tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86214738387229779342011-10-06T19:59:41.158+01:00Metamorphosis is complete and I have emerged as the Minister in Melness and Tongue. We ask God to do beautiful things here in the Parish. Change is never ending and I invite you to join us as I record our continuing journey towards fruitfulness.Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.comBlogger2861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-91706397091257948332011-04-19T17:25:00.003+01:002011-04-19T17:56:35.651+01:00

Easter is one of those bitter-sweet celebrations that makes it difficult to fully appreciate. There is joy, but also tragedy. There is victory, but at an awful cost. There is life, but death comes first.Although Spring arrives later in Sutherland than it does in more southerly parts of Britain, the green shoots of Spring are finally well and truly visible. The early morning sunshine now shines

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-59223776026202985072011-03-09T18:09:00.004Z2011-03-09T18:48:16.041Z

The weather people had been forecasting snow, but after the early evening flurry melted away yesterday, I figured it would all come to nothing.However, when I heard some weather battering off the window in the night I wondered if there might be snow on the ground in the morning, despite my scepticism. Indeed there was, and the photo above shows the scene that met my eyes when I looked out of my

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-474679013348751312011-03-06T18:08:00.005Z2011-03-06T18:50:03.480Z

Last Monday was a day off for me, and it was a good day to be off work. The sun was blazing down from a cloudless sky and the wind was not too strong. My wife and I decided it was a good day for a visit to Durness, to walk on the beach and play a round of golf. Well, after a short walk together on the beach, I would be playing golf, while my wife enjoyed a solo walk on one of the local walking

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-90628655193822830412011-02-21T21:04:00.008Z2011-02-21T23:04:20.205Z

Today my wife and I cycled the thirteen miles around the Kyle of Tongue. The wind was rather cool but at least it was blowing us along as we headed Northward along the Western shore.We began from our home in the picturesque village of Tongue. We cycled past the grand Tongue Hotel and then the cosy Ben Loyal Hotel before passing the Post Office and Police house. We continued South out of the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-87034818269878737852011-02-16T17:59:00.003Z2011-02-21T21:04:05.441Z

The world exists in a permanent condition of being 8 minutes away from annihilation. That is how long it takes light and other electromagnetic energies to travel from our nearest star, the Sun, to travel to Earth. If the Sun were to explode then we would first know about it 8 minutes after it happened.I don't want you to be alarmed! The sun is in a continuous state of explosion, as this enormous

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-38774120303897777442011-02-15T17:17:00.003Z2011-02-15T18:16:24.948Z

It is hard to believe that it is already the middle of February. I nearly missed St. Valentine's Day, although my wife reminded me!Life has been busy here. During the second half of January I attended a Presbytery training day at Dornoch, a friend's ordination in Glasgow (which was great!), a training day on prayer and prophecy in Lairg, and a church consultation in Inverness.We also finished the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-82578379770146738162011-01-08T12:05:00.002Z2011-01-08T12:48:01.252Z

It's been a busy time of year for me during the past few weeks. The snow caused a fair amount of disruption here in Melness and Tongue. So I've had even less time than usual for keeping you all up-to-date.Our three children, and my Mum, all arrived for Christmas a few days before Christmas. Their first day here was filled with wall-to-wall sunshine. Mum and I enjoyed a short walk across the Rhian

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-7978076505667143502010-12-28T11:34:00.004Z2010-12-28T12:07:17.039Z

Yes, I know I'm a bit late, and I'm sorry not to have posted on Christmas Day itself. I hope you'll understand and forgive me!We had five services during the past few days: the Tongue Primary School Christmas Service was on Thursday afternoon, then our Christmas Eve Watchnight Service was at 11:30pm in Tongue Church, followed not long afterwards by the Christmas Day service at 11:30am in Melness

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-53567203699265851312010-12-19T16:27:00.003Z2010-12-19T17:05:17.153Z

Tomorrow will mark four months since I was ordained into the ministry after which there are only five more days to go until Christmas - yay!We are now in our second period of wintry weather. This one began on Thursday and the forecasters predicted a couple of days of snow and then dry into next week. However, it snowed quite a bit through Saturday and on through the night. As a result it was

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-7535916627720315952010-11-12T12:56:00.002Z2010-11-12T13:28:04.849Z

Recently I watched a BBC Horizon programme entitled "What Happened Before the Big Bang?" The interaction between science and faith is interesting for me. I have been an electronics designer for much of my life, and now I am a minister in the Church of Scotland. I care about science, and I want to know more about God.The Bible begins by declaring that the Universe came into being through the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-23615099227053739442010-10-21T19:30:00.001+01:002010-10-21T19:30:01.220+01:00

Last year the first time I saw snow was just a few days before Christmas. The snow hung around for a couple of months before finally disappearing. That was pretty unusual for Edinburgh, where some winters there is no snow, and even in a bad winter it would only lie around for a week or two.So I was quite interested on Tuesday morning this week to see through my study window a dusting of snow on

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-9697076185000964912010-10-21T10:58:00.000+01:002010-10-21T10:58:00.510+01:00

