swanson was born at Geise Distillery, about two miles from Thurso, on 12th August 1848. He was the youngest child of brewer John Swanson and his wife Mary. The distillery is now long gone and ruined buildings now mark the spot. Mr Swanson was still a boy when his family left Geise and moved to a home in Thurso's Durness Street. He attended Robert Meikle's Parish School in Thurso's Market Place, before going to the Miller Institution. After leaving school, Mr Swanson was a teacher for a time at the Miller Institution, which is today a public library.

In 1867, Mr Swanson left on a horse-drawn stagecoach with the aim of getting himself to London. In 1868, the young man joined the Metropolitan Police. Mr Swanson rose through the ranks and earned promotions to sergeant, detective inspector and detective chief inspector in 1888 - the year of Jack the Ripper's murder of five women in the Whitechapel area. In 1896 he was made superintendent of the force's criminal investigation department. During his long career in the police, Mr Swanson handled investigations into some of the worst crimes of the Victorian age.

He was involved in the arrest of murderer Percy Lefroy Mapleton in 1881. Mapleton planned a robbery on a train from London to Brighton. He targeted a former stockbroker, killing the man by throwing him out of a carriage after unsuccessfully shooting at him with a revolver.

Mr Swanson was involved in two other major investigations that same year. One led to the recovery of jewellery worth £250,000 stolen from a Lady Alice Bective. Later, Mr Swanson found himself back in Scotland tasked with hunting down a gang of grave robbers who stole the body of the Earl of Crawford and demanded a ransom for its return. Jack the Ripper murdered five women in the Whitechapel area of London. Mr Swanson and his superior, Robert Anderson, suspected that Polish-born Aaron Kosminski was the killer. Mr Kosminski, a hairdresser who arrived in England in 1882, had a history of mental illness, was declared insane and committed to an asylum where he died shortly afterwards. He, Mr Swanson, and Mr Anderson believe no more women were killed by the Ripper after this date.

In 1903, the Scottish detective, who frequently returned to Thurso for holidays, retired on a pension of £280-a-year. He died in Surrey on 24th November 1924 and was buried at Kingston cemetery.

Mr Swanson's police rattle was brought to the unveiling ceremony in Thurso by his family. His 83-year-old granddaughter Mary Berkin unveiled the new memorial outside Thurso Police Station on 12th August 2014 with the policeman's great grandson Neville Swanson.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 3 of 24

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Church of Scotland to hold ambitious referendum event in September

The Church of Scotland is to hold an innovative referendum debate involving key figures from both sides of the campaign in a follow up to its successful demonstration of respectful dialogue at this year's General Assembly. The dialogue in Glasgow will be streamed live online to 10 satellite events around the country, who will each incorporate it into their own discussions.

Finance Secretary John Swinney MSP and the Advocate General for Scotland, Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC ( Jim Wallace ), will participate in a dialogue chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Rt Rev John Chalmers on

September 3rd at The St George's Tron Church in Glasgow, starting at 7:00 p.m.

Also on the panel will be Convener of the Church of Scotland's Church and Society Council, Rev Sally Foster- Fulton, and Rev Martin Johnstone, who is Priority Areas Secretary of the Church of Scotland and also Chief Executive of Faith in Community Scotland.

The audience will be made up of Church of Scotland members, as well as leaders from civic life and other religious denominations and faith groups.

The event will run in conjunction with ten other local dialogues at Church of Scotland venues across the country, which will use the content to stimulate their own discussions. It is anticipated more than a thousand people be able to participate in the evening, as well as the wider online audience.

In May this year the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was lauded as a 'model of debate' following a historic discussion on the independence referendum. 700 people, including members of the public, packed into the hall to take part in a respectful dialogue which demonstrated the Church of Scotland's long-standing tradition of reflecting on events of national significance.

The dialogue will be ‘live streamed’ to an audience in Crown Church, Inverness from 7 o’clock, on Wednesday, 3rd September and this will then be followed by their own period of open dialogue. The Glasgow event can also be followed by anyone on the live stream, in the same way as the General Assembly – via a link on the Church of Scotland website.

Moderator takes ice bucket challenge in Stornoway

Rt Rev John Chalmers and Mrs Liz Chalmers have taken part in the 'ice bucket challenge' during their visit to Lewis on 26th August 2014. The Rt Rev John Chalmers took part in the charity craze after he was nominated by the Church of Scotland's youngest minister, Rev Michael Mair in Edinburgh. The Moderator and his wife Liz were doused in icy water during a visit to 'The Shed', a church led youth project in Stornoway. Commenting on the experience, Mr Chalmers said it was a great way to get rid of the midges. He added it was an honour to help raise the profile of research into Motor Neurone Disease, as one of his first pastoral visits as a young minister was to a parishioner suffering from the disease. The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 4 of 24

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What is the National Stewardship Programme ?

The Church of Scotland’s National Stewardship Programme allows congregations the opportunity to think about how we use our time, talents and money in serving God. How do we cultivate these gifts, share them sacrificially, and return them to God with increase ?

