Coracle ML Cover_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:32 Page 2

coracle summer 2014 issue 4/60 THE CLOSING THE GAP PROJECT, Kenny McBride, interviewed by Neil Paynter p2 IN DEPENDENCE Murdoch MacKenzie p7 : THE RISK FACTOR – the magazine of the community LITURGY AND THE LIFE OF THE WORLD Douglas Galbraith p8 coracle NO SEPARATION Polly Burns p17

Work and worship, Prayer and politics, Sacred and secular … Coracle ML Cover_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:32 Page 3

The is: 1 coracle Alastair McIntosh summer 2014 • An ecumenical community of men and feature women from different walks of life and different traditions in the Christian church • Committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Easter address at to following where that leads, even into the unknown • Engaged together, and with people of goodwill Faslane submarine across the world, in acting, reflecting and praying for justice, peace and the integrity of creation • Convinced that the inclusive community we base, April 12, 2014 seek must be embodied in the community we practise Good Friday draws nigh, and again we stand outside this nuclear So we share a common discipline of: submarine base at Faslane, gathered in this act of public worship, this • Daily prayer and bible study Witness for Peace of Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Arms. • Mutual accountability for our use of time and money We stand – including Catholic Archbishop, Church of Convener, • Spending time together and me a Quaker – drawn from the folds of many different denominations, • Action for justice and peace the underlying undivided Christian Church that prays: ‘Thy kingdom come.’ And are, together with our staff, responsible for: Not Caesar’s kingdom come, but God’s; and so Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, • Our islands residential centres of , ‘Are you a king, then?’ To which the Prince of Peace replied: ‘King is your the MacLeod Centre on Iona, and Camas word.’ And he spoke unto Pilate of non-violence, saying: ‘My kingdom is not Adventure Centre on the Ross of Mull. of this world. If it was, my followers would fight’ (John 18:36–37). And in • The administration of the Community Likewise, when the disciple cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus • Our work with young people disarmed him, saying: ‘Put away your sword, Peter … No more of this!’ (John • Our publishing house, Wild Goose Publications • Our association in the revitalising of worship 18:11; Luke 22:51). Why? Because violence destroys our ability to hear one with the Wild Goose Resource Group another. Christ healed the ear and healed our hearing, therefore Easter asks

The Iona Community was founded in Glasgow in us: can we hear the deeper whisperings of the Cross? The Cross of wood 1938 by George MacLeod, , visionary and and nails encircled with a crown of thorns that stood upon a green hill far prophetic witness for peace, in the context of away. The Cross of monstrous hulls and thermonuclear warheads the poverty and despair of the Depression. Its surrounded by a barbed wire fence that is this Trident missile base today. original task of rebuilding the monastic ruins of Iona Abbey became a sign of hopeful rebuilding The Bible claims that Christ came ‘to give his life, as a ransom’ (Mark 10:45; of community in Scotland and beyond. Today, we Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6), and so, to a central question of the Cross: are almost 250 Members, mostly in Britain, and 1500 Associate Members, with 1400 Friends Who – is the ransomer of souls? worldwide. Together and apart, ‘we follow the light we have, and pray for more light.’ Throughout the first millennium the church’s main answer was the Devil. Christ ‘descended into Hell’ and his suffering was the ransom price that Coracle is the quarterly magazine of the Iona Community. Views expressed in it are not purchased our whole salvation. necessarily the policy of the Iona Community, but Early in the second millennium Anslem, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Community seeks the exchange of thoughts and ideas as a basis for finding common ground. argued that this gave the Devil too much power. Who, then, could be the ransomer of souls? Only one other candidate in town was qualified to take Letters are welcome, but may be edited because of space restrictions. For advertising or the post. photography specifications, please contact the Christ’s death, Anslem reasoned, ‘satisfied’ a God whose feudal honour editor. Unsolicited material is welcome (by e- mail or on disk) but cannot always be included. human sin had offended. Later, John Calvin sharpened this up into the penal substitution theory of the Atonement. God was ‘armed for next copy dates: please contact the editor vengeance’, but out of love for the Elect, and they alone, sent Christ to take their punishment. contact details: The Iona Community, 4th Floor, Savoy House, The problem with such blood atonement is its seeming sanction of 140 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3DH redemptive violence. A God armed for vengeance nods too readily towards t: 0141 332 6343 f: 0141 332 1090 e: [email protected] the blasphemous idolatry of HMS Vengeance here at Faslane; and that, w: http://iona.org.uk/media/coracle/ beneath a sovereign Commander in Chief, who doubles as Defender of the

editor Neil Paynter Faith. administration Karen Turner template design Wendy Ball, 2ND STOREY What then, for this third millennium, might be the meaning of the Cross? formatting by Neil Paynter Who, or what, this ransomer of souls? Whither a liberation theory of printed by Montgomery Litho, Glasgow ‘atonement’? I came today from further up the Clyde; many of my neighbours Coracle is the magazine of the Iona Community, a charity registered in Scotland No: SC003794 ransomed unto violence through its face of poverty. That draws me to a Company No: SC096243 single paragraph in a book, Mon Dieu, Pourquoi?, where the late Abbé Pierre, Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 1

a radical French priest, wrote of his Kenny McBride, interviewed by Neil Paynter coracle 2 wrestling with the ransom summer 2014 interview question. Was it the Devil, or God? he’d asked. Then came his The CLOSING THE breakthrough: ‘The drug addict,’ he wrote, ‘… is at the same time his own executioner and the victim. He is GAP Project both the ransomer and the hostage … It is the same with all human Kenny McBride is the Iona Community’s Poverty Project beings. Because we are disconnected Worker … from our authentic divine source, we Neil: Hi, Kenny. So tell me about the Closing the Gap Project. How did it come have become our own executioners. about? How did the Iona Community get involved? We are slaves to our disordered Kenny: Well, the Community obviously has a history of working against desires, to our egotism.’ poverty, especially in Glasgow but wider as well. And there had been The Cross, the supreme transfor- discussions with some of the partners on the project: Church Action on mative symbol of non-violence, Poverty, the Transformation team of the , the Poverty Truth absorbs in its forgiveness all chains Commission, Poverty Alliance, some of the Anglican churches, Christian Aid … that bind us. Here is the love that And they looked at what they were doing and tried to figure out where the dies for love, yet being of eternity, Community could do something that wasn’t being done. And this idea of a never dies. And so, ‘we call this poverty premium came up. There’s a lot of work around getting people’s Friday good’. incomes up, and welfare reform, and getting better employment and things like that, but not an awful amount of attention on what people are spending. Christ said: ‘I come to bring fire to the earth, and wish it were already Neil: So what is the poverty premium exactly? kindled!’ (Luke 12:49). Let us listen Kenny: Poverty premiums are the extra costs that accrue to people living in with our healing ear. What kind of poverty, as a result of their poverty. So, for example, people using heat meters fire? for electricity and gas will pay more than someone who is paying on direct debt. People living in poor areas are less likely to have access to decent shops. The fire of Hell, of Trident’s So they’ll have less choice; lower quality and higher prices for, say, fruit and holocaust? Or the fire of love. veg. Then, on things like financing, we’ve seen, though this is happening less That is why we witness at Faslane. now, people without access to bank accounts at all. Then, even if you do have That is why we bite the bullet, so one, you won’t necessarily have access to overdraft, or to credit cards: conven- unfashionably; why we today tional finance that a lot of people on perfectly average incomes will use to survey the wondrous Cross. l manage their cash flow over the month. People on very low incomes won’t Alastair McIntosh is a Director of GalGael Trust have access to some of those types of things. So there’s more of a likelihood of in Govan (www.galgael.org), and is the Quaker going to high-cost stores, or catalogue shopping, and also using things like representative on the Board of the Iona Community. doorstep lenders. ‘Pay day lenders’, in inverted commas, because very often – His books include Soil and Soul (2001), Hell and High they’re not looking for pay day. They’re not looking for you even to pay back, if Water (2008), Island (2013) and his new you even have a pay day. They want you to roll over your loans so you can collection, Parables of Northern Seed: Anthology from keep paying them for as long as possible. BBC’s Thought for the Day, Wild Goose Publications, Neil: Exactly … And so the Closing the Gap Project has been looking at, I think, 2014, www.ionabooks.com three particular areas: food, fuel and finance. Those are the three distinct areas that you’ve researched, talked to people and organisations about. Do you want St Martin’s Cross © David Coleman to go through those? Kenny: Of course … Well, it’s funny because you can’t really separate them out that neatly. If you’re on a very low budget then you’re very often skimping on food in order to keep the lights on, or keep the heating on during winter. And obviously your finance is more precarious if you’re on a very low income and you’re having to think about paying for the food this week, and the fuel next week – and Christmas in three months’ time. It puts a lot of different pressures on different areas. So separating these out was tricky, but it was probably the easiest way to actually look at the individual issues. On food, we found some really quite radical thinking among some of the people we spoke to. We did focus groups with people in various disadvantaged communities, and virtually without exception everybody wanted the chance to grow their own food. And a lot of people wanted more community-owned, community-based retail. People were very suspicious of supermarkets. Even though supermarkets are very often the cheapest place to Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 2

3 coracle buy a lot of things, people were still them for a short time, in some than have it in the bank, because they summer 2014 suspicious, because they see, you cases, and then it’s just helping the don’t trust the banks. Even if you do interview know, supermarkets having record landlord. And there’s no obligation, have access to bank accounts and can profits, in the billions. And that no way of clawing that profit back do direct debt, you’ll avoid having a seems unfair to people who are from the landlord later. So the focus direct debt just in case it comes out on living on very low incomes. on fuel maybe gave us more ideas the wrong day. Because if that comes Neil: For sure. about campaigning issues. out on the wrong day, and you get a 30 pound bank charge for it, you’re in Neil: And around finance, what Kenny: With fuel, we saw some the hole for weeks. So people are not were the findings there? different kinds of problems, partic- taking advantage of some of the ularly in relation to how the Kenny: The focus on finance, we’re things that are available to them, government fuel-poverty schemes still working on just now, so I because the risk is too great, even that are Westminster-led don’t wouldn’t like to say … Yeah, but where no risks should exist. You know, necessarily apply very well to there’s maybe one thing that has direct debts – there should be no risks Scotland. I mean we have a been most surprising to me, and of that ever happening, but it has different climate up here, so we perhaps it shouldn’t have been probably happened to everyone at have different heating needs. but – the sheer determination some point, and we’re just lucky that Particularly once you get into the people have to not get into any we have enough money that it doesn’t Highlands and islands, it’s a kind of debt is remarkable. People cripple us. radically different climate to what are going without meals – going Neil: That’s right … OK, so you you get in the most densely without an awful lot of things – so mentioned some of the main partner populated areas of England. The that they never have to get into organisations of the project. What are kind of housing stock we have is debt. And it puts the lie to the some of the other organisations you’re different, so the insulation needs mainstream perception that poor connecting up with? are different. And the criteria needs people are poor because they don’t that are put on some of these manage their money well; it’s Kenny: Tons. We did the focus groups schemes are suited a lot more to, patently not true. People are through a number of different organi- say, terraced houses in working- managing to feed families of three sations. GalGael in Govan were a great class areas in Manchester or and four on 30 quid a week – I’d help to us. GalGael are one of the most Liverpool, as opposed to, say, challenge anybody to do that on a incredible organisations working in tenements, or the kind of housing consistent basis, for any length of Glasgow just now. And I’d encourage that you get in the Highlands and time. Bearing in mind that they’re anyone who is interested in poverty islands, which is much less dense, facing these poverty premiums as reduction, and just doing better things so you’re not getting the heat well. When you say: ‘Right, try living for society, to go and see GalGael. island effect. on 70 quid a week.’ That’s relatively Neil: I’d second that. I went there for We also talked a lot about how easy if you’re living in a well-off the day once and was blown away – some of these schemes are area, and your house is well- and was telling everybody about directed towards people living in insulated, and you’ve got transport, GalGael for ages after. private land. We heard a number of you’ve got the social connections really disturbing stories about to call on someone to look after the Kenny: Yeah. It’s just incredible; and people basically being threatened, kids for an afternoon if you need it. those are people coming from really or their lease being threatened, if If you’re not in that sort of situation vulnerable situations. They come out of they raised a fuss about the lack of and you’re paying the extra costs of there confident, skilled up, very socially insulation, or the lack of a decent- getting a taxi to the supermarket and politically aware. It’s a very easy quality boiler, or having low-quality there and back, because you can’t place to have those kind of conver- white goods in furnished flats, carry that much shopping on the sations. So GalGael has been great. which can add a lot to your energy bus, that’s a different thing. And so, Also HELP in Dunoon, which is a group bill. And there’s money available to the fact that people are avoiding helping young people who are help with that, but that then debt so well is incredible, it really is. homeless or at risk of homelessness, or upgrades the flat and makes it People are incredibly aware of the who are emerging from homelessness; worth more; and if you’re on a risks of things like doorstep lenders just to help them get set up in a house, short-term lease it’s very easy then and pay day lenders and avoid to manage their bills. They do a for the landlord to use you, as a them like the plague. But at the cooking class, which we were part of poor person, to get the upgrades same time people are very very the other day. I believe the cooking made, then end your lease and suspicious of the banks. People class came out of the discussion that either sell the flat at a profit or who do have bank accounts, when we had with them back in September lease it for a higher amount. Which they get their benefits paid in they 2013. We’ve also been to Bridging the means that what’s intended to help very often take them all out in cash Gap in Gorbals. Those are just some of poor people is, at best, helping and keep it in the house, rather the groups. Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 3

