(A topic worthy of theolgical debate... Arminian Calvinism perhaps?!!)

Anyway, more seriously.  Our service last night went really well, and thanks are due to one of my C of S colleagues for organising it.  Just half an hour long, with a couple of Bible readings (Micah 6:8 and Mark 12: 28-31) and short reflections, some prayers and hymns.  The pause we needed but might not otherwise have made time for.  The place to seek God amidst the pressures of earth.

One hymn we sang was this one (though verse 2 was omitted for some unknown reason - maybe just to fit the page, maybe it was a little too specific or pointed? ):-

1. Lord, we ask for wisdom, guidance.

Lead us in this nation’s hour,

when those bidding for election

tell us how they’ll use their powers.

As we read each manifesto

show, where best, your Kingdom flowers.

2. Favour those whose goal is service,

all whose aim is toil, not ease;

leaders moved by courage, goodness,

spurning false expenses, sleaze.

Save us from all spin, deception.

Lead us now to righteousness.

3. Look upon us, Lord, in kindness.

Pardon those who trust in wealth.

Many live in fear of losing

money, homes, employment, health.

Through recession’s shadow, lead us;

in your rod and staff, our faith.

4. In each passing generation

you seek justice, mercy, grace;

care for poor and broken-hearted,

care for all who have no place.

Let the homeless and the stranger

find in us Christ’s warm embrace.

5. All the earth and all its people,

all its seas and all its lands;

all belong to you, O Father,

all our hopes are in your hands.

As we go to cast our ballot

Tune our ears to heaven’s demands.

Words by Louis Kinsey © Jocky Music 2010 (can be found here HT CofS Craig)

Some wise words were spoken in the service, acknowledging that we won't all vote the same way, that many factors will infleunce our decisions, but that we trust, somehow that despite our finitude and partiality God is working.

So, that's it, I've cast my vote and normal service resumes.  It is intriguing working in a key marginal (maybe 'the' key marginal for Scotland) and living in a seat deemed so safe no-one has canvassed my vote (though the Communist was handing our leaflets at the gate of the 'polling place' (four polling stations in one building)).  I don't intend to stay up for the result but by tomorrow it'll be over and the reality will begin.

On the Sunday before Pentecost my title is 'Waiting for God' and the 'All Togther' bit thinking about patience.  I used to know a poem that began something like this...

Waiting, waiting, waiting for the party to begin

Waiting, waiting, waiting for the laughter and the din

Waiting, waiting, waiting with hair 'just so'...

Trouble is (a) I can't recall any more of it (b) I don't know who wrote it or where it is published and (c) Googling doesn't find it (though did reveal a fascinating poem on 'waiting' as a woman's life, just unsuitable for all age worship with small or prudish people present!)

Anyone know where I can find it or got a copy?  Or failing that any alternatives that might do the business?

Finally Glasgow City Council got my correct voting card to me with two days to spare; phew.

Interestingly my (locally) forwarded mail consists of pseudo-personal communications from the main political parties (a different Glasgow constituency), all I've had by way of correct constituency leaflets is one yesterday from the very scary extremists.  Do the major parties not want my vote?  Worrying.

This evening I am helping lead worship for the eve of election at an ecumenical service over the road.  My contribution is the approach prayers, which I've had to write from scratch as my colleague has already decided to use the BUGB/URC/Methodist JPIT prayers for his bit.

Important decisions to be made and, as evidently 40% of us are still undecided how to vote, the likely outcome still far from obvious.

Vote wisely.  And, lest my dad return to haunt you, vote!

The new General Director of the BUS has begun a weekly blog here.  Worth checking out to see what is crossing his desk, filling his diary and informing his leadership of Bap-World:Scotland.

(My first thoughts were here)

Looking around various blogs it is interesting to see which nuggets are being picked up.  On the whole comments are very positive, a sense that this year the English-with-bits-of-Wales-and-we'll-forget-the-three-in-Scotland Baptist Assembly was better than it has been for a while.  I certainly enjoyed it (even I discovered a new grouse; hurray!).

At various times I spoke with people I'd never met before, many like me at Assembly on their own, and many who were first timers (I'm just an old lag now).  Several of them said how they'd been fearful of something so big but had found warmth and welcome.  Several of them told me of pain and struggle in their own churches.  Some of them asked me things that were concerning them.  I think this echoed in small measure what was different.  In my B&B one couple was overheard grumbling that it was 'less slick' and 'less like Spring Harvest for older people' than they had found it in previous years.  But there in is why it was better for the people I was talking to - safer for them to risk being honest with strangers.

On the last morning the Public Resolutions and open forum were really quite surprising.  The attendance was as poor as ever, but something had shifted.  The resolution on nuclear non-proliferation went through with minimal opposition - to the surprise of everyone I spoke to.  I think the resolution had matured since the last attempt in this area (which was factually flawed and a tad naive) but also the mood has changed.  The resolution on standing against violence against and traffiking of women went through unanimously, as anticipated because it is something that is remote for most people... and yet there useful comments about how to make it real; another change.  The perceptible gasp, followed by spontaneous applause, came for David Kerrigan of BMS when he said (I paraphrase closely) what is Good News for people of other faiths, for the cohabiting couple, for the gay couple (or was it gay community, not absolutely sure) ... things they are a changing!

I wasn't wildly impressed by the main speakers - except Anne Wilkinson-Hayes - but they were diverse and some of it should have appealed to my B&B grumblers.  Yet even in all that were glimpses of mystery and grace - Kwame Adzam's style doesn't do it for me (sorry) but his call to 'stand strong until the leadership of women among us is fully recognised in all Baptist churches' was truly amazing, speaking right to the churches who perhaps struggle with this most.

God, thankfully, does not so stereotypes, and is not bound by spirituality or theological niceties.  I'm always wary of people saying as some did from the platform 'I/we have heard God' because that too  often means 'I/we think.'  But, and it's not because of the what so much as the how, I am sure that we did hear God in and through each other... we just need the courage to move on from hearing.

Greetings to readers who said hello, shared food, told me not to take days off from blogging (!) or promised to resurrect their own.  It was great to see you and hopefully we'll meet again in Blackpool next year.