Plenary,

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Official Report 391KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. As always, the first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Tony Stephen, of Banchory Church of Scotland youth ministry.

At school, I was forced to do something called Scottish country dancing. I hated it. I had to learn embarrassing things like pas de Basque and, even worse, I had to dance with girls. I could not get any of it right, so every week, at exactly the same time, I became prone to a mysterious tummy bug, which meant that I could sit at the side, in fear, and learn nothing about Scottish country dancing.

I then avoided all kinds of dancing until I came to Banchory. At my first ceilidh, I learned a wonderful secret. You see, the young people in Banchory could not give a hoot about the rules of Scottish country dancing. You are as likely to see them bouncing around like kangaroos or pulling shapes like John Travolta as you are to see a formal set or a pas de Basque. They know that the secret is not in getting the steps right: they are there to dance themselves dizzy, to laugh themselves hoarse and to squeeze every drop of flavour from the occasion. They are able to let go, which I find hard to do. I have therefore savoured every moment of every ceilidh with those young people in Banchory.

In Mark's gospel, some people confronted Jesus. They asked, "Why do the followers of John the baptizer and the Pharisees take on the discipline of fasting, but your followers don't?" Jesus said, "When you're celebrating a wedding, you don't skimp on the cake and wine, you feast. As long as the groom is with you, you have a good time. There's a time for dancing and a time for fasting."

Someone once told me that he would be more interested in Christianity if Christians looked a bit more like they had been saved. Not a week goes by when I do not hear a bad news story about our young people today. People who make such comments have not met the 50 or 60 young people whom I spend my time with each working week. They remind me daily that they know exactly what Jesus was talking about. After all, Jesus came to start a movement, not an institution; to invite us to a dance, not to a funeral.

Perhaps you signed up for a movement but sometimes feel that you are propping up an institution. Perhaps you feel that you spend too much time sitting at the side in fear. I pray that the words of Jesus and the example of our young people can inspire you, like me, again. Whether we know the right steps, when the band strikes up, I want to be one of the first out of my seat.

Grace and peace to you all today. Amen.