This appointment by the Church of Scotland is only one degree of separation away from me!  Dave was my 'Scotland Boss' when I worked in an 'out-source' office, undertaking safety and reliability assessments for what was then BEG(UK)Ltd.  Somewhere I still have the card he snet me when I left to train for ministry 20 years ago.  Dave read the scriptures at my ordination service in 2003, and now, almost 16 years, later he's taking up a role in the big-C Church himself.  That amuses and pleases me.  Hope it goes well for him and for the C of S.

Yesterday afternoon I joined several hundred other people in Glasgow, and several thousand UK-wide to take part in very rapidly organised peaceful protests objecting to the prorouging of parliament.

It was mostly very good-natured, and people of all opinions gathered together to wave banners and strain their ears to try to listen to speakers.

I chose to photograph the banner I've shown above because I think it captured the reason most people were there - not to say they were Leave or Remain (though both were there) and not to say they were Yes or No on Scottish independence (and both were there too) but because they were/are disturbed by events concerning process.

The one speaker I managed to hear said, "It doesn't matter if you are Yes or No, Leave or Remain, we are all on the same side today" and I think that was the feeling of the event.  For sure, like many others I waved an EU flag, and I *may* have sported a certain yellow sticker.  There were saltires and Welsh Dragons, party political statements, witty home made banners, and lots of people just determined 'to be there'. Whatever our views on the EU or the UK or a thousand and one other matters, what united us was deeper and more important - democracy is worth defending and peaceful protest is one way of doing it.