God loves us so much that he spent his life on the Cross so that we might come into a loving relationship with Him. But does He want us to love Him more than He wants us to be happy?Sometimes people try to make friends with someone by being nice to them. We are so desperate for them to be our friend that we give them gifts, take them places, and generally be as kind and helpful as we can.Such

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-82339974839059472402010-10-11T22:46:00.006+01:002010-10-11T23:48:59.799+01:00

It's been a beautiful day, almost cloud-free, except for a period in the mid-morning. We've been working in the garden, and then visited someone for afternoon tea.This evening the air is very still and the sky is still clear. I went outside to check that the intermittent low rumbles I could hear were actually from the military bombing range at Cape Wrath. Indeed, they were, although I couldn't

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-17937662668504948842010-09-03T23:10:00.003+01:002010-09-03T23:35:05.399+01:00

One of the sights I have been looking forward to here in Tongue is the night sky.Living in Edinburgh we only see the brighter planets and stars. The Milky Way and the clouds of stars that make up the unpolluted night sky are just invisible in the city.Tonight, as I arrived back home around 10:30pm, the Milky Way was stretched across the clear night sky above my head. A very bright planet was

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-21906340285433105742010-08-26T10:03:00.004+01:002010-08-26T22:09:56.104+01:00

Last night there was a stunning sunset. The sky near the horizon was clear, except for one cloud just above the sun, which was setting below the skyline. That cloud shone a brilliant gold, reflecting off the higher wispy clouds above.The clear sky, with its shades of pink, yellow, and red, heralded a chilly night, and so it proved. I wouldn't have liked to have been sleeping outdoors. It must

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-72152943290175097432010-08-24T18:20:00.003+01:002010-08-24T19:30:27.612+01:00

You can tell that I am now living at the Manse rather than being a visitor.On a few occasions since we arrived 12 days ago, we noticed that when it was raining, the gutter at the front of the house was overflowing. My conclusion was that it was either full of dirt or else the downpipe was blocked.Today, during the rain, I noticed again that it was overflowing. So when I was outside anyway,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-28462673468342661322010-08-23T17:15:00.004+01:002010-08-23T17:15:00.203+01:00

Daughter, sister, mum, and aunt, at Talmine Harbour in MelnessThe last of our family visitors departed for Edinburgh today. My Mum, and my older two children, have been staying with us in the Manse since Thursday. It has been a busy time, since there have been the two Ordination events to attend, as well as tours of introduction to the Parish. It was my Mum's first visit to the Parish, and only

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-65494540214456303812010-08-22T22:53:00.005+01:002010-08-22T23:17:04.579+01:00

It has been a wonderful weekend, with my Ordination and Induction to the parish of Melness and Tongue on Friday, followed by my minister from Edinburgh 'preaching me in' on Sunday.Many friends and family have made a stupendous effort to join me and the congregation as we set out together on the journey that Jesus is calling us to follow. The congregation also have made stupendous efforts to

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-26187930490730804792010-08-18T15:03:00.005+01:002010-08-18T15:34:21.609+01:00

It has only been four days since my last post, but it seems much longer ago than that!We enjoyed meeting up with friends on Saturday evening at one of the local hotels. They joined us for Communion at church on Sunday, the last Sunday before I begin my duties as minister.In the afternoon, we joined our friends for a walk up Ben Hope, some 3040 feet (927m) high. It was a great break from unpacking

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-66239943859909842552010-08-14T09:14:00.004+01:002010-08-14T09:30:33.283+01:00

After a first night in the manse, camping on the floor, we were glad to see the removal van arrive. The unloading took all afternoon, but by teatime, the guys had headed off for a well-deserved weekend.During the evening the sun came out giving us a beautiful view over the Kyle of Tongue. The tide was out and the sandbanks and mudflats were shining and glistening in the sunlight. The second

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-10080645664691909412010-08-13T09:59:00.006+01:002010-08-13T10:39:14.571+01:00

Well it was 8:30 in the evening when we finally arrived in Tongue yesterday - the first evening. The journey was uneventful. We were driving gently, since neither of us had driven Edinburgh to Tongue in one go. On previous trips we had always swapped drivers part way along the road.But for this trip we had both cars with us, so there was no co-driver! We did swap cars at Inverness. It was good to

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-21312384498888876152010-08-11T08:45:00.002+01:002010-08-11T08:49:31.601+01:00

Today is the day that the Removal company arrive to pack up all our stuff and load it into the van. Some of the family are staying on in the house, so we need to make sure that all the things they need get left behind. And we need to make sure that all the things we need up North in Tongue don't get left behind!It's going to be a full-on day, leading up to final loading and departure tomorrow

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-42863060452865675922010-08-08T17:46:00.002+01:002010-08-08T17:53:15.997+01:00

Many stories in the Bible tell of travellers returning home. Some of them had a warm reception - like the Prodigal Son. Others had a harsh reception - like Jesus coming to Nazareth.Today was the last time my family and I worshipped at Davidson's mains parish church before some of us head North to the parish of Melness and Tongue in Sutherland.The guest preacher today, Pirie Mitchell, from Canada,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-1717649202123401872010-08-07T12:51:00.003+01:002010-08-07T13:55:58.879+01:00