And at the round table events – important thing to remember is really all we’ve got at the moment on coracle 4 we’ve held one each for food and that every little bit helps. any sort of scale, and it’s doing very summer 2014 interview fuel and we’ve got one again for Neil: Do you see some things that few people any good. finance – there have been a whole will be taken forward though? We’ve been at the Sustainable Food range of people. We’ve had people Kenny: Some. Bev McDade, a friend City, which is a project on how to make from Scottish government, people Glasgow a better city for food. So from local government, people of the Community who has volunteered on Iona several times, again – as with anything this big, from various campaign groups. anything that affects that many people Nourish Scotland; we had people volunteered to help out with this project as part of her Masters in so many different ways – you need from the NHS as well. We’ve had to work in groups to achieve very academics. We had people from degree. She’s been working recently on food-related issues. much. And we’ve fed into this, and Scottish Power at the fuel round made sure the issue of food poverty table. Scottish Power I was partic- One of the things people talked about was community-owned and stays high on the agenda, rather than ularly impressed by. It’s quite easy just food quality, which attracts foodies to assume that people who work -run retail. And Locavore – they’re a company on the south side of to the debate but doesn’t necessarily for big power companies are ‘evil’. affect the vast majority of us. But in actual fact, the chap who Glasgow who sell fruit and veg, came along was very humble and organic, all locally produced – they Neil: And is there anything you quiet and listened carefully, and have begun working directly with a remember from all those discussions, actually had a couple wee farmer to sell large quantities of in listening to folk, any moment that confessions to make about his own fruit and veg, like a bag of staples, really stands out: a story or testimony position: how he felt like he had to any poor communities via from somebody that you could share? partner organisations, like been missing a trick. How much of Kenny: A couple of stories around fuel community gardens. We spoke to a Scottish Power policy is going to really struck me … One was from one group in Castlemilk about doing change as a result of that I couldn’t of the Poverty Truth commissioners, that, and they’re now not only tell you, but it certainly seemed to who talked in quite a bit of depth doing that as a retail option for affect him personally. So that’s got about having to limit the number of some of their members, they’ve to be some kind of positive, I think. baths and showers that her teenage also divided up some of the It’s getting these ideas into daughters took, which, for teenage ground around their community people’s heads, making them think girls, is quite a difficult thing to have to centre to start growing some of about these things when they do. And this poor woman really their own food. come to write their next policy; worried about: was she damaging her that’s as much as we can do for So that’s been great, to see those children socially by having to deny now, I think. kind of projects starting to happen, them this? Were they going to get where people are thinking a little Neil: Sounds like a lot of positives bullied at school for being smelly or bit beyond food banks. Food banks have come out of the project. What dirty? And I’m sure they weren’t. I’m are a great idea as a sticking might be one or two of the sure they were fine, but just the fact plaster. They are essential for a lot frustrations? Anything come to that someone should have to worry of people, but it doesn’t do a lot of mind? about that is awful. good to just hand over a parcel of Kenny: Well, it’s only a year for the food to somebody and say, ‘Get on She also talked a wee bit about project. And that’s not enough to with it’ … There’s a general coming cooking: that Jamie Oliver book, Save change the world. It’s not even together, particularly on the food with Jamie, had just come out when I enough time to change much of side of things just now: we’ve just started the project. And it’s all well and what we’re looking at. Part of the established Glasgowfoodforum.org, good to talk about cooking a brisket project was to scope out what was which is a forum for people to on a Sunday and using the leftovers being done and what could be come together and talk about food through the week – but you’ve got to done in the future around these issues. We’ve got space there for have the oven on for hours on the quite narrow issues. I’ve got tons of everything from favourite recipes, Sunday to do that. And, as this woman ideas for things and most of those to what food banks are providing, was pointing out, it’s cheaper for her to will get written up and published, what community gardens are up buy five microwave meals than to buy but then, how many of those will to, tips on how to grow things in a chicken and make it last the week, then get taken on? And that’s a your own garden … So we can just because the chicken will take so much fear, that even if the Community start to work on the food culture in more energy to cook, so it’s just not takes on some of this work, even if Glasgow as a whole and start worth it. So that really stuck with me. all the partners take on some of it, thinking about ways where we can The other story that really stuck with there are still things that very disentangle ourselves from that me was from a guy who had trouble probably will not get done. It’s kind industrial food system that with his landlord. His boiler had broken of a Sisyphean task. I think the supermarkets promote, which is just before Christmas. And he had Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 4

5 coracle Green Deal: the Green Deal money Erik Cramb summer 2014 was available to get the boiler interview/ feature replaced but the landlord was taking his time over it. So in the Breaking the chains meantime, this chap and his Erik Cramb suffered polio as a baby and says that his partner, and their two teenage chains of disability were largely broken by the medical children and their infant, were all care of the NHS, and by the education system which sleeping in one room, because it allowed him to go to university: in the days when there was too cold in the rest of the flat. They complained to the landlord was a consensus that education was an investment in about the temperature and about the future. Erik was a member of the Iona Community the wait and got told, ‘Well, here’s a throughout his working life, which included stints as wee electric heater’, which was National Industrial Mission Organiser and Chair of costing them about a fiver a day in Church Action on Poverty. Here he reflects on the electricity just to keep them warm chains we need to break today and the opportunity he in that one room. And they believes that the Scottish Referendum offers … complained and said, ‘We’re within The United Kingdom’s class war has resulted in a total triumph for the posh our rights to withhold rent from boys, with very little prospect of a reversal any time in the near future. you because the flat isn’t habitable.’ And the landlord told them: ‘Well, Most of the current coalition cabinet are the products of England’s public make your complaint if you want, schools and all but a very few are millionaires. Unfortunately, the shadow but as soon as I get this boiler in cabinet is also peppered with former public schoolboys … as are many of our you’ll be out and I’ll get somebody leading banks … and even the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is at least else in.’ And at that point this chap taking on the pay day lenders, is a former pupil of Eton. Never has the assertion basically had to just bite his tongue of George MacLeod, made half a century ago, been more obvious: that Britain because he couldn’t afford to rock doesn’t have a right-wing party and a left-wing party, but the right and left wings the boat. And that’s one of those of the Money People’s Party. things: he had a right to withhold Thus the primary interests of our political and financial leaders lie with the rent if the flat was inhabitable, and ‘money boys’ (and girls). They have allowed the banks – whose wild and greedy for a lot of us we’d feel reasonably speculators are the true architects of the financial crisis – to nationalise their comfortable doing that. But being losses and privatise their profits; to continue to pay obscene salaries and on a variable income, and being in unearned bonuses; to treat any sense of decency or democracy with contempt a flat in a place where the kids are and to dismiss the rest of us as ‘pond life’. They have been, are and will continue settled at school, where they’re to be cavalier about the drop in living standards of the majority of the able to get to work, they couldn’t population. afford to take the risk: they might They have presided over massive unemployment, partly masked by zero-hour get put out, and then have to find a contracts and low-paid part-time jobs. Young people are ‘interning for nothing’ similar flat in a similar area that and others are being forced into ‘working for their benefits’. Food banks and could end up costing them a huge pay day lenders proliferate. The posh boys have, without any sense of shame, amount more. So it’s people not given tax cuts to the wealthiest whilst imposing the so-called ‘spare room being able to express basic rights subsidy’, a bedroom tax, on the poorest. It is very hard to envisage anything to decent habitation because the more disgusting than millionaires like Ian Duncan Smith, who I understand threat is that their lease will end. lives in his father-in-law’s stately pile, talking about ‘fairness’, or Nick Clegg, That really got to me. And that’s another millionaire by inheritance, talking about ‘freeing up’ housing for bigger one thing, if we can highlight that families. They are simply pursuing mean and wicked policies because they can, need for better protection then I and painting them as just, fair and supportive of ‘hard-working families’. In the think we’ll be doing well. Bible the Psalmist writes, ‘Do not oppress the poor, just because you can.’ Neil: Thanks for talking, Kenny – and for all your work. I think it’s They have raised to an absolute art form the power of propaganda to say that great the Community having a black is white and white is black. The ongoing assaults on disabled people Poverty Project worker. To me it’s through the fitness for work assessments are made out to be opportunities, brought back the old idea of the when folk know there is no work. The government maintain their steadfast Iona Community having a Peace denial, in the face of every scrap of evidence, that the burgeoning of food and Justice worker, the Helen banks has anything to do with their policies. It’s like we’re living in an Alice in Steven days. A brilliant idea. Great Wonderland world with a succession of Mad Hatters in charge and no sign of for the Community to get even any escape on the horizon. more rooted into urban issues, into Without some sort of dramatic upheaval it’s impossible to see things the city. l improving. It is hard to have dreams of a fairer, more equitable society where prosperity is shared and the weak and elderly valued and protected. Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 5

Might Scottish independence be needs of citizens because there is we say ‘No’ on 18th September we will, coracle 6 that upheaval? Would a ‘Yes’ vote an insufficient tax take. They further with justification, be treated with summer 2014 feature let Scotland escape the downward stress that the failure to collect tax contempt by future Westminster spiral of the UK’s low-wage, low- fairly has been a lost opportunity governments as an insignificant, skill economic model? that has resulted in large concen- domesticated northern rump. trations of wealth in the hands of a The crux of the Referendum The chains of fear, apprehension, of a few. The posh boys and their allies question is ‘Where might we be?’ – sense that nothing ever really changes, in the press have reduced the very not in the next 5 or 10 years but in have to be broken. idea of higher taxes to political 50 years’ time and more. It is not anathema, but if there is to be a The essence of the ‘Yes’ campaign is about where we are now, however ‘better’ Scotland, a more equitable that it can be done. The chains can be we perceive the present: it is about Scotland, then a revised ethos of broken. There is a plan; there is a the direction in which we will go. taxation will be a key. process. ‘A vote for independence will At the end of the Thatcher/Major be a declaration of confidence in It is not a sin to be timid, but it is an era, when New Labour came to ourselves.’ inhibition! power, the public mood was of a In Scotland’s Future the strength of our preparedness to see taxes raised, For me, the dream of an finances are clearly laid out, and that is but the opportunity was lost. Ever independent Scotland is about one reason why the rest of the United since, there has not been a whisper ‘breaking the chains that inhibit us’: Kingdom wants to hold on to us. The about the raising of taxes from l Breaking the chains of families opportunities of independence are either Labour or coalition and individuals trapped in poverty. immense if we but have the courage to governments. In fact, in the last Those who have no work; those who believe we can grasp them. It is hard to year we have seen a dramatic have no prospect of work; those think we are worth more than the lilies reduction in the top rate of tax and whose work does not pay a living of the field when we are the passive an abysmal failure to collect taxes wage. pawns of someone else’s agenda. from large private companies. Independence will not only make us a l Breaking the chains of student better nation, but will also make us a The collapse of the banks (on the fees and debts, which are an better neighbour to our sisters and watch of the New Labour increasing impediment to higher brothers in England, Wales and government) has been the fig leaf education – so vital to our children’s Northern Ireland. behind which the current coalition and nation’s future. government has hidden, and AT ANY COST, by Terry Balgowan l Breaking the chains of the elderly, continues to hide, as almost weekly who are consistently being made to A class cleansing they stress that we are in a period seem like a burden to society. has begun, of necessary austerity. Public the government’s started, services have to be cut: there is no l Breaking the chains of those loaded their gun, alternative. Public service wages knocking desperately at the door of they’ve took aim, have to be capped at 1%: there is the pay day lender, or who slink with and they’ve fired, no alternative (unless, of course, shame and helplessness through the at the poor, you are an MP). The welfare bill has doors of Scotland’s burgeoning food soon to be to be substantially reduced: there is banks. null, void, retired, no alternative. And on and on it l Breaking the chains of those they’re no longer needed goes, but whilst the most whose only hope of a better future is or required, vulnerable in our society are a win on the lottery or backing the a non-existent population; squeezed, the most wealthy are right horse. Bookies shops and wiping out the poor given tax reductions … but there is charity shops proliferate in our high through starvation no alternative according to the streets, our sporting heroes and their Britain will become posh boys steeped in the ‘ethos of teams are sponsored by bookies, the elite nation, Eton’. booze and pay day lenders. There is a judged on your class, Of course, there is an alternative: connection. and your station; higher taxation. l Breaking the chains of people with the government foot soldiers, the DWP, The current crushing of public disabilities harassed daily by got the power to sanction services will only continue and companies like ATOS, who have the you and me; accelerate, unless there is a radical gall to sponsor disabled sport. a New Age holocaust: change in how we view taxation. Who doesn’t want a fairer, more getting rid of the poor The authors of the Common Weal democratic and more prosperous at any cost. l document (Reid Foundation) Scotland? But who believes we’re illustrate that current welfare ever going to get it? Hence the Terry Balgowan is a poet living in a peripheral housing measures are failing to meet the huge temptation to do nothing. If scheme in Dundee. Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 6