The National Stewardship Programme was launched in 2011 and has already provided opportunities for congregations throughout Scotland to respond to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ by breaking the jar. Wardlaw and Kiltarlity Churches addressed the subject of talents in October 2012.

How do you spend your time ?

Time is one of our most precious resources and yet it is something that we may often waste. At different stages in our lives we have different calls on our time.

October this year will be the Stewardship Season for the Wardlaw Church congregation and we will be looking at the Stewardship of Time. As well as recognising the value of some of the things we currently do with our time, we will be given the opportunity to look afresh at time for friends and family, time for God, time for work and time for rest and relaxation.

Some of our Sunday services during October will be dedicated to the subject and there will be some special events such as: –

 time for friends and fellowship - a Sunday walk and afternoon tea on October 12th  time for worshipping God - a Songs of Praise evening on October 26th  time for prayer - a prayer walk in Kirkhill on Wednesday evening October 29th

A leaflet outlining the plans will be available by the end of September, but in the meantime you might like to put the above dates in your diary.

For the Songs of Praise evening you are invited to nominate a favourite hymn to be included in the programme. Please complete the slip on the last page of this edition of Parishioner with your choice(s). Place it in the box on the table by the entrance and a selection will be used to make up the programme for Songs of Praise.

If you have other ideas to help us think about this subject or would be interested in helping to plan some of the events, please speak to Iain Mortimer or Alasdair or Eileen Morrison.

COPPER WIRE

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, British scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 150 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Brit's, in the weeks that followed, an American archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, a story published in the New York Times: "American archaeologists, finding traces of 250-year-old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network 50 years earlier than the British."

One week later, the state’s Dept. of Minerals and Energy in Western Australia, reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 feet in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, Jack Lucknow, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing at all. Jack has therefore concluded that 250 years ago, Australia had already gone wireless." Thanks to Robin Simpson of Burntisland for this history lesson

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 5 of 24

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Scotland’s journey to Union

On the 18th September 2014, voters in Scotland will be asked in a referendum whether they want the nation to become independent from the rest of the United Kingdom. The road to Union spanned centuries. Monarchy, religion, wars and money all played a part in an intriguing and often bloody story. This timeline shows the key events leading to the signing of the Act of the Union in 1707.

25th September 1237 – The Treaty of York. The border lands changed allegiance many times prior to the 13th century. For the first time, the border between Scotland and England is established. In an attempt to consolidate his kingdom, Alexander II of Scotland signs the Treaty of York with Henry III of England. The Treaty officially defines the border and remains in place with only the ownership of Berwick-upon- Tweed being contested over the following years. This is finally settled in 1482 when the town is captured and held by English forces.

1295 – Edward I, invasion and the ‘Auld Alliance.’ Edward I strips Scotland of its symbols of sovereignty. After the sudden deaths of Alexander III of Scotland in 1286, and his daughter Margaret in 1290, there are many claimants to the throne. England’s Edward I agrees to adjudicate but requires the claimants to accept him as their superior lord. In 1292, he selects Scottish nobleman John Balliol. In 1295, the Scots sign a treaty of alliance with France; the ‘Auld Alliance.’ Edward invades Scotland. His army rampages through Berwick, then Dunbar, overpowering the Scots. Balliol is imprisoned and exiled. Scots lords are forced to pledge allegiance to Edward.

1297 – Scotland revolts. Scots forces win a striking victory at Stirling. Local revolts against English rule turn into a national rebellion in 1297 under the leadership of William Wallace and Andrew Moray. Higher taxes and the threat of war with France lead many ordinary Scots to join the rebel army. English control of Scotland is weakened but armed conflict continues as Balliol remains in exile. In 1305, Wallace is captured and executed by Edward in London.

1314 – Battle of Bannockburn. Robert the Bruce murders John Comyn, a rival claimant to the Scottish throne, and has himself crowned king in 1306. Bruce leads a guerrilla war against English occupation, slowly building support in Scotland for his kingship. On 23rd and 24th June 1314, the armies of Robert the Bruce and Edward II meet at Bannockburn, near Stirling. Bruce’s army is greatly outnumbered. But with the twin advantages of local knowledge and military cunning, the English are overwhelmed. Edward’s army is forced into a humiliating retreat. Key to victory at Bannockburn was the ‘schiltron’ formation.

1320 – The Declaration of Arbroath. Baronial supporters of Robert I sign a letter to the Pope asking for papal backing in their fight against English overlordship. The letter, prepared at Arbroath Abbey in 1320, announces that Bruce has freed the country but, if he ever submits to the English, he will be driven out and replaced as king. The declaration states “…for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions, be brought under English rule.” In 1328, Edward III agrees to recognise the independence of the Scottish throne. Scotland’s alliance with France leads to intermittent fighting as part of the Hundred Years War.

/ Contd.

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Scotland’s journey to Union ( contd. )

1502 – Treaty of Perpetual Peace – A long dynastic conflict in England, the Wars of the Roses, leads the first Tudor king, Henry VII, to make peace overtures to Scotland. A treaty intended to end over 200 years of enmity is signed by Henry and James IV of Scotland. The following year James marries Henry’s daughter, Margaret Tudor. The terms of the treaty are broken in 1513 when war between England and France is renewed and the Scots invade England in defence of the Auld Alliance. James is killed at the Battle of Flodden. His son takes the throne as James V.

