View From The Manse - November 2008

Each month, Peter Webster the Minister at St James' writes a letter for the Church Magazine and it is also published on the website.

Dear Folks,

Our cat, Sasha, as many of you know, has only three legs. She often follows me to Church and indeed nearly got locked in on one occasion

What fascinates me about her is how she appears from nowhere as soon as you draw up in the car. Other cars she ignores but ours she seems to recognise by sound and there she is. I’ve also heard of cats that have moved house perhaps hundreds of miles and then found their way back to their old home (maybe they have Catnav).

Animal senses seem so much more developed than ours. I often wonder if we are lazy with our senses and did not consider trying to improve them. After all think of these wine experts who have very sensitive noses and can tell exactly where a wine originates just by smell. We only seem to think about our senses when they begin to fail. Our hearing isn’t so good. We need glasses to read this and so on.

Our cat is getting old but her senses are still superior to mine. That should keep us all humble. God made us to be the pinnacle of his creation but many creatures that we feel superior to are in many ways much more competent. I just glory at the amazing nature of all creation and give thanks to God for it

God Bless you all

Peter

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View From The Manse - October 2008

Dear Folks,

By the time you read this I will have entered the final year of my six decades of human existence. As often at birthdays we reflect on the years gone by.

At age nine I was in Gourock having left Edinburgh when I was three. I was in primary five having just moved from the wee school to the big school as we called them. At nineteen I had left school and was in the first year of a biology degree (never finished) at Paisley college of Technology.

The next ten years finds me married to Pat, living in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Alloa and Aberdeen. I am the proud father of one daughter and within a fortnight it will be two. I am in my first charge, Woodside North in Aberdeen. By age thirty-nine I was in Cartsdyke Church in Greenock with a son to add to my two daughters. We were foster parents and I was still fit enough to be playing five aside football.

Ten years on, less fit, my attention was on bowls but amazingly we were still in Greenock. Now here I am in Portobello and grandfather. Bowling is still a hobby although I must confess I seem to be delivering more bumped bowls because the knees are less flexible.

All of us go through changes like those I mentioned and it seems to me that each stage has its own rewards. Joyful times, sad times but all a wonderful experience. The constant throughout it all has been God. From being taken for Baptism, growing through Sunday School, Bible Class, Joining the Church, becoming a minister, God has always been there. That is truly a source of comfort and joy. May you feel that too.

God Bless you all

Peter

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View From The Manse - August 2008

Dear Folks,

This week has been exciting in our family. Last Thursday our son Timothy’s girlfriend Lindsey gave birth to a baby boy, Alan. Our first grandchild. Another generation of our family. I could go on about him for a page or two but I don’t want to be classified as a boring Grampa.

What his birth does remind me is of the wonder of God’s creation. A proper little person, with miniature fingers and toes. I cannot predict what he will become but I can have great hopes.

Within our faith too we can have great hopes too. The God who creates the miracle of new life is capable of anything. His love is strong and resilient as are the babies he creates.

We should be strong and resilient, or have we lost what God has given us ? I hope not. The Church faces many challenges and we need your help in facing them. Are you ready for a new church year ? Will you give the life God gave you back to him in prayer and service ?

Time will tell. I have great hopes that together we can make a positive contribution to the great adventure of life

God Bless you all

Peter