7 coracle Murdoch MacKenzie summer 2014 feature In dependence Member Murdoch MacKenzie has worked ecumenically and internationally all his life: with the European Youth Campaign, the Church of Scotland, the Church of South India, as Ecumenical Moderator of the Churches and interfaith movement in Milton Keynes, and more recently with the Fairtrade Movement in Argyll. In this reflection on the Scottish Referendum he makes the case for nationalism of any kind to be understood as fundamentally opposed to the boundary-crossing love and unity as lived by Jesus … I am writing this at Pentecost, which this year coincides with the 70th and has many advantages where we anniversary of the D-Day landings, and 100 days before the Scottish become more interdependent on each Referendum. Thus I am reminded of the fundamentals which have other and reduce the level of nationalist moulded who I am. At Pentecost they were all together in one place and tensions that led people to war. I have understood (stood under) each other as they received the gift of the Holy written about this topic briefly in my last Spirit. There was no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female: all book when I discuss the resolution of the were one in Christ Jesus. In the upper room Jesus prayed that ‘they may all Israel-Palestine conflict. In fact, I always be one … so that the world may believe’. say that we must not be satisfied with two Having lived through the Second World War, some years later, while still at states, Israel and Palestine, living school, I wrote an essay on European unity, winning a prize which was alongside each other, we must either presented to me in Bruges at the College of Europe, via which, with a create a confederation of states between dozen other young Europeans, I travelled throughout West Germany, them or even a federation of states by including the ruins of East and West Berlin. For many years as a member of inviting Jordan and Lebanon to join. the European Youth Campaign I worked for European unity with my Obviously, I am not talking as a politician European friends, with some of whom I am still closely in touch. I then but as a person of faith who is concerned studied at Hertford College in Oxford, where in 1583 John Donne had about building healthy communities that studied, and who, in 1624, wrote the famous words: ‘No man is an iland, can address the problems that are intire of itselfe; every man is a peece of the continent, a part of the maine; if a dividing and killing us.’ clod bee washed away by the sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Personally, I was brought up to believe promontorie were, as well as if a mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; that nationalism and patriotism were any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankinde; and pernicious and usually led to war and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.’ conflict. In recent years nationalism I was reminded of these words recently when my wife Anne and I were rears its ugly head once again, with the travelling by train in India and sharing the night accommodation with a True Finns, President Putin being family from Orissa. After an animated conversation about everything praised for his patriotic nationalism, under the sun, a young woman in the family said: ‘In the end there is only nationalist struggles in Crimea and one thing that matters. We are all human beings.’ That young woman was Ukraine, not to mention Nuers and right! I also remember the late and much-lamented Rabbi Hugo Gryn Dinkas in Sudan, Hindu nationalism in saying that people in the world could be divided into two groups: the India and Scottish nationalism in the harmonisers and the polarisers. Personally I have always preferred to be a UK. I am Scottish to the core, a harmoniser and have more or less given my life to this, especially in Glaswegian by birth, with deep roots in ecumenical and interfaith work. the Isle of Skye and in Torridon as well as in Aberdeen, and family trees Not long ago we had Naim Ateek, one of the most distinguished stretching back over 200 years. In 1979 I Palestinians, staying with us on his way to Iona. We had a long conver- voted ‘Yes’ to a Scottish Parliament and sation about internationalism as he asked me questions about Scottish believe in further devolution towards a nationalism. He declared himself to be an internationalist. Later I wrote federation of states between Scotland, and asked him to tell me, as a Palestinian, what he meant by interna- Northern Ireland, Wales and England. tionalism. This was his reply: Since retiring back to Scotland in 2003 I Dear Murdoch, Sorry I could not get back to you quickly. I was busy with an have always voted for the SNP, solely interfaith programme between Muslim and Christian clergy which we because of the possibility of getting rid conducted in Galilee last weekend. of Trident. On the question of internationalism, I have always felt that the world should In my 76 years I have lived 2 years in slowly shed the narrow concept of nationalism and move towards a new France and Switzerland, 12 years in world order where we adopt international concepts. I was very happy when India, 29 in Scotland and 33 in England. the European Union was formed. It is still struggling but I believe the world As far as poverty is concerned or, for should be moving in that direction. I believe the concept behind it is sound that matter, the siting of nuclear Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 7

weapons, I am just as much Douglas Galbraith coracle 8 concerned for people living in India summer 2014 feature and England as in Scotland. Those suffering from the bedroom tax Worship: the risk and other right-wing policies in inner-city Birmingham, or the housing estates of Milton Keynes factor – liturgy and and Runcorn, where I used to work, are still as dear to me as those in Glenrothes, Glasgow or Argyll. I am the life of the world in daily contact with work at the grassroots in India. In a fragile world with many tensions Scottish nationalism simply encourages disintegration and negativism. Jesus said: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Our neighbours are the English, the Irish and the Welsh. If the saintly and deeply Christian Naim Ateek, who was born in sight of the Sea of Galilee, can contemplate a federation including We were in Würzburg on the River Main in Bavaria, a stunning medieval city. Jordan and Lebanon surely we It was an international conference on liturgy. For daily worship, we moved Scottish people can love our around the fine old churches, all with fresh and hospitable interiors. Looking neighbours as we love ourselves. more closely at the excellent contemporary stained glass in one, you saw Otherwise what is the Gospel all why. Discreetly in a lower panel were the sinister outlines of the bombs, their about? noses sprouting red fire. On 16 March 1945, about 90% of the city was destroyed in 17 minutes by 225 Lancasters in a firestorm in which 5,000 So let us ‘think again’ and with the people died. Over the next 20 years, the buildings of historical importance Good Samaritan cross boundaries had been painstakingly and accurately replicated. The citizens who rebuilt and become harmonisers and not the city immediately after the end of the war were mostly women – polarisers. Let us live in dependence Trümmerfrauen (‘rubble women’) – for obvious reasons. A few years before, on and with our neighbours. We we had gathered in Dresden. The President gave an address: 'The Rebuilt cannot ever be independent Frauenkirche in Dresden as a Symbol of the Transforming and Healing Power because, as John Donne so clearly of the Liturgy in a Broken World’. He spoke of all the research and the said: ‘No person is an island.’ In my craftwork that had gone into the recent restoration of the building, but it 2014 Housmans Peace Diary the was more than that. The rebuilt church wasn’t just a ‘theme park’ replica; new entry for 18th September says: ‘On work included seven bells on the theme of the breaking of swords into 18th September 1924 Mahatma ploughshares. On one stands Christ, with his left hand pointing to the Gandhi began a 21-day fast in a crashing towers of the World Trade Centre, on the reverse the lion lies down Muslim home, for Hindu-Muslim with the lamb. But the healing was to come not just from tower and transept unity in India.’ On 18th September but through the liturgy within. This is more difficult to credit. One could see this year let us vote and pray for how the building rising from the ashes might be a symbol of transformation, unity in the UK and in Europe and or the ‘sounding symbols’ that pealed across the city – but it is less easy to throughout the whole wide world see how chants and rituals might make a broken world whole. and not tear the world apart. Re-ordered relationships Rabbie Burns summed all this up very well when he wrote in the last Sister Mary McGann is an American liturgical scholar who, over a period verse of ‘A man’s a man for a’ that’: closely observing an Afro-American worshipping community, noted the correlation between what was done on Sunday and how the group lived Then let us pray that come it may with and through each other from day to day. Elders and children, women (As come it will for a’ that), and men, young adults, all were accepted in an ‘order’ that did not flow from That sense and worth patterns of wider society but from valuing the gifts and visions of each o’er a’ the earth, n

member. In this, she said, they modelled the ‘redemptive re-ordering of a

Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that. m e relationships’ which is one of the characteristics of the Kingdom of God and l o C

For a’ that, an’ a’ that, d this in turn positioned and empowered people for the work of re-ordering i v

It's coming yet for a’ that, a D relationships in the wider society. How does this come about? Not so much © That man to man, the world o’er, n o

from the taking to heart of teaching from the pulpit, but from the actions i

Shall brothers be for a’ that. n

l u

and events within a service. Modern study of ritual helps. It used to be that m m o

people thought the power and meaning of ritual came from its repeated C Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 8

9 coracle and unchanging nature. Now study of an ecumenical dialogue calls the Apostles where it lays down that if a summer 2014 has moved to the way worshippers church of word and sacrament the poor person, especially one advanced feature make and adapt the rituals they ‘sign, instrument and foretaste’ of the in years, comes to church and it is follow. In this reading, rituals are promised reconciled community, crowded, you must make a place, not so much obediently followed the Kingdom of God. Even confined even if the Bishop has to sit on the as performed, and because we are within a building and among a few, floor. active in them we are affected by there is always a sense in which Taking risks them, potentially transformed. liturgy is ‘public’, and its events and Whether it’s sharing the peace, or encounters find their way into the Then the people who worship: it's not passing the wine, or gathering the collective consciousness of society. just what they take away but what children, or helping the elderly to What are some of these events? they bring. A writer speaks of their place, or reverently processing Making the sign of the cross places ‘dangerous liturgy’. You can stroll with the Bible, we are at the same at the centre of our celebrations through worship and come out with time readying ourselves for related those who know rejection, whose your self-centred life intact. It used to activities outwith the liturgy. human dignity has been removed, be that the landowners had special who live with violence. The Kyrie pews and lofts in Scottish churches. Different voices and absolution hold out the We need constantly to ask if we are This is particularly seen in the way possibility of acceptance in spite of not creating special pews for a worshipping community makes ourselves. In lament, suffering takes ourselves, elevated beyond the reach music. Music itself is a ‘communion’ on reality and refuses to be of the liturgy. Do we perhaps need to of different voices and timbres, no masked, cosmeticised and take more risks in worship: in content, longer separate but a new sound. dismissed. In the giving of the in the level at which we participate in But how we do it too is significant. peace, a wholeness of mind and the action, in our openness to those The Iona Community has been in body becomes possible in the face with us – and those not yet with us? the vanguard of reintroducing of brokenness and dislocation. The problem can be in our liturgical interactive styles of singing to the Again, in the intercessions, in revision also. We are so clever, with church as a whole, from the first exercising our priestly function on our words and our technology. Our tapes brought by Tom Colvin to the behalf of the world, we also declare worship can flatter us but fail to songs from other cultures that that, as a ‘priesthood of believers’, connect with Christ in the midst. In have come through the work of the all humanity may stand in our innovations, sermons can Wild Goose Resource Group, using confidence and dignity before God. entertain, Communion be reduced to call-and-response styles or different In the giving of thanks (the root a nice meal among friends. We need voices making natural harmonies. meaning of Eucharist), and in living to listen, to the world and to God, The music of the Taizé Community, thankful lives, is revealed the seeking an encounter within and with its several units that blend transformation that a perspective beyond what we say, sing and do. An into a musical architecture, is of gratitude brings to life together. American Roman Catholic liturgical another example. Multiple voices In the sharing of the bread and scholar, discussing the way we and the interaction between wine, a new relationship is overload worship with so many groups enrich the texture and established between people, agendas, writes: I often think our major affirm the contribution of each. This between creation and Creator. This problem in worship today has to do not also demands an alertness, a sharing reaches into the realities so much with the liturgy itself as with readiness to respond, with the behind the feast, and puts the our lack of faith that what is done result that participants are situated question: Is our bread and wine when we come together to worship in a more active relationship with costing the earth? In the really is ‘for the life of the world’. 2 l each other. Ethnomusicologist background are unsustainable Notes: Christopher Small notes that practices, deforestation, pollution, 1. From Exploring Music as Worship and Theology: human relationships are exploitation, but for a moment, Research in Liturgical Practice, Mary E. McGann, Liturgical ‘enormously complex, too complex, communion is shown to displace Press, 2002, pp.38-39 often, to be expressed in words … consumerism. Undergirding all of but … not too complex for our minds this is the Word read and preached, 2. From ‘Must Eucharist Do Everything?’, John F. Baldovin, to encompass. … [Music and ritual] enriching and colouring the rituals in Liturgy and Music, Leaver and Zimmerman, Liturgical provide us with a language by which and practices with narrative and Press, 1998 we can understand and articulate teaching. Not least there is the Douglas Galbraith is a member of the Iona Community these relationships’.1 grace with which we conduct and Secretary of the Church Service Society. The public dimension ourselves in worship, the hospitality of ‘food in the eating place, music in Nevertheless, liturgy, it is claimed, the listening place’. It is sometimes reaches wider than those who even written into the rubrics, as in participate directly. A recent report the third-century Didascalia of the Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 9