1542 – Mary, Queen of Scots. The infant Queen of Scots, becomes a pawn in an Anglo-French power struggle. Mary, the only child of James V and his French wife, Mary of Guise, is born. James dies six days later and Mary becomes queen. In 1543 Scotland’s Regent, the Earl of Arran, agrees a marriage alliance with England, now a Protestant realm under Henry VIII. Mary is to wed Henry VIII’s son Edward. Scotland’s parliament rejects the treaty and Henry invades Scotland in what becomes known as ‘the Rough Wooing.’ Scotland turns to France, agreeing a marriage between Mary and France’s crown prince, the Dauphin Francis. Mary lives in France from 1548 becoming its queen in 1558. She returns to govern Scotland in 1561 after the death of Francis II.

1560 – The Reformation. The religious reformation sweeping across Europe takes hold in Scotland. In Scotland, a Protestant uprising in 1559 combines with discontent over the nation’s status as a French satellite state. Queen Elizabeth of England sends troops to aid the Protestant rebels. In 1560, the Scottish parliament accepts a Protestant confession of faith. A treaty requires the removal of both English and French troops from Scottish soil.

1566 – The birth of James VI. Mary, Queen of Scots marries a Scottish noble, Lord Darnley and has a son, James. As a great-grandson of Margaret Tudor, James is the nearest heir to England’s unmarried Queen Elizabeth. In 1567, Darnley is murdered. There are suspicions about Mary’s involvement and, when she marries the chief suspect, the Earl of Bothwell, she is forced to abdicate in favour of James. Mary flees to England and never sees James again. She is imprisoned by Elizabeth I and executed in 1587 for plotting to overthrow the English queen.

1603 – The Union of the Crowns. England’s Queen Elizabeth dies childless, ending the Tudor reign. Elizabeth’s cousin, James VI of Scotland, inherits the crowns of England, Wales and Ireland. From his reign in Scotland James is known to be an effective and accomplished king. James VI, now James I of England, styles himself the King of Great Britain, but the English and Scottish parliaments resist proposals for formal union. Each country remains a separate sovereign realm. After claiming the English throne, James rarely returned to Scotland and boasted that he ruled it “with a pen.”

1637 – Charles I’s prayer book and the Covenanters. Covenanter dissent threatens to tip Scotland into war against its king. With the Scottish king now in London, consultation with Scotland declines and discontent builds. In 1637, James’s son, Charles I, introduces a prayer book for the Scottish church that many consider to be insufficiently Protestant. A revolt leads to the swearing of the National Covenant in 1638, creating a rebel movement in defence of the church. Armed rebellion follows and the Covenanters invade England to force the king to agree terms. A treaty is agreed, but by 1641 conflict is rising between Charles and the English parliament and a revolt begins in Ireland. / Contd. The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 7 of 24

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Scotland’s journey to Union ( contd. )

1643 – The Solemn League and Covenant. In return for military assistance the Scots seek religious union. Civil war in England leads parliamentarian rebels to ask for armed assistance from Scotland. The Covenanters in Scotland agree to help in return for promises that the churches of England and Ireland will be reformed on Presbyterian lines. The Solemn League and Covenant envisions a British Protestant union with the kingdoms united under the same monarch with similar, though not united, churches. The Solemn League has strong popular support in Scotland but much less in England and Ireland.

1652 – Cromwellian Union. Hundreds of Scottish war prisoners were sent to the colonies as slaves by Cromwell. To Scotland’s outrage, Charles I, the son of James VI, is executed in 1649. England abolishes the monarchy but Scotland names Charles’s son as king. Cromwell invades Scotland in response, inflicting a bloody defeat at Dunbar. By 1652 and under military occupation, Scotland accepts a Tender of Union leading to the formation of the united Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Representatives from Scotland serve at Westminster. But with the death of Cromwell, Charles II is restored to his British crowns in 1660.

1688 to 1690 – Revolution and the Jacobites. In 1685, the Catholic brother of Charles II takes the British thrones as James II and VII. By 1688 English peers unhappy with his rule invite William of Orange, Protestant leader of the Netherlands, to invade. James flees to France and the parliaments of England and Scotland each offer the crown to William and his wife Mary. The Scottish parliament re-establishes Presbyterianism when bishops back James as the legitimate king of Scotland. Refusing to accept William, John Graham of Claverhouse leads a revolt – the first of many Jacobite attempts to restore James and his descendants.

1695 – Company of Scotland Act. The Isthmus of Panama was controlled by Spain and as such the Scottish plan risked Spanish hostility and aggression. Though Scots are allowed to hold property in England as natives, they are denied access to England’s lucrative overseas colonies. The Scottish Parliament launches a bold initiative to set up a national trading company, which in 1698 founds a colony at Darien, in Panama. Pressure from English traders prevents the Scots from raising capital in London, Amsterdam and Hamburg. But the Scottish public embraces the scheme, investing about a quarter of Scotland’s liquid capital in this high-risk venture.

