Columcille

The Bishop of Argyll

and The Isles’ Newsletter. No 26

March 2008

The Pines, Ardconnel Road, Oban,

Argyll PA34 5DR.

alexandermartin.shaw@virgin.net

Home: 01631 566912 Office: 01631 570870 Mobile: 07801 549615

Dear Friends,

I was asked recently what my aims were for the Diocese. The danger is to be vague and impractical. There are four aims that are practical in my heart. 1 – To find a secure way forward for our Retreat house at Cumbrae that meets with the needs of the Diocese and of the Province. 2 – To establish the most effective Ministry possible in The West Highland Region, involving the appointment of a new Priest and the development of Lay Ministry. 3 – To establish a Mission and Ministry Advisor for the Diocese, perhaps in partnership with another Diocese. 4 – For all Episcopalians in the Diocese to share a common prayer together. This list may seem incomplete but together we have to be clear about what is achievable. The list arises in my own mind from the Diocesan Vision about which you all know.

The fourth on the list concerns the issue of prayer. My aim is to encourage everyone in the Diocese for a very brief time every day to share a prayer. I would value your reaction to this suggestion so that we might think together of a practical way forward to establish a practise.

Diocesan Magazine, Website and Prayer Cycle –

Either you will have received a magazine or there will be one available in your church. I regret that I have been unable to complete the new website in time for the Synod, on which there will be access to a magazine download, as well as this newsletter. The Prayer Cycle will be ready for the Synod and will also be a download when the Website is ready.

The web designer and manager is Mrs Hazel Morris. I would be grateful, if you have not already done so, if you would give information about your charge including photographs - Tel no. 01680 300343, Email hazel@sitemaker1.com

Hazel lives on the Island of Mull.

Diocesan Lent Appeal 2008–

I hope the raising of money for Zanzibar is going well. You may remember from my last letter that I mentioned (clergy support). In particular the Diocese will be supporting Fr. Stephen Kamwendo who is undergoing a two-year Diploma of Theology at St Marks Theological College in Dar es Salaam.

Please send the money you have raised into the Diocesan Centre as soon after Easter day as possible, as there is someone in the Diocese who will be visiting the area who could deliver the money personally.

LENT lunches –

The Lent lunches in Oban from now on will be at the Pines, Ardconnel Road from 12.30-1.30pm as we are no longer able to hold them in the Diocesan Centre. The dates are:

Friday 29^th February, Friday 7^th March and Friday 14^th March.

Mothering Sunday 3 March 2008

From Fiona Rice Diocesan President

Don’t say it with flowers, say it with trees

People in Britain spend over £2.4 billion on flowers and plant gifts for mothering Sunday: a staggering amount.

Working in 78 countries around the world to support mothers and grandmothers caring for young families, Mothers’ Union members see first-hand the inequality of a world in which so many mothers struggle to feed, clothe and educate their families. Against that suddenly, lovely though they are, floral tributes lose some of their glamour.

Determined to do their bit to redress the balance, Mothers’ Union raised over £120,000 when they launched their Make a mother’s day campaign in 2007. Through their catalogue eight gifts are available which allow purchasers to contribute towards vital programmes which benefit a mum caring for her family in tough circumstances – surely a tribute for any mother to treasure.

The 2008 catalogue is now available with gifts ranging in price from £6 - £150.

Items this year include ethical, practical and educational gifts to help families improve their standard of living.

The catalogue has an order form and this year Mothers’ Union can also receive orders via phone, or via their online website ordering service on www.themothersunion.org. On receiving your order Mothers’ Union will send you a card giving details of your chosen gift and an envelope, ready for you to personalise and send. Alternatively you can purchase a gift in memory of a mum as a wonderful homage to a lifetime of caring, for which this year Make a mother’s day has a dedicated in memory card.

In addition, this year Make a mother's day pack is resourcing churches, schools, groups and Sunday schools by providing a Mothering Sunday church resource pack.

To order copies of the catalogue contact your local Mothers’ Union representative, or the main office of Mothers’ Union on telephone 020 7222 5533, email marketing@themothersunion.org or via their website on HYPERLINK "http://www.themothersunion.org/"www.themothersunion.org. Orders must reach Mothers’ Union by 18th February to ensure delivery before 2nd March.

Pre-Lambeth Hospitality Initiative

(11^th-15^th July 2008) –

From Elspeth Shaw and the pre-Lambeth Steering Group – “I am very pleased to report that we have now had confirmation from four Bishops and their spouses that they are looking forward to spending these four days in the Diocese. It is a truly international group with Bishop Wayne from our companion Diocese of Delaware and his wife Holly as well as Bishops from New Zealand, Tanzania and India. I am pleased to say that we have host families for each of them. Further details of events that people in the Diocese are very welcome to be included in will be announced at Synod and also some fundraising initiatives to help fund the visit.”