Jo Love coracle 10 summer 2014 Real conversations about God news Jo Love is a member of the Wild Goose Resource Group … Scene one: a local churches’ gathering in Perth. The task has been set and the Most of us long for, and love, and are participants divided into three groups. Magazines, scissors and glue scared of, and rarely experience, real beckon. The paper rolls on the three tables are labelled ‘God’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Holy conversations about God. Or is that Spirit’ respectively. For the next twenty minutes, the only sounds to be impression skewed by a coincidental heard are the flicking of glossy pages and the snipping or ripping of words commonality among the people I and pictures, as the three collaged collections, expressing images of each seem to work with? member of the Trinity, take shape. Five years in as a Resource Worker, I That this would be a silent activity has been neither stipulated nor never could have dreamed just how suggested, yet the absence of chatter is palpable. We draw attention to it varied and fascinating, how stretching in the discussion that follows – discussion that is anything but stilted or and relishable, it would all be. A skim strained, flowing freely in response to what our eyes have seen and our over the diary for recent and coming hands have worked on. Some had found the exercise prayerful, some had months shows, among other things, felt it quietening after a frenetic week, others had simply not spoken school art projects, singing workshops, because they were concentrating. Is it possible that we all knew, too, the creative worship with young people, cultural norm, even right at the heart of church life, that ‘we don’t sponta- festival weekends, Messy-church-style neously talk about God’? family nights, conferences, Holy City events, programmed weeks on Iona, Scene two: a Holy City workshop in Glasgow. Linda Woodhead, Professor of and somehow these recurring themes Sociology of Religion at Lancaster University, is choosing to step outside of the longings to talk freely and her comfort zone and share a great deal of her own story as a means to frankly about God, and to get through provoke discussion about our ideas of God and what has informed them. our fear and embarrassment around Linda sets the tone, takes the plunge, and then makes the invitation. We the Bible. could go on for a lot longer than the remaining half hour. And what a rare half hour – actually talking about God! As I write, this summer’s WGRG week on Iona, ‘Reclaiming the Bible as the Linda’s story strikes me in another way too. Brought up in an English People’s Book’, is still in the planning. village where the way of life for all was assumed and accepted as By the time this Coracle is out, it will , she has with hindsight recognised what seems to me an have happened. Where will our intriguing aspect of being steeped in this ‘cultural ’: Her ideas of chewing the fat have led us? Hopefully, God have not in any direct way been informed or shaped by the Bible, to a good rummage among broken which, as she states matter-of-factly, ‘I never read for myself.’ pottery, sackcloth, stones and coins, Scenes three and four: training days with leaders of a youth organisation. At and not only on the beach and in the the first, I’m to do something about befriending the Bible. The initial stares- craftroom boxes! l at-the-floor from frosty, frightened faces are oh so familiar. At the second, http://iona.org.uk/resources/wild-goose-resource-group/ I’m to facilitate, four times throughout the day, a session ‘Exploring our spiritual self’ on what on earth we mean by spirituality, and some creative ways to share how we understand it, practise it and develop it. I’m guessing people may have presumed that this could include some ‘talking Bible Jesus about God’. All four time slots are signed up to full capacity. For once, or at last, the Bible-befriending does what it says on the tin. It’s been a painful and steep learning curve to get to the point where I can Spirituality win over the floor-starers! ‘Right – let’s be honest,’ I start with a grin, ‘lots of people who try reading the Bible, end up giving up pretty quickly. Lots of Church others don’t even get round to trying. It’s not the most user-friendly of blockbusters, is it?’ Eyes glance up cautiously; there’s a hint of a collective Worship sigh of relief. Forty minutes later, the buzz of laughter and blethers dies down as the group enjoy perusing each other’s poems, question lists and Prayer wordles. Carol Craig, another of this season’s much-appreciated Holy City workshop Saviour facilitators, put it so simply: ‘Something happens when people get together and have meaningful conversations.’ I would take it further for Trinity those who follow doggedly, doubtfully, daringly in the footsteps of Jesus. Faith Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 10

11 coracle summer 2014 sparks of the Sparks of the Light: news from light members, associates and friends Glasgow East and Lanarkshire Family Group: Our group is quite small: footprints on time. Our last meeting four members, one spouse and two associates. We enjoy each other’s was about the Scottish Referendum, company and our sense of togetherness has deepened over the few years which we are all taking very seriously. the group has been in existence. East Lothian Family Group (from Sarah Brown is minister in Castlemilk, one of the largest parishes in Lesley Orr): Recently, East Lothian Glasgow, and has recently been appointed to the General Assembly’s Family Group spent two productive Ministries Council. Mary Hallford lives in Larkhall, where she is a member of and enjoyable evenings reflecting on Trinity Church and helps with the food bank in the town; for the past 19 our relationship to time, and how we years, she has also been helping at the drop-in centre in Hamilton, which is spend it. Thanks to facilitation by one run by the local churches and has a particular concern for homeless of our members, Rachael Yates, we people. Chris Mercer, who lives in Carntyne in Glasgow’s East end, is didn’t just talk – but drew pie charts, involved with various families of asylum seekers, as well as sharing in her created a word cloud, made a collage, local RC parish. Bruce Sinclair is parish minister in Overtown; he is also sang ‘time’ songs to each other, had a deeply involved in the National Youth Assembly, and at the recent General mini ‘Sabbath synopsis’ and contem- Assembly was appointed to the Church and Society Council. Stewart and plated how Jesus would have Mary Smith, both retired (former parish minister and former secondary- accounted for his use of time if he had school English teacher), live in East Kilbride where they are much involved been a member of the Community. in the Old Parish Church. They organise Christian Aid work in the congre- The process enabled us to delve into gation as well as acting as Christian Aid volunteer speakers throughout some important personal and the area. Stewart is helping to re-energise the town’s Fairtrade Group. Mary practical issues about the ways we acts as Family Group treasurer (and has done so for the past 49 years!), and work, rest and play. We agreed to as treasurer for the Saidiana Project run in Eldoret, Kenya by Fridah Wafula cherish the shitty brown of lives which and her husband, Marksen Masinde, an associate of the Community. To don’t divide neatly into colour-coded conclude our ecumenical group story, Patrick Smyth is Clerk of the Scottish segments, and the importance of Synod of the United Reformed Church. He also attends Faiths in Scotland attending to balance between Community Action, a grant-awarding committee which considers achievement, pleasure and closeness. applications from local faith groups in their struggle against the For, in the words of the late great effects/causes of poverty in urban and rural communities. We took part Sandy Denny: ‘Who knows how my in the Regional Plenary last year in Gorbals – and we’re looking forward to love grows? And who knows where the the next one in August in sunny Crianlarich! time goes?’ … Glasgow South Family Group (from Janet MacDonald): News from Rachel McCann (Pentland Family some members: John Harvey: active in support of Poverty Truth Group): I was first hallowed as a Commission; involved with Iona Community Poverty Premium Project, member in 2002, and returned to and with Faith in Community Scotland's contribution to Scottish membership in 2013 after a few years government’s Tackling Sectarianism project; as a member of SCANA away. (Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Arms), taking part in the weekly one- For many years I worked in areas of hour vigil in Glasgow city centre against Trident. Molly Harvey: active in poverty through social work and support of Poverty Truth Commission; taking part in SCANA vigil; youth and community work. I have ongoing contact with Glasgow Braendam Link families. Janet also been involved in eco-projects, MacDonald: involved locally as a Community Councillor. such as tree-planting and community North West Edinburgh Family Group (from Runa Mackay): We are a gardens (presently coordinating the very supportive Family Group. Only three of our members are in full-time Biggar Community Garden) and am employment but we are all actively interested in many different things an increasingly active member of the and parts of the world. This is particularly in evidence when we come to Scottish Green Party. I was recently share out our Family Group fund: We have two members with a long elected to the Camas committee and connection with Africa, three who have worked in India and two actively look forward to re-engaging with the involved in Middle East issues. Two members are teachers, and they keep people and place. us in touch with education in Scotland, one is in active parish ministry and I am passionate about seeing the one is a social worker caring for people in a disadvantaged part of sacred in all, creativity, friendship, Edinburgh, so we always have plenty to share. justice and Liverpool football club! We are not allowed to forget missives from the Community and have a Argyll Family Group (from Alan good track record of submitting our economic disciplines and carbon Hawkins): Full and associate Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 11

members meet together monthly and the Office; sadly, while the old For want of a song to sing coracle 12 in each other’s homes, with the MacLeod family manse is decaying, let's raise the roof. summer 2014 sparks of the exception of January when we the midges there were very much For want of a hole in the ground light have lunch in a restaurant and alive! let’s choose to live. August when we picnic at a beauty A live issue for us has been how we For want of a better word spot. can with most integrity be a Family let’s call it love. Argyll is both accessible and Group. The weather kept the two remote. It is usual for some people island contingents apart several (To hear Juliet reading her poem to travel for 2 hours to be at a times last winter. Usually there which won the Baker Prize, ‘He has meeting (and another 2 hours to were enough folk on each side to written to the Council asking for stars’: get home). Regardless, meetings make a proper meeting. https://soundcloud.com/an- are well-attended, very supportive Committed associates have been tobar/juliet-antill-he-has-written, Ed.) and their value is often expressed core members of our group for a Members in Orkney (from Graeme by individuals. long time and at the moment there Brown): Members and associates in are heartening numbers of At each meeting we share our Orkney have for some years engaged members and associates working news; the Community’s Act of with a local group, Orkney Friends of in the Centres on Iona. That means Prayer; lunch, including Eucharist; Palestine, and one of our projects has that meeting all together we are money matters; community issues been to launch a 1,000 Olive Trees potentially a large group. But of and a discussion topic. Campaign in support of Zaytoun’s course working patterns at the Trees for Life Programme. A very Recent topics, sometimes initiated Abbey, MacLeod Centre and generous response from the Orkney by guest speakers, have ranged Bishop’s House mean that it’s hard community enabled us to raise £4,000 from: ‘Living and dying well: the to find a time when everyone can and this sum will go towards the work national action plan for palliative meet (and during daytime ferry of the Palestine Fair Trade Association and end of life care in Scotland’; hours). Moreover, most Family to enable fair trade and organic ‘Promoting sustainable energy use Groups are not composed of farmers to replant olive trees torn out and renewable energy generation colleagues and former staff, which of the ground, either to make way for to address fuel poverty and reduce adds complexity. At the moment Israel’s wall or because of military carbon emission’; ‘Crafts and our inclusive Family Group meets action. Christianity’; ‘Micah 6:8: Walk monthly, for any who can manage Dee Family Group, from David humbly with your God’ … that date. The members are trying to meet in addition about every six Horton: on the Big Sing, Trinity Iona and Mull Family Group weeks, for accountability and Church, Ellesmere Port, spring 2014: (from Jan Sutch Pickard): In the support in a smaller group. This As part of working together in the last few months, as well as arrangement is also complicated. community the Dee Family Group put accounting to each other in various We’d welcome insights from other on a Big Sing at the re-energised ways (some imaginative and some Family Groups. town-centre church Trinity Methodist. really hard work), we’ve listened to We work with this church to well-presented cases for the ‘Yes’ Juliet Antill (): I’m encourage many ventures. Sadly, one and ‘No’ campaigns and have living in Tobermory (for the last ten of these is the operation of a food discussed the collective justice and years) where I work with the health bank. The Big Sing was led by peace witness of the Community visiting team. My daughter Sophie Community member Alison Adam and what our Family Group can do. (she was four when we became with accompanist Jon Barton. We had We think that we and other Resident staff on Iona) has left somewhere between 80 and 90 members, such as Members in school and landed back on Iona for people from the wider Merseyside Residence on Iona, could help the season – funny how that island and Cheshire region, and church bring alive the display in the South pulls you back. My daughter Leah – members supported enthusiastically Aisle of the Abbey (when it is finally who was only two when we in providing hospitality. Overall we installed), so that words and became Resident staff, and had just had a very good response and many images are reinforced by people started school by the time we left people went away with tunes and lingering there and eager to Iona – is now at a Quaker boarding texts to share in their own churches. ‘A answer questions – maybe about school in West Yorkshire, where she touching place’, in particular, their pink knitting (Wool Against is very happy. I’m just back from powerfully reflected the situation in Weapons Campaign)! Skye having won the Skye Reading parts of Ellesmere Port and left us very Room’s Baker Prize, English poetry moved. Most recently some of us met with section. So a short poem to end: members of the Argyll Group to Many Community members will know visit Fuinary and Keil Church on A better word of Rev Christine Jones’ work in this Morvern. We found the church a For want of our daily bread church. Christine is shortly coming to welcoming space to share news let’s bake a loaf. an end of her time as a minister here Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 12

