From the Manse

Coming back to Coll from Caithness at the end of October was interesting to say the least.

On leaving home the ride to Oban was a twofold experience. The first half to Inverness saw the road over the hills shrouded in fog which made driving extremely difficult. It is hard when there are no road markings on one side and a massive drop to the sea on the other. However, after 2 hours Inverness was reached with a sigh of relief.

Filling up with fuel for the second half of the journey, which would present no problems was fine, or so I thought. Shortly after leaving Inverness the first 20 miles or so was pleasant, it was a clean sky, clear road and even at 2.30 in the morning, was relaxing. Then it happened! The wind rose and for the next 30-40 miles, or perhaps it was 300-400 miles, that's what it seemed I spent the time dodging the branches blowing from the trees, and if that was not bad enough, had to brake really hard to avoid contact with not 1 but 2 wheely bins that had decided to do a quickstep across the highway. Was I pleased to see Oban? I'll leave you to decide that.

Parking on the pier where all the vehicles seemed to be doing a soft-shoe shuffle in the wind and driving rain, looking out of the windows of their vehicles, drivers and passengers could see the ferry rocking and rolling when berthed, which certainly did nothing to help the confidence of those hoping it would sail. Then came the astounding news that the captain had indeed decided to attempt the crossing.

Driving over the ramp and getting settled in a seat presented no problem, but I'm sure that even those sleeping had one eye on the windows and one ear waiting for the Bing-Bong of the ferry tannoy telling everyone that the vessel would be returning to Oban.

Guess what?

Even with the ferry behaving like an out of control yo-yo we were told that we would be arriving at Coll. Some people were craning their necks and straining their eyes to try and see the pier through the spray. One small boy when asked by his mother where he was going answered "I'm going to see if I can find Coll."

I for one am more than glad that I found Coll. I have been returning now for the past 18 months at regular intervals. Eighteen months of getting to know this stunning island, the hills, the winding roads, the castles, the magnificent out-spreading beaches, the out of the way houses and crofts. Arinagour and the welcoming warm-hearted people, you with your different beliefs I have come to know and love.

Let me tell you why I'm saying this. During these months I have shared conversations in the shops, the hotel, piers, in the school, by the roadside, even the surgery with for the most part laughter everywhere. There has been much waving of the hand to passing vehicles, serious talk in houses, and in the manse, shared mourning, shared prayers, shared silence, shared food and drink - and shared chatter about football, mostly Rangers and Celtic (has nobody here heard of Sunderland EC.) All these human exchanges are I believe of the stuff of the Gospel. I believe profoundly that the affairs of our common life are the affairs of our communion life. We cannot separate so-called religious talk from other talk.

When Mary Magdalene and her friend went to the tomb after the crucifixion, they found it empty. They were told by a messenger "Jesus is not here." Tell the disciples, "He goes before you into Galilee, there you will see him (St Matthew 28 vs. 1-7)." Galilee was their familiar daily world. The risen Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit was already in their daily world. He was already in their homes, in their work-places. He was already in their fields, in their streets and roads, in their shops - already in the total common life of their own community. Galilee, their common life was now their communion life.

For Galilee - substitute Coll.

Jesus is already, for ever, alive everywhere. That must affect how we behave, how we do things, how we treat other people, today, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow. As the old Celtic Hymn St Patricks Breastplate says

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to wine me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Amen

As I leave the island yet again I go with great appreciation of your welcomes and your kindness to me and home to a 10 year old son who cannot wait until July 1st when with my wife we shall return here for a short holiday. Then they will be able to see for themselves what I experience every time I arrive at the pier.

God bless you all.
Fred