Scotland – Matthew McKinnon's Blog

A Tribute to Daddy!

Well, not many children today use the term ‘daddy’, but back in the nineteen thirties and forties me and my siblings, and all my pals called their Mother – ‘mammy’, and their Father, ‘daddy’. Today is the anniversary of his death in 1978, so I was looking at some old photos, and recalling many happy childhood and life memories.

Dad was born at Wolesley Street in Glasgow in 1895; these were the days of horse drawn trams, and stage coaches, and when ‘horse and carts’ were the main means of transporting goods as the photo below illustrates. The family moved to the Ibrox area of Glasgow when he was still a child, and there he attended the ‘Band of Hope’, a child’s club at the local church. One night they taught the children a new song, ‘Jesus wants me for a sunbeam’. On arriving back home he found the house empty as his mammy was at a neighbour’s house and daddy was out. So he tells how he knelt at the black fire grate and prayed “Jesus if you want me for a sunbeam, I’ll be a sunbeam for you‘. You might think that a bit crazy, childish and simplistic, but Jesus loves the children as the Gospels tell us, and the truth is my daddy spent the rest of his 83 years as an ardent follower of Jesus, and always put that down to his early childhood prayer!

With countless others he lived through two world wars and the great depresssion. He had trained and worked as an engineer, but during ‘the great depression’ he managed to get some work as a welding company van driver. These were the days of community ‘soup kitchens’ and great hardship, but somehow by the grace of God, there was always food on the table. He was an inspector at Rolls Royce during much of my lifetime and worked long hours Monday to Saturday in aid ot the war effort during WWII. He had met Mary Smiith at the Bethel Mission in Kinning Park and they married in 1927. They had a family of six children. The youngest one in the pram, is not named ‘Boris’ but Matthew 🙂

Most of my earliest memories were after we moved from Ibrox to a new council flat in Shawlands. There we were enrolled in due time at the local schools and at Church Sunday school. The boys also joined the local Boys Brigade, and were regulars at our own church in Pollokshaws, who held a weekly Children’s hour packed to the door with kids. No TV in these days!! History in someways repeated itself, as just after one such children’s hour, where they were serialising the story of John Bunyon’s best selling book ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ accompanied by ‘Lantern Slides’, we arrived back home and our daddy was asked, how can you be sure you will go to heaven when you die? He explaianed to us in childlike terms, the amazing story of God’s love for us, and how Jesus died in our place, and rose from the dead, so we can be forgiven. Then me and my three brothers prayed the ‘Sorry’, ‘Thank you’, ‘Please’ prayer to Jesus. Sorry for my sin, thank you for dying in my place, please come into my life and be my Saviour and friend. So that’s when and how our life as Christians began.

We were a family with a love for the great outdoors, and before the days of cars, we walked for miles on Saturday afternoons after daddy came home from work. Our parents always managed to take us on holiday at the ‘Glasgow Fair’ each year, usually to a place on the Clyde Coast but occasionally further afield. Here are some photos.

My Father gave us all lots of good advice throughout life, and led by example in key areas of honesty, integrity, consistency and commitment to his word. He was a man of sincere faith and prayer, with many down to earth examples on practical living in the home and workplace, and also in love and faithfulness within marriage. One piece of advice he gave me that stands out above the rest, and has stood the test of time, was from the book of Proverbs chapter 3:5,6. It reads

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

I know of course that not everyone has good memories of their father, which is very sad. Of course no earthly father is perfect, and neither was mine, but we do have a Heavenly Father who is, and who loves us beyond measure, and we can come to Him in complete confidence and trust. He already knows all about us, our mistakes, our troubles, joys and sorrows, so we can speak openly and honestly to Him in the Name of Jesus. Perhaps a simple Sorry, Please, and Thankyou prayer to start with?

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam – Children’s hymn lyrics

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, To shine for him each day; In ev’ry way try to please him, At home, at school, at play.
Chorus: A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I’ll be a sunbeam for him.
Jesus wants me to be loving, And kind to all I see, Showing how pleasant and happy His little one can be.

Blessings as you prepare to celebrate Christmas.

Matthew

Portencross, and Portencross Castle on the Firth of Clyde

Portencross village and the castle are well off the ‘beaten track’ so it is perhaps amongst one of the less well known castles in Scotland. Suffice to say, that having lived within 30 miles of it for more than half a century, I only visited it for the first time within the last two years. It is situated between Seamill and the Hunterston peninsula. The narrow ‘no through road’ which leads down to it is easily missed unless you are on the alert and look out for the junction, which sits at a busy bend in the road. Having found it, we have now made a number of visits, as it is beautifully situated with a coastal path in either direction, and lovely views across the Firth to Arran and the Cumbraes.