13 coracle as she heads for retirement. It is club, requires, in my view, the fauna and people …’ summer 2014 good to think that her parishioners members of that community to sparks of the Irene Stok (the Netherlands): For me light will recall this joyful occasion as look after their young, their old, social justice is about people feeling they look back in a few months’ their disabled and anyone else who safe. There are many people these time. needs a bit of help to be able to days who have problems with debt, live independently. And, of course, Yorkshire One Family Group: not only poor people but also more this becomes far more realistic and News from some members: Ros well-off folk who lose their job or get manageable if a group of people, Davies continues her work as a GP divorced. In the Netherlands there are rather than an individual, commit based in Hull, with a passion for professionals who communicate with to contributing to the care of addressing health inequality, creditors, etc to try to solve the someone they know and love (or working particularly in drug and problem. There is also a volunteer even don't particularly love, but are alcohol, mental health and learning organisation that helps (www.schuld- fellow members of a community disability services. Mike Smith hulpmaatje.nl). The project started in with). Perhaps there’s a future in a continues to be actively ‘retired’, the churches and helps everyone ‘Columban residential/nursing looking after two village Methodist regardless of race, religion or belief. home’ for members of our chapels and preaching on more Volunteers, translated into English as Community? Let me know if you’re Sundays than he intends. Through ‘(Financial) debt help buddies’, contact interested. a request to the Community he the tax office and other agencies to had the delight of ‘officiating’ at a Valerie Yule (Australia): Recently find out what kind of financial same-sex wedding of one of our published Inside Children’s Minds, an support people are entitled to. I am newer associate members and her anthology of hundreds of stories such a buddy and support a family partner. It was one of the most and drawings children did for me who took out a loan which they now joyous occasions he has ever had when I was a psychologist. They can’t pay back, and so experience the privilege to be involved with. explain a lot about disadvantaged more problems, like rent arrears. I help There was much laughter and love, children. them figure out how much money is and he had the opportunity to let I’m now 85 years old and have available, what they can spend or not. people know where the Iona heaps of memories of times on I am there to listen and encourage. Community stands on such Iona, going back to 1952. My German region of the Iona matters. husband, George, used to point out Community (on the 2015 Iona Margery Toller (London Family the individual stones he had laid in Continentals meeting): Dear Iona Group): Since my retirement from the wall of the Refectory. We were friends, the next Continental meeting chaplaincy, I divide my time good friends of George MacLeod will be held on Thursday, 2 July– between vegetable gardening, and stayed with his young family at Sunday, 5 July, 2015 in Ratzeburg, peace activism and completely Dunsmearoch with our young halfway between Hamburg and informal (but regular and ongoing) family. When he was very old I Wismar. We will meet in Christophorus ‘carer input’ with a number of helped him by typing his Haus, enjoying the hospitality of a friends and neighbours, to enable addresses – I loved reading the old wonderful church-based team. Details them to stay living at home as long books in the Abbey library, looking of our programme will be published as possible. I became increasingly out on the sea. I was shocked when by the end of 2014. For more aware of the growing problem carpeting and heating was put in – information, contact Rolf Bielefeld (see (some are referring to it as a crisis) even though they were needed for Members Book), or go to: in care in England while working in winter! I could share more www.facebook.com/groups/617353431 a hospice and being involved in memories with younger members. 681180/-Iona Continentals. Keep us in discharge planning. The idea of a Shalom and solidarity. your prayers, as we keep you in ours. ‘care industry’, in which some Israel Nelson (Alaska): Helping to Grace and peace. l people make quite significant lead the Yukon Presbyterians for News from members, associates and friends to: profits from employing others to Earth Care Regional Conference [email protected] work as health care assistants in 2014: ‘Seeing the signs of the times: Candles © David Coleman their agencies, is anathema to me a practical theology on climate and I feel, with increasing urgency, change’, September 2-7, 2014: that this is an area where ‘During this trip folk will have the communities of all kinds – families, chance to see how climate change is churches, neighbourhoods, groups affecting this planet which God has of friends – urgently need to look given us as our home. Folk will meet again at their current leading researchers and visit several commitments, priorities and sites that show what is happening: practice. To be a genuine shrinking glaciers, vanishing sea ice, community, rather than just a social melting permafrost, effects on flora, Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 13

Margaret Hart coracle 14 summer 2014 Haiti: a different way of seeing travelling folk I have just come back from a tropical paradise – an island where the sun After three days of travelling round the shines all day, the sea is blue and the beaches are sparkling white. Red countryside we were at a low ebb, hibiscus and purple bougainvillea cover the walls in the capital city. exhausted by the heat, bumpy roads, Friendly, vibrant, dynamic people are everywhere – children with big conflicting emotions, our queasy smiles and hair tied with blue, green, red and white ribbons. There are stomachs and apparently fruitless mangoes, pineapples and works of art to buy at the side of the road. efforts to make sense of what we were seeing. Western mindsets don’t work in This is Ayiti, the ‘Land of the Mountains’, and the second country in the Haiti. We needed a different way of Western hemisphere, after the United States, to achieve freedom from a seeing. colonial power. It is also one of the poorest countries in the world, where political instability, trade liberalisation and embargo, environmental A much-needed rest day restored us, degradation and a devastating earthquake in 2010 have combined to and we set out again to partner organi- create conditions in which 80% of the population live on less than £1.10 a sation APROFISCA. APROFISCA has day. I had come here with Christian Aid to see its work, meet their been working in one of the poorest partners and hopefully take back to the UK a message about the parts of Port-au-Prince for 20 years, difference that this work is making. initially with a general focus on health, in recent years diversifying to include a Our first visit was to SSID, a new partner organisation out in the feeding programme for malnourished countryside who are building homes for people who had lost everything children, a parenting programme and in the earthquake: simple, basic but solid homes with two bedrooms and playgroup. a living area, usually occupied by extended families of eight or nine people. The women are given micro-finance loans to enable them to set Inside APROFISCA – where a great pan up businesses to support their families, enough to buy goods to sell at a of porridge was bubbling away – roadside stall: sweets, canned drinks, maybe some vegetables. At Gauthier, children were being vaccinated and Micheline spoke to us with grace and dignity. She was grateful for her parents learning about the importance house, but the water pipe down the road had broken and there was no of clean water and sanitation. At the far fresh water. She had been ill. Sometimes she had food, sometimes she end of the building was a row of cots. didn’t. She became tearful as she spoke of the humiliation she felt at not Antelina, a nurse, waved flies away from being able to support herself. a tiny child, lying motionless and fairylike in a big white dress. The girl Some miles away was Solidarity Village, built by partner organisation was new to the programme. Antelina, a GARR. The village had been founded on cooperative principles and round, cheery Creole woman, picked become a model of national importance; the residents had helped build her up. The child was thin, her face the homes and ownership was shared. GARR had twenty years of expressionless and hair patchy and experience – and it showed. There was a water tank, communal taps and a pale. Antelina cradled her lovingly. She school. Gabrielle showed us the beans, peppers and bananas she’d would be fine, she said. She would planted round her home. She had shelter, water and an income. Soon she come to the programme 5 days a week would have electricity. Life was good. and would be fed. She would soon Then the rain started: first a few big drops – then a downpour, hammering start to gain weight. In four months she deafeningly on the corrugated-iron roof. We were not prepared. We would be stronger – and by the time watched from the shelter of the porch as rivers flowed off the roof, she was two she would be a normal turning the path below into a rushing torrent … Finally, when the rain weight, running around and beginning eased off, we sploshed our way back to the van under the shelter of a to talk. This was not idle thinking. The plastic sheet. children in the next room singing A short way along the road the van ground to a halt – steep cliffs ‘Alouette’ and ’Le papillon légère’ were towering above us on the right and a vertical drop straight down to the evidence of that. Antelina had worked river on our left: a cliff had given way in the storm – rocks all over the road here for 20 years. She had looked after and the threat of further landslides. A team were digging to clear the 300 to 400 children, and in all those rubble: local men trained through GARR’s disaster response work. In time years they had lost only 3 or 4. our driver was able to manoeuvre the van to a side of the road and we We walked across the road – dodging were able to inch our way through, thankful we were safe. motorbikes, taptaps and trucks, past a The following day there was news that a mother and four children in Port- stall selling goat’s head and another au-Prince had been washed away when the rains flooded their hillside where a woman was knitting a shawl. shack, and protests on the roads as people demanded better services and In the APROFISCA community café, an government structures. income-generating venture to support Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 14

15 coracle the project, we ate delicious Creole Fiona Barker summer 2014 tacos with fish and spicy travelling folk/feature vegetables. Upstairs, a group of young people were learning IT Journey to the skills. Then we were shown into a room of brightly coloured paintings. Following the heartbeat of God earthquake, an art project had been set up to encourage young Early in 2014 Resident group member Fiona Barker people to express their fears and left Iona for Birmingham, where she is now Family hopes. LaFontante Patrick showed Networker at a Methodist church in the south-west of me one of his works. Abstract art, I the city … thought, but as he traced his fingers across the shapes, he It’s just over four months since I journeyed away from Iona after four years revealed that the picture was of living and working as part of the Resident Group; it’s also seven years actually of a boy: himself, running. since I sought a home in intentional community (and knew what and Another of his paintings showed a where all my possessions were). It’s almost my 33rd birthday, and I’ve just woman’s face lighted by the moon made the equally freeing and frightening discovery that I’m a bit of a shining between two trees: an wanderer. image representing reforestation I’m always struck by the Scottish way of saying, for example, ‘I stay in and hope – what you see depends Glasgow’, rather than ‘I live in Glasgow’, for it acknowledges that we do on how you look. not own the earth, rather we are its gracious guests and are on a journey. Some see Haiti as a country of I want to honour this journeying and consider my wandering with hopelessness and despair. A intention, to exist fully within the place and people that I find myself, so I country where foreign aid money am on an inner journey as I walk, listen, talk, watch and breathe, an inner has made ’little difference’, and journey that gives space to my wandering soul and roots to my which is best now forgotten. But wandering body. look carefully and you may discern As I adjust to the new geographical place in which I find myself, I am a country of proud, resilient, preparing to speak to a church group about Iona – and it terrifies me. For I enterprising people, people who fear that I will tell the story, but that no one will really see and grasp it. On have much to say if only they are leaving Iona a friend gave me a gift: a piece of carved fuchsia wood from given opportunities to be heard. Is the Shuna garden; it feels reassuring to see and hold, and smells it possible that through all their deliciously of beeswax. If you hold it one way it appears to be one thing, deprivation, the folk who led the and when you turn it on its side or around it becomes something else, world to freedom in 1804 might something new, an altogether different thing. have something to tell us about freedom today? Freedom from When I tell my Iona story I want it to hold the complex contradictions of ever-increasing expectations, hope and hurt, pain and perseverance, friendship and frailty, aloneness freedom to live for today, freedom and achievement. I want it to talk of the opportunities, the conversations, to be. It all depends on how you the awe-filled moments – and the deep, deep beauty of the ever-changing

t landscape – but I also want it to talk of times of confusion, anger and r

a see. l H

t challenge, the broken relationships, the broken systems, and most of all e r Margaret Hart is a member of the Iona Community. a g

r the broken pieces of my self, all of which lie open in community. I want the a Margaret was invited to visit Haiti with Christian Aid M telling of my story to be like the fuchsia wood: a whole piece able to hold © following a gift left in memory of her mother. o t many parts. o h

P www.christianaid.org.uk When I talk of Iona I want to talk of communion – of bread and wine, tea and flapjack, soup and cheese; of hands held, smiles offered, silences shared, embraces of welcome and comfort. I want to celebrate the shared tables: the same sense of reverence offered to each space and place of meeting and eating together as is offered the marble communion table in the Abbey; the feeling of receiving the bread and wine of communion, openhanded, and then turning outwards with a sense of expectancy of communion in the world. In the talking of Iona, I want to talk of Jesus: the real, human, fleshy Jesus who experiences love, joy, loss, death, birth, relationship and eats! The liturgies and songs of Iona are significant for me, as they are rooted in the everyday: they belong to the group of people gathered in the Abbey at that one time, as they move through the day, discuss and wrangle through Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 15

issues, engage in the stuff of life stepping onto the Iona ferry has often the way of community coracle 16 and the mundane tasks of living. I been one of the necessary little sought out and cracked open that summer 2014 feature found it easy to know God and to and lonesome deaths that make up pain and hurt which threatened to see Jesus amidst the sea and life and prepare us for the big shatter. And what of the pain? In mountains, the liturgy and song, death. I miss the beautiful words, time I will learn to embrace it, to the candlelight and sharing of the life of the waves, the rocks and move with it and in spite of it, as I meals together. the sand, the candlelit abbey and continue to move towards being the strength of the wind. I miss the what we are brought to Iona for: to One day, soon after arriving in the rainbows and the stars, the gentle become more fully human. city, I was hurrying to catch the bus whisper of the Michael Chapel and to work, and was walking to a rise This morning I went to work, where the feeding of one another with in the road where the city lay my task is to be alongside families food, conversation, shared sprawled before me: it appeared as at church and in the community. I leadership of services and a huge greyness which seemed to shared in a confirmation session pilgrimages. But what I miss most is have no end. I longed for space to with our wonderful teenagers – washing dishes, pricing books and breathe and a strong sea breeze; I they’re articulate, slightly quirky, tidying shop stock with others, felt stifled. As I reached the top of and deep thinkers – and I love allowing words and silence to mix the rise the sky leaped in front of being with them. We shared the with the real tasks of life. And this is me, and above the angular grey story of the Good Shepherd, Godly- what I find hardest to translate into and red of the buildings the sky Play-style, and we talked about the my working life and the returning was a fiery sunrise of yellow and dark places, the green places and to ‘church’. I am challenged by what orange streaks – and it was the refreshing cool pools, both it means to be part of the church as beautiful. I have no doubt that God metaphorical and real. We talked an institution. I am challenged by is here in the city, and that if I only about who we were, where we felt the question of numbers, the issue open my eyes I will see the face of the presence of God, and the of mission and what we mean by Jesus again and again and again. people and places of significance in this, and what it means to worship our own lives. And then we talked I began taking a photograph each together when the common about what it is to be lost: to day, and slowly these became a ground is not so much rooted in a inhabit the darkness and to wait in collection of images of God: shared daily experience lived hope. And one teenager said in crocuses, a community café, a together but rather appears to be a response: ‘I don’t know who I am, I’m rainbow behind a row of shops, a need to sustain and maintain. a teenager – there’s too much candlelit chapel in a huge church in And yes, when I talk of Iona I do change!’ the centre of a busy market, a want to talk of pain. A pain that I friend preparing a meal, a duck- During after-service coffee I spoke leave all too often in the silence, pond, a mother who had shared with an older teenager, who that I cover over with stones that her story … Each of these pictures wonders where she belongs in the even the most gentle and patient have become a rooting in place church family, when there seems to

of people find hard to move. On e n

and people and a looking-out for be no obvious sense of ‘home’ with r o

Iona we often sang the song ‘We h those many, many times when God the youth group or with the t w

lay our broken world’, and in the a H shows us a little more of who she younger adults. a c

recalling of broken loves, towns c e

is. b e

and selves, the expanse of human This afternoon I walked, which is R

©

In speaking of Iona I want to talk and earthy pain lay open, so how I root myself, body and soul. I o t o h

about loss and letting go. For me, beautifully and vulnerably, as so listened to the wind, the trees, P Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 16