1698 – The Darien Scheme. The Darien trading scheme predates the Panama Canal by over two hundred years. The Darien Scheme was a disaster. Many of the settlers die during the voyage and, on arrival, survivors face disease, revolt, sabotage by England and attacks from Spain. King William refused to support the colony, creating huge discontent in Scotland and a feeling that Scottish sovereignty has been lost. Coming after several years of harvest failures due to extreme weather, the Darien failure worsens a serious credit crunch. Scotland’s financial losses are great.

/ Contd.

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1702 to 1706 – Succession Crisis and Union. Anne’s father, James II, forfeited the throne due to his Catholicism. A succession crisis prompts Queen Anne to pursue a complete union between Scotland and England. Leading English Tories sink a first attempt in 1702. In 1703 and 1704 the Scottish Parliament demands reform before it will name Anne’s successor. A Whig Parliament in 1705 forces the Scots into treaty talks by threatening to cut off trade. In 1706 terms are set for a united kingdom of Great Britain with 45 Scottish MPs in the House of Commons and 16 nobles in the House of Lords. It offers free trade across the nations and all colonies but under higher English customs and excise rates.

1st May 1707 – The Act of Union. Despite being unpopular, the signing of the Act did not result in civil unrest. The Scottish Parliament passes the treaty amidst great debate. Unionists argue the treaty will create a strong Protestant realm able to counter the growing problem of Catholic France, supporter of James Stuart. Parliamentary supporters are secretly paid £20,000 by the government. Opponents express concern for the loss of the ancient Scottish kingdom and parliament. Presbyterian opposition in Scotland leads to an act preserving the Presbyterian Church. The treaty is passed in England and on 1st May 1707, the United Kingdom of Great Britain comes into being.

There are three ways in which you can vote on th Thursday, 18 September 2014. 1. 2. The most common way is to vote in person at a polling place - usually a community hall or school nearest to you. 3. 4. Alternatively, you can use a postal vote - where you send a completed ballot in by post rather than casting it in person. 5. 6. Or a proxy vote - where you appoint a person you trust to vote on your behalf.

The deadline to apply to use a postal or proxy vote at the referendum - excluding an emergency proxy vote – is

17:00 hrs. on 3rd September 2014.

All enquiries to The Electoral Registration Officer, Moray House, 16-18 Bank Street, Inverness, IV1 1QY - 01463 703 311.

Polling places will open on 18th September From 07:00 hrs. and close at 22:00 hrs.

When do we find out the results ?

In the Highland Council area, Steve Barron, Chief Executive of the Council has been appointed as the Counting Officer, responsible for conducting the Referendum.

There will be 299 Polling Stations in the Highland region, with 299 Presiding Officers and 332 Poll Clerks. The Highland Referendum Count will be held in the Highland Football Academy, Dingwall, starting at 10 p.m. on 18th September. The Highlands result and the Scotland Result th will be announced in the morning of Friday, 19 September.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 9 of 24

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Rock and purl: Five unusual things about Belladrum

The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival was held on 8th and 9th August 2014 at Belladrum Estate, in the Highlands near Beauly. Almost 17,000 people attended the two day event. The acts included Sir Tom Jones, Razorlight, Billy Bragg, Reef and Frightened Rabbit. While set lists, loud music and drinks in plastic cups are festival staples, what about knitting needles, a metal detector, personal ads, hot coals and stunt bikes ?

1. Lonely hearts club.

Tickets for the 11th Bella sold out a record five months before the event. And some of those going were also looking for love, according to the festival’s organisers. This year, for the first time, Bella offered a free service publishing small personal ads in a new Festival Lovers column in the event’s souvenir programme. Couples have previously met at the festival and even got married in the Belladrum Temple during the festivities.

2. Craft work.

In the walled garden of the Belladrum Estate there was a tent where festival-goers could knit hats, ear warmers and floral brooches. Other activities included headband-making, crochet and sugar paste modelling.

3. Walk in fire.

In the countdown to the festival, people were being invited to sign up for the fundraising Belladrum Celtic Firewalk. This year’s walk was in aid of The Archie Foundation Raigmore Children’s Ward Appeal and Tir na nOg Holistic Centre, near Glasgow.

4. Manic street bikers.

Drop and Roll, a new bike show formed by professional street trials riders Danny MacAskill, from Skye, and Duncan Shaw, of Inverness, made its first ever UK festival appearance at Bella. Before the show, Danny MacAskill said: “After doing shows out on the continent with the team it is going to be amazing to come and do a show a lot closer to home. I am sure the Bella crowds are going to be great.” Shaw added, also just before the show: “It has been hard work getting the whole team together and the show ready over the past six months but now it’s all set up so the fun can start.”

5. Heavy metal.

A metal detector is a key tool during the clean-up of the festival’s camp site, a field which at other times is used for growing hay or grazing livestock. The device is used for finding discarded tent pegs. But in 2012, the festival’s Eric Soane picked up something very different with the detector – part of a Roman coin hoard. A dig led by archaeologist Dr Fraser Hunter went on to uncover the rest of what was the first Roman coin hoard to be discovered in the Beauly area. Some of the 36 denarii date from the mid-Second Century. Festival promoter Joe Gibbs said at the time: “Left-behind tent pegs can be dangerous to stock and can damage machinery. We like to get rid of as many as possible. But it was an unexpected bonus to find the coins.” He added: “Heavy metal isn’t generally a genre we go in for at Belladrum, but perhaps we should revise that as clearly there is a precedent, albeit 2,000 years ago.”