In the 1980’s, land and buildings that had been bought by the government with a view to expanding the Hunterston Power Station complex, was returned to private ownership. By 2005 the charity ‘Friends of Portencross Castle‘ (FOPC) had been formed locally to conserve and repair the castle for present and future generations. And what a great job they have done with the help of volunteers and external funding from organisations and individuals.

The Castle will be closed for the winter, but I was fortunate enough on my last visit to gain access, (which is free, but a donation is requested) and very much enjoyed seeing the restoration work, and also appreciated the information boards and leaflets which were freely available. Here are some photos.

Here is a sample of the information boards and literature that are available, some of which are presented as a teaching resource for teachers and children.

Finally, a short video combining two visits to the castle, one on a sunny day and the other on a stormy day. I hope you catch the atmosphere of the place! On both occasions the situation of the castle against the backdrop of the sea looked stunning! I would strongly recommend a visit.

Reflection: I find it fascinating visiting historical sites of interest, and have had the priviledge of doing that in many ‘far flung places’. Scotland of course has a plethora of such sites away and above one’s expectation for such a small nation. I like to think of the person(s) who first had a vision of building a ‘hall-house’ here at Portencross away back in the 1300’s AD. It’s good then to read of all the changes that have taken place down the centuries, both in the structure itself and the people who lived and worked in and around this castle. Did any of them ever imagine it would last all these centuries and undergo all these changes? Probably not!

And of course when we look back on our own lives, it is astounding to have witnessed the changes that have taken place in our world in the last century, things my own mother and father would never have dreamed of. The pace of change has brought so much blessing to humankind, and yet conversely, so much danger from new and deadlier weapons, pollution of air, land, rivers and seas, and loss of habitat for animals birds, fish and insects. It would seem mankind is now capable of destroying the very planet itself!

I am so thankful that God and His Word never change, and there we can find an anchor to our soul. I sometimes smile as I listen to our leaders in the fields of politics, science, philosophy and theology and …. telling us that the eternal God and His Word are a bit out of date, and suggest that perhaps God needs to ‘get up to speed’! Then I listen to our news bulletins and hear of disaster and carnage on a multitude of levels, and remember God’s word ‘the heart of man is deceitful above all else, who can know it’. That apparently does not change.

This morning I was reading a letter written away back in the first century AD by a man named Paul. Since he became a follower of Jesus Christ he had suffered it would seem one calamity after another,* and now he was in prison in Rome awaiting execution for proclaiming the good news of Jesus, ascerting there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ God’s Son. In his letter to his young protege he writes “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.“** In an ever changing world, and our ever changing circumstances, it’s good to entrust ourselves to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and as our friend, for of him it is written ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, and of course for all of us there is ‘that day‘!

*2 Corinthians 11:21-33, ** 2 Timothy 1:10-12

A famous hymn written around Paul’s words you can listen to here!

Please remember to subscribe.

Matthew

Thinking ‘Outside the Box’

Most of us are creatures of habit, so we go on from day to day and week to week going through the same routines, whether it be at home or in our place of work. Seldom do we stop to consider, is there a habit, a diet, a shopping practice, a workout routine, or something else that I need to change? Would a better way of doing things enable me to achieve my goals, assuming that we have set some! With soaring prices for energy and food and with recession coming on, it is perhaps a good time to ask that question!

In industry they might say we need a ‘paradigm shift in thinking’! During my former engineering days I remember being part of a committee looking in detail at machinery we manufactured and its function, to see if we could manufacture it more efficiently or replace it all together by changing the system for which it was designed. But any ideas we had pale into insignificance when compared to the countless examples of ‘people ‘thinking outside the box’ in the fields of science, healthcare, space exploration, art and engineering, and almosy every other field of expertise that you could mention!

One example of ‘thinking outside the box, unique to Scotland and indeed the world, is the ‘Falkirk Wheel’, which we recently visited with friends from the Argentine!

The Falkiirk Wheel that links the Forth and Clyde canal with the Union canal’ (which sits 35 Metres above) allows vessels to sail through the sky thanks to an amazing piece of engineering and art! The energy to turn the wheel is said to be the equivalent of that used to boil just eight kettles of water!

The Union Canal reaching its end at the Falkirk wheel

We visited in summer, so the wheel was busy as many boats were passing through the canal. It’s a great place for a day out as there are loads of things to do with shops, museum, restaurant and toilets etc. You can try Archery, Mini Golf, Boating for kids or even a Canal Boat Ride that will take you up to the Union canal and back! We also took the advice on the notice above, and visited the Kelpies to feed the horses!

Admission is free to the Falkirk Wheel site and also the Kelpies, but if you travel by car there is a parking charge of £4.00.