17 coracle gazed at the spring flowers and felt Polly Burns summer 2014 the strong earth beneath my feet. feature And then this evening I’ll help take care of my goddaughter, Polly, with NO separation whose family I share a home; we Polly Burns is an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist, an inhabit a relationship that feels so Equine-facilitated Psychotherapist and the Iona right, and moves and changes each Community’s Prayer Circle Coordinator … of us. On April 6th this year I went to church. Nothing out of the ordinary you On Thursday I’ll go to the parish might think. As a Christian and member of the Iona Community surely church, a short walk from where I this is a normal occurrence? Well, actually no. Other than going to work, and sit in rows of chairs: services at the Abbey when visiting Iona and a couple of visits to my space enough to share the peace sister’s church, I haven’t attended church for several years. My partner and to receive bread and wine, and I made the difficult decision to leave because of the homophobia in space enough to be real, space our diocese where we no longer felt able to be our authentic selves. As enough to be reminded of the the years have gone on, I have been more and more drawn into nature- everyday places of communion in based spirituality, whilst retaining my love of contemplative Christianity. our own lives. I will give thanks for cups of tea with parents and So what drew me to attend a church service again after all this time? toddlers, conversations with a local Well, this church was different to the ones I had attended in the past. The school, e-mails sent and received, name for a start: Hedge Church … faces that are becoming familiar on I had found myself thinking about hedges – about in-between spaces the buses, listening to Polly talk and growing places of boundaries – back in December when I had gone about the visit of a fire engine to on a day-long ‘vision walk’, led by a guide named Gareth. There had been her nursery … I will celebrate those much to think about as we walked, sometimes sharing as nature times when we are human provided inspiration, sometimes remaining in silence. A vision walk is a together, with all our frailties, bit like a walking retreat, and my purpose for taking it was to discern complexities, insecurities and joys. what shape the work I was being called to do might take in the coming And hold fast to the web to which I months. I had recently begun Environmental Arts Therapy training, a belong: the web of interaction, form of eco-therapy which follows the Celtic wheel of the year. A care, humanity and earth, as I description of the course from the book which provides the framework intentionally wander and seek to for the training says: ‘Environmental Arts Therapy and the Tree of life guide

r find meaning in the places and e us through the Celtic calendar to explore the relationship between the k r a people who are gifted to me day B

feeling experience of the human heart and the turning year. Practical, poetic, a n

o by day. i innovative and magical, it invites us to make environmental art and ritual a F

© 1 vital and healing part of our lives once again.’ o

t And I know that the journey is a o h P journey to the heartbeat of God. l I first read this book (in one sitting) when leading a Prayer Circle week at Camas. The theme had been ‘Nature as Prayer Guide’ and the week had seen us working with our hands in the polytunnels and woodland, allowing our bodies and hearts to do the praying as we kept silence. Dancing in the upper room of the old stone buildings – and again out on the salt marshes – we allowed ourselves to get deeply in touch with our own earthiness and physical beings. We reflected on the different trees growing, meditated in their shade, listening for their messages as we allowed their energies to seep into our consciousness. This encounter with the Celtic wheel of the year eventually took me to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and a whole new chapter in my spiritual life opened up. But on that vision walk I didn’t know that. I was still finding my place. That was when I found myself sitting on a fallen tree at the edge of a grove of yews which surround a sacred well, moving from within the dark shade of the trees out into the sparser woodland shrub that surrounded it. The place where I felt most at peace was in the in- between space where the two met. Sitting on the fallen tree I could see and experience both sides. The metaphor was not lost on me as I contemplated my spiritual life. Hedge Church started life on Facebook. The group has been a lifeline to me, putting me in touch with people who share my love of nature-based Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 17

spirituality, who find rituals parts or close down because of the would aspire to Christ consciousness. coracle 18 connected to the wheel of the confusion the words brought. I For this is the cup of my blood; it summer 2014 feature year meaningful, but still feel that particularly loved the way nature binds us together since we all share their relationship with Christ is was included in a central part of the blood of being human. Truly, we important to them. It has been so the prayer: not as an afterthought are blood brothers and sisters. So, it is refreshing to be able to share and but in a way that spoke of unity a covenant between us. It is the final debate in a space where respect is and oneness. The prayers at the covenant. A covenant to dissolve the present and no one is being consecration brought the words of illusions of separation; a covenant pressured to give up what they Jesus alive: that opens your eyes to the believe. Mark Townsend, who I haven’t attended realisation that we are not separate started the group, had been a church for several years. from God; that we are not separate Church of England priest for ten My partner and I made from each other; and that we are not years, leaving when he felt he the difficult decision to separate from nature. This could no longer stay and be true remembering will take away the sin to himself and his faith. I had met leave because of the of living in a state of separation. Mark some years earlier when he homophobia in our Whenever you celebrate this ritual, was still within the C of E. At that diocese where we no remember that.2 time he was having to undergo an longer felt able to be our The words ‘the sin of living in a state ‘orthodoxy’ test. He passed the authentic selves … of separation’ stood out for me, and test but decided to leave the A: Even at the greatest crisis-time of have continued to resonate on so Church anyway. His books, Blue that incarnation, on the night before many levels. For so many years I Raven and Diary of a Heretic, give a he was killed, even then, he could was told that I needed to separate heartbreakingly honest and reach into the core of his own being myself from my sexuality if I inspiring account of the and, using the food of his last meal wanted to be acceptable to God. At experience. In founding Hedge with his friends, say: other times it was the fact that I Church he wanted to create a B: Take this al was a woman which was the issue; space where people could be l of you and eat it. This is my body; the body which I at others, actually having a body themselves and be accepted. ‘An accepted at my incarnation, th seemed to be a problem for my open spiritual community for e body that I needed for my mis strict Evangelical church. Yet here sharing, prayer, mutual support and sion, the body which is the visible si in this act of remembrance, as the occasional ritual. Christian-based gn of the Word made flesh. And you broken bread was lifted high, I was but totally eclectic. Open to people , also,

have done the same. Remember being called to re-member: to put n of all faiths/paths or none.’ a m e that. back together the broken and l o C

‘An open-minded community where d fragmented pieces. i A: Then, reaching for the cup, he told v a D

those who often feel pushed to the

them: © I recall once when the Iona o

margins can break bread together t o

Community was engaging in h and take in the divine presence B: Take this, too, all of you who P without having to be anything other than the person they are.’ The Facebook group has continued to grow, with now over 1,000 members. The service on April 6th was our first meeting in the flesh and was held in a bar in Leominster. Priests in their clerical garb gathered alongside Pagan women in cloaks and hoods. My heart sang as Hilary opened the service by calling on the four directions, something I do in my own prayer time and in the retreats I run, but have never experienced in church. The service was a very simple Eucharist. The words were comfortingly familiar, yet there were differences that made it possible for me to pray along, no longer having to censor Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 18

19 coracle discussion about what it was ‘to be summer 2014 church’. We were asked to describe This beautiful space in this feature/news our faith congregation. Some folk looked at me strangely when I said that my congregation included beautiful world: from the Jewish, Muslim and pagan friends, as well as horses. It sounded weird Camas blog 2014 even to me, but I knew it to be Last week Camas was descended on by young folk from Castlemilk High in true in a place that was beyond Glasgow. This was our first youth group of the season – and we were excited reason and logic. One Family to see them! The three days were filled with sporadic sunshine – and lots and Group member spoke about it lots of banter. We abseiled and kayaked, Jon took a few guys out in the boat, being my ‘interfaith work’, and I we built fires and toasted marshmallows in the evenings, and the boys found myself protesting firmly enjoyed lots of cooking. By the end of the time we’d created lasting bonds – that it wasn’t about interfaith and we hope to see them again later on this season. At Camas we are given work – that these indeed were my the chance to offer freedom and choice, elements of community that are faith congregation. This was long totally new to some people. We learn how to better support each other and before I had come across Hedge create trust between ourselves and the group. It’s hard to put into a blog post Church and had begun to explore how enriching Camas life has been so far, finding our individual stride within the Druidic path. My experiences the Camas routine and building our mental (and physical!) capacities. Waking of interfaith practices within the up each day and remembering that this is where we live is something I can’t church had been fruitful and get over! We are in this incredible secluded bay; we are able to take responsi- sincere, but always left me with a bility for ourselves, our waste and to utilise our natural surroundings – the feeling of still being separate. I wind and peat and sunshine – enabling us to fall less upon unsustainable realised after that Hedge Church resources. In times of reflection I am overwhelmed with the feeling of luck service that this was because we that we’ve all come together to this beautiful space in this beautiful world! had often engaged at a level of talk about our unity, but had never For Family Week we had a few new and many familiar faces. It was lovely to really experienced it as a truth. It see all the kids from the different families join together into a big, loud crowd; wasn’t about seeing where we had to see how much the kids enjoyed the place and really felt at home. One of similar beliefs, but about knowing their favourite games was to look for crabs. We had a few pet crabs in smaller that, in God, there was NO and bigger tubs throughout the week but put them all back into the sea at separation. Looking back, I also the end. Jon even took the kids out in the boat to set a crate with bait to realised that in all the interfaith catch crabs. We played many games, and had fun coasteering, kayaking, activities I had been part of in climbing … church, pagans had never been Next up was a group from Hartlepool. Although it was windy, we had so invited. much fun in the kayaks exploring around our two tidal islands. During one of Back in that grove of yew trees in our little breaks, we turned one of the staff into a seaweed monster and told December, I had taken some stories about the Drowning rock, the White Lady and the Camas ghost! After offerings to leave at the sacred the session we had more fun splashing about in the water … well. I’d made a doll from a pine For our Open Day we had a big bake off, making many lovely cakes – and cone wrapped in felt. The doll had to restrain ourselves from eating up everything right away. We had many represented the person I was to guests, who enjoyed exploring Camas – eating cake – and taking part in become as I followed the Spirit’s climbing and kayaking. One boy continually asked if he could capsize his call. Gareth and I stood in silence kayak – when he did, he was quite surprised at how cold the water actually and gazed at the doll. ‘It looks like was! l a Druid,’ I said, with some surprise. Camas is the Iona Community’s Adventure Centre on the Isle of Mull: [email protected] ‘Or a monk,’ Gareth replied. After a pause, he added, ‘Perhaps they are http://thecamasdiary.blogspot.co.uk/ the same.’ After my experiences Camas campfire © Alice Hyde, former Camas volunteer with Hedge Church, I think he may be right. l Notes:

1. Environmental Arts Therapy and the Tree of Life, Ian Siddons Heginworth, Spirit's Rest Books, 2011

2. © Fr. Sean O’ Laoire Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 19 Tribute …

