Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Neil Urquhart of Fullarton parish church in Irvine.
Presiding Officer, members of the Scottish Parliament and friends in the gallery, did you hear the one about Irvine’s Protestant minister, Roman Catholic priest and Buddhist journalist? The minister is me, the Roman Catholic priest is Father Willie and the Buddhist journalist is Sandy. Father Willie and I have made numerous humorous anti-sectarian short films, in which some of you have starred and which the Scottish Government has supported. Known as the “Good News ‘Shoes Brothers’”, many have joined our community, celebrating dance to halt hatred and build bridges. Recently, we were “Blue in Greenock Prison”, arrested for bad dad and, in Willie’s case, bad Father dancing, but able to unite the prison community against sectarianism.
In Sandy, our local Buddhist journalist, we have a great ally in spreading the barrier-breaking message. Indeed, we have found allies in people of faith and no faith, all of whom are delighted to promote peace in a world in which division, bitterness and hatred sell papers. I differ from Sandy on things such as history, time and death, but we share many values.
I evangelically believe that Christ is the sole soul saviour by which we humans can be saved and through whom we find life in its fullness. However, experience as a sports chaplain in the athletes villages of Delhi 2010, London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 taught me the strength of diversity with a common goal. In Glasgow 2014’s religion and belief centre—or RAB C as I preferred to call it—chaplains from the major world religions combined to provide spiritual and pastoral support for athletes and their staff. The ability to eat and laugh together is a great icebreaker. We did not deny serious differences but grew mutual respect and the desire to build people up, rather than undermine them.
You do not need religious faith to bless and encourage people. In Irvine, we have a growing movement and philosophy called giving something back, to unite people of faith and no faith in the voluntary service of others. It is true, isn’t it, that we humans are at our best and most fulfilled when caring for, helping and supporting others in need?
In Irvine, like the rest of Scotland, more and more people are falling through the caring cracks, unable to make ends meet or face the future. I have no political axe to grind; I simply call for all of us, together—whatever our political, religious or philosophical angles—to unite in serving the interests of the most vulnerable in our land and world, and to put aside self-interest and differences to unite in a 1+1=3 synergy. The mnemonic T-E-A-M spells it well: together everyone achieves more.