No I am not learning my alphabet over again, despite the new things continuing. This ABC is the Association of Bearsden Churches and last night I attended my first meeting. Ecumenical activities always amuse me, you can quickly tell the ones who are just doing it because they think they should be (often the clergy) and those who are genuinely excited by and wishing to engage in ecumenism, this meeting was no different.
Now don’t get me wrong with what I am about to say, there seems to be a lot going on and apparently the events are well supported. Also I am all for sharing ideas and I don’t get all precious about my ideas and am more than happy for other people to use them if they think they might work, however …
I had taken along my idea about doing something for next years International Peace Day which I blogged about here. The idea was met with great enthusiasm, good stuff I thought. Then the dreaded question as to where it might be held was asked. A moments silence before I replied All Saints would be happy to host it due to our position at the Cross with its shops and lots of people passing by. I was also aware that several other things were in the pipeline that weren’t going to be held at All Saints, one of them despite being at the end of this month still wasn’t organised and I didn’t want this idea to end up getting lost and another year passing by with nothing done about it.
How disappointed I was to then hear the inital ’good, that’s sorted’; quickly change to well we could also hold it in this church and that church and the best one in response to my suggestion that one thing that could be done was people could come in and light a candle was: ”Well we can always get candles and can hold it too, we don’t just need to do it at one place.” Well no we don’t, but it is hardly an ecumenical venture when the same thing is happening at three or four churches in an area of around 1 square mile! We shall see what transpires.