TRIBUTE TO MEMBER PATRICIA Pat senior was devoted to the although probably not as many as she JOAN MACDONALD (NÉE family and was a great homemaker. would have liked; and finally there was LANGLEY), by Alasdair She was determined that the family time for friends and family, not least the Macdonald should pursue their education in wonderful neighbours they had in the way that she would have loved Muircroft Terrace. Pat, as everyone called her, died at to had circumstances allowed. She the grand old age of 99½, Pat was able to live independently until was also hugely committed to the although, as she loved to tell us, she well into her 90s and then spent her congregation and parish, as leader was in her 100th year. It is quite a last years in residential care. She of the Sunday school and the thought that she was born before remained interested in issues of social Women’s Guild as well as in many the First World War broke out. Her justice and continued to take a keen other capacities, not least through long life had very clear phases but interest in the Community and to music. What a voice she had, and running throughout were the three attend Family Group meetings. Among how everyone loved to hear her cornerstones of family, friends and her many visitors were friends from the sing! And everyone also knew faith. Community and of course family, which there was a warm welcome at 75 now included nine grandchildren and Pat was a proud Bristolian and Clepington Road, whatever the five great-grandchildren spent the first 30 years of her life circumstances – this included, over there, actively involved in her the years, many young people from An amazing 99½ years with such a church, her music and her role as overseas who were studying in range of experiences, such service and an Akela with the Cubs. Scotland. commitment but anchored in her family, friends and faith. l She loved her school, Fairfield Throughout this time Iona and the The 31st day (a prayer) Grammar, and it was here that she Community were at the core of developed her passion for Pat’s and Uist’s lives. Every July the I remember those who have died: languages and also something family decamped to ‘Lovedale’ in those who were part of my living, which was less well known – her the village; throughout the year those who live on in my life. enjoyment of physical activities, in there was active membership of God of the elements, You inhabit me: particular running. She was still to their Family Group; and in family and friends and strangers be seen running for buses well into particular, one of the abiding are at home in me, her seventies! She left school at 16 memories, not only of that period stars and planets dance and worked as a secretary and we but throughout her life, was Pat’s in my bones and blood. commitment to daily prayer with can be pretty certain that all her I am me, and yet I am more than me; ‘Miles Christi’ and her participation bosses were aware of the need for I remember, I learn, I dream, in the Iona Prayer Circle. accurate grammar, punctuation I touch death and life. and spelling! Bristol always There followed a very happy period God of eternity, remained important to her at Aberdalgie where Pat breathed comfort your people, ©

throughout her life, especially her o

so much life into all aspects of the t

living and dying. o h

relationship with sister Ruth and p church and parish but also had y l Quicken us with wonder, i

family and her long-standing time to pursue her love of plants m a f

salt us with justice and integrity, , d friends. and gardening. It was during this l a

welcome us with love. n o

period that all three children d c In 1943 a visit to Iona proved a – by Ruth Burgess, from Acorns and a M married and the first of the t

major turning point as this was a Archangels, Wild Goose Publications P when she met Uist. A romantic grandchildren came along. week together, and regular And finally retirement, and this correspondence, led in October certainly should not conjure up any 1944 to their happy marriage and pictures of inactivity. There were of course 60 years together. opportunities to pursue the study Leaving Bristol and moving to of languages through U3A; there Cardonald, Glasgow was a huge was singing with her music group change but one which Pat and also as part of a duo that embraced. This period saw the ‘toured’ local old people’s clubs, arrival of Iona (Nonie) and Alasdair. often singing to people much In 1950 Pat and Uist moved to younger than herself; there were Dundee and a couple of years later frequent visits to Iona where she the family was completed with the and Uist were the original birth of Pat junior. For more than 20 ‘Members in Residence’; there was years Uist and Pat worked in membership and participation in partnership at Wallacetown Parish the life of St John’s Church, Perth; Church. there were opportunities to travel, Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 20

provide adequate services for their 21 coracle A touching place: summer 2014 WILD GOOSE PUBLICATIONS people. The ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote is only advertisement/ a touching NEW BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND news and letters a decision about independence. place SINGLE DOWNLOADS LETTER: ‘Scottish independence – Part of the reason I am writing is another viewpoint’, from because I feel quite strongly about Parables of Northern Seed: associate Iona Finlayson Anthology from BBC’s Thought for this, as does my husband, Iain the Day, by Alastair McIntosh, book: Dear Coracle, I have been an Sarjeant, also an associate member. £9.99, e-book: £6.80 (ex VAT), e- associate member of the Iona But I am also writing because my book combined formats: £7.65 (ex Community for over 20 years and late father, Rev. Duncan Finlayson, a VAT) have supported the Community in long-standing member of the Iona When Alastair McIntosh was asked what its stand on equality, ecumenical Community (from the 1940s), was makes a good BBC radio ‘God slot’ he and interfaith work, peace and horrified at the growing debate quoted his late friend Walter Wink: ‘To justice. I am, however, surprised and movement towards an conceive of heaven as the transcendent that recent issues of Coracle seem independent Scotland and the fear possibilities latent in every emerging to be presenting a largely one- of the ‘nationalism’ that it was moment.’ This anthology shares the best sided view (the ‘Yes’ view) of the creating. of Alastair’s Prayer and Thought for the independence debate – a view that He was a man who served the Day pieces from nearly a decade. Here is I don’t believe is necessarily Church of Scotland as a minister that of God, transcendent, yet also here representative of all the associates and now, immanent, within the day’s and a teacher all his working life. and members of the Iona hard news. ‘O taste and see …’ He was a strong supporter of the Community. Raised on the Isle of Lewis and resident Labour Party and left-wing in Govan, Alastair is a Quaker and author I know that there are those who socialism, and considered social of books including Soil and Soul (2001), believe that the ‘promise’ of justice, equality and peace (he was Hell and High Water (2008) and Island removing Trident from Scotland is a long-standing member of CND) Spirituality (2013). His writing has been enough to support independence as immensely important issues. He described by the Bishop of Liverpool as and that there are those who lived out these ideals in supporting ‘life-changing’, by George Monbiot as believe an independent Scotland people throughout his life, and this ‘world-changing’ and by Thom Yorke of will offer an opportunity for a was reflected in the hundreds of Radiohead as ‘truly mental’. country with more policies that cards and letters we received after What Is Valuable and True: reflect social justice – but I think it’s his death from people expressing A Liturgy for Economic Witness, important to remember the vote is gratitude for his support, counsel by Norman Shanks (download) not about party politics or policies, and friendship at times in their £2.50 it’s not about visions and ideals and lives. it’s not even about economics. It is At a time when the gap between rich He wrote strongly, however, in his simply a vote for or against and poor is widening in many Western journals about how he considered Scotland becoming a separate, societies and the poor everywhere are a move towards Scotland’s independent nation or remaining increasingly oppressed, this liturgy for independence as a terrible economic witness is a call for justice and part of the United Kingdom. backward step and his concern to remind ourselves of what it means to We cannot tell if the nation will act with compassion and generosity. about the ‘nationalist’ attitudes, ultimately develop into a radical divisions and hatred that this Norman Shanks is a former Leader of left-wing, green, middle left or debate could create: the Iona Community. middle right-wing government. We ‘Nationalism … – easily presented as cannot guarantee our government For all the many new e-liturgies emotionally attractive – a creed and prayers: will be free from corruption, which stands firmly on the opposite cronyism, sectarianism, racism or http://www.ionabooks.com/e-liturgies- side to what one had begun to think sexism. While we can be presented prayers.html might be becoming the chosen aim with various sets of figures about and purpose of the major reasonably For Wild Goose special offers: our potential economic state in an organised and established countries http://www.ionabooks.com/special- independent Scotland, as any of the world. offers business knows, the nature of TO ORDER: 0141-332-6292 economics is complex. In today’s Despite the difficulties under which it [email protected] world, influenced by global events, has to operate, the United Nations www.ionabooks.com we do not have the foresight to be did stand as a vital factor and able to tell, in the long run, if our symbol of hope in the serious new nation will be rich or poor and progress towards world peace and whether its citizens will be able to stability. The United Nations. And so have a good standard of living, Union not Division is the key with local authorities that can direction …’ Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 21

As for me, I was born in Scotland everyone in the UK a decent government (or didn’t vote – and coracle 22 and have lived here all my life – in lifestyle. so allowed this government in). It is summer 2014 a touching the Lowlands and the Highlands. I democracy in action – sometimes place In a world that is growing smaller love my Scottish culture, have we get the government we vote by the day, where many nations are campaigned for international for and sometimes others do. When needy and war-torn, is this the time peace and, like my father, do not we don’t agree with the result, we to create new boundaries? agree with the politics of the regroup and work hard to try to current UK government. Dividing off a nation may seem like get the one we think is best. a ‘quick fix’ to developing an ideal My background, however, means I Is it also possible that ‘Edinburgh’ nation – if all the visionary am one eighth West Indian, one will be the ‘Westminster’ of an promises were to be realised. But I eighth English and three quarters independent Scotland – distant think in our heart of hearts we Scottish (one quarter from from many of the communities this know people and governments are Aberdeen and half Highland), so centrally based city body will serve, more complex than that. My vision my heritage is wider than my home with little in common with its rural, is for a long-term solution that may in Scotland and I’m glad of that. dispersed and island parts? require more work but provides, for I have grown up in Scotland and all of the citizens of the UK, the I believe a mature nation doesn’t much as I love Scotland and many ideals we talk about wanting for see itself as a victim, dominated or aspects of its culture – our the people of Scotland. bullied by others, but rather, is hospitality, the Gaelic language and confident enough to see itself as song, art and literature, football and Having lived in the Highlands for able to get involved in constructive a great ability to laugh at ourselves nearly 25 years and having an and positive debate with those and survive the wind and rain! – ancestry that is partly from this that it disagrees with – to create an like all peoples, we are not perfect. part of the world, I have heard outcome across the UK that is best We have our share of sectarianism, much about the impact of the for as many people as possible. alcoholism, violence, racism. (And Clearances – where people were My ‘vision’ of Scotland is of a this can include a ‘joke’ about a cleared from the land for mature country within the UK – dislike of the English: ‘Who do we landowners to raise sheep and confident, forward-thinking, fully want to win the football or rugby?’ shoot deer. I am also aware of more using the powers it already has, … ‘Anybody but the English.’) I recent events in our history where embedding human rights grew up with these attitudes – big business has cleared people legislation and seeing ourselves as there are real racism issues here, if from their homes to make way for a very active member of the UK, we are honest. We can be small- new enterprises. There is no doubt Europe and the UN. This is the minded, parochial and local some terrible things have positive vision I want to embrace. government has its share of ‘who happened to Scotland in the past knows who’ ways of getting things and some injustices that continue – Yours sincerely, Iona done. to hit the country today. But I also see communities in Scotland that ANSWER TO IONA FINLAYSON’S Our traits, good and bad, will be do not allow these events to define LETTER (pp.21-22), from Coracle reflected in an independent them. They see the past as the past Editor, Neil Paynter government in Scotland and while and look forward with enthusiasm Dear Iona, Thanks for your letter. I it can be seen as an opportunity for and energy. They create amazing also very much appreciated you positive change, there are many projects and initiatives that allow giving thoughts from your late other ways we can bring about their communities to develop, father, long-time member of the change without having an grow, become prosperous and Community Duncan Finlayson. independent country. We already confident. These are not I don’t want to debate, or write in have many powers in the existing communities of ‘victims of their support of, your particular points Scottish Parliament to pursue circumstances’ (the Clearances, the here. I’d like to make it clear, positive change. poor land, the geography, lack of though, that I didn’t invite folk We can also work together with the money or small population size). (John Harvey, Kathy Galloway, rest of the UK to get a fairer nation They are confident, mature Norman Shanks) to reflect on that delivers benefits to as many communities, looking forward with independence in Coracle knowing people as possible. positivity and hope. what they thought about the issue: I believe that if we really want a The current debate refers, on a whether they were on the ‘Yes’ or better world – we need to work regular basis, to the things ‘No’ side or undecided. I asked together, with as many people as ‘Westminster’ does or doesn’t do to those folk because of their long- possible, to find long-term us (the Scottish people). We (the time membership in the solutions for social justice, peace Scottish people) voted in the Community and because I have and a stable economy that offers election that returned this always found them to be theolog- Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 22