Beginnings and Endings go together.A journey begins and ends. The universe began, and one day will end. Life begins with a seed, and hopefully produces fruit, before it ends.When I began to train for Ministry, in August 2005, a journey began, that one day come to an end. With the grace of God, that journey ended fruitfully, in November 2009, with successful completion of my training.But that end

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-82986480277900207972010-08-01T23:49:00.003+01:002010-08-07T13:10:12.029+01:00

Today I made the last of my visits to the congregations in which I have trained during the past 6 years. It was great to see everybody and they made me feel very welcome.However, it was also a poignant experience, knowing that for some of the folk I saw today, or maybe even many of them, it will be the last time we meet each other.That has been a feature of the past few months really. Folk we

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-67984319462573809972010-07-27T18:30:00.000+01:002010-07-27T18:30:00.166+01:00

Yesterday I visited a local garden centre with a friend. We were astonished to discover that the first product section inside the door was of Christmas items. They even had a stack of Santa hats awaiting enthusiastic buyers. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything in that section!I looked at my watch to confirm the date, and yes, it was still July, the 26th to be precise. The previous day was

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-59259553309406903262010-07-21T20:18:00.002+01:002010-07-26T20:14:08.726+01:00

Isn't it strange how time seems to drag by on some occasions, and then on other occasions it whizzes along!Five years ago I was excited at the prospect of my first ministry training conference closely followed by the start of my Divinity degree at New College. The prospect of five years of studying and training stretched out an unimaginable distance ahead of me. So much of the journey was unknown

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-12707581078469835542010-07-18T21:44:00.002+01:002010-07-20T23:07:20.327+01:00

One of the hymns we sang this morning has intrigued me for a long time.It was written by George Matheson, a Church of Scotland minister, who was also interested in science and engineering.Part of the reason this hymn is often on my mind is that usually I struggle to find it. This is because the phrase I remember is not the first line so the index of first lines is no use!However, after singing it

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-37815517596545349272010-07-17T14:33:00.003+01:002010-07-18T21:41:57.366+01:00

Last time I was telling you about all the different animals that had visited my garden over the past 24 years, and I thought I would let you know about the wild birds that I have seen in my garden too.There are the usual culprits, robins, blackbirds, great tits, and blue tits. We don't see many sparrows, or starlings, but they have dropped in occasionally. There are nearly always a pair of

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-8294252415945049892010-07-15T17:59:00.003+01:002010-07-15T19:02:51.003+01:00

Over the years we have had many wild birds and animals visiting or living in our garden. However, since the severe winter weather finished the garden has perhaps been rather less wild than usual - on the bird and animal front anyway!I think our most unexpected visitor was a hedgehog. It was certainly confused too! It trundled rapidly round the edge of the grass, time after time after time. I

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-83091303572146501782010-07-14T18:31:00.003+01:002010-07-14T20:51:38.348+01:00

I spent today throwing out more old stuff. That process reminded me of many good times and many good friends. It made me realise that whether you consider an old item to be treasure or rubbish depends on your point of view.On the one hand they are just old pieces of paper. On the other hand they contain information or images that trigger precious memories.After my morning session of chucking out

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-80143038274895895362010-07-13T09:52:00.003+01:002010-07-14T09:10:02.220+01:00

It is quite amazing how much rubbish we have accumulated in our house over the years!As the days, weeks, and months, go by items are purchased, retired, or set aside in standby. Packing boxes get kept in case we need to return the item, or transport it elsewhere. Things that we enjoyed using get laid aside in favour of something new; laid aside for when we want to use it again - games, books,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-31663123307118525532010-07-10T19:05:00.002+01:002010-07-10T19:20:05.949+01:00

Sometimes I wish that the plants in my garden would grow a little less enthusiastically - especially the weeds!We've had a few periods of rain in the last couple of weeks, which is in contrast to some parts of south-west Scotland and north-west England that are now under water restrictions such as hosepipe bans. Here the plants have responded enthusiastically.I had been thinking for a few days

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-76390246489839513552010-07-08T21:19:00.004+01:002010-07-08T21:47:47.058+01:00

One of my friends suggested that the Old Testament verse Isaiah 42:16 would be an encouragement to me, and it is! It reads:"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." (TNIV)We are moving out into country that

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-15512792402549005362010-07-07T18:21:00.002+01:002010-07-07T18:50:57.863+01:00

The Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha challenged the lifestyle and beliefs of the people of Israel. From King Ahab down, the people had turned away from their allegiance to the God who had revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Instead, the people had decided to worship a more convenient god. The only problem with this new god was that it wasn't real - it was just a

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-59967462403633850382010-07-06T21:00:00.004+01:002010-07-06T21:34:22.882+01:00

It is a sign of affection, respect, and gratitude, for those who gave their lives in defence of our country, that communities often erect memorials to the fallen.Such memorials are often in prominent places, perhaps in the centre of the village, or on top of a hill, or overlooking some beautiful scene.The above photo is of the Banavie War Memorial near Fort William. In the background you can see

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-91739013348767488912010-07-05T19:25:00.005+01:002010-07-05T22:33:35.292+01:00