House for holiday let –

To help offset the cost of Elspeth’s and my going to Lambeth and entertaining overseas Bishops in the Diocese prior to the conference, we are letting the Bishop’s house (The Pines) for two weeks from the 20^th of July at less than commercial rates to friends and family. The three-bedroomed house has wonderful views over Oban Bay to Mull. If either you or your friend are interested please contact Elspeth Shaw on 01631 566912 or alexandermartin.shaw@virgin.net

Cursillo in Scotland –

Cursillo is a training resource for lay leadership in the church. It takes place over a weekend from Thursday to Sunday, including teaching, worship, prayer and lots of fun! If you are interested in taking part on the next weekend the dates are the 10^th-13^th April at St Mary’s Retreat House, Kinnoull, Perth please get in touch with Isla Cruden. Email - Isla.Cruden@uhi.ac.uk

Sustainable Countryside – The Christian Responsibility

A conference for all engaged in Christian Ministry, Mission and care for rural communities and countryside is being organised by The Churches Rural Group. The main speakers will be Sir Donald Currie, chair of the Sustainable Farming Group and Timothy Gorringe Professor of Theology at Exeter University, who has written books on the environment, food and farming. The dates are the 12^th-14^th March at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. If you are interested email – conference@churchesruralgroup.org.uk

Tel 02476 853060

Fairtrade Fortnight (25^th February – 9^th March 2008) - The Fairtrade mark means that: 1.Framers get an agreed and stable price for their products. 2. Extra income for farmers and estate workers to improve their lives. 3. A greater respect for the environment. 4. A stronger position for small scale farmers in World markets and 5. A closer link between consumers and producers.

We must be aware that there are many more products available for choice that have the fair-trade mark. That includes coffees and teas. I strongly support the vision that our Diocese becomes a Fairtrade Diocese. If you want to participate in this venture and help towards the vision please let me know and I will send you the relevant information.

The Listening Process –

You may remember we had a useful day in Oban to do with the issues of Human Sexuality and The Anglican Communion. Prior to Lambeth 2008, The Bishops of The Scottish Episcopal Church are sponsoring a conference for the whole Province to be held on Saturday 3^rd May at the Baptist Centre, Stirling (10.30am 0 4pm). There will be input looking at issues of Sexuality from scientific and theological standpoints, and opportunities for those attending to speak briefly on their own views or experiences. A flyer regarding the day-conference is being circulated in the Clergy mailing. I would ask Clergy to make this information as widely known in their charges as possible.

Retreat and workshop programme – Cumbrae

14^th-16^th March – A Break with Mozart (Johnathan Cohen)

16^th-24^th March – Holy Week (Retreat addresses by the Bishop)

8^th-10^th April – At the Keyboard – Johnathan Cohen and Alastair Chisholm explore the repertoire of keyboard duets.

18^th-20^th April – Painting Break (with artist: Michael Healey)

For further details and bookings contact the warden at 01475 530353 or tccumbrae@argyll.anglican.org

Diocesan Retreat 2008 (27^th -31^st Oct)

Next years Diocesan Retreat will take place as usual on Cumbrae. The retreat conductor will be The Reverend Canon Brian Hardy. The cost of the retreat will be £160 and £50 a day for those who can only come for part of the time. Contact tccumbrae@argyll.anglican.org or telephone 01475 530353.

Scottish Independence –

Graham Blount, the parliamentary officer for Churches in Scotland writes this: “Last Autumn The First Minister launched a national conversation on Scotland’s future. Although it seems unlikely that any church will want to make a categoric statement for or against Scottish Independence, the churches’ voice should be heard in any national conversation. We have therefore produced some material to help congregations and groups play their part in this conversation. To download this discussion material, go to www.actsparl.org/natconv.htm or phone 0131 558 8137.

THE BISHOP’S MARCH DIARY

Fri 29^th February - Opening of new Hall, St Andrew’s Fort William 7pm

Sun 2^nd – All Saints, Inveraray 10.30am

Tues 4^th-Thurs 6^th Diocesan Synod Days

Fri 7^th -Glenalmond Council 10am

9^th - St Paul’s, Kinlochleven – Eucharist and meeting of the four churches around Loch Leven 10am

Mon 10^th – Wed 12^th Visit to isle of Eigg

Sat 15^th – Singing “Christus” in Bach’s St Johns Passion, St Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh

Sun 16^th - ditto The Cathedral, Dunblane

Mon 17^th – Sun 23^rd (Holy Week and Easter)

Cumbrae

Mon 31^st – Island Retreats Limited Board meeting 12noon.

The April Newsletter – material to be received by Tuesday 25^th March.

Reflection.

An Adaptation from Henri Nouwen Thoughts on Prayer

Why should I spend an hour in prayer when I do nothing during that time but think about people I’m at odds with, people who are at odds with me, things that I should be reading and doing, and many other hardly-important things that happen to grab my mind for a moment?

Why ?? Because God is greater than my mind and my heart, and what is really happening in the “house of prayer” is not measurable in normal human terms of success and failure.

If for no other reason, I must spend time at prayer simply as an act of faithfulness. If I believe that the First Commandment is to love God with my whole heart, mind and soul, then I should at least be able to spend one hour a day with nobody but God, Whether it is helpful, useful, practical or fruitful is completely irrelevant. The only reason to love is for the sake of love itself. Everything else is secondary.

The remarkable thing, however is that sitting in the presence of God for one hour each morning (day after day, week by week, month after month, often in confusion and with a myriad of distractions) radically changes my life.

God, who loves me so much that He sent His only Son not to condemn me but to save me, does not leave me waiting in the dark too long. I might think that each hour is useless, but after thirty or sixty or ninety such useless hours, I gradually come to realize that I have not been as alone as I might have thought: a very small, gentle voice has been speaking to me far beyond my noisy places.

In the love of God, +Martin, Oban