Reflections: Thinking ‘outside the box’ can be a challenging experience in every area of life, not just in the making of things! Puting your new thinking into practice can often be life changing, and have implications for relationships and careers, and change our goals and path through life. I have recently read Prof. Neil Thomas’ book, ‘Taking Leave of Darwin‘ – A Longtime Agnostic discovers the Case for Design. In his prologue he speaks of being struck by the thought, that if a group of tenured academics and other responsible scientists could no longer support the claims of Darwinism on which the worldview of much of the West rests, then he must investigate the subject for himself. His detailed investigation which he spells out in the book is fascinating, bringing him to a conclusion which the title of his book well summarises – ‘Taking leave of Darwin‘. It’s certainly worth a read, but how will Neil Thomas’ book go down with his fellow peers and academics?

Another well known writer and agnostic David Foster Wallace, somewhat ‘rocked the boat’ by his speech in the US to the graduating class of Kenyon College in 2005 when he said, ‘You get to choose what you worship. Because here’s something that’s weird but true: in the day to day trenches of adult life, there is no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god … to worship .. is that pretty much anything else you choose to worship will eat you alive.‘ He goes on then to speak of money, your body and beauty and sexual allure …power and intellect … ‘They are the kind of worship you just gradually slip into day after day … without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.’ (Emphasis added) His message was received with a loud round of applause. David Foster Wallace did not disclose who or what he worshipped, tho’ one might guess. And one must wonder if he had slipped into a worship he was warning others to avoid? Very sadly just three years later this talented young man committed suicide at the age of 46. It does raise the question, what god are you and I worshipping?

I think for many the day comes when we start wondering if life is passing us by, and we still have not found our true role, or meaning in life, or faced up to the fact of our mortality. Is it time for me to think outside the box? The story of Antartic Explorer – Ernest Shackleton’s advert for crew members perhaps illustrates the point.

MEN WANTED for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success. Ernest Shackleton

Five thousand men are reputed to have responded even although the terms were far from attractive, and the possibility of achieving the goals of the expedition were in doubt, with your life itself being in question. People desperate to find meaning in life?

Personally as most of my readers will know, I am a worshipper of the great Triune `God of the Bible – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You may think that sounds like something for the weak, the old and the unsophisticated, and YES you are right, for God calls everyone – rich and poor, educated and uneducated, young and old, healthy and sick, everyone to come and follow Him. The terms Jesus the Son of God laid down for His followers is set out in these words of his – Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? The early disciples were in their day accused of turning the world upside down. God still calls such men and women today! Every morning I read a Christian Mission magazine and am constantly amazed at what God is doing through ordinary people all around the world – amazing!

In a day when many people are looking for meaning and authenticity, Jesus offers the forgiveness of all our sins, relief from a guilty conscience, a new life in all its fulness, guidance and direction by his Spirit and through his Word. We can know an inner joy and peace, and a personal relationship with him, which will ultimately take us home to heaven – No ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’. How is that possible you may ask? Because the Son of God loved each of us, and gave himself for us. At the cross the great exchange took place, your sin placed on Christ, and if you come and confess that sin and give your life to Him, His righteousness becomes ours, so that exchange becomes a reality in a new life.

In the search for meaning and purpose we as Christians have found and believe that this is only possible when we find our rest in God.

Thinking of stepping ‘outside the box’?

Best wishes – Matthew

The Pass of Brander, St Conan’s Kirk and Kilchurn Castle

On my last blog I was writing about our day trip from Oban to the Isle of Staffa and our visit to Fingal’s Cave, but we extended our holiday by choosing on our third day to visit three very interesting stopping off places on our drive back to Glasgow.

The first stop, was at the Pass of Brander where in August 1308 Sir James Douglas and King Robert the Bruce led a successful attack on the MacDougalls, It has been said, this was the final battle of Bruce’s campaign in the North, during what is called ‘the ‘Wars of Independence’. The visit reminded me of my primary school days when ‘the Black Douglas’ and ‘King Robert the Bruce’ were our folk heroes as children. Many mock battles were enacted in the school playground with imaginary swords at our play times, after being told of their many exploits during our history lessons!

Stop two, was at Saint Conan’s Kirk, which is beautifully situated on the edge of Loch Awe, and here too there is an interesting history to consider. The Kirk is not far from the Brander battlefield referred to above. In fact inside you will find an effigy tomb of King Robert the Bruce, and one of his bones is also said to be buried here. The original Church was built in 1886 by Walter Douglas Campbell, who was one of nine children. He trained as an architect, and when his mother found the journey to the local parish church too tiring, he decided to build this church for her. By 1907 he started his Church extension to ambitious plans he had drawn up. Unfortunately he did not live to see its completion, but the Church was dedicated anew in 1930. You can read the full story on-line. Highly recommended for a visit if you are touring in the area.