Back to school Young James finished his summer holidays and went back to school. Two days later his teacher phoned his mother to tell her that James was misbehaving. "Wait a minute !" protested his mum. "I had him here for weeks and I never once called YOU when he misbehaved !"

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Owing to the continued generosity of our supporters around the world, Mary’s Meals is now feeding 923,572 of the world’s poorest children every day they attend school.

In the last four months, we have been able to add close to 30,000 new children to our global school feeding programme, thanks to the unrelenting efforts of our army of supporters who give as much as they can – time, money, skills and prayer – to help the communities in which we are working.

All of these acts of goodness bring us closer to realising our vision that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education. Yet, in a world where 57 million children are out of school and thousands are dying each day due to hunger-related causes, there is still so much for us to do.

The Mary’s Meals campaign began in Malawi in 2002 feeding just 200 children. Twelve years later, relying on kindnesses from across the world, we have now made it over the 900,000 mark and are incredibly close to reaching a major milestone:

ONE MILLION CHILDREN being fed every school day.

Across 12 countries – including in conflict-gripped South Sudan and Ebola-hit Liberia – Mary’s Meals is bringing hope to poverty-stricken children in a number of challenging contexts.

Each of the children enrolled in our programme is receiving a nutritious daily meal and sitting in a classroom gaining an education, which is their best hope of escaping poverty in later life. And, as a no-frills charity, it costs us a global average of just £12.20 to feed each of these children for a whole year. With your help, we can make it a million children!

To donate by telephone, please call on 01838 200 605 or 0800 698 1212. To make a general donation via text to Mary’s Meals, please text MMSF14 and the amount you would like to donate to 70070. For example, to donate £5, you would text MMSF14 5 to 70070. You can make the following donations £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 and £10, up to a maximum of £30 per month. Donations will be charged to your phone bill or deducted from your pay as you go credit. If you would like to claim Gift Aid on your donation, please follow the instructions in the reply text you receive.

Postal Donations – Please send any cheques, made payable to “Mary’s Meals”, to Mary’s Meals, Craig Lodge, Dalmally, Argyll, PA33 1AR.

Thank you for all your support. The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 11 of 24

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A British quiz with a Scottish slant

How much do you actually know about Britain ? Test your geography knowledge with these 20 quick questions. See page 23 for the answers.

1) Which is further west – Bristol or Edinburgh ?

2) Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire is the furthest place from a coast in the UK – how far away is it ?

1. 50 miles 2. 70 miles 3. 110 miles 4. 250 miles

3) How many deer live in the UK ?

1. About 100,000 2. About 2m 3. About 9m 4. About 13m

4) How much of the Scotland is forest and woodland ?

1. 12% 2. 48% 3. 17% 4. 30%

5) Rank these cities, highest to lowest, in population numbers ( 2011 UK Census ) ?

1. Inverness 2. Stirling 3. Aberdeen 4. Perth

6) How many counties border Wales ?

1. Two 2. Four 3. Eight

7) Which is the wettest city in the UK ?

1. Glasgow 2. Liverpool 3. Manchester 4. Belfast

8) The coastline of mainland Scotland is how long ? 1. 7,225 miles 2. 3,250 miles 3. 6,200 miles 4. 5,625 miles

9) Which is the longest bridge ?

1. The Humber Bridge 3. The Second Severn Crossing 2. The Tamar Bridge 4. The Menai Bridge

10) Which is the longest motorway ?

1. M1 2. M6 3. M5

11) How many acres does Spaghetti Junction cover ?

1. 2 acres 2. 10 acres 3. 30 acres 4. 60 acres

12) Which is the Scotland’s longest river ?

1. River Spey 3. River Tay 2. River Don ( Aberdeenshire ) 4. River Tweed

/ Contd.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 12 of 24

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A British quiz ( contd. )

13) Put Edinburgh, Cardiff, London and Belfast in descending order of population size.

14) Southend-on-Sea in Essex has the UK’s longest pier. How long is it ?

1. 297 metres 2. 987 metres 3. 2,158 metres 4. 4,967 metres

15) What percentage of the UK is used for agriculture according to 2012 government figures ?

1. 90% 2. 70% 3. 40% 4. 10%

16) List longest in length to shortest of the following lochs ( in miles ) ?

1. Loch Tay 2. Loch Ness 3. Loch Awe 4. Loch Lomond

17) Which is mainland Scotland’s most easterly town ?

1. Fraserburgh 2. Aberdeen 3. Peterhead 4. Wick

18) What are Grey Friar and Cat Bells ?

1. Fells 2. Farms 3. Waterfalls 4. Streams

19) Which is the UK’s smallest city by population ?