My new church is very old but now that it has been painted it looks very new again!It reminds me of the occasion when Jesus and two of his disciples went up a mountain. At the summit Jesus met with God. To the disciples' eyes Jesus became too bright to look at. Matthew, the efficient tax-collector, just says that Jesus' clothes became bright. Mark describes Jesus' clothes as whiter than a bleach

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-2174030009681615882010-07-04T16:41:00.002+01:002010-07-04T17:03:36.359+01:00

I remember being 21 years old, although I've lived another time and a half since then! It was not only the time when I received the keys to the door, but just a few weeks later I became a married man - and I still am.Twenty one is half of another significant number - 42. Douglas Adams posed the question, "What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?", and 42 was the answer (sorry for

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-9044700990146191432010-07-01T09:09:00.002+01:002010-07-01T09:24:06.328+01:00

Since 1992 my wife and I have been taking our children to or from school, or overseeing their school activities, and encouraging them with their homework.Today it all comes to an end as our youngest finishes at High School. Not only will he undergo the school tradition of leaving through the ceremonial doors, he will also receive his first school prize, for Engineering Technology. He certainly

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-41836649167299146392010-06-30T16:08:00.002+01:002010-06-30T16:22:31.726+01:00

Yesterday I went on an expedition through to Glasgow on the train. We planned an early start - to leave Waverly Station as soon as the Cheap Day Returns become valid - at 9:15am. Well - I know that the working folk would be leaving much earlier than that - but none of us are working at present!In fact we didn't get away until the 11:30am train because one of our party set their alarm clock wrong.

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-3556866489002543582010-06-28T22:49:00.003+01:002010-06-28T22:53:19.357+01:00

Just a short post because the day has expired.I enjoyed visiting the Primary School where I have been chaplain for the past few months. It is a great school and the children and staff work very well together.Today was their annual prize-giving ceremony and I was helping to give out the prizes, along with a few other invited guests.It was nice to see the children enjoying their successes.Later on

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-48026653358371428702010-06-27T14:48:00.003+01:002010-06-27T15:29:17.084+01:00

Sometimes we get far too stressed out about achieving a desired result. Jesus modelled a far more laid-back style of living. Yet that didn't mean that he abandoned his mission or objectives.In ten minutes time England will take on Germany in the football World Cup. I don't know what the result will be. And I'm not cheating by writing this after the event, and posting it with a pre-event date and

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-48048138928125285122010-06-26T17:34:00.002+01:002010-06-26T17:39:59.918+01:00

Goodbyes are sometimes so hard. But yesterday we had a great evening celebrating various family accomplishments that have taken place over the past five years.Around 50 relatives and friends helped us to celebrate the various occasions and it was a great way to say farewell and goodbye. Food, dancing, and lots of conversation!On the entertainment front, we will be saying 'goodbye' to Doctor Who

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-51990393807523515562010-06-25T11:00:00.000+01:002010-06-25T11:00:06.099+01:00

I think blogging is a bit like reading the Bible.On the face of it, this seems a rather strange statement, perhaps even heretical.When I am reading the Bible then I am thinking about what someone else has written. When I am blogging then I am writing what I am thinking about. See - they are similar!The big difference is in who is doing the writing. The Bible was written between 2000 to 3000 years

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-69981794100280580352010-06-24T11:33:00.006+01:002010-06-24T12:08:45.955+01:00

It has been a long time since I last blogged - about 4 weeks. I am sorry that my faithful readers have had to find other forms of entertainment during that time.During that period of silence, I finished my period as Locum Minister at Armadale Parish Church. The people of the congregation there have been very friendly and supportive towards me during my time with them. I am very appreciative of

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-53773307358118122772010-05-27T20:37:00.002+01:002010-05-27T21:31:20.666+01:00

These days everyone wants to be the leader, and being a follower is difficult to sell.However, 'following' is exactly what the Church offers. Perhaps that's one reason why churches are finding it difficult just now.I know a few people who are blind, and two of my friends use a guide dog. Perhaps the act of following Jesus is a little bit like blind people who depend on their guide dog.Blind

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-58720622034280231762010-05-10T14:24:00.002+01:002010-05-10T15:01:36.686+01:00

In recent posts I have summarised my journey through training towards ministry in the Church of Scotland, so I won't burden you with a repeat.I am pleased to announce that my ordination and induction to the parish of Melness and Tongue will be on Friday 20th August 2010 at 7pm in St Andrew's Church in Tongue.If you are planning to be there, then please advise the organisers directly, or else let

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-14089481667335843262010-05-06T17:25:00.004+01:002010-05-06T17:51:09.269+01:00

One of the benefits of travelling to the other end of the country is that you can visit places of interest along the way, that would otherwise be too far to justify the travel.Last week Liz and I visited the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, between Aviemore and Kingussie. It was several years since our previous visit and there have been quite a few changes in the park and the collection of

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-67015461312606829642010-05-03T18:03:00.012+01:002010-05-03T22:49:41.836+01:00

As you drive into Tongue from Lairg to the South, round the last bend you will see this splendid view above. Some of the rooftops of the houses in the village of Tongue are visible in the lower part of the image, below the Kyle of Tongue. The causeway across the Kyle brings in the road from Cape Wrath and Durness, which lie to the West of Melness and Tongue. That road then carries on Eastwards