Our last stop, was to visit Kilchurn Castle. A Castle we have photographed on many occasions, but never found the time to visit, but this time we did! The Castle was built in the mid 15th Century and became the home of the powerful Campbell Clan of Glen Orchy, who extended it and made it their stronghold for 150 years. It contains the oldest surviving barracks on the British mainland. Lots more info on line!

It was a rather cloudy day for our visit, but the surrounding hills and landscape, and its situation at the end of Loch Awe always gives this castle that special flavour of the dramatic! Our walk from the car park, which takes you under the railway bridge and on to the grazing land, also proved to be a bit dramatic as well! As we walked along we noticed there were some highland cattle grazing in the long grass, and to our surprise they seemed to take an interest in us, whilst others had been ignored! So it was slightly ‘off putting’ when first a large brown cow with large horns came straight towards us! I hurriedly pulled some grass and offered it as a peace gesture, but after a look and a sniff she turned away in disappointment. She was follwed by an even larger black cow, who also snubbed my peace gesture! Later we saw the farmer arriving with bags of cattle feed, so me thinks we were perhaps involved in ‘a case of mistaken identity’! 🙂

Soon after we made our way over the ‘Rest and be Thankful Pass’ and home via the the banks of Loch Lomond.

Reflection: It’s such a joy to get out of town for a few days and to enjoy the summer holidays, sunshine and fresh air. We are truly blessed here in the West of Scotland as so many places of quietness and beauty are within easy reach of the city. Our evening readings these days are in the Psalms, and thus one reflected our mood as we returned to Glasgow.

It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, LORD,
how profound your thoughts! Ps. 92:1-5

All in such contrast to the gloom and sadness of our news bulletins, so of course we do need to come down from our ‘mountain top experiences’ just as Jesus did, to face the challenges of every day life. There is much need all around us. Lord help us to play our part!

Here is the Fingal’s Cave video if you missed it!

Matthew

Catch the Joy of Summer!

Yes, here in Glasgow situated in the world’s northern hemisphere the daylight hours are extending, and today we enjoyed sunshine from its 4.40am rising until its 9.50 pm setting! What a special gift is that! The garden is slowly coming into bloom and everything is looking beautiful!

It is amazing to watch the budding trees and Spring flowers give way to Summer bloom, and to see and hear the excitement of the birds as the they prepare their nests and get ready for the new chicks to arrive. We have blackbirds nesting in our hedge every year and their song in the evening is enough to cheer the saddest heart.

Springtime

Early Summer

The greenhouse is now catching up, with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and courgettes all coming on, and with three bags of potatoes planted and a bucket full of carrots. My two hanging baskets are now out, but the flowers for them were bought from the nursery. My tomatoes are causing me some concern as they look a bit ‘spindly’ but hopefully they will come on ok.

The greenhouse

Talking about potatoes, tonight we enjoyed some fresh buttered Ayrshire potatoes with beans, coleslaw and ‘corned beef’ for dinner. It reminded me of my mother’s love for Ayrshire potatoes when I was a small boy, and that wasn’t yesterday! 🙂

Tatties and corned beef!

And of course, this summer in the UK and Commonwealth we are celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th Jubilee, and events are being held all over the country. This week at our church we had a service and afternoon tea for senior citizens and it was a special and joyous occasion. Most of the folks there remembered her coronation all these years ago! We recalled her faithfulness and servant heart through all the ups and downs of life, and remembered her faith in God, which in her own words has sustained her, and enabled her to fulfil the vows given at her coronation! Across the political divide I think it is true to say that the vast majority of citizens in the UK are delighted to honour this lady for her commitment, grace and loyalty sometimes amid adversity.

Wherever you are, and in whatever season I hope you are well. Here is a new song we are singing in church these days, it is beautifully sung and the words I find encouraging and inspiring too, for all of life’s circumstances.

Matthew

The Isle of Tiree – positioned on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean!

A late night phone call, Some adjustments to our diary, and 36 hours later we were on our way to visit friends on the most westerly island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides – TIREE! What a surprise, as we had been forced to cancel a planned holiday there a year or so ago due to the pandemic, but now we were on our way, the weather forecast was excellent and we were excited at the prospect!

The Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to the island leaves from Oban, which is a 2.5 – 3 hours drive from Glasgow, depending on the traffic. It is a lovely drive, and if you are planning a visit, allow yourselves more time for stops along the way.

The four hour ferry trip takes you through the sound between the Isle of Mull and Ardnamurchan on the Scottish mainland, and then into the Passage of Tiree. It is quite spectacular at any time, but particularly on a beautiful sunny day!