1. Bangor 2. St David’s 3. St Albans 4. Truro

20) Name four Channel Islands ? Answers are on page 23

Beauly Care Project – Senior Citizen’s Afternoon Teas in 2014 . Kiltarlity and Kilmorack dates are Tuesdays and Kirkhill dates are a Thursday 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – cost £1 .

Month Kiltarlity Community Centre Kilmorack Hall Kirkhill Community Centre Elspeth Colburn Frances Grant Flora Morrison 741 627 782 496 831 373 September 9th 16th 25th October 14th 21st 30th November 11th 18th 27th Special Christmas Afternoon Tea at Kilmorack Hall on 16th December 2014

A man walked into a Minister’s study and confessed: “I think I’m addicted to Twitter.” The Minister looked at him and replied, “Sorry, I don’t follow you." How do you fix a broken website ? With stick e-tape.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 13 of 24

www.kiltarlityandkirkhill.org.uk

PARISH NOTICE BOARD

. We offer our appreciation to Mr. Barry Dennis, Rev. Morven Archer, and Rev. Hector Morrison for leading our Sunday worship in August. Kiltarlity Church is grateful to Rev. Peter Donald who led their family service on th Sunday, 17 August 2014.

. We welcome back Rev. Douglas Horne for the first time this year and he will lead our services on 7th and 14th September. We welcome Mr. Jonathan Appleby, a Reader ‘set apart’ on 21st February 2014 at the Presbytery of st th Inverness service at Inshes Church, and he will take the services on the 21 and 28 September.

. Sadly Betty Frizzell, Rev. Stewart Frizzell’s wife, passed away peacefully on Friday, 15th August at the Highland Hospice. The funeral was on Friday, 29th August at W. T. Fraser & Son’s Funeral Home on Culduthel Road in Inverness, followed by a short committal service at Inverness Crematorium. We send our most heartfelt sympathy to Stewart, Lydia and Judith for their loss. Our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time.

. Avril Marr wishes to thank friends for their kind messages and prayers following her recent key-hole surgery to remove her gall bladder. Avril was a day patient at Raigmore Hospital and returned home at 9 o’clock in the evening on the same day of the operation. Avril’s recovery was not as quick and pain-free as she had hoped, but 10 days after the operation she travelled, with friends, to France for a relaxing painting holiday.

. A Harvest Thanksgiving service will be held at Wardlaw Church, Kirkhill on Sunday, 21st September, starting at 10 o’clock. ‘Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.’ 2 Corinthians 9 v10

. Many thanks to Margaret Birkbeck for proof reading this edition.

Third Sunday Praise

Due to other commitments, Alasdair and Eileen Morrison are not able to organise a Third Sunday Praise event in September or October. This will be disappointing for those who enjoy this time of worship together, however as advertised elsewhere in this edition of The Parishioner, a special Songs of Praise event which will feature favourite hymns chosen by the congregation is being planned for the fourth Sunday of October.

Top fibs parents tell children

1. When the ice cream van plays that

song, it means they've sold out.

2. If you keep pulling that face, it'll

stay that way.

3. The toy shop is closed today.

4. Watching too much television will

give you square eyes.

5. Mummy and daddy are allergic to

puppies / kittens / animals.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 14 of 24

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Vacancy News

There is no further update in the search for a new Minister. The Committee continue to explore and follow various leads, but have no firm news to report on. Any information about potential candidates would be welcomed. We remain hopeful and trust in the Lord that He will provide in His time.

The committee would like to thank all who have expressed their appreciation for the work they have been doing and value the ongoing prayer support of the congregations.

Members of the Nominating Committee are :

Angie Cosens – 782 141 David Garvie – 741 038 Iain Marr – 831 609 Moira McDonald – 831 333 Sheila Moir – 741 618 Alasdair Morrison – 831 185 Ellenor Thomas – 741 330 Neil Watson – 741 876 Iain J. Mortimer – 782 648

The Friends of Cameron House

are holding an Afternoon Tea and baking stall in the Scouts Hall, Highland Foodbank would Culduthel Road, Inverness be grateful to receive from on Saturday, 27 th September Wardlaw Church these between 2 and 4 o’clock - Harvest donations of :

admission is £2.50. Packets of rice

Tinned corned beef Cameron House is operated by Long life fruit juice CrossReach, part of the Church of Tinned tuna or salmon Scotland Social Care Council and is only two miles from the centre of Inverness. It is a purpose-built residential building, designed to cater for the needs of thirty individuals who have dementia.

Friends of Cameron House organise an annual programme of events such as bus and theatre outings, musical evenings, Burns and St. Andrew’s social nights, sales of work and a 'daffodil tea.'

Donations of baking, etc. would be most welcome – contact Kay MacDonald on 242 814

If you wish to go, please speak to Highland Foodbank would be grateful to receive Jeanette McLellan at Wardlaw from Kiltarlity Church these Harvest donations of : Church or contact her on 831 160 as she has tickets for this event. Tinned potatoes, Tinned ham, Long life fruit juice and Packets of crackers.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 15 of 24

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The story behind ‘Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken’

Glorious things of thee are spoken, See, the streams of living waters, Zion, city of our God; Springing from eternal love, He whose word cannot be broken Well supply thy sons and daughters, Formed thee for his own abode. And all fear of want remove. On the rock of ages founded, Who can faint while such a river What can shake thy sure repose? Ever flows their thirst to assuage: With salvation’s walls surrounded, Grace, which like the Lord the giver, Thou may’st smile at all thy foes. Never fails from age to age?...

