OK., all of us get stressed and can have off moments, so no judgement implied. HOWEVER, I found myself overhearing a conversation between a married couple. Arrangements for the evening meal were being made. She was laying down the law. He didn’t sound very happy. Well, she shook her head and rolled her eyes, sighed, glared, dismissed his remonstrations with a look that could have felled an elephant at a hundred paces and then said, “Well, I am telling you the way it is going to be. I HAVE GOT A KIRK SESSION MEETING TONIGHT!”

Their grandchild was with them. There was a similar laying down of the law for her as to how and what she was to eat on this fun outing, even though at that time of the day there was no Kirk Session to which to go! Ever wondered why some folk’s spouses or the up and coming generation might want nothing to do with Church?

Let’s hope it was just an off day… but have to say I have my doubts about that, sadly!

I have often pondered over the years why it is that Kirk Sessions are sometimes are often full of good people but also seem to have more than their fair percentage of the most angry, irritable, frustrated, legalistic people you could find anywhere. Also, why is it elders are often innovative or supportive of innovation but have more than their fair share of those who resist every change as their prime calling within their ranks as well? At a Kirk Session meeting, I heard a minister say in the midst of life giving changes that were not meeting with universal approval, that “everything being in order” could come in different guises. There is order in the cemetry and the order one finds in the kindergarten. They look and sound quite different!( I think it was a John Wimber quote.) I heard an elder stand up and say, “Let’s be clear about this minister! It is the order of the cemetry we want in this church.” Thankfully, in one sense, that person’s earthly remains are enjoying the order of the cemetery, at least for the time being. A terrrible disorder will come to the cemetery they lie in one day, Scritpure tells us, which will cause to pale into insignificance the upsets, the black and purple faces that occur in discussions over CH4 or Mission Praise, or Common Cup or individual glasses, or where a banner hangs on a wall, or….! By the way, thankfully too that church is experiencing the order of the nursery once again after a lifeless hiccup period; new life and obvious blessing.

God Bless

Kenny