The sun was getting low in the sky as we made the last leg of our ferry journey to Tiree, and we were blessed to see some dolphins jumping alongside the ship as we travelled.

Tiree’s history is easily researched on line, but this fertile island is a joy to visit, and in the Springtime the lambs and calves are in the fields, flowers are starting to bloom and the birds are singing. The beaches are amongst the best to behold anywhere in the world, and they attract worldclass surfers, and also runners for special competitions and events, and many tourists! My great great grandfather John McKinnon was a boat builder in Balemartine, so this was amongst the places we first visited.

Too many photos to show, but here are some showing the variety and beauty of Tiree’ >

Time passes too quickly when you are enjoying yourself, but we did manage a few last day activities, including a boat trip which you can see below. An evening walk on the beach at Balevullin, some star gazing, before getting to bed. Then an early rise to catch the ferry back to Oban. Farewell then to the quietness and serenity of Tiree.

Reflection: Living close to a motorway here in Glasgow, it was a pleasure to change the noise and bustle of the city for the peace and tranquility of Tiree. The sound of the sea, and of the birds and the joy of walking in a quiet and isolated beach was good for the soul. We never switched the television on once during our stay, and surprisingly the world seemed to carry on in it’s seemingly chaotic way without my daily watching of the news programmes. 🙂

I enjoyed popping into the Parish Church at Heylipol, its a beautiful building, and I thought of the countless number of people who have worshipped there down the centuries. It was also interesting to see that the texts above the pulpit are exactly the same as the texts we have above our pulpit in Glasgow – ‘God is Light‘ and ‘God is Love’. I wondered if some of the clansmen brought that idea to Glasgow during the migrations in the mid 19th century? Probably not, but the verses speak so powerfully of the God being worshipped. The God from whom nothing is hid, but a God who loves a broken humanity enough, to send us His Son as Saviour and Redeemer.

Oh, and here’s that boat trip, quite an excitment for a ‘land-lubber’ 🙂

If you like the blog you can subscribe to receive notifications of updates. Thanks if you have read thus far! Yes TIREE is definitely worth a visit!

God bless, Matthew

My photographic Review of 2021

Another year of travel restrictions due to Covid has resulted in us spending almost all of the year at home, so most of the photographs this year have been taken locally or on ‘day trips’ from Glasgow. However as we look back on 2021 it’s amazing to remember all the interesting places we visited, some for the very first time, and the joy and peace we had in doing that. So here’s a picture or two per month!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Reflection: This year started with some optimism as vaccines were being rolled out, and the slogan ‘we will beat this together’ sounded more plausible, but then along came the variants!

Thankfully the latest Omicron variant is reported to be less severe than those that have gone before, so we pray that this downward trend will continue in 2022. A visit to Glasgow city centre just before Christmas told its own story. Gone was the sound of laughter and the bustling Christmas market in George Square. No ‘big wheel’, ‘flying chairs’, ‘helter skelter’or ice rink, fun and joviality had given way to just a few families with kids who had come to see the lights and the nativity scene, plus some folks handing out food and drink to the poor and homeless.

But hold on a minute, is ‘families with kids who had come to see the lights and the nativity scene, plus some folks handing out food and drink to the poor and homeless‘ more in keeping with the Christmas story, than a ‘lets eat and drink and be merry‘ lifestyle, especially in the current circumstances? The British Prime Minister caused outrage recently when it was disclosed that last winter some government departments were partying while people were self isolating and others mourning the loss of family and friends to Covid 19.

This Christmas I was caused to stop and think again about the reason for Christmas, which this new carol, so beautfully sung, challenges us to do. Take a minute to listen!

I hope you enjoy the photographs, and like me are challenged by the new carol.

Hope to see you again in the New Year. Every blessing to you and yours.

Matthew

“The Queer Folk O’ the Shaws”

Pollokshaws Townhouse (1803) and the Memorial to James McIndoe the poet

Pollokshaws is a district on the southside of Glasgow (A Burgh in its own right until 1912) and was our home for 23 years, and is still the lifelong home of our church in Leckie Street. This blog will recall past and recent memories of life here, and the huge changes that have taken place throughout my lifetime. There is a poem on a plaque in the old part of the ‘Shaws, which always brings a smile to my face, but please don’t take the words too seriously! 🙂 The poem on the plaque reads:

The ‘Queer folk’ O’ the Shaws – “Wha’ ne’er untae the Shaws has been – Has surely missed a treat – For wonders there are to be seen – Which nothing else can beat. – The folks are green, it’s aft been said, – Of that you’ll find no trace; – There’s seasoned wood in every head – And brass in every face. – Look smart and keep your eyes about – Their tricks will make you grin; – The Barrhead bus will take you out -The folks will take you in. Thank you James McIndoe, that poem still makes me laugh!