The year was 1800, and Vienna was under bombardment by Napoleon’s troops. The great Austrian composer, Haydn, then old and frail, asked to be carried to his piano. There he made his own defiance of Napoleon, by solemnly play through his composition ‘Emperor’s Hymn.’ Haydn had composed it for the Austrian Emperor, Franz ll’s birthday on 12 February 1797. Haydn never touched his piano again, and died a few days later, aged 77.

That is where the tune for this well-loved hymn came from. It quickly became the tune of the Austrian national anthem. It was later even adopted by the Germans, as the tune for August Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben’s ( 1798 – 1874 ) anthem Deutschlandslied, which began with the famous words: ‘Deutschland uber alles’ ( Germany before everything ). In the ensuing political upheavals, the tune survived in the German national anthem, but was abandoned by the Austrians in 1946.

In the meantime, the tune had also reached England, as early as 1805. It was then that the words of a hymn by John Newton were first paired up with it. This meant that when the Austrian Emperor Franz visited his grandmother Queen Victoria, at Windsor Castle, he most likely would have sung his own national anthem tune to English words written by a converted slave trader turned country vicar ! John Newton’s inspiration for this hymn comes from Psalm 87: ‘Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God’ (vs3) and also a text from Isaiah 33:20-21: ‘Look on Zion… there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams…’

John Newton’s hymn celebrates the joy of knowing that the Church is the new Jerusalem ( Zion ) where God abides. He rejoices that God protects his people and promises to supply their needs. He leads them into the Promised Land, just as long ago he led the Israelites through the wilderness to their Promised Land. Back then, he led them with a fiery and cloudy pillar; now we have his very Spirit within us, to guide us each step of the way home.

The Sock Drawer by Nigel Beeton There is a place where chaos reigns On Wednesday it’s my Tuesday socks Where, despite most stringent pains When I’m grumpy Mr Happy mocks Pure muddle the ascendant gains Mr Holey when I’m chasing clocks The drawer I keep my socks in ! For funerals I find bright ones Some jump straight out onto the stairs For Church it’s always Doctor Who And some refuse to stay in pairs I wanted red but I find blue The ones I want eludes my stares Whatever am I meant to do ? The ones I don’t just flock in ! I can never find the right ones !

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 16 of 24

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I am writing from an organisation called Saying Goodbye, which is part of a charity called The Mariposa Trust. We are the organisers of the first national set of Commemorative Services for people who have lost babies at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, all of which take place at Cathedrals and Minsters across the UK.

We held 20 last year, and have many more this year, including three in Scotland on the 20th September at 11 a.m. in Glasgow Cathedral, 21st September at 1:30 p.m. in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, and the 24th September at 7:30 p.m. in St Andrews Cathedral, Inverness.

The services are free to attend and are open to anyone of any faith or no faith. They have been strategically located, to make them accessible to as many people as possible. They are held in Cathedrals and Minsters and so follow an Anglican format, but also include secular music, poetry and other elements.

Who Can Attend the Services ? The services are for anyone, their children and their extended family and friends, both women and men, who have lost a baby, however long ago, and there are as many people attending who have lost children 40, 50, 60 and 70 years ago, as well as people who have lost recently. It should also be noted that all are welcome regardless of the type of loss they have experienced, so whether they have been through early or late miscarriage, missed miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, still birth, early infant loss or any other type of baby or child loss. If you need to say goodbye to a baby or to grieve, or you want to come along with a friend who needs to say goodbye, you are welcome at any of the services.

Why Should I Attend the Services ? Loss at any stage is traumatic. Early loss is often not acknowledged or discussed, with commemorative services seldom taking place, whilst services for babies who are stillborn or lost in early years, are usually conducted while parents are in a fog of grief and pain. The services will give you the opportunity to stand with other people ‘who know’ the pain of losing a child. Come and rejoice in your baby’s life, grieve, remember and formally Say Goodbye.

Saying Goodbye is partnered nationally with Bliss, Tommy’s, World Vision and the Lullaby Trust ( formerly FSID ). These organisations join with us to provide support, counselling and information to people attending the services. Thanks to the BBC, ITV, local press and the NHS support, the Saying Goodbye Services are well publicised, however it’s not always possible to reach everyone. With one in four pregnancies ending in miscarriage ( amounting to 250,000 per year ), and with so many others lost at birth or in early years, loss is a huge issue, and one that is seldom talked about or acknowledged, and we hope that the services will allow people to feel that their loss is being remembered, and that their lost baby has been formally recognised.

You can contact the charity on 0845 293 8027 if there are any questions, or feel free to email [email protected] for more information.

Kindest Regards

Susan Horsley Saying Goodbye Team The Mariposa Trust

Thanks to Rev. Peter Donald for this notice.

