GLASGOW UNITARIANS meet now on Sundays at 11.00 a.m. in the premises at 72 Berkerley Street which were previously the offices of the Haig Whisky Company! In the past there used to be churches at Port Glasgow; at Ross Street; and in Paisley but all of these have long been closed leaving the Berkerley Street premises the only remaining venue in Glasgow. I remember the old St.Vincent Street church with some nostalgia. It was  built in 1856 in the form of a Greek temple with an imposing facade of Ionic columns. Inside, the side walls carried a selection of white female figures, each holding a light which had been fitted with a bright red lampshade. This formed a suitable topic for a service I conducted there, many years ago, on the subject 'The Use of Symbols in Religion'!

An active programme of varied activities, both social and religious, is organised by the Unitarians of Glasgow - a Philosophy Course; Circle Dancing; outings to concerts etc. and so on.

If ever you are in Glasgow for a visit, either on Sundays or during the week, a 'phone call to 0141 946 4966 or 01505 843 340 would give you the latest information, and you would be made welcome as an S.U.F. member.

This completes my survey of the four Unitarian Churches in Scotland. Each is very different from the other, both in terms of architecture and in the form of the Sunday services which they follow. As such, they represent the wide variety of belief acknowledged within our faith.

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FREEDOM - REASON- TOLERANCE

THE UNITARIAN TRINITY

"These three vital Unitarian concepts are quite invisible but are far, far from being dead! They exist in the world of the Human Spirit where they are always 'on call' within Unitarians.

Unitarians are Unitarians not by 'membership' but by their inner belief. They do not need church or temple or cathedral; a pope, queen, ayatollah or rabbi. The World of the Spirit has no membership roster."

Words from W.B.Hackett, a Californian Unitarian contained in an email sent to me via the Unitarian 'Chat Line' discussion or whether or not Unitarianism is a 'Spent-force'. The discussion falls into two distinct topics: half consider that Unitarianism as it is currently presented is indeed a 'spent-force'. In common with most other church organisations it is facing falling congregations and closing churches. The other half denies this view and insists that it retains its historical significance as an icon of religious liberty.

I tend to take the middle view: Unitarianism still has much to offer human society - BUT to be accepted by that society it MUST ACCEPT CHANGE. Will it? Time only will tell.

Best wishes to all.

Colin

(The 'Chat Line' Colin refers to is the UK UNITARIAN (Mailing) LIST which anyone can subscribe to by sending an e-mail to: LISTSERV@ldpa.demon.co.uk - Alex Speed, Webmaster)

CHOPSTICKS 

In Korea there is a legend about a native warrior who died and went to heaven. 'Before I enter, ' he said to the gatekeeper, 'I would like you to take me on a tour of hell.' The gatekeeper found a guide to take the warrior to hell. When he got here, he was astonished to see a great table piled high with the choicest foods. But the people in hell were starving. the warrior turned to his guide and raised his eyebrows. 'It's this way' the guide explained, 'Everybody who comes here is given a pair of chopsticks five feet long, and is required to hold them at the end to eat. But you just can't eat with chopsticks five feet long if you hold them at the end. They miss their mouth every time, see?' 

The visitor agreed that this was hell indeed and asked to be taken back to heaven post-haste. In heaven, to his surprise, he saw a similar room, with a similar table laden with very choice foods. But the people were happy; they looked radiantly happy! The visitor turned to his guide.' No chopsticks, I suppose?' he said. 'Oh yes' said the guide, 'they have the same chopsticks, the same length, and they must hold them at the end just as in hell. BUT you see, these people have learned - 
that if you feed your neighbour, your neighbour will feed you also." 

With thanks to Rev.Andrew Hill and the Edinburgh 'Waymark' 

One of the questions I am often asked is "Do you believe in God?" My answer is always: "What do you mean by the word 'GOD'?" And that usually flummoxes my questioner! "Well, he or she replies: "Er. God, you know, God!" I then respond.... 

"Well, do you mean the God of the Old Testament ..an autocrat, an absolute ruler, even a tyrant? Or perhaps the God whom Jesus described not as 'Father', but as 'Daddy'. A loving Father? Or perhaps 'God the Father' who came down to earth as 'God the Son' and who lived amongst us known by the name Jesus?

Or perhaps the God who is the very 'Depth of our Being'? or the maker of Heaven and Earth? Or 'He' who holds all life in his hand and who knows when even a sparrow lose feather? Or that apparently uncaring 'He' or 'She' who 'punished' the Jews by allowing them to be sent to the Gas Chambers of Auschwitz?

Or perhaps Allah, or Jahweh, or the Mahajana understanding of the Buddha, or the Brahma of India, or, or, or.... There are so many views and ways of understanding that concept we know by the word 'God' that books by the thousand have been written." 

God spoke to me on Ben Nevis, when I was given to understand that God accepted me a human being and subject to all the temptations of that status. He 'understood' and was willing to accept my failings. I was also made aware of the 'at-one-ness' of all creation - I myself was part of the mountain, just as the mountain was part of me! The doctrine of the atonement was given a new meaning to me. BUT OF COURSE, that was a religious or spiritual assessment of my experience. The scientific disciplines of Physiology and Psychology offer a more rational explanation. In climbing the mountain I experienced a period of sensory deprivation which, on resting from the exertion of climbing, resulted in an over supply of oxygen to the brain which, in turn, resulted in a form of light-headedness! 

So, do YOU believe in God... and HOW do you believe in God??? 

Rev. Dr. Colin Wicker 

A bishop, noted for his humorous sermons, gave an address to a large church.

He asked the press reporters who were present at this service not to publish any of his jokes, as he was hoping to use them at another place shortly afterwards.

But he was somewhat taken aback when he read the report of the occasion which said: " the bishop gave a lively address, which included a large number of stories which we are not able to repeat in this newspaper!"

(With thanks to Ashton-in-Makerfield Newsletter and 'The Unitarian'.

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One of the greatest pains to human nature
is the pain of a new idea!
(Bageshot)

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

It is good to be without vices,
but it is not good to be without temptation!
(Emerson)

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and finally:

A holiday is what you take when you can't take
What you have been taking!
(Anon)

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NOSTALGIA

When my eyes lit upon the picture of the steam train thundering along the track, my mind filled with feelings of nostalgia - yearning to be back in the days of my youth when such trains were the accepted norm. My brother and I, and sometimes my schoolgirl-friend and 1(!), would stand at the side of the track watching for the next 'name-plater' - or placing half-pennies on the track to be flattened by the next train into full pennies! What days we had in the time and place of my youth! 

But although remembering about the past is something I'm sure we all do from time to time, we must all live in the present. Learning from the past; learning from the mistakes of the past; learning too from the achievements of the past, but dealing with life as it is, moment to moment. And life today is very different from life even ten years ago, let alone 50 years ago! My computer "tells' me that I need an up-date just about every other week! The rate of progress is so rapid! And the days, and the weeks, just flash by. The washing can still be hung out - but no longer on the Siegried Line! So why do the churches not move forward too? On Sunday we visited a couple that I married some time ago. The bride's mother remarked that she could no longer attend the local church - "it's so boring", she said. She could hardly stay awake even though she was constantly looking at her watch throughout the whole service! There are the Happy-Clappy churches, but not for me! So, is the SUF the way forward???

Colin

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Bye the way . . . .

Did you know that in Chinese -

The symbol for PEACE is one woman in a house?
The symbol for WAR is two women in a house!

No, neither did I!

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