Pollokshaws has a history going back to the 17th century, but ‘The ‘Queer Folk’ was the name first given to some Flemish weavers brought to the Shaws by the Maxwell family in the 1800’s, and over time became a ‘byeword’ for all those living in the area. (‘Queer’ in the poem had the meaning of ‘strange’ or ‘odd’) McIndoe the poet, it has been said liked making fun of folks, and it says something of Pollokshaws people that they chose to remember him by this ‘cheeky’ poem in the ‘town square’. Being able to ‘laugh at ourselves’ is surely a special virtue.

The changes that have taken place in the Pollokshaws landscape in my lifetime have been quite phenomenal! In the 40’s and 50’s it still had that close community, working class, yet small town / village atmosphere. It has to be said however, that the housing was basic, and in some parts quite deplorable and rightly described as a slum. But development was coming! (See on-line – ‘Pollokshaws – Wikipedia’ for some amazing resources)

View from our window in Harriet Street 1958

In the 60’s Pollokshaws was designated as a redevelopment area, and in due time we were given the sum of £1.00 in exchange for our two apartment flat in Harriet Street, plus the keys to a brand new flat in the Shawholm Cresent tower block, with a rent payable to Glasgow Housing Department. Wow, were we pleased? YES we were! The up and downstairs apartment had underfloor central heating, two bedrooms, bathroom, a lounge with a verandah, a fitted kitchen, and our own lock-up garage. Pollok Park was just across the road, the neighbours were great, together we polished the communal corridor and as the proverbial saying goes ‘you could have eaten your dinner off the floor’ it was so clean.

We had many happy days at Shawholm Crescent, but life moves on, and as the family grew we too moved on. But now we look back and wonder why all those hopes and dreams that the new revitalised Pollokshaws brought, would within our lifetime come to ruin and decay? The many factories and businesses in the area also closed over that period of time.

But another revitalised Pollokshaws is arising from the ashes, so time will tell if it is more successful than the last redevelopment effort. I am surprised however that expensive new houses are being built, whilst it seems little effort is going into preserving and maintaining landmark buildings, monuments and the once attractive river bank.

Our Church at Greenview.

Greenview Church, was established by some men in the Shaws away back in 1873, as they were keen to introduce to people a simple form of Christian worship. They met to pray, study the Bible, have fellowship with one another as believers and hold communion. They were also keen to share the good news about Jesus with their fellow citizens in Pollokshaws. First they met in a rented hall off the Main Street, then built a wooden hall in Wodrow Street, (Wodrow Street ran from Cogan Street past what is now Pollokshaws Parish Church – The tree now standing in the ground near the Parish Church was in the grounds of the Hall) before moving to Greenbank Street and finally to Leckie Street, where they have been since 1933. The building there has been changed and extended on umpteen occasions.

The Church from its beginnings had a strong missionary interest, and Norman MacRae one of the founding fathers, went out in 1876 to Narsapur in the Godaveri Delta, India. Up until today a long line of men and women from Greenview Church have followed Jesus’ command to ‘go into all the world to preach the gospel’ both by word and deed. I remember as a youngster the Pollokshaws Burgh Hall being packed to the door for ‘Farewell Meetings’ followed by trips to the Central Station where we waved off our friends as they made their way to Tilbury Dock in London, before sailing to Africa and South America. Many country names come to mind – Northern Rhodesia, Argentina, Brazil, East Pakistan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania and other nations in the Middle East. Alex Simpson of Pollokshaws died in Brazil, and an orphanage there is called after him. Men and women with a wide variety of skills from the Shaws have left our shores and used their gifts and skills to help folks around the world, and to build, plant and support the Church.

No space here to expand on all the activities of the Church over the years – suffice to say they have been exhaustive. Not including the main Sunday morning and evening services, there has been Bible studies and weekly prayer meetings, Summer ‘Tent’ Campaigns, Choirs singing at Churches around Scotland’s Central belt, Christian conferences, Sunday Schools (Pollokshaws and Thornliebank) with summer trips and children’s prizegivings, Childrens meetings galore, Christian Youth Centre during and after the war, with 2 week summer camps around Scotland and winter craft making and games nights, Youth Bible Classes and special weekends away, Womens tea meetings, Sewing classes, mens meetings, a football team, white water rafting, golf outings, and much more. Some Greenview pics from the ancient past, and from more recent times follow.

During the pandemic the church services were on-line with the help of Zoom, but that gave the opportuniy to upgrade the church building and its fittings. Now services are back in church, and whilst we practice social distancing and wear masks, it’s great having the live band for our singing, and to see friends old and new in person.