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 17 of 24

www.kiltarlityandkirkhill.org.uk

Members of our Church family and others to be remembered in your prayers

Please continue to remember the following people in your daily prayers over the next month. The Guthrie family, Alison and Allan MacKenzie, Bob Weir, Jane Byham, Mary Donaldson, Malcolm Macrae and Avril Marr.

Please remember the following folk who have lost a loved one recently and are in need of our support and encouragement – Elma Rorison, Betty Smith, Mairi MacFarlane, Louise Monaghan, Maris Elkin, Liza Quinn, Stewart, Lydia, and Judith Frizzell.

Looking ahead with the Guild

As we prepare our programme of

speakers and events for the new 2014 /

15 season, we are hoping to include

speakers and events that will attract

both men and women to our

gatherings. All will be welcomed most

warmly.

Our meetings are held in the Guild

Room at Wardlaw Church, Kirkhill on

the second Wednesday of October,

November and December 2014 and

January, February and March in 2015.

All start at 2:30 p.m.

The full programme will be issued

during September and details will

appear in the October’s edition of The

Parishioner.

After ringing mobile phones disrupted the

flow of a service, our Minister laid down

the law in the latest Church newsletter:

"Let’s turn off the technology and turn on

each other."

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. – Maya Angelou

If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein

The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 18 of 24

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Is the pound the best currency for Scotland ? by Colletta Smith BBC Scotland Economics Correspondent

So what is a currency union ? It’s when countries with different political systems decide to share a currency. The Euro is the biggest example of this, but it’s perhaps not the best comparison as so many countries were involved with widely different types of economy. Greek’s rural islands are a long-way from Germany’s industrial powerhouses. Scotland and the rest of the UK’s economies are much more alike.

What are the pros and cons of sharing the pound ? There is an understanding when you join a currency union that you give up some of your economic power. Scotland wouldn’t be able to change its interest rate, even if the economic picture in Scotland was different to the rest of the UK. It also means that limits may be placed on the amount it can spend in its budgets – that’s to help prevent situations like the Eurozone crisis. Currency Unions can also fall apart if people feel that one country is much stronger than the other, as we saw in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.

On the plus side it would make life easier for citizens of Scotland not to have to change currency; it would make life easier for businesses on both sides of the border who would only have to operate in one currency, and it would mean the Bank of England would still be the lender of last resort. That would mean that Scotland’s large financial services sector of banks, insurance and life assurance companies would still be supported by an organisation with much bigger resources than the Scottish Government.

But will Scotland be able to use the pound ? There is simply no way of knowing whether that is true or not. It is possible that after negotiation the UK may agree to share the pound. But for now, this central issue of the referendum is the one with the least clarity for voters.

So what are the other options ? If it turns out that Scotland isn’t able to use the pound in a formal currency union, there are a few other options. They include….

Keep the pound – Countries across the world do this with the dollar, like Hong Kong and Panama. They call it “dollarisation”, so this option has become known as “sterlingisation.” It has all the advantages of simplicity, but would mean Scotland having no control at all over interest rates and other monetary policy decisions. It would be a little like being on a roller coaster, you’re in for the ride even though you don’t have any access to the controls.

New currency – It would mean the Scottish government would have total control, but would be a huge change and an unknown quantity so it might not be trusted. There is a fear that people might pull their money out of the new Scottish currency and move it into the rest of the UK, which would be seen as a safer bet. Scotland would also be totally responsible for bailing out its own banks and savers should anything go wrong. Some pro-Yes backers, including Jim Sillars and Dennis Canavan are in favour of a Scottish currency.

Different currency – Could it be the Euro or even the dollar ? The Euro might not be all that popular these days, but once-upon-a-time Alex Salmond was keen for Scotland to join the Euro, describing sterling as a “millstone around Scotland’s neck.” Although the Euro has weakened dramatically in recent years, it’s unlikely to stay that way forever. Others suggest Scotland should use the dollar, and become a petro-economy. That’s because a big chunk of Scotland’s economy depends on oil and gas – an industry which operates in US dollars – and that it might not be the wildest idea in the world to adopt the dollar as its currency. The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 19 of 24

www.kiltarlityandkirkhill.org.uk

A MESSAGE FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately - you should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories ( except North Dakota, which she does not fancy ). Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour,' 'favour,' 'labour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise.' Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up 'vocabulary').

2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as ''like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter 'u'' and the elimination of '-ize.'

3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can't sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not ready to shoot grouse.

5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol ( which you have been calling gasoline ) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.

8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager.

10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialect in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby ( which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies ).

12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.

13. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

14. An internal revenue agent ( i.e. tax collector ) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due ( backdated to 1776 ).

15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season. God Save the Queen ! The Parishioner Newsletter Issue 79 – September 2014 Page 20 of 24

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As the date for the Scottish Referendum draws near, the following scripture passages and prayer topics are offered for you to reflect on at this very important time :

Zechariah 7:9-10 ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’

Romans 3:23-26 ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus…He did this to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.’

Luke 12:22-34 ‘…do not worry about your life, what you will eat, and your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes…consider the ravens…they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them…consider the lilies…not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these…But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’

Psalm 96:3 ‘Declare His glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.’

Proverbs 11:1 ‘The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are His delight.’