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-87695947897720690032010-04-28T10:11:00.004+01:002010-04-28T23:21:12.191+01:00

There is a good introduction to the village of Tongue, and the surrounding area, on the Mackay Country website here.The church building was built in 1724, and it is the burial place of the Reay family, chiefs of the Clan Mackay. The old graveyard surrounds the church, and across the stream behind the church, lies the cemetery extension, situated in what used to be the walled garden of the old

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-20264168904241248442010-04-28T09:21:00.003+01:002010-04-28T10:03:35.119+01:00

The present church building of Melness Parish Church was opened in 1902, although the building work began some years earlier. It was built by local people, from stone quarried locally, and wood which was shipped in by local Melness boats from Scrabster beside Thurso. You can read more about those early years of Melness Church at the Church pages of the Melness Community website.The above photo

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-1373063100328868072010-04-26T17:11:00.002+01:002010-04-26T17:14:52.129+01:00

This is just a short post to tell my Blog followers that yesterday, Sunday 25th April 2010, the congregation of Melness and Tongue in Sutherland elected me to be their next minister. They are wonderful folk, and the parish is beautiful.The date for the ordination service has not yet been decided but it will probably be sometime between mid-July and mid-August. When I know the date, then I'll tell

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-91689958580721782222010-04-17T12:30:00.003+01:002010-04-17T12:30:00.123+01:00

For almost a year now, I have been trying to hear from the Lord Jesus, where it is that He wants me to become Minister. There have been many possibilities.Each month, congregations which have a vacancy for a minister publish their adverts in the Church of Scotland's magazine, the Life and Work. Once I had completed my Final Assessment in August 2008, and received my Certificate of Completion,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-89263710948599643082010-04-16T09:56:00.004+01:002010-04-16T10:55:38.524+01:00

When I wrote on Monday about 'Whatever Next?' I did not for a moment expect such a dramatic event to occur so soon as the closing of UK airspace due to volcanic activity.Although the city of Edinburgh where I live is dotted with the rocky plugs of long-extinct volcanoes, such as Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle Rock, it is normally only in novels such as Moonseed by Stephen Baxter that the city

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-12870922298373491022010-04-12T16:40:00.002+01:002010-04-12T16:52:30.172+01:00

When something astonishing happens, one of the phrases we often use to express our amazement is, “Whatever next?”Our expectations have been blown away, and we don’t know what to expect next. As the announcer used to say at the beginning of each Stingray puppet show, “Anything can happen in the next half-hour.”The Easter Story is just such an astonishing event. The first disciples were blown away.

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-52607035753072605462010-04-09T10:05:00.005+01:002010-04-10T11:38:02.792+01:00

Ministers get told a lot of secrets, and the important thing about a secret is that it must be kept secret. You can't even tell anybody what it is that's secret!Ministers are also charged with sharing the Good News. It's not a secret! It's a public offer, open to everybody. It would be unfair to keep it secret.It's a tricky balancing act. I have to talk enough with people so that they will

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-7255227579570035342010-04-06T13:55:00.002+01:002010-04-06T14:32:12.026+01:00

There is a sense of anti-climax this week. The cross is empty, the tomb is empty, and now the party is over.The holiday weekend is behind us. Life gets back to normal. The exciting events of the past week return again to the history cupboard, until we take them out again next year.But we can't shut God up in a cupboard. Jesus was not confined by the grave-clothes, or by the stone over the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-80545560652341270672010-04-04T15:56:00.002+01:002010-04-04T16:07:07.340+01:00

I really enjoyed leading worship this morning. The Sunday School did a great job with their Easter Play, and the congregation were in fine voice with their singing.It was the first time I had led a complete Easter Sunday service. It was very special.When I was preparing my sermon, I know I wanted to keep it short and sweet. It was to be a positive message, inviting people to join in the eternal

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-2267863087750507862010-03-30T10:08:00.006+01:002010-03-30T14:08:51.363+01:00

Tunnels always have at least one end, and many of them have two ends!In some ways, my journey of the past few years has seemed a bit like being in a tunnel.I could see the entrance, but I didn't know where the other end came out. The route to be followed was hidden from me, unknown. It was like looking into a dark tunnel.I had been in tunnels before, and the photo above was taken on our canal

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-78677605189583661732010-03-16T16:37:00.002Z2010-03-16T18:18:29.060Z

For most sports the competitors want as high a score as possible. But today I was playing golf, where the lower the score, the better.Although I have been playing golf since I was a teenager, I have never played often and regularly enough to play well. Every now and again I play a good shot, with most of my shots being mediocre, and some terrible!Today I was playing round the Niddry Castle course

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-25145169321779789252010-03-12T18:12:00.003Z2010-03-12T18:34:49.988Z

This week I've been thinking a lot about Fishing.There are many different aspects to fishing, both in our communities and society, and also in the church. The thought I want to share with you, is that finding a job is a little like fishing.Employers need people to be their employees. Employees need to work to live, and want to do work that gives them a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment.The

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-12895424561548498982010-03-08T21:23:00.002Z2010-03-08T21:36:53.268Z