Life has changed dramatically in Pollokshaws in my lifetime, and our church too has had to deal with many changes. But thankfully God does not change and the good news of Jesus does not change. In fact the Bible says of Jesus, that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. An anchor to our souls in our increasingly chaotic world. Our community cafe has started again on Wednesday and Friday mornings, and many have already come to enjoy the friendly welcome and excellent food and coffee. Tot’s and Co. on Tuesday and Thursday mornings are seeing lots of local mums making friends and finding support there, and our ‘Christians Against Poverty’ Centre is up and running, helping folks escape the debt trap. We also have a programme in partnership with ‘Hope for Glasgow’ that deals with those who have destroying addictions. Sunday School runs in parallel with our morning service at 11am, and there is a thriving Youth Group.

If you are coming to Glasgow we would love to see you, and of course if you stay in Pollokshaws there is always a welcome awaiting you!

We look forward to following the ongoing development of Pollokshaws and its Churches, so with this picture of the Burgh Hall, I wish all my fellow bloggers and my Pollokshaws friends at home and abroad a ‘Happy Christmas and God’s blessing in the New Year!’

Matthew

The Trossachs and Argyleshire – and the sound of Silence!

The ‘Trossachs nature reserve’ in Scotland is an area east of Loch Lomond, famous for it’s lochs, rugged hills, forests and glens, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Scotland in Minature.’ It lies within the ‘Queen Elizabeth National Park’ and is a 30 mile, one hour drive from Glasgow. We normally like to visit in August when the heather is in full bloom, but this year it was an October’s day-trip. Aberfoyle is a little town within the Trossachs where there is a ‘Scottish Woollen Mill’ shop, and we often stop there to view their wide range of clothing and enjoy a coffee. Within a mile of Aberfoyle is the ‘James Marshall Lodge’ sitting on the hill at the entrance to the ‘Duke’s Pass’, and this offers magnificent views, easy and challenging walks, and there is a ‘Go Ape’ high wire adventure to be tackled if you are fit!

Half-way across The Duke’s Pass you can access a ‘Forest Drive’ by paying a few pounds, and moving onto a dirt road, which winds its way through the forest. It passes three lochs on the route – Loch Reoidhte, Drunkie and Achray.

Our favourite part of the drive is the approach to Loch Achray. Passing the old homestead, you can view Ben A’an across the loch, only 451 m high but a spectacular little hill to climb with a rugged top and a splendid view down Loch Katrine. Then on the near side of the loch you have a view of Ben Venue at 729 m, another easy but magnificient climb.

And just before the month of October ran out, we enjoyed a couple of nights break at the Park Hotel in Dunoon, Argyleshire. We left Glasgow in the rain, headed for Loch Lomond and reached Arrochar at the top of Loch Long just before lunch time. Then over the ‘Rest and be Thankful’ pass where we turned down ‘Hells Glen’ before following the road to Strachur. From there it’s an easy trip down to Dunoon on the banks of the Firth of Clyde, but we chose to divert through Ardentinny also on Loch Long, then around the Holy Loch and on to Dunoon just as the rain decided to stop!

Dunoon was once a favourite holiday destination for Scottish holiday makers prior to the arrival of ‘the package holiday’. But it is still a beautiful place with lots to see and do.

The following day we made a visit to Glen Masson for the first time, and also a trip back to Benmore Botanical gardens to see them in their autumn colours.

The drive back to Glasgow was via Tighnabruaich, Portavadie, Otter `Ferry, Strachur, Loch Lomond and Glasgow. That is quite a drive.

Reflection -The beauty of silence!

The photographs displayed show something of the wonder of our planet, and were mostly taken in the beauty of silence. Sometimes it’s so hard just to find a quiet spot to sit quietly and meditate, in this very noisy world. As COP26 proceeds in Glasgow with thousands gathered to address the climate change crisis, there have been many speeches, proposals and demonstrations and lots of noise. Since we have evidently messed up, perhaps we should also confess and seek the help of the Creator don’t you think? Two thoughts come to mind, the words of the prophet Habakkuk, and the beautiful words of John Greenleaf Whittier’s hymn (1807 – 1892).

“The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
– Habakkuk 2:20

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways:
reclothe us in our rightful mind;
in purer lives your service find,
in deeper reverence praise,

With that deep hush subduing all
our words and works, that drown
the tender whisper of your call,
as noiseless let your blessing fall
as fell your manna down,

Drop your still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of your peace,

Video – Loch Fyne – The sound of silence

The video above has been posted in full volume and lasts for just 10 seconds, but I stood there for quite a time taking in the wonders of God and His creation. Enjoy the silence and take time to call upon God.