23 coracle ically rooted thinkers, and more just and equal society’ (Annual obviously true but it does not summer 2014 politically engaged with a passion Report 2013, Coracle 4/59, 2014). mean that it would get rid of a touching for justice. Trident. place Whether or not a publication can To me, their reflections (Coracles be unbiased is a good question. The leaders of both the East and 4/56, 4/57, 4/58) were very West have been engaged in a I am happy Coracle isn’t so bland thoughtful in tone, looking at the (though some would argue) as to gigantic game of bluff for many issue of independence from be perfectly, correctly unbiased. years and the one thing you cannot different angles and their own And what publication doesn’t have do in a game of bluff is back down. experience, and coming to a The UK will be weakened if a bias? Alain de Botton (The News: A conclusion. Scotland votes ‘Yes’ but is very User’s Manual) says that it is The original inspiration for the impossible for the news (a unlikely to allow its bluff to be blown just because 1/12 of its Coracle ‘series’ on independence publication) not to have a bias, that was a set of questions from being unbiased is an illusion – and population hives off. Countries member Maire-Colette Wilkie that what we should be looking for seldom respond to this kind of pressure. The pressure on the (Coracle 4/56), which basically from our news is rather ‘the best Westminster government from the asked: Will justice and social equality possible bias’. Botton makes the be furthered/diminished by point that Jesus certainly wasn’t USA to find another site will be Independence/Union? And, to me, unbiased, neither was Gandhi. I immense and the likely result will that is the most important consid- would add that, of course, ‘God has be delay, obfuscation and eration for voting for or against a bias in favour of the poor’: Good eventually another site is likely to Scottish independence: will the News. be found, possibly in England. country be a more just place as a Surely reduction of these weapons That said, I don’t admit to using result? Hard as that might be to is much more likely to come from Coracle as a sort of soapbox for my discern. I’m very happy folk have negotiation with the main protag- bias in this debate. And I don’t taken Maire-Colette’s questions onists and not from Scotland think the bias in Coracle is ever or and discussed them – in Coracle, declaring independence. This is an can be ever slanted enough in Family Groups, Associate groups, altruistic idea with a very uncertain favour of the poor. Iona groups … outcome and completely immoral Thanks so much for writing. Talking if it were to end up being sited in The other reflections and letters on together as a community is a England. independence that have appeared valuable thing (so long as we in Coracle or appear here (by Ruth Yours sincerely, John Fleming remain respectful, open, loving). Harvey; Maire-Colette and Alan LETTER: ‘The expatriate “vote” in Wilkie; Erik Cramb; Murdoch – Neil Paynter (Coracle, Ed.) the Scottish Referendum’, from MacKenzie…) were unsolicited, LETTER: ‘On independence and associate Michael Caldwell in mostly coming in response to the Trident’, from Friend John North Wolcott, Vermont growing debate in Coracle. I’m glad Fleming the three initial pieces started a When Scottish folksinger Dougie discussion/debate/dialogue. That’s Dear Coracle, Although I am a long- MacLean appeared in concert in all I wanted to do really. And, after time supporter of the Iona Barre, Vermont in 2003, I took my Murdoch’s piece and others and Community I find myself in serious thirteen-year-old son Noah to hear your letter and others, I think the disagreement with many in the him. It was a moving time. MacLean debate has become more Community over the referendum in brought Barre’s Scottish immigrant balanced. That takes time. And this September. There are many reasons community to tears with his discussion is ongoing. why I am intending to vote ‘No’ but wrenching rendering of Burns’ the main purpose of this letter is to poem ‘Scots wha hae’. We left the On p.1 of each edition of Coracle it challenge the idea that by voting concert needing to dry out our says: ‘Views expressed in Coracle are ‘Yes’ Trident will be banned in handkerchiefs. Scotland's historic not necessarily the policy of the Iona Scotland and removed. and legendary love of freedom Community, but the Community from English oppression parallels seeks the exchange of thoughts and The latest Coracle [spring 2014, in America’s, except that its ideas as a basis for finding common ‘Trident – an extremely important revolutions turned out quite ground.’ So Coracle, as I see it, does reason to vote “YES” on 18th differently. not necessarily have to present the September’, by Alan and Maire- Community’s policy on this, which Colette Wilkie] sets out the current I remembered the concert when is actually that ‘the Iona Community facts and history of Trident in all its my son Noah left seven years later will not be taking a formal position unpleasantness and concludes that for a semester at the University of on the referendum but members will the UK government would be Edinburgh. And I remembered be engaged in campaigning for a forced to reconsider Trident. This is taking him and my daughter Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 23

Johanna in 2000 to Earlston in the Union, maybe now could be a time you’re saying in your letter but I coracle 24 Borders for a pastoral exchange when wider groupings of nations just want to make that point here summer 2014 a touching with the local parish Church of join to form a global community of for anyone who may not have read place Scotland, thanks to the effort of nations that would transcend the past editions. The freedom fighters Iona Community member Dr Allan clannish ways of old. The world is who have inspired the Community Gordon. Our tours of Edinburgh, moving toward interdependence, are those who practised/practise Glasgow and the Highlands left us not independence, and so could non-violence: Martin Luther King, feeling at home. Years later, a house Scotland. Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Desmond Tutu, exchange in Stirling in 2007, thanks My grandfather Alexander Women in Black … to the hospitality of Community Caldwell, born in Glasgow, 1900, And yes, I was also moved ‘by the member the late Rev. Maxwell served with the Scottish Merchant piece on how independence could Craig and his wife, Janet, gave us Marine, until he met and married solve the problem of … Faslane’ – firsthand exposure to the historical my grandmother Sally MacDougal how could the Community have a drama around the 14th-century during shore leave in Philadelphia debate on independence without battles of Stirling and when he was twenty years old. He looking at it through the lens of Bannockburn. I saw Wallace and always spoke with a Scottish Trident, considering the Bruce as forerunners, of course, of accent. He never lost it. Now, as Community’s witness against Washington. Scotland moves toward and nuclear weapons and for peace When I first heard about the beyond the referendum, it doesn't and reconciliation – from George referendum for Scottish need to lose its accent, whether it’s MacLeod to Roger Gray to Ellen independence I was tempted to technically independent from the Moxley and Helen Steven and impose my patriotism, take a UK or still part of it. And its citizens many others (though I would never summer 2014 sabbatical, and help can take comfort in the fact that its try to speak for them). Scots carry the torch for sons and daughters of liberty Thanks so much for your letter. And independence, like the French spread freedom from oppression in let us know how Noah gets on. helped the colonies in our War of all kinds of revolutions wherever Love and peace from Glasgow. Independence. I took comfort that Scots roamed on God’s earth. this campaign would be a lot less – Neil Paynter (Coracle, Ed.) – Michael Caldwell bloody, if yet contentious. LETTER: ‘Fellowship of P.S. By the way, my son Noah is Reconciliation in Scotland Perspectives in recent editions of taking 6 weeks in August and recommends a “Yes” vote in the Coracle cooled my jets. Yes, I was September in Scotland (good independence referendum’, from moved by the piece on how timing for a football fan and a lover David Mumford, Convener of the independence could solve the of the Edinburgh Festival) to do a Fellowship of Reconciliation problem of the UK’s Faslane basing bike trip in the Inner Hebrides to (FOR), Scotland of subs with nuclear weapons. Yes, I interview people about the still saw wisdom in the contem- referendum and blog about it, I am writing to you as Convener of porary campaign. Yes, I thought, researching for a wider article for the Fellowship of Reconciliation in maybe this could be the ultimate U.S. online media. The online Scotland to ask you seriously to triumph for centuries of Scottish publication Edinburgh Reporter has consider a ‘Yes’ vote in favour of freedom fighters. But no … already featured an article he wrote independence in the forthcoming No, I wouldn't vote for on the influence of polling in the referendum. An independent independence. As a proud member last few months. Wow, this Scotland is much more likely to get of the Scottish diaspora, I’d speak referendum is undoubtedly ‘the rid of Trident than any conceivable against it simply because the world talk of the town’ there, and is Westminster alternative and is also is moving more toward wider and beginning to get attention here. much more likely to give much greater emphasis to non-violent more collaborative political ANSWER TO MICHAEL methods of conflict resolution and structures and less toward CALDWELL’S LETTER (pp.23-24), splintering historical alliances. peacebuilding in the international from Coracle Editor, Neil Paynter Highland clans stopped arena. skirmishing with each other and Just to be clear: there was nothing One target that FOR Scotland has came together in Bonnie Prince in previous Coracle reflections on worked for consistently is the Charlie’s common cause. Scotland the Referendum and abolition of weapons of mass and Wales and Northern Ireland independence about ‘freedom- destruction and, in particular, may have come kicking and fighting’, certainly not in the ridding Scotland of such weapons. screaming into the United bloody, rhetorical ‘Scots wha hae’ Kingdom, but there they were, and sense. (By the way, I much prefer The present Trident system consists there they thrived. As the UK Dougie MacLean’s own gentle of four submarines. Each carries up reluctantly joined the European ‘Caledonia’.) That may not be what to 48 nuclear warheads. There is Coracle ML body_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:34 Page 24

25 coracle always one submarine out on getting rid of Trident if Scotland Imam Usama Hasan, Senior summer 2014 patrol, ready to fire its missiles. does not vote for independence. At Researcher in Islamic Studies at the a touching place Every warhead is about seven best the present coalition Quilliam Foundation. times as destructive as the atomic government may settle for having NEW PUBLICATIONS OF bomb that annihilated Hiroshima. two or three rather than four INTEREST That one killed over 140,000 replacement submarines and the civilians and many more have died UK Labour Party shows no signs of A Simple Life: Roland Walls & The since as a consequence of the taking any different view. Community of Transfiguration, by bomb. John Miller, Saint Andrew Press Scottish CND has reflected on The Scottish Campaign for Nuclear these issues and has decided that Iona: The Other Island, Kenneth Disarmament in February 2012 as a campaign it will be supporting Steven and Iain Sarjeant, Saint produced their pamphlet Trident – Yes Scotland and asking its Andrew Press Nowhere to Go. John Ainslie, the members to vote in favour of THE IONA COMMUNITY ON author, examined the work carried independence. FACEBOOK out by the Ministry of Defence in While an independent Scottish the 1960s when they assessed www.facebook.com/IonaCommunity government is most unlikely to different locations for basing the adopt a thoroughgoing non- SPIRIT BIRD, a film by David Polaris submarine fleet. If Trident violent defence policy, it will be Coleman had to leave Faslane as an much more open to significantly incoming Scottish government was In the midst of the Pentecost increasing the resources available committed to a non-nuclear Sunday reading in Iona Abbey, the for non-violent approaches to Scotland, then the 1960s work Holy Spirit makes an entrance: peace-building, peacekeeping and identified three possible sites in www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6fUi- reconciliation. It would be much England – Portland, Falmouth and e35-s less likely to use its armed forces Devonport. Some are near major for post-imperial forays and to Bread for the road centres of population and in all restrict any overseas use to … I have a simple prayer for the cases it would be very expensive interventions approved by the Church. I pray that one day soon I will and time-consuming to construct United Nations. be part of a church that when we weapon storage facilities and a pray for the poor, we will pray for ‘us’ submarine base. In the light of the above consider- ations FOR Scotland has taken the and not ‘them’. I pray for a Church So if Faslane were not a possible view that a vote in favour of that will not only have the courage base, it is difficult to see where else independence would make nuclear to work for the poor, to struggle with Trident could go. disarmament and a less violent the poor but will also be of the poor. One ‘if’ is whether Scotland votes defence policy much more And I pray that one day there will be for independence. possible. It did so after consulting no poor people in the Church the membership. The majority of because there will be no poverty … The other ‘if’ is whether an responses were in favour of such a incoming Scottish government – Martin Johnstone, associate stance and others said that even would want to get rid of Trident. At Prayer of the Iona though they had reservations, present polls show that a sizeable Community these were not such as to cause majority of people in Scotland do them to wish to block such a O God, who gave to your servant not want nuclear weapons. recommendation. the gifts of courage, faith It is a reasonable conjecture that an and cheerfulness, and sent people – David Mumford, Convener FOR incoming Scottish parliament forth from Iona to carry the word of Scotland, 12th June, 2014 would vote to get rid of Trident. your gospel to every creature, grant, However, such a government WALES,MARCHES,WEST we pray, a like spirit to your church, would come under severe pressure MIDLANDS,THAMES VALLEY even at this present time. Further in from Westminster to keep Trident AND BRISTOL PLENARY, from all things the purpose of our and would be strongly pressurised member John Dale community, that hidden things may to accept some kind of November 8, 2014, Gateway Centre, be revealed to us, and new ways compromise whereby the rest of Chester Street, Shrewsbury, found to touch the hearts of all. May the UK leased the Faslane base for 10:45am-4:15pm. Warren Bardsley we preserve with each other sincere a significant period of years. The will be chairing the main session, charity and peace, and if it be your more MSPs elected committed to which is on the Israel-Palestine holy will, grant that a place of your nuclear disarmament, the less likely situation and specifically the Kairos abiding be continued still to be a a scenario this would be. Britain document, Time for Action. sanctuary and a light. Through Jesus There is no alternative scenario for Speakers are Robert Cohen and Christ our Lord. Amen. Coracle ML Cover_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:32 Page 4

Wild Goose Resource Group coracle 26 summer 2014 This we believe prayer That we worship one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in whose image we are made, to whose service we are summoned, by whose presence we are renewed: THIS WE BELIEVE. That it is central to the mission of Christ that we participate through word and action in rejoicing in the diversity of human culture, in preserving the earth in all its beauty and frailty, in witnessing to the love of God for every person, and in inviting all to share in that converting experience: THIS WE BELIEVE. That through the power of the Holy Spirit, the persecuted shall be lifted up and the wicked will fall, the heartfelt prayers and hidden actions of God’s people shall change for good the course of human history, the ancient words of scripture shall continue to startle us with fresh insight: THIS WE BELIEVE. That God has called the Church into being to be the servant of the kingdom, to be a sign of God’s new order, to celebrate in every land worship which speaks of heaven: THIS WE BELIEVE. That Christ, fully aware of our differences, prays that we may be one so that the world may believe: THIS WE BELIEVE AND TO THIS WE ARE COMMITTED FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IN THE WAY OF CHRIST, BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

© 2014 WGRG, from A Wee Worship Book: 5th Incarnation (to be published in 2014 by Wild Goose Publications)

Photo © David Coleman Coracle ML Cover_coracle TEMPLATE 31/07/2014 16:32 Page 1

Having been grabbed by resurrection we are full of tears and laughter.

The way ahead is unknown. It will always be like that. But having danced in the light we will look for glory everywhere.

by Ruth Burgess

From 50 Great Prayers from the Iona Community, Wild Goose Publications, www.ionabooks.com

Photo by Neil Paynter

coracle The Iona Community, 4th Floor, Savoy House, 140 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3DH t: 0141 332 6343 f: 0141 332 1090 e: [email protected] w: http://iona.org.uk/media/coracle/ © the iona community 2014/contents © the individual contributors