I have been thinking about running and winning races recently. The Winter Olympics probably triggered my thoughts initially, even although they are more about sliding than running.Each week feels a bit like a race. I am running against the clock, day after day. As soon as I wake up, the clock is already ticking. Yet can I drag myself out of bed? Not without a struggle - usually after 2 or 3

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-17961509112988369212010-03-07T22:15:00.002Z2010-03-07T22:21:20.409Z

Sorry the Blog's been offline for the last few weeks. Not a technical reason, more to do with an administrative issue.Anyway, I am glad to have got beyond that now, and hope to resume a regular flow of updates and reflections.This coming Sunday I will be preaching for the Nominating Committee at one of the vacancies I have applied for. I am looking forward to it, although there is that underlying

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-44441362737642922532010-02-22T19:39:00.002Z2010-03-08T17:57:12.777Z

Today I went to a meeting in Linlithgow of ministers from various different denominations in West Lothian. I really enjoyed our time together and felt encouraged and supported by their fellowship and by the teaching, prayer, and reflection.When I got back to the car park where I had left my car, I clicked the remote to unlock the door, and nothing happened. Oh, oh!I tried again, both buttons,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-85243345422282324352010-02-12T11:32:00.003Z2010-03-06T23:13:46.841Z

Vast is a good word. I like it. The universe is vast. God is vast. God's love is vast.The very word 'vast' has that sound of enormity. I think it is due to the 'Ah' vowel in the middle, surrounded by the hard consonants of V, S, and T, that emphasise the size of the word.Perhaps the fact that 'vast' only has four letters also adds to the appeal and attraction of the word. I have to be careful

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-825981992150099452010-02-10T10:23:00.003Z2010-03-06T23:25:43.412Z

Even before I started training to become a Minister with the Church of Scotland, I learned an important lesson. It was about the value of questions.I had been invited to participate in a Bible Study that would be running through the period of Lent. The study group was part of the congregation where I was being Assessed for my potential to become a Minister.During one of the evenings, someone made

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-49197390637923743452010-01-17T14:58:00.003Z2010-03-06T23:04:56.508Z

Jesus often used stories about growing plants to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of God. This morning we heard the story of a farmer sowing seed.The farmer is a typical farmer. He is going for maximum return, for the minimum of effort. It’s not laziness. It’s efficiency.He scatters the seed across the field. Some of it falls on the path, some of it on the rocky ground, and some of it falls

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-68413661968625621862010-01-12T17:55:00.002Z2010-03-06T23:29:01.047Z

Last Sunday we continued reading Paul's letter to the Corinthians, at the second chapter. Paul reminded the Corinthians that he had not used clever debate or sophisticated argument to convince people of the Good News about Jesus.No, Paul gave convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit.Before Jesus was crucified, he told his followers that the Holy Spirit would come upon them too. He said,“When

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-83453848257707600302010-01-11T15:21:00.004Z2010-03-06T23:11:11.666Z

On Thursday, I attended a Memorial service at my local church. My next-door neighbour had been ill for most of last year, and she died just before Christmas. She was a wonderful person. She and her husband were great neighbours and we will all miss them.In the evening, my wife and I attended the Ordination of one of my training colleagues. He and I started at New College together in September

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-24947783854770366242009-12-31T19:07:00.003Z2010-03-06T23:19:41.972Z

Happy New Year to all my readers!I hope you enjoy this last evening of the year, and of the decade. It's been an eventful ten years, and I pray that you will God's blessings during this next year, and the next decade.

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-55326345207604559362009-12-24T12:23:00.002Z2009-12-24T12:30:32.672Z

If you have been following my Advent blog, then you will already have seen our family Christmas card for this year.But since more of my friends follow me here, I thought I would post it here too!My wife Liz drew it, with the help of her friendly computer, and I am very impressed with her artistic endeavours. I can't draw anything, unless I'm using a ruler!We wish you a very Happy Christmas, and

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-12523372642647303972009-12-21T17:43:00.003Z2009-12-21T17:57:42.401Z

Two of my friends, John Pickles and Neil Urquhart have been part of a group at Fullarton Parish Church who have made a modern-day Nativity video called Journativity. It is filmed in and around their community and is a great 6m30s video. Above you can see a screenshot from the video, and I leave you to guess which one is John and which one is Neil. Click on Journativity to watch the video on

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-31247374046430587172009-12-16T14:22:00.002Z2009-12-16T14:34:14.845Z

It's been a burden to me for the last few weeks, but I've not had any time to deal with it. I've had to carry it around despite the weight on my shoulders. Other folk haven't even noticed, and no-one has offered to help me carry the load.I wondered what other people would think of me, but there was no time to do anything about it. Every morning I was reminded that I needed to do something. If I

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-49169108873343686182009-12-12T15:54:00.003Z2009-12-12T18:14:43.612Z

Since I turned 30 I've had a problem with Spreading Out! My wife developed the same problem around 9 months earlier, although for her, it was caused by the impending arrival of our first child, my son Peter!In my case, I started a new job around that time. My wife Liz, and son Peter, both needed more of my time to look after them and the household. My wife's grandparents also needed our care,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-3543721615229157882009-12-07T11:25:00.004Z2009-12-07T11:52:43.876Z