Matthew

Bondage, Bond and a Bridge

When I was a wee boy of five years, I spent the best part of a year in an infectious diseases hospital in Glasgow, having contracted diphtheria, followed by scarlet fever and a mastoid. No visitors were allowed so I was separated from my siblings and parents even at Christmas and New Year. This year, for the first time since, my wife and I were on our own at Christmas and New Year due to Covid-19 restrictions. But we did have a nice time, and spoke with family and friends by phone, and on ‘what’s app’ or ‘Zoom’. One of our grandsons with his wife and family even came and sung carols to us outside our front door with the gift of a freshly baked cake! And of course we did manage a few photographs at home and in the garden and when driving to a quiet spot in our local area!

Oh, and we watched a few films, which is a bit unusual for us, as we are not really much into that. Perhaps it was because we have had to buy a TV licence again! 🙂 Yes, we did watch, (feel free to laugh) ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘The Bridge on the river Kwai‘! The latter inspired the heading of this months blog ‘Bondage, Bond and a Bridge’.

Bondage. When I arrived in Thailand to work on an engineering contract back in the 80’s, I found myself within 10 days walking on the Burma (Death) Railroad. We had gone to Church on the Sunday I arrived, and I was told the following weekend there would be a church trip to the bridge on the river Kwai, and that we were invited. Walking on the railroad and visiting a commonwealth war memorial was a sobering experience, as anyone who has read anything of the history of that infamous railroad can imagine. Thousands upon thousands of British and Commonwealth soldiers and Asian civilians lost their lives, due to starvation, disease and cruel bondage. There was a subdued atmosphere amongst our group as later that day we rode downstream in a number of motorboats to catch a view of the bridge and it’s surroundings.

Bridge on the River Kwai and Commonwealth War Graves

Some months later we visited the refugee camps along the Cambodian border, where we witnessed the devastation in human lives caused by Pol Pot and his regime. They murdered at least 2 million of their own people and sent countless thousands more scattering for refuge to Thailand and elsewhere. Children in bondage, what a blot on the human race! Stories here too gruesome to tell or contemplate!

Cambodian refugees on the Thailand border – consider the disturbed look on some of those children’s faces.

BOND: Fortunately we were also able to visit other beautiful places in Thailand during that year’s contract, which brought some relief from the busyness of our hectic lives at that time. So look no further than the island and area immortalised by a certain Mr Bond, James Bond! in his legendary film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’. Sailing among the mangroves and the amazing rock formations was certainly a fascinating experience, and visiting the village where they cultivated pearls, was financially perilous! Ever think that if only in real life we could find someone to save humanity from its madness and folly?

In and around ‘James Bond’ island

BRIDGE: The strange thing about the bridge on the River Kwai episode was that soldiers, on the same side in this deadly conflict, were working against each other. Some working to build a bridge and others working to destroy a bridge. There was good reason for that in this instance, but I’ll leave you to read the story for yourself. That fact however has been true in other international conflicts and disagreements, where selfish national interests take precedence over what might have been a better and more sensible outcome. And if we are honest we see that happening in almost every level of human society. Having your cake and eating it too, is now heralded as a great outcome in any negotiation!

Makeshift Church in Refugee Camp

We noticed that in the camp we visited on the Thai / Cambodia border there was a large church, open at the sides and back, which we were told was packed to capacity whenever a service was held, with people standing around outside. The message they were hearing was new to their ears and truly revolutionary. It’s the story of another bridge, one prepared by God Himself, that allows weary and worn sinners in a self destructive world to find peace and rest.

As I write, this new strain of Covid-19 is running rampant in Scotland and throughout the UK, with more than 1000 daily deaths and gloomy forecasts for the coming months, in spite of vaccination hopes. We are daily reminded of this virus’ impact around the world, and are being told we will defeat this virus together, so life can return to normal. But defeating Covid-19 will do nothing to help the reported 12 million children in danger from war, disease and famine in Yemen, or solve the countless wars, acts of terrorism and troubles and injustices perpetuated around the globe, which only get a brief mention at present. Today the USA, recognised as the world’s chief promoter of democracy was demonstrating how it should not be done, by a mob invading the White House! The Bible diagnoses humankind’s most serious problem and calls it sin. If we are honest we know we have all been infected.

So there is no Mr Bond who is going to save us, but Christmas is about a greater Saviour, who brings help from outside our world, coming to save us by becoming one of us. ‘Emmanuel’ God with us, Jesus the Saviour of the world. He provides the bridge for all who are seeking forgiveness, peace and rest. For our present and eternal safety and wellbeing we really need to step across. The last photo of a bridge spells it out so well. Take a look!

Jesus THE bridge!

Here’s the story of one young woman who crossed that bridge!

Wishing you all a very happy new year, and God’s peace, care and protection throughout 2021.

Matthew

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