I was in Taynuilt, near Oban, on Saturday for the Ordination of one of my training colleagues as the new minister there.There was a huge sense of anticipation as the congregation look to the future. Their new minister is a very energetic, sensitive and caring person, and I am sure the congregations will be encouraged and strengthened in the months ahead.Looking backwards, we visited the preserved

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-76350078676273222132009-12-02T17:22:00.005Z2010-03-06T23:33:48.187Z

I was back in Winchburgh again today. I haven't been able to stay away for very long, since I finished working there only two days ago, on Monday!Today was a sad occasion, when we said farewell to someone at the end of her long life. She had lived all her life in Winchburgh and was well-known, and well-loved.Many folk shed tears at the service. I did too, although I had only known the lady for

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-56096112042643906612009-11-30T21:16:00.003Z2009-11-30T21:45:12.380Z

For the last four years I have been entitling myself Trainee Minister.That hasn't been my formal title. That title is much longer! Officially I have been a Candidate for Full-Time Ministry of Word and Sacrament with the Church of Scotland.It is a bit too long to use on my Business Cards! Also it is rather impenetrable. Even if someone knows what all the words mean, it's a bit difficult to deduce

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-84001624814729669832009-11-29T22:32:00.001Z2009-11-29T22:34:36.091Z

Today is the first day of Advent 2009.I invite you to follow my reflections on the season at my Advent Blog.

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-84961118464415932962009-11-29T17:05:00.003Z2009-11-29T22:03:48.034Z

Last night I was at a ceilidh organised by the teenagers at Davidson's Mains church in aid of the Nkhoma Hospital Project in Malawi. It was a great night, with lots of dancing, food, and chat. The Wild Cigarillos provided the music and directions for the dances. They are a great band.When we danced the eightsome reel, for the section called the Grand Chain, where the 4 man and 4 ladies circle in

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-67429976004751745102009-11-26T22:25:00.002Z2009-11-26T22:37:41.251Z

I was leading worship at a funeral today. It's something that I have done quite often during this Final Placement of my training. But it was not something that I had anticipated occuring during my final week.On reflection though, I was pleased to refamiliarise myself with what was involved. The last funeral I led was back in August, some three months ago. And during December I will be between

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-3215814178736084862009-11-20T16:27:00.005Z2010-03-06T23:21:37.534Z

A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days away at Balmoral in Royal Deeside with twenty ministers, readers, and trainees, who live and work in rural settings. It was a very interesting and useful insight into working in rural churches. As I continue to search for a congregation, those in the countryside seem to be calling me the hardest. The Red Squirrel above was one of the pictorial highlights

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-80886856474233402382009-10-17T21:56:00.004+01:002009-10-17T22:45:11.444+01:00

After our bathroom leak, these are all the books from the room below that got wet in the 'flood'! Fortunately the water missed the large majority of our books and we got those dry ones off the shelves in time.It is now over two weeks since the episode of the escaping water and only a few of the wettest, most sodden books are still a little damp in the middle. The rest of them have dried. Mind you

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-26763055218534546892009-10-02T13:00:00.004+01:002009-10-02T13:48:02.900+01:00

John's Gospel tells us that there are many rooms in the Father's house, but he doesn't say anything about bathrooms.We had our bathroom completely renovated a few years after we came here, away back in the early 90s. In recent years, the chipboard units surrounding the sink, and containing the toilet cistern, had succumbed to the condensation and splashes. It was time for a refurb.We got in touch

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-68906863006927280712009-09-24T18:00:00.002+01:002009-09-24T18:00:00.419+01:00

After a couple of days with our friends in Mannheim, we trailed our cases to the nearby tramstop and headed off to the railway station in town.Before we got on the train to Basel, we had a good look round the famous water tower in the centre of Mannheim. There are some lovely varying fountains at the foot of the tower. It was a beautiful park.Nearby the water tower we were amused to see a

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-88916806042075655292009-09-23T20:52:00.003+01:002009-09-23T21:04:36.587+01:00

One evening recently I was about to get out an envelope from the box and I monster spider was sitting there daring me to come any nearer!It was not at all fazed by my relative enormity and sat there patiently while I got out my camera and took a couple of snaps. The one above is a bit out of focus but shows the scale. On the photo below you can even make out the hairs on its legs!Amusingly, after

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-73646847360095354972009-09-09T09:09:00.003+01:002009-09-09T09:09:00.511+01:00

Nestling in the hills at the edge of the flat Rhine valley lies the town of Heidelberg. It sits on the river Neckar upstream from Mannheim. We began our visit with a ride on the funicular railway up to the mostly-ruined castle above.The castle began life in the 13th century guarding the important river crossing in the valley below. But it was destroyed by Louis XIV at the end of the 17th century.

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-49903820272248021162009-09-08T20:32:00.006+01:002009-09-08T22:37:10.374+01:00

Sorry for the delay in continuing the story of our summer holidays in Europe.Our host took my wife and I for a gentle bike ride around their part of Mannheim. It was a very calm and peaceful evening. We watched a couple of hot air balloons gliding by in the distance and then cycled round the lake in a large park. After we got back we sat and chatted in their garden until the stars came out

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-85701640296583716412009-09-07T21:42:00.005+01:002009-09-07T22:03:40.248+01:00

While looking at the frog photo on my previous posting, I realised that frogs are like moths and butterflies!Not that frogs fly, although when that frog leapt across the grass it was airborne for a short distance! No, I was thinking that frogs metamorphose from baby tadpoles into adult frogs. It's not at all the same process that moths and butterflies go through as pupae in the chrysalis. After

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-87079526093922183112009-08-25T20:58:00.003+01:002009-08-25T21:11:38.343+01:00

Today my journey towards Ministry took a giant leap forward. At my Final Review (or Assessment) my two assessors decided that my training had reached completion. After the end of this month I will be able to apply to congregations who are looking for a minister. I continue working full-time in my training placement until the end of November.Thanks to everyone who has helped me on my journey so

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In Brussels we had 50 minutes to wait before our Deutsche Bahn InterCity Express (ICE) train left for Koeln (Cologne).The DB ICE train was a lot shorter than the Eurostar, with only about 8 coaches including the two end coaches. The two end coaches are favoured with seats that allow the passengers to watch over the driver's shoulder out the front, or rear, windows and see the track ahead, or

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-51204647988635742782009-08-13T17:05:00.005+01:002009-08-13T17:59:52.868+01:00

After departing from St Pancras at 8:34am, we tunneled under most of North East London, and by 8:52 we saw the spectacular Queen Elizabeth II Dartmouth Crossing bridge which carries the M25 across the Thames Estuary to the East of London. After we had tunneled under the Thames we crossed over the Medway River next to Rochester at 8:57, and by 9:22 we were in the Channel Tunnel under the English

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After arriving at Kings Cross station, we walked next door to St Pancras Station. From there we travelled to the town of St Alban's for our overnight stop, and then returned the next morning for our 8:34am departure to Brussels. The impressively ornate exterior dates from its construction in 1868.The station has recently been redeveloped at a cost of £800m (twice the cost of the Scottish

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-57032079576074881742009-08-09T20:42:00.000+01:002009-08-09T20:43:08.443+01:00

The train on the left of the photo is the 125mph express that brought us from Edinburgh to Kings Cross station in London, on the first leg of our European holiday. It's powered by twin diesel-electric engines, one at the front and another at the rear, which took us down the track in a nifty 4 and a half hours.The train on the right is one of the newer 225kph trains that also run on the East Coast

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-2829318476597799362009-08-08T21:51:00.004+01:002009-08-08T22:03:10.579+01:00

Sorry it's been so long since my last post.My family and I have been away on holiday for the past three weeks, and I'll tell you more about that in the coming days.But one of our fantastic experiences was a wonderful fireworks display for the Swiss National Day on the evening of 31st July in Basel. We were there for a few days visiting friends.I took lots of photos and some of them were quite

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-54530093661887061252009-07-14T17:03:00.002+01:002009-07-14T17:22:28.981+01:00

"Where Next?" is a question that has not only been in my mind quite a lot during the last few weeks, but also has been asked of me on many occasions.Now that people are beginning to look beyond the summer period, they are realising that the end of my time at Abercorn and Winchburgh is appearing on the horizon.Of course the end is still a long way, some four and a half months, at the end of

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This week there have been some nice days of sunshine. On Friday, I decided to sit in my sunny garden, and spend some time writing prayers for Sunday.I don't know whether the sun went to my head, but the prayer seemed to flow differently from usual.I hope you find them helpful.Prayer of ApproachFather God, as we come to you this morning,We see tears upon your face.“Why are you crying?”“My child,

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-14290348691008749072009-07-06T22:14:00.003+01:002009-07-06T22:30:59.194+01:00

Yesterday afternoon I enjoyed a pleasant drive from Edinburgh to Dumfries, taking my younger son to a week-long mountain-biking camp. He will probably return somewhat scarred and short of sleep, but hopefully happy and full of new biking tricks.I took the opportunity to enjoy the late afternoon sun down by the River Nith as it passes through the town centre. The above view, down-river from the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-35169030847520400352009-07-01T17:18:00.002+01:002009-07-01T17:35:23.926+01:00

The classic Oscar Wilde play, 'The Importance of being Earnest', is a comic farce in which deception is rife, and in the end it all unravels to the audience's amusement.There are many famous quotations from the play, but the one that strikes me at the moment is, "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness."Now I am quick to say that the

Stewart Goudiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02366989534835656577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621473838722977934.post-42871574582913208562009-07-01T09:19:00.003+01:002009-07-01T09:29:12.709+01:00

A few weeks ago, as the sun was setting low in the Western sky, I saw a beautiful double rainbow as I travelled home from work. It was quite like the one in the photo above, although it was taken in Alaska (by Eric Rolph).This Sunday we're going to be talking about Noah and the story of the Rainbow. I was looking for a Rainbow song, but the only one I could find in my books was 'Who put the

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If you have been up late during recent nights you may have observed that it's not been that dark even at midnight.Last night, or perhaps I should say this morning, I was burning the midnight oil finishing off the first draft of a report I have been writing.Although it was midnight, I could see my garden quite clearly in the twilight filtering down from the North. The sky was